America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 2: Reenlistment (5 page)

“What?” I asked. “Who said that? Step
forward.”

“There are packs of javelina roaming the
streets killing citizens,” said the young spider. “The javelina
were turned loose on us by the military. Something needs to be
done.”
The javelina are even loose in the tunnels,
thought
the young spider. I could hear his thoughts with my special
sunglasses.

“The military denies deliberately releasing
javelina anywhere in Disneyland,” I said. “Have you personally seen
javelina?”

“No one sees javelina until it’s too late,”
said the young spider.
They have killed four freedom fighters in
the tunnels,
he thought to himself.
You human pestilence are
responsible.
“What are you going to do about the javelina?”

“Arrest him,” I ordered. Legionnaires and
spider police grabbed the young spider and carted him away, kicking
and screaming. “Any more stupid questions? Good. Meeting
adjourned.” I pounded the table with my gavel.

“I do not think that went well,” commented
Lieutenant Lopez. “I am feeling no love here.”

“That spider was an insurgent,” I said. “I
could read his thoughts.”

“Whatever,” said Lopez. “You need more tact.
Haven’t you ever heard of group dynamics? You need to explain your
actions to the Council and to the audience.”

“Fine,” I said, pounding the gavel again.
“That turd we arrested was a known insurgent. I’m surprised he
showed up here at City Hall. He will be interrogated by Legion and
local police. At the next City Council meeting, a report will be
given about the matter and his execution.”

“He may or may not be an insurgent,” said a
City Council member. “We have all seen the javelina warning signs
you had posted. What concerns me is your apparent lack of sympathy
for our problems.”

“Sympathy?” I asked. “You want sympathy? You
will find ‘sympathy’ in the dictionary somewhere between ‘shit’ and
‘syphilis.’ There will be no sympathy from me until I get Private
Tonelli back, and you spiders stop exploding bombs all over
town.”

Spiders immediately began accessing the data
base on their notepads. ‘Shit’ they understood. ‘Syphilis’ was a
new word. The definition, ‘a chronic infectious venereal disease
caused by a spirochete,’ did not sit well with them.

“What is syphilis?” asked the City Council
member.

“It’s what you all are going to get if you
keep messing with me,” I warned. “This meeting is over!”

“Smooth,” said Lieutenant Lopez. “I’m glad
you took my advice about using tact.”

“How would you like to be Mayor of
Disneyland?” I asked.

“How would I like to be Mickey Mouse?” asked
Lopez. “I don’t think so.”

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CHAPTER 4

Interrogation of the young terrorist produced
the location of ten safe houses. All were surrounded before being
bombed by precision guided kinetic rounds – 3,000 pounds of
concrete – dropped from space by the T. Roosevelt weapons platform.
There were no survivors. Legionnaires digging through the debris
found tunnels. Because the tunnels were booby-trapped, the decision
was made to pump nerve agent and mustard gas into them instead of
entering. The tunnels were then sealed.

* * * * *

“Do you not like money?” asked Guido
Tonelli.

“Of course I do,” said the dragon leader. “Do
not try to bribe me.”

“I am trying to save your life. These tunnels
are a death trap. Help me escape. Together we can salvage the
Shenandoah and go into business together.”

“Betray the cause?” asked the dragon leader.
“I am not a traitor.”

“Neither am I,” said Guido. “But the Lion of
the Forest is a fool. It’s only a matter of time before he gets you
killed. Life is too short not to get a big payday for all the risk
you take.”

“What is your incentive not to kill me after
I set you free?” asked the dragon leader.

“I need you,” explained Guido. “I know where
the starship is located, but I need your help and the help of your
mates to get to it. And, I need a crew.”

“Why do you trust me?” asked the dragon
leader. “I might kill you after I get the starship.”

“You have heard me talk to the Lion of the
Forest about the La Costra Nostra,” said Guido. “The Mafia exists
on both our worlds. Your life would not be worth two cents if you
crossed me. You would be hunted down no matter where you flee. Stay
with me, however, and you will be a well respected Don. You will
have power and money. You will be a well-connected prince of the
galaxy.”

