The Fall of America | Book 10 | No Winners

by Benton, W. R.

  “Yep and a glass of milk added will only cost you seven dollars. They must have a golden cow or something.” he said with a grin.

  Lowering her head as if looking in her purse she whispered, “There are two men watching us. They are seated near the far wall. Do you see them?”

  “Yes, and you may be right. They’ll not make a serious move in here, so they’ll wait until we leave, but we’ll go on our walk then. During that walk one or both will die.”

  “May I take your order now, Monsieur?”

  “Escargots rôtis, steak de bœuf, purée de pommes de terre, haricots verts et café.” “And, you madame?”

  “I don’t know, not really. John, what did you order?”

  “Roasted snails, beef steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and coffee.”

  “I’ll have the same and make both steaks medium rare, please. Those men will be leaving soon, unless they are waiting for us. Do you think they’ll make a move in the hotel?”

  “I don’t expect them to, but you never know.” As he spoke, he reached up and slipped the safety off on his pistol.

  Joy was wearing her short 9 mm on her thigh, held in place by a special garter belt. She reached down and took the safety off on her weapon too. She was ready now and so was John.

  The meals came and the steak and veggies were on a huge platter and the meat was tender and aged to perfection. Joy decided after tasting the snails, she wasn't fond of them. They were finishing up their coffees when the two men they’d been watching got up and walked out.

  “Maybe we were wrong about them.” Joy said.

  “We’ll see them again, and especially if we go for a walk.”

  “Does that mean we don’t walk this evening?” she asked looking over the rim of her coffee cup.

  “We’ll walk, mainly because I don’t run well and I’d rather face them now than later.” The waiter soon brought the bill and John looked it over.

  “Not bad, six dollars over a hundred dollars. I thought it would be closer to two hundred, but figure in a good twenty dollar tip, and we’re done. How was your meal?”

  “Real good, but I have no idea what we ate, not all of it anyway.” Reaching into her purse she pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and continued, “Here is a twenty for a tip. And take it because if I run out of money later, I’ll get some from you.” she then giggled like a little school girl.

  John met her eyes and knew he loved her. His heart felt like it was swelling and she looked so attractive he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

  “What was that for?” she asked, surprised.

  “A forehead or nose kiss means I love you. You mean you didn’t know that?”

  “No, I had no idea. I’m a simple country girl, cowboy. Even my degree was from Iowa State, so my school was country too. I will say one thing, I miss riding horses and living in a nice farmhouse on a hundred acres of farmland.”

  “Oh, I agree, but at my age I’m not sure I could care for a farm in the ways it needs. I hurt sometimes just getting out of bed."

  “Then, why the missions with the younger troops?”

  “The truth is, I want to keep as many of them alive as I can. It’s very hard on this old man to wear a 60 pound pack for a whole mission. That’s one reason I’m glad I was promoted because now I can't go on missions. I knew as long as I could go, I’d be with them.”

  “Honey, you’re damn lucky to be alive right now. Not many have survived almost seven years of constant combat.”

  “God was with me, and I have learned a great deal about how to kill.”

  “You’ve also learned a great deal more, and you’re intelligent, too.”

  “That is debatable, the intelligence part is.”

  “Not in my mind. Are you ready to go on that walk you promised me?” she asked.

  Pulling out $106 dollars, he met the waiters eyes and mouthed, “The bill is paid.” He tossed the money to the middle of the table.

  They held hands and exited the hotel. The night was beautiful and off in the distance they saw the Eiffel Tower lighted up bright. John placed his pistol in his jacket pocket and kept his hand in there.

  They’d walked maybe 1000 feet when two men stepped from an alley and the tallest of the two said, “I want all your money or we will kill you.” They were the men from the hotel dining room.

  John pulled his hand away from Joy and said, “What if I tell you I won’t give you my money or let you kill me?”

  “Surely you jest, Monsieur, because I will murder you.” The man cocked his pistol.

