Maggie furiously berated her brother, “Like I said, you have the worst plans ever!”
Two mobsters drove toward the kids in a vintage 1950’s sedan.
Parker waved his hands through the air. “We don’t want any trouble!”
The villains ignored them while the mobster in the passenger seat pulled out a submachine gun. “Let’s see if you guys can escape!”
“Get us out of here!” Maggie screamed to Oliver.
He slammed his foot on the gas pedal and sped away from the mobsters. “Hold on tight! This is going to be intense!”
The mobsters sped toward the kids as they weaved around the cargo hangar. One of the thugs leaned out of the passenger window and aimed his submachine gun at the kids.
The mobster fired his weapon at the Jeep, prompting Maggie and Parker to scream. Oliver drove around several obstacles to avoid the gunfire. Despite his efforts, some of the bullets nicked parts of Reb’s Jeep. Maggie and Parker tried to stay low while Bubba jumped on the floor and hid from the gunfire.
“I expect to survive this car chase! You’re in so much trouble if we die!” Maggie shouted.
Oliver tried to concentrate on an escape plan. “No peanut gallery! You’re distracting me!”
The driver was not pleased with his partner’s lousy aim. “What’s the matter with you? It should be easy to kill three stupid kids!”
“I can’t aim properly with your crazy driving! You’re going to throw me right out of the vehicle!” the other mobster protested.
Oliver tried not to panic. “We could definitely use some help! I can’t outrun these guys!”
Right then, Reb flew over a ramp on Gable’s motorcycle, and she landed on the ground. Both of the four-wheeled-vehicles stopped when they saw her.
“The first one who kills me gets a $100,000 reward!” Reb shouted to the mobsters.
“Aunt Reb! Help us!” Oliver shouted.
“Hit the turbo button!” Reb yelled.
Oliver quickly looked at the dashboard and pressed a red button. It activated the Jeep’s turbo charged engine and sent the kids flying away from the hangar and deeper into the desert. All three of the kids screamed as the Jeep flew across the dirt.
One of the villains was confused. “What just happened?”
“Screw the kids! This one is worth $100,000!” the second mobster barked.
He aimed his weapon at Reb and she quickly sped away. The mobsters pursued her while the gunner fired a hail of grafted bullets at her. She swiftly maneuvered the motorbike around the piles of boxes. It was difficult for the mobsters to follow her in their vintage sedan. She ducked underneath a low platform and bullets narrowly missed her.
“This woman has skills on a motorbike!” the driver complained.
The mobster in the passenger seat felt frustrated. “Drive faster! We need to catch her!”
Reb sped through the hangar while she tried to find an escape route. She curved around the corner and said, “It’s time for me to surprise those mobsters!”
The sedan headed in Reb’s direction, but the two mobsters had lost sight of her. They stopped in the middle of the cargo hangar.
“You lost her! That means we can’t collect the bounty!” the gun-wielding mobster griped.
The driver retaliated, “Shut up! Maybe you should drive next time! I don’t understand why you couldn’t hit one motorcycle with a whole bunch of bullets! You have the worst aim!”
While the mobsters argued with each other, Reb drove across another ramp. She flew through the air and landed on top of the car’s hood. The impact tipped the sedan forward until it roughly landed on the ground. Pieces of metal flew through across the hangar while the car lied in shambles. Smoke came out of the hood and the mobsters were stunned.
Reb drove away, shaking her fist. “Graft your vehicles next time, suckers!”
The attorney laughed wickedly, then she disappeared into the night.
Chapter 12
Closer to Las Vegas, Reb’s Jeep finally stopped next to the highway. The three kids gasped for air while their hearts pounded from the traumatic journey.
Oliver nervously giggled. “That was better than a roller coaster.”
Maggie smacked the back of her brother’s head. “Are you crazy? You almost got us killed and we still don’t know what happened to Mom and Dad!”
“I’m making this up along the way! Nobody can be prepared for this type of problem!” Oliver yelled.
Parker felt worried. “What about Reb? We left her back in the cargo hangar! Those mobsters could kill her!”
