“And shot everyone else,” Stafford said. “My wife hadn’t turned, neither had my girls. I saw their bodies.”
“Then if they hadn’t turned, then they were sick. Did you see signs of that?” Yates asked.
“It doesn’t matter. They were alive when they were shot.”
“They were infected.”
“And you put them down like sick animals.”
“What would you have us do?” Yates argued strongly. “Let them suffer and turn?”
“It wasn’t your call!”
“And where the hell were you?” Yates asked. “If you were so concerned about your family, they should have been by your side.”
Stafford took a deep nostril breath. “Normally, I would deck you. But I have better plans.”
“Like?”
There was a knock at the door and Stafford paused the conversation. The door opened a little and another man poked his head in.
“He here?” Stafford asked.
“Yep.”
“Send him in.”
The door opened wider and Rigs walked in.
“Rach.” He immediately rushed to her.
Rachel stood up and accepted his embrace.
“Are you all right?” Rigs asked.
“Yeah, other than hung over from a tranquilizer, I’m fine.”
“Yates?” Rigs asked.
“I’m fine.” Yates raised his eyes. “See, Rach, you called it. Principal’s office, the parents arrive.”
“I’m not gonna piss around.” Rigs said. “You obviously took them for a reason, what do you want?”
Yates raised his hand. “You may want to rethink that thinking. Apparently, he’s been taking Eliminators for a while. And he has not released demands yet.”
“I told you I took Eliminators to eliminate,” Stafford said. “I can’t help it if they get killed in the process. Except … your team. The golden boys were retribution for my family. Now though, it’s become clear what we need.”
“And that is?” Rigs asked.
“Before I answer that question …”
“Oh my God, Rachel,” Yates said. “He falls right into the bad guy element, always a speech.”
Stafford ignored the comment, remaining unnervingly rational. “We want what is given to other starter cities, the food rations, starter greenhouses, medical supplies, but we also want Ramaveren. We have a doctor here that has it working like a vaccine for those not immune. We need more. We wanted Eliminators, but, you know what, the EPEV will handle all the protection we need. Have you seen what that son of a bitch can do and I’m sure we only saw the tip of the iceberg?”
Rigs nodded. “You know what, if you would have found a way to ask for these things earlier, asked to be made a survivor city, I know for a fact they would have given you what you needed. But you kidnapped Eliminators. Where are the ones you took?”
“They didn’t meet the challenge, so they’re gone.”
Yates added. “Dead, in case you didn’t get his meaning. He has no problem passing out my team’s tracking devices.”
“It’s gonna be hard put to give you anything,” Rigs said. “And the EPEV. Even if I wanted to roll it right in here, I can’t begin to tell you anything that thing does besides track those bracelets. Al here won’t give that up. And right now it’s surrounded by about a hundred and fifty United States soldiers.”
“Are you trying to strong arm me, Rigs?” Stafford asked.
“No, I’m stating facts,” Rigs replied. “I’ll try to get what you need.”
“So here’s the deal,” Stafford said. “I want him dead.” He pointed to Yates. “I also know how smart he is. I don’t think you know how smart this man is. If anyone could bring this world back to tech speed, he can. Again, I want him dead. So that puts me in a conundrum. Since I don’t want to directly kill him, that would be bad for us if there really are over a hundred well trained soldiers and the EPEV out there. I’m gonna give him a chance to fight for his life. He’s a golden boy Eliminator, right? He gets the same chance that every other Eliminator did here. He clears our little Zed problem that we’ve contained out back. We’ll let him have his manual weapons. Not his fancy tech. He beats the challenge, he walks. Hopefully, we can talk about what this town needs. If he doesn’t, we get the EPEV. Period. That alone is enough power to bargain with.”
Rigs asked with a slight chuckle “Why would we do that?”
“He’s gonna agree to it, aren’t you Mr. Yates?” asked Stafford. “I’m mean if you’re confident in your skills, why not take that gamble? That EPEV is his child, just like me or anyone else would put our life on the line for our baby, so will he.”
