World War III (31 page)

“You’re telling me that it was Americans that did this?”

“Yes, “cried Beth.

“Why didn’t you leave when the mercenaries abandoned the camp?”

“They locked the gate behind them when they left,” answered Beth. “The Russians arrived shortly after.”

Rage and hatred began to well up inside of Lex, as the names Jasper and Blackwater were forever seared into his brain. “It’s ok mom, they’re gone now and they’ll never harm you again. Do you think you have enough strength to help me wake up the rest of the prisoners?”

“Yes, yes of course,” said Beth, wiping the tears from her eyes. With help from Lex she steadied herself and began to slowly and quietly rouse the remaining prisoners.

When everyone was awake and dressed, Lex picked out the strongest and healthiest men and outlined the plan. He explained to them that there was going to be some loud explosions, at which time they were to load everyone into the trucks. Lex showed them a map of the surrounding area and advised them to head for the Nevada border. He then slipped in and out of the other barracks, waking up the prisoners and explaining the plan. After visiting the last barrack he returned to the first, where he’d found his mother. Cleo arrived a few minutes later.

“How did it go?” asked Lex.

“Brilliantly,” she answered with a grin. “The explosives are set and ready to be detonated.”

“Good,” smiled Lex. “Any problems?”

“Not really,” replied Cleo, shrugging her shoulders. “I ran into one of the guards patrolling the perimeter, now we only have four to contend with, along with the two at the front gate.”

“What happened? I didn’t hear anything.”

“Well I wouldn’t be a bloody good spook if ya did, now would I?”

“You know what, that gives me an idea,” said Lex. “Maybe we should quietly take out the other four guards patrolling the perimeter before we blow anything up? If nothing else, it’ll at least give these people more time to escape. What do you think?”

“I think it’s a brilliant idea,” agreed Cleo. “But what about the two guards by the front gate? They’re out in the open and there’s no way to get to them without being seen first.”

“After we’ve eliminated the guards patrolling the camp, we’ll snipe the two guards at the gate using our rifles.”

“Alright, but the shots might alert the other guards before we can blow the C-4,” pointed out Cleo.

“Then we’ll have to do it all at the same time,” replied Lex. “Hey mom, do you think you could handle pushing this button to detonate the C-4 that Cleo planted, while she and I take out the guards at the front gate?”

“I think I could manage that,” smiled Beth, trying to remain strong.

“Good,” said Lex. “Then wait here until we return, and try to keep everyone quiet.”

Lex and Cleo quietly slipped out of the barrack and disappeared beneath, mere seconds before a spotlight from one of the towers passed by. Lying on the ground beside them was the body of the Russian patrol guard whom Cleo had killed. The guard’s face, neck and chest were covered in blood from the slit that she’d made across his throat. Lex glanced at the knife Cleo gripped in her hand and quickly withdrew his own.

“Ready mate?” she asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” responded Lex. “I’ll go after the two on the left and you take the two on the right.”

“Sounds like a plan,” whispered Cleo, before rolling out from under the barrack, crossing the space between the barracks and then sliding under the next barrack over. She performed the act in one fluid motion, before Lex even realized she was gone.

Lex immediately followed her example, rolling to his left and sliding under the next barrack over in the opposite direction. With his belly dragging along the frozen ground, he crawled towards the far end of the barrack where he waited for the next guard on patrol. Lying there with his knife drawn and ready, he covered his mouth to conceal the small puffs of air that escaped his lips with each breath.

He didn’t have to wait long before a black pair of Russian made army boots approached from the shadows. His body immediately became tense in anticipation. The sound from the boots crunching in the hard packed snow grew louder with each step the soldier took. Lex had never killed anyone with a knife before and he was a little apprehensive as to what to expect. As the guard drew close, Lex prepared to make his move.

The guard passed by and Lex rolled out from under the barrack, knife in hand. He jumped to his feet and was about to pounce on the guard from behind when the guard suddenly spun around to face Lex.

