V-Wars- Blood & Fire by Jonathan Maberry

Author:Jonathan Maberry [Maberry, Jonathan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: epub, ebook, vampires, fantasy, Horror, Fiction
ISBN: 9781623027230
Published: 2014-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

“SUICIDE GAMES” PT.3

Jonathan Maberry

– 3 –

New Hope, Pennsylvania

The First Day of the Second V-War

They were wrapped up in a thick blanket in front of the fireplace when the phone rang. Annabelle raised her head and glared at the screen display.

“It’s him.”

Rancid didn’t open his eyes. “Fuck him.”

The call went to voicemail. Then a second later it started ringing again.

“Persistent fuck,” he said.

“He’ll just keep calling,” she warned.

“So? Turn off the ringer.”

“I can’t. We can’t.” She hit the button. “Yes?”

She listened for a few seconds then lowered the phone and ended the call.

Rancid opened one eye. “What?”

“It was him. He said to turn on the TV.”

He crawled a hand out and found the remote, aimed it at the TV, turned it on.

“What channel?”

But the question was moot. It was on every channel.

The official count was up to sixty-three bombs in fourteen cities. Coast to coast.

The reporters were at that edge of hysteria where they shouted nearly meaningless comments at the camera as hell opened up behind them.

They watched, rapt, for half an hour, switching channels, seeing from a dozen different angles what they had wrought.

When the phone rang again, this time it was Rancid who snatched it up.

Without preamble the caller said, “I didn’t ask for this. I asked for something that would wake them up. Something that would get attention.”

“Well,” said Rancid, “don’t you think we have their attention?”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

Rancid and Annabelle bent to listen. They could hear him breathing.

Then...

“What the hell was all that with the swastikas, goddamn it? Who told you to do that?”

“Just something I thought up on the spur of the moment, like.”

“Why, for Christ’s sake?”

“Pissing in the punchbowl.”

“What?”

“Clouding the issue. You said—”

“I know what I said, and I didn’t say anything about swastikas.”

“Consider it bonus material. The FBI will love it. The press will love it. And they’ll never fucking figure it out. And even if they do, it won’t be what they think.”

“Christ.”

“Don’t be such a pussy,” said Rancid. “This is good stuff. If your people can’t use this to get you reelected then you need better people.”

“This is not about me getting reelected.”

“Oh, come on, senator. We both know exactly what this is about. I just gave you one hundred reasons why you’ll always keep your seat.”

“Wait—how many?”

“One hundred.”

“Jesus H. Christ.”

They waited through another long pause, enjoying the sound of agitated breathing. They could almost hear the caller’s heartbeat.

Annabelle covered the phone and whispered in Rancid’s ear. “I think he’s hyperventilating.”

“He’s probably jerking off.”

They sniggered quietly while they waited for him to speak.

“Listen to me,” said the senator. “This is over. The money’s all been transferred. We’re done. I don’t think we need to talk again. Ever. You understand me?”

The line went dead before Rancid could answer.

Annabelle snorted. “Another satisfied customer,” she said.

They laughed and laughed. And as each new report came in of another explosion, they laughed until they cried. And then they made love again and again as America burned.

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