Broken Toys | Chapter Fifty-Two

Fergus

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They don’t prepare for spooks. They don’t expect justice wrought upon them by a demon in the dark, nor react with speed when quickly subdued.

Kahan didn’t like my contingency plan, but he knew well the lay of the land when it comes to my honor. Told him as Alistair and Nyssa went inside the farmhouse, “Look mate, either I do my thing or this shit keeps happening. You want some results? Start showing those predatory fucks that they can be hunted too. Damage their sense of calm. Sure, take ‘em to court. Let them wiggle out of charges, fines and jail time. That’ll be a great deterrent. Oh wait— it’s not. Time to crank things up a bit.”

We sat in the damn rental car, parked out of the way by a hedge. Via remote control and tablet screen, we controlled our drones and kept watch over the house and dock.

“I want it stopped, but if we do this, then we’re no better than them. Law must be maintained.”

“Is that why Theo Fucking Mezler ended up dead in my backyard?” Where’s the law when Kahan sees Nyssa beaten and doesn’t call the police? He wants to take the high road? Un-bloody likely. “I’m not going to argue with you. But I’ll deliver justice to those who dare violate a child. Arrest me now if you want to stop me. Otherwise, I will collect heads of those who have no honor.”

He fiddled with his remote a bit, toggling switches and the directional thumb pads. “If we’re lucky it won’t come to that.”

“You told us just a few minutes ago that the glowing symbol on that invite has pedophile connotations.”

Kahan’s tone became intense. Could tell he wasn’t happy with what he was saying. “It does. But if we’re lucky, we’ll be out of here before that.”

But it wasn’t enough to dissuade me from my path. “And if they decide to uh, drink from the fountain of youth?” Couldn’t bring myself to say rape a child for shits and giggles.

Kahan heaved a sigh. “I don’t know. I don’t know how we should react. I want to stop it, but we’re two unarmed guys verses an estate full of people and armed guards. What do you suggest?”

“Well… I’ve got several ideas. None of which you will like. For example, did you know I have a lot of guns in our near proximity, thus we aren’t technically unarmed?”

I hit a one of his buttons, evidently. “Dammit, Fergus, you just couldn’t resist, could you?”

“Damn Skippy, I couldn't resist. Best part: no silencers.”

“Oh, so when they hear gunfire, they alert authorities to come and guards to unload their clips in our general direction?” How little Kahan must think of me.

“Not if they don’t hear they rounds.”

He did a double take. “What now?”

Couldn’t resist hiding the grin. “Subsonic ammunition.”

“You didn’t…” His voice trailed off. He knew what that meant.

“Oh, I did. And I lied. The bullpup has a built-in silencer.” Huzzah for Russian sniper rifles and old friends in the military.

“Are you trying to get us killed?” Kahan’s voice lowered to a dangerous growl.

“If the guns scare you, I brought a katana and tanto. No muzzle flare; just, you know, screams of those watching and a lot of blood of those dying.”

Kahan shook his head. “Why are you telling me of your intent to do illegal things?”

I scoffed. As if he needed an actual response to a question he should know the the answer to already. “Because you brought me into this adventure and I have a little manifesto of sorts to uphold.”

As we spoke, we monitored our drones. All quiet on the waterfront. Back of the house didn’t have much action. Third drone flew around, keeping an eye on the grounds. We sat in the tablet’s glow.

“What fucking manifesto? Thou shalt not be a kiddie diddler?”

I didn’t respond. Just reached into my back pocket, pulled out my worn leather wallet, and fished out a folded piece of paper. Written with the Elder Futhark runes and homemade ink. Why? Because if I put that much effort into writing the blasted thing, then it’s obviously important to me. After unfolding it, I handed it to him.

“I can’t read this.” Kahan thrust it back at me.