Lex wasn’t sure what had given him away. Perhaps the guard had heard something or maybe seen motion from the corner of his eye. Either way, Lex now found himself standing face to face with the Russian. As the guard began to lift his machine gun, Lex suddenly felt like the fool who’d brought a knife to a gun fight.

The space between the two men was too wide for Lex to be able to cover the distance before the soldier fired. So instead, he threw his knife at the Russian. Lex had never thrown a knife at a target before and he wasn’t even sure if it’d hit the man, but it was his only option. The handle of the knife struck the guard square in the face, causing blood to spurt from his broken nose. The Russian grunted and momentarily lowered his weapon, while reaching for his bloodied nose.

Lex didn’t hesitate. He rushed straight at the guard and tackled him head on. Both men tumbled to the ground and began struggling for control of the gun. From the corner of his eye, Lex saw the man’s mouth open as if he were about to scream.

Before the man could utter a warning, Lex reached down and scooped up a handful of dirt and quickly shoved it into the guard’s mouth. The Russian’s scream was muffled, as he choked on the dirt and tried to spit it out. Lex seized this opportunity to grab his knife, which was laying a couple of feet away. Before the guard could react, he quickly plunged the blade into the soldier’s sternum.

The man struggled in vein, as Lex twisted the knife back and forth. The Russian’s eyes widened in fear, as he spewed out dirt mingled with blood. He coughed twice, before his eyes glazed over and his body went limp. Standing up, Lex withdrew his knife from the man’s chest and rolled him under the barrack. He kicked sand over the blood on the ground to conceal the struggle and then quickly climbed under the next barrack. He lay there for a moment, trying to catch his breath and slow his heart beat. Killing a man with a gun was different from killing him with a knife, up close and personal.

Movement from the shadows suddenly caught his eye. He peered into the darkness under one of the barracks three rows over and was relieved to find Cleo’s beautiful smile grinning back at him. She was crouched down like a cat, ready to spring into action. As Lex watched, he noticed one of the guards approaching from the south. Cleo waited until the soldier was right on top of her before making her move.

She kicked out with her feet, hitting the guard’s knees and causing him to trip and fall flat on his face. She sprang from under the barrack like a panther before the man could rise and sat down on his back, pinning his arms to his side with her legs. She knocked the guard’s helmet off his head and with her left hand grabbed a clump of his hair. She pulled his head back, exposing his throat and with her right hand slid the blade across in one fluent motion. Lex could see light reflect off of Cleo’s knife, as she made the incision.

Without a moment of hesitation, she bent down and rolled the guard’s body under the barrack where she’d been hiding. The whole process had taken less than five seconds to complete. Cleo glanced back and forth, and then dove underneath another barrack. She noticed Lex still watching her and blew him a kiss, before disappearing into the shadows in search of her next victim.

Lex was impressed and realized that he could learn from the example. He couldn’t help but admire Cleo’s graceful approach to everything, even killing. She could be loving and nurturing one minute and a lethal weapon the next. Lex never saw Cleo make her second kill because he was too preoccupied with his own.

Seconds after she’d disappeared, Lex heard another guard approaching. He decided to try Cleo’s approach and curled up his legs, waiting until the guard’s boots were only inches away. Using all of his strength, he kicked the guard’s feet out from under him. But unlike Cleo’s guard who fell flat on his face, Lex’s guard fell on his back.

Without hesitation, Lex reached out from under the barrack and plunged his knife deep into the guard’s throat. The Russian never knew what hit him and within seconds he was dead. Without ever leaving the protection of the barrack, Lex reached out with both hands and pulled the guard towards him. Leaving the body concealed beneath the barrack, he quickly returned to the barrack where his mom was waiting.

“What took ya so long mate?” teased Cleo, when he entered the barrack only seconds after her.

Lex smiled and winked at Cleo, before scooping her up into his arms and kissing her passionately. “Why, did you miss me?”

