Payback: Alone: Book 7 Read online

  “I promised my wife it was only temporary. That I’d do it for six months, then I’d hang it up. And I meant that. Then the world fell apart. The six months were up a long time ago.”

  “Where are they, Tony?”

  “They went to live with her mom in Smyrna, Georgia, not long before the blackout. Now I don’t know if they’re alive or dead.

  “All I know is I’m alone. No family, no friends. Just customers and employees. That’s all.”

  “I doubt that’s true. I’ll bet if I asked a lot of those customers what they considered you they’d say a friend first, then a supplier or boss second.”

  “They might say that. But if I told my customers I was no longer dealing they’d be gone in a day. Off to find somebody else to service their needs.

  “Same with my employees. If I told them I had no more silver or gold to pay them they’d peddle their protection services to somebody else.

  “It’s all a big game of supply and demand, Dave, and we all play a role. We all have our needs. As long as I supply those needs to people they’ll be nice and pretend to be my friend. Once my ability to fulfill those needs goes away, so do they.”

  “Is that what you think of me, Tony? You think I just call you my friend because I need you to help me find Beth?”

  “Honestly? Yes.”

  “That hurts. It really does.”

  “It’s reality. If you can’t see it you’re living in another world. A world where everything is perfect and everybody gets what they want. Where nobody needs one another because they don’t have to scratch and hunt to get the things they need.

  “That kind of world doesn’t exist anymore. No matter how much you wish it so.”

  “You’re wrong, Tony.”

  “Am I?”

  “Yes. You are. I mean, yes, I sought you out because I needed your help to find my daughter. I would have used you for that, yes. But I became your friend in the process.

  “After we find Beth I will leave, yes. I will take her back to her mother and sister, because that’s where she belongs. But I will shake your hand and let you know I appreciate your help way more than I could ever say in words. And I would tell you if there’s ever any way I could do something to pay you back I would in a heartbeat.

  “Because you’re my friend, Tony. And friends don’t abandon each other. They may go their separate ways for a lot of different reasons. But they never ever abandon each other.”

  Tony’s words had hit Dave particularly hard, because there was some truth to them. Tony was going to willingly help him. Then he’d leave. Not because he wasn’t Tony’s friend. But rather because he didn’t live there. He didn’t belong there. Albuquerque wasn’t his home.

  He’d thought, while Tony was still alive, that there must be some way to prove to his partner that he was indeed a friend.

  He never came up with an idea to do so.

  But now maybe he could.

  Chapter 3

  Tony was a big believer in heaven and hell. But he was also a rational thinker.

  He was brought up under hard-core protestant doctrine. He went to church with his parents on Sunday and listened to a fire and brimstone preacher telling his congregation they must repent. They must be baptized. They must be held to account for their sins, for it was the baptism which had cleansed them. And if they continued to sin it was as though they were never cleansed at all.

  Dave preferred to think that God was a benevolent God. That if God loved his children enough to create them, he’d look for the good in them and reward them for that. Rather than looking for the bad so He could punish them.

  Dave believed that only the Almighty was perfect. And that men, being mere mortals, were flawed.

  Flawed men make mistakes. Men sin.

  In Dave’s mind, God loved his children enough to not send them to hell for a single sin. Or even a hundred such sins.

  In Dave’s mind, God loved his children enough to consider what was in a man’s heart and not whether he was perfect.

  When Dave was in college he took a couple of courses in theology. Not because he wanted to pursue a degree in the field. Not because he felt a calling, but because the subject piqued his interest.

  One of his instructors boasted of forty-plus years studying the Bible. He not only knew Hebrew, but Ancient Hebrew as well.

  It was his professor’s contention that modern day scholars had been misinterpreting the Bible’s meaning for a very long time.

  “It was mistranslated very long ago,” he maintained. “Someone who was unfamiliar with the original dialect and context in which the Bible was written transcribed the wrong choice of words.

  “God never said hell was a river of fire, and that sinners would burn there for all eternity.

  “What God actually said was that hell was a place for redemption. A sort of re-education camp, if you will, for those Christians who fell short and sinned. There were no fiery pits. There was no agony. Hell is merely a way station for sinners to redeem themselves before becoming rededicated to God’s word and sent on to heaven.”

  It was a radical concept and Dave was skeptical.

  But then, years later, Dave met another studied and well respected theologian. This time an old Jewish rabbi, who more or less told him the same thing.

  Dave was a big believer in heaven and hell. But he didn’t believe that sinners were doomed to burn for all eternity.

  He believed that Tony’s soul was in a transition phase. That it was being cleansed so he could be someday be given passage through the pearly gates.

  Further, he believed that Tony could see what he left behind on the earth. Just as he’d always believed his own departed relatives could look down on earth and watch over those they left behind.

  That was something he’d believed when he was a teenaged boy, doing the things boys of that age tend to do. His aged grandmother died, and his naughty activities came to a screeching halt. He was convinced his beloved grandmother could see him.

