Authors: Bernard Lee DeLeo
“As you wish Bwana.”
Connor shot a bad look at Nate, and received the fickle finger of fate for an answer. Connor smiled, and started walking with his hands up towards the two men. They did not even notice him until he was within fifty yards of them. Straightening up away from the building, the two men pointed their weapons at him as he closed the distance between them. They looked at each other with puzzled looks on their faces. Connor closed to within ten yards before the smaller man put a hand up, and Connor halted.
“Who the fuck are you,” he asked as his companion chuckled.
A split second later, Connor held the rifles. The two men looked at their empty hands in amazement as Nate came running up. He covered the two as Connor put the rifles next to the building, and then walked back over to face the two men.
“Did either of you see a young black man named Sammy being held prisoner inside?” Connor asked.
“Fuck you assho.” the smaller man began. A loud crack sounded as his neck snapped in Connor’s hands.
“Wrong answer. How about you Homey?”
The other man stared at the still twitching body of his friend, and swallowed hard. He looked at Connor’s face with desperation. “He’s in there man. They got him locked in the back room.”
“Did you have anything to do with questioning him?”
“No man…I…” He was dead before he could finish the sentence.
“When you hear a scream Nate, come on in and join the fun.”
“Let’s rock my friend. Just worry about Sammy. I’ll take the heat off.”
Connor put his hand on Nate’s shoulder for a moment, and then he was gone. Nate went over, and turned the handle minutely counterclockwise a little at a time until he reached the stop. He then eased it away from the jamb, and gently released the handle. With the Uzi ready for action, Nate put his foot on the edge of the door and waited.
Five minutes later he heard a shriek from inside and smiled. He threw the door wide open with his foot and ducked inside. Men scrambled and dived for cover as Nate began firing short deadly bursts. A man dropped every time he fired. Caught completely by surprise, the gang members tried to return fire, but they could never find the target. Nate moved constantly, directing a steady killing fire, until the only ones left alive lay huddled behind crates and debris. Nate stopped shooting, as he waited for targets. Connor appeared next to him a few seconds later, making Nate nearly drop his weapon.
“You mutant asshole,” he gasped. “I swear to God I am going to tie a bell around your fucking neck.”
Connor smiled. “Good news, Sammy looks pretty good. You know what the disrespectful turd said to me Nate?”
“What took you so long?”
Connor’s face dropped for a moment as Nate laughed at his small triumph. “You have already been hanging around me too long Nate. Anyway, let me go take care of the last few guys and ask them a couple of questions.”
Before Nate could even nod agreement, Connor disappeared again. Seconds later, the screams began again. He heard some muffled voices, and then more screams. Nate could see a blur as Connor went from one survivor to another on his terrifying quest. Fifteen minutes later, he saw Connor come out from behind a crate. Connor then went to all of the men shot by Nate in the first few minutes of the attack. He left no one alive. Connor rejoined Nate by the door leading out.
“We have one more stop old buddy. It seems the orders came from a very swank area of town. It appears a kingpin of crime really does keep these hoods organized,” Connor explained.
“Well Batman, let’s get Sammy to the Mutantmobile and pay him a visit.”
Connor laughed and led the way outside. Nate spotted Sammy crouching near the side of the wall. He stood up smiling as he saw Nate walking towards him with Connor close behind. Nate shook his hand and clamped a huge hand on his shoulder.
“Well young blood, I see you do not appear permanently damaged.”
“I told them where you were when they took me. I told them not to go after you guys, but they wouldn’t listen.”
“You did great Sammy,” Connor said shaking his hand. “Let’s get you home.
“I knew these guys could never take you two.”
“Anything can go wrong Sammy,” Connor replied, “but in your case, you had to pick a horse to bet on and stay with it. Nate and I were praying you had not tried to hold out from telling them. Nate and I have to take care of the next rung in the ladder, so how would you like a ride home in Nate’s new Lincoln?”
“Yea,” Sammy’s eyes lit up. “Could I drive it sir?”
“Well, I.,” Nate stammered. “I.think.ah.I.”
“What Nate means to say Sammy,” Connor broke in. “He would love for you to drive us. You know the way to your own house. Nate and I can kick back, right Nate?”
