The bartender interrupted my trip down memory lane and as I had done before, I ordered my moonshine but this time tipped him the 1,000 credits. After 20 minutes or so had passed, he invited me to take a smoke break with him out back. I slid my moonshine down to the drunk, gave him a smile and headed out back with Henry. He jumped right to the point, which suited me just fine. I asked my first question, “Who runs the slums?” Being the slums of the first sanctuary city, they built them on the backs of dangerous men that played by their own rules. The slums of S.C. 1 were a melting pot of hardened psychos and top tier criminals. I was looking to avoid them. Our slums were a mix of people from outlaws to families. Kalil and I always made sure no one ran our slums. Many had tried, all had failed. But, Lennox Corp had promised a bonus if I could come up with the buyer and the trick would be gauging the risk versus reward. Do I, for the bonus, let Cloud 9 make it to S.C. 1 and meet with their buyer or do I just hit them in transit, take the thumb drive and collect my original payment?
Henry told me Captain Chip, a scavenger and smuggler, ran S.C. 1. He goes back to when you used tunnels to get in and out of S.C. 1. These tunnels had been dug by the smugglers themselves using only small hand tools and sheer determination. Lennox Corp has since sealed the tunnels and the cities that followed S.C. 1 took preventative measures against all forms of illegal entry. I didn’t let on, but the news about Captain Chip was good for me. Captain Chip was a friend of Kalil’s and I, we knew him as Charlie. I felt confident I could get whatever necessary from Captain Chip. Now, I can wait until the exchange and hit the buyer for the thumb drive, avoiding casualties to any of the hackers.
The security team is always 5 men, but I wasn’t sure how many members of Cloud 9 were making the trip, so I hung out and did a little reconnaissance. Outpacing them to S.C. 1 would be easy and cutting through the salt marshes was an option. Henry gave me an extra tip about the main road to S.C. 1. It seems a group of hijackers known as the Road Men had been working a stretch of the road near an old structure that had collapsed. I knew the spot he was talking about; they had picked a perfect place for an ambush. I had to get ahead of Cloud 9 and clear that threat. I didn’t need those mercenary clowns getting the Cloud 9 members killed before they made this deal.
I tipped Henry another 500 credits, thanked him and went back inside to post up at the bar. Cloud 9 would arrive soon. The first place the mercenaries would go when they got in to town was the bar. A couple more hours passed, and still no sign of them. I began worrying the mercenaries had gotten lost or worse yet, hijacked. Just as I thought about heading out to secure lodging for the evening, they came staggering in. You could spot these clowns a mile away: overblown tough guys with enormous guns and big mouths. They appeared to be escorting 3 young adults between the ages of 18 and 22. These were definitely my hackers. All 3 carried briefcases used to transport digital interface kits, and only hackers use those. As I expected, the tough guys headed to the bar shortly after their arrival. With the hour so late, they won’t be getting an early start. I’ll take that advantage.
Now, knowing how many there were in the group, I could head out in the morning and secure those supplies and a new mode of transportation. I waved Henry over and asked him the best place to stay. I already had an idea of where to stay, but if Henry made the call and hooked it up for me, I might save a few credits. As I had hoped, he slipped me a card with a name on it, told me to hand it to the lady at the pink house and not to worry about payment, his treat. I thanked him yet again and made my way through the square to the pink house, a well-known and very popular brothel. I just wanted the bed. Hopefully, they wouldn’t care if I passed on the girl since she is paid up. I knocked on the door and showed the doorman the card. He showed me in and introduced me to a beautiful red-haired, green-eyed woman with legs for days. I handed her the card, and she showed me to the room. I explained my appreciation for Henry’s generosity, but for now I told her I wanted some privacy and rest. She seemed reluctant to leave as she turned to head out but made sure I knew she was available if I changed my mind.
