She Bleeds for Us: The Galactic Consortium 3

Chapter 59

The handcuffs were heavy on Gabriel's wrist. He'd been afraid of this part of the plan. Once he'd let the cop, Daniel, put him in cuffs it would be easy for Daniel to change his mind and arrest Gabriel for real. Now that they waited for Daniel's partner to show up, the cuff were so big and Gabriel's wrist so small that they threatened to slide right off.

They stood beside the curb. The rest of the revolutionaries stayed inside the mosque, out of sight. As they waited an older woman walked by. She gave them a cautious look and then scowled at Daniel, as if to say "arresting kids now are we?" Daniel met the gaze evenly and the woman went on.

It wasn't until he heard the police car approaching that Gabriel noticed how quiet it was. In the distance they could hear the occasional siren, sound of vehicles or other sounds. But up here it was quiet, as if the entire city had poured downtown, leaving this neighbourhood empty.

The sergeant seemed pleased as he got out of the car, but he hid it under gruff complaints. "Finally got the boy I see. Thanks be to God. You have no idea how much grief the Captain's been giving me over it." He was so busy dressing down his junior partner that he didn't notice the pistol in Daniel's hand until it was shoved under his chin.

"Not so fast, Sergeant. I'm going to have to ask you to keep your hands up where I can see them."

Gabriel slid out of the cuffs and approached the two men. "Should I cuff him?" He asked.

Daniel gave him a confused look.

"They're too big for me," Gabriel said.

Daniel smiled, shook his head and then nodded. "No quick moves now," he warned his sergeant as Gabriel applied the cuffs to the man's wrists. Daniel used his free hand to take the pistol out of the sergeant's belt. Only then did he back away, dropping the gun from the man's throat.

"What's this all about?"

"Don't worry, we won't hurt you. There's just...something I gotta do."

"Got to?" The sergeant echoed.

"Yes," Daniel replied firmly. "I took an oath to serve and protect."

"And what do you think this is? Serving? Protecting?"

"The people of this great country," Daniel said. "Against any threat. Even if that threat is its own government."

"Be careful," the sergeant warned. "Think about what you're saying."

"I have, like I said, you won't be hurt. And you ain't got no part in it, I'll face what consequences there are after the fact. But I gotta do this."

The men had come out of the mosque and the sergeant was eyeing them suspiciously. Daniel gently pushed the sergeant to one side and retrieved the car keys. He threw them to Gabriel, who made for the trunk. He pulled the shotgun out of the car, eyed the men for a second and then tossed it towards the older man, the veteran. "You know how to handle that thing?" He asked.

The man nodded.

"Remember, we aren't trying to kill anyone. Just make them think that's what's going on, that things are turning violent."

"Why?" The sergeant demanded suddenly.

Binti answered him, "So the others will intervene. Then we will have a peace keeping force, democratic reform, help."

The sergeant grunted. "Clever, I'll give you that. Get yourself killed in the process though."

"A risk we will all gladly take," Tamba declared.

Gabriel had found his pack and hefted it out of the trunk. He came back to where the others stood.

"Your turn," Daniel told him.

They all looked at him patiently, like this was the easiest part of the plan. It wasn't. It was the hardest and it probably wouldn't work. He'd never lied to Devaki before and he didn't think he could. Zie'd see right through him.

But maybe zie'd go along anyway, let his lie slide. Zie wanted an intervention too. Zie'd said as much. Zie'd figure the plan out right away and play her part. At least that was what Gabriel hoped. It was too late to pull out now.

He held up the communication device and nodded. He pressed the button and waited for Devaki to answer.

It was not Devaki that answered. It was a man He stared at the strange man's face for a long time, not sure what to do now. "I'm looking for someone..."

"Devaki, of course. She's not available right now. You must be one of her smugglers. How old are you?" He asked suddenly.

That angered Gabriel and galvanised him. "I'm a friend of hers. And I need to speak to her. It's an emergency."

"She has another emergency, one of her own making. Now out with it. I'll see she gets the message. What do you need?"

In ways, speaking to this strange man made things easier. "My name is Gabriel, We met on her first trip to Freetown. She gave me this communication device." He hoped this lie helped her with whatever trouble she was in. But for now he had to focus on his own troubles. "I've been captured by some revolutionary fighters. The government is cracking down and these men have vowed to fight back, violently. They will attack the president himself. It's going to turn bloody here if the Consortium military doesn't intervene right away. I'm serious..."

Luther, one of the revolutionary's jumped into the screen suddenly. He was a jovial looking man normally, but with a bandana over his face and his eyes glowing with fake rage he frightened Gabriel despite the fact that it was only an act. He wrench the communicator out of Gabriel's hand and glared into the screen. "What the hell is this?" He demanded angrily before shutting down the link.

"Bravo, I think you scared the boy for real," Binta said.

Not wanting to admit that it was true, Gabriel said, "You'd be a good actor, is all."

Luther pulled down the bandana and smiled. "Always told my dad I would move to the USA and go to Hollywood. Said I was daft. Think they need actors in the Consortium?"