Just then, overhead lights flipped on.
“Take a seat, gentleman,” barked Two.
Terry and Dan flipped around reaching for their pistols. Two, pointing a huge shotgun, said, “Drop em’. Butt first. Then sit down. Butt first. Hands on the table. Now.”
Terry and Dan placed their guns on the floor and walked toward the table. “How’d you know we were down here?” Terry asked, as he and Dan took seats.
Two smirked. “You shoulda put the code in again. Before getting off the elevator. You broke the laser beam.”
“Sorry” Dan shot back. “We can try to fix it.”
“Too late,” said Two. “But enough chit-chat. We’re going for a walk.” Two pointed his shotgun at a huge door on the far side of the Planning Room. Once through it, Dan and Terry found a prison of sort. Three cells with metal bars, hard cots, open commodes, and wrist shackles attached to stone walls inside the cells. Two shoved Dan into the first cell. Terry into the next. Then he double padlocked both cells and, without a word, turned around and left the room, slamming the big door shut.
Two had to get his head straight, so he decided to go for a long run and let the prisoners rot. Do ’em good, he thought. Outside, the rising sun filled the sky with a golden hue, but as Two jogged the main drag, he saw clouds to the west. Oh well, he figured, bad weather was coming.
By seven, it was starting to sprinkle, and Two returned to the house. He checked to see that the two intruders were still in their cells. Then he went upstairs for breakfast. An hour later he sat with coffee in the Planning Room, at the head of the table, thinking, What am I really gonna do with these guys? If Hess finds out I let them in—I’m toast. But then who the hell are they? They’re not City Building Inspectors, that’s for sure. Who cares who they are? They’ve got to go. Have to disappear. Stroking the shotgun barrel, Two ran through his options. Jesus, Hess is due back late this afternoon. And His Eminence sometime tonight. These guys gotta be history by noon. Gone—without a trace. Two was resolved. No time to waste.
He marched into the Prison Room. “Get up! We’re goin’ for a ride.” He opened Terry’s cell door. Then he motioned with the shotgun for Terry to get up and out. Now. Terry took his time, and it pissed Two off. He shoved the shotgun’s muzzle into Terry’s back to prod the SOB. That was a mistake. In one fluid motion, Terry pivoted on his left heel, pushed the gun barrels away with his left hand, and brought his right foot up to Two’s head. Surprised, Two staggered to his right. In that same instant, Terry whipped the shotgun out of Two’s hands. A split second later, he flipped the gun around, grabbed its triggers, and pressed both to Two’s left temple. It was over. Two raised his hands. Slowly.
“Get in the cell,” Terry ordered. “Shackle yourself to the wall. Move a muscle, and I’ll splatter you all over the room. Swear to God.”
Two had no choice but to sing like a canary. Sure, he’d been trained, to the breaking point, never to say a word. He’d sworn over and over to endure all forms of torture, if necessary. But, no one could have contemplated this, not the type of torture these guys used. Cold hard logic.
“Look, weasel,” Terry reasoned, “you can’t win, no matter what you do. Unless you cooperate. My friend and I could just leave you here. Shackled to the wall only to be found by your boss.”
Two listened intently.
“You see this key?” Terry taunted. “I’m dropping it in my pocket. And now it doesn’t exist for you, ever. Those shackles are part of your wrists. What the hell are you gonna say when the judge comes back and finds you here.” Terry laughed. “Some security you are. Your ass will be fired. Or, I’m suspecting, your ass will be in for something worse.”
Two had no options. Getting fired would be nothing compared to what he really feared. If they left him in the cell, he was doomed. He’d suffer whatever ungodly torture Hess could dream up. And His Eminence would be watching with approval. When Hess finally tired of inflicting pain, death would be welcome. Then it suddenly occurred to Two: His captors, who set him up for Hess’ wrath, might also let him escape. These two were his only friggin’ hope for getting out alive. As Terry and Dan were locking his cell door, Two blurted out, “Wait! Wait. Gimme time to think.” Terry and Dan reopened the cell. They sat down on the cot opposite Two, and just stared at him. Silent. Patient. Like they could wait all day.
And then Terry sighed, “Talk, or we’re outta here. This time for good.”
Two, eye cast to the ground, asked softly, “What do ya want to know?”
“Who the hell are you?” said Dan. “What is this place?”
“Like I told you, I’m in charge of security here at the house. And this—this is the basement, that’s all,” said Two. “You’ve gotta believe me.”
“We’re outta here,” shouted Dan.
“Wait,” said Terry, “give him one more chance.”
“Bullshit,” Dan growled, as he stomped toward the cell door. Terry gazed at Two with ‘what am I gonna do’ eyes and said, “I tried. It’s over.” Then Terry stood and headed out of the cell.
Two, desperate and confused, said, “OK, OK. Look—this is where His Eminence holds the Raven Society meetings.”
Terry stopped. Turned. And slowly sat back on the cot. As Dan re-entered the cell, Terry said, “Go on.” Two explained how His Eminence, the good Judge Gimuldin, had created a network of judges, known as the Raven Society. They worked together to improve the American justice system. From within. Two decided not to mention human trafficking, torture, or assassinations.
“Admirable,” said Terry. “Who else is involved?”
“Well some big corporate types support the Society. But I don’t know any of them. Or their names.”
“Who else?” Dan barked.
“No one,” said Two, “just the security team.”
“The one you head-up?” Dan scowled. “You expect us to believe that?”
“No, no, no. Wait.” Two was afraid they would leave the cell for the last time, “I’m just at the house. Herr Hess is in charge of security.”
“Herr Hess?” Dan shouted. “Who the hell is he?”
“Calvin Hess. He is—uh—Chief of Security. One big mean motherfucker.”
“How big?” asked Terry.
“Six foot, maybe more,” said Two, “and pure muscle. Huge shoulders. You don’t want to be here when he comes back, and neither do I. I’m toast if I’m found here. And so are you. I’ve told you everything. Let me go, pleeeze.”
“When is this ‘Herr Hess’ expected back?” Dan asked, almost spitting out the question.
“Today. Late afternoon. I’m not sure. His Eminence is coming back tonight. And if we’re found here, we’re fucked. You gotta believe me on that.”
CHAPTER 61