“Every second we’re apart,” replied Cleo, returning the kiss.

“Excuse me Alexander,” said Beth, “but aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Oh my bad, mom, this is Cleopatra Brown. Cleo, this is my mom, Elizabeth Mancini.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said Cleo, extending her hand. “Lex has told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already.”

“The pleasure is all mine dear, but I feel at a disadvantage. Lex has told me nothing about you,” replied Beth, accepting Cleo’s hand.

“That’s because we just recently met mom, a couple of weeks after everyone vanished. There’ll be time for us to catch up later, but right now we’ve got to get out of here.”

“Yes, yes of course Alex,” coughed Beth, “I suppose you’re right. What can I do to help?”

“How long have you been ill mom and what exactly are you sick with?”

“Oh, I don’t know, a few days now I suppose. I’ve lost track of time. Everyone in camp seemed to get sick at the same time. It was right after Jasper gave us the flu shot.”

“Flu shot?” asked Cleo, her brow furrowed.

“Yes, they forced us to take it. When I refused and spoke out against it, Jasper had his men pull me aside and then he himself injected me,” explained Beth.

“He forced you?” repeated Lex, his voice as cold as ice. “I look forward to meeting this Jasper fellow.”

“I told him you’d be upset,” giggled Beth, followed by a coughing fit.

“Damn straight,” hissed Lex. “Alright, let’s forget about him for now, we need to get moving before the guard change. Are you ready to push that button I told you about mom?”

“I’m ready,” she whispered, stifling another cough.

“Alright,” smiled Lex, “here’s what I want you to do. Cleo and I are going to take out the two guards at the front gate with our rifles simultaneously. In the same instant that we fire, I need you to push that button, okay?”

“Sure,” said Beth, “what’s going to happen when I push it?”

“There’s gonna be a loud explosion, followed by a lot of fireworks,” answered Cleo.

“Oh, okay,” replied Beth. “Are we leaving in the trucks?”

“No mom, everyone else is using the trucks,” answered Lex. “We’ve got a dune buggy hidden close by, that’s what we’re leaving in.”

“I’ve never been in a dune buggy before,” exclaimed Beth.

“Don’t worry love,” smiled Cleo, “just think of it as ride at Disneyland.”

“Of course,” smiled Beth, “don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

“Everyone get ready,” Lex whispered to the prisoners, as they huddled close to the door. “And remember, go straight for the trucks and then head east. Don’t stop until you’re in Nevada.” He turned and looked down at his mother, “Are you ready?”

“Ready!” said Beth, her finger hovering over the button.

“Your mum is too cute,” Cleo whispered to Lex, as they picked up their rifles and took up a position at one of the windows.

“Thanks,” smiled Lex, peering into the scope on his rifle. “She likes you too.”

They each took careful aim at the two soldiers guarding the front gate. Lex aimed for the one on the right and Cleo for the one on the left, and in the same breath they fired. Both guards were hit square in the chest, falling dead to the ground before they knew what hit them. At the same time Beth pushed the red button on the detonator, causing a series of explosions. The guard towers and troop barracks burst into fiery balls of flame and were instantly destroyed. The loud boom caused by the detonation could be heard from miles away.

“Alright everybody let’s go!” shouted Lex, as he watched a Russian soldier emerge from one of the troop barracks. The man was ablaze from head to toe and screaming from the fire that scorched his skin. Lex took careful aim at the man’s head and gave him mercy, with a bullet to the brain.

Lex and Cleo were the first two out the door, their rifles held ready. Standing on either side of the door they kept watch, as the sick and weak American prisoners erupted from the barracks and headed for the trucks parked close by.

“Cleo,” shouted Lex, above the commotion, “take my mom to the dune buggy and come back for me. I’m gonna stay and help these people get loaded into the trucks.”

“Will do mate,” said Cleo, wrapping one of her arms around Beth. “Come with me love, we’re gonna go on that ride I was telling you about.”