Mortimer said nothing, exhaled slowly. For nothing. I came all this way, was beaten and burned, all for nothing. My wife doesn’t want my help, and I can’t do a damn thing against the Czar.
But he had to try. “I have information. Stuff Armageddon didn’t know about. You’ve got to listen to me.”
“You’ve grown tiresome, Mr. Tate,” Freddy said. “Lars, please escort Mr. Tate to the elevator, where Jim Ford is waiting to take him to the dog pit.”
“Now, hold on,” Mortimer said. “I think you’d better-wait. Dog pit?”
Lars lifted his pistol. “This way if you please, Mr. Tate.”
Lars took Mortimer back to the elevator. Jim Ford, Terry Frankowski and a brace of goons waited for him. Lars motioned him aboard the elevator, offered him only a slight nod of the head as the doors closed and the elevator began its long descent.
“So I hear you’re for the dog pit,” Ford said. “Good. The boys can use a little entertainment.”
Mortimer said, “I don’t suppose the dog pit is your colorful name for the local sports bar.”
They all laughed at that.
“No, it’s an actual pit,” Terry said. “About twenty feet deep.”
“With dogs,” added Ford. “Rottweilers. Usually a half-dozen or so.”
Terry’s hand shot out, poked a finger at the button for the third floor.
Ford said, “We’re supposed to head straight for the dog pit. What the hell are you doing?”
“I forgot something in my office,” Terry said. “It won’t take but a second.”
“The hell with that,” Ford said. “Get whatever it is later.”
Terry sighed. “I’ve already pressed the button.”
“Just let the doors open and close again, and we’ll be on our way,” Ford said.
The lights on the display counted down, seventh floor, sixth floor, fifth floor…
When the button lit up for the fourth floor, Terry grabbed Mortimer’s wrist. When the light blinked for the third floor, Terry dropped, pulled Mortimer down with him right as the elevator doors slid open.
Jim Ford had just enough time to say, “Aw, hell-”
Ted and Reverend Jake on the other side of the door let loose with a pair of machine pistols, spraying the interior of the elevator at chest level. The blaze of slugs shredded meat, and the Red Stripes convulsed in place as the bullets hit. Blood rained down on Mortimer’s head and back. Bodies fell on top of him.
He shoved them off. “What the fuck?”
Ted and the reverend each got an arm and pulled him up. Reverend Jake looked down at the bodies. “God have mercy on your black-hearted souls.”
“Terry is our man on the inside,” Ted explained. “He helped organize your escape.”
“Sorry I had to burn you with the cigarette,” Terry said. “I had to keep up appearances.”
“No problem.” Mortimer kneed him in the balls.
Terry whuffed air, bent in half, groaned. “Okay. That’s cool. I deserve that.”
“Did you get close to him?” Ted’s eyes were wild with hope and anticipation. “He sent for you, right? Did you kill him?”
“I never had a chance,” Mortimer said. “The Czar’s been one step ahead the whole time. He knew who I was. He knew everything.”
“Shit. You didn’t find out anything?”
“He didn’t spare me a lot of time,” Mortimer said. “He’s too busy getting ready for his big attack tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Ted and the reverend said together.
“Spawn of Satan,” the reverend said. “He barely has enough gasoline. We thought for sure he’d wait another week, maybe even two.”
“We’ve got to get word to Armageddon,” Ted said. “And we’ve been standing here too long anyway.”
They shoved the dead Red Stripes into the hallway and took the elevator. Ted pressed the button for the roof.
“Wait,” Mortimer said. “My wife! The Czar has my wife and a bunch of other women held captive. We can’t leave them.”
“No time,” Ted said.
“I’m not leaving without them,” Mortimer insisted.
“They’re all the way at the top of the other tower,” Terry said. “We’d never make it.”
“It’s not negotiable.” Mortimer reached for the Stop button.
Mortimer felt sudden fire explode against his ribs. His limbs stiffened, then went loose, his brain going to fuzz, little lights in front of his eyes.
Mortimer tried to talk. “You f-fuckers…what…the…?” Drool down his chin. His eyes lifted, barely registered the buzzing stun gun in Ted’s hand. Again? Those fucking things hurt.
