America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 5: Insurgency (7 page)

“I agree. I’ll contact the governor about
similar cooperation on a planet-wide basis. In the meantime, do not
trespass.”

“And I’ll contact General Kalipetsis,” I
promised.

“Does this mean you will honor our
extradition requests?” asked the spider commander.

“That is still a touchy subject. Extradition
will still be done on a case-by-case basis. And you may not request
to extradite any legionnaire, especially Lieutenant Barker. The
publicity it causes every time you do that does not help
things.”

“Only full cooperation will work,” warned the
spider commander. “Lieutenant Barker is a bad egg. You should cull
him from your nest now.”

“Probably,” I agreed. “But he is my problem.
I will take care of Barker, not you.”

“Why did the T. Roosevelt bomb an office
complex in New Memphis?” asked the spider commander. “Not that I
care when you human pestilence bomb each other, but New Memphis is
under joint administration, and you should still inform the Empire
before doing something so dangerous. We do not want to create a
public panic.”

“I don’t know anything about it. Was anyone
killed?”

“Just a bunch of Mafia bookies. But glass
windows were shattered in buildings a half mile away. I’m sending
the Legion a bill.”

“I’ll check on it and get back to you.”

* * * * *

I went to my underground bunker for some
sleep. It seemed like there was too much drama seeking me out, and
I just wanted to get away from it all. As I entered my quarters, I
was smacked on the side of my head. I fell to the floor. At least
four assailants kicked me repeatedly. I tried to protect my head
and ribs with hands and elbows, covering in a fetal position. The
beating continued. I was in bad shape. My right eye closed shut
from injury. Someone put a cloth bag over my head and cinched tight
a cord. Breathing was restricted as I struggled. Others bound my
hands behind my back with handcuffs. They yanked me to my feet and
pulled me along down a hallway. Every other step, someone punched
or kicked me and told me to shut up.

“Get this bag off my face!” I yelled. “I
can’t breathe!”

“You can breathe,” replied one of my
kidnappers. “Shut up, or I’ll shoot you.”

“I have asthma,” I cried. “I will die if I
can’t breathe. Take this bag off my head.”

“I’ll shoot you now!” repeated the
kidnapper.

“Look me in the eye when you shoot me,
coward!”

“Don’t worry, I will,” he said, laughing
nastily.

“We will cut off your head,” added another
assailant.

I was sure he was a spider. I could tell that
a translation device was involved in the conversation. “How did a
spider get down here?” I demanded. “Human traitors are working with
spiders?”

“Shut up,” said the spider, striking me in
the head again.

This time I lost consciousness as they
carried me the rest of the way to wherever it was they were taking
me. When I woke, a bright light shone in my face. The cloth bag had
been removed. I was still bound, sitting on a chair. A spider
calling himself Desert Claw loomed over me with a large sword. A
human insurgent by the name of David Torres and another human were
setting up video cameras on tripods.

“He’s awake,” announced Desert Claw. “Let’s
get started.”

Three humans and two spiders, all wearing
hoods to mask their identities, posed next to me for the cameras.
Desert Claw grabbed my hair, forced me to my knees, and put his
sword to my throat as he read a prepared statement. “We are the
Fist and Claw. We abducted the Foreign Legion war criminal and mass
murderer Colonel Czerinski, the Butcher of New Colorado, to bring
him to justice. We demand a free and independent New Colorado. We
demand the Arthropodan Empire and the United States Galactic
Federation both leave New Colorado at once. If you refuse to leave
New Colorado, the sand will be nourished with your blood. We demand
all freedom fighters be immediately freed from prisons on both
sides of the border. Otherwise, by sundown tonight, I will cut off
Czerinski’s head and mail it to the Legion.” The cameras stopped,
and the bright lights went out.

“So which is it?” I asked. “Are you going to
bring me to justice or trade me for prisoners?”

“We are going to chop you up a little bit at
a time,” said Desert Claw. “Then I will have your head.”

I recognized both Desert Claw and David
Torres from wanted posters at the Post Office. Up until now, they
were just local nuisances that operated mostly north of the
DMZ.

“David,” I said. “You are taking orders from
a spider?
Como puede esto ser? Amigo?”

“Your Legion hunts us all like dogs,” replied
Torres. “The tables are turned now! How does it feel?” Torres
slapped the side of my head.

