The Country Club

by Tim Miller

  “So you enjoyed it,” the girl said.

  “No,” he said pointing a finger. “I have never enjoyed it. Not once.”

  “That’s bullshit,” Brett said. “You just said you wished you had me skinned alive,” Brett said.

  “Look, for the last twenty-five years, all I’ve known and seen is death. I’m around all these assholes who have more money and power than God. All I could do to survive was put on a happy face and pretend to enjoy this shit. I saw what they did to people here. I’d seen some employees who had tried to run off or go to authorities. It wasn’t fun to watch. I didn’t want that to be me. So I played along.”

  “Well you don’t have to play anymore. You’re coming with us,” Brett said.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Get up before I change my mind.”

  Chapter 22

  Sophie was in a blind rage as she fired at every asshole guard that came at her. She figured one of them would cut her down at some point, but no one did. Once she shot her way through the lobby, she walked up the stairs and began looking through the rooms. There were atrocities happening in several of them. Other girls she’d been held prisoner with had already been mutilated and maimed. Some were already dead. Sophie shot the assholes torturing them without so much as a word.

  She went into one room and found Eileen there, with another man and some naked girl hanging upside down. Eileen was raping the girl with a chisel. She took the bloody tool out as she turned and looked at Sophie.

  “Well looky who came to join us Gene. This is the girl I had wanted to play with. That was you making all that noise?” Eileen said.

  Sophie turned and fired four shots into Gene. He slumped to the ground in a bloody heap.

  “Now bitch,” Sophie said. “Take off your clothes,” as she pointed the gun at her.

  “Gene! You killed my Gene!”

  “No shit you wrinkled old cunt. Now take off your fucking clothes!”

  Eileen removed her blouse and skirt, tossing them to the ground.

  “Underwear too, bitch,” Sophie said.

  “They’ll never let you leave here. They’ll tear out your uterus and feed it to you, while I watch.”

  “I doubt that. Take the shit off now.”

  Eileen removed her bra, revealing her wrinkly, saggy breasts. They looked like fried eggs running down a wall. She pulled off her panties and stood looking at Sophie.

  “Happy now?” Eileen said. “You gonna fuck me?”

  “Actually, I am. On the table, sit,” Sophie said pointing the gun at the metal table behind her.

  Eileen climbed up onto the table and sat facing Sophie.

  “This you torturing me? Making my bare ass sit on cold metal?”

  “I got some different metal for you,” Sophie said as she walked up and jammed the gun in between Eileen’s legs. Eileen cried out as Sophie inserted it as far into Eileen’s vagina as it would go.

  “There you sick bitch. You like that? That turn you on?”

  “Fuck you, you little blonde cunt.”

  Instead of a verbal reply, Sophie pulled the trigger. The shot sounded muffled as Eileen jerked and fell back. Blood poured from her mouth as she coughed and twitched. Sophie stepped back watching the spectacle as there was now a large bloody crater where her pussy had been seconds ago. Eileen continued to thrash and convulsed, so Sophie walked out of the room and into the hallway.

  She looked at the end of the hall and saw three people coming toward her. Sophie pointed a gun at them, but one of them was running toward her. It was a girl, but she looked bald and wearing nothing but a jacket. Crystal! She lowered the gun and ran toward her until they nearly collided and held her friend in a tight hug.

  “Jesus!” Sophie said looking at Crystal’s head. “What did they do to you?”

  “I think you can see. It hurts like hell,” Crystal said.

  “Where’s Joel?”

  “He’s dead,” Crystal said. Brett came up behind them with another guy.

  “I thought you were gonna leave,” Brett said.

  “I told you I wasn’t leaving without her. Who is this asshole?” Sophie nodded at the other man.

  “This is Dominic. He kind of works here. But we are helping him escape.”

  “Helping him? What does he do here?”

  “He kind of runs the place.”

  “Are you fucking kidding? I’m gonna blow his fucking head off,” Sophie said as she raised the gun at Dominic.

  “Don’t! Come on. I want to do one more thing and then we’re out of here,” Brett said.

