The Face of a Rogue Read online

  Angelica snorted. “Hmph.”

  Johnny was enjoying himself. He nodded to Silver. “Silver, this is Angelica DeMone, the new better head of security—”

  “Let me show you who’s better,” Silver said. She reached across her body and snatched Fred’s 9mm from its unsecured holster.

  BAM! BAM! BAM!

  Johnny stood paralyzed as Angelica and the two blue suits dropped to the concrete. All three shots were placed perfectly—dead center in the foreheads. Johnny glanced to the street as the ten remaining blue suits exited the taxi vans in the street.

  Silver pointed the pistol at Johnny’s face. “Call ’em off,” she said.

  Johnny held up both hands to the guards. “Stop. From now on do whatever she says.”

  The Changer guards obeyed Johnny.

  Silver smirked. “Now get back to the vans and wait for me, little blue boys.”

  Fred stood agape next to the driver’s door of the BearCat. “Silver, let’s get out of here. We’ve accomplished our mission and then some.”

  Silver dropped the pistol to her side and turned to Fred. “Don’t you get it, Garrison? This isn’t my mission. I was never on your side. You chose the losing side, and I’m a winner. Go ahead and go back to your new headquarters.” She turned to Johnny. “Get in the taxi, you big lug. We have real work to do.”

  Johnny smiled, all teeth, top and bottom. “You got it, boss!”

  Silver tossed the pistol onto the sidewalk. It clacked across the concrete and slid into the gutter. “It’s been fun, Fred. Have a nice life. I’m sure I’ll see you around.” She walked to the lead taxi and hopped into the front passenger side. She looked at the blue suit in the driver’s seat. “Get us to the Hyperloop.”

  Fred put his hands on his hips and watched the three-vehicle caravan move silently up the street. He turned and watched them disappear into the fog and surveyed his surroundings. Tremayne was silent. Blue strobe lights from six Punk Security vehicles flashed in the distance as the relentless fog continued its push into Old Town. Now what? he thought.

  Chapter 36

  I Did It for You

  Krystal sat at the bar next to Ryker, Dion and Winter in the Depot at Checkpoint One. She studied the monitor on the wall. Lighted indicators on the electronic map showed the Three Amigos’ vehicles were stationary in Tremayne. “Try Fred again, Jim.”

  Jimbo swiveled around in his chair to face the communications console. “You got it.” He tapped a button in front of him. “Jimbo here. Do you copy, Fred?”

  “This is Fred. Go ahead, Jimbo.”

  Krystal sprang from the barstool and hurried toward the comm console.

  “Fred, my boy,” Jimbo said. “What’s your ten-twenty?”

  “We’re just leaving town. We got the Three Amigos and the homeless guy with us.”

  “Good to hear, Fred. That explains why the trackers are showing the Amigos’ trucks are fixed downtown—”

  Krystal pushed her way to the console and nudged Jimbo out of the way. “Fred, it’s Krystal. What about Ray?”

  “Raymond’s dead.”

  The five Punks in the Depot fell silent.

  Winter exhaled. “Well.” She looked around the room at her friends. “That’s a monkey off our backs, right?”

  “Copy, Krystal?”

  Krystal turned back to the console. “Yeah, Fred. How’d Ray die?”

  “Absorption. But that’s the least of our problems.”

  “What else, Fred?”

  Radio silence.

  “Copy, Fred?”

  “Sorry for the delay, Krys. Silver left voluntarily with Logan and the other Changers. The ones that imprisoned the Amigos.”

  Jimbo jumped up from his stool. “I knew it!”

  Winter pounded her fist on the bar. “Never trusted her.”

  Bitch, Krystal thought. She stared at the transmit button on the console. “10-4, Fred. What’s your ETA?”

  “Give us about fifteen.”

  Ryker gazed at Krystal as she began to pace. “You okay, Krys?” He shot a look at Dion and shrugged.

  “All right, everyone,” Dion said. “Silver was a bad addition. But let’s remember, Krystal didn’t solicit her help. Neither did any of us.” He looked at Krystal. “Dr. Yaz sent her to us through that portal thing of his.”

  “Okay, so where do we go from here?” Ryker said.