  And certainly wouldn’t approve.

  Dave couldn’t prove Tony wrong when Tony was still alive.

  But if he was right… if Tony’s soul was still out there somewhere watching what he’d left behind, Dave would have another chance.

  He’d show Tony he meant what he said when he said they were friends. That it really did hurt Dave’s feelings for Tony to say there was no longer such a thing as friendship. That people merely used one another now.

  It was too late to help Tony. Tony was gone.

  But there might be something Dave could do to help his family.

  Perhaps give them some peace of mind.

  He would imagine Tony would appreciate his efforts.

  And it’s what friends do for one another.

  As for little Beth, it would delay her rescue by another day or so. But someday he’d explain it to her. He’d tell her about Tony, and stress to her that even people who appear to be completely bad aren’t always so.

  She’ll understand, he told himself. And she’ll forgive me.

  Chapter 4

  Dave’s biggest problem was riding up to Tony’s house on Tony’s vehicle and convincing the sentries he was still a good guy.

  The sentries’ natural assumption would be that Dave killed Tony for the Polaris, then went back to his home to loot all the gold, silver and drugs he had stashed there.

  And why wouldn’t they think that? It’s certainly what Dave would have thought were he in their shoes.

  All his life Dave had been a charmer. In college it was said he could talk a girl into or out of anything. And to be sure, he’d certainly enjoyed his share of conquests during those years.

  In the Corps he had a reputation as a peacemaker. Someone who could soothe two savage beasts and convince them not to kill each other. He’d been able to stop many a fight between fellow Marines just by talking them down.

  Dave had always had the gift of gab and the ability to talk his way out of a sticky situation.

 
; Today would be a major test of his skills.

  He came to a boarded up Exxon station with a burned up 1966 Chevy Impala parked haphazardly in the center of its driveway.

  The first time he’d seen it, when riding with Tony, it caught his eye and lodged itself in his memory banks.

  It wasn’t the first vehicle he’d seen that came to a rest in the middle of a driveway or blocking an intersection. Nor the first he’d seen that burned when the EMPs shorted everything out. A lot of batteries caught fire, and sometimes that fire spread and engulfed the car.

  No, he’d taken special notice of this particular car because he was a car guy and loved the classics. This particular Impala had been totally original and very well taken care of. It was cherry, both in condition and in color.

  It was one Dave would have wanted for his very own.

  Back when the world was sane, that is.

  Too bad those days were long gone.

  Dave remembered that Tony had turned here, at the burned out Chevy, and headed east. And it was there, about three blocks down this street, where he’d finally arrive at Tony’s house.

  And it would be show time.

  He’d either talk his way in and do the things he needed to do, or he’d find himself in a world of trouble.

  It wasn’t the first time he ever went on a mission that defied common sense. Or the first time he’d used his heart instead of his head. He’d always survived those situations before. After all, he was still alive.

  He would be at the end of this day too. Logic or not, he was sure of that.

  Half a block away from Tony’s house he came to a dead stop in the middle of the street.

  The new world was one of deathly silence. There was no longer any vehicle noise. No longer any loud music emanating from bedroom windows. No longer kids happily playing in the streets.

  Just an eerie quiet, broken only occasionally by yelling or gunshots.

  Dave knew they heard him coming by now.

  He had their attention. He knew they were watching him, although he couldn’t see them hidden in their perches.

  He was committed. There was no going back now.

  He got off the vehicle and made a big show of unslinging the AR-15 rifle off his back.

  He placed it tenderly, as though it were a baby, on the pavement in front of the vehicle.

  He stood facing the sentries, arms straight out to his sides.

  Then he slowly removed the web belt holding his sidearm.

  He held the belt out in front of him, for all the world to see.

  Especially the sentries.

  Then he placed it on the ground, put his arms out to his sides once again and slowly turned three hundred and sixty degrees.

  He wanted to show the sentries he was unarmed and no threat to them.

  He hoped they got the message.

  He’d never walked with his arms outstretched before. He was surprised at how awkward it was. It was a bit hard to balance.

  Slowly and deliberately, he covered the two hundred feet between the Polaris and Tony’s house.

  At the edge of Tony’s front yard, a loud clear voice came from the roof of the house.

  “That’s far enough.”

  Dave stopped in his tracks.

  As much as he wished he was, he wasn’t in charge of this operation. He was at the mercy of these men who’d likely be pissed off at what he had to say to them.

  The voice from the roof called out again.

  “Where’s Tony?”

  Dave hesitated. If he was going to be shot today, it would most likely be in the coming seconds.

  He winced before shouting back, “He’s dead.”

  He wasn’t sure what he expected to happen, exactly.

  He didn’t hear any gunshots. That was a very good thing. Of course, if they shot him in the head he’d probably never hear it.

  What he heard was silence.

  The man on the roof appeared in full view now, walking to an extension ladder leaning up against the roof.

