One more big play. At least I finally had him figured out a little. He was less than two blocks from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue when they'd found him. That was two blocks from the White House.
I Want to Be Somebody.
They had him pinned down between a shoe-repair shop and a brownstone building full of law offices. He was using a parked Jeep Cherokee for cover.
There was another complication. He had hostages. He'd taken two young kids who had been on their way to school early that morning. The children looked to be eleven or twelve, about the same age Gary had been w hen his stepmother started locking him up. There was a boy and a girl. Shades of Maggie Rose and Michael Goldberg, almost two years before.
“I'm Divisional Chief Cross,” I said and got through the police barricades that were already set up across Pennsylvania Avenue.
The White House was clearly visible down the street. I wondered if the president was watching us on TV. At least one CNN news truck was already on the scene.
A couple of news-station helicopters moved in overhead. This was restricted air space near the White House, so they couldn't get too close. Somebody said M. ayor Monroe was on his way. Gary had bigger prey in mind. He had demanded to see the president. Otherwise, he'd kill the two children.
Traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue and the intersecting streets was already backed up as far as I could see. Several drivers and other passengers were deserting their vehicles, leaving them on the street. Scores of them stayed to watch the spectacle, though. Millions now watched on television.
“You think he's heading for the White House?” Sampson asked.
“I know a few states he'd probably carry,” I said.
I talked to the police SWAT team leader behind the barricades. I told him I thought Gary Soneji/Murphy was ready to go down in flames. He offered to light the match.
A negotiator was already at the scene. He was more than willing to hand over the honor to me. I was finally going to negotiate a settlement with Soneji/Murphy.
“We get the chance”-Sampson grabbed me and spoke very directly-“ we're going to pop him. Nothing tricky, Alex. ”
“Tell that to him,” I said to Sampson. “But if you get the chance, hit him. Do him.”
I wiped my face several times on my sleeve. I was sweating bullets. I was also nauseated and dizzy. I had an electric bullhorn and I flicked the power on. The power was in my hands. I want to be somebody' too. Was that true? Was that what it had finally come to? “This is Alex Cross,” I called out. A few wiseguys in the crowd cheered. Mostly, it got very quiet on the downtown D.C. street.
A burst of wild gunfire suddenly erupted across the street. Loud noise. Car windows blew out all over Pennsylvania Avenue. He did an amazing amount of damage in just a few seconds. Nobody was hurt that I could see. The two children were unharmed. Hi back at ya, Gary. Then a voice came from across the street. Gary's voice.
He was shouting at me. It was just the two of 'us. Was that what he wanted? His own High Noon in the middle of the capital. Live national TV coverage.
“Let me see you, Dr. Cross. Come on out, Alex. Show your pretty face to everybody. ”
“Why should I?” I spoke over the bullhorn to Soneji.
“Don't even think about it,” Sampson whispered from behind me. “You do, I'll shoot you myself.”
There was another explosion of gunfire from across the avenue. This one went on even longer than the first
Beirut. Cameras whirred and clicked everywhere. police sedan. Not too far, just enough to get killed.
“The TV stations are here, Gary,” I shouted. stand here. I'm gonna wind up as the big star. Slow
Soneji/Murphy started to laugh. His laughter went on
“You finally got me figured out?” he shouted at me. what I want?“ think you're dying. Otherwise”-l stopped to make this you wouldn't have let us catch you again. stood up behind the bright red Jeep. Both children lay so far. like the all-American boy, just as he did in court. closer. the star." He suddenly shifted his gun in my direction.
Gary Soneji/Murphy flew back in the direction of the scrambled up and ran away. Frontier Jtistice I sprinted as fast as I could across Pennsylvania Ave revolver was still aimed at Gary Murphy. He turned the He'd finished it for both of us. stream of bright red blood flowed steadily from his head still clutched in his hand. cameras clicking away behind us. I touched his shoul Very carefully, I turned the body over. There was all-American boy again.' He'd come to this party as
As I looked down, Gary's eyes suddenly opened and slowly. voice. “Help me, Dr. Cross. Please help me.” asked him. Checkmate. HEN THE FATEFUL DAY finally arrived, I couldn't to see anyone to talk about what was going to happen Jannie while they slept. Then I left the house around
I arrived at Lorton Federal Prison at three. The marcha moonlit sky. Some were singing protest songs from the ministers. A majority of the protesters were women, I
The execution chamber at Lorton was a small, ordiserved for the press. One was for official observers from and family of the prisoner. windows. At three-thirty in the morning, a prison offirevealed, strapped down on a hospital gurney. The arm. she became alert and seemed to tense as two technicians on a stainless-steei hospital tray. The insertion of the the execution by lethal injection was done correctly. and Gary Murphy for several months. I was on leavc this book, I had plenty of time for visits. workup reports. He spent most days lost in his complex back to the real one. that saved him from the possibility of death row. I was to listen. I was sure he was making up another plan. able to talk. She wasn't surprised the state had gotten responsible for the death of the son of the secretary of had kidnapped Maggie Rose Dunne. They were respon pilot, Joseph Denyeau. very beginning. “But not enough to stop me. Something do the same thing today. I'd take that kind of chance It's the age of greed. But not for you.”
“Somehow, I do. You are the Black Knight.” She said the marchers and other protesters angered her. differently about this." Jezzie, but I felt bad. I didn't want to be there at Lorton,
There was no one else at the window for Jezzie. Not not long after her arrest. Six weeks earlier, the former in front of his family. That had sealed Jezzie's fate. left arm to several intravenous drips. The first drip, solution. be added to the intravenous. This was a barbiturate used a heavy dose of Pavulon would be added. This would
This drug relaxes the heart and stops its pumping. It
Jezzie found my face in her “friends” window. She to smile. She had bothered to comb her hair, which was and how we hadn't gotten to say good-bye before she to leave the prison so badly, but I stayed. I had promised
In reality, it was nothing very graphic. Jezzie finally had been administered, but I had no way of knowing
She took a deep breath, and then I saw her tongue modern execution of a human being. That was the end
I left the prison and hurried to my car. I was a psycholcould take anything. I was tougher than anybody. Al-
My hands were jammed deeply into the pockets of my overcoat. In my right hand, so tightly clutched that
When I got to my car, an ordinary white envelope coat pocket, and didn't bother to open it until I was on
Up close and personal. In my face.
Alex, before they pricked her? Did you shed a tear? bered.
Always, always would be. I'd told that to anyone willing to Gary Soneji/Murphy was responsible for his acts. I felt in Southeast. The families of his black victims ought to be on death row, it was Soneji/Murphy. of the guards. He'd gotten to somebody inside Lorton. More of his fantasies and mind games. more skilled manipulator. Gary or Jezzie? I knew both more of them than any other place on the planet. They genders. That's the scariest thing of all.
After I got home
“-Ut's Give Them Something to Talk About.” Janelle player. Next to Ray Charles, that is. They sat on the listen to the music, and let our bodies touch for several
Later, I headed down to St. A's for lunch and such.
&nbs
p; The End
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Alex Cross 1 - Along Came A Spider Page 33
