She armed her wristband that doubled as a tiny crossbow. Reb carefully aimed her weapon at the mobster while she remained hidden behind the column. She fired a single arrow, but the thug ducked behind a parked car. The arrow deflected off the vehicle and then the mobster resumed his gunfire.
“A tiny arrow won’t eliminate me!” the mobster shouted.
Reb fled from her hiding place and performed a single somersault to avoid the gunfire. She successfully landed behind a parked car, shielding herself from the grafted bullets. The mobster shot the vehicle’s window and shattered it, giving Reb an opportunity.
“Now I finally have an idea! Let’s give it a shot!” the attorney said while she reached her right hand inside the car.
She dislodged the parking break, allowing the vehicle to slide out of its parking space and down the garage’s incline. The mobster stopped firing his weapon when the car rolled in his direction. He turned around and tried to run away; however, the grafted car nicked him and broke his right leg. The thug fell on the ground and wallowed in pain.
“How can you beat me with a parked car? You must be the luckiest woman in the world!” the mobster growled, while he clutched his leg.
Reb hobbled toward her opponent and then she grabbed his submachine gun. She aimed the gun at his face. “Who hired you to kill me? Tell me everything you know!”
The mobster held up his hands in a defensive manner. “Don’t shoot me! My bosses, Nero and Bella, sent me to kill you!”
“What are they planning? There must be a reason why they’re blowing up buildings and shooting at people!” Reb barked.
“Nero and Bella want to take control of the gambling industry here. Your family and other rivals need to be eliminated one way or another. Sometimes, Nero forces the casino owners to sell their property, but I have a feeling your brother was more stubborn. We sell material on the black market in a cargo hangar. It’s located in the desert outside of Las Vegas. Maybe you’ll find answers there. I don’t know anything else,” the mobster explained.
Reb lowered the submachine gun. “Perhaps the cargo hangar is worth investigating. What happened to my Jeep? It’s not here.”
The mobster shrugged. “I don’t know anything about it.”
Reb glanced at another part of the parking structure and saw Gable’s motorcycle. “Well, I might have another plan.”
*****
Meanwhile, Nero and Bella argued in his office.
“Why hasn’t anyone found those kids yet? It was a simple job! My men were supposed to kidnap them from school!” Nero shouted angrily.
Bella retaliated, “That part isn’t my problem! You haven’t done a very good job either! I’m noticing that Gable is still refusing to sell his casinos to you!”
Nero resisted the urge to strike her. “Don’t talk back to me! This entire plan is turning into a mess!”
“Look, it’s going to work out. How hard can it be to find two spoiled, rich kids? I seriously doubt they’re capable of surviving without help. Eventually, our men should find those kids,” Bella explained.
Nero tried to control his temper. “I don’t suppose anyone managed to kill Reb and Giles.”
Bella shrugged. “So far, I haven’t heard anything from our hit men. Both of them will be dead soon and then we’ll be able to collect on their bounties.”
“I made a mistake by letting you flirt with Giles. It was a huge distraction that kept your attention away from our master plan,” Nero said in a condescending tone.
Bella felt insulted. “Why do you care? You’re the one who didn’t want an exclusive relationship!”
Nero roughly grabbed her arm. “I need you to have a clear mind! Otherwise, you’re completely useless to me!”
“Fear not. I know exactly how to handle men like him. Perhaps I can have some fun with Giles before sending him to the grave,” Bella said smugly.
Nero pushed her away. “You’re so smug. Just find a way to make sure that Reb and Giles will die.”
The mob boss opened his office door and stormed into the hallway.
*****
Malcolm and Beauregard successfully reached Las Vegas and made their way through the mangled streets.
Beauregard waved his hands through the air, clearing the smoke and dust in front of him. “This is a disaster! How are we going to find the Nelsons?”
“Let’s check out Gable’s primary casino. I couldn’t get Reb to answer her cell phone. Something doesn’t feel right. Maybe someone will have answers inside the casino,” Malcolm suggested.