  “One more thing?”

  “Follow me,” Brett said as he ran to the elevator. The girls and Dominic filed on with him as he pushed the button to take them into the basement. Once the elevator stopped, they stepped out into the cold, dark basement. Dominic led the way as they walked through the dark hallways.

  “What the hell is going on out there?” a voice called from down the hall. An old man wearing bloody coveralls walked up as Brett and Sophie aimed their guns at him.

  “Dutch,” Dominic said. “Something has happened. The Club is closed.”

  “Closed? What the hell? Where is Caleb? That new kid?” Dutch asked.

  “If he was the other guy dressed like you, I shot him,” Brett said. “I didn’t know who he was, so I shot anyone who looked like they worked here.”

  “Jesus. So what are we doing?”

  “We’re going to the incinerator.”

  “All right. This way,” Dutch said as he turned and began walking. They followed him for several minutes until they arrived at the incinerator. It looked like a giant oven with a large door. “Here it is,” Dutch said. “Now what?”

  “Can you open it?” Brett asked.

  Dutch turned the large handled and pulled the heavy door open. Sophie felt the heat immediately as the large flames were revealed.

  “So what’s your plan?” Dominic asked.

  “This is part of it,” Brett said as he blasted Dominic in the face with the butt of his pistol. Blood shot from his nose as he stumbled backwards.

  Brett grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pants and heaved him into the incinerator.

  “No! No! No!” Dominic screamed, but Brett wasn’t stopping. “Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!” Dominic screamed as he disappeared inside the flames. Sophie couldn’t believe what she had just seen.

  “Why’d you do that?” Crystal asked.

  “He would have killed us. I remember last time I was here. All that shit he said was probably a lie. He’s a snake. He’ll say anything to anyone that will benefit him. When I was here last time, he took a lot of joy in watching people suffer and die here. He deserved to burn.”

  Chapter 23

  Brett looked around near the incinerator. He didn’t really have a plan, just an idea. The girls still looked freaked out after watching him throw Dominic into the fire. Despite his pity party act, Dominic was a slimy shitball. He probably sat in that control room and jerked his wang while watching girls get cut to shreds. Though he’d never have the balls to do any of that himself. Yeah, he deserved the fire. Brett just hoped it hurt real bad before he died.

  “When we came down the other hallway, there were some barrels along the wall. What were those?” Brett asked.

  “Just ammonia and some other cleaning stuff. Blood and bodily fluids are hard to clean. So we order in bulk and water it down,” Dutch explained.

  “Bring one over here for me.”

  Dutch turned and disappeared around the corner. He returned a few minutes later pushing a dolly with a 55-gallon drum.

  “Here you go,” Dutch said. “What’re you gonna do?”

  “Hey!” someone yelled from down the hall before gunshots rang out. Brett and the girls ducked to see a few more goons running toward them. Brett and Sophie both opened fire, hitting each one several times before they reached the group.

  “Guess we didn’t get them all,” Sophie said.

  Brett looked down and s
aw Dutch lying on the ground, gasping for breath. There was blood running out of his neck as he made a loud, wheezing sound.

  “Oh shit,” Brett said as Dutch took a few more breaths, and then stopped.

  Brett took the dolly and lined it up with the incinerator. He pushed it forward until it was up against the lip of the incinerator. He pulled the dolly away and pushed the top of the drum forward tilting it over the lip. He bent down and grabbed the bottom edge of the drum and pushed it forward until the whole thing tipped into the fire. He pushed it forward as far as he could and forced the door shut.

  “Ok, let’s get out of here,” he said to the girls. They turned and ran, following Brett down another hallway. They arrived at the loading dock. Brett ran to the side door and shot at the handle until the door swung open. Daylight flooded the corridor as they ran outside into the parking lot behind the building. Several of the SUV’s were sitting parked along another building. They climbed into one of them as Brett jumped behind the wheel.

