Rage by Matthew Costello

Author:Matthew Costello [Costello, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-345-52935-0
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-08-29T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

THE ENFORCERS

VISIT

The commander, his helmet off, took steps forward. With armored gloves covering his hands, he whipped the back of one across Dan Hagar’s face, sending him flying to the floor.

Two Enforcers—their protective face masks covering their faces, making them look more like robots than men—stood to the side, each one locked on an arm of Loosum, holding her tight.

Dan saw his daughter pull against the grip of the two Enforcers.

“Bastard,” she spat.

“Loosum!” Dan said.

“The Visionary cautions against such disrespect of his emissaries. The rules of the Authority, in fact, make it a crime.”

His daughter—always a quick temper.

And this commander, someone of rank, his face marked by scars. Someone who had seen a lot of fighting, whether with mutants, bandits, or settlers.

Someone who knew exactly what he was doing.

“Get up.”

Dan stood up.

“Now—I will ask you again. The survivor. Where is he?”

Halek stood to the side, cringing. Dan knew if he had any hope of coming out of this, it would depend on Halek keeping his damn mouth shut.

“I told you. He was sent to the Outriggers and—”

The commander’s hand went up. “Yes, same story. You dealt him for supplies. Yet—somehow he escaped. Resourceful, wouldn’t you say?”

“He’s military. Trained.”

“We’ll see how trained he is. When we find him. But that’s the future. Let’s focus on the past a little while longer.” The commander started walking around the weapons shop, picking up odd pieces, looking at gun bores, stocks, bullet chambers. He stopped and turned. “So after he escaped … he came back here, yes?”

Dan shook his head. “Of course not! Why would he do that? If he escaped, if he knew we tried to deal him for the supplies we needed? Makes no sense.”

The commander walked over to Loosum. “You know, the Authority can always use new blood. Smart people, male, female, who know how to live out here. Who know the ways of the bandits, the settlers.” He raised a hand to Loosum’s cheek. Gave it a caress.

She whipped her head back.

“And as you know, the Authority doesn’t have to ask for volunteers. We take them.” He took a deep breath. “All for the good of the people.”

Dan’s eyes had locked on Loosum’s. She didn’t look scared. But she did look ready to explode. The wrong move, the wrong words, and she could get both of them in trouble.

“You there. In the shadows. Come here, into the light.”

Halek came forward, his face showing his fear.

“Tell me about this … ‘deal.’ ”

“This deal. Yes, it was … medical help for a survivor. That is what the Outriggers sent to us.”

“The deal went wrong?”

Dan watched Halek nod, lick his lips. So damn nervous. “Y-Yes … Commander.”

“Look,” Dan said, “my brother—”

The commander removed a control stick from his side, and smashed it into Dan’s midsection, doubling him up. The blow left Dan gasping, looking down at the ground, trying to get air into his lungs.

“You will wait for questions,” the commander said nonchalantly. “Next time, I’ll turn this on.” He directed his attention back to Halek.

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