Beloved Weapon

by Jonathan A. Price

  Then one soldier nearly tripped over a large body in the earth.

  “Sir!” he said. “It’s number 623…Armstrong! He’s dead!”

  “What?” Casey gasped, rushing toward the soldier. He stopped and looked down as more soldiers rolled Armstrong’s body over—it took several men to do it. Billy spotted the gaping chasm in his chest, a hole where his pulsating heart used to be.

  “Investigate the site. Search everywhere. I want to know everything,” Casey said.

  “Everything, sir?”

  “I said everything. Shell casings. Blood samples. Forensics. I expect you people to be able to tell me exactly how many blades of grass are out here and how many of them are brown. I want to know exactly what happened out here and I want to know now.”

  Seventeen

  The blue coupe sped through the night as it passed away to sunrise, leaves rustling under the wheels as it sped across the vacant, forest-lined roads. Nia Black sat in the passenger seat, the chair in full recline as she stretched out and fought sleep. She refused to let her guard down for an instant, even though lethargy was beginning to overwhelm her.

  She glanced at Alvarez, observing the way he steered the car. His presence was the epitome of tedium with his unwavering stare, perfectly rigid reflexes and meticulously controlled breathing, the perfect soldier.

  For a brief moment, he broke the monotony. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes briefly, then quickly replaced them.

  Hmm…he’s actually kind of cute without those glasses on, Nia thought, staring at his sharp profile. He shot a glance at her and she quickly looked away.

  She sat quietly, unloading and reloading her weapons repeatedly in a vain attempt to ease her boredom. The inside of Alvarez’s car reeked stale of gunpowder and cigarettes, and the hard leather seat had her rear growing numb from sitting far too long.

  Then she couldn’t take it anymore. She needed some sound in the air.

  “Tell me something.”

  “What?” Alvarez responded to her.

  “…I don’t know, anything,” Nia grumbled. “I mean, talk. I’m bored. Tell me what you want with me. What are you trying to get from Hudson?”

  “I can’t be sure exactly what it is, but we need evidence of Hudson’s performance enhancement experiments. His human trials were never approved by the government,” said Alvarez. “The key is something only Hudson himself, or his scientists, would have access to. We need to get to him, detain him, and get him to talk.”

  “You mean to tell me you spent all that time working for Hudson and you never got the chance to interrogate him yourself, bug his office or nothing?”

  “Hudson is far too well-guarded, and far too secretive, to allow even his highest-ranking officers to access him easily. But we’ll have our shot. Even a man as powerful as Hudson can’t have his subordinates do everything.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s meeting with Ivan Worthington, the head of a construction firm, to discuss groundbreaking and manufacturing of a new research facility downtown. Worthington is an old-school businessman—he doesn’t want to deal with liaisons or representatives, he doesn’t believe in making decisions by email and he doesn’t have a Blackberry. He’s only going to begin negotiations by shaking the hand of the man in charge…only then does he even consider signing on the dotted line.”

  “So Hudson’s going to have to go out to meet this guy personally,” Nia ascertained. “When?”

  “Two days from now,” Alvarez answered. “9:00 AM. Bright and early.”

  “Damn, two days…” Nia sighed.

  Alvarez shrugged. “It’s all I’ve got. You need to do is get there and be done before he has a chance to summon the security team. If it comes down to it, you know how to get away from them, and I’ll create a diversion to make it easier. You stop him and I’ll do the rest.”

  The coupe came to a stop on a crowded downtown street. Alvarez reached across Nia’s lap and opened the passenger side door.

  Nia shot a glance outside the car, and then back at Alvarez. She saw he was holding her pager in his open palm.

  “I’ll contact you when the location is definite. Once we have him, you’ll be free.”

  Nia hesitated for a moment, then snatched the pager, and climbed out of the car. She quickly walked down the crowded sidewalk as the coupe sped off.

  Nia looked at the pager in her hand. Every ounce of her being wanted to slam it on the concrete and shatter it into pieces. It was how the bad guys tracked her down in the first place, after all.

