New America 02 - Resistance

by Richard Stephenson

  “Orphan girl? Here? Don’t recall an orphan girl.”

  “Dugood? What was the girl’s name? Dammit! McPhee?”

  Dupree, you fucking idiot! Her name is Christina Dupree.

  “I have no idea, Ned. Slavers haven’t brought any kids ‘round here in some time. What’s so special about her?”

  “I have no clue, but Colonel Rutherford himself is headed down here to get the girl. I promise you she’s here somewhere, and she’s important for some reason.”

  “Rutherford? He’s coming here? When?”

  “Dinnertime tomorrow. I’m headed out in the morning, leaving one of my NCOs behind to look for her. Was hopin’ you’d help me. Can you spare a few men to help look for her?”

  “Ned, you know I’m here to help you in any way I can. Of course we’ll help look for the girl. Who are you leaving behind?”

  “Godecker, and I appreciate it, Ben. Need to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” Captain Brown gulped down the rest of his brandy and snuffed out his cigar. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, my friend. It was good to see you.”

  Ben exited the suite and hurried down the stairs. Instead of retiring for the night, he rode his motorcycle back to his office on Main Street, USA. He dug through the papers on his desk and found the intake information on the UAE’s prodigal daughter. What the hell is so important about this little girl? Every refugee that took up residence in Ben’s amusement park community underwent a very basic screening process that included paperwork, medical screening, interviews, and even a short orientation meeting. Ben’s people had efficiently trimmed the entire process down to the point that a couple dozen refugees could complete the intake in only a few hours. Once Ben reviewed the orientation packets, they were carefully filed away in the records office. While his office clerks were organized to a fault, Ben was notoriously less so. He knew the girl’s file was scattered somewhere amongst the mounds of clutter on his conference table. Ben frantically tossed aside stacks of papers, and by the time he found the girl’s buried file, his office bore a striking resemblance to a ransacked crime scene.

  Ben poured over her orientation packet, hoping some clue would pop out at him. The only obvious discrepancy he found was the fact that she wasn’t an orphan. In her interview, the girl stated that her father died when she was a baby and her mother was living in Colorado. She also mentioned being separated from her grandparents during the Collapse of 2027. What the hell is so special about this little girl? What does the UAE want with her? One thing was certain—he wasn’t going to hand the child over until he knew what made her so important.

  ***

  Late the next afternoon, Benjamin Black rolled out the red carpet for an honored guest, Colonel Lionel Rutherford of the Unified American Empire. Ben had never met the man but knew much about his reputation. From what Ben had been told, the man was sadistic, arrogant, and lethal—making him a model UAE officer.

  Ben had spent the morning getting to know Chrissy Dupree—an exceptional child, given the circumstances. She had apparently witnessed unspeakable horrors, yet had made it through in remarkable fashion. Chrissy was polite, enthusiastic and— in stark contrast to the world around her—optimistic.

  Ben had a long list of theories as to her importance and managed to cross each one off the list. None of her relatives had any connection to the UAE. The girl had never seen a soldier from the UAE, and she had never set foot on a military installation. The girl’s importance to the UAE was a complete mystery to Ben, making her even more valuable to the resistance. If she possessed critical knowledge about the UAE, she could prove useful in striking a devastating blow. But more than that, Ben had accepted this child into his community and felt responsible for her wellbeing. He doubted the UAE’s interest in this girl had anything to do with kindness.

  Ben’s radio crackled. “Ben, they’re here. You coming out or do you want me to bring them to you?”

  “Show them to my office.” Ben wanted to stand behind his desk and have the man seated in front of him, a not-so-subtle reminder of who was in charge.

  Ben stood as his guest entered and extended his hand. “Colonel, it’s an honor to meet you. What brings you to the Magic Kingdom?”

  His snobbery in plain sight, Lionel Rutherford paused a bit too long before returning the handshake, as if Ben’s hand had been dipped in something unsavory of which he should be wary.