“The planet is big enough for everyone,” I
said. “Friend, there are so many unexplored parts of New Colorado.
This is not necessary.”

“You are not my friend, legionnaire,” said
Torres.
“Entienda?”

“
Si,”
I answered. “We have both fought
the spiders. We have too much history and culture in common to
fight among ourselves. It should not end like this between us. We
are family. We are humanity.”

“Enough!” interrupted Desert Claw. “He only
seeks to drive a wedge between us!”

“Men don’t take orders from bugs,” I said.
“David isn’t through talking to me, and will not take orders from
you!”

“You think I’m stupid?” asked Torres,
slapping me again. “You are not Latino. Don’t speak Spanish to me
like you’re family. We are not family! I will kill you soon. Lock
him up!”

“I have a lot of money,” I offered. “Maybe I
can buy my way out of this?”

“I don’t need money,” said Torres. “If I
needed money, I would rob banks.”

“Let me make a phone call,” I said. “I want
to say good-bye to my girlfriend.”

“You have nerve, asking to use a phone,” said
Torres. “Do you think you can call for help? Do you think your call
can be traced to us?”

“Everyone here has loved ones who care about
them,” I said. “I do, too. You said you are going to kill me. Fine.
I can accept that. I had no illusions when I joined the Legion that
I would die a hero, other than I thought it would be spiders, not
traitorous humans, who would kill me. I want to say good-bye to
Valerie. I’ll just send a text if you are so afraid of hidden
messages or a trace. Please hand me my communications pad.”

“What does she look like?” asked Torres.

“Valerie looks like a blond Playboy model,” I
bragged. “I’ll show you a picture.”

Torres handed me my pad, allowing my one hand
to be free. I brought up Valerie’s photo. Then I sent her a text.
“Good-bye Valerie. No matter what happens, remember I love
you.”

The virtual image of Valerie appeared before
me, via the link to my brain. The others could not see or hear her
as she said, “I will not leave your side. I will help you through
this, sweetie.” Then she kissed me.

“Valerie is very beautiful,” commented
Torres, looking at her database photo. “Does she have a
sister?”

“Several,” I said. “And they all like men
with big guns. I’ll put you in contact with them through the
database, if you like.”

“Maybe in another place and another time.”
Torres sighed. “Too bad such a lovely woman will be grieving
soon.”

“Who is this pig?” asked Valerie.

“Someone that needs killing,” I replied.

Torres slapped me again. The insurgents bound
my free hand, covered my head with a bag, dragged me down a
hallway, and threw me to the floor of a locked cell. Valerie
followed, seething with anger. “I was able to see out a small
window as they brought you here,” said Valerie. “I have sent
enhanced images to Captain Lopez. Several landmarks and even a
street sign are easily identified. Sweetie, I promise you will be
rescued soon.”

* * * * *

Captain Lopez read the priority text message
and sorted through the attachments. Its sender was anonymous. Lopez
didn’t think it was possible to receive an anonymous priority
message, but someone had access to our secure codes. The text was
most disturbing.
Colonel Czerinski was missing? Kidnapped by
terrorists?
Captain Lopez sent a text message to me. No answer.
The anonymous sender’s analysis of hidden video indicated I was
being held at the G Company compound. This was based on a brief
image out a window. Captain Lopez sent a text message to Lieutenant
Barker, ordering him to report to Legion Headquarters. No
answer.

Captain Lopez broadcast a Division alert. All
First Division legionnaires were ordered to muster for an assault
on mutinous troops at the G Company compound. Legionnaire commandos
quickly attacked through the tunnels and through the front
entrance. I was found alive in a holding cell. Lieutenant Barker,
Sergeant Toock, Corporal Wayne, and about twenty other legionnaires
went missing. A new escape tunnel was later found. The rest of G
Company was placed under arrest, pending an investigation and
interrogations.

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Chapter 9

“Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids,” said the
small child, taking back a cereal box.

“And sometimes for sneaky rabbits,” replied a
large proud cartoon rabbit, as he ate his stolen bowl of
cereal.

I turned the TV off as Captain Lopez and
Guido entered my hospital room. I had some cracked ribs and a
concussion. My head and chest throbbed with pain. Valerie slept
cuddled next to me under the covers, unseen by my visitors. Her
warmth felt so real. She was snoring. Sometimes I think computers
go too far in trying to seem real.