  Apparently Dave was successful in conveying he wasn’t a threat, because the man’s back was exposed and vulnerable to Dave as he climbed down the ladder.

  It was one of the men he’d encountered on his first visit to the house, and he had a pained look on his face.

  “Are you serious, man? What the hell happened?”

  Chapter 5

  It wasn’t quite the response Dave had expected.

  He’d expected the sentries to be furious that their meal ticket was dead. That they were out of jobs. That there would be no more gold or silver changing hands from Tony’s to theirs.

  He also expected them to blame Dave. For Dave had been in the picture only a couple of days. It was obvious from his first visit they didn’t know him enough to trust him. Then, when Dave drove away with Tony and only Dave returned, it would look suspicious to anyone.

  Even to Dave.

  But the man in front of him didn’t seem to express anger.

  He seemed to express… sorrow.

  Could it be that Tony was as wrong about his men as he was about Dave?

  Had he kept them at arm’s length, determined to maintain an employer-employee relationship with them because he thought they didn’t regard him as a friend?

  Had he deprived himself of the moral support their friendship would have provided him because he didn’t deem himself worthy of that friendship?

  “What happened?” the man asked again.

  “He went alone into Dalton’s Raiders territory.”

  “Crazy Town? Damn it! We told him to stop going in there. We told him they were too unstable. That it wasn’t worth whatever money he was making there.”

  “He said he’d thought about cutting them off. That it was the only place he went in Albuquerque that made him afraid. But she said if he cut them off they might send people to kill him. He said they were crazy enough to put a hit out on him.”

  The man nodded his head.

  “The other factions would have protected him. We would have protected him.”

  Dave had his doubts. If Dalton’s Raiders were out for blood they merely would have had to set up snipers on the interstates that Tony traveled on a daily basis. They could have gotten him easily.

  But it wasn’t his place to argue the point.

  He merely stood, waiting to see where the conversation was headed.

  The man abruptly turned and shouted, “You guys come out. You need to hear this.”

  He turned back to Dave and said, “Let’s go inside. There doesn’t seem much need in guarding the place anymore, I guess.”

  He headed into the house and Tony followed.

  “Mike, wake up Charlie and Lucas. Have them come into the den.”

  There were five of them total, including the two night shift guards that had been rousted from their sleep.

  They sat on couches and easy chairs, giving them their rapt attention, as Dave gave them a recap of what had transpired.

  And they peppered him with questions.

  “Why didn’t you go in with him?”

  “He wouldn’t let me. He said they’d see me as an unnecessary threat and might shoot us both on the spot.”

  “How did he die?”

  “Trust me. You don’t really want to know.”

  “At least tell me it was quick.”

  “No. I’m sorry. He died a slow and agonizing death. I think they took great joy in watching him die.”

  “Did you get the chance to bury him?”

  “No. I’m sorry to say I didn’t. His body is still there… on display. But if it’s any consolation, his soul has surely gone on to a much better place.”

  “You said someone else was there helping you. Any idea who it was?”

  “Not a clue. They appeared to be paramilitary. Maybe combat veterans. They came up on me from behind. I didn’t have a clue they were there. They could have taken me out if they’d wanted to, but I think they sensed I was on their side.”

>   “So they took over and you left?”

  “Yes. By that time it was pretty much over anyway. My grenades killed or wounded most of the people I could see. They were picking off any stragglers who were coming out the front door.”

  “So you don’t know for sure they got Dalton himself?”

  “I don’t know what Dalton looked like. So no, I can’t say for sure.”

  “I guess we’ll find out soon enough. If one of the other factions took out Dalton, they’ll be bragging about it. They’ll probably march up and down the freeways with his ugly head on a stick. The world will definitely be better off without them.”

  “What did you say your name was again?”

  “Dave. Dave Speer.”

  “And you said Tony was helping you look for your daughter?”

  One man, leaning against the wall, was the only one who seemed to harbor any animosity toward Dave.

  Perhaps he was a suspicious sort by nature. Or perhaps he just didn’t trust Dave for some reason. Dave had to admit, his story of going it alone against a heavily armed camp of madmen did sound a bit far fetched.

  So did his claim of a military-style operation coming to his aid at the end of his battle.

  If Dave had heard the same story coming from someone else, he might have been skeptical too.

  “I think you’re a damn liar,” the man against the wall said. “Why don’t you tell us what you really want?”

  The man on the roof, whose name Dave had never caught, spoke up.

  “Shut up, Johnny. He didn’t have to come here. He could have left us wondering what happened to Tony. Let the man speak.”

  Dave answered the last question he was asked.

  “Yes. He was helping me find my daughter. He found out that she’s not even in the city. She passed Albuquerque by and headed west.”

  “So why didn’t you go after her?”

  “I plan to. But I had three things I needed to do first.”

  “Three things?”

  “Yes. The first was to avenge Tony. The second was to let you know your boss wasn’t coming home again.”