by David Nees
“Was in the army and yes, the mayor did send me in a way. I insisted since I felt connected to the two men.”
“And you’re willing to die for them?”
Jason looked directly in Tom’s eyes. There was no warmth, only a deadly look coming from him. Tom suppressed a shiver.
He responded, “I’m willing to kill you for those two men…and Phillip…and Mary even. Sorry Mary, but this is a deadly serious game we’re playing here.”
Jason kept his focus on Tom until the Chairman turned away. “But you’ll die as well.”
“Like I said, maybe we will. But you definitely will die. We’ll take our chances after that.”
“And you?” Tom turned to Clayton. “You willing to die for this crazy plan? I notice this man seems to be doing all the talking.”
“We be together on this. You best understand if you want to live.” Everyone could hear the deadly intent, the fatalism in Clayton’s voice.
A half hour later there was a knock on the outer door. Clayton slipped out to the receptionist’s office and crouched behind the desk, to one side of the door. If any shooters came through, he would be out of their line of fire. They would be focused on the inner office door and he would have a moment of surprise to take them down. He only hoped Billy and Rodney would not be in the way.
When Clayton was in position, Jason crouched behind Tom with his pistol to Tom’s head and called out to come in. The door swung open and Rodney and Billy stepped through it. They were handcuffed and in waist and ankle chains. Phillip Cordell followed them. There was no one else in sight.
“Close the door, lock it, and bring them in here,” Jason called out.
When they passed through the outer office, Clayton stood and grabbed a chair and jammed it against the outer office door. He followed the three into Tom’s office and closed that door as well.
“They probably got the hall filled with militia,” Clayton said.
Both Rodney and Billy looked at Jason and Clayton in astonishment.
“How did you get here?” Rodney asked.
“We came to take you two home,” Jason responded. He came around the desk and gave each man a hug.
Clayton came up to Billy. “You doing all right? They didn’t hurt you?”
Billy was smiling and shook his head. “I’m okay. Boy I’m sure glad to see you. Glad to see both of you.”
“Rodney. Looks like you got beat up,” Jason said. He stepped back behind Tom.
“I got roughed up a bit at first. The Chairman’s militia seems to be a bit racist.” Rodney gave Tom a sharp look.
“Clayton better check our Mr. Cordell for weapons. Don’t want him to smuggle anything in that could trigger people getting shot.”
After checking Phillip for weapons, Jason had him sit on the floor between the two chairs. Rodney and Billy sat in the chairs facing Cordell.
“Now unchain these men,” Jason ordered.
“Not until we have something worked out.”
Clayton walked up behind him and smacked him on his head with his open hand. The blow knocked the man on his side.
“Don’t have time to waste,” Clayton said. “Do as he says.”
Cordell looked over at Tom.
Clayton grabbed Cordell by his hair and turned his head back and up, until he was looking at him. “If one of us tells you to do it, you do it. I can knock you silly and then find the key, or you can get it out of your pocket now and do what you’re told.”
Cordell reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. He went to each of the men and unlocked them.
“You’ve seen the men, they’re unharmed. They’re unlocked. Now what is this offer you say your going to make?” Tom asked.
“First we play a game of musical chairs. We’re going to all get up and move around each other, grab a partner and turn in circles a few times, then move on to another. I’ll stand by the couch and watch. If either Tom or Phillip try anything, I’ll shoot them.”
“What’s this all about?” Rodney asked.
“Heat signatures. If they’re using infrared scopes, they won’t know who is who and won’t be able to fire. When we’re done, no one will sit behind the desk.”
When they finished shuffling around, everyone sat on the floor in the middle of the room.
Jason leaned forward towards the Chairman. “We’re going to trade your life for the lives of these two men and ourselves. I figure you’re so important a one for four trade will seem a small price.”
“Why would I agree to that?”
Jason looked at the Chairman. “Are you stupid? You agree so you get to live and keep your little kingdom going.”