“It says:

-Have the courage to stand by your convictions.
-Speak the truth. Liars cannot be trusted.
-Live with honor. Do good deeds not of out expectation of reward, but because it’s the right thing.
-Hold faith with your community, for they are the ones who will help put out house fires, lend shoulders to lean on, and celebrate with. When you violate your neighbors, you violate your community. Do so at your own peril, for we take care of our own.
-Live with personal discipline.
-Help when asked, and pass it forward with good deeds. Let no cry of help go unanswered.
-Protect our children fiercely, for their hurts will form their world, a world their children will dwell.
Our species has given up survival of the fittest and we’re paying the price.
If a dog bites several people, it’s put down. It’s time to put that mentality forth to our own species. Cull the rabid ones that befoul others.
If law enforcement cannot do it’s job and enforce the laws, then we the people must take the laws into our own hands. This should be a last resort, but sometimes a preemptive measure. Our local law enforcement is corrupt. They will not help you. They will ignore you. Not all are bad. But those who are tend to be at the top of the totem pole. We can’t remove that pole without permission. So we must build another.

There are only a handful of reasons why one would be executed. There must be compelling evidence of the crime, and justice is up to the victim’s and/or family.

You will be executed if you:
-Rape anyone. Death will be especially foul of one guilty of raping a child.
-Mutilate any living being for personal gratification.
-Treason against the country and it’s people.

“When did you write that out?” His voice didn’t betray what he thought.

“Do you remember Maddox?”

“Yeah, of course. I was at his funeral. You asked me to go. You didn’t say much the whole day. And you were completely sober.”

Maddox was the closest I had to having a husband. Canadian, served in the US Marine Corps. No one since has come close to claiming the chunk of my heart buried with him. Eight years together— eight years of laughs, guns, love. “His stepfather abused him. Then when shit got tight, started renting Maddy out to his friends. One of the reasons he joined the military— over-compensation for being molested and feeling powerless. Wrote that the night he died. I’m doing this for him. He had no one to protect him from monsters. Well, I’m fucking sick of it. It’s in the news, it’s in our lives. No one fucking talks about it because of the stigma. But how can we fix that shit if we don’t even acknowledge it? Execute a few of the right fuckers and then they’ll have to start talking about it. They’ll have no choice and they will run out of excuses fast.”

“I don’t like it. Besides, you can get killed.”

“So fucking what? I could be hit by a car crossing the bloody street. I’ll still be dead. Fuck, breathe air long enough and it'll kill you. Besides, if they don’t see me, then they can’t stop me. If they catch me and question me, I don’t know shit. Can bust out the Gaelic and see how they like that.”

Kahan reached into his coat pocket and pulled out something looking like Doctor Who’s sonic screwdiver. “Here. EMP beam. Point it at an electronic and temporarily shut it off.”

Two guards stopped our conversation as they walked past the hedges and saw our car. Tried slipping the tablets out of view and tucked the drone remotes into our jackets—chucking them under the seats would look too obvious.

“What are you guys doing?”

Kahan opened his mouth to speak but I beat him to the punch. “Our boss lady ordered us to stay put until called. You know how it is. Someone has to man the phone while she frolics.”

The shorter guard spoke, “Yeah, these folks like barking orders. This your first time here?"

Kahan and I both nodded, and Kahan replied, “Yeah. Pretty easy finding the place.”

The taller guard chuckled. “GPS is something, isn’t it? Gotta love technology.”

Indeed. “Yeah, I’m loving tablets because who doesn’t love watching porn on something other than their TV?”

Kahan tapped me on the arm, “Dude, that’s what cell phones are for.”

Both guards wore military-style uniforms, with belts loaded with fun things like cuffs, flashlight, mace, collapsible baton, and taser. No gun that I could see. The shorter guard, a ginger bloke I wouldn’t mind buying a beer for offered a little tidbit. “Just as a heads up, there’s usually a little gathering for staff at the South Barn. Drivers are welcome.”

I gave a smirk. “Maybe we’ll take turns to socialize. One of us has to man the ship.”

“Sounds good. If you get lost, just hail one of us. But make sure to avoid the East Barn. It’s off-limits.” With a nod and smile, the guards walked on, shining their lights into the dark.

As soon as they passed from view, Kahan said to me, “Are you really going to go on a raid?”