  The keys were in the visor as Brett had figured. He started it up and stomped on the gas. They sped around the corner and down the long driveway. The girls were looking at the mansion when it exploded. The concussion was so powerful the SUV fishtailed. Debris and ash rained around them as they pulled onto the road. Brett looked in the rearview mirror to see The Country Club engulfed in flames.

  “Holy shit,” Crystal said. “Did all that just happen?”

  Sophie was staring out the window and didn’t respond. Brett couldn’t figure out how Crystal wasn’t passed out, with all the skin cut off the top of her head.

  “I’m afraid it did,” Brett said. “What we did also might anger some people. That place had a lot of money in it, and it made a lot of money.”

  “Well it won’t anymore,” Crystal said.

  As they sped down the road, all that could be seen of The Country Club was a plume of black smoke in the sky. A police car appeared behind them, lights and siren blaring. Brett thought they might be headed to The Club, but instead they pulled up right behind the SUV.

  “Shit,” Brett said.

  “Are they pulling us over?” Crystal asked. “Why are they pulling us over?”

  “Just sit tight,” Brett said as the officer approached them.

  “Sir,” the officer said. “Could you step out of the car please?” He had on a khaki uniform, a cowboy hat and aviator glasses.

  “Step out for what? Why did you stop us?” Brett asked.

  “Do what I said sir. Now.”

  Brett stepped out of the SUV as another police car pulled up. An older officer stepped out of the second car and approached them.

  “Well, look what we have here. Brett Higgins.”

  “Hello Chief,” Brett said.

  “I know I told you not to come back here. Shit, you not only came back, but you blew the place to high heavens. I sure with you hadn’t a done that.”

  “And why is that? Did I just blow up your meal ticket?”

  “Oh, you have no idea. Lots of folks won’t be too happy about that. You’re gonna have to come with us. Who else is there with you?” the Chief asked as he looked in the window. Both Brett and the other cop jumped as a gunshot went off, blowing the top of the Chief’s head off. Sophie was leaning out the window holding a gun. The officer drew his gun and fired, as Sophie fired back while climbing into the driver’s seat.

  “Get out of here!” Brett yelled. Several more police cars were approaching in the distance. “Go! Now!”

  Sophie pounded on the gas as the SUV sped off. Brett looked at the officer who know had his gun pointed at Brett’s head.

  “I should blow your fuckin’ head off right now asshole,” the officer said.

  The other cars pulled up as cops surrounded them with their guns out. Brett looked around and put his hands on his head. Another officer can up behind him and hit him in the back of his knees with the butt of a shotgun. Brett fell face first to the ground as the officer bent down and handcuffed him. As they were placing him into the car, Brett figured wherever they take him, it won’t be as bad as where he just came from.

  Chapter 24

  Sophie kept her foot on the gas as the police cars and Brett grew smaller in the rearview mirror. Crystal climbed into the passenger seat next to her.

  “Doesn’t your head hurt?” Sophie asked.

  “It’s mostly numb and throbbing by now. Does it look bad?”

  “Umm, maybe you should look for yourself.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think so. We need to find a hospital,” Crystal said.

  “What about Brett?”

  “What about him? He told us to go.”

  “I know. He came after you and he didn’t have to,” Sophie said. “You know those cops aren’t going to just take him to jail.”

  “I don’t know, and I don’t really care. You didn’t go through the shit I went through. You said it yourself, fucking look at me. You know who killed Joel?”

  Sophie just looked at her with a blank expression.

  “I fucking killed him! That rich guy was using us as his little pawns. He told Joel to rape me. Told him that I been leading him on his whole life and he deserved my pussy. So Joel agrees with him and climbs on top of me and fucks me. Even came inside me, that nasty fucker.”

  “Oh Crystal,” Sophie interrupted.

  “Oh it didn’t end there. Then the guy tells him to start cutting on me. Told him to cut me up into his own work of art or some shit. So Joel cuts all over my body, then fucking scalps me,” she said pointing at her head. “So as soon as Brett came in, he shot the rich guy and some other dude and cut me loose. As soon as he did, I jumped on Joel, took his knife away and stabbed the fuck out of him.”