“Aunt Reb told us to leave. That means she has a plan. You don’t have to worry about her. My aunt is one of the toughest Steampunks in the nation,” Oliver said.
Maggie picked up her cell phone. “I’m going to call Mom. Hopefully, this was just a false alarm.”
The phone rang until it went to voicemail. Maggie hung up the phone and sighed in frustration.
“No answer?” Parker asked.
“Nothing. I didn’t even bother to leave a message,” Maggie grumbled.
Bubba looked at the kids and tried to communicate.
Oliver gripped the steering wheel again. “Bubba knows something isn’t right. Maybe the cargo hangar isn’t the answer. Where else could the mob hide our parents?”
“I hope they’re still alive. Mobsters usually kill their enemies,” Parker stated.
“I’m not giving up on them! If we’re going to become Steampunks someday, we need to build resilience and determination!” Oliver shouted.
Maggie replied, “Unfortunately, it’s hard to stay positive in this type of situation.”
Parker shook his head. “Where do you want to start? We don’t know anything about these mobsters.”
“Maybe we should check out that weird casino owner, Nero Castiel?” Maggie suggested.
Oliver looked at his sister skeptically. “Why do you want to investigate him?”
“You guys are supposed to be smart. Just use common sense. He totally looks like a mobster. Nero wears pinstriped suits and fedoras. He’s not part of the Steampunk culture, and doesn’t graft his body. Nero’s business partner is one of those dames who takes influences from the 1940s. Don’t forget that he bought a Steampunk casino and gave it a new Dieselpunk theme. It makes perfect sense,” Maggie explained.
The boys couldn’t argue with her rationalization.
“Maggie, I’m pretty sure you’re the brilliant one,” Parker admitted.
Oliver looked at the highway. “It sounds like we have another plan. Let’s head to Nero’s casino.”
They drove onto the highway and headed to Las Vegas.
*****
Meanwhile, Gable and Priscilla remained trapped in Nero’s conference room. Beads of sweat dripped from Gable’s face from the stress of their situation. He was worried about Oliver and Maggie, and feared that Nero or his goons would capture them. Gable kept those thoughts to himself though because he didn’t want to frighten Priscilla.
“Is this the end for us? I thought it would be far more glamorous,” Priscilla muttered.
Gable tried to move his arms. “Stay strong, Priscilla. I’m going to make sure the end of our road is more dignified.”
Priscilla looked at her husband. “What are you doing?”
“Well, I have some use of my legs. They’re tied together, but I might be able to stand up,” Gable replied.
He tilted the chair forward until his feet were steadily planted on the floor. The casino owner bent his knees and allowed the chair to lift off the ground. He carefully hopped behind Priscilla’s chair.
She was quite impressed from his awkward movement. “I’ll take it. Now what are you doing?”
“You’ll see,” Gable mentioned.
The restrained man clamped his teeth on the rope that bound Priscilla’s hands. He pulled on the rope until it finally loosened. Eventually, he untied the rope and freed her hands. Priscilla dropped the rope and felt somewhat better.
<
br /> “Good job! I’m really impressed!” Priscilla declared.
Gable felt cramped while he was hunched over. “Great! Now you can untie the rest of your restraints. Then you can untie me.”
Priscilla diligently untied her bindings and then she quickly untied his.
“We need to get out of here and find the kids,” Priscilla warned.
Gable nodded his head. “I agree. Let’s take the back exit, so we can avoid those mobsters.”
The couple found a back way out and left the conference room.
*****
Chaos was still in full swing on the thirteenth floor while Nero continued trying to kill Malcolm and Beauregard.
The artist cocked his weapon while bullets penetrated the boxes. “I’m going to fire a few rounds at him and then we need to make a run for it!”
Beauregard peered from around the barricade and fired at Nero. The mob boss ran out of the way.
“That gives me an idea too!” Malcolm yelled.
He swatted the top boxes with his sledgehammer, sending the crates in Nero’s direction. The wooden boxes smashed in front of Nero and caused him to fall to the ground. Malcolm and Beauregard took the opportunity to run from their tormentor.
