by Michael Todd
“Okay,” the general told them as he turned back around, “now we got ‘em all. Lesson learned: never leave a live demon behind you.”
The general, the soldiers, and Katie and Damian went back through the entire building, double-checking every room. When they had cleared the last space, the general nodded and put his gun back into his holster. He walked the two Killers back outside and smiled at the soldiers, who were giving them a round of applause.
“These bullets are fucking fantastic,” he whispered to Katie.
He pulled the two of them over to the Humvee where they had originally talked. The soldiers went to work cleaning up some of the mess while the colonel walked over to them shaking her head. Katie could tell she wasn’t pleased with how the general had run off, but there was nothing she could do about it.
“Okay, this is where I hear the bad news,” the general said quietly. “How expensive and how crappy are the terms you are looking for?”
Katie glanced at Damian, then across the field. The general still didn’t get it; he still didn’t understand why she was there. She sighed and leaned in, not wanting to speak too loudly.
“We aren’t looking to make a lot of profit,” Katie said. “I need you to understand something: for the sake of war, we all need to make friends out of enemies.”
“I agree,” the general replied.
“I don’t know if you really understand,” Katie said. “I am not going to give up my company, and if the government tries to take it the results won’t be pretty. In reality, they can’t just take it because there is really nothing to take. There is one man; it’s a one-man show, and you can’t force that man—who is working for me and loyal to me—to do anything he doesn’t want to do. Unless of course you are good with slavery?”
Katie lifted an eyebrow and stared at the general, who was looking coldly at her with a straight face. The conversation had shifted; it was no longer about friendships, it was about preserving the company everyone had worked so hard on.
It was about preserving the tools they needed to get ahead of the game and kill these demons, and to face the army that would soon be approaching their doorsteps.
The general didn’t know any of this, though. All he knew was what he saw, and that was an increase in demon activity from one shore to the other. He saw a military incapable of handling a mass invasion, even with special bullets and magical swords.
He saw certain defeat without the right alliances, and although Katie wasn’t looking for military allies, she was also not looking for a fight.
“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” the general told her.
“Not that we are even considering this,” the colonel spoke up, “but capturing a demon-infested person is not technically holding them captive. We would be protecting them and the people they could possibly injure. We are willing to do that with any of the infected, no matter what their rank or stature.”
“Are you threatening me, Colonel?” Katie asked, her eyes flashing. “Because I don’t really think that is a smart move.”
“All right, you two!” The general stepped forward. “No need to bicker. However, if you want to look at it as a technicality, the colonel is right. It would not be considered holding a human against their will if they weren’t completely human.”
“Except my guy is not Damned.” Katie smirked at the colonel. “He is an innocent. He is clean, and he has been his whole life. And if you decide to take him against his will? Well, I’ll come get him.”
Damian blew out a deep breath, and Katie could tell he was holding back a look of panic. The general squinted at Katie and stepped forward again to stand toe to toe with her. Katie was nervous, but she didn’t flinch. She knew that would be the worst thing she could do.
“Now, now, Miss Maddison,” he said. “Who is threatening whom now?”
“It’s not a threat, General Brushwood.” She smiled, not giving a damn that he knew her last name or that he had just proven he was checking up on the mercs. “I’m just telling you that I would do the right thing in that situation. You don’t leave your men behind, whether they are fighters or not. I think you underestimate the family bond the mercenaries have. Not one of our team, or any of the other teams, would feel okay leaving him in your hands against his will. That has nothing to do with the weapons; that’s just because he is family. Throw in the weapons, and you would have a really big fight on your hands.”
Pandora growled. Fucking tell him he better not go anywhere near that kid.
“Think about it,” Katie continued, standing back up straight. “Allowing him to remain a hostage to a terrorist organization wouldn’t be the right thing to do at all.”
“Now hold on just a minute!” the colonel exclaimed. “’Terrorist organization?’”
Katie turned her head. “That’s what you call organizations or militaries in other countries who kidnap people and hold them against their will for political gain, right?” Katie asked. “If you would label someone else that way, why would I not label this branch of the military as terrorists if they unlawfully took someone hostage in order to gain both military and political benefits?”
“Anything this military does or doesn’t do is strictly for the betterment of the country,” Jehovivich snarled.
“Right.” Katie chuckled. “I may not be that old, but I can tell you that politics is politics, and sometimes it has more to do with what you line your pockets with and less to do with national safety.”
“All right,” the general snapped sternly. “You really know how to hit below the belt, kid.”
“General,” the colonel gasped.
“Come on, Colonel, you can’t be that blind to how things work in the highest ranks? You’ve been in a long time,” the general told her. “You more than anyone should understand that not everything is a hundred percent for the safety and the well-being of this country, even though I wish I could say it was. Why do you think that this position comes open so much? The previous leaders got greedy. They got power hungry, and they made choices based on what would bring them the most money, power, or prestige. It’s not rocket science.”