I got up early and headed out to the square. I still had to purchase some kind of transportation. Supplies like protein paste and jerky were easy to come by, but vehicle selection could be limited and expensive. When I approached the mechanic’s shop, I was surprised to see it closed considering the 24 hours a day 7 days a week policy the trade vendors followed. I tried to look into the front window, but as I did, I heard screams coming from the garage area. I kicked the office door in and ran towards the back to investigate the screams. I entered the garage to see the mechanic strung up and severely burned and tortured. Around him stood four men with machetes and long dark coats, each one dressed alike. I said “Can I maybe have a word with the mechanic about the trail bike I spotted out back before you guys kill him?” One man spoke up, “Take the bike and get out!” I have to admit, for a second I thought to myself, a free motorcycle would be nice, but there is always a price. Even doing nothing costs something. I lunged forward at the one who had spoken, separating his shoulder and running him through with his own blade. I reached down, pulled out the throwing knife from my boot and flung it across the room, planting it into the neck of the next man. Before I made my next move, the two remaining men retreated with incredible speed leaving the mechanic’s shop. I cut the mechanic down and carried him to the couch. I found some water, antiseptic and bandages. I hollered out into the square, “I need a nurse! Is anyone a nurse?” A woman approached me but said it would cost me 150 credits. I told her I didn’t have that much, but I felt sure the men inside would have plenty. I didn’t mention they were dead. She agreed and followed me back to the garage. After she patched the mechanic up, she asked me, “Where are the men who are supposed to pay me? I pointed at the dead men lying in the floor. To my surprise, she walked over and scanned the dead men for their credits, and left seemingly thrilled. As the mechanic had finally calmed down, I asked about the trail bike I wanted to purchase and he simply responded, “It’s yours.” I wanted to pay him, but he said we had already struck a deal, and his life for the price of a motorcycle seemed a fair trade. With transportation taken care of, I gathered supplies and set off for the collapsed structure along the road to S.C. 1 where the Road Men should be set up. Hopefully with a little recon and a quick solution I can have the path cleared for Cloud 9 and they will be none the wiser.
CHAPTER 5
Guardian Angel
The area that the Road Men held made for a natural choke point, with a marsh on each side forcing vehicles to funnel in through a small area along a 4 mile stretch. You know they were making a killing. I needed to stash my bike about 2 miles away and make the push on foot to do my recon. I refused to lose my sweet new bike. I had only had it a few hours. I found a perfect place to stash it. Once I secured it, I struck out on foot to recon the Road Men’s camp and the stretch where they set up the roadblock. I might draw them out by blowing up the roadblock and creating a diversion big enough to get the drop on them. I knew little of the Road Men never having run into them in the past. The information that I received about them suggested they hadn’t been in the area long. There would always be those seeking to take advantage of the weak. I rarely considered myself a code of ethics guy, but I believe in trying to do what’s right and always letting your conscience be your guide. Most people didn’t even understand what that meant, which helps to explain the state of the world.
I approached the camp from the south. It worked last time, so I again mustered up my best drunkard routine traveling the road on foot. My intel stated they only attacked groups and vehicles that they consider high value targets. In theory, I should be able to stumble right by and get a look at everything without raising too much suspicion. I slowly walked past their roadside camp observing them as they geared up for a big score. They were readying themselves, probably for the hit on Cloud 9. I continued walking and talking to myself without even one of them as much as raising an eye in my direction. I counte
d 11 around the camp, well armed and ready for a fight. As I made my way to the roadblock, I quickly realized I would not be using my original plan. I didn’t have the materials or the time to blow up such a significant barrier. They posted four more Road Men at the blockade. I decided removing these four from the equation would be where I would start. I stumbled up to the blockade and began throwing a fit screaming and yelling about the blockade keeping me from my daily walk. The men all began laughing as they approached me. I’m sure I appeared the perfect target for some sadistic fun. Today would not be their lucky day. As they approached, I pretended to pull out my manhood and urinate on their blockade, hiding my right hand as I slowly pulled out my hatchet waiting for them to come within striking distance. One of them placed his arm on my shoulder yanking me back away from the blockade. The blade of my hatchet whistled as I drew down and took off his arm in one quick stroke! The other three men stood there frozen in shock as I took them apart. One of them finally raised his hand to block his face as the hatchet gave him a split personality. I drug their bodies out into the marsh for disposal. As I was carrying them down, I realized I could use the marsh to approach the camp from an unprotected vantage point. People were afraid of the marsh. Many believed that there were creatures that lived in there that loved to prey on human beings when given the opportunity. Kalil had taught me the truth through some Old World books. The gasses released by the marshlands causes hallucinations and then people become disoriented, getting lost and eventually consumed. But, if you have a breathing respirator like the ones used for exploring caves and loot sites, you can safely navigate the marshlands. I always kept a respirator on me for exploration and cutting through the marsh.