“Only if they give me a good goddamn reason. Shit, I crashed the drone.” Couldn’t very well fly the blasted thing while talking to the guards. Didn’t need them asking unwanted questions as to why I was holding a remote control. Switched the remote back on and tried raising it from the tree which snarled it. Kahan picked up the tablet with it’s feed and said, “Wait! Look there. You can see inside the house.”

Second story view, five brightly-lit windows. All devoid of motion.

So, with one drone stuck in a tree and one aimed at the dock, that left one to fly over the farm. “Let’s go see what’s going on at the South Barn. And if there’s something going on there, maybe other happenings are occurring at the other barns.”

Kahan flew his drone to the barn. Guards, chauffeurs, maids and waiters hung out, drinking beer from amber colored bottles. Didn’t look like much going on. So he flew it to the East Barn, about five hundred yards away. Way smaller than the South Barn, there were a group of five men and a woman huddled outside.

“Do these things have audio?” I asked.

“Yeah. The switch is, uh, here.” He slid it into the ON position and for a fraction of a second, static split our ears before voices took over.

“Is it going to be a cheese pizza party?”

“Yeah. Rex is invited, too.”

“Whose Rex?”

“Benny Swill’s Rex. Staffordshire terrier. Mean bastard.”

“How much longer until the shipment arrives?”

“Within half-hour. The party starts at eight thirty.”

“What’s on the menu?”

“Kitten and Rex.”

“Nice.”

Their words sounded odd, like they spoke in code. Kitten pizza?

“Hey, we need to watch the dock.” I told Kahan, unneeded as my words were, as he already held the tablet with that particular feed. Wasn’t long before a light shone on the water as a boat neared. Two men in slacks and turtleneck sweaters disembarked, while a third stayed on board, handing down a wire dog kennel that housed a child. Couldn’t tell the gender. Just the fact that it was caged sparked my fury.

“They just gave me a fucking reason to get angry. Get Nyssa out of there, now.” I growled. Took much control to not vault out of the car, sprint my ass over to that barn and start cutting throats. For a good minute, my vision turned literally red.

Kahan touched a little button on his twinsie ear piece and spoke to Alistair. “Nyssa’s uncle took a dive. She’s needed now.” Then Kahan turned to me. “There. That’ll get her out fast.” With that said, he handed me the remote and tablet, and started the car. Just as we pulled up, Nyssa and Alistair and Theo Fucking Mezler walked out the house. Terse goodbyes and I bounced of the car to open Nyssa’s door so she could get into the car. We left. Nyssa asked if Mounties were an option. They aren’t. Kahan didn’t bother to answer her because he knew what my answer would be.

After we left the estate, Kahan pulled over and I got out and fetched my belongings from the car’s boot. Changed my shirt into something that would blend in with the night, and carried my duffel bag of mayhem.

“I’m going for a walk. Will call you when I’m ready for a pick up.” Then I made for the tree line. Kahan drove off. He’d have enough time to drop them off at the hotel and swing back this way by the time I’m done. I stalked into the trees, making my way back to the gated farm. There’ll be a fence. Didn’t matter. I’d get through, over, or under it. Fished my night vision goggles from the duffel bag. Put ‘em on, and surveyed my surroundings. Dense woods. I could dig it.

Every step took me closer to vengeance. When Nyssa asked for me to be her bodyguard, I underestimated the job. Not that I mind generally speaking, but I obviously didn’t understand the full scope of what the job entailed. Not just covering Nyssa’s ass, but helping to ensure other abusive twat waffles don’t get their jollies from the unprotected. Dammit, wish I had the foresight to nab a tablet and drone remote. That’d make this easier. Tried pulling up the mental map I got from Google Earth of the property. Ocean-front on the west side. House in the North. Three barns— one East, South, and one for breeding the heritage hogs raised on the farm. They’d have cameras. Maybe laser trip-lines. Motion detectors. They can come for me. It’s not like I’m unprepared.

