Double Cross
Insanity isn’t a defense
Reaching down, he adjusted the knife at his ankle and took a few deep breaths.
He reached into his bag looking for his pocketknife and stumbled across his bag of movies retrieved from the bus station.
A thought hit him; he dumped the bag and held up the thumb drive that the movie, ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ was on.
He turned it over in his fingers and saw a bit of sand inside the USB, which he thought was odd, as he always cleaned them out before he stored them when they were on the island.
He blew it out, then stared at it for a moment.
Xander’s favorite movie? He remembered Simo saying. Then he remembered telling the Adjustment Bureau was one of his favorite movies after Star Wars.
Xander checked the Wi-Fi connection. He picked up JJ’s, Halo’s, and half a dozen other signals. He needed the password.
Xander copied the files to the tablet and pocketed the memory stick. He searched through the bag of movies and laughed when he found the one he was looking for: Snakes on a Plane. He inserted it, copied the files over, then set it down.
Xander heard Becky respond with the password and entered it, not into Halo’s Wi-Fi, but into a secured network. The connection authenticated instantly.
He smiled as the tablet synced. “So screwed,” he smirked as he opened YouTube in his browser. “Payback is such a bitch, Joel,” he muttered softly.
He realized he couldn’t hear anything in his earpiece. He tapped it and got his own confirmation beep, then nothing else.
The tablet vibrated once.
A new icon pulsed to life on the screen: HALO-CAMS — AUTHORIZED NODE
His smile vanished. He didn’t touch anything; the interface opened on its own. Six small screens filled the display.
Xander froze as the feeds came online. He was looking into Halo’s house.
His breath caught. On one screen, Simo stood with his hands raised as a military-looking black man drove a brutal punch into his gut.
On another, a tall, skinny man dragged in Theo and dumped him onto the kitchen floor.
Chen was shoved hard and stumbled into Simo, who barely caught him.
Simo took another punch and doubled over.
While two men held him upright, a third began stripping Simo of his weapons.
“JJ…” Xander gasped as he saw her dragged into the kitchen, a handgun pressed to her back.
Xander grabbed his phone to warn Athena; there was no signal. His stomach dropped as he realized it was being jammed.
Then something strange happened.
Simo lifted his head and looked directly at the camera. Just for a second, he shook his head slightly, as if he knew someone was watching. Then he was punched again.
Xander’s eyes darted to the emergency phone mounted on the wall, and then Joel Miller stepped into view on one of the screens.
Joel spat in Simo’s face.
JJ was thrown hard against the kitchen counter. Xander watched as Joel slapped her viciously across the face.
Heat flooded Xander’s chest. All he could think about was unloading a full magazine into Joel’s black, cowardly heart.
Once more, Simo’s eyes flicked to the camera. Another subtle shake of his head.
Xander clenched his jaw until it ached. He turned back to the tablet and uploaded the next video of Joel. Then he searched for a local TV station and emailed them a link to the YouTube video he’d just posted, adding a single line:
Joel Miller is a liar. Courtesy of Xander Kostinos.
He holstered his gun, opened the safe room door, and slipped out.
“You fucking Greek son of a bitch, where is that fucker Xander?” Joel screamed at Simo.
Simo shrugged. “He’s up at JJ’s in the safe room. It’s in her closet, go get him… oh fuck, I forgot!” Simo chuckled. “It’s time-locked. We can wait until ten tonight if you really want him.” Simo chuckled. “Joelly, you are not his type. Sorry.”
Joel spat in Simo’s face. “I call bullshit! Call him! Get his ass down here! He’s gonna want to see all of this!”
In a calm voice, Simo replied while looking at the spit on his fingers after wiping his face, “Well, hell, Joelly, just turn your jammers off and I’ll give him a call.”
Lee spoke up. “Sir, I would suggest not un-jamming the radios or cell communications. A 911 call may go out.”
A large man in a black stocking cap and windbreaker stepped up beside Joel. “Mr. Miller, the house is clear.”
Simo spoke up. “What are you waiting for, Joelly?”
Joel pointed at a black-jacketed man and screamed, “Hit him again!”
Lee shrugged and delivered a vicious blow to Simo’s belly, doubling him over. Simo began coughing.
“You speak when I tell your smelly ass to speak. Hey! I feel generous, and maybe I’ll let JJ live. Get the fuck over here, you bitch!”
The thug manhandling her shoved her hard toward the counter. JJ caught herself but made it look like she hit harder than she did, letting out a gasp.
Joel leaned close to JJ’s face. “Cunt…” Joel laughed.
JJ spit in his face, catching him in the eye. She was ready for the slap and moved with it.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, acting out the pain, even though it felt like being slapped by a girl. JJ swung her head back and he grabbed her face, keeping her head down.
Alabama pointed at Simo and his men. “Sir! Can we cuff them yet?”