Yates looked left to right, from Rigs to Stafford. “You know what I am. I am confident. I’ll meet your Zed or whatever you call them challenge. Then I'll walk out, I’ll get my EPEV and maybe if I’m nice, I won’t destroy your whole town, just you. But I want two things. That we are the last Eliminators you take, and I want a mediator here. Someone to make sure you hold up your end of the bargain.”
“I think it's only fair to tell you it is a two part challenge, beat the first part, you have to beat the second with your manual weapons, no guns.”
“Deal.”
“Okay, deal.” Stafford held out his hand.
Yates reluctantly shook it.
“I want that EPEV bad. Oh, yeah,” Stafford snapped his finger. “One more thing. Your team members, never made it past the first one.”
“I’m not them,” Yates said confidently.
“Yeah, but we sent them in as pairs. You’ll be all alone,” Stafford said. “And you …” he looked at Rachel, “you can go.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked.
“You’re a smart woman, I can’t believe you just asked that. You can go. I have no qualms with you. You’re a victim of circumstance. Wrong place at the wrong time. Go with Rigs. That is my sign of good faith.”
“Was there really any bargaining?” Rigs asked. “I mean, you have him. It was never your intention to do anything else but put him in that challenge to die.”
“Not true,” Stafford said. “I was gonna keep taking Eliminators, I’m not now. And … he’s not going to die if he’s as good as he says he is.”
“Him going in alone when pairs couldn’t do it?” Rigs asked. “It’s a death sentence. You have perfect bargaining power, right here, right now by letting him live.”
“You yourself pretty much said I don’t have a chance at getting anything. And …” Stafford lifted his hand. “What can I say. Either way he was going in there. You’re right.”
Rigs nodded. “And you’re just going to let her walk right out with me?”
“I said it. I meant it.”
Rachel looked at Rigs, then kissed him on the cheek, keeping her lips close to his ear. “Thank you for trying. Now you know what you need to do when you leave?”
“What?” Rigs asked confused.
Rachel sat back down.
“Rach, what are you doing?” Rigs asked.
“Well, I stood there and listened to this whole exchange and I didn’t hear anywhere in the deal that Yates had to fight alone. Just that he was … stuck … fighting alone. Now he isn’t.”
“You’re insane,” Yates told her. “Leave.”
“Nope. Call it my thank you payback for yesterday.”
“No amount of gratitude is worth this sacrifice.”
“Please.” Rachel waved out her hand. “We’re good.”
“I have no problem with it,” said Stafford. “If you win the challenge you can still walk. In fact, anytime you change your mind … you can walk.”
“I’m good,” Rachel folded her arms.
“If that’s the case,” Rigs said. “Rach, you go. I’ll stay.”
“No,” Rachel told him. “Hands on, no guns … you know I’m the better one, you know it. Other than Kasper, I am his best chance. Go back. Make sure Kasper understands he has to wait it out like we all did for you
on the roof of that warehouse. Someone has to go inside and someone has to wait.”
“What a nice speech,” Stafford said.
Rigs stared at Rachel. He leaned down to her, kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll be out there waiting with Kasper.” He squeezed her hand and walked to the door. “I’ll send the weapons back with the mediator. Know this, you don’t hold up your end of this bargain … you will not have a town to worry about.” Rigs took one more look at Rachel and walked out.
Stafford shook his head. “Such threats.”
“You must have really watched a lot of bad guy movies,” Yates said. “You’re very cartoonish.”
“Someone will be in to get you soon.” Stafford walked to the door and left.
After he left, Yates turned to Rachel. “I thought Kasper was dead.”
“He is. Dead-ish. But that was beside the point. I hope Rigs picked up my meaning.”
“I’m sure he did. I didn’t, but I bet he did.” Yates tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair for a few seconds. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I know.”
“So why are you?”