  “Mr. Brown, I ...”

  “Black.”

  “Excuse me?” The colonel looked horribly offended by the interruption.

  “Black. My name is Benjamin Black.” Ben shot the colonel a piercing smile.

  “Ah, yes, of course it is. Well, I’m sure you’re aware of the recent measure to combat the slave trade. The report you compiled on the liberated ...”

  “Why is that, exactly?”

  “Why is what?” Colonel Rutherford shifted in his seat, clearly growing impatient.

  “Why after all this time has the UAE decided to do something about the slave trade? Why now? What happened?”

  “That need not concern you, Mr. Black. All you need to know is that the UAE is going to great lengths to...”

  “That’s the other thing that has me puzzled. You guys have a lot on your plate these days with all the attacks. Real sorry to hear about McClellan; that was pretty fucked up. How do you guys have the time to chase down slavers?”

  Colonel Rutherford was not amused. The leaders of these fortified communities didn’t impress him. They were more often than not delusional morons who rose to power by being the most violent idiot of the bunch. “Mr. Black, I’m afraid we don’t have time for lengthy discussions. My business here is rather urgent, so I’m going to have to forgo the hospitality I’ve heard so much about. Do I have your attention, sir?”

  “Of course.”

  “You have a child here by the name of Christina Dupree.”

  “We have a lot of children here. I can ask around for ...”

  Ben knew things were about to get ugly when the look on Rutherford’s face went from disgusted to venomous. “I was not asking a question, hillbilly! I know she’s here!”

  “Hillbilly? I’m sorry, have I done something to offend you? Colonel, we’re here to cooperate in every way possible. You hungry? I can have some grub brought up, and we can sort this out.”

  “I don’t have time for your silly games and, quite frankly, you’re pissing me off. I know you spent the morning with the girl trying to figure out why we want her. That means you know exactly where she is. I’m leaving here with her in ten minutes.”

  Ben was finished trying to manipulate the asshole and dropped the act. “Before I do anything, I want to know why she’s so important.”

  Rutherford chuckled. “Or what? What’re you gonna do? Stop me?”

  “C’mon, let’s not get carried away. I think I have a right to know.”

  “You have a lot of nerve, you know. The only right you have is to do what the fuck you’re told. You think you’re some sort of big shot? I can shoot you between the eyes and give your job to the first person I see. Catching on? You do not want to waste my time.”

  “The girl is a part of this community, and I’m responsible for her wellbeing. And while we’re on the subject, I am a big shot. I’ve built up quite a settlement here, and we’ve got the muscle to defend it. I’ve got a double-barreled shotgun under my desk, conveniently aimed at your crotch. I figure we’ve got two choices: You can either get the fuck outta my park and not come back, or I can blow your ass outta that chair.”

  Colonel Rutherford smiled, not the least bit shaken. “Third option?”

  “I’d love to hear it.”

  “Look out the window. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t meet us in the parking lot. Could’ve saved us both a lot of time. Go on, Mr. Black! Take a peek. I promise to sit right here and behave myself.”

  Ben leaned back in his chair to get a better look at the parking lot, his finger still curled around the trigger. The g
ood colonel wasn’t screwing around. Dozens of vehicles and easily a hundred eager soldiers were amassed outside, ready to storm the park.

  “As you can see, I came prepared. Impressive, aren’t they? That’s about a third of them. Believe me when I tell you I won’t hesitate to slaughter every adult in this park and take all of the children with me. I’d rather not resort to such drastic measures. Just give me the girl! Is one little kid really worth all that to you?”

  “You’re a bastard, you know that?”

  “Actually, I don’t really get much criticism in my line of work.”

  “I can see why. Will she be safe?”

  “Absolutely! She’ll be an honored guest! You think we’d go to all this trouble if she wasn’t important?”

  “Who the hell is she? I gotta know, please.”

  “It’s not actually the girl who’s important. It’s her father.”

  “What? Her father’s dead.”