Nero stood up and reloaded his submachine gun. “Steampunks are such a pain in the butt! They’re so difficult to kill!”
Malcolm and Beauregard ran to the other end of the floor until they encountered two of Nero’s henchmen. Both of the mobsters were armed with submachine guns.
“Troublemakers! Let’s get rid of them!” one of the mobsters growled.
The two henchmen fired their submachine guns at Malcolm and Beauregard, but the Steampunks rolled away from the gunfire. Nero hurried to the scene and joined the fray.
“Out of the way! These two idiots belong to me!” the crime boss shouted.
He fired the submachine gun, causing his goons to hide behind old furniture. Nero fired his weapon until the clip was completely empty. Afterward, he walked across the floor and searched the cluttered area for survivors. Nero came across an old desk that was riddled with bullets. The crime boss hoped to see Malcolm and Beauregard’s dead bodies when he pushed the desk aside. Instead, his two henchmen were dead on the floor in a pool of blood, with multiple bullet holes in their bodies. Nero roared with anger when we saw the disappointing results.
Malcolm came out of hiding from behind Nero and shoved a cart in his direction. The metal cart knocked him onto the floor, giving the two Steampunks a chance to escape.
“Nice try, but no dice!” Malcolm gloated, and he and Beauregard ran away.
Nero pulled out a communication device and radioed his men. “Everybody, listen up! I need you guys to eliminate two male Steampunks in our building! For that matter, I also want you to kill Giles and Rebel Hyde! You’ll be given a generous reward for assassinating them!”
The mob boss stood up and headed to the elevator.
*****
In the desert, Reb laughed as she sat on the motorbike and hid behind a multitude of boxes. “I thought the mafia would be tougher. That wasn’t too bad.”
Suddenly, a modified bulldozer smashed through the crates. Reb sped forward on the motorbike as the massive vehicle chased her. The bulldozer had a much faster engine than a normal construction vessel. It followed Reb in hot pursuit while she tried to stay ahead of it.
“My boss gave me the message about your bounty! I came here to collect!” the mobster hollered.
He pulled a lever and activated a hidden portion of the bulldozer. Giant spikes protruded from the bulldozer’s blade to eliminate his target.
Reb briefly looked over her shoulder. “Spikes? That’s cheating!”
“Steampunks like you have all kinds of enhancements! We’re just making the fight a little more even!” the mobster pointed out.
During the chase, Reb drove around a pile of wooden crates that contained bottles of alcohol. The bulldozer plowed through the crates, covering the driver and his vehicle in bourbon. Reb noticed the mishap and developed a quick plan.
“You just gave me an opportunity! Watch this!” Reb said, then she pulled out a lighter.
She flicked on the lighter and tossed it behind her motorbike. The small lighter landed on the bulldozer and ignited the alcohol into flames. Within a short period of time, fire engulfed the bulldozer.
“It’s not worth getting killed! I’m out of here!” the mobster shouted.
He leaped off the bulldozer before the flames could harm him, and landed roughly on the ground. Eventually, the bulldozer lost speed and gradually ended its pursuit. Reb used the motorbike’s brakes to drift then she turned around. She stopped and stared at the bulldozer while it slid closer. The vehicle finally slowed to a stop while it burned, only a foot away from Reb.
She exhaled and tried not to pass out. “That was really close. I don’t need this much excitement in a single day.”
Unfortunately, someone grabbed the Steampunk woman and dragged her across the dirt.
Chapter 13
Reb struggled with her attacker. “Let me go!”
“It’s okay! You don’t have to fight me!” a familiar voice stated.
The attorney whipped around and stared directly at Giles. She felt overjoyed and was relieved to see him.
“You always have perfect timing! I’m so glad to see you!” Reb declared, then she hugged him.
“For a moment, I thought something terrible happened to you. Somebody destroyed the parking structure,” Giles said, then he squeezed her in his arms.
The couple released each other and each took a deep breath.
“How did you know that I wound up in this cargo hangar?” Reb inquired.
