The Random Affair

by James H Roby

  Jackie began to walk to a table across the room. Jordan and E-Man followed a step behind.

  “Jordan, whoever made this stuff, he’s a genius.” She stopped at the table. “These chemicals he used, it’s impossible to combine them in this fashion.”

  “But he did,” Jordan said.

  “I know. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

  “OK,” Jordan said, “but he did it. So, how?”

  Jackie smiled as if trying to fend off frustration. “I don’t know,” she said slowly and deliberately. “These chemicals are bounded on a molecular level. It’s like he actually changed them into something else while he combined them to each other.”

  Jordan paused as he reflected on what Jackie had just said. But E-Man needed no such pause before he jumped in.

  “That’s crazy! When we busted Random in Florida, he had, like this erector-set that he put this shit together with. It wasn’t nothing like this stuff.” E-Man gestured to the equipment-laded lab. “How could he do molecular whatever with that stuff?”

  Jackie sighed. “How should I know? I’m just telling you what I found. Maybe he was in the final stages of the process when you busted him. Maybe he had access to a more advance facility earlier.” Jackie shot daggers at him. E-Man fended off the attack with palms out hands. Jordan found it strangely rewarding about seeing the normally unflappable Jackie all out of sorts with E-Man.

  “Anyway, that’s not the worse of it.” She told Jordan. She pushed pass E-Man to get to a table behind them. Four small square items with sheets atop them set on the table. She lifted the sheets off two of the boxes in a swift motion, revealing a pair of cages with a white lab mouse in each, apparently dead.

  “As you may know, mice have genetic codes similar to ours. That’s why we use them in experiments…”

  “OK,” Jordan said.

  “Well, I injected each of these mice with a small dose of this crush.” She gestured at the left most cage, “This one, I injected six hours ago. And this one,” she said, pointing at the next mouse, “two hours after that.”

  “They’re dead?” E-Man asked.

  “Yes.” She gave him a slow look. Jackie removed the third cage’s sheet. Inside, another mouse, not dead, but on its back, it’s tiny chest heaving rapidly.

  “Not dead, but close,” Jordan said.

  Jackie gave Jordan a smile. “You are a detective.” she teased him. The process of scientific discovery always excited her. She seemed happy, as long as she wasn’t talking to E-Man.

  “I injected him an hour ago. And the last one…” Jackie pulled away the final sheet and as the first beam of light entered, the mouse inside leapt for the bars of the tiny cell. It bit at its prison as if it had a chance of escaping. Jordan leaned forward for a closer look. The mouse’s teeth were actually chipped and broken from biting the cage so hard.

  “Jesus,” E-Man said, “feisty sucker, huh?”

  “Withdrawals from an instant addiction.” Jackie said. “He got his dose just after I called you.”

  Jordan and Jackie locked eyes. He read her mind. “These are the same effects you’d expected in humans?”

  Jackie slid her hands into her coat pockets. “Well, I can’t be one hundred percent sure, but that’s a reasonable assumption.”

  “Huh?” E-Man said, “What kind of drug dealer would make a drug that would kill all his customers after one hit?

  “A drug dealer that doesn’t care about profits,” Jackie said.

  “There’s no such animal.”

  “Who said we’re dealing with a drug dealer,” Jordan said. He turned to E-Man. The case had just grown into something more than just money. As if on cue, the fourth mouse, squeaked and fell onto its back.

  “Damn,” E-Man said. “This thing just keeps getting weirder and weirder.”

  Jordan and E-Man strolled down the hall to the elevators. They kept their voices low as not to panic anyone who might hear them.

  Jordan said, “This is stupid. Why make a drug that just kills its users?”

  “Where’s the money in that?” E-Man asked back. They got to the elevators and E-Man pressed the call button.

  “There is none,” Jordan said. He was silent for a moment, hand to chin. “OK, let’s assume that Random’s not in it for the money…”

  “Alright, then why? Revenge?”

  Jordan had considered that. “No, he was working on this back in Miami. Before I capped his brother. So, no, not revenge.”

  E-Man shook his head. “Damn, he’s been working on this for over four years. But money’s not the thing, shit, then what the hell is?

  Jordan leaned forward. “There’s got to be someone else. Someone Random gonna sell this to – that’s why he needs Kevin Small.”

  “ ‘Lright,” E-Man said, “Small was supposed to hook up Random with someone who would buy the drugs, but…Nah, that’s not it.”

  “What?” Jordan asked. The elevator dinged, announcing the arrival of the car. A group of passengers got off as E-Man explained.

  “Only people that Small could hook Random to would be drug dealers, right? Why would dealers want a drug that couldn’t make them any money?”

  The idea stuck in Jordan’s mind. He sleepwalked onto the elevator as he considered it. “Yeah, that follows. But what if -”

  He stopped. Jordan’s eyes followed two of the passengers who had just disembarked. It was a pair of men, dressed in long ragged coats. Cowboy dusters. Jordan didn’t initially pay them any mind but …now there was something… The pair headed down the hall, the same direction he and E-Man just came.

  “What? What is it?” E-Man asked.

  Jordan shook his head, and then craned his neck for a better look.