“Still, we aren’t a terrorist organization,” the colonel replied, stepping back angrily.
“Might doesn’t make right,” Katie replied. “Right is the only thing that makes right. Might tried to force the right results sometimes, and when that happens good men and women—and I include myself as a good woman—fix it. We don’t step aside and let the tide roll how we want it to. We stride forward, and we don’t allow anyone to stand in our way. For us this is about family and you are the outside person in that equation. It’s not the demons speaking for us, or the politics; it’s just us—the Killers, the ones who see the action, who understand the rage, who fight our instincts to protect people like the two of you.”
Damian nodded at Katie and looked at the general, who was obviously thinking about what she had said.
Katie was right; you had to stay the course in their line of work. You had to do things because they were right, not because they offered the biggest payout.
That was where these guys had gone wrong; they had seen that firsthand in Virginia. That lead officer would never make that mistake again, even if he were ever back in that position.
“All right.” The general sighed. “Let’s reach an agreement, I don’t want this animosity to continue longer than it already has.”
Katie smiled and walked closer to the general as he pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket and took the pen the colonel reluctantly handed to him. Katie could tell she was completely against this alliance, but her opinion didn’t matter. The general knew that Katie had the key to his sector’s success, and if they tried to take that key they would find themselves backed into a corner by a pack of rabid mercenaries.
That was the last thing that he wanted, and the last thing that Katie wanted to see happen. This would give them the opportunity to share resources and help each other, because she knew that one day they
might need each other’s help. The demons were rising, and she wasn’t going to just sit around and wait for them to show up.
21
General Brushwood thrust his hand toward Katie as the colonel folded the paper and put it into her inner coat pocket. Katie looked down at his hand and back up at his face, unsure for a moment that she wasn’t making a deal with the devil himself.
She had come there for that purpose—to make a deal to get the general off their asses and to secure her company’s future under her name—and this was what she had been waiting on. She sighed and finally reached out, firmly grasped his hand, and shook.
Pandora gave her a little juice and the general pulled back, rubbing his hand and chuckling.
Katie smiled and nodded at Damian. He unzipped his bag and pulled out another yellow-topped container, looking at the general for a moment before handing it to Katie. She set it on the hood of the Humvee and looked at the colonel before turning back to the general.
“That is the second box of rounds we’ve made,” she told the general as he picked the box up and popped the lid open. “That’s two-thirds of our stock, so don’t waste them. I don’t know how long it will take for the company to make more. With just one man working on it, it could take months. When more become available we will let you know.”
“What about your team?” the general asked.
Katie smirked. “I am pretty sure that we will get along just fine with one box for now. We have skill sets that exceed magic bullets. Your soldiers do not, which means that right now you need them more than we do. If the situation changes or the tables turn we will let you know, but for now take them, use them wisely, and for fuck’s sake get some Damned on your teams. These boys aren’t going to make it otherwise.”
“I would if I could,” the general said regretfully. “It’s not allowed in our service.”
“Your loss.” Katie shrugged and turned to walk away.
“Wait,” the general said. “You still haven’t told me what you want. You outlined the entire deal with me, minus what your expectations are.”
“That will come,” Katie told him, pursing her lips. “But for now, don’t die. I really don’t want to restart negotiations with some new fucktard. And don’t try to tell me otherwise; I’ve heard the stories about the last few men in your shoes.”
The general nodded at the colonel and she hurried after Katie and Damian. She jogged behind them through the grass in her heels, finally catching up when they were almost to the helicopter. Katie could tell she wanted to ask a question, and although she now despised the woman, she knew she had to play nice until she got herself off those grounds.
She looked at the colonel and lifted her eyebrows.
“I have been wondering since I left your base: just how large was that demon you fought back in Vegas? You know, the one who took out the sides of all of those abandoned buildings?”
“I know what you’re talking about,” Katie told her, staring straight ahead.
Katie knew it had been too good to be true; that the visit to the old base had ended without any more questions.
This colonel though; she was a smart one. She had figured out more than what she had been told about the fight at the base. She had read between the lines, and that in itself was impressive.
Katie had to answer, especially since the general had a loaded gun in his holster filled with bullets that would demolish her and Pandora. She couldn’t tell her the truth; he would immediately take her down.
It wasn’t their business anyway. The Killers were a private organization just like the other mercenary teams, and they didn’t have to answer to the military. She was fishing, but Katie had to give her something—even if it was incredibly far from what had actually happened. This colonel hadn’t given up yet, and she wasn’t going to stop just because Katie didn’t want to answer her.
“Pretty damned big,” Katie replied shortly.
“How did you kill it, then?” the colonel asked as they reached the helicopter.
Katie stopped and glanced at Damian, who stopped abruptly as well. A smirk moved across her lips as she stared at the colonel, who was hell-bent on being a little too inquisitive. Katie wasn’t going to lie to the woman; she just wasn’t going to give her the whole story.