“What are we going to do about Barker?” asked
Captain Lopez.

“Continue keeping him alive for the next
seven months, five hours, and thirty-two minutes,” I answered.

“How is that going to happen?” asked Captain
Lopez. “He’s a fugitive. Now the fool is going to be on everybody’s
Ten-Most-Wanted lists. He was already wanted north of the DMZ. Now
he has no sanctuary.”

“We will issue a press release indicating
Lieutenant Barker may have fallen victim to the same terrorists
that kidnapped me,” I said. “We will release video images of Desert
Claw, David Torres, and the others. I will issue a statement
expressing my personal confidence in Lieutenant Barker’s
loyalty.”

“Who sent me the video of you in the
hallway?” asked Captain Lopez. “Do we have a spy in the
insurgency?”

“I can’t answer that,” I replied. “It doesn’t
matter anyway. All I care about is that Lieutenant Barker lives
long enough to win our bet. We need to contain Lieutenant Barker
inside the New Gobi Desert region. If he leaves the New Gobi, the
bet is void.”

“Actually, the fine print says Barker is to
stay at his New Gobi assignment,” corrected Captain Lopez. “Does
that mean he must remain in the Legion?”

“I’ll run that by a lawyer,” I advised. “I
think the intent of that clause is to keep Lieutenant Barker from
fleeing to an area of safety. He has not left yet. Anyway,
Lieutenant Barker is still in the Legion, whether he wants to be or
not.”

“What about Corporal Wayne?” asked Guido. “I
can understand Barker and Toock being traitors, but there is no way
Corporal Wayne joined a human insurgency.”

“It’s a matter of moral character,” commented
Captain Lopez. “Who knows what goes through the mind of a
spider?”

“Corporal Wayne is the most moral character I
know,” insisted Guido. “I do not believe he is a traitor. Besides,
Corporal Wayne placed a bet on Barker, too.”

“How many people are in on this bet?” I
asked.

“People or spiders?” asked Guido.

“How many?” I demanded.

“Just a few,” replied Guido. “Favors have to
be granted and paid back. It’s good business and important to
maintain goodwill.”

“I learned a long time ago not to ask too
many questions about your business dealings,” I commented. “But
make it clear to everyone we cannot let that information get out. I
still have a conflict of interest issue to deal with in spite of my
precautions.”

“What about Sergeant Toock?” asked Captain
Lopez.

“I don’t want him back,” I said.

“We should contact Corporal Wayne,” said
Guido. “We need to confirm his situation.”

“Go ahead,” I said. “Captain Lopez and I sent
messages to Barker, but there has been no response. I’m concerned
for Wayne’s welfare, too.”

Guido sent a text to Corporal Wayne. “Friend,
come back to the Legion. We can work this out.”

The response was immediate. “I just followed
orders. When the legionnaires stormed G Company’s barracks, I fled
through a new tunnel. I felt I would be killed rather than taken
into custody.”

Guido showed me the text. “Can I promise
Wayne amnesty if he comes back?” asked Guido.

“Sure,” I said. “You can promise that.
Promise that traitor anything you want. Find out his current
location and the location of the others.”

“Where are you?” texted Guido. “Colonel
Czerinski offers you amnesty if you surrender to the Legion.”

“Under what conditions?” asked Corporal
Wayne. “I cannot tell you our exact location. We are always on the
move somewhere inside the DMZ.”

“Kill Desert Claw and David Torres. Bring in
Lieutenant Barker, alive,” I texted.

“Do you offer Lieutenant Barker amnesty?”
texted Corporal Wayne.

“Yes,” I texted back. “If he comes in
immediately.”

“What about Sergeant Toock?” asked Corporal
Wayne.

“Kill him,” I texted.

“That was harsh,” commented Captain Lopez.
“But I agree. I never liked Toock anyway.”

* * * * *

Lieutenant Barker and the other insurgents
and deserters fled to the old Miranda Homestead. Lieutenant Barker
suggested the hideout because he had used it successfully before.
It had food stockpiled in the tunnels. Lieutenant Barker visited
his parents’ graves up on the hill. Their presence seemed to calm
him. He could hear Desert Claw and David Torres arguing and
plotting their next bank robbery.