Broken (Book 3 of The Guardian Interviews)

by Michael Clary

  I began to yell at him to get down. Eventually, a bullet was going to find him. Eventually, he was going to get killed. It was just a matter of time.

  Georgie came out as well. He tried to grab hold of Dudley, but Dudley wouldn’t go with him. Georgie ended up sliding through the dirt and taking up a position next to me.

  The shootout was in full rage by the time the helicopters started circling overhead. We were doing pretty well in my opinion. Dudley hadn’t gotten himself killed yet. We had brought down at least ten of our enemies. Of course, we had no idea how many were lurking in the woods. It seemed like an entire battalion from where I was standing.

  One of the helicopters had a large machine gun.

  I had long since made peace with death. The end was upon us. We were trapped, and we weren’t getting out. I stood up and joined Dudley. Javie was right behind me.

  Georgie began screaming at us. We ignored him and fought on. We were Regulators. We were going to die with a weapon in our hands. We were going to die fighting.

  Georgie joined us.

  The helicopter finally found the right position in the sky. I lifted up my pistol and began shooting at it. In a few seconds all of it would be over. I had a Hell of a good run. I can’t even tell you how many women fell victim to my charms or how many zombies I managed to destroy. I was smiling as I pulled the trigger.

  The strangest thing happened. The helicopter fired upon the Men in Black instead of us.

  The machine gun lit up the woods. It rained down so much Hell, trees actually began to fall over. I immediately stopped shooting at the helicopter. I looked towards my teammates. They were as dumbfounded as I was.

  Finally, the shooting stopped and the helicopters began to land in the clearing around our bunker. Snake Charmer stepped out of a helicopter and ran towards us. He wasn’t alone. He had four other men with him that radiated combat experience just like he did.

  Mr. Hardin stepped out of the helicopter behind them. He was wearing a grey suit, and he was smiling from ear to ear.

  “Gentlemen,” Mr. Hardin said when he was close enough. “What do you say we go back down in that bunker and catch up a bit?”

  Inside the bunker, we all sat around a metal table. Dudley kept his distance, choosing a spot far away from Mr. Hardin.

  “We’re all in the clear,” Mr. Hardin said.

  “What are you saying?” Javie asked.

  “Major Crass came forward, and confessed everything,” Mr. Hardin said. “He confessed to aiding in the orchestration of an assassination attempt upon the General’s wife. He admitted to disguising that same attempt on her life as a hit on the President. He admitted to resurrecting the former Guardian. He even admitted to smuggling a number of criminal Albanians into the country. Our names have all been cleared.”

  Everyone at the table cheered.

  “Why would he do that?” Dudley asked. “And where the Hell have you been? We haven’t heard from you in months.”

  “I apologize for that Dudley,” Mr. Hardin said. “It couldn’t be helped. The Men in Black were closing in on me. I was in Albania and was getting close to capturing a high-ranking member of the Albanian Mafia that knew the truth about Major Crass. If I had made an attempt to contact you boys, the Men in Black would have been on me in a heartbeat. I couldn’t risk it.”

  “You didn’t answer all of my questions,” Dudley said.

  “I was not able to catch the man I was after,” Mr. Hardin said. “That particular fellow died as we attempted to apprehend him. Things were looking bleak. Our numbers were small, and we simply didn’t have the manpower to bring down an entire Mafia, which is what it would have taken in order to get to the truth. My plan had failed miserably. The Albanians were on to us.”

  “I’m sure you did your best,” Georgie said.

  “I did indeed,” Mr. Hardin said. “Yet, my best wasn’t good enough. All the time spent tracking him down, and I let him get killed. I contacted some of my associates in the government after that. I wanted to arrange my surrender and see if I could somehow offer something up in exchange for the freedom of the Regulators. I didn’t have high hopes, but it was worth a try. Imagine my surprise when I was told that Major Crass wanted to meet with me.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “He needed my help,” Mr. Hardin laughed. “I flew back to the States immediately. We were all arrested the moment we exited the plane. For a moment there, I thought I had been played. I thought my associates had been turned against me. Instead, I was flown to New Mexico, to our old base of operations. Major Crass was there waiting for me.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Georgie said.

