“Thanks, River,” I say, holding up my hand.
River kicks my hand away. “Don’t talk to me, you filthy liar.”
Still thrashing around, Grenade growls, “I have a message for all of you. I just need to… goddamn it! Will somebody fucking untie me?!”
Boom Boom helps me to my feet, then asks Thiago, “Can we… ah… untie our friend? We promise he won’t attack anyone.”
“Yeah, I promise to behave… at least for a little while,” Grenade grunts, still flailing around on the ground.
Thiago sighs and says something to several of his men. The natives cautiously approach Grenade and slice through his bounds with their knives. Once free, Grenade clambers to his feet and staggers toward us. The natives point their daggers at his chest and shout at him in their native tongue.
Grenade holds up his hands and growls, “Relax, fellas. I’ll behave, I promise.”
Thiago says something to the men, and they reluctantly back away. But they don’t sheathe their weapons. I don’t blame them; I wouldn’t, either.
River crosses her arms over her naked chest and coldly asks, “What is it you need to show us, Grenade? More of your lies?”
Grenade glances at me before looking away. “Actually, yeah. But you’re not the only one who was misled. Lance, Krystal, and Boom Boom were as well.”
Boom Boom raises her eyebrows and says, “What do you mean? You’ve never misled us about anything.”
Grenade wrings his hands and says, “Actually, yeah I did. Big time. This mission… the reason I tagged along… well, things aren’t what they seem.”
Grenade seems to be in tremendous pain, and not all of it is physical. There’s some emotional turmoil going on inside his frazzled brain. His face looks tortured… like he’s about to reveal some deep, dark secret. I’ve seen that look many times before from many different people. And it’s never a good sign.
Grenade looks up, his glowing eyes dimmer than usual. “Lance… Boom Boom… Krystal…. I haven’t been completely honest with you. I can only hope upon hearing the truth that you will forgive me. I never meant to lie to you… to deceive you… but it was the only way to get us all together. You never would have agreed to this if I told you about it upfront.”
“Grenade, what are you going on about?” Boom Boom says, sounding just as confused as I am. “Just tell us! Whatever it is, we can handle it.”
Grenade shakes his head and says, “No, Boom Boom… I don’t think you can.”
Before any of us can say anything else, Grenade holds up his bionic arm. A burst of light pops out of it. That light quickly materializes into a semi-transparent, holographic image of Defense Secretary Dallas Montgomery, scaled down to a tenth of his actual size. It’s not a live hologram, either, but rather a recording. Montgomery apparently recorded a message and uploaded it inside Grenade’s computerized arm.
We all listen with rapt attention as the hologram starts to speak.
“This message is for Angela Klaxton,” Montgomery says in his raspy voice. “If you are hearing this, then my good buddy Grenade has succeeded in his mission to locate you. Contrary to what you may have initially believed, Grenade is not here to kill you. Nor is he here to bring you back to America to face so-called ‘justice’. No, he is not here for either of those things. The reason Grenade was sent to find you, Angela, is because he is on a top-secret mission to bring you back to Washington so you can reclaim your rightful place on the American throne. Grenade is on a mission, Angela, to make you president once more.”
“What the fuck?!” I shout over all the astonished murmurs that have broken out. I glance over at Klaxton, and she seems just as shocked. And poor Boom Boom, she is on the verge of tears. Grenade’s act of betrayal is too much to bear. If this is true… if he brought us along on this wild goose chase just so we could help Klaxton become president again… then he is the vilest piece of scum I’ve ever known.
Before any of us can say anything else, the holographic image of Montgomery rattles on with his scandalous monologue.
“What I’m about to say next is going to be tough for you to hear, Angela. But you need to listen to me carefully, because it’s very important you understand why I’m asking you to do this. I was initially just as pissed off as everyone else in our inner circle when the so-called ‘Teenage Bounty Hunters’ unraveled our master plan to launch an Orwellian war with the Chinese. Years of meticulous planning, ruined in a matter of seconds. My first thought was to exact vengeance… to hunt down Lance, Boom Boom, and Krystal and make them pay for what they did to us. But then, as if by divine intervention, Grenade showed up on my doorstep and talked me out of it. And he didn’t do this simply because he is a close friend of the world famous bounty hunters. No, he came to me because he had a plan… a brilliant plan to restore order to the world and bring about a lasting peace. But to pull this off, we would need help… the help of the very people who brought about the downfall of your dynasty… the help of the three most famous and beloved bounty hunters on the planet.”
Klaxton growls so loudly that for a minute I think a bear has barged into the village. Montgomery’s monotonous, thunderous voice quickly drowns out the ex-president’s animalistic grunts of displeasure.