“Actually, I didn’t kill it,” Katie told the woman. “His cross did. He pressed it against the demon’s head and it melted straight through his skull. The demon just turned to dust after that.”
Damian pulled out the cross and held it up for the colonel to see. He smiled at it, remembering exactly what happened that day. She tilted her head and reached toward it, but Damian winked and put it back into his pocket.
“Fucker choked to death on it.” Damian grinned. “Fitting, right?”
Katie laughed and the colonel stepped back, putting her hand up to block the dirt blowing around under the helicopter’s blades.
Katie and Damian climbed into the chopper and the colonel watched as it lifted into the air and flew away. Jehovivich stayed where she was until they were completely out of sight, thinking about what Katie had told her. She chuckled and walked toward the Humvee.
“I didn’t know priests swore,” she mumbled.
As she started back across the lawn the general, holding his two cases of bullets protectively, piled into the Humvee. She snorted lightly, wondering where the wild cowboy had gone. Suddenly she stopped in her tracks and turned back toward the makeshift helo pad with her mouth wide open.
“Interesting,” she whispered to herself.
The colonel had just realized that Katie had bypassed the actual question and given her half an answer.
The Killer hadn’t told her how big the demon had been. She’d deflected, passing the buck to the priest—whom she knew wouldn’t ever be interrogated by the government.
He was a man of the cloth and therefore had immunity, but Katie—she was playing with fire, and the colonel was determined to watch her burn.
When Katie and Damian got back to base that night everyone was waiting for them. They weren’t there because they were so interested in what was going on or to ask where the hell they had been; they were all waiting to hit the bar.
Katie was tired, but she couldn’t deny that the looks on their faces were priceless.
Derek stood with his palms together and his bottom lip sticking out. Eric was biting his lip and standing as if he were a child waiting for a big surprise. Calvin stood in the background, fixing the collar of his shirt and trying to look extra nice, and Stephanie and Korbin were talking quietly to each other behind everyone.
Finally Katie gave in, and she laughed when the group cheered. They loaded up in the SUVs and headed to Torn Asunder, which was their favorite bar.
Amy’s Assassins were there that night, partying it up like always. Everyone but Katie and Damian were on the dance floor; Katie was watching the fights breaking out all over the place. It was the same as always; never a dull moment, and never a steady piece of furniture either.
As she scanned the room, her eyes latched with a pair of blue ones across the way. She looked away, then looked at the rest of him. She recognized him from the time they had gone to look at weapons, but she had no idea who he was besides a member of Amy’s Assassins.
He was handsome though, standing over six feet tall with broad shoulders, big muscles, and an ass that was tight as hell. His chin was perfectly chiseled, and his dirty-blond hair was meticulously styled.
He was standing with a group by Amy, but he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off Katie. She blushed and turned to talk to Damian, but his headphones were in so she grumbled and turned back—to find herself staring directly into someone’s crotch. She turned her head and stood up, confused and thrown off her guard.
“I’m sorry,” a deep and manly voice said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Katie shook her head and ran her eyes up the guy’s body to his face, realizing it was the one from across the room. She cleared her throat
and smiled.
“It’s all right.” Katie shook her head. “I just didn’t see you there.”
“I saw you.” He smiled. “In fact, I was hoping you would like to dance.”
“Dance?” she repeated, lost in his baby-blue eyes.
“Yeah. You know, like the others?” He chuckled, nodding to the people on the dance floor.
She giggled. “Sure, let’s dance.”
Oh god, Pandora groaned. I don’t even know if you can dance. Of all the nights you decide to get frisky, you have to do it when I’m barely focused.
Just make me look good, Katie hissed.
That I’ve already done. You are bouncy and perfect, as always. Pandora yawned.
Katie smiled as they reached the dance floor and he put his hand on her waist. The music wasn’t necessarily slow, but she was going to pretend that it was, just for argument's sake. She liked being that close to a man, and especially since he happened to be handsome and new to her. He had caught her off-guard which was something that never happened to her. She was always in control of things, but at that moment on the dance floor she just kind of let go. She could feel everyone staring, giggling, talking about her dancing with a stranger, but her eyes were too busy devouring his to care about any of that.
“I’m Noah,” he told her in the smoothest voice she’d ever heard. “Noah Rappley. I’m on Amy’s team.”
“Nice to meet you, Noah,” she replied, trying to get hold of herself. “I’m Katie, of Korbin’s Killers.”
“I know.” he chuckled. “You are somewhat of a legend around here.”
“Lord, I’m not old enough to be a legend.” She grimaced.
He backtracked. “Well, maybe not a legend, but everyone knows who you are.”
“Right.” Katie smiled. “I’m glad you had the guts to come talk to me, then.”
“It took a while to gather my nerve.” he chuckled.
Katie smiled and stared at his chest. Her hand was in his, and they danced to the beat of their own drums. She liked what was going on, but the bar wasn’t her scene and she wanted to get to know Noah better.