The Golden Goose of Los Angeles Extended Edition
Page 54
to move his body close to the open driver door, reaching out to pull it closed. However, he snatches his hand back as a volley of gunfire pelts the inner door from the bald driver that is guarding the car. Rory watches in fear as the man strafes around to his left to get a better shot at his enemy. Before he can get lined up with his target, a .50 caliber round rips through his left leg, and the sniper rifle breaks the air as if beckoning another kill. Rory gazes at the wound on the driver’s leg with disgust. A large piece of flesh has been torn from his thigh as though he had been bitten by a Great White Shark.
Rory senses the urgency of the situation, knowing that Pezzloni likely has the sniper rifle trained on Tina. He looks at the ignition of the car, and is relieved to see the keys already in place. The passenger window is immediately struck with intense force, causing Rory to dive over the divider and into the back seat of the limousine. He protects his head behind the driver seat, slowly raising his eyes to see the damage caused to the window by the powerful rifle. To his delight, the window is still intact, completely shattered on the outside, as if hit by the force of a charging rhinoceros.
The young man scrambles to the rear of the car, knowing that if he can get Tina inside, they’ll have a chance of escape. When he throws open the rear passenger door, Rory is immediately greeted by gunfire. This shot comes dangerously close, and tears through the leather of the rear seat like a cannonball through cardboard. Rory jumps back, watching his hands tremble as the shot nearly tears them off.
His breathing intensifies as he realizes that Pezzloni intends to play a game with him for Tina’s life. He moves toward the open door, keeping his legs on the floorboard, and shielding himself behind the bulletproof armor. Rory breathes heavily for a moment, knowing that his plan is reckless, and wondering if there is another option. He shakes his head after a bit of reflection, and exposes his left hand from behind the door for a half-second before hiding it again. His blood pressure spikes as he puts his hand in the open again, this time for a full second before bringing it back inside the car. With a bit more tenacity, he stretches his arm out a third time, exposing it for a full two seconds before pulling it back. The rear of the car rocks on its chassis as it is struck a second time by the sniper rifle, and Rory freezes as the bullet strikes the open door that is shielding him with the raw power of a car crash. Despite his fear, he leaps from the car, knowing that Pezzloni needs to reload the massive weapon.
He immediately covers the ground between himself and Tina, reaching down to grab her right arm. She screams in protest as Rory drags her toward the open door. Rory ignores her agony, and presses forward, feeling a sense of hope as they get closer to shelter. An earsplitting shot crashes into the earth just inches from Tina’s right leg, kicking up sharp pieces of rock that leave small cuts on the two victims. The deafening blast of the sniper rifle causes Rory to move frantically, and he pulls Tina inside the safety of the car, shielding her body with the door. Another shot hammers down near his head, forcing Rory to dive into the car next to Tina, feeling his body flop hard against the floorboards. Once inside the vehicle, he leans back and pulls the door shut, feeling empowered for the first time since he stepped into the nursery.
“Hang on tight,” Rory warns the young woman with a cavalier tone, “we’re going to smash through the gate!”
The car is struck by sniper rifle fire again, just above where Rory is kneeling. He ducks instinctively, amazed that the round didn’t penetrate the armor. With a new desire to live, he clambers over the rear seats back to the front of the car. The vehicle continues to take punishment from the sniper rifle, getting pelted here and there by the powerful weapon. Rory starts the engine and pulls around the statue of Atlas in a hurry, driving rapidly out of the courtyard and down the steep driveway. He smiles wide as the car takes another round from the sniper rifle, knowing that they will soon be around the corner, and out of range.
The front gate appears foreboding as he approaches it rapidly at the end of the downhill grade. Rory is uncertain if his speed is too high or too low for an effective breach, and he elects to drive faster, hoping that the armor is strong enough to sustain the impact. Within seconds, the car crashes wildly through the steel gate, bursting forward with amazing power, and pushing the gate out of the way like another car in traffic.