Nate started to say something, and then closed his mouth, shook his head resignedly, and waved his hand with the key to the Lincoln in it. “Here Sammy, take this before I change my mind. Stay back with me though until the mutant here takes the spell off of the car.”
“What spell?”
“Never mind Sammy,” Connor replied. “I already took care of it. Come on, we parked just around the corner here. If you like the Lincoln, maybe Nate will loan it to you for dates.”
Nate went for Connor; who was already laughing so hard, he could not get away. Sammy looked on in awe at the two men, he, and his friends were calling the
Lethal Weapon
wannabes. He looked on as Nate put the laughing Connor into a headlock, and started to jump up and down like they were on a pro wrestling circuit. Sammy glanced back at the warehouse, where the two men in front of him had probably executed almost twenty men. He shook his head, and went to get the Lincoln, cementing in his mind for all time, the fact these were indeed very dangerous men.
“Come on Nate, you’re getting my new suit all messed up. I give up. I promise not to let anyone touch your car.”
“No pulling anymore mutant shit on me either.” When there was only silence from Connor, Nate began to jump up and down again.
“Okay, okay,” Connor acquiesced reluctantly.
Nate released him finally as Sammy drove up in the Lincoln.
“All deals are off if you call me Bwana again,” Connor mumbled under his breath.
“What did you say Mutie?”
“I said; we need to get going again.”
Sammy popped open their door locks and the two men got into the back. “I hear sirens Sir. We better get moving.”
“Sorry for the delay Sammy,” Nate said as the young man sped off. “I had to teach this evil mutant a lesson about property rights. If you boys need a launch for a date, we’ll give you one of the limos to take and ride in style. No one touches my Lincoln, right?”
“Yes Sir. I love your car Sir. I will own one like it one of these days.”
“I have no doubt about that. Will you need Thomas or I to go in and explain anything to your folks?”
“I live with my Grandma, and she thinks I’m still punkin’ around. It would help if Mr. Connor were to come in and let her know I have a job now.”
“I owe you that much Sammy,” Connor agreed, “for going through all this stuff today on our behalf. I would love to meet your Grandma. Also I want you to take these cell phones and give one to each of your friends too. If you need me or have a question, you can reach me immediately. Do not hesitate to call us. All the accessories and directions are in the boxes.”
Sammy nodded as he drove. “I hope Grandma will believe you. I have not given her much reason to believe anything good about me.”
“One day at a time Sammy,” Nate added.
Sammy led the way into the run down apartment. Connor smelled fresh bread, one of his all time favorite smells. The interior of the apartment projected an aura of comfort. It looked to be a two-bedroom apartment, and very well maintained. A rail thin, gray haired black woman came out of one of the bedrooms. Her eyes lit up as she saw Sammy, and she rushed over and hugged him roughly to her. She looked up at Connor with a tired resignation.
“What has my grandson done, officer?”
“I am Thomas Connor, Ms. Baldwin,” Connor said holding out his hand. Sammy’s grandmother shook his hand after a brief hesitation. “Your grandson has agreed to work for me in my business. I was giving Sammy a ride home, and I thought I should introduce myself.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Sammy. “What business would that be mister?”
“I have just bought a limousine service, and we will also be doing vehicle repair, and a few other enterprises. My partner and I have decided to train a crew from scratch, rather than hire experienced people.”
“Well, 1.1. don’t know what to say. How in the world did you ever get hooked up with Sammy?”
“We met on the street Grandma. Mr. Connor said he needed employees. He hired some of my friends too.”
“He just met you, and your cheap little hood friends, on the street, and was so impressed with you all, he hired you on the spot.” She stated suspiciously, glancing at Connor. “I may not look very bright mister, but you must think I am a complete idiot if you think I buy that.”
Connor laughed as Sammy looked at him pleadingly. “Ms. Baldwin, I do not mean to stretch your incredulity. Can we leave it at the fact I have a legitimate business, and your grandson does work for me? He will also be bringing home uniforms and clothing to be worn at my business. Those bags he carries have cell phones for each of his friends, and one for him. They need to familiarize themselves with them, because I will be in constant contact with my staff in this operation. I also plan on supplementing these boys education privately. They will not be attending public school much longer.”