“Works for me. I feel bad for the people who were trapped inside that fallen casino. That’s a terrible way to die,” Beauregard muttered.
Due to the smoke, Malcolm could barely see the area where Edgar’s casino had been destroyed. “Hopefully, they exited this world quickly. Anyway, try to stay focused.”
The two men entered Gable’s casino and walked through the lobby. After a short period of time, they found the concierge desk.
Beauregard placed his hands on the desk and said, “We’re friend of Gable Nelson. Is he in the office today?”
The concierge recognized the two men. “I haven’t seen him since this morning. Everything has been chaos since the casino across the street collapsed. Aren’t your names Malcolm and Beauregard?”
“You’ve got it. I’ve tried several times to get a hold of Reb and Giles, but nobody is answering their cell phones,” Malcolm discussed.
“Maybe you should talk to another casino owner, Nero Castiel. He owns the Dieselpunk casino. Rumor has it that Nero wants to merge with Gable’s casino franchise. I’m sure they’ve been communicating with each other,” the concierge explained.
Beauregard rubbed his chin. “We’ll check it out. Where’s the Dieselpunk casino located?”
“Hang a left at the traffic signal. You can’t miss the casino because it’s the only Art Deco building in Las Vegas. Everything else fits the Steampunk image,” the concierge admitted.
“Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it,” Malcolm said, before he and Beauregard left the concierge desk.
The two men walked through lobby while Beauregard thought about their situation. “The Nelsons aren’t typically elusive people. Do you think something bad happened to them?”
Malcolm didn’t have a clear answer. “Judging from that destroyed casino outside, anything is possible.”
Beauregard found the situation odd. “Why is everyone acting so calm inside this casino? Someone blew up one of the buildings, it doesn’t make any sense.”
“We live in a Post-Apocalyptic time period. Unfortunately, death and destruction are just part of everyday life,” Malcolm grumbled.
“That’s disturbing,” Beauregard replied.
Malcolm pushed the front door open and they walked outside. “True, but human beings aren’t the same anymore.”
They trotted to the other casino and searched for answers.
*****
Oliver drove his aunt’s Jeep through the desert until he caught sight of the mob’s cargo hideout. It was an open area with makeshift structures that hid cargo boxes. From a distance, the kids saw numerous henchmen moving cargo around various locations. Some of the mobsters used forklifts and other industrial equipment to move the heavy boxes.
“See what I mean? I wasn’t imaging things. These mobsters think the cargo hangar is a big secret, but everybody is leaking its location online,” Oliver commented.
Maggie felt nervous about their venture. “Okay, you were right. Those guys look dangerous. I think we should head back to the city.”
Oliver protested, “No way! If Mom and Dad were captured, they’re probably being held over here.”
“How do you know they were captured? They might be perfectly safe and worried about you guys,” Parker argued.
Oliver tightly gripped the steering wheel. “My gut feeling is telling me that something is wrong. If Mom and Dad were looking for us, both of them would be calling our cell phones. Hav
e you heard anything from Mom, Dad, Aunt Reb, or Uncle Giles?”
Maggie felt worried. “Not yet. Even if you’re right about the kidnapping, I still think it’s a bad idea to ambush mobsters.”
“Maggie is right. They won’t hesitate to kill us,” Parker warned.
Bubba looked at Oliver and made a series of unusual noises.
“See? The prairie dog wants me to save our parents,” Oliver said.
Maggie was not impressed. “You didn’t understand anything from that robot. Don’t lie.”
“Maybe we should call the police?” Parker suggested.
“They won’t do anything without evidence. Besides, they’re not going to listen to anyone our age. Mom and Dad will be dead before the police take action,” Oliver explained.
Parker hesitantly responded, “I guess we can investigate carefully.”
“Oliver, don’t get us killed. Let’s just stay out of sight,” Maggie said firmly.
The older boy agreed with her. “We’ll ride along the hideout’s outskirts. Those mobsters won’t even see us.”