  “Nothing,” Jordan said. “I thought -” Just then the doors closed and the car began to move. The two men tickled Jordan’s memory. He murmured to himself, as he tried to work it out.

  “You OK?” E-Man asked chuckling a little. “You starting to freak me out.”

  “Shit!” Jordan said. The dusters? No doctor would wear anything like that. And the tenth floor was off limits to the general public. The elevator was just passing the eighth floor. Jordan stabbed the seventh floor button. The doors open and he leapt off. E-Man was a step behind.

  “What is it?” E-Man asked Jordan’s retreating form.

  “Those guys,” Jordan said as he burst through the stairway door. “They’re with Random!”

  Jordan drew his P7M as he approached the lab. He kicked the door and automatically assumed a Weaver stance. E-Man appeared and went into a crouched position. One of the cowboys had Jackie at knifepoint while his partner searched the room. They both whirled to the door as Jordan and E-Man entered.

  “Here’s what it is - put that knife down,” Jordan said, “or I will blow your goddamned head off.”

  “What you looking at?” E-Man asked the other goon.

  Cowboy #1 slid behind Jackie, knife now at her throat. He had a huge slash down the side of his face. The same guy from the warehouse. Slash. How original. “Are you that good a shot?”

  “Wanna find out?” Jordan asked.

  “No,” Slash said without a hint of fear, “I don’t think you want to either.”

  Jordan’s expression didn’t change. The ugly bastard was right, though – he wasn’t interested in testing his marksmanship at this moment. It was a Mexican standoff, with Jackie’s life in the balance.

  This is what we call a fucked up situation. Without looking at his partner still crouched in the doorway, he asked, “Asshole number 2?”

  “Got him,” E-Man got up and circled towards the second criminal. A table separated them. E-Man’s eyes were locked on his target. There was no trace of the humorous lighthearted man. “Say the word and boom,” - the criminal jumped - “pop goes the weasel.”

  Jordan nodded. “This is going to end badly for you. Now back away from my friend,
or you’re dead.”

  Slash pulled Jackie tightly to him, producing a small gasp from her. “No! This is how it’s going to go. You give us what we want and I’ll think about letting this bitch go.”

  Jordan shook his head. “Now why you want to go and call her a ‘bitch’ for? Besides, what do you want anyway?”

  “Don’t fuck with me,” Slash said, “You know good and well what I want. Get it – Now! Or this spade dies!”

  Jordan flinched ever so slightly. Mental note: Kill this fool at first chance.

  But the chance wasn’t now and he knew it. His eyes still on the target, he said to Jackie, “Give him the vial.”

  “Jordan, no -” Jackie started to protest. Jordan’s eyes went to hers for a second. She gasped. He hoped whatever she saw in his eyes she would be able to forget. She nodded and pointed at a nearby drawer.

  “It’s in there,” she said, fearlessly.

  Slash threw open the drawer with his free hand and retrieved the vial containing the remaining crush. His eyes darted from the vial to the two men pointing guns at him. E-Man maintained his hold on the other criminal, who in turn, had remained motionless. Slash rolled the vial around in his hand. Satisfied that it was what he wanted, he slid it into his pocket. His eyes went back to Jordan.

  “Well, I guess you spade can do what you’re told.”

  “Ain’t gonna be too many more of those ‘spades’,” Jordan said. “Now what?”

  Slash switch his grip to Jackie’s arm while he continued to press the knife to her throat. “We’re leaving. Now, get the fuck away from the door.” Slash turned to his partner. “Bubba, we’re going.”

  “Bubba?” E-man said. A laugh caught in his throat.

  “E-Man…” Jordan said. They still had Jackie.

  Jordan and E-Man rotated in a counter-clock wise fashion away from the door. Slash and Bubba moved likewise to the door. Slash got to the door first. Seconds after he backed out of the room, Bubba followed. Jordan and E-Man made their way to the door. By the time they got there, paranoia had broken out in the hall. The hospital hallway was filled with doctors and nurses. This was normal. Knife-wielding madmen weren’t. Jordan and E-Man entered the scene, guns drawn and the confusion grew. Slash and Bubba had backed up to the elevators. Bubba pushed the call button. Jordan was locked on Slash. If anything happen, if there was a single second where he could fire and hit Slash, Jordan would surely shoot. He tried not to think of Jackie. Tried not to even look at her. He might lose his nerve, and in a situation like this, even for a second, it could mean the difference between life and death. No, focus on Slash - focus on the target. In his mind, Jordan changed the situation into a training scenario. The purpose of the exercise was to put the target down That’s all. Jordan had no problem thinking of Slash as just a target. Just keep one of his best friends out of it and no problem. Slash looked back at Jordan without a trace of fear. He was sure he was in control of this situation. Jordan couldn’t wait to prove him wrong.

  Ding.

  The elevator arrived, and Bubba literally leapt on. Unlike Slash, he was visibly nervous about looking down the business end of a semi-automatic weapon. After his partner boarded the car, Slash worked his way on, Jackie still in tow. Jordan knew if he got on the car with Jackie, the situation would get a thousand times worse. He definitely wanted to keep her in sight. Slash stopped right at the door.

