by RJ Johnson
“Ms. Harper, may I have a moment of your time, please?” Kline asked quickly, a smile spreading across his face.
Emily turned around, surprised by the dark man who had just invaded her office. Tall and serious, he wore an expensive suit, and he had an air of unchecked confidence. Kline smirked as he entered the room, his eyes boring into Emily's as he made himself comfortable in the seat facing her desk. Emily looked down at her phone and contemplated her situation. She’d try attitude first and see what happened.
“How can I help you?” Emily asked, moving behind her desk. Christina glanced nervously at her friend.
“My name is Rupert Kline.” Kline readjusted himself in Emily’s office chair. He looked around her Spartan office. “Not much in the budget for office equipment, I see.”
Neither woman responded. Kline shrugged and crossed his legs as he put his hand to his mouth. He sat silently, staring intently at Emily, not saying a word.
“Can I help you with something?” Emily asked, irritated. Christina made a move towards her phone, flipping it open in her pocket as her fingers sought out 911.
“My dear,” Kline waved towards Christina, “Would you mind taking your hands out of your pocket? Your cell phone won’t do you any good here anyway. We’ve got the complex’s entire communications blocked for right now. Please, miss, I don't want to kill you too.”
Christina whimpered and withdrew her hand guiltily from her pocket.
“No reason for not behaving civilly.” Kline turned back to Emily, “You knew a young man named Alexander McCray, did you not?”
Emily’s stomach dropped like a rock, the dark man smiling at her reaction.
“Who?” Emily asked, her voice cracking.
Kline tilted his head. “Come now, Miss Harper. Alexander McCray; you two dated for a time, did you not?”
“That was a long time ago,” she replied, her voice hardening. “He’s been dead for six years.”
Kline considered her response for a moment, and then took out his PDA from his waistband.
“It seems as if you two did not have an especially trusting relationship.”
Kline punched a few buttons, bringing up Alex’s picture from the Sheriff station’s shootout video. He maximized the picture on the screen and slid the PDA across the desk towards Emily.
She refused to look down, staring into the billionaire’s eyes. Kline spoke gently, coaxing her to look down at the picture below her.
“Haven’t you always wondered?” Kline hissed, “Why he never called? How he died? If he left you, why there was no explanation?”
Emily’s heart sank into her throat. Her eyes began to water as Kline’s sinister voice filled the room around her.
“He promised you everything, didn’t he? He promised to love and care for you, and he betrayed all that didn’t he?” Kline’s voice became silky smooth. “And now, I come to you, telling you he’s alive. Don’t you want to know? Don’t you want to see if it’s really him?”
Emily’s eyes began to wander, darting down towards the PDA in front of her.
“That’s it.” Kline whispered, “Look at him and tell me that’s Alexander McCray.”
Yes, as the dangerous man had promised, there was Alex, holding a gun, which he appeared to be firing towards the interior of the police station.
“That’s a trick.” She hissed, tossing the PDA back to him. “Alexander McCray died six years ago in some sort of accident on an Army base. Christina…” She whipped her head around, turning towards her frightened assistant. “Call security and get this man out of my office.”
Kline rose, frowning as he did so. “I’m afraid we don’t have time for this,” he said, calmly reaching for the needle gun.
He fired it twice before the two of them even had a chance to react. The two aerodynamic needles locked themselves into the two ladies’ necks.
Christina fell forward, her body stiff as a board. Emily made a move to catch her, but didn’t make it quick enough as the second needle from Kline’s gun stung her neck. She couldn’t react as her body revolted on her and froze instantly.
The neurotoxin burned like fire as it wound its way through her veins and nervous system. She tried to scream, but to her horror, she found herself only barely able to gasp out loud. The muscles in her diaphragm and throat locked up tightly, making any attempt to cry for help fruitless.
As Kline watched Emily topple to the ground like a log falling in the forest, Geoffrey poked his head into the room.
“The security wipe is complete. There’s no evidence anyone was here, other than our little parking lot cleanup…” Geoffrey trailed off as he looked to the two women on the ground, “Who are they?”