The dragon leader gave the matter some
thought. Explosions from above rocked the tunnel. The safe houses
were being attacked. He listened to radio reports of more javelina
victims, and now reports of chemical warfare being used by the
Legion to root them out.
The Lion of the Forest truly is a
fanatic,
thought the dragon leader.
When he rants about the
human pestilence, he can’t change his mind, and he won’t change the
subject. The Lion of the Forest started a war when there was
prosperity, defying both the Legion and his own Emperor. That makes
the Lion of the Forest the true traitor, and a fool.

“I know where there is a car we can use to
leave the city,” said the dragon leader. “If you drive, we could
get past the roadblocks.”

“That is a good plan,” said Guido. “And you
can get more spiders and a tunneling machine?”

“Just say when and where,” said the dragon
leader. He drew a large combat knife and cut Guido’s webbed
restraints.

“The Shenandoah is buried under the DMZ,”
said Guido. “May I have a gun?”

“Find your own. There is some unfinished
business I need to take care of first,” said the dragon leader as
he led Guido and a guard a few hundred yards down a tunnel. At an
intersection stood a large air force nuke leaning against the wall.
The dragon leader wiped off the dust, then set the timer. “Now we
can leave for the DMZ.”

“What is this all about?” asked Guido,
motioning at the big green nuke.

“We are directly below City Hall,” said the
dragon leader. “The timer is set for next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The
nuke will take out the next City Council meeting. Hopefully it will
also kill Captain Czerinski. Do you have a problem with that?”

“No,” said Guido. “Do your thing.”

“Good. I am glad you are not getting
sentimental,” said the dragon leader. “We are La Costra Nostra
together now. This is just the business of payback.”

“It seems like the waste of a perfectly good
nuke,” said Guido. “But it is your nuke. As long as we are not
still hooked up with that kook, Lion of the Forest, I am a happy
camper.”

“I don’t like to leave my enemies alive,”
said the dragon leader.

“You learn fast,” said Guido.

“The Lion of the Forest was at one of the
safe houses when the Legion attacked,” said the dragon leader. “I
doubt we need worry about him.”

After double-checking the setting on the
timer, the dragon leader picked up an old tarp to help conceal the
nuke. Guido’s monitor dragon, hiding under the tarp, pounced and
killed the dragon leader instantly with a bite to the throat. The
other spider tried to unsling his assault rifle and bring it to
bear, but Guido kicked the rifle aside. The dragon then took the
life of the second spider, ripping his head off. The dragon turned
his attention to Guido, backing him into a corner. Guido held out
his hand for the dragon to smell.

“It’s me, lizard,” said Guido. “Remember your
friend Guido. Your master. The nice Italian boy who took you to the
vet when you were left for dead in the trash.”
Oh God, don’t let
him eat me.

The dragon sniffed Guido’s hand, then nuzzled
it. Then the dragon went back over to the spiders and had lunch.
Guido glanced at the nuke. It was still ticking.
I always wanted
one of these,
he thought to himself.
The blue wire or the
red wire?
Guido flicked the switch that said STOP. The nuke
quit its countdown. He then gathered up the spiders’ assault rifles
and ammunition.

“Come on, Spot,” said Guido. “We still have a
starship to heist.”

More spider soldiers appeared down the
tunnel. Guido ducked behind the intersection corner and fired his
assault rifle. Spiders returned force. Guido fired off a couple
grenades. After the smoke cleared, a spider called out to him,
“Surrender or you will die. We have you out-numbered, and we have a
machine gun.”

“I have a nuke,” Guido yelled back, “so
you
surrender.”

“The Legion is gassing the tunnel with nerve
agent,” said the spider. “Surrender, or we all will die.”

“I laugh at death,” replied Guido. “Go a
different way.”

“There is only one way south,” said the
spider. “Just let us pass, and you will not be harmed.”

“Nuts!” said Guido. “Non mi arrendero!”

“Are you insane?” asked the spider. “Do you
want to die?”

“Si, sono inano,” said Guido. The dragon let
out a scream. “I joined the Legion because I am insane and I seek
death. You surrender or I will let my pet Spot eat you alive. You
will plead for the gas to kill you.”