  John shot right through his jacket pocket, with the slug striking the tall man in the throat, and blood began spurting. He heard two shots, turned to Joy and saw she was doing the shooting, so he glanced at the second man. He was on the ground screaming as blood seeped nonstop from two holes in his chest. Taking her hand again, they stepped into an alley and ran a block over. Once on the street, they walked slowly as two lovers might and every few feet they’d kiss. The other people on the street smiled at the two so deeply in love.

  “You’d better stop the kissing or I’ll pull you into an alley and use you.” Joy said with a grin.

  “You can’t use the willing.” John replied with a big grin.

  He was hugging her when she whispered, “There goes a cop car and two more coming. Why didn’t we stay for the police?”

  “Because they would have kept us there answering stupid questions for probably two hours or more. I’m just too tired to do it tonight.”

  “Let’s get you back to the hotel, so we can sleep. Will the police come to the hotel for us?”

  “We have political passports, so even if we are known killers, the worse they can do is make us leave the country. We have immunity from legal prosecution in a court of law.” “Oh, good. I don’t intend to commit any crimes, but I will protect myself and kill to do so, if needed. Actually, I’d prefer to be left alone.”

  “There’s the hotel. Let’s get in and try to sleep. Tomorrow will come early and I think we’ll start spending more time in the hotel to avoid being shot at.”

  Joy asked, “Do you think we’ll be safe in our rooms?”

  “We have Koro and Desmond, so yes, I think we’re safe enough. Remember, you’ll sleep with me and one of them will be in your room. So change into your night clothes and come to my room. The whole day just caught up with me and I’m beat.”

  Giving John a kiss on the cheek, Joy said, “I’ll be back in a minute. I’m a bit worn out myself. See you in a jiffy.”

  Chapter 8

  The three Russians who were to meet with John’s team at the meeting were in the General’s office playing poker and drinking vodka. They were seated on the extra Queen size bed in the room. General Gena Yanovich, was the senior officer; it was his room. Colonel Surnin Danilka was an Infantry officer, and Colonel Galkin Gavrila was the assigned Political Officer. They’d all arrived that day and each was tired. Being old hands at moving to various time zones, they knew it was best to follow the time zone they were in. It was mid-evening now, so they would go to bed around 2200 which was normal time for most of them.

  “What do you know of this American General we are to meet?” Gavrila asked.

  “He’s a fast mover. Seven years ago he was a Senior Sergeant and now a Brigadier General. He is also a very brave man. I understand, from talking to intelligence, he is to receive their highest medal for heroism, the Medal of Honor.” General Yanovich said. “He will be promoted another grade in rank then, so he will be a Major General. He may be tough to work with.”

  “We are not here to really get any terms, we just want to leave America and not look like we are running from them.” Gavrila said, and then took a long gulp of his vodka.

  “I say bullshit. We are the strongest military force in the world and you mean to tell me a bunch of rednecks and cowboys have beat our asses in combat?” Danilka said, his voice loud.

  “We have not been beaten and we are not running scared from them
. We are trying to leave with honor because our people are tired of war. The Russian people are sick of getting their boys back in aluminum boxes, and I can see their side.”

  “We never should have invaded these Americans, because it was common knowledge they had millions of guns and they had millions of veterans and hunters. That is why the Japanese did not attempt to invade them in WWII. One of the Japanese Generals advised against an invasion, because, as he said, “There is a man with a gun behind every blade of grass,” and he was correct. Last count by our intelligence team shows more guns than people, so it was not real smart to start this war.”

  “Careful here, Comrade Danilka, your words are close to being treasonous in nature.” Gavrila said.

  Pouring more vodka in his glass, he replied, “You know my words are true. I think is was foolish for this war to start and now we have to find an honorable way to run from it.”

  Silence.

  Gavrila said, as he stood, “Well, I am tired and need to go to my room, shower, and get ready for bed. I still have half a sandwich to eat from the restaurant, so I’ll eat that too.”