It was time to get back to the men occupying the camp. No approach would be easy. I didn’t have time for a long drawn out recovery so I needed to take as little damage as possible. Once I finished with the Road Men, I would still need to clear the blockade to assure safe passage for Cloud 9. Two teams of three patrolled the perimeter and another team of five was relaxing around the camp. My plan, isolate each of the smaller patrols and then move in to finish the rest of the men. I didn’t know which one was the leader and at this point I didn’t care. They would all be deceased shortly. I made the tough trip around through the marsh to get a good attack angle on the first patrol. Precision would be the key. If a weapon fired, I would lose the element of surprise. My throwing knives were to be my weapon of choice. I should be able to take out two in one throw and be on top of the third guy before he knew what hit him. I settled down into a mud bank, staying low and waiting for the first patrol to pass. As they got a few feet past me, I threw a knife and then quickly a second, before the first two bodies dropped, the third man’s neck throbbed in my clutch, choking him out without a sound. I set my sights on the next patrol working an area near the structures closer to the main camp. It wouldn’t be as easy taking them out without alerting the others. I noticed, when they went behind the East side of the structure, it obstructed the view from camp. This would be my attack window. I made my move up to the structure and waited. I needed to catch them as soon as they turned the corner. I waited in anticipation and as soon as they turned the corner I grabbed the first man slamming his head into the wall. I immediately reached to the throat of the second man and followed with the temple of the third sending them all to their maker without a peep. I picked up one of their rifles. With the other men gathered around the fire, this would be easy pickings. I scoped in on the first, putting my first shot directly in his head. I immediately rotated and fired on the second target hitting him in the neck. The other three men tried to return fire, but I already changed my position to eliminate another target. I had the last two pinned down in the bushes. I pushed on to the one on my left giving myself a good look at a shot landing one to his upper chest caving his entire body. The last man tried to make a run for it. He made it about 120 yards before I got a clear shot and dropped him.
The only thing left to do now was search the location for something to blow or clear that blockade. I searched all the tents and old structures in the area and found nothing capable of blowing up the barricade. And then there in the distance, an old big rig that might plow through the blockade. I read an interesting book from the Old World about big rigs being the lifeline of the supply trade back then. These days they used them to make enormous vehicles for running over top of smaller vehicles and to carry several men with large arsenals. I jumped in and after a few frustrating minutes trying to get it started, it finally turned over. I needed to build up as much speed as possible to punch through the blockade. My adrenaline spiked as the vehicle picked up speed and I approached the barricade. And then, like a symphony of twisted metal, I punched through the barricade compromising the entire structure clearing the way for Cloud 9.
I would make camp just out of sight in the marsh. I needed to tail them moving forward making sure there were no more surprises along the way. I returned to my bike and made my way to an observation point that would allow me to see them pass. Cloud 9 and the team would see the chaos but hopefully it wouldn’t touch off any alarms with the security team. I laid low in the marsh for a few hours while I waited for Cloud 9 to pass. I passed the time setting traps for swamp rats and checking them periodically. In the slums, swamp rat meat was worth a lot of money, though I never really cared for it; too greasy. The first hour drew a catch of zero, but on the third pass I caught 6 rats out of 10 traps making for a decent catch. I skinned and cleaned the rats getting them ready for sale. I packaged the meat and packed up my gear. The time was getting near for Cloud 9 to pass and I needed to be ready to be mobile. Finally, Cloud 9 and their security team passed through and I followed a little ways behind them just out of the range of detection.