  “I’m glad I’m not kidding you,” Mr. Hardin chuckled. “It seems that Major Crass resurrected Max not only to kill off Jaxon but he also wanted Max to pick up where Jaxon left off. You see, Major Crass wanted to finish up what all of us had started. He wanted to be the man responsible for cleaning up El Paso. Unfortunately for him, Max had other ideas. Their relationship began to deteriorate immediately after Jaxon escaped the city. Max has his own agenda. We just aren’t sure what that agenda is at the moment.”

  “I doubt it’s anything beneficial,” I said.

  “You’re right about that,” Mr. Hardin said. “At the moment he seems content to merely inhabit El Paso, but he doesn’t allow any intruders. Whenever Major Crass sent forces into the city in order to cut down the zombie population, Max would attack them and kill them off.”

  “So Max is the ruler of a city of corpses,” I said.

  “He is indeed,” Mr. Hardin said. “Major Crass has lost all control over the situation. Max is running wild. The last time he ran wild he created the outbreak in El Paso. Major Crass fears his new scheme is to unleash the zombies from the city.”

  “Wait a second,” I said. “What do you mean unleash the zombies from the city?”

  “That’s what Major Crass believes,” Mr. Hardin said. “I have had no contact with Max, so at this point it’s all just speculation.”

  “Holy shit,” Javie said.

  “Holy shit is right,” Mr. Hardin agreed. “Major Crass had no other choice. The zombie outbreak is an extinction level emergency. Major Crass wanted his revenge upon us, and he certainly wanted my job, but he never wanted to end the world. The man has four children he loves greatly. He doesn’t want them living in a world full of zombies. He was forced to do the right thing. He confessed everything, and begged me to clean up his mess so that his children wouldn’t have to face a world of shit.”

  “So we’re free?” Ivana asked.

  “We are much more than free, darling,” Mr. Hardin laughed. “The Regulators are back in business.”

  We all just stared at him.

  Mr. Hardin stared back at us.

  “This isn’t exactly the reaction I was expecting,” Mr. Hardin said.

  “There are some things you should know,” Father Monarez said. “The team has lost…“

  “My uncle is dead,” Dudley interrupted. “My uncle is dead, and we lost our powers. Go tell Crass he’s too late. Go tell him that his kids are fucked because he killed off the one man that could have saved the day.”

  Mr. Hardin looked at Dudley. Then, he looked at the rest of us. Finally, he could see it. He could tell by our appearances that we were broken.

  “You boys have had a rough time,” Mr. Hardin said. “That’s horrible, and I’m truly sorry for all that you have suffered. I can’t even imagine what things were like for you. However, it’s time to pick up the pieces. We have a world to save.”

  “Are you not listening to me?” Dudley asked. “Jaxon is dead. We can’t help you.”

  “I’m not sure where you came by that information, son,” Mr. Hardin said. “But Jaxon is very much alive according to Major Crass. In fact, I think it’s about time we went and freed him.”

  Dudley stood up from the table.

  Everyone except Mr. Hardin tensed up. We weren’t sure what Dudley was going to
do. We weren’t sure of what he was capable of doing.

  “Where is he?” Dudley asked.

  “He’s in prison,” Mr. Hardin answered. “Would you like to come with me to bust him out?”

  The entire fucking table stood up.

  Chapter 8

  Warden Smiles

  At this point, we now begin with what must be my strangest interview ever. It was conducted over the phone. I never met the man I was talking to in person. This is the phone call that woke me up in the middle of the night.

  The caller said his name was Warden Smiles. He wanted my help. This is his story.

  “I don’t know anyone by the name of Warden Smiles.”

  I understand that madam, but I know who you are. You’re the reporter that keeps interviewing the Regulators.