“Boom Boom, Lance, and Krystal aren’t just the most popular celebrities in America, either. They’re wildly popular all over the world. Even though the Nazi leadership in Bavaria wants the fearsome threesome hanging from light posts (as they found out the hard way when they were attacked by Neo Nazi’s in their own home), the people of Bavaria actually fancy the bounty hunters as modern day Robin Hoods. They are seen as helping bring down the rich and powerful so the poor and downtrodden may prosper. It’s the same story in China. Contrary to what the Chinese media would have us believe, most Chinese citizens are not happy with Empress Xing and her totalitarian regime. They’re definitely not fond of Xing’s sadistic general, Kang. According to our intelligence sources, the overwhelming majority of Chinese citizens would like to see their leaders overthrown. Even though most Chinese have been shielded from the outside world, some of them have found chinks in the so-called ‘Chinese Firewall’. As a result of a steady stream of outside information being funneled through these ‘chinks’ and passed on to everyday Chinese citizens, who then of course share it with the rest of their countrymen, most of the Chinese citizenry are quite knowledgeable of the exhilarating exploits of Lance, Boom Boom, and Krystal. They know what they’re all about. They admire them… look up to them… respect them… even love and adore them to some extent. The rest of the world feels the same way. The only people who are not infatuated with the charismatic and courageous teens are those who are in positions of power… the leaders of Bavaria… the leaders of China… and yes, even the former president of the
United States.”
Klaxton’s growling grows louder and more hostile than ever.
Almost as if he can sense Klaxton’s displeasure, Montgomery drones on, “But you will need to alter your opinion of them, Angela. It will go against every fiber of your being, but you need to overcome your intense hatred for the bounty hunters and embrace them as your allies… as your equals. Because mark my words, Angela, without them by your side, this plan will not work. And this country that you love… this entire world… will be doomed to annihilation”
Boom Boom, Krystal, Klaxton and I start hollering all at once. None of us are willing to go along with this. It’s ludicrous! That much we can all agree on.
“Shut up and listen!!” Grenade explodes, spraying spittle all over the place. “He’s not fucking finished yet!”
Our roars of outrage dwindle to mere mutters of discontent as Montgomery continues his audacious attempt to sell his preposterous proposal of forced reconciliation. I have no idea what Montgomery and Grenade were smoking when they came up with this, but it must have been some pretty strong shit.
“Most of your inner circle still believes in you, Angela,” Montgomery rattles on, his hologram flic
kering in and out of focus. “I have amassed a ‘shadow government’ consisting of generals, soldiers, members of congress, local politicians, celebrities, and prominent citizens who are more than ready to help reinstate you as president. They know, just like most of the American people know, that you are a cold-hearted, sadistic bitch… and that’s precisely why you are the only person the Chinese respect and fear. LeBeau is nothing more than a laughingstock to the Chinese… a piñata for them to beat with a bat. But they wouldn’t dare mess with you.
“We have an unprecedented opportunity to be the ultimate catalyst for change, Angela. If we initiate this coup… if we invade the White House and execute LeBeau on live television… if we broadcast it around the globe so that everyone sees it, including the Chinese, the Bavarians, and even the Russian insurgents in Siberia… then we will have instigated a ‘game changer’ that will reshape this entire conflict and put us firmly back in control.
“And if I have yet to convince you this is the play we need to make, then listen to this: we have received word from our various spy networks that China is planning on invading the American mainland before the end of the year. This is not just talk. We have actually seen their battle plans. They have been training for this ever since you disappeared. This transmission you are listening to was recorded on December 26th. That’s five days before the New Year. And I’m assuming it’s going to take at least a few days before Grenade finds you. So the invasion is imminent, if it hasn’t already begun. The very moment you receive this transmission you must make your decision, and you have to act immediately. Time is of the essence, Angela. We can still stop the Chinese… we can still save this country… this world… but you will need to join forces with your sworn enemies in order to make this happen. The American people will fall in line, they will accept you as their president once again, but you need the teen bounty hunters by your side. They need to be standing with you when LeBeau is forcibly removed from power. They are the only ones who will be able to add legitimacy to our coup. Lance, Krystal, and Boom Boom are the most respected, trusted, beloved people in the entire country… the entire world! Their celebrity knows no bounds. If the American people see them by your side, they will start to trust you again. If you are able to reconcile your unquestionably vast differences with the very people who helped overthrow you, then our citzenry will know anything is possible… even winning a war against the Imperial Chinese.
“With the bounty hunters on our side, we will be unstoppable. The Chinese will have no choice but to back down. And if it’s a war they want… if they are foolish enough to still attempt to engage us… then we will give them such a war that they will rue the day they dared fuck with us. And you will be the one to lead us to victory. Not that inept coward, LeBeau, but you, Angela… the meanest, baddest, strongest, greatest president in American history. You have a decision to make, Angela. The future of the world rests on your shoulders. Please make the right decision. If you decide to do this… if you decide to help usher in a new world order with the help of your former enemies… then you will need to travel to our top-secret black site in Northern Alaska, Abyss Zone 7. Once you arrive, our trusted agents manning the facility will send word to me, and we will put the beginning stages of the coup in motion. I hope to see you soon, old friend. Like I said, the future of the world is in your hands. Make your decision wisely. Godspeed, my love.”
The transmission fizzles out and the holographic recording of Montgomery vanishes into thin air. We all stand there in complete and utter shock… me, Krystal, Boom Boom, River, Alex, Klaxton…. We’re all struggling to process the bombardment of information just thrown at us.