  Glancing at his watch, Danilka said, “Yep, it’s 2100 so close enough to 2200 to go to bed. I need a full nights sleep as well.”

  He stood beside the Colonel and they shook hands with the General, as he said, “I will be eating breakfast at 0600 if either of you Colonels wants to join me in the morning. If not, that is okay too, because I suspect we will all be a bit sore and tired.”

  “I may join you, sir. I am usually an early riser, but I will promise nothing right now.” Danilka replied.

  “That is fine too. Good night, gentlemen.” the General said as he opened the door and watched them leave his quarters.

  Before he walked away from his room three hours earlier, Danilka had taken a hair from his head, and super glued one end on his door frame and the other end of the hair on the door. If the hair was disturbed then he had a visitor waiting in his room. When he looked, the hair was completely gone, but the two tiny drops of glue were still there. As an Infantry Commander, he knew how to clear a room the safest and best way. He opened his coat and pulled out his 9 mm pistol, slipped the safety off, and entered with the gun held at the ready.

  He quickly cleared the room so he sat on the bed and poured another glass of vodka. The pistol was beside him on a comforter. Suddenly, as he bent over to remove his shoes, a double thump sound was heard and the pillow beside him took two bullets. As feathers exploded into the air, he dropped to the side of his bed and grabbed his pistol on the way down. The shots had come from his shower, which like a fool, he forgotten to check earlier. A hand slowly came from the shower curtain and then an arm. When a head appeared, he fired twice, the shots loud in the small room, and heard a loud scream.

  Surnin jumped to his feet and moved into the bathroom. He found an attractive woman laying in the tub unable to move. From the wounds he could see, she’d taken a bullet in the lungs and another in the spine, which explained why she could not move.

  “Who sent you?” he asked.

  “No . . . one. I work . . . only for mysel . . . myself.” she managed to get out but it cost her in pain to speak.

  “Why kill me? I do not even know you?”

  “Money, you . . . you . . . damned fool. Your death is . . . worth one million rubles to me.”

  “I hope the money was worth dying for.” the Colonel said and placed the barrel against the woman’s forehead. “Give me your name, so I can have your tombstone marked properly.”

  “I am Eva . . . Chuprova Tereza, but . . . I am known . . . as the Black . . . Widow. I have been . . . deadly . . . in the past.”

  “Never heard of you.” Danilka lied and then said, “You have three minutes to pray.” He then raised his watch and when the time was over, he pointed the barrel at her face and pulled the trigger. The bullet burned a hole through her brain and exploded out of rear of her skull. The tub was spattered with blood, brains and gore. The bullet ricocheted when it struck the metal tub, then struck the wall, and finally flew out the window. It broke the small window pane and left small shards of glass on the floor below.

  The Colonel walked to the phone and, picking it up, dialed zero for the desk.

  “Front desk, my name is Léon Alard, how may I help you?”

  “This is Russian Colonel Surnin Danilka and I have killed a prowler in my room. Can you notify the French police, a maintenance man from the hotel, and let my General know? Better yet, I will call the General myself.”

  “You have killed who, Monsieur? Are you sure they are dead?”

  “I am fairly sure, since the back of her head is missing. She said her name was Eva Chuprova Tereza and her nickname was The Black Widow. I and my friends staying here are all three on a Russian hit list to be killed.”

  "Oh, my." the clerk said and then added, "I will call the police, you stay in your room until they get there. Okay, Monsieur?"

  "I'm not going anyplace. Tell the police to knock before they come in or I might shoot them as well."

  "Yes, sir, I will let them know."

  An hour and half, and a fourth of a bottle of vodka later, the police showed up and knocked on the door.

  The Colonel opened it and then asked, "Are you the police?"

  "Yes sir, we are. We were notified a murder has taken place." A tall red headed Frenchman replied. "We need to come in, if you don't mind."

  "I had the desk call you. The deceased is in the bathtub and she tried to kill me."

  "I smell alcohol, have you been drinking?"