The next stretch of road between here and S.C. 1 was safe as far as road bandits, but the wild dogs did most of their hunting here. Wild dogs would kill anything except another wild dog, making their packs strong, loyal, and huge. Wild dogs were the alpha predator of the Wasteland because of their cooperation within the pack, and the main reason I usually avoided S.C. 1. About 15 miles past the Road Men’s camp, I realized my biggest fear; a large dog pack tracking the Cloud 9 convoy from the depths of the marsh. I didn’t have time to deal with a pack of wild dogs. I would need to cut into the marsh and get out ahead of them, shifting their focus to me. Baiting the pack into chase should lead them away from Cloud 9. There was a bridge about 5 miles up. If I could lead the pack far enough away, the Cloud 9 convoy would have time to clear the bridge and they would be safe. It was time to see what my new bike could do. I pulled back on the throttle and headed into the marsh staying to the mud packs and avoiding the deeper holes. I took a direct intercept path with the front of the dog pack to draw the attention of the lead dog. As I came up on the left front of the pack, I saw the lead dog eyeing me so I hit a steep mud pack jumping the bike over the lead dog and heading off into the marsh. The lead dog gave chase, and the rest of the pack followed. I led them on a chase through the marsh, finally losing them after a few minutes of white knuckle riding. I doubled back around and picked up my tail on Cloud 9. This score better be worth it, otherwise I’m just playing Guardian Angel for a bunch of hackers.
CHAPTER 6
Captain Chip
After what probably seemed like smooth sailing to Cloud 9, we all arrived in the slums of S.C. 1 safe and sound. As the hackers sought lodging, the security team, as always, sought out the bar. My information suggested they had a meeting with the buyer 2 days from now, so that would give me plenty of time to talk to Captain Chip and find out where the deal would take place. I hoped to cut him in and get an easy set up to hit the deal and confiscate the thumb drive. The last few days had been exhausting, and I need some rest. Finding Chip and setting up a meeting would have to wait until tomorrow.
The wild dogs haunted my mind and my dreams. Still, I awoke feeling recharged and refocused though I would have preferred a better night’s sleep. Word around town w
as Captain Chip had a compound of cargo containers on the North side of the slums. He seemed to run everything from there. Unfortunately, I was having a hard time finding a contact to get me in or arrange a meeting with him, so I opted for a direct approach and headed for the front gate. I was hopeful he would remember me. I approached the gate and gave my name to the person on watch letting him know I was here to see Captain Chip. Though we had not seen each other in years, Captain Chip remembered me immediately and seemed almost excited to see me. Back then he was not in a position of power; it was obvious he didn’t get many friendly guests these days. He immediately began asking me about Kalil, the two of them had been close back in the day. I couldn’t tell him it had been years since I had seen Kalil. Everyone in our slums thought he was dead, but I hoped not. Best I could tell, Kalil found a map from the Old World and set out to cross the Wasteland through the infected zone in search of a destination he believed to be a paradise on Earth. So as I thought about it, I told Captain Chip that Kalil was doing great, exploring and scavenging the Wasteland as usual and then steered the conversation in Captain Chip’s direction.
I wanted to know how he managed to work himself into such a high level position. It seems, as he explained, “A few years back the organized crime oppression became so bad in S.C. 1 that the citizens of the slums finally rebelled under my command. I brokered a backroom deal with Lennox Corp to provide extra guns and muscle for us to take back the slums. Lennox Corp agreed, but I had to run the slums under their direction.” In his eagerness to lead the people of the slums to victory over organized crime, he led them to oppression under Lennox Corp. Honestly I thought S.C. 1 felt much different from the last time. I saw no illegal activity, and I didn’t hear a sound after 2 a.m. These slums were clearly being run by Lennox Corp and I saw the future of S.C. 2 and S.C. 3 and therefore all the people. This was a concern for another time.
Lennox Corporation: Book 1 in the Savior Series Page 3