The woman just stared at Connor with amazement plainly showing on her face. “I don’t know what to say.”
“No need to say anything,” Connor replied. “If you need to ask me anything, just call the number Sammy has for me.”
She hesitated for a moment, and then walked up to Connor and hugged him. Connor returned her hug, and when she pulled away, he could tell her eyes were tearing up. “I don’t know why you’re doing it, and I don’t care. Thank you for your help.”
“This has nothing to do with charity Ms. Baldwin. Sammy will be working his butt off if he plans to keep employed.”
“Thank you just the same, and please call me Rachel.”
“Very well Rachel,” Connor smiled. “Sammy, you get these phones to the rest of the guys, and remind them we will be meeting at the restaurant for breakfast tomorrow morning about eight. If there are any hang-ups, you know how to reach me.”
“I do Mr. Connor. I will take care of it.”
“Well, I better go now, before Nate decides to make me walk home. Goodbye Ms. Baldwin, a pleasure to meet you. See you tomorrow Sammy.”
“Yes Sir.” Sammy acknowledged.
“God Bless you Mr. Connor,” Rachel added as Connor walked back through the door.
As Connor stepped from the apartment building, he saw Nate standing over a black man lying unconscious at his feet. He was talking animatedly to three others standing in a semi circle around him. Connor sighed, and went out to stand next to Nate.
The men stopped talking as soon as Connor walked up. “What’s going on Nate? I can’t take you anywhere.”
“Shut-up Mutie,” Nate laughed. “This gentleman on the ground walked over to the Lincoln with his friends. I was sitting in the driver’s seat. He looked right at me, and then just casually sat on the hood of my car. I got out and asked him politely to get off of my car. He refused, and I had to persuade him. His friends here disagreed with my method of persuasion.”
“Why don’ you and your white pussy boyfriend get the fuck out of. “ Nate’s open handed smash ended the man’s heated comment. The man dropped to the sidewalk, holding his face.
“Either of you two geniuses want to say anything more about my partner here?” Nate asked.
The men still standing backed away silently.
Nate looked at Connor, “Let’s get out of here Thomas before I really get mad. No one seems to respect private property anymore.”
“I agree. We will have to be more careful where we take your Lincoln.”
“Exactly,” Nate nodded in agreement. He shot the other men a stern look, and got behind the wheel of the Lincoln again, as Connor got in next to him.
As Nate drove away, Connor assured him further. “Honest Nate, after we get opened up, we will have one of the boys drive us around in a company car. We will keep your Lincoln locked up.”
Nate chuckled. “I didn’t mean to make such a big deal of it, but damn. Whenever someone gets something nice for themselves, someone else takes it upon themselves to destroy it.”
“Sammy’s grandmother really shines Nate. It makes you wonder how the heck he got off the path in the first place.”
“No man with similar principals Thomas,” Nate replied. “She can only go so far. These stooges hyping single woman child rearing have damaged this society to the point it will take years to bring it back to sanity.”
“We men are all child molesters, rapists, and wife beaters Nate. If you were unaware of that fact, we may have to also establish a sensitivity training class for our business.”
“Forget it Mutie. After you left the Company, and we got that pervert in the White House, they made us all attend a sensitivity class as a diversity thing. I almost had to stuff that commie piece of shit, they had teaching it, in the trash bin. He had the nerve to become upset with me over a remark I made during the discussion. Now what kind of tolerance could he have been representing?”
Connor sighed smiling. “What did you say Nate?”
“First off, he was Chinese-American, or one of those hyphenated minorities. Secondly, he spends the first half an hour putting down everything even remotely part of America. Thirdly, the arrogant little prick comes over after bad mouthing my country, and asks me what I, as an Afro-American, think of the way my people had been betrayed by America.”
“Uh oh.”
“Yeah, so I told him he must have me confused with one of his insecure, hyphenated, soul brother, socialist whackos. I told him I was proud to be a black man, and I was proud to be an American, and I told him to get his Red China loving, pinko, commie ass out of my face before I drop-kicked it into the wall.”
“I can not believe he could become upset over that,” Connor said in mock confusion.
“Exactly Thomas,” Nate said in mock seriousness. “Anyway, the little shit gets all excited, and walks over towards Johnny Loo for comfort and.”