Joel wiped the spit from his face. “Fuck yeah! Cuff all these fuckers!” he laughed, then saw JJ cowering and grabbed her by her short hair, jerking her head back. “Don’t forget this cunt, too!” He shoved her hard against the counter.
JJ yelped in pain and lost her footing. She threw out a hand to catch herself and struck Joel in the chest.
Joel balled up his fist, ready to swing, when Alabama stepped in, steadying her, pulling her hands behind her back, and snapping on the cuffs. Grabbing her arm, he shoved her behind Simo.
“What the fuck! I wasn't done with her!”
“Sorry, sir. Y’all said to cuff her, so I did. Why not save it for later?” Alabama winked at Joel.
“Good fucking idea.” Joel patted his pockets. “What time is it?” He checked his watch and laughed. “They’ll be here soon! Fucking cunt whore is gonna get what’s coming to her!”
Joel stomped to Halo’s refrigerator, yanked it open, tossed items onto the floor, and slammed it shut. He rounded on JJ. “Where’s the fucking booze, bitch?”
JJ nodded toward the cabinet beside the fridge.
Joel pulled out a bottle of Jack, twisted it open, and took a long swig. He stalked back to JJ, holding the bottle up. “Open your mouth, bitch!”
Simo chuckled, then burst out laughing.
Joel spun on him. “What the fuck are you laughing at? I got you right where I want you, fucker! C’mon, try something!”
Simo laughed harder. “Oh, Joelly. You are so fucking ridiculous. You’re the big man now? What are you waiting for? Hit me! C’mon, little man, free shot, m-o-t-h-e-r-fucker!” Simo laughed.
Joel’s eyes went wide. His face turned beet-red. “You fuck! Shut your stinking mouth!” He shook his fist inches from Simo’s face.
“You know you want to do it,” Simo chuckled. “Do—IT!”
Joel swung and caught Simo on the cheekbone. “Fuck you, Simo!” Joel screeched.
Simo’s head barely moved. He laughed and shook it slowly. “Good try for a mama’s boy.” He leaned in close and whispered, “Be nice, or I’ll tell your friends about mommy…”
Simo straightened as Joel’s face darkened with rage.
Joel flipped him off. “You!” He jabbed a finger at one of the newcomers in a black windbreaker. “Bob or Bill, whatever, he talks, you shoot him in the knee.”
Alabama leaned forward. “Sir, Robert doesn’t have a suppressor. A gunshot will bring the cops.”
“Well, fuck, give him yours!” Joel snapped.
“Sorry, sir. My gun, my gear. Ain’t that right, Lee?” Alabama glanced at his partner.
“Yeah, man. You should’ve had us outfit your new hitters better. This here is our shit and our shit only. That’s the rule.”
Joel threw his hands up. “Alabama, you fucking shoot him, then!”
“Cool beans, Sir,” Alabama grinned. “I owe him a bullet or two.”
A man in a black windbreaker ran up to Joel from the foyer. “They are coming in!”
“Well, well! Hello, Halo!” Joel laughed. “Good job, Harding! Your plan with the fake C4 on the plane worked! Oh, and Athena? And what’s this? JOHNNY, too! You are so fucking dead, Stone!” Joel howled with laughter.
Harding pushed a handcuffed and gagged Halo and Athena, who had a black bag over her head, forward and grumbled, “Yes, of course it did, Sir.” He shoved Halo toward Joel. Joel grabbed hold of her cloth gag and yanked it down.
“Joel, you bastard!” Halo screamed. “Why bring Athena into your shit!”
“Because I can, you fucking cunt! Where's your fucking hero now?” Joel laughed.
“I fucking don't know! He won't speak to me!” Halo screamed at him.
“Too bad, poor little Halo. Your hero is fucking hiding in a closet! He's too afraid to come save your sorry ass!” Joel laughed in her face.
Halo let tears fall, then she fell to her knees and pleaded, “Joel! Please take Athena upstairs or somewhere else! She's only seventeen! I'll do whatever you say! Please! She's not involved in all this! Please!”
“Ooh, I like it when you say 'please,' bitch!” He glared at Halo. “You do exactly as I say, and I just might not sell her. Take her upstairs!” Joel laughed.
Alabama quickly grabbed Athena. “Sir, I'll take her up.” With a muffled yelp, he walked her toward the stairs.
Joel laughed at Halo sitting on her knees. Grabbing a handful of hair, he began to yank her to her feet. Suddenly, Johnny lunged hard at Joel, knocking both of them to the floor.
“You cocksucker!” Joel howled at Johnny as Harding kicked Johnny, then reached down and yanked him to his feet.
Johnny’s face was red and sweating, and he began screaming at Joel through his gag.
Joel picked himself up off the floor, stood in front of Johnny, and began mocking him.
“What? What was that? I can’t hear you, fucker!
” He cocked his fist back and punched Johnny in the face.
Laughing, Joel pulled down Johnny's gag.
“You goddamn motherfucker!” Johnny yelled at Joel.