“You’ll never get away,” Cordell said.
Clayton whacked him again. “Shut up. We’ve heard that before. It don’t mean nothin’ to us.”
The Chairman now seemed more assured of himself. He appeared to Jason to understand bargaining. “How do you propose we proceed?”
Jason took a piece of paper and pen from the Chairman’s desk. He wrote down a list on it and handed it to the Chairman.
“You have a Humvee brought up the side street with a full tank of fuel. I want three M4 or M16 carbines and six extra clips, all loaded. I also want one 12 gauge tactical shotgun. A Mossberg A1. You probably have some from raiding the armories. Bring it with a box of shells.”
“You won’t—”
“Enough!” Jason shouted putting his face to the Chairman. Cordell stirred but Clayton put a hand on his shoulder.
Just then the phone rang. Tom reached for it but Jason grabbed his hand. He pulled the phone off the desk and set it on the floor.
“You can answer but only on speaker. If it’s your general, you relay our list to him and get him to send an unarmed man up with the weapons in a bag. You try to give him any other orders, you get shot. Understand?”
Tom nodded and punched the speaker button.
“Tom here,” he said.
“Tom, what’s going on? Are you all right?”
“Yes. I’m all right. Mary and Phillip are here as well. No one’s hurt. I’ve got a list of things I need you to bring here and we can get this resolved.”
“I’ve got men surrounding the building and snipers—”
“General you’re on speaker. Everyone can hear you.”
“Shit,” the man exclaimed.
“It’s okay. They suspected snipers would be in place. Here’s the list. Let’s get this over with a quickly as we can with no one getting hurt.”
He read the list to the general.
“I can’t arm these men, Tom. They’re terrorists.”
“Mike, they’re already armed. I assume they want these for their escape and journey home.”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem right. Not the way hostage negotiations should go.”
Tom raised his voice. “Just do it. I’ve got this under control. They get what they want and they’ll leave. I’ve got Phillip and Mary here and I don’t want any casualties. They’re leaving after we give them the weapons and the Humvee.”
“It’s against my better judgement and advice.”
“Just do it and be quick. I want to get this over with.” Jason hung up the phone.
“What’s his name?” Jason asked.
“Mike McKenzie,” Tom answered.
“He got any military experience?”
“He’s a veteran. Was a major in the army before retiring.”
“Passed over for Lieutenant Colonel?”
The Chairman shrugged.
Now Rodney spoke up. “Is he loyal? Follow your orders?”
Tom nodded. “He’s a solid man, reliable.”
“He follows Phillip’s orders when you’re not around?” Jason asked.
Tom looked at him questioningly. “I’m always around,” he finally said.
Jason tried again. “When you’re busy, does Phillip ever give out orders?”
“Yes. We are well organized. We’ve brought peace and stability to
this town. Everyone supports us.”
“But they don’t get to choose. There ain’t any elections,” Clayton said.
Tom looked over at him. “The time isn’t ripe for something like that. Not for a while, yet.”
“Spoken like a true dictator,” Jason said.
“And you’re doing it better in Hillsboro?” Phillip asked.
“We are. And we’re not kidnapping people and holding them for ransom.”
No one spoke for a moment.
“What happens next?” Tom finally asked.
“We collect the weapons, we confirm the Humvee is in place, we leave,” Jason said.
Both Rodney and Billy looked at Jason with doubt in their faces.
“Just like that?” Tom said.
“Just like that.”
“Then you’ll free us? All of us including Mary?”
“If you cooperate, we will. No one gets hurt, like I said before. Isn’t that what you want?”
“Yeah. We don’t need to get anyone hurt,” Tom said.
The group lapsed into silence while they waited. Occasionally there was a whimper from Mary who sat on the floor with the men.