Finally found the fence. About a mile away from the guard house, downwind. Could see the lead wire— electrified fence. Fuck it. I’m Doctor fucking Who. Tom Baker without the jelly babies and scarf. Took out my sonic screwdriver and aimed at the lead wire. Pressed the big black rubberized button. A little bzzt! Sounded. Then two clicks. Couldn’t tell if the EMP worked. Would have to actually touch the fence. Did it the way I’d do it at the homestead: with a long blade of grass. Found one about ten inches long, and touched it to the fence. Nothing. Pushed it closer and closer and still, no shock of electricity to impede my movement. With that knowledge, I busted out the fencing pliers and began snipping a portal into the wire mesh in a large C shape. That way, when pulled closed, the widest part of the C will catch on the fence and hold it shut, more or less. Made my way through into enemy territory. With every step, I inhaled or exhaled a deep breath. Each step, deliberate. Stayed close to trees and in their shadows so that the filtered moonlight couldn’t illuminate me. These people are secure in their little bubble. Secure in the thought that they can do as they wanted without repercussion. Time to disrupt the calm.

Best I could tell, the guards worked in two-men teams. One team at the guardhouse. At least one team patrolling the parking situation. Assuming three teams rocking the remainder of the grounds open to receiving people. And about four teams guarding the East Barn— better to over-estimate the number I’d have to take down. Round it up to twenty.

Unfortunately the gun I brought for long-range sniping only holds five rounds. Would have to bust out extra clips for efficiency. Find a nice place and hide out and pick off teams, one by one. Would rather skirt them all, and just take out the offenders. Guards are just doing their job. Those up to fuckery, not so much.

Couldn’t skirt around as much as I’d like; the bulk of the property isn’t woods with cover, but open pasture for pigs. While I approved of their husbandry tactic, didn’t appreciate that my lack of linear path meant there’d be more time to discover my whereabouts. Hopped low fence and jogged next to it, hoping to reach the far side of the pasture and then make my way to the East Barn. Shit, a mud hole. Slowed my jog down so I wouldn’t lose traction in the pig wallow. Night vision showed a green and gray landscape. Infrared showed a sounder of hogs watching me. The biggest one had tusks eight inches long. His approach triggered my hurry to evacuate the pasture; last thing I need is to be gored by a hog and discovered. Worst case, they discover nothing but my teeth and weapon-laden duffel bag.

Could hear the boar behind me and I booked it out of there as if Fenrir himself were after me, ready to devour my ass as if I were a wee bit of cheese before feasting on the cosmos. Made it to the fence and leapt over as if it were a hurdle. Tried landing softly, but an “Umph,” sounded from my lips. The boar snorted behind me, easily a six-hundred pound ham-to-be.

My landing pad was nothing to brag about: either crappy compost or a heap of pig shit and straw. Didn’t stick around long enough to find out.

Could see dim lights shining in the distance. Figured it was the farmhouse. I walked east, intent on finding the barn. Intent on carrying out this duty. Fucking animals not worth keeping around. Fucking animals that make pigs look like good people. Fucking wealthy sacks of shit who get high on power trips, and what’s more powerful than violating the innocent?

About twenty minutes of stalking in the dark yielded my goal. The East Barn didn’t seem so much like a barn. Maybe in shape, but up close, one could see it was made of concrete. A barn-like bunker, with those same people I saw via drone milling outside. Was close enough to hear them talk.

“What’s the opening bid going to be?”

The pant-suit clad woman spoke. “Two grand.”

“Is that before or after the cheese pizza party?”

“Hell if I know.”

Opening bid? Am I in time to stop the sale of a child?

“When do we start?” Another man spoke. He wore a polo shirt and slacks.

“As soon as Ben calms Rex down. Don’t want him too excited before the fun begins..”

I wasn’t going to wait that long. Used the EMP beam to kill the light hanging above the barn’s door, the little God-like halo of illumination shielding those fuckers from the dark.

“Shit! Hey, can we crank on the generator? Is power out all over the farm?”

“There’s no Faraday cage around the generator… it’s not a manual start. I don’t know how to turn it on.”

“That’s what your mom said.”

“Fuck you. Aw, listen to the kitten cry.”