Rory feels a powerful jolt as the gate is snapped open, and he grips the steering wheel with all of his strength, delighted by the resilience of the limousine. He slows the car down as they move through the dip outside the gate, watching carefully for Eli The Whisper and his crew. The young man is ablaze with satisfaction as they make it through the ravine without further resistance. He looks back to see Tina gripping her left ribs with her right arm, appearing badly broken, but not dead. Rory presses the accelerator of the powerful car as tears begin to stream down his cheeks. For the first time in months, he knows that his life will again be his own.
XIII. Mothers & Dogs
The black limousine comes to a halt in front of a modern gray building labeled ‘Lake Wohlford Resort.’ An older couple is sightseeing nearby, and they gaze upon the mangled, black car with suspicion, noticing the apparent damage from gunfire. The couple is dressed in casual cotton jogging clothing, and wearing sunglasses as they enjoy a light afternoon walk.
“Call the police!” Rory exclaims as he opens the driver door of the vehicle, displaying signs of exhaustion. “Call the FBI, the paramedics. Just…call everyone…hurry.” He says in a weak voice as he stumbles out of the car.
“Oh my God! Are you okay!?” The woman asks as she and her husband step closer to Rory, looking empathetic. “What happened to you!?” She asks with a stunned expression as she removes her sunglasses.
The husband begins to dial on his cellular phone as his wife leans down to speak with Rory.
“There’s a woman in the back seat. She’s badly hurt.” Rory states with his eyes straining to stay open, feeling dehydrated and nauseous. “Make sure they take care of her first. I’ll be okay…”
FIVE HOURS LATER
“When will they arrest him?” Rory asks from his hospital bed, grabbing at a mug of water with a shaky right hand.
“We’re still processing the warrant, but the surveillance teams have been up there for a few hours.” Agent Khrakum of the FBI responds with a pleasant smile. “When our teams arrived at the front gate, or what used to be the front gate, everything was deathly quiet. It had obviously been smashed by that beast limo you drove, but they managed to create another gate by parking a limo in front of the opening. Since the property is secured, we can’t enter without just cause. Right now, all I have is your word… since Tina’s still in surgery.” The middle-aged man brings forth a smile as a façade of his real feelings, attempting to befriend his witness.
Orson Khrakum stands next to Rory’s hospital bed wearing an unassuming gray suit. His face is clean shaven, along with the top of his bald head. The man is tall and extremely fit for his age, looking austere with his blue eyes and Norwegian heritage.
In the hospital bed, Rory is having difficulty relaxing. His eyelids are dropping every few seconds, and closing unintentionally, forcing him to shake his head a bit to stay awake. The young man is ragged despite having been cleaned up by the nurses when they applied his bandages. His hair is a flighty mass, and the stubble along his jaw line and neck is fast becoming a full beard. He looks down at the plain blue diamonds on his white hospital gown, feeling vulnerable and naked with only his boxer shorts beneath this modern day toga. Despite the police officers in the hallway, and the FBI agent standing near his bed, he doesn’t feel safe. His mind returns to the courtyard just a few hours ago,
where one of the most powerful gangsters in the world was firing upon him.
“You’re safe now, Rory.” Khrakum reassures him with a subtle wink. “We’ve got plenty of guys in this building, and none of them are on Pezzloni’s payroll.” These words resonate rather condescending with Rory, regardless of the agent’s efforts to convey them in a friendly manner.
“How does a guy like that exist for so long without getting arrested?” Rory asks with a defiant gaze, looking upon his protector with humble acceptance. “I mean- You tell me that you know what you’re doing, but you don’t… These wolves roam free across our country, and it takes you… decades to bring them down. Why is that?” The young man asks with conviction as if agent Khrakum is on trial.
“Rory, what we do isn’t as easy as you think…” Orson responds with a soft voice and a wise smile. “There are hard men in this world, and there are brilliant men. There are ruthless men, and there are innovators… But when you get a combination of all those characteristics… It’s like the human race has produced an apex predator.” The older man states with a heroic gaze as he places his right hand on Rory’s left shoulder to comfort him.
“Please keep her safe...” Rory replies in a vulnerable tone that surprises even himself. “If Pezzloni is able to get to