Chapter 11
Giles hurried to the parking structure and was stunned when he saw the massive amount of destruction. Many of the vehicles were destroyed. Giles carefully walked through the quiet parking lot while he searched for Reb. The male Steampunk drew his pistol and watched for predators. He kept a stern and serious attitude while he stalked through the dark parking structure. Giles stopped next to one of the cars and ran his right hand along the driver’s door. It was riddled with holes. Giles glanced through the parking structure, but he didn’t see Reb or any enemies.
He tried to call Reb on his cell phone but only reached her voicemail.
“Reb, this is Giles. I can tell something really bad happened in the parking structure. Give me a call back when you have a chance. I’m really worried about you,” Giles said calmly.
Many individuals would panic in his situation, but Giles remained stoic. He wasn’t the type of man who wanted to show his feelings, especially anything that revealed vulnerability.
The Steampunk used a program on his cell phone to locate Reb’s phone. He saw a green dot that quickly moved through the desert outside of Las Vegas. For some reason, she was driving away from the big city.
Giles put away his cell phone and hurried to a parked sedan that was mostly intact. The attorney smashed the driver’s side window and unlocked the door. Giles swung the driver’s door open and then he sat down. He pulled out several wires and hot-wired the vehicle. The attorney closed the door and then sped out of the parking lot.
*****
Meanwhile, Nero returned to his prisoners. He picked up a chair and plopped it in front of Gable and Priscilla. He sat down and calmly asked, “Have you reached a decision yet?”
Gable tried to remain brave. “No sale.”
Nero stood up and pulled out a knife. He held the blade uncomfortably close to his rival’s face. “You won’t be able to resist forever. I have ways of making people more agreeable.”
“Is that how you got the first casino? You’re just a thug who blackmails and tortures people to get results!” Gable yelled.
Nero played with the knife. “I guess that’s true, but it works. If conditions were different, it would be easier to kill you. Unfortunately, I need legal documentation to own your franchise. Sell the property to me or I can’t guarantee your face will remain in one piece.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s not happening. Plastic surgery can fix my face.” Gable stubbornly replied.
Nero ran his hand along the side of Priscilla’s face while she cringed from his touch. “Everyone has their weaknesses. Steampunks have grafted bones and clothing, but I can still make this a painful experience. Would you be so stubborn if I sliced up your wife’s face instead? Perhaps I’ll cut her tongue out.”
Gable became furious. “Stay away from her! This is between you and me!”
The crime boss held the knife in front of Gable again. “I can torture you too. Maybe I’ll sever one of your ears? I could also gorge out one of your eyeballs.”
“You’re sick! Eventually, the police are going to catch you!” Priscilla shouted.
“Don’t take it personally. It’s just a matter of business,” Nero growled, then he grabbed Gable’s chin.
The mobster slowly brought the tip of his knife closer to Gable’s left eye.
“Wait! It doesn’t have to be like this!” Gable said, as he shook with fright.
Priscilla tried not to cry. “Leave him alone! He’s a good man who doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment!”
“I’m sure you’ll be fine. Someone can graft an eye patch onto your face,” Nero replied.
However, the mob boss became distracted when he saw surveillance footage of Malcolm and Beauregard entering the casino. He lowered the knife and stepped away from the restrained man.
Gable felt confused. “Why did you stop?”
“It appears that your buddies from Chicago and New York City are coming to the rescue. I’ll deal with them,” Nero sternly said.
“How do you know they came here to cause trouble? Maybe they’re just here to gamble,” Priscilla argued.
Nero gave her a wicked smile. “You’re a feisty one. I like that. Do you honestly think Steampunks are the only people who can set booby traps in their facilities? Regular humans might not have as many technological perks, but we can still give you some surprises. I’ll come back soon and then we’re going to have some fun.”
The crime boss put away his knife and exited the conference room.
Malcolm and Beauregard casually walked through the busy casino.
“Let’s skip the concierge desk and find something more direct,” Malcolm recommended.