Gasping sobs came from inside the barn. Turned my blood to ice and further fanned the flames of my anger. Was a dozen or so yards from the barn. Slowly, I unzipped the duffel and removed the gun. The ammo I chose was deliberate— subsonic ammunition doesn’t create the typical gunshot sound. It’s designed to be quiet. Used with a silencer, and it’s even more muted. Seven people were outside the barn’s door. Seven shots, going to need another cartridge ready. Unless… Shouldered the weapon and took aim. As soon as I could, I picked off two at once, right through the brain pan. Heavier bullets to carry the momentum had no problem with penetration. There were gasps at their fellows falling and the warm spray of blood and brain. But without light, they couldn’t see the extent of the damage. Took two more out the same way followed another quick take down. Switched out the empty cartridge in record time to neutralize the remaining people. Slung the gun onto my back by the strap and picked up the shell casings, cartridge, and put them into the duffel bag as I jogged over to the barn. Fast as I could, I dragged the bodies, one by one, to the barn’s side and placed them one by one over the low fence belonging to another pasture— that way when the lights flick back on, there won’t be a pile of carnage next to the door. Just blood, gray oatmeal chunks, and bone chips.

Barely had time to move the last body when an older man popped his head outside the door and said, “We found some flashlights. Not going to be a cheese pizza party because the digital camera isn’t working, either… guys? What’s taking you so long? Let’s get started.”

Got him at close range. Could hear the bullet embed itself in a tree ten yards behind him. “Ben,” a voice called from inside the barn. “You that drunk already or did you sip some of the coo-laid. Don’t you know that’s for the kitten?”

Didn’t move Ben’s body. He just laid there, back of his head gone, as footsteps got closer, investigating the fallen.

Carefully, I maneuvered to shoot inside the barn. Had to take off the night vision since lantern light was enough to blind me. Two men inside. A caged child. Big, mean looking dog on a harness, tied to a metal pipe coming out from the back wall. He got a whiff of me, started growling, and pulling his line, struggling to get at pig-shit-covered interloper. Didn’t want to shoot the dog, but I didn’t want to get attacked, either. Not without a bite suit.

Two shots took care of the men. The kid had a sippy-cup in its hand, passed out in the cage. Either the terrified crying knocked the kid out, or the beverage inside the cup did. Considering the ‘coo-laid’ comment, carefully emphasized, that seemed a possibility. I walked away from the dog, still pissed and loud, and went to the cage. A padlock didn’t hold up to my fencing pliers.

Poor kid was light as a feather. Shaggy hair, dark circles under the closed eyes. Needed to get us out of here. Pocketed the sippy-cup and ran. Needed to escape. Could hear wet, crunchy-tearing sounds. Fuck. Hogs in the pasture found the dead bodies.

Backtracked my path until I got back to the manure heap, far enough from the buildings to be safe, before I called Kahan.

“Get to the pick up zone. We have a passenger. Not sure how we’re going to do this, but we can’t leave the kid behind.”

“We’re twenty minutes out— didn’t go back to the city. Nyssa wouldn’t let me leave you— she’s ready to launch a rescue mission.”

“No need. But get a blanket warmed up. The kid is going to need it. And clothes.”

“Over and out.” He hung up and I continued on my way, hugging the back fence, hurrying as fast as I could, hoping the big boar was occupied with cleaning up my mayhem. Came to the fence, went back through the hole I made, and through the woods. Almost an hour later, I saw the car.

Nyssa burst out the backseat like a jack-in-the-box. “Fergus! You okay?”

“Yeah. But there’s a bunch of people who aren’t.

“Why is she asleep?” Nyssa indicated the child in my grasp.

“Not sure. Maybe drugged with something. Maybe exhausted.”

I knew I was, but adrenaline took the edge off. Wanted to light a doob, but wouldn’t. Not with a kid in the car. This night changed me, changed us all. Made our mission more real, as here’s fucking evidence of the depravity of man.

Couldn’t wait to hear what the newspapers were going to say about the missing douche bags. Couldn’t wait to get back to the states and clean house.

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Thank you for reading!

More chapters of Broken Toys available here

ALCHEMY OF WRITING series:

*So You Want to Write A Novel. Congrats. Get ready to mainline caffeine and shun people.
*Alchemy of Writing :: Character Creation
*Alchemy of Writing :: World Building and sensory seduction