“That, my bald friend, is our insurance policy. Grab them both and take them to the helicopter.” Kline put the needle gun back into his coat pocket.
Geoffrey looked around at the two women. They were small; both were barely taller than 5’6”. Hoisting the brunette over his shoulder, he leaned down to pick up the Chinese girl when Emily fell off his back, landing unceremoniously with a thud on the ground.
“All righty,” Geoffrey said to himself as Kline rolled his eyes. “Let’s try that again.”
Geoffrey leaned down and picked up Christina this time first, holding her stiffly under his left arm. He pointed towards Emily, “Sir, do you think you could…” Geoffrey used all his strength to hold onto Christina. She was a small woman, but it was harder than you think to carry dead weight.
Kline just shook his head. “I’ll take this one, Mr. Tate. You hang onto her.”
Kline leaned over close to Emily’s eyes, smiling maliciously into them. Emily was frozen in terror.
“Don’t worry, little one,” Kline said, smoothing her hair down, “this will all be over soon.”
The two men hauled the ladies out of the NASA complex like an armful of cord wood. Kline and Geoffrey stepped outside back into the parking lot, where the helicopter was still idling on the ground, the blades spinning up as the helicopter prepared to take off.
Kline leaned Emily’s stiff body inside the helicopter and began looking around the parking lot. A smile began spreading across his face. He motioned to the helicopter, shouting over the engine.
“Strap our passengers in, Mr. Tate. I want to leave a message for our young friend.”
Geoffrey nodded and Kline turned to the parking lot, rubbing his hands.
With the grace and poise of an Olympic bodybuilder, Kline hefted the nearest SUV up on its end, twirling the large automobile as he tossed it up into the air.
The Chevy Blazer crashed as it landed upside down on top of an old Prius. Kline cackled at the sound of breaking glass and screeching metal.
Kline whistled while he worked, tossing the cars that were left into a towering pile in the middle of the parking lot. Stepping back to admire his handiwork, he heard Geoffrey calling over the rushing wind from the helicopter’s blades.
“Sir, it’s probably best that we leave now, before any authorities can get down here.”
“I’m an artist, Mr. Tate. You can’t rush these things,” Kline called back to Geoffrey. Sticking his thumb out, getting a perspective, he walked over to one of the few cars not yet destroyed by his art. Grasping the rear bumper firmly, he tossed the small vehicle on top of the pile.
“Fin!” Kline cried out in satisfaction. He twirled, humming to himself as he made his way back to the helicopter. Smiling, Kline looked at his sculpture in triumph. This was some of his finest work, he decided.
Geoffrey Tate extended his hand out the helicopter door, ready to assist his boss. He stared at the road leading into the complex.
“Sir…” Geoffrey warned, and pointed for his boss’s benefit.
A strange vehicle was hurtling its way down the unpaved dirt road that led into the Allen Telescope Array complex. Crashing through the gate, it sped its way towards the helicopter.
Kline’s eyes narrowed. This was an unwelcome intrusion.
�
�Critics?” Geoffrey asked, needling his boss.
Kline shot his underling a look, shutting Geoffrey up instantly.
The tires screeched to a halt in front of the wreckage and Kline’s art project. Stepping out of the car holding the MP4 he had taken from the commandos back at JPL, he aimed it directly at Kline’s head.
“Get off the helicopter!” Alex shouted forcefully. He was in warrior mode; the Alex McCray Scott knew had disappeared, the same way he did back at the firefight at JPL. Scott wasn’t sure he liked this version of his friend. But for now, he was glad Alex could play the badass.
Kline looked at the man holding the muzzle of a gun to his face. He removed his sunglasses and stepped down from the helicopter’s running board.
“Ahh, Mr. McCray. I was hoping we would meet. Rupert Kline, at your service.” Kline extended his hand, a glint in his eye.
“Get down on the ground!” Alex yelled at Kline, ignoring the proffered hand.
Scott, cowering behind the steering wheel, darted his eyes at his friend. There was something wrong. This had become personal.
