Frank Klus - Azaleas Don't Bloom Here

Sandy screamed. “What’s that?” she said in a panicked manner. “What’s happening out there?”

“I think the Hogs came back.”

She flashed a questioning look at him. “Don’t say anything more, Sandra. We must remain quiet until we get the all-clear. All the people we’re with are experts. They’ll deal with the problem.”

Eugene stood by the door, trying to listen to what was going on outside.

“Foote,” Armstrong said over the phone. “What’s happening?”

“All I know is that the Hogs drove the van around to your side, but parked it close to the building so I couldn’t see too well, and then, when me and Wrenn moved close to the edge to get a better view, we got shot at by someone near one of the parked vehicles. They missed us, but they got Bones.”

Armstrong’s heart dropped. “What’s his condition?”

“It doesn’t look good. He’s not moving.”

Armstrong hesitated, composing himself. “What was the crashing noise?”

“Four of them busted Pamela’s door down. She shot at one, but I don’t know if she killed any. They grabbed her. I don’t know her situation since they secured the broken door.”

“Try and get that sniper on the ground, will you?”

“He’s pretty well hidden, but maybe we can draw him out.”

“Stay on him.”

Chad walked to the door and opened it; then yelled out, “What are your terms?”

“Who am I talking to?” shouted a voice from the adjacent room.

“The name’s Armstrong. Is this Colderon?”

“Armstrong? I remember you,” he said with a smile. “You working with Ray O’Reilly?”

“I remember you too. We used to fight on the same side. I guessed that’s all changed.”

“Where is Piggy? I saw you shoot him.”

“He’s fine. We have him tied up. Do you want him?”

“What are your terms?”

“We give him back to you, and you leave without Pamela.”

“Can’t do that, Armstrong. I came for Sulke. Guess I got the wrong room. Here’s my terms. Give me Sulke and Piggy, and I’ll give you back Piper. We’ll leave then, and you are free to go about your business.”

“Let me think about it.”

“Think fast. You got fifteen minutes.”

Piggy had been interrogated by Dr. Schmidt. They gave him a sedative so Ray could carry him to Dr. Schmidt’s room. They had him strapped to a gurney. Before each session he was given a chemical that made him relax, and then a truth serum, but Piggy was stubborn. Schmidt was beginning to believe he really didn’t know anything, but Grifton wanted to increase the dosage and try it once more. Schmidt did so.

“What is the plan?” Dr. Schmidt said.

“I don’t know,” Piggy said, in a sleepy manner.

“Who do you want?”

“Sulke.”

The two doctors just looked at each other. It was the first positive answer they had gotten. Piggy started to drop off and Schmidt gave him a shot of adrenaline.

“What about Sulke?” Dr. Schmidt asked.

“Have to kill him.”

“Who else?”

Piggy then smiled. He looked up at Schmidt. “All of you.”

Schmidt called Armstrong and let him know what Piggy confessed. Armstrong thought a minute.

Colderon yelled out. “Five minutes.”

“All right, here’s the plan,” Armstrong said. “Ray and Cassandra—go get Piggy and start him in my direction. Then, using Piggy as a shield, duck behind my truck. The Hog outside prevents us from doing anything. Find him and shoot him. If you can’t do that, then flush him out, where Foote or Wrenn can get a bead on him. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Ray and Cassandra went to get Piggy. He was wobbly and couldn’t walk without assistance. Because of Piggy’s size, only Ray could walk him along while Cassandra kept a gun in Piggy’s back. When they got to Armstrong’s door, Chad grabbed him around the neck, holding a knife to him. He moved over to Colderon’s door. “Where’s Piper?”

“She’s right here, Armstrong.”

“I’ve got Piggy. Release the woman.”

“Where’s Sulke?”

“He’s not in his room.”

“What! What are you pulling, Armstrong?”

“It’ll have to be Piggy. Sulke must have gone out somewhere. I don’t know where he is. Now release Pamela or I slit Piggy’s throat.”

“You got two minutes, Armstrong. Give me Sulke or Piper gets it.”

“No dice, Colderon. We got your guys surrounded. They won’t be any help to you. You kill Pamela and you just signed your death warrant.”

“What are we going to do now?” Moon asked, a Squad member working with the Hogs.

“Let me think.”

“We’re trapped in here,” yelled Moon.

“This was a lousy plan from the start,” Murph said; another Squad member.

“Shut up!” yelled Colderon.

“I told you we should have one guy in the truck.” Colderon gave him an evil look, but Murph just continued. “Now we’re all boxed in here. Fucking mess.”

An angry Carlos stared at him. “I told you we couldn’t keep a guy in the truck because he’d be a sitting duck for those two guys on the roof, not to mention anyone outside. So long as we have Piper they can’t do anything. Bring her over to the door.”

Turning toward the door, “Hey, Armstrong. You still there?”

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“Listen, the Piper woman is right at the door. You storm the room and you sign her death warrant. Got it?”

Armstrong pulled the limping Piggy along back to the gurney, and then he gave a hand signal to Ray and Cassandra. He held up his two index fingers side by side. Then he moved one finger away from the other, to the back of the other hand. Ray understood, and separated from Cassandra, circling around behind Sandra’s car. Armstrong yelled over to Colderon. “Listen up. Let Pamela go, and then we’ll let you leave freely. If you don’t, we kill Piggy and your two men outside. Got it?”

Colderon steamed, but didn’t answer. He looked at Moon and Murph, and figured they’d be no help. He needed Piggy, but it would mean trading Piper for him. Another option would be to wait for the motel manager to come and force the issue. A third option would be to call the police. It was the riskiest of all. The police might believe they’re on orders from Casimir and turn all of them over to him or arrest all of them.

Armstrong called over to Colderon. “Let Pamela go now or I will take out the two guys outside. Make your decision in the next two minutes.”

Colderon knew if he let Pamela go he’d have no bargaining power. The two outside were little help to him now. “I want Sulke!”

“Foote, it’s Armstrong. Are you sure no one else is in the back?”

“No, Chad. They’re all in front.”

“Send Wrenn down at the other end of the building. I want three people on those two ground Hogs and you on the roof.”

The three began closing in on the Hogs, who began to panic.

“Hey, wait a minute,” one of them called out.

“Come out of there,” yelled Armstrong, who stepped out of Ray’s room, next to Colderon. “Come out and you won’t be hurt.”

The two came crawling out of the cargo van and surrendered. They were disarmed, handcuffed, and put in the same room with Piggy. Colderon saw what was going on, but figured they were expendable. He still had Pamela Piper, and she was his ticket out now.

“Hey, Armstrong, you let us out with Pamela and give me Piggy, and the rest of you can go free. How ‘bout it Armstrong? Chad?”

“Let me think about it.”