The Alarm Clock at the End of the World

Part 7

Late The Next Morning.

“You got him,” Nepotism says as he stands up.

“We got him before,” I snap. I lower the pistol and aim at the chair, pumping a round into the shotgun.

Kerouac jumps up at the sound, firing the same moment as Nepotism. It’s a miracle he misses us with a stream from his Kalashnikov. A bullet whistles between my legs and smashes the wall. Nepotism fires twice and Kerouac crumbles.

I’m still crouched with the shotgun held at my waist. “Thank god,” I sigh and relax.

“Wait!” Nepotism barks, eyes still fixed on the broken recliner.

“What’s up?”

He point to the wall above the chair. “This is a Ex-caliber .45 Deluxe® Bird of Prey©, the most powerful handgun produced by Alternatron Firearms, if not the most powerful handgun in the entire world.” Nepotism pats his gun lovingly. “A slug from this baby would have made short work of his ribs, internal organs, and yes, even his spinal column. When I shot him, I was worried the bullet would go clear through the wall behind him and hit my car.” Nepotism points to the wall. “As you can see, there is no blood, and no hole.”

“What kind of body armor could withstand that cannon?” I ask.

“Probably Alternatron’s Teflon-Plus® Rhino-Hyde© Protection/Floatation Device. It’s standard issue to all SpectraCom employees, even the executives.

I hold the shotgun out and blast into the chair tearing a ragged hole all the way through to the back. Kerouac jumps out unscathed and fires two shots before taking refuge behind the remains of a bookshelf. Nepotism blows massive craters in the wall where Kerouac had been. “Aim ahead of him!” I bellow, “not where he was three seconds ago!”

“I’m shooting at a moving target. I’d like to see you do better.” He points to the destroyed chair. “At least I hit him. He would have been gone if it wasn’t for that armor.”

“I’m shooting blind!”

“All right, Mr. Guy-with-the-shotgun. I mean, you don’t even have to aim! I have to know which room he’s in!”

I sigh and lean out from cover. “I want to know what you did to Eva Lorraine!” I show him I’m serious by firing my Desert Talon three times.

“Happiness consists in realizing it is all a great strange dream!” the Kerouac shouts.

I look over at Nepotism. “He’s got to be alone.”

“If he had any backup, they would be here by now.”

I pump a round into the shotgun. “One of these days, I’m going to stop taking your advice.”

Nepotism aims casually at the bookshelf and blasts it three times, then once more to be sure. Then to me, he says, “Oh, come on, your life would be so boring if it wasn’t for me.”

I jab an angry finger at Nepotism. “You’ll get us all killed one of these days.” A shadow moves behind the bookshelf and I fire, sending a spray of press-board floating through the air.

“I think you are being a little extreme,” he says with a hint of offense in his voice.

Go to Part 8