After ten minutes, there was a knock on the outer door. Jason gave Rodney his .22 and took out the 9mm. “Watch these two,” he said. He and Clayton got up and went into the outer office. Clayton took up his position behind the desk and Jason, went to the door. He took out the chair wedge and unlocked the door.
Crouching down he told the person outside to open the door, drop a large bag inside, and close it again. When the door closed Jason locked it and put the chair back under the doorknob. He brought the bag into the inner office and opened it. All the items were in the bag.
“Call the general and tell him to back the Humvee up to the stairs.”
Tom did as he was told.
“Okay. You can leave now?” Tom asked when the Humvee pulled up outside.
“Just one last thing. You’re going to come with us to ensure we get out alive,” Jason said.
Tom’s eyes grew wide. Jason guessed he didn’t figure on being dragged along.
“That’s right. It could get dangerous for you. If anyone tries to take us out, sniper fire, one of us will kill you. In fact, we’ll make sure that happens.”
He went over to his backpack and took out a roll of duct tape. Then he grabbed the shotgun and checked it for rounds. It was loaded but no shell was in the chamber.
“When this is gun is live, it’s dangerous to mess with. Clayton, take Mr. Cordell over to the couch and keep him there. Use my .22 to shoot him if he moves. It’s quiet and no one outside will know he’s shot. Rodney, Billy, hold the Chairman from either side.”
“What are you going to do? I followed your instructions. You said this wouldn’t escalate, no one would get hurt.” Tom’s voice rose in fear. Billy and Rodney gripped him from both sides. He couldn’t move.
Jason zip tied his hands again behind his back, then crouched in front of him. “Your militia likes you, don’t they? The general and other officers?”
Tom nodded.
“This is going to ensure that no one gets hurt while we leave, especially us. You’ll be fine if your men don’t act stupid. It’ll be uncomfortable but that’s a small price to pay for our security.”
Jason stuck the shotgun up to Tom’s neck on his right side.
“Rodney hold the shotgun there. Don’t move Tom, it could go off.”
Tom’s face was white, his eyes wide with fear.
Jason took the roll of duct tape and, starting with the barrel of the shotgun, pressed up against Tom’s neck, he began to wind duct tape around the man’s neck and the barrel, securing the shotgun to his neck.
“Swallowing may be a little difficult, but you won’t gag. Stay calm.”
When he was done, the shotgun was firmly attached to Tom’s neck. Rodney held it but if he had let go, the weapon would have just dangled from the Chairman’s neck.
“Tom,” Jason said, leaning close to him. “This is called a dead man’s switch. We’re going to be in this together. So, I’m hoping just as hard as you that nothing goes wrong.”
He took control of the shotgun from Rodney.
“Everyone stand up,” Jason ordered. “We’re going to shuffle again and then stand in a group in the middle here.”
When they had finished shuffling, with Jason walking along side Tom and holding the shotgun, he told Rodney to grab the tape.
“I’m going to put my right hand on the grip with my finger on the trigger. I need you to tape my hand to the gun. Then you have to tape my index finger so it can’t come off the trigger. Keep enough slack so that if I’m shot, the gun will go off when I collapse and fall. My drop has to pull the trigger.”
The Chairman stiffened.
“Oh my God,” Mary whispered from the back of the group.
“It’ll be okay. Rodney just needs to be careful and Tom and I just need to walk carefully together. If I stumble, his head gets blown off.”
Tom started shaking and breathing hard.
“He’s hyperventilating. Billy cup your hands over his mouth.”
Billy’s eyes were as wide as Tom’s, but he did as he was told.
“Steady, steady,” Jason said in a calm voice. Tom’s breathing began to slow.
“You’re going to be all right. I’m in this with you and I don’t want to get killed. You can trust that fact. We’re going to help each other so neither of us gets hurt. Do you understand me?” Jason looked close into Tom’s face. He nodded but fear was still evident in his face.
“Rodney, let’s do this,” Jason said. “Tom, if it helps, close your eyes. Rodney’s going to be careful.”