  Lying, the Colonel said, "Only after I killed the woman. Killing is hard on a man."

  "For some men in France it is not, Monsieur."

  A policeman entered the bathroom with a camera and another man, who was the official investigator for the killing. As the cameraman took photos, the investigator looked the scene over closely and made notes to go with the images.

  Finally, 45 minutes later, they both left the bathroom and the investigator asked, "Why the in-close head shot?"

  "I am alone in here and even a badly wounded person can still kill. I want to take no chances. I never leave anyone who attacks me alive. Revenge can be hard to deal with later and I do not need the problems it entails."

  The Frenchman nodded knowing the Russian had immunity from the law, but it didn't mean the cop liked it. He took his notes and returned to the station, where he'd start writing out a report and run the deceased woman's prints through the computer system.

  Before the police had all left the hotel room, the detective back at the station had a three page identification report on the dead lady, and it included images of her and her arrest record. She had a long list of convictions when she was young, but since she'd turned 18 the record had no new arrests. She'd been questioned many time about murders that she had claimed she had no knowledge of, so she'd been released within 24 hours. In at least three murders she was the primary or only suspect, but suspecting something would not lead to a conviction in court. He marked the folders, Deceased, Police Officers Only. And he tossed a folder in each investigating policeman's inbox.

  Back at the Hotel the police had the body removed and then left.

  Surnin shook his head; three hours it had taken and it was now 2350. He had just closed the door when his phone rang.

  "Hello."

  "Surnin, this is General Yanovich. I went to the restaurant a few minutes ago to get a snack and saw all kinds of people entering and leaving your room. Is everything okay there?"

  "No sir, I had to kill a woman tonight that wanted me dead. It was the Black Widow and if you remember her from intelligence reports, she had over 40 hits and had never been caught. All she killed tonight was my pillow."

  "Did you have to kill her?"

  "Sir, I had no choice but to kill her when she blew my pillow to pieces. She barely missed me, but that saved my life."

  "I understand you had no choice, but we do not need the attention these things cau
se on the news stations and in the newspapers."

  "I know that, sir. But I must defend my life."

  "I agree with that, too, but let us hope there are no more attempts to murder one of us."

  "Before she died she told me she was out to kill us for the money. Looks like someone in Russia has a one million rubles hit out on each of us. That will attract all kinds of killers looking for easy money."

  "I need to get back to sleep," the General said and added, "are the police completely gone?"

  "No, they left two men. One is guarding outside my door and another is in my living room, with a shotgun."

  "Good, you know you are safe the rest of the night anyway."

  "Goodnight sir, and I will speak with you tomorrow about getting some Spetsnaz guards to watch over my room."

  "Goodnight, Danilka." the General replied, ignoring his comments about the guards.

  The next morning at 0500 the General was out for his morning run with two of his Spetsnaz guards. He was running with Sergeants Stepanvich and Yegorivic, members of the Spetsnaz squad guarding him.

  As they jogged down the rain soaked cobblestone streets, the night lights reflected off the dampness and cast eerie shadows on the walls of dark buildings.

  The General was in the middle so Sergeant Stepanvich fell back beside him and said, "A white van one street over seems to be watching us. I will keep my eye on them."

  "Yes, I think after last night, that is smart."

  They ran another mile and then stopped in front of a restaurant to check their heart rate.

  Suddenly a white van sped down the road, facing the running men, stopped and the side door was opened.

  "Get the General down, now!" Stepanvich yelled as a Russian PK general-purpose machine gun opened fire.

  The gunner was good and starting on the left side, he started killing folks as he moved the barrel to the right. He took his time and was deadly. The noise from the gun throwing the big 7.62×54mm rimmed bullets into the crowd, the screaming of those hit and the dying was loud.

  Senior Sergeant Yegorivich fired his pistol twice and the gunner slumped over his gun. The van then closed the door and the vehicle moved down the street at a fast rate. Many at the restaurant were down, with most killed.