“Or what, Mr. McCray? You’ll shoot me?” Kline extended his arms in a Jesus Christ pose. “What is it you Americans say? Go ahead…make my day.”
“I’m warning you!”
Kline sighed, lowered his arms and began walking towards Alex. “Mr. McCray, I’m afraid we don’t have a lot of time right now….”
Alex fired the MP4 purely on instinct. Kline had dropped his hands and began advancing. It was all the provocation Alex needed. Aim center mass. Double tap. Squeeze the trigger; don’t pull. No need to put more effort than necessary. The five and a half millimeter rounds sped through the air at over an incredible 900 miles an hour, aimed at their target.
Kline’s body spun as the rounds hit his body. He fell to the ground with an audible thump. Geoffrey Tate withdrew his sidearm, grabbed Emily — who was still paralyzed — and dragged her out of the helicopter and onto the ground in front of him, using her body as a human shield. Pointing the gun at her temple, he whistled loudly to get Alex’s attention.
“Hey, lover boy! Put it down!” Geoffrey screamed at Alex. “I don’t have a problem taking this chick’s head off!”
“Drop your weapon or I’ll drop you too!” Alex shouted back. “I’ve killed your boss. This is already ended; the only difference in the story will be the body count. This is your only warning. I said drop it!”
Geoffrey cocked the hammer back on his nine millimeter. “You know those gnats you always try to squash but you never quite get? You’re one of those gnats, and you're due for some bug spray up your ass.” He wrenched Emily’s neck and pressed the muzzle deeper into her temple, which began to draw blood.
“Now, now, Mr. Tate, don’t be rude.” Kline stood, brushing himself off. Alex and Geoffrey watched in amazement as he began brushing down his chest, the metal bullets clinking audibly as they hit the parking lot.
“I’ll be feeling these bruises for a week.” Kline complained as he checked the rest of his body. He began walking towards Alex, who again raised his rifle.
“Stay back, or we’ll find out how long it hurts when your balls get bruised!” Alex warned, pointing the muzzle downward towards Kline’s crotch.
That stopped Kline.
“All right, Mr. McCray.” Kline raised his hands in an act of conciliation. “What do you want?”
“Let Emily go. She’s got nothing to do with this!”
“Neither do you, Mr. McCray.” Kline hissed back, composing himself. He then continued, the smile returning to his face. “I’m curious to know how you knew I had one of the twelve.”
“I didn’t.” Alex replied, somewhat confused. “I didn’t even know you existed before today.”
Kline’s eyes searched Alex, his keen sense of human behavior searching for any signs of deception. His mouth broke into a smirk, and he nodded. Kline moved towards one of the few cars he hadn’t upended in the parking lot for his masterpiece and dropped the tailgate, hopping up and sitting peacefully on the bed of the truck.
“I believe you. I have no reason to, but still; strange isn’t it?” Kline said, almost to himself, as he chuckled. “I’m afraid I didn’t know who you were ‘til today either…a fact I lament.” He grinned broadly. “You’re a talented man, Mr. McCray. I have several dead employees that can testify to that.”
“They were bad for my health.” Alex replied testily. “And I’m convinced you are too.”
“I don’t have to be.” Kline switched into his snake oil salesman voice. “You’ve got quite a talent, you know.”
“Don’t flatter me.”
“Flatter you?” Kline laughed, “My boy, you clearly do not recognize the power you hold in your hands. Gods like you and I are not subject to flattery, as it never matters what people think of us. We are already better than they ever will be. Those that seek to flatter us only seek to flatter themselves.”
“Fortune cookie wisdom? That’s what I'm reduced to listening to?” Alex raised his weapon again. “Let Emily go or we find out exactly how much pain you really can take.”
Kline laughed out loud at Alex’s bluster. “Incredible. You’re still acting like one of them.”
“You’re just as human as I am.”
“You’re mistaking a human form for being human.” Kline’s smile became thin. “I’m running out of patience, you see. I’m afraid we have something of a timetable back at Joshua Tree, thanks to your Sheriff station shenanigans. So, if you would be so kind as to turn over your stone to me, and I’ll gladly let you have your lady back, and we can all go home. And in one piece, too!”