Beauregard adjusted his hat. “Do you have any ideas? I’m sure we’ll need security clearance to speak with Nero in person.”
Malcolm looked around their environment for security guards. “It will pay to be sneaky. We just need to stay cool and discrete. Try not to draw attention to yourself.”
“Fine, but where are we going?” Beauregard asked.
“Let’s hug the wall and see if we can find a special elevator. Some corporate executives have their own elevators that are closed to the public,” Malcolm suggested.
They calmly walked through the casino and tried to find a separate elevator. They quickly succeeded and activated it.
Beauregard felt paranoid. “What’s going to happen when we get caught? I don’t want bad publicity.”
Malcolm confidently replied, “Maybe Nero will be glad to see us. After all, we’re famous.”
“I hope you’re right. Unfortunately, your bravado and cockiness tends to get us in trouble,” Beauregard muttered.
The elevator door opened and the two men stepped inside. Malcolm hit the button for the top floor.
He looked directly at Beauregard and stated, “And Reb doesn’t get us in trouble? She’s the one who’s always scaring people and waving her baton around like a homicidal maniac. Believe me. This encounter should be quite diplomatic.”
Instead of reaching their destination, the elevator stopped on a different floor. The door slid open and then the two men peered through the opening. The floor appeared to be abandoned with an old and dusty floor. There was miscellaneous furniture and equipment strewn across the region.
Beauregard shook his head. “This can’t be the top floor.”
He pushed the alarm button, but nothing happened. The artist pushed the button again and received the same results.
“Let me try something,” Malcolm said, then he punched the top floor’s button several times.
Regardless of their efforts, the elevator didn’t budge.
“Great. We’re stuck on an abandoned floor,” Beauregard grumbled.
Malcolm tried to remain optimistic. “I guess we should check it out. It’s not like we have a choice.”
They walked out onto the floor and examined their surroundings.
�
��How did we get dumped here? I don’t think anyone has stepped foot on this floor for a long time. There’s dust everywhere,” Beauregard complained.
“I think we’re on the mysterious thirteenth floor. Every hotel and casino has a thirteenth floor, but entrepreneurs are superstitious. They refuse to service the public on it. Some people use this type of floor for storage and other things behind the scenes,” Malcolm explained.
Beauregard held up his hand. “Stop! I can hear something!”
The two men heard footsteps on the barren floor. Nero stepped out of the darkness, holding a submachine gun. Malcolm and Beauregard stared at the weapon while their opponent moved closer. Nero loaded a circular clip into the weapon and aimed it directly at them.
Malcolm grabbed Beauregard’s arm while he yelled, “Move!”
The two Steampunks fled across the floor while Nero rapidly fired grafted bullets at them. Malcolm and Beauregard quickly hid behind a pile of crates. The bullets splintered parts of the boxes, raining pieces of wood on the two men.
Beauregard used his hat to protect himself from the flying wood. “This must be a trap! I wouldn’t be surprised if something terrible happened to Gable or the other Nelsons!”
Malcolm picked up a small sledgehammer that was conveniently laying on the floor in front of them. “We’ll find answers soon! In the meantime, we just need to survive!”
Beauregard pulled out his pistol. “I learned from previous mistakes! This time, I came prepared for a fight!”
*****
Elsewhere, Oliver cautiously drove closer to the hangar. He didn’t want to attract attention from the mobsters working in the cargo area.
“In a minute, I’m going to park the Jeep and then we’ll search for our family on foot. Those jerks will probably hear the engine if we drive much closer,” Oliver whispered.
Parker was paranoid as he looked around the desert. “Do you think anyone is watching us?”
“I don’t know. This entire situation is scary to me,” Maggie replied.
“You guys are so paranoid,” Oliver said with a snarky attitude.
They were unpleasantly surprised when two headlights flashed on the side of their Jeep. The three kids held up their hands to keep the bright lights out of their eyes.
The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Vendetta Page 28