  Dion lit a cigarette and joined Winter behind the bar. “I think we need to start by letting the doctor know what happened.”

  Krystal stopped pacing and looked at Dion. “My money says he already knows. And Felix—all of us—have a bigger problem on our hands than we did a few days ago.”

  “You’re right about us,” Dion said. “That woman knows more about our operation than a lot of our frontline personnel.”

  Ryker finished Dion’s thought. “But how does Silver defecting back to the Changers affect Felix and his ability to help us?”

  “That’s a problem,” Krystal said. “Hopefully Felix didn’t allow her fully into his world.”

  Felix stood in front of the monitor walls in his quarters with his hands in his pockets. He watched the ten blue suits, John Logan and Silver Long abandon their taxis and mount the stairs to City Hall in Tremayne.

  Logan waved his palm over the door sensor, and the group entered. When the door to City Hall closed behind the last blue suit, Felix switched all four monitors off and stared at his reflection.

  With Silver’s redefection to the Changers, his days in the Underground were numbered.

  The door to Levi’s private elevator slipped quietly closed behind him as he stepped into his quarters. Ah, what a day. What a great day to be a Changer. He stopped at the wet bar and gazed at his reflection in the mirror behind the curved countertop. Today, Levi Aldrich, you are the Leader of The Changers North America. He smiled. Tomorrow, Supreme Leader of The Changers Global.

  A familiar chirping sound snapped him out of his episode of self-admiration. He frowned and glanced up at a red strobe flickering over the elevator door. He stepped across the room to the glass side table adjacent to his leather sofa and pressed a button on the tabletop. “Yes?”

  A voice came over the ceiling speaker. “Leader, it’s Xander. There has been a development of the utmost urgency that requires your immediate attention.”

  “What’s this development that cannot wait until the morning? I’m about to retire for the evening.”

  “Understood, sir. I have received a report that Angelica DeMone has expired in Tremayne.”

  Levi stood for a moment to process what he had just heard. “My, my, Doctor. Indeed, that is a curious development. Are there any details?”

  “Not at this time, sir. We have dispatched a team to recover the body. Incidentally, two of the guards that accompanied her to Tremayne have also expired.”

  Levi strolled across the room to the bar. He poured himself a small glass of brandy. “And what of Logan and Dyer? She was to bring them back to the Underground.”

  “Sir, Logan is en route to the Underground with the ten guards who are still alive.”

  Levi took a deep breath and sipped his drink. “Dr. Rasmus. What of Dyer?”

  “Mr. Dyer is arriving at the Punks’ headquarters at Checkpoint One as we speak.”

  Krystal started at the sound of the BearCat rolling into the compound. She rushed to the Depot door, pushed it open and strode into the yard.

  Dion looked at Ryker across the bar. “What’s up?”

  Ryker hopped off his barstool. “I don’t know, but we’re gonna find out right now.” He buttoned his duster as he walked toward the door.

  Dion, Jimbo and Winter followed Ryker. The three stood outside the Depot entrance and watched as Ryker hurried to catch up to Krystal.

  Ryker grabbed Krystal’s upper arm from behind her. “Krys, what is it?”

  Krystal’s eyes remained fixed, staring into the fog in front of her. �
��Cat’s coming. It’s gotta be Fred and the Amigos.”

  Ryker gazed into the mist. “I don’t hear a thing.” He squinted. “Wait, I hear it now.” He looked down at her and felt the familiar dance of butterflies in his stomach. “You better button that duster before you catch cold.”

  Krystal ignored the comment and ran into the mist. She met Fred’s BearCat as it moved steadily along the asphalt road toward the compound. She grabbed the exterior rearview mirror and hopped onto the small step below the driver’s door of the moving vehicle.

  Fred rolled the window down and smiled. “Hey! Fancy meeting you here.”

  Krystal leaned into the cab and glanced through the security screen into the rear of the vehicle. “Everybody okay back there?” She watched the Three Amigos give her thumbs-up signs, then turned back to Fred. “You guys figure out who the homeless guy is?”

  Fred turned into a parking spot and switched off the motor. “Haven’t had a chance. Things were so hectic at the end. We just had to get out of there.”