“Because of what we are. I may not like you. You may be an asshole, an arrogant prick, but you’re an Eliminator,” Rachel said. “And I will not abandon one of my own.”
TWENTY-FOUR – STANDARD PLOY
“I’ll explain when I get back,” Rigs told Barry. He didn’t need to, they had listened to the entire conversation or had Rigs forgotten that.
But if he wanted to share the story and possibly the plan, he had an audience with Liz. She had flown into Oklahoma City command and drove down with close to forty troops, and they arrived not five minutes after Rigs pulled out of Amarillo. Barry gave her the brief version.
“He took the unit with him,” Fred explained to Liz. “So anything you’re seeing here is what I saved.”
“Could he have left it?”
“He could have, but something like that would have been easily spotted. On the van it looked like a walkie talkie sitting on the dash. He’d have to attach it somewhere. Yates has these portable PTs, I haven’t figured out how to use them yet or I would have slapped one on Rigs.”
“What does PT stand for?” Liz asked.
“Peeping Tom,” Fred answered.
“That’s the official name?”
“Oh, heck no.” Fred lifted the manual. “Most of these things are called Yates something or other with a number, so as I have been learning and reading about them, I’ve been renaming them for ease of use.” He showed her the homemade tabs he made for the pages. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“Learn about those Portable PTs, please, they may be important.”
Barry interjected. “We started the count when Rigs arrived. In that area of the school are over three hundred people, we’re getting men, women and children. Some animals. Not much. Not sure how they’re surviving.”
Fred added. “I was focused on looking for what they had as far as weapons go. I couldn’t find a stockpile, Rigs wasn’t there long enough, but most of the men walking the street are heavily armed.”
“Probably in case of the dead,” Liz said.
“And …” Fred pointed to the screen. “Rigs is back.”
“Oh, good. Good information or not, I want to know why he defied my orders.”
She left the navigation room and the EPEV. Barry and Fred followed her, stepping outside as well.
Rigs walked from his RV and moved as if he were on a mission.
“Rigs,” Liz approached him. What the hell were you doing defying my orders?”
Rigs stopped cold, a look of surprise ran over him. “Trying to get my team back. What … what are you doing here?”
“We have a hostile situation. A hostile town. They are problematic to our cause, how many Eliminators have they abducted and killed?”
“I don’t know. One is too many, don’t you think? And there has to be another way to end this. Now if you’ll excuse me, you and I can talk in a minute, but I need to get Barry ready.”
“Me, ready?” Barry asked. “For what?”
“You’re gonna take the weapons to Rachel and Yates and be the … whatever Yates called it, the moderator.”
“You are not letting this happen,” Barry said. “You can’t. I heard. She can get killed. They both could.”
“Wait.” Liz stepped between them. “You told me Rigs went there to get them. They weren’t giving up the hostages and had stringent demands. Rigs, is that true?”
“Barry paraphrased it. Yates was a target. Some sort of personal vendetta their leader has against him. He took the Golden Cavalry for the same reason. Something to do with his family.”
“How big is his family if he took other Eliminators?”
“He took them to eliminate. I don’t know. I don’t understand why they just don’t take out the dead themselves. But I believe it’s a sick game. He said if Yates beats the challenges he goes free. If he fails and dies, they get the EPEV.”
“We have the EPEV,” said Liz. “How does he propose he collects it?”
“Who knows.”
“In the wrong hands this vehicle is a game changer,” Liz said. “No survivors are safe around these thugs.”
“I know that.”
“Well, he won’t get it, there’s no way,” Liz said. “He needs to come here and we’ll stop them.”
“That …” Fred spoke up. “Isn’t necessarily true.”
They all looked at Fred.
“His mobile EPEV tracker, can GPS the EPEV to him. Or something like that,” Fred replied. “He told me that. And he has the mobile on him. So technically when they have his dead body they have his finger prints, and the means to just bring the vehicle there.”