Giles held up his cell phone. “Lucky for me, your phone has a tracking signal.”
Reb smirked. “Thank goodness for spy technology. Privacy might be dead, but it’s worth the trouble.”
Giles looked around their environment. “I assume this place is infested with mobsters.”
“Definitely. We need to keep a low profile or they’ll ambush us,” Reb mentioned.
Giles took out his Steampunk pistol. “Those submachine guns are serious business. I think they’re using grafted bullets.”
“You’ve got that right. The bullets from those guns fly right through grafted cars and other metal objects. It’s almost impossible for a cripple like me to outrun submachine gunfire,” Reb explained.
“I guess you’re doing a good job so far. Why did you leave the city?” Giles asked.
Reb responded, “I followed the kids. They stole my Jeep for some reason.”
Giles became alarmed. “You mean the kids drove out here by themselves? That’s incredibly dangerous. None of them are even old enough to drive yet.”
“Well, they’re stubborn like the rest of us. I think the kids were looking for something out here,” Reb speculated.
Giles stroked his beard. “What about Gable and Priscilla? Maybe the kids were looking for them. Have you heard anything from your brother?”
Reb shook her head. “No, but I haven’t had a chance to check my cell phone due to the gunfire.”
“Do you know where the kids went?” Giles asked.
“I told Oliver to hit the turbo button. They sped away toward Las Vegas. Hopefully, they went home,” Reb explained.
Giles placed his hands on his hips. “Well, I think we should head back to the city. I want to make sure the kids are okay.”
Reb agreed with him. “We need to find Gable and Priscilla too. The two of us are capable of a lot of things, but we’re stronger as a family.”
“Heck, yes. We can return to Las Vegas in a sedan that I borrowed. You can hitch a ride with me,” Giles said, and he patted her on the shoulder.
Reb raised her right eyebrow. “Borrowed?”
Giles sheepishly replied, “We’re lawyers. Words have to be used carefully.”
Before Reb could say anything else, they heard a distant noise. They looked up and saw a
helicopter flash its headlights in their direction. The couple shielded their eyes from the bright lights as helicopter flew closer.
“I assume this helicopter is from the police?” Reb mentioned.
Then the helicopter fired a missile. It exploded on the ground in front of them and sent the couple flying backward behind a pile of cargo boxes.
*****
Inside Nero’s casino, Gable and Priscilla stalked quietly through the corporate sector. They hugged the wall and tried to remain discrete.
“Do you think the kids are okay?” Priscilla asked in a worried tone.
“We taught them how to survive in a Post-Apocalyptic world. I’m sure they’re watching out for each other,” Gable said, as they crept through the hallway.
Priscilla was becoming suspicious. “Gable, this floor is eerily quiet. There should be corporate employees on this floor.”
“I don’t think this is a regular corporate headquarters. This must be the floor where Nero does his dirty work. I’m sure his regular employees don’t even know this floor exists,” Gable explained.
One of Nero’s henchmen ran around the corner and fired his submachine gun at them. Gable and Priscilla hurried out of the hallway and frantically searched for cover. They found an office and hid inside it. The mobster followed them and fired at the office. His bullets shattered the office window, sending large shards of glass flying through the air. Gable and Priscilla hid underneath a desk while the mobster continued his assault.
He reloaded the weapon with a circular clip. “There’s nowhere for you to run! Nero still needs to speak with you! Come out quietly and I won’t kill you!”
“We can’t trust him,” Priscilla muttered.
“No, but he’s completely right. We’re hopelessly cornered inside this office,” Gable said while he held her.
The mobster kept his weapon drawn and marched toward the destroyed office. He entered the office and aimed his submachine gun at the cowering pair. “Come with me. There’s work to finish.”
He took a step forward and then he slipped on the shattered glass. The mobster lost his footing and landed on top of a long shard of glass. It impaled his torso, causing the mobster to cough and sputter blood. He quickly died, relieving the frightened couple.
The Post-Apocalyptic Society: A Nelson and Hyde Vendetta Page 29