  “Just so you don’t follow me…spade.”

  And with that, Slash brought the knife swiftly across Jackie’s neck.

  Chapter Sixteen: A Violent Day at the Hospital

  “No!”

  Jordan sprinted to Jackie as she dropped. He caught her before she reached the floor. The elevator doors closed. He fumbled with his P7M to get off a shot but was too late.

  “Damn!”

  “I’m on it!” E-Man shouted behind Jordan and burst through the stairway doors. A part of Jordan heard him – a part not in control at the moment. He quickly examined Jackie’s wound. Her neck was covered in blood. Jordan slapped his hand to the general area where she had been cut.

  “Jack!”

  Jackie’s eyes popped open. Her head bobbled for a second, and then she seemed to gain focus. She turned to Jordan and gripped his arm. He was sure he was looking at a ghost.

  “I-I’m fine,” Jackie said, “It wasn’t that deep.”

  He removed his hand from her neck. There was blood everywhere but the bleeding itself stopped. Jordan gave a short laugh, unable to express his relief any other way.

  Jackie then reach and cupped his chin with her hand, “I’m fine, Jordan. Go after them.”

  For the first time, Jordan noticed the doctors, jockeying to get in position to help Jackie, surrounding him. He was in the way and moved back. As the doctors converged, Jordan called to his friend, “Be right back, Jack.”

  ~

  E-Man calculated the rate he went down the stairs. He would beat the elevator to the ground floor easily. For the first five floors down, he was right. By the time he hit the fourth floor, it was a different story. His chest started to heave and his legs burn. His breath became more labored.

  I got to hit the gym more.

  He regulated his breathing. Concentrated on his motion, nothing wasted – arms and legs pumping like a machine. Just like the Combat Controllers trained him all those years ago. The one thing the military did right. They could screw up everything else, but damn if they couldn’t train like hell!

  I’ll still beat them.

  E-Man was determined to stop these two. Despite what Jordan may have thought, it was E-Man’s case too. And he also would like to see it put behind him. Sure, Jordan had some personal interest with Robin being involved and all, but that didn’t mean E-Man, and for that matter, Don and Malcolm, didn’t want this case solved.

  He reached the ground floor. Swallowed in a lungful of air and drew his Px4 Storm. A pause, and he kicked open the door. He was in the emergency room lobby. As he scanned the room, he felt a burning sensation across his chest. He dropped and rolled to his left. The pain rose at a steady pace and it set his teeth on edge. It was all he could do to hold back a scream. He looked down at his chest. Blood – a lot of it. His tie had been split and the front of his shirt and open jacket were red. Around him, half the occupants bolted for the doors, the other half took pictures with their cellphones.

  From behind a column, Slash came, knife at the ready to cut E-Man again. He swooped down on him. He was expecting a helpless opponent, instead got a kick in his guts. He tumbled over, head over heels.

  E-Man bounced to his feet. “Let’s do this, son!”

  He sensed an attack from the rear and swatted away another knife strike. He struck the wrist of his new attacker and a fixed blade went flying. He stretched to look over his shoulder. Bubba caught him in a bear hug.

  “Oh, you want some, too, huh?” E-Man said. He twisted and elbow smashed Bubba’s nose. With a whirl of his duster, Bubba was dislodged. E-Man got to his feet and fixed his gun on Slash. He started to issue a command for Slash to freeze. His aim waivered and a rush of unsteadiness came over him. He looked at his chest - a lot more blood was present. The Px4 Storm flew out of his hand. E-Man thought he was the victim of magic until he saw Slash to his side. He got his act together as Slash advanced with a seven inch prison shiv. He dodged each attack. Despite the pain in his chest, he couldn’t help but smile.

  I still got it.

  Slash swung and got off-balance for a moment. E-Man grabbed Slash’s arm and pulled him forward. He brought his knee into Slash’s chest. E-Man went to finish him off, then Bubba attacked again. E-Man staggered into a nearby wall. This was getting old. It was time to put this Bubba down for good. He released a short sharp blow to Bubba’s nose. He followed up with a rabbit punch to the stomach. Bubba stumbled. E-Man launched himself at his fallen gun. He hit the floor hard, scooped up the gun, spun at Bubba - but, no Bubba.

  He looked right and saw Slash hal
f carrying, half dragging Bubba out the door. E-Man aimed for a shot but his world went blurry. He couldn’t hold his gun up.

  ~

  Jordan entered the lobby into another scene of panic and mayhem. The sound level was maxed out on screaming people. Doctors tried to control the situation. Cellphones reached out to 911 or recorded the moment. Jordan found his partner at the center of this chaos, lying in a pool of blood. He slid to his knees to E-Man’s side.

  “E-Man! Are you -”

  “I’m fine!” E-Man worked his way to his knees with Jordan’s help. “Go after them – they still have the crush!” E-Man turned his head and Jordan tracked along the same direction. Slash and his partner raced through glass doors into the parking lot. From the way they moved, they got more than a slight ass whipping from E-Man. It was the hardest thing for him to do, but Jordan had to leave his friend. If Slash got to his vehicle and got the crush to Random – it would be bad.