  “Even so, I don’t normally take calls in the middle of the night. If you have something important to say, you should call my agent. He’ll take down all your information. If I can use it in my next book, I’ll give you a call, and set up an interview.”

  Excuse me if I skip that step. My life is in danger. You’re the only one I can talk to. I need to get my story out. If they hear my story, if they see my confession…maybe they’ll stop chasing me.

  “If someone is chasing you, you should go to the authorities.”

  I can’t do that. They’d get me for sure if I did that.

  “Who is after you?”

  The Regulators.

  I was speechless for a moment.

  “You should start from the beginning.”

  That’s the thing. I don’t know the beginning. I don’t know what went down before he was brought to me. All I know is what happened after they brought him in.

  “Who did they bring in to you?”

  I didn’t know who he was. His face was demolished. His body was ruined. I had no idea who he was.

  “Who did they bring in to you?”

  Prisoner 187.

  “I don’t know who that is. I’m going to need you to be clearer on who you’re talking about.”

  Okay, just listen. Not so long ago, I was the warden at a prison in Louisiana called Felltrop Prison. It wasn’t the greatest facility. It was in dire need of repairs, manpower, and upgrades. The swamp has a way of wearing things down, and unfortunately, Felltrop was placed in the middle of some swampland and mostly forgotten. I had been the warden there for about fifteen years when everything happened. I did my best, of course. But without the right funding, I was fighting a losing battle.

  “Tell me what happened, Warden Smiles.”

  A man named Major Crass came to see me.

  Warden Smiles finally got my attention.

  “I know who that is, please continue.”

  Most of the world doesn’t know this. This is some seriously top secret shit but wardens often play a very important role in the nation’s security. Sometimes, when special agencies working within our government capture individuals that aren’t supposed to exist, or individuals whose capture must remain unknown, they hide them in certain prisons. These criminals are mostly a threat to the nation. Oftentimes the rules are bent, and they remain behind bars for extreme periods of time without trial. The goal is to keep them anonymous. The public doesn’t need to hear about all the dangerous threats that are thwarted on an almost daily basis.

  Such an enterprise had never come my way until Major Crass paid me a visit. I had heard about them, but I had never in all my fifteen years been approached. The meeting took place in my office.

  “I had many irons in the fire,” Major Crass said. “They didn’t pan out the way I wanted them to, but in the end things turned out pretty well indeed. However, I am left with a small inconvenience. I need a man in my custody to disappear. If the public found out about him it would be very bad. A panic could break out.”

  “Who is this man?” I asked.

  “That’s not important,” Major Crass said. “Just know that the man is very dangerous. Perhaps more dangerous than what you are accustomed to dealing with in these parts.”

  “My facility can handle anything you have in mind,” I said defensively. “I also see that you have all the correct paperwork to deliver your man into my custody. The only thing left in this transfer is my approval.”

  “You are absolutely correct,” Major Crass said. “I do need your approval, and this prison needs the proper funding. Your office looks like a crack whore’s living room, and excuse me if I pass on a tour, but I’m rather afraid I might be shanked with a homemade knife.”

  “If you have a point,” I said. “You should get to it.”

  “My point is,” Major Crass said. “Take my prisoner, and I’ll give you the funding to fix this place up. You’re running a shithouse in the middle of a swamp. I can change that. I can make you the warden of the finest institution in this country.”

  “All you want me to do in return is take possession of your prisoner?” I asked.

  “That’s all I want,” Major Crass said. “Like I said before, the man is dangerous. You’ll be earning your keep.”

  “How long will I be holding your prisoner for you?” I asked.

  “As long as it takes,” Major Crass said with a smile. “And don’t ask me how long what takes. Just know that I’ll retrieve him as soon as I can. After all, I have very important plans for him.”

  The deal was struck.

  We took possession of the prisoner a month later. Construction had long since begun, so Major Crass was a man of his word, and I was eager to hold up my end of the bargain.