“Our Johnny Loo,” Connor asked, as he covered his face in mock horror.
Nate nodded his head affirmatively, as his shoulders shook in silent laughter, and he tried to keep from losing the ability to finish his story. “Johnny opens his coat, and puts his hand on the butt of his piece, and.” Nate loses it for a moment of loud laughter, as Connor joined him, knowing what must be coming.
“and.Johnny shoots him the death laser from space look, and tells him ‘one more step, and Mao will have one less follower. Keep your lying, traitorous, victim crap on the other side of the room.’ By this time, all the guys in the room are howling. Johnny pulls his piece out, and lays it across his desk, with the barrel pointing in the general direction of this clown. I mean, Thomas, he does this without breaking eye contact with this guy, and still firing the death ray out of his eyes. The guy storms out of the room, and Johnny just breaks down. He laughs so hard, the tears are flowing like water, and he doubles up at his desk gasping for air. God Thomas, now that’s entertainment.”
“How would you like to handle Mr. Big?”
“I say we have some fun. I will be ‘Don’ Johnson again, and you can be Benny, the Enforcer.”
“You want to play around, and then arrest him?”
“Hell Thomas, you know better than that. What kind of charges would we bring, and what would we use for proof? We killed everyone, who could have testified against him.”
“Well, if we are going to have a little fun Nate, you get in the back seat. I’ll chauffeur you to his place, and run interference, just in case they don’t want to play at first.”
“That might be better,” Nate agreed as he pulled over. “After all, I do not want some cheap little thug to screw up the Lincoln.”
Connor got into the driver’s seat, while Nate entered the back seat, and settled in comfortably. “Will we use the guns this time?”
“No, we have already been a bit noisy today as it was Nate. It would be good to handle this matter quietly.”
“But still have some fun, right?”
“Of course ‘Don’,” Thomas agreed smiling. “We will make sure Mr. Big sends no one, after anyone, anymore. No matter how fast I am Nate, this will be dangerous. Are you sure you want to play around with this.”
“Can’t stop living, and having fun Thomas, or we might as well start living in a little cracker box, while we wait for the mailman, and read obituaries everyday to find out who we out lived.”
“Right as always Nate,” Connor sighed. “I just don’t want you to get hurt, and leave me to tell Claire and Nate Jr. his old man just wanted to have fun.”
“I expect your mutant ass to be sacrificed long before they get to mine.”
“Good point. We are almost there. Wow, nice place.” Connor slowed, and he and Nate both leaned over for a look over the sprawling residence with brick and iron fencing, circular drive, and guarded gate. Connor pulled up to the gate slowly as he rolled down his window to speak to the uniformed guard approaching. Connor could see another guard on the phone inside.
“Good evening Sir, how may I help you,” the guard asked crisply.
“Would you be kind enough to let your employer know Thomas Connor, and the ‘Don’, would like to speak to him. The guard nodded and went in to talk to his friend, who relayed the information over the phone. The first guard came out a moment later, and opened the gate. He motioned them through. Connor followed the circular driveway to the front of the house. Six men with automatic weapons emerged from the house, and surrounded the Lincoln. Thomas, who had left his window rolled down, waved at the nearest man.
“Are you here to escort the ‘Don’ and I to see your employer, my good man?”
“We’re goin’ to escort you alright. You and the ‘Don’ get your asses out of the car, and we’ll all take a walk.”
Connor nodded. He rolled up his window, and got out of the car slowly, shutting the door behind him. He drove the man’s nose bone through his brain, grabbing the rifle out of his hands before the body dropped lifeless to the ground. Within seconds, the remaining five were down, and no shots had been fired. Connor looked around to see if they had drawn any attention from the guard post, but there was no sign of movement. They had only an obstructed view of where the Lincoln sat. Connor nodded to Nate, and then began dragging the bodies over by the side of the house.
Nate got out of the Lincoln, and walked up to the front door with Connor following. He stepped aside and let Connor enter ahead of him. The entryway opened into a huge foyer, where a staircase wound its way to the next floor above. Nate checked one side of the lower floor for any signs of movement, as Connor did the same on the opposite side of the house. They met up again in the entryway.