  But what if Alvarez was telling the truth? Never mind whether he was trustworthy or not. If there was any chance Nia had of getting Hudson and his corporation out of her life, bringing them down once and for all because of what happened to her family, Alvarez was the key. Even if he were only planning to use her for his own ends, even if he were an enemy, it was the closest Nia ever came to having an inside track with Corp Hudson since she stopped dating Vincent Marks.

  She shoved the pager into her pocket.

  Nia strolled past a gang of girls and guys not far from her age; laughing, playing, gossiping, and talking about how they intended to spend their weekends. Catching wind of their conversation, Nia found herself growing envious.

  They sure look like they’re having a good time… She thought. Must be nice to be able to chill like that. I mean, I love running and gunning, but I sometimes wish I didn’t always have to watch my back. It must be great not to have a care in the world…or at least to have nothing to fear from the law.

  Finally, Nia came across a pay phone. She dialed the number that was foremost in her memory, a number she’d been itching to dial for hours. Soon, the charges were accepted and she was in conversation.

  “Sorry about calling collect,” Nia said.

  “Are you all right?!” the voice on the other end shouted. “What happened? Is everything cool?”

  “Everything’s fine,” Nia whispered, relieved. She was glad Bobby answered and not Charlene, and it was evident in her voice. “How’s my baby?”

  “I’m all right, we’re both all right.”

  Nia groaned. “I was talking about my other baby, Bobby.”

  Bobby sucked his teeth. “Oh…the bike. It’s cool too. I got it parked out front. That thing’s got some serious torque! I don’t know how the hell you handle that thing; I damn near lost control a couple of times. Oh yeah, Charlene has me sitting in your room—your old room—waiting for you to get back.”

  “She didn’t toss you right out?” Nia gasped.

  “She wanted me to make sure you came back and got your stuff. She didn’t want any of it being connected to us by the police or anything like that.”

  “She called the police?”

  “I had to convince her not to. She was going to get them to confiscate all your stuff, but I told her not to mess with you like that…she was pissed but she let it go.”

  “Was everything there? Was the place ransacked?”

  “No, everything was cool…nothing was missing from what I could tell. Except money. I’m guessing Charlene took it—she didn’t say anything to me.”

  “You mean to tell me that bitch stole my—you know what, forget it. It wasn’t all that much anyway.”

  “Can you blame her?” Bobby chuckled nervously. “I mean, come on, after last night, she deserves something…”

  “I’m sorry, Bobby…” Nia sighed. “I came and messed your life all up.”

  “Look…let’s talk about that later. Are you coming back here? What’s going on with those dudes that kidnapped us?”

  “I’ll tell you everything, but I need my wheels back,” Nia answered. “Drive it to this address I’m about to give you, all right? I want you to meet somebody. Bring the bike, and all of my stuff that you can fit in your sports bag.”

  “All right,” Bobby said. “Look, I gotta go.”

  Footsteps echoed behind Bobby, from outside of Nia’s bedroom. Bobby hung up the phone as Ch
arlene walked in, finding him seated upon Nia’s bed, which was stripped of sheets and pillows. Only one night ago, he sat in the same spot, with Nia laying nude in his arms. He remembered answering the cryptic phone call from Jesús Alvarez, just before the two took the photos that exposed the truth of their relationship.

  “Who was that?” asked Charlene. “Was that that bitch Nia? You told her to get her ass back here and get her shit, right?”

  “Um, nah, it wasn’t her…wrong number,” Bobby replied.

  “You were talking for a minute for it to be a wrong number,” Charlene added. “You still lying to me, ain’t you? Damn it, Bobby…”

  Bobby thought quickly. “Look, some fool was asking directions to the stadium. He thought he was calling a friend and got me instead, so I just gave up the goods.”

  “Oh,” Charlene said. “Whatever. Just hurry up and pack that junk up. And be careful…a bomb might go off or something.”

  Bobby stood. “Look, I need to run to the club for a minute…let the peoples know we’re all right.”