  Krystal hopped off the small running board and walked around to the back of the truck. The Amigos piled out quickly when she opened the door. “Am I glad to see you guys. Let’s get into the Depot and get warmed up.”

  Fred and Thomas hurried to the back and pulled Curly out the same door. They secured the vehicle and escorted their prisoner along the now-familiar sidewalk. Fred looked past Curly at Thomas. “Place is starting to feel like home, partner.”

  “Yes,” Thomas said. “I have to say, these people actually treat us like family, not just assets to be used up and traded away. Our lives seem to have value to these people.”

  Ryker waited for the Amigos and walked with them and Krystal into the Depot. “Damn glad to see you guys. You all look beat. Bet we can have Geezer whip up something hot to eat.”

  Will, Adam and Joey made their way straight through the Depot and into the dining room. The trio fist-bumped Dion, Jimbo and Winter on the short trek to the side door.

  Jimbo took his usual place at the communications console and swiveled his chair around to face the room. Ryker followed Dion behind the bar, and Winter seated herself on a barstool between Jimbo and Krystal.

  “I gotta say, Krystal,” Winter said. “Your boys from the Underground did a helluva job their first time out.”

  Jimbo held up a finger to Ryker. “Agreed. And I hate to flog a dead horse, but what about the Silver angle?”

  Ryker slid a cold bottle of beer down the bar top to Jimbo. “Still an unanswered question in my mind.”

  Dion popped the top off a beer for himself. “Does that make you question Dr. Yaz’s reliability, Krys?”

  “Not at all,” Krystal said. “I still have confidence in Felix. I don’t really know where he went wrong with Silver.”

  Thomas opened the Depot door and Curly walked in, escorted by Fred. “Heads up, everyone,” Fred said. He looked directly at Krystal. “Had a good look into this guy’s eyes. Believe it or not, he’s a Changer.”

  The room fell silent.

  Curly scanned the roomful of Punks.

  Fred motioned to Thomas. “Gimme a hand here, partner.”

  The two supported the handcuffed Changer on both sides and helped him into a chair.

  Thomas shook his head. “This guy’s having a hard time holding his Change, Fred. Look at him.”

  Fred stood in front of Curly, bent over and looked into his eyes. “I don’t know you, guy. But I can see your natural look coming through. Let’s have it. Let it go. We know you’re a rookie. Show us who you are.”

  Tears welled up in Curly’s eyes. He directed his attention to Krystal.

  Fred stood up straight. “He’s looking at you, Krys.”

  Krystal’s eyes softened as she stood up slowly from the barstool. She walked across the room and stood in front of the Changer. Her mouth opened but no words came forth. She looked at the bald head, the strong smooth body. “Take his shirt off.”

  Fred shook his head. “We’d have to release the cuffs, Krys—”

  “Do it!”

  Fred looked at Thomas, then he glanced behind the bar. “Dion?”

  Winter stood and unsnapped the strap on the grip of her 9mm.

  Dion glanced at Winter. “We go it covered. Do what Krystal says.”

  Fred released the cuffs and dropped them on the table. Thomas reached down and yanked the Changer’s shirt over his head.

  The Changer’s tears flowed as his face changed back to its original form.

  Krystal felt a weight in the pit of her stomach. Her face fell. “Curtis?”

  “It’s me, babe.”

  Winter used both hands to steady her pistol. “Holy. Fucking. Shit.”

  “Sonofabitch,” Ryker said from behind the bar. “No tattoos, no Mohawk. Hell, no hair at all.” He glanced at Dion. “But that sure looks like Curtis.”

  “It’s him,” Dion said. “That’s his voice.”

  “It is him,” Krystal said as tears of her own formed. “You’re a Changer?” She reached out and touched a teardrop on his cheek. Why?”

  Curtis smiled through his tears. “So we’d be the same.” He looked at his former friends—his former family—then back at Krystal. “I love you, babe. I did it for you. I became a Changer for you.”

  Chapter 37

  Silver Rising

  Silver Long threw the seat belt off her lap. She stood and walked down the narrow aisle of the Hyperloop and waited by the door. “Get up and get out here with me, Logan. I’ll need you for access.”