  Colonel Rutherford beamed from ear to ear. “Oh, no, General Dupree is very much alive, I assure you.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “Mr. Everton, I admire your passion, sir. I pride myself on being somewhat of an expert in human nature. I know these first stages of captivity—such an ugly word, but I just can’t think of a polite euphemism for what we’re doing here—are the most difficult, and I do apologize for all the unpleasantness. I’m eager to get to the next phase of our relationship. I think we’re almost there, don’t you?”

  Joel Everton was duct-taped to a kitchen chair and had been for the past eleven hours. His wife was in the same predicament a few short feet away. Although her mouth had been taped shut, she’d been spared all but a fraction of the violence her husband had experienced. “You’re not suggesting we’re becoming friends are you? That whole Stockholm Syndrome thing isn’t happening here.”

  “No, no, Mr. Everton, I have no illusions about us becoming friends. I certainly don’t expect you to become buddies with my two associates here. The next phase is acceptance of what’s happening to you. It’s a given…inevitable, I’m afraid. I’ve seen it many times; some take twice as long as you and some take half the time.”

  “And just how do you know when it happens? What makes you think I’m going to do anything you want?”

  “Well, for starters, Mr. Everton, you’ve stopped using profanity. I find profanity to be so tasteless and vulgar. I suppose I have my dear Christian mother to thank for that.”

  “Maybe I’m just tired of getting punched.”

  “It doesn’t really matter, Mr. Everton. That’s not what tells me you’re ready to move on to the next phase of our plan.”

  Joel looked at the maniac with contempt. “I can’t wait to hear this.”

  The polite man paused to straighten his tie and smiled. “Mr. Everton, I know we’re ready to proceed because you’ve come to terms with your fate. You’ve stopped begging, stalling, and my absolute favorite part of these jobs—you’ve stopped scheming and plotting to find a way out of this.”

  Megan Everton snuck a furtive glance at her husband, certain the monster was wrong. She knew her husband was smart enough to find a way out of this nightmare and save them both. His defeated gaze, however, led Megan to the horrible realization that Joel had given up.

  “Mr. Everton, you really will come to realize that it’s so much easier when you just play the game. This is going to happen, sir, and I’m delighted that you’re finally accepting that fact.”

  “I know the last time I asked this question I was punished for it, but you said I would know when I could ask it again.”

  “Bravo, Mr. Everton! I am quite impressed with you, my good man. You’re the first to make the connection without any prompting from me. I was right about you, Mr. Everton.” The polite man was as giddy as a school boy. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret, Mr. Everton. My employer was not in favor of your selection. You were thought to be much too smart and resourceful. I just had a feeling you might need to improvise and think on your feet to accomplish your assignment. Your predecessors didn’t really have to do much thinking. If we could’ve gotten away with it, their tasks could have been carried about by chimpanzees. Anyway, Mr. Everton, now that you feel the time is right, please ask your question.”

  “If I go through with this, how do I know you won’t kill my wife anyway? How do I know you’ll let her go?”

  “Well, Mr. Everton, you really don’t know, do you? From the moment my associates and I entered your home, I’ve done every single thing I said I would do without fail. My employer likes things to be nice and tidy. Unnecessary loss of life brings with it the potential for complications. Keeping your wife alive is the easier alternative. Missing persons bring attention. Your wife can simply fabricate the story of your demise, but if both of you were to disappear, well, that would be too costly an investment.”

  “You want me to murder innocent people, yet you have the nerve to say ‘unnecessary loss of life’? How dare you!”

  The polite man broke eye contact with Joel and smiled at one of his goons who, in turn, whacked Joel across the knuckles with the end of a collapsible baton. The thugs knew a smile meant to go easy on the victim.

  “Mr. Everton, let’s not forget my dislike of sass. Just because I’m pleased with how sharp you are doesn’t mean you can speak to me in any way you please. Let’s not ruin the progress we’ve made. As I was saying, assuring someone’s silence is much easier than one would think. I’m sure your lovely wife here holds a great deal of affection for her sweet grandmother in Plano, Texas. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”

  Megan was stunned by the realization that this sociopath kept tabs on her family.