  “You can’t just call Marc and let him know?”

  “I think it’d be better if they see I’m in one piece, you know what I’m saying?” Bobby retorted.

  He had an answer for everything.

  Charlene walked away, back toward the stairs leading to their room.

  “Just hurry back.”

  Bobby drove across town in his jeep, barely able to concentrate on the road as he thought about his situation. After the second near-miss accident at an intersection, he knew he had to find clarity of thought as curses and horns blared in his ears. But Bobby knew that he wouldn’t be able to focus on his situation until he tied up all the loose ends, no matter how minor.

  He arrived at the Jazz Hall. As per usual in the sunlight hours, no one was present at the hall except for the one person Bobby needed to see: Marc. Bobby drew his key and entered the building.

  The club’s bartender and owner was present as usual, but instead of his routine cleaning and organizing the bar, he was on the phone. Bobby crept inside of the club and patiently waited for Marc to notice his presence.

  Marc finally looked up and saw Bobby. He nearly dropped the phone in surprise.

  “Look, I’ll contact you again later…yeah, later. You know me, pleasure before business,” Marc said, and hung up the phone.

  “You ain’t have to hang up for me,” Bobby sighed.

  Marc charged over to Bobby and embraced him.

  “You’re all right! Man, I’m glad to see you! You okay, man? You ain’t hurt, right?”

  Bobby shrugged. “I’m good; me and Charlene, we’re both all right. I don’t know what it was all about, but Nia came to get us.”

  “Good,” Marc smiled. “That’s my girl. Let her know I’m proud of her.”

  “I’ll do that,” Bobby agreed.

  Marc looked sorrowful. “Look, Bobby, the record producers…”

  “I know,” Bobby sighed. “They came through and I didn’t show. I guess I can write off that little opportunity…I ain’t never getting my club back…”

  Marc grinned. “Hey, man, whatever happens, the Jazz Hall will always be your joint. I’m just here supporting everything you do. Besides, those guys heard about the kidnapping and everything. I know you’re kind of off your rocker about being snatched by secret agents and what not, but this might actually have done you some good.”

  Bobby was dumbfounded. “Huh?”

  “Think about it, man,” Marc went on. “What do all these rappers and hip-hop artists go around talking about? How they get mistreated by the law, how they be busting caps and all that mess? You got the real scoop. You were falsely detained, man! You know it and everybody who was here last night knows it. So you’re now a smooth jazz musician with real street rep. Those record producers are coming back in a week to hear what you got. You’re the man, Bobby!”

  Bobby’s lips formed a slow smile. “Huh. Look man, I gotta go, but I’ll talk to you later on, all right?”

  “Sure, man,” Marc smiled as Bobby started toward the door. “Take care. And tell Nia to call me!”

  Eighteen

  Evening fell. Nia waited impatiently inside of Kim’s warehouse.

  “He is taking forever,” Nia groaned.

  Her accomplice, Kim, was more relaxed, as always.

  “Give him time, my dear. You are not the only one with problems to deal with.”

  Nia folded her arms. “It’s probably that bony-behind Charlene, asking him a million questions as usual.”

  “Envy does not suit a person of your upbringing, Nia,” Kim sighed. “You have spent too much time in those nightclubs. You forget your honorable teachings more and more by the day.”

  Within moments, the familiar roar of a sport bike sounded in the distance and grew progressively louder. Nia’s frown turned upside-down immediately.

  “That’s him!” Nia cheered, trotting toward the door.

  Kim quickly called out, “Foolish girl! Wait for a moment, it may be a trap. Ready yourself. Remember your training.”

  “Whatever, old man,” Nia said with a chuckle. “The only training I need to remember is how to pull the trigger…as long as I got these babies, can’t nobody stop me.”

  “Only a fool entrusts their life to a weapon, Nia,” Kim warned. “You need not rely on mere guns if you are one with your surroundings.”

  Nia sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, all right. Look, I can see from here…Bobby came just like I asked, and he’s all alone. See? You worry too much, K.”