  “You didn’t know who the prisoner was once you got a look at him?”

  I didn’t have a clue. Like I said, his face was demolished, and his body was ruined. They delivered him by helicopter. The man was strapped down and restrained to a bloodstained gurney. He didn’t even look alive. I was shocked when I saw his arm move.

  “This man needs medical attention,” I said. “He’s not going to last very long in that condition.”

  “Believe it or not,” Major Crass said. “He’s already received all the medical attention he requires. Now let’s go over some very simple rules that need to be followed.”

  The rules were confusing. The prisoner was never allowed to bathe. He wasn’t allowed more than a few sips of water at regular intervals. He wasn’t allowed to leave his cell. No plants of any kind were allowed anywhere near him. We were also told to treat him as a violent criminal at all times, and we were warned that no less than five guards should be present whenever we entered his cell.

  Major Crass then pulled me aside as my men took the prisoner away.

  “I will be doing some upgrades on your office as well,” Major Crass said. “I’m building you a secret exit behind the bookcase. If anyone besides me should ever show up to collect the man I just turned over to you, take the exit. Hit the red button on the podium and run like Hell.”

  “What does the red button do?” I asked.

  “Never mind that,” Major Crass said. “I doubt you’ll ever need to use it. It’s just an available option if you do.”

  Major Crass left after that, and my nightmare immediately began.

  We called the man prisoner 187. All our prisoners were given numbers instead of names. So, it really wasn’t a problem not knowing the man’s true identity.

  I gave him the rules as my men wheeled him inside Felltrop. It didn’t appear to me that he was paying attention. I wasn’t sure if that was due to his injuries, or if he was just being a pain in the ass.

  I came to a stop.

  My men stopped as well.

  “I don’t care who you are,” I said. “I don’t care what you did. You old life is over. I now own you, step out of line and I’ll deal with you. Do you understand me?”

  He didn’t even look at me. So, one of my men smacked him upside the head to gain his attention. It worked. The man turned and looked me right in the eye. I didn’t like the look on his battered face. The rage behind his eyes made me wonder if he was insane
.

  “What happened to my wife?” Prisoner 187 asked.

  “You no longer have a wife,” I said. “Were you not listening to me?”

  Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. The man’s hand savagely ripped free of his restraints and wrapped around my throat. Yet, with all the damage done to his hands, he couldn’t keep his grip on me, and I was able to pull away from him before he could clamp down tightly.

  It was a stupid thing for him to do. I had ten guards with me. They were on him immediately. Somehow, as they beat him he broke free of the rest of his restraints and fell from the gurney.

  His leg was so badly mangled, he could barely stand. My men had to help him to his feet. Again he locked his eyes upon me as I stood before him.

  “I asked you about my wife,” Prisoner 187 demanded.

  “You have no wife!” I roared to the swollen and scabbed face before me.

  He head butted me so hard my nose broke, and I fell to the ground. One of the guards, his name was Pete, punched the prisoner in the kidneys. The prisoner went after him next. He struck Pete on the bridge of the nose. The strike pushed bone fragments into Pete’s brain, and killed him instantly.

  The rest of my men reacted instantly. All of them were highly trained guards but Major Crass wasn’t exaggerating. Prisoner 187 was a dangerous man. It took five high voltage stun guns to finally bring him down. One of the guards received a broken leg in the scuffle, another two received broken arms, and a final guard took a blow to his head that put him in intensive care for a week.

  Prisoner 187 wasn’t treated very well after that.

  We put him in the worst cell in the entire prison, designed by Major Crass especially for the prisoner. It was built on the lowest level of the prison. It had only one access point, and that was by elevator. From the elevator, a guard would need to scan a handprint on a security door, and after the security door, they came upon a brick-lined hallway.

  Prisoner 187’s cell was at the end of the short brick-lined hallway. The entire level was kept dark. I didn’t feel the prisoner deserved even artificial light after what he had done to my guards. His cell was small. The bars were black.