What I’m having the most trouble understanding is the fact that Grenade had his own hidden agenda this entire time. He never planned on helping us take out Klaxton. He brought us here so we could smuggle her back to America. So she could reclaim her presidency. Basically we’re all pawns in Grenade’s global game of chess. I never in a million years would have thought Grenade would have the balls, intelligence, or outright impertinence to pull something like this. It never even crossed my mind he would double-cross us. I’m so enraged at his temerity that I’m tempted to march right up to the son of a bitch and slug him square in the face. But I need to keep my boiling emotions in check. There’s still so much I need to know… so much I need to understand. After I get the full, unvarnished story, then I’ll decide whether or not to kick Grenade’s ass. Hell, I might even kill the bastard, I’m so angry.
“So all this time you and Montgomery knew Klaxton was here?” I ask coldly, clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to keep my rising fury at bay. “You had us go on this wild goose chase for nothing? Just to keep up appearances?”
Grenade glances at me for the briefest of seconds before looking back down at the ground. “Not exactly,” he says in an uncharacteristically subdued voice. “I mean, we had an idea, but we weren’t entirely sure. Klaxton left without uttering a word to anyone. Not any of her bodyguards, not her trusted advisors, not Montgomery… no one. She just up and left… vanished off the face of the Earth, I guess you could say.”
“I didn’t know who I could trust,” Klaxton interjects. “I mean, I knew I could trust Dallas…”
Klaxton’s lips curl into a genuine smile. “Dallas and I have… a special relationship.”
“Gross!” Krystal blurts out, saying what we’re all thinking. “You both are like 100. You need to keep your clothes on.”
Klaxton snarls at Krystal before rattling on. “But I didn’t want Dallas implicated in my plan. I figured if I left on my own, without telling anyone where I was going, I would be protecting members of my inner circle and myself. I guess maybe I should have sent word to Dallas… to let him know I was safe. I’m sure he’s been worried sick about me. But I couldn’t risk my messages getting intercepted. I figured it was best to lay low for a while… allow things to calm down before making my next move.”
Klaxton glares at me and adds, “Although you damn kids fucked everything up so thoroughly, it was practically going to take divine intervention to get everything back to the way it was.”
Grenade clears his throat and says, “So shortly after Klaxton went missing, Montgomery and I had a clandestine meeting with several of his most trusted advisors. He wanted my opinion on what needed to be done next because… well, quite frankly, I’m one of the few people he could trust.”
“Yes, because you’re so fucking trustworthy,” Boom Boom snarls, sounding even more pissed off than I am. (And I’m pretty fucking pissed off.)
Grenade gives Boom Boom a fleeting glance before looking back down and continuing his tale of lies and deceit. “We both decided it was in the country’s best interest to find Klaxton and put her back to power. At the time… this was only a few days after Klaxton went missing… things were just beginning to fall apart. Montgomery thought there was a slight chance we could fix things on our own. As time wore on, however, that idealistic view of the world became on outright fallacy. It’s quite obvious now that America is in desperate need of someone like Klaxton to lead her. Someone with backbone… someone who strikes fear in the hearts of America’s many enemies.
“You’re too kind,” Klaxton says, deadpan. She, too, sounds pissed that she’s being used in this twisted game of global chess. At least now she’s finally getting a taste of her own medicine. Lord knows she’s been in charge of the ‘global chess board’ long enough.
Grenade clears his throat yet again and plows on with his story. I get the sense he feels this is the equivalent of a confessional in a cathedral… a way for him to cleanse his soul by revealing his deepest and darkest secrets. But I’m no priest, and I sure as hell ain’t as forgiving as one.
“I knew you guys were on a mission to hunt down Klaxton. You told me so yourself over the phone. And Montgomery and I knew we needed your help in order for our plan to succeed. I was just about to call you guys up myself and attempt to latch onto your mission when you called me up out
of the blue to see if Audrey and I would watch Blade and Harpoon. It was the perfect opportunity for me to join you… to help steer you in the right direction. And when we found Blackbird and he coughed up Klaxton’s whereabouts…”
“Blackbird did what?!” Klaxton screeches, furious that one of her closest confidants gave her up (although unbeknownst to her, he didn’t do so willingly).
Grenade ignores Klaxton and rattles on, “… then I knew it was time to put our plan into motion. I would help you guys track Klaxton down, and then I would reveal our plan to the four of you at the same time. Of course, I hadn’t planned on that stupid bitch LeBeau sending us down here to work with Pitbull. Neither did Montgomery. That was a major setback. But when we managed to ditch him and his psychotic buddies, my plan was back on track. Well, until our fucking plane exploded. Still not sure what that was all about. Someone didn’t want us reaching our destination. But that’s not important at the moment. The important thing is getting the four of you back to Washington. Together.”
“But why not just tell us this in the beginning?!” Boom Boom cries.
“Yeah Grenade, this was a pretty fucked up way to treat us,” Krystal says. “I mean, I thought we were friends and shit!”
World War Forever (Highway To Armageddon Book 2) Page 38