  Johnny unfastened his seat belt as quickly as he could. “On my way.” He hurried toward the door and squeezed in front of Silver as the vehicle glided to a stop.

  When the door opened, Silver grabbed Johnny’s shoulder and yanked it backward. She stepped off in front of him and into the loading zone. Johnny followed her swiftly up a short set of stairs to the Hyperloop’s highly polished main terminal. Four Changer guards approached the two as they neared the exit at the far end of the room.

  The lead guard greeted Johnny. “Good evening, sir. I trust you had a safe journey.”

  “Indeed we did,” Johnny said, breezing past him.

  Two of the other guards stepped between Silver and Johnny. She bumped into both as they pressed together to impede her progress. She looked up at the pair. “Logan!”

  Johnny stopped at the exit and turned around. “Oh. Hey, guys. She’s with me. I’ll escort her.”

  “Very well,” the lead guard said, nodding to the others.

  Silver caught up to Johnny and followed him out the door and into a familiar wide corridor. They walked abreast around a wide curve toward the nearest elevator. “We better start with Xander,” Johnny said.

  Silver’s eyes narrowed. “What’s a Xander?”

  “Oh, that’s Dr. Xander Rasmus. He took over for Dr. Yaz.”

  Silver smiled to herself. Yes, I remember, you ditz. “Fine. But where’s our leader?”

  “I’m sure he’s turned in for the night. He’s got a big conference call tomorrow with Changers Global.”

  Silver snorted. “Start wherever. But I want my security access back tonight.”

  The two stopped at the elevator. Johnny waved his hand over the adjacent panel, and the doors opened. He checked his cell. “Looks like he’s in the conference room on Level Ten.” He pushed the number and pressed his hand against the security clearance pad.

  They descended in silence until the doors opened on the tenth level. Silver sighed and motioned to Johnny to step off. “Well, let’s get this over with.”

  Two security guards greeted the pair as they stepped into the wide hallway. They remained expressionless as Silver looked directly into their eyes before turning left toward the War Room. Additional guards patrolled in pairs at various intervals down the corridor.

  A team of four guards approached the pair as they neared their destination. The lead guard held her arm out, stopping the oth
ers. She eyed Silver. “Ms. Long?”

  Silver and Johnny stopped in front of the guards. Silver forced a smile. “Hello, Steph.”

  Steph smiled and glanced at Johnny, then back at Silver. “It’s good to see you again.”

  Johnny placed a hand between Steph and the others and nudged them aside. “We have to go. Resume your patrol, please.” He led Silver between the four guards.

  Steph turned and watched Silver walk away. “Are you back?” she said.

  Silver didn’t turn around. “With a vengeance.”

  Johnny passed through the security door and entered the multitiered War Room. He made his way quickly through the center aisle filled with technicians behind computer terminals. He hopped up the short set of stairs to the glass-encased alcove that housed the conference room.

  Xander sat at the head of the large black conference table. He looked up and frowned when the two entered. “Logan. I’ve been expecting you. Your locator is working nicely.” He stood and eyed Silver. “I can’t say the same for your companion. Ms. Long, isn’t it?”

  Silver glared at the doctor. “Get my access, Logan.”

  “Uh, yeah. Dr. Rasmus, I need you to grant Ms. Long top security access.” He nodded. “Just like she had before.”

  Xander shook his head slowly. “Oh, no. Not without our leader’s approval.”

  “Guess you’d best wake him up, Rasmus,” Silver said.

  Xander stood. “I’ll do no such thing. I don’t know who you think you are—”

  “Not who I think I am, Doctor.” She leaned on the table, palms down. “It’s who I am.”

  “Who you are? Who you are is a failed security chief incapable of keeping track of your own prisoners.” Xander removed his glasses and matched Silver’s posture at the opposite end of the conference table.

  “Everyone has the right to be an ass once in a while, Rasmus.” Silver stood. “But you seem to be working overtime to accomplish that.”

  “You don’t even know me,” Xander said.

  “Fine. Then you’re always an ass.” Silver looked at Johnny. “Get Levi in here.”

  Johnny peered across the table at Xander. “Whadda you say, Doctor? I’ll vouch for her.”