Page 49 of Maximus

Abrasha woke up with a jerk.Max leaned against a tree and watched as he tried to orient himself.

He noticed the position he was in and jerked at the ropes holding him. “Where are my clothes?” He looked around. “You! You pathetic little weasel. You’ll get no ransom from my people!”

Max chuckled and walked closer. In English, he said, “This isn’t a ransom situation, Abrasha. This is an execution.”

The man stopped jerking at the ropes. “What?”

“You’ve been tried and convicted for your crimes against humanity. The Council has decreed a death sentence for you. I am your executioner.”

“I can make you wealthier than anyone else on the planet.” Abrasha laughed. “You’d never have to worry about money again.”

“I don’t worry about money now.” Max sat on the ground where Abrasha was tied belly down and strapped to two trees, keeping him in line.

“Who are you?” Abrasha’s breathing sped up as he realized his situation.

“Today, I’m your executioner. Yesterday, I was an art dealer; before that, a computer specialist.” Max sighed. “I made a study of the Vikings once. They were sadistic bastards, not only to their enemies but to other Vikings who’d lost their honor.”

“I don’t give a fuck about Vikings. Who are you?” Abrasha’s spittle flew out and hung from his lips in a strand.

Max continued. “See, the Vikings had three particularly savage ways to eliminate those without honor. One is something they called hung meat. Basically, the Vikings cut a hole in your heels, run a rope through the holes, and then string you up. Upside down, all your blood will rush to your heart, and you will die. It is a slow, torturous way to go. But that isn’t for you. The second method they favored was the death walk. I seriously considered this method. I would make a small incision in your gut, pull out a section of your intestine, and force you to walk around a tree until you are tied there with your guts. Savage and, again, a very slow way to die.”

“Who are you!” Abrasha screamed.

Max ignored the man and continued, “But, for you, I think the Blood Eagle is the way to go.”

Abrasha froze, and tears started to form in his eyes. “Who are you?” he whispered. “Don’t do this. I can pay.”

“I don’t need money. Did you give any choice to the thousands you’ve had killed? To the children you’ve put into prostitution? To the people who’ve died because of your guns or drugs? What about your attempt to take over an entire country or explode dirty bombs in the earth’s atmosphere to disrupt electronics and start World War III? You’d think you’d get the message that we wouldn’t let you continue to be a threat to humanity.”

“Tell me who you are!” Abrasha screamed.

Max looked at him. “I am a Shadow.I amthe darkness you tried to emulate.”

“A Shadow? They don’t exist. They’re a myth!” Abrasha laughed hysterically. “All right. The fun is over. Release me now, and I won’t have you and your family killed.”

Max reached over to a large crate and withdrew a knife and a short staff with a hook on the bottom. It would sever the man’s ribs at the cartilage connection. “I am a Shadow. I am the Shadow who will send the message to your associates and the other monsters of the world that Guardian will never tolerate the abuse of those who cannot defend themselves.”

“You can’t be a Shadow,” Abrasha cried out, jerking at the ropes holding him.

“I am, at least for this last mission. I am also the man who decided to let you die quickly. You see, shock will take you before I sever your rib cage from your spine or extract your lungs to let them flap outside of your chest cavity. If you have any prayers, now is the time.” Max wouldn’t deny anyone the chance to make right their afterlife.

“Fuck you!” Molchalin spat out.

Max stood up. “Abrasha Molchalin, you were supposed to be untouchable. You taunted the world with your despicable crimes. The world answered and found you guilty.”

Abrasha’s scream rang through the Caucasus Mountains.

CHAPTER 23

Elena and Val huddled in the small shelter of sticks and branches woven together. She heard Val tell someone they were ready for pickup as Sokolov was searching for them. She looked up and peeked through the branches back toward the lodge. Sokolov was running through the parking lot but finally called to the others, and they got into a dark SUV and sped out of the parking lot and around the corner before driving past them as they huddled not more than ten feet from the roadway.

“Well, that’s the second step done. Let’s hope the rest of the plan goes as well,” Val said as she removed pins from her hair and groaned. “I hate updos.” She ran her hands through her hair and looked over at her. “You did well. You’re going to be fine.”

Just then, an explosion shook the ground they were sitting on. A ball of fire went into the air.

“Oh my God!” Elena cried.

“It’s happening. Watch,” Val said, pointing to the parking lot down the hill. A white van flew out of the parking lot and drove away from them. Abrasha’s Rolls was right after the white van but turned down the road that would bring it right past where they sat.

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