  Outside of the warehouse, Bobby, wearing Nia’s riding goggles, leaped off Nia’s silver sport bike, lugging along a large duffel bag. He smiled slightly when he laid eyes on Nia’s bouncy body approaching him. Bobby carefully set the bag down, leaned his saxophone against it, and embraced Nia when she got close enough. Nia leaped into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him, her legs flailing in the air.

  “I was missing you, baby,” said Nia between pecks as she pulled the goggles off his head and nestled them in her hair.

  “Yeah…” Bobby muttered, staring into space. “I was worried about you, too.”

  Nia stopped kissing him and dropped to the ground.

  She sensed something different about him. As her chest pressed against his, she felt his heart rate quicken, as if he dreaded having her close to him.

  Something’s the matter, Nia thought. He must be real shook up about that whole kidnapping thing, especially since it only happened because he’s cool with me. But still, I figured he’d be a little happier to see that I was all right? If for no other reason than because we’re friends? We are still friends, aren’t we?

  Bobby looked ahead for anything he could use to change the subject and caught sight of the overalls-wearing Oriental gentleman inside the building.

  “…So who’s this? Is this the guy you wanted me to meet?”

  “Yeah,” Nia answered. “Kim, Bobby. Bobby, Kim.”

  “So this is the legendary musician Nia is always talking about,” Kim smiled. “I have heard much about you, young man.”

  Bobby grinned nervously. “I don’t know about ‘legendary’…but thanks. Nia’s always talking about you being like her father.”

  “That sounds about right,” Kim responded with a nod.

  Nia spoke up. “So how’s Marc doing?”

  “You should have seen him,” Bobby went on. “As soon as I got back at the club, he smiled like he saw his newborn child for the first time or something! He told me to tell you he was real proud of you. He wants you to call him sometime.”

  “Will do,” Nia smiled. “But pleasure before business.”

  “So Nia,” Kim suddenly spoke. “Regale us. What happened last night?

  “Yeah,” Bobby interjected. “How did you get away? I know you got guns and you can shoot and all, but that was like twenty armed soldiers against one little midget girl…”

  “I’m not that damn short!” Nia snapped.
“But I took your advice. I decided to use the gifts I got from my dad to start putting the bad guys out of our misery.”

  “So they’re not going to bother us anymore? Life goes on, and all that? Charlene and I are safe and sound?”

  “Yeah…” Nia’s voice trailed off. “ much. Anyway, you’ll have to excuse me for a minute. I’ve been wearing this same get-up since last night and I need to freshen up. Is the washroom in the back clean, Kim? Is the water running?”

  “It is as clean as the bathroom in any derelict warehouse, my dear, and the water runs fine,” Kim answered.

  “Good. I’ll be back. You boys play nice,” Nia smiled, lifting the black bag and trotting toward the back.

  Kim rested himself at his desk in the center of the room, looked back, listening as Nia’s footsteps trailed off until they were silent, and he then turned to Bobby, who sat upon a nearby wooden crate after sweeping away the dust.

  “This town’s full of some crazy folks,” Bobby sighed, “But man, she’s the cream of the crop.”

  “She is in love with you, you know,” Kim suddenly said.

  “What?” Bobby bellowed. “No, not Nia. She doesn’t feel that way about anybody. She won’t let herself get too attached to anyone. She’d never let anyone in.”

  “Do you truly believe that? What do you think keeps her going?” Kim continued. “She puts her life on the line night after night. What do you think truly drives her to make sure she is not caught, no matter what?”

  “What…me?”

  “She cannot bear the thought of being torn away from you. She was so sad, the night she spent in her enemies’ clutches, in the van with those other agents and nowhere near you. When she told me about it, every other sentence was Bobby this, Bobby that. ‘I missed Bobby…all I kept thinking about was Bobby…’”

  Bobby blushed. “She told you about the setup at the Hallegan Building? I thought I was the only one she talked to about stuff like that.”

  Kim smiled. “She tells me everything.”