“You can’t be doing this,” Phillip said.
Clayton leaned over to him. “You want me to hurt you?”
The man shook his head.
“Then keep your mouth shut.”
“Phillip, your role will be to keep the general, Mike, in line,” Jason said. We’re going to release Tom when were clear of town and not being followed. We don’t plan on taking him back to Hillsboro.”
Phillip looked at Jason with his mouth open.
“You understand me?” Jason said forcefully.
Phillip nodded. “You’re crazy.”
“Maybe…and willing to die and take the Chairman with me, so don’t screw this up. I know you’ll follow, the general will insist on it. But if we see you, it will just delay releasing Tom. We do not want to see you after we leave.”
While they were talking, Rodney finished taping Jason’s hand and finger.
“Now we’ll test it.” Before anyone could react, Jason went limp and started to fall, his finger pulled hard on the trigger as the tape allowed the hand to slip down while the finger remained taped in a curl around the trigger.
There was a collective gasp from everyone in the room except Clayton, Rodney and Jason.
“It works. Now, just before we leave, Rodney, you’ll put some duct tape over Tom’s mouth. Not too hard, but just enough so he can’t talk. Then I’ll chamber a round.”
Chapter 20
___________________________________
W e’re going to call Mike and tell him what’s going to take place,” Jason said.
“He’s not going to like it. He may not go along with it,” Tom said.
“That’s your job to convince him. Your life depends on it.”
When Mike was contacted Tom told him about the situation. It elicited a string of curses which Tom waited out.
“Look, Mike. I’m in a difficult spot here. You have to cooperate or things will go sideways and I could die.” Tom looked over his shoulder as best he could to Phillip. “Can you tell him, Phillip?”
Jason nodded and Phillip told Mike that the hostage-takers seemed to have no interest other than retrieving their men back and getting back to Hillsboro. They didn’t want war, which was what Mike had been promising in lurid phrases. Both he and Tom thought Tom would be freed on
ce they were clear of town.
The general finally agreed with strong threats about the hell he would wreak on the others if the Chairman was harmed.
“Now everyone stand up,” Jason ordered. “It’s time to go. Put the backpacks in the weapons bag. Each man take one of the M16s and extra clips. Hold them at low ready. My shotgun should be all we’re gonna need.”
He chambered a round with a loud, metallic click; Tom shivered.
“Phillip you’ll go ahead and make sure everyone is calm. We don’t want the Chairman or me to get killed. Tell them anyone shoots one of our team, I’ll pull the trigger and the others will unload on you and anyone else in sight. It will be all over for you and the Chairman.”
Phillip started for the door.
“Mary you stay here. After we’re out of the office, you can release the guard. He’s tied up in the closet,” Jason said. “Phillip, tell them we’re coming out and to stand down.”
The Chairman started walking unsteadily alongside Jason.
“Steady Tom. If you trip it will set off the shotgun and we’ll both die needlessly.” Jason put his left arm around Tom’s waist to help him. The shotgun hung from his neck like an obscene growth with Jason’s right hand locked on to it.
When they entered the hallway there were militia troops on either side of the door. Many gasped as they saw the Chairman step out with the shotgun taped to his neck.
“Stand down, stand back!” Phillip shouted, waving his arm to direct the militia to fall back. “No one is to interfere. I’ve worked this out with General McKenzie and the Chairman. These men are leaving and will be releasing the Chairman when they go.”
The men gave way and the procession made its way to the stairs.
“Careful now,” Jason whispered to Tom. “Things will settle down when we’re in the Humvee.”
General McKenzie stood at the bottom of the stairs. He was flanked by various officers of the militia. The rest of the lobby was crowded with troops, all armed.
“General, tell your men to lower their weapons,” Philip said. “We don’t want anyone getting killed. You can see the situation. If you kill the terrorist, the shotgun will fire. His hand is taped to the trigger. It won’t come off.”