“That’s your proposal? I’ll tell you what, here’s my counter offer. Fuck you.” Alex spat back at the man who killed his father.
“My boy, you have no idea. I am mere hours from possessing another stone like our powerful totems and you believe I’ll willingly turn the one advantage I have now over humanity to you?” Kline laughed, and Alex was infuriated all the more. “You have no chance of stopping me. I am the one who is allowing YOU to continue to exist. Never forget that.”
Alex ignored the implied threat and continued shouting at the insane billionaire. “Here’s what actually gonna happen. You’ll let Emily go, I’ll turn around go home, and we’ll forget we ever met each other.”
“You?” Kline laughed. “You may not realize it yet, but I know exactly who you are, and what you’re capable of. If I was stupid enough to allow you to keep that stone of yours and remain as powerful as I, you would never let me go. I killed your father. You and I are very similar, Mr. McCray. Men such as us do not let offenses like that go so easily. I doubt you could convince a Rottweiler to let go of the neighborhood cat any sooner than convince you to let me go.”
“And allow you unchecked, to get the stones?” Alex shouted. “No chance.”
“I’m afraid you’re already too late, Mr. McCray. I am mere hours away from finding a second stone, and once I develop its powers, there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” Kline’s anger began building. Who was this chattering monkey, chirping away and challenging his rightful status? He turned; these so-called negotiations were going nowhere.
“I’m afraid you’re out of time, Mr. McCray.” Kline called back over his shoulder. “It’s been a pleasure.”
With that he grabbed the rear tail of the truck he was leaning on and upended it up and over his head, arcing the truck down on top of Alex. Kline had moved too quickly for Alex to catch him, and suddenly he found himself smashed under the truck’s heavy hood and engine that crashed down on top of him.
From above, a screeching sound and Kline looked up to see of all things – a dragon swooping down on him. Geoffrey shouted out a warning, but he wasn’t able to move out of the way in time before the enormous dragon grabbed Kline within the beast’s massive claws and flew back into the bright blue sky.
Kline found himself lifted high above the telescope. He watched the huge radio telescopes shrink as he w
as brought higher and higher above them. Kline couldn’t tell the creature’s intentions, but it was clear he was not to survive. Wherever this beast had come from, he wasn’t going to give it the chance to kill him.
He beat against the claws of the beast, using his massive strength to escape the tight grip. The creature screeched in pain, encouraging Kline. Straining harder than he ever had before, he opened the claws and dropped hundreds of feet to the ground below.
Just before he landed, the dragon once again grabbed him out of midair. This time, however, the beast did not get a good grip on him, and he was able to escape its claws easily. He climbed over the dragon’s body and struck it repeatedly in the back, upon its thick scales. His massive blows cracked through the scales, pounding repeatedly into the soft meat below. He could hear the beast’s bones crack as it roared in pain, flames sprouting from its nostril. Suddenly, the dragon rolled. This time, Kline was ready. Close to the ground below, he was able to jump off from the dragon’s back and land on the ground gracefully. The dragon decided it had enough of the businessman and flew away, licking its wounds.
Kline’s eyes narrowed as he watched the great creature fly off. This was a new development, but not an altogether unwelcome one. There was a fourth stone to be had. He licked his lips as he took in that revelation. Another stone was out there, and quite a powerful one from the looks of it. This was turning out to be an even better day than he expected.
Scott watched Siobhan’s battle with Kline, and was disappointed when he saw the businessman get the better of her. He shook his head and grumbled to himself, “Well, I guess that means it’s my turn.”
He threw Molly in gear and gunned the engine towards Kline. Kline smiled grimly, standing his ground directly in front of the futuristic truck.
Scott flattened the accelerator and urged more power into the truck. Kline smiled and snapped his fingers, like a matador engaging a particularly angry bull. As the truck approached, Kline spun on his heel, grabbing the front of the truck. Twisting his body, Kline used the momentum of the Hypertruck to arc it up. Suddenly, Scott and the Hypertruck were airborne, aloft with the help of Kline’s incredible strength.