“Why … why didn’t he do that before?” Rigs asked. “When he was looking for it?”
“I asked that,” Fred replied. “Because he knew it was in the wrong hands and instead of calling it back, he disabled it. Once it’s disabled, it can’t be moved until he enables it.”
“Can we disable this?” Rigs asked.
“I can’t. I don’t have his fingerprints or eye. He scanned his eye.”
“Damn it,” Rigs swore and after a beat looked at Barry. “What? Not yelling at me?”
“No, this situation warrants a bad word,” Barry said.
“Fred,” Liz said. “I need you to work on the Portable PTs and disabling this.” She turned to Rigs. “What are his odds of beating this challenge?”
“Better now,” Rigs said. “Especially since Rachel decided she couldn’t leave him to fight alone.”
“What?” Liz asked. “Rachel decided?”
“They were letting her go and when she found out he has to do these challenges alone, she decided to stay. I offered to take her place …”
“But …” Barry interjected. “There are no guns, only manual weapons and Rachel has a pretty good skill set.”
“And she wants us to come up with a plan,” Rigs said. “She talked about Kasper. About me doing what they did on the roof at the warehouse when I went inside.”
“Easy,” Barry stated. “She wants us to take out the threat. Watch her back.”
“Use the EPEV,” Rigs said. “That’s why Barry is going to take her the weapons and make sure they hold up their end of the bargain. I’m gonna stay behind and learn everything I can. If this thing can do it, I will find out how.”
“We can conceivably lose Rachel and Yates today,” Liz said. “That’s unacceptable. Can I deliver their demands without the EPEV? Do you know what they want aside from a dead Yates?”
Rigs nodded. “Yes. I do. And yes, with the exception of the EPEV, you can deliver.”
“This is not a risk I want to take,” Liz faced Barry. “When you go, you tell them I will meet their demands, with the exception of the EPEV. Try to stop this challenge.”
“I will.”
“Then we’ll deal with the town after they accept,” Liz said. “But if th
ey don’t … is there a chance they can beat the challenge?”
“If anyone can,” Rigs said. “Rachel stands a chance. They’re going against the dead. To me, I think once they accumulate so many they pull in Eliminators. They have too many people in their town to have too many dead just waiting for some stupid post apocalypse, gladiator challenge. They could turn on them, so the numbers can’t be too high or too many.”
“In my experience, though,” Liz said. “You don’t need hundreds to take down two unarmed Eliminators. Even the best can’t handle more than six at a time.”
“I know, we know our limits,” Rigs said. “Hopefully, they don’t have that many.”
<><><><>
Barry dropped the bag with weapons on the ground before Stafford’s feet. Immediately one of Stafford’s men began to search it. “They better get all of those.”
“They will,” Stafford said. “We’re just checking for guns. No guns.”
“There’s no guns in there. You know …” Barry took a deep breath. “I have been authorized by President Nazinski to make a deal. She'll give you want you want, the green house starters, the survivor city perks, anti-viral. Just … call this off and send our people out.”
“What about the EPEV?” Stafford asked.
“She said no.”
Stafford shook his head. “I want that.”
“I’m sure you do, what … what if I got it for you?” Barry asked. “I’ll steal it. I’ll drive it right to your gate.”
“And what would the president think about that?”
“I don’t care,” said Barry. “That woman in there means too much to me. I’ll get the damn thing if it means saving her life.”
“No confidence in her?” Stafford shook his head. “I won’t tell her. And as tempting as it sounds, I will pass, because I have no doubt Yates will die if not on this challenge he will on the next one. Then I’ll get the EPEV. But that was a nice gesture. You are welcome to stay and watch. First challenge will start as soon as I give this to them.” He lifted the bag. “If you want, you can try to convince her to go.”
“As much as I would like to think that will work, I know Rachel. She won’t,” Barry said. “Can I ask what exactly this challenge entails?”
The Eliminators 2 Page 15