“Do you want to go on with this fun stuff Nate, or have you had enough excitement for now? I only found a few service people in the kitchen, and no sign of anything else. They must be upstairs, and you can bet this guy has more than one layer of guards,” Connor stated.
“They won’t fire until they find out what they want,” Nate replied. “They think we might be the lower rung of some big operation moving into their territory, otherwise, those guys outside would have opened up on us. They have not met the ‘Mutant Terror’ in person yet, so they will not feel all that threatened.”
“Okay then,” Connor chuckled. “Shall we proceed upstairs, and introduce ourselves ‘Don’?”
“After you Bwana.”
Connor scowled again at Nate before leading the way upstairs. Two men were posted down the hallway, in front of a large doorway. Both men were Chinese. Connor had time to exchange surprised looks at Nate, just before they were spotted. Connor walked slowly towards the guards with his hands at his sides. Nate stayed to his right side. The guards rushed up to them with weapons drawn.
“Where are the other men?” the first guard asked suspiciously.
“Downstairs,” Connor replied. “We are not armed, so they remained downstairs. Your employer did want to see us, right?”
The two guards stared at them for a time, with the one glancing down the stairs once as he said something to his companion in Chinese. The other guard shrugged. The first man said something else in Chinese, and then turned and entered the room they were guarding. A moment later, he came back out and motioned for his companion to bring Nate and Connor inside.
When they entered the room, both Nate and Connor gaped at the huge high tech control room and conference area. There were banks of monitors, computer stations, and every form of business apparatus imaginable. Connor breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed the monitors were not for surveillance, but for conference calls. A well-dressed, middle-aged Chinese man sat at the conference table with two more Chinese men standing behind him.
“You wished to see us?” Connor asked politely.
“Why do you think I would wish to see you two?”
“Because you directed the kidnapping of a teenage boy to attain our whereabouts so you could have us killed. Since you cannot see us dead, I thought perhaps you would like to see us alive. I must admit the ‘Don’ and I were surprised to find the Chinese connection to the black gangs and slave ring so soon.”
The man’s eyes narrowed, and he tensed at the reference. “What do you know about slave rings, or black gangs, other than your recruitment of a few minor thugs?”
“I plan on knowing quite a bit by the time I leave here,” Connor informed him.
The man laughed. “What in the world makes you think you two will be leaving here?”
Nate whirled and smashed the man just behind him to the floor. He continued down with him, and broke his neck. He stayed there, crouched over the body as a flurry of movement took place around him. He heard one shot, and he grabbed the dead man’s gun under him, sensing the worst. Nate threw himself to the side, and came up with the gun ready to fire. Connor was standing over the Chinese boss, holding a small.32 caliber Berretta in his hand. Connor had been shot in the chest, and Nate could see the blood running down the front of his suit.
Connor smacked the man across the face with his open hand hard enough to send him crashing to the floor. He looked up at Nate then, “The little prick was packing Nate. I should have been more careful.”
Nate rushed over, but Connor stopped him with a gesture. “Just go on out and see to those two gate guards. We don’t want them crashing our little party. I’ll be fine.”
“Fine hell, you got shot in the chest you moron. I need to get you to the hospital.”
“Nate, trust me. Get on down there and take out the two guards and then come on back up,” Connor instructed.
Nate hesitated momentarily, and then turned quickly to the door. Nate took out his own silenced weapon and carefully went downstairs. He found the gate guards, still at their post. Apparently a gunshot did not attract attention around this place. The two men in the guard shack turned only long enough to have Nate’s face as the last thing they saw on this earth. Nate grabbed each of them, and dragged them into the foliage by the fence. He hurried back into the house and up the stairs.
Connor had the Chinese man back in his seat, where the man held his damaged face. Connor smiled, “Hi Nate, that didn’t take long.”
Nate rushed over and opened Connor’s suit coat, vest, and shirt to find nothing but some drying blood. Nate pushed Connor playfully, as he shook his head in amazement. “I might have known you would have a healing factor, you freak. You might have told me.”
“I had not planned on getting shot buddy. He ruined my favorite new suit too. Nice work on the guard when we first came in. You were kind of in the way for me to do that one quick enough.”