Death is a fearful thing. Twenty seven spider
freedom fighters threw down their assault rifles and surrendered.
Guido escorted them up a ladder into the middle of City Hall. An
officious spider clerk yelled at Guido, “There is no court today!”
She pointed to the exit. “Get those prisoners out of here, or I
will be talking to your commanding officer.”

Out on the street, Guido came upon two
legionnaires manning a machine gun positioned behind a circle of
sand bags.

“You are not leaving those prisoners here,”
said Private Williams. “You better take them down the street and
talk to Sergeant Green.”

“Have you searched all those prisoners?”
asked Private Washington. “They look like they are still carrying
their equipment.”

“They let spiders in the Legion?” asked
Guido, looking at Washington.

“If they will let Italians in the Legion,
they will let anyone in,” replied Private Williams.

“I am from New York,” said Guido, giving
Williams a raised forearm gesture.

“Where did you get the dragon?” asked Private
Washington.

“They let him in the Legion too,” said Guido
as he led his prisoners down the street.

At the next intersection, Sergeant Green and
a squad of legionnaires were pumping gas down a sewer hole.
Sergeant Green confronted Guido. “Where the hell are you going with
all these prisoners?”

“Sono perso,” answered Guido. “I don’t
know.”

“Idiot,” said Sergeant Green. “What unit are
you in?”

“I don’t know that, either,” said Guido. “I
got separated from everyone on my first day here. All I know is
Captain Czerinski is my commanding officer.”

“Great. You are one of my new recruits,” said
Sergeant Green. “Who ordered you to move these prisoners all by
yourself? We are in a combat situation here. Spiders are popping
out of their holes everywhere. You can’t be escorting this many
prisoners all by yourself!”

“I brought them up through City Hall,” said
Guido. “A spider clerk there said they could not stay at City Hall.
Two legionnaires down the street sent me to you.”

“Where were you ordered to take them?” asked
Sergeant Green.
Dumb Euro-trash. Where do we get these guys?
he wondered. “Answer me!”

“These prisoners surrendered to me down in
the tunnels,” said Guido. “Le do questi prigionieri.”

“What do you mean, they surrendered to you?
You and who else?” asked Sergeant Green. Green ripped off his gas
mask and took a closer look at the sloppy private. He was unshaven,
dirty, and stunk. The legionnaire had spider assault rifles slung
over his shoulder and spider-made grenades hanging from his belt.
He looked more like Rambo than Private Washington. But his name tag
said ‘Tonelli.’ Sergeant Green noticed the dragon and took a step
back.

“It’s just me that captured them,” cried
Guido. “I had to kill a few first. You cannot imagine how glad I am
to be back. It has been hell.” Guido rushed forward and gave
Sergeant Green a hug.

“That’s enough, Private Tonelli,” said
Sergeant Green. “Don’t be hugging me. Compose yourself.”

“I could kiss you, I am so happy,” said Guido
as he released Sergeant Green.

“Don’t you dare,” said Sergeant Green. “This
isn’t the French Foreign Legion. This is the American Foreign
Legion. We don’t do kissing on the cheek.”

“Yes, Sergeant,” said Guido.

“Corporal Ceausescu!” called out Sergeant
Green. “Organize a detail to escort these prisoners to confinement.
Also, radio Captain Czerinski and tell him we found Private Tonelli
alive.”

“What about the giant lizard?” asked Corporal
Ceausescu.

“Spot is with me,” said Guido.

* * * * *

It was luck that the Lion of the Forest
escaped death in the safe house. He had gone into the tunnels to
find food for a sandwich. Shortly after he left, a Legion bomb from
space killed everyone in the safe house. It was fate. Even better,
it was destiny.

“I cannot be killed!” the Lion of the Forest
yelled to Heaven up above. “God protects me and our cause.”

The spider freedom fighters rallied around
him and cheered. He led them north through the tunnels, away from
the DMZ. The starship could wait. Others had fled south and died
from the gas. Cowards. They deserved to die for running away from
the upcoming battle. Today the Lion of the Forest would lead an
attack on the prison and free all the political prisoners held
there. It did not matter that the legionnaire Tonelli had escaped
or been killed. Today would see a glorious victory for freedom.

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