  “Jesus Crystal. My God!”

  “What?”

  “Well nothing. That is horrible you went through all that. Maybe Joel was just playing along since that guy was forcing him.”

  “I thought that too at first, but it was obvious he started believing that guy’s bullshit and was enjoying himself.”

  “What the fuck?” Sophie said.

  “What?”

  “Look at that,” Sophie pointed ahead.

  There was a Blackhawk helicopter hovering over the field several yards ahead. It landed and several men with guns and full tactical gear ran off the helicopter, running toward them.

  “Jesus, those are Navy SEALs!” Crystal said. “What the fuck?”

  Gun shots began to pepper the side of the SUV as the Blackhawk flew off. Sophie stopped the car and they both climbed out of the SUV on the passenger side. There was a thick woods on the right side of the road. They ran into the woods, as rocks and sticks cut into Sophie’s bare feet.

  “Shit!” Sophie said. “We are fucked. We are so fucked.”

  “Quiet! Let’s keep moving.”

  “Those are SEALs. We can’t out run them! They probably have us surrounded already.”

  “Let’s just move. We’re not dead yet,” Crystal said.

  They moved through the trees to their right, backtracking from where they had come from. Sophie’s feet screamed in pain with each step. Somehow Crystal didn’t seem bothered, though her head was probably still in more pain than her feet. They reached a clearing and Sophie stopped to catch her breath. She looked up to Crystal to speak, but Crystal put a finger over her mouth as she looked around. A gunshot exploded on the tree just inches from Crystal’s head. She ducked to the right and both girls took off running again as several more shots were fired.

  They turned to the left going deeper into the woods. The sun was beginning to set as they weaved through the trees and brush. A gunshot went off above them, this one was louder than the silenced shots the SEALs were firing. Five or six more shots sounded and then there was silence. The girls looked around but didn’t see anyone, and then they looked up. There was a man in a tree stand holding a rifle looking down at them.

  “I got them all I think,” he said as he climbed down.

  Sophie took
a few steps back. The man was heavy set with short, cropped hair and about a week’s growth of beard.

  “It’s ok. I’m not gonna hurt ya none. I’m a veteran myself. But no surprise to me to see them sending SEALs after you all,” he said.

  “Who are you?” Crystal asked.

  “Name’s Justice. Justice Montgomery.”

  “Hi Justice, I’m Sophie, this is Crystal.”

  “Good to meet ya ladies. Now let’s get out of here. Come with me.”

  They walked through the woods for another twenty minutes until they reached a cabin. Justice took them inside where they finally sat down.

  “You ladies thirsty?” he asked.

  They both nodded vigorously as he walked over to a pump and filled a couple of tin cups with water. The girls chugged the water down, spilling some on themselves in the process.

  “So who are you exactly?” Sophie asked.

  “I told you. I’m Justice.”

  “I know. I mean, why are you out here?”

  “Well, I reckon you girls’ came from that fucked up club down the road.”

  “You know about that place?”

  “Hell yeah. I heard the explosion earlier. Was that The Club blowing up or something?”

  “Yeah, we’re like reporters or bloggers or whatever. We were trying to expose that place and let the world know who they are and what they do. They caught us and, well you can see what they did to us,” Sophie said as Justice looked over at Crystal. The top of her head was started to look dry and scabbed over.

  “Yeah, I didn’t figure she got that from brushing her hair. But yeah. I been here for several years. The Club people don’t know I’m here and I like to keep it that way. I was in the Marines and fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. I heard the Blackhawk earlier so I figured something was going on. I got this AR-15 rifle. A Marine with a rifle shooting from an elevated position will always win over any group of Navy SEALs. They thought they were just chasing a couple a girls I reckon.”

  “So how you know about the Club?”

  “That’s how I ended up here. They grabbed me and my girlfriend not long after I got back from Iraq. We were in San Diego. It was a Saturday night, we’d both been drinkin’. Some guys came up in a van and tasered us both and threw us into the van. When I woke up, she was already gone. I was in some cage, stripped nekkid.”