  “Yes, darling. Mammy is just an adorable little country grandma. Doesn’t really live in the country, but you can’t take the country out of the gal, now can ya? You should consider yourself lucky. I only had one grandmother that I could remember, and she went home to see Jesus when I was six. From what I recall, my Mimi and your Mammy would get along just fine. If you can’t keep our little secret, they might meet each other much sooner than the good Lord intended.”

  “I’m sure my wife will cooperate fully, sir. I’ll do whatever you want me to do, and she will never speak a word of this for the rest of her life.”

  “I’m sure she won’t, Mr. Everton, I’m sure she won’t. While we’re on the topic of family, I have to say that your Uncle Ollie is a real stand-up guy. His second wife has a teenage girl with a spinal cord injury, right? Poor little angel is in a wheelchair, and your uncle doesn’t skip a beat. That girl isn’t just a step-daughter, she’s family to him. Sounds like a family full of fighters and hard workers, real salt-of-the-earth kind of folk. I’d love to spend a weekend with them. I’m willing to bet they’d make us a home-cooked meal before we got down to business.”

  “Stop! You’ve made your point. I’m ready.”

  “Excellent! I really do like you, Joel. I’ve enjoyed our time together. I seldom get to have conversations with men of intelligence. My associates might lack in that department, but they excel in other areas where it counts. One thing has me curious. It wasn’t really important enough to follow up on but I’m certain you’d be happy to fill in the blanks. Uncle Ollie, is that his Christian name or is it short for Oliver?”

  “Yes, my mother wanted to name me after him but my dad insisted on Joel. They compromised and made Oliver my middle name.”

  “How delightful! Joel Oliver Everton. I admire namesakes, I really do. If I’d ever had children of my own, their names would’ve had meaning.”

  Thank God you didn’t reproduce.

  “Now, we have one more bit of nastiness to contend with before we can proceed. Megan, my dear, I don’t want you to be afraid. My associates here are going to escort you into the next room.”

  Megan’s muffled screams went nowhere.

  “Now, now. I simply want to have a word with your husband in private. I promise my associates will be perfect gentlemen.”

&
nbsp; Once they were alone, Joel closed his eyes. “Please don’t kill my wife. I’ll do whatever you say, and I won’t try anything stupid.”

  “Mr. Everton, open your eyes and look at me. Have I lied to you in the short time we’ve known each other?”

  “No.”

  “Then you know, sir, that I mean business. Would you agree?”

  “Yes,” Joel whispered.

  “I have no interest in harming your wife so long as you successfully complete your mission. I have one last truth to share with you, something I hope you’ll find motivational.”

  Joel couldn’t imagine anything more motivational than keeping his wife and family safe from this madman. “What is it?”

  “This is perhaps the most unpleasant part of my job. I really do hate the lack of civility in my profession, I really do. Mr. Everton, please understand, sir, that I absolutely abhor having to discuss this, so I’m just going to come out and say it. If you get cold feet during your mission, my two associates are going to brutally violate your wife before they kill her.”

  Joel began to weep. “I won’t get cold feet, I promise. P-p-please don’t hurt my wife. I’ll do whatever you say, I promise. I won’t let you down...”

  “Shhh. There, there. Let’s not get carried away.” The polite man reached into his suit coat for his handkerchief and tenderly wiped Joel’s face. “I have all the faith in the world that you’ll complete your mission. Your dear wife will be just fine. You’re a smart man, Joel, very smart. I know you desperately want to believe your wife will be safe from harm. That being said, I also know you can’t escape the fear that, successful or not, we plan to kill your wife. While I am a facilitator of violence, Mr. Everton, I myself am not a violent man. I don’t want to kill your wife, and above all, I certainly would not want to be party to such a violation should you fail.”