Crossing Bedlam (9 page)

Lloyd stays in the rear of the small group as they wind through the seven floors, the gang members under orders to stall the travelers. His curiosity and tempered excitement keep the colorful escort at ease, none of them able to entirely distrust a man who appears to share their interests. They are still a little leery of him because of his orange pants, which several people recognize as part of a prison uniform. Still, his open joy at being in the museum is enough to let Lloyd get away with touching a few jackets and instruments that are not behind glass. Any attempt to do more than a gentle touch causes one of the nearby guards to threateningly cock their shotgun. With a sigh, the serial killer behaves himself and avoids telling his hosts that repeatedly doing that makes him think the weapon is not loaded. Like a little boy on a school field trip, Lloyd wants to do whatever he can to extend his stay and not be locked up away from the fun.

The gang members remain outside the doors, which burst open to let a crowd of excited children into the hallway. With their escort moving to lead the kids outside, Lloyd and Cassidy find themselves alone and unsure of what to do. A fake cough causes them to turn around and face the founders of the Metal Minstrels. Leaning on a microphone stand that ends in a spike, a skinny man with wild, blonde hair and shockingly blue eyes grins at the travelers. Making sure not to appear too friendly, he pats the butt of a pink shotgun that is loosely strapped to his decorative belt. Wearing tight pants and an open shirt, he resembles a stereotypical rock star that might moonlight as either a male stripper or a flamboyant vigilante. As if she stepped out of the same era, the curvy redhead looks stunning in a silk shirt and tight jeans. The woman has a leather jacket from one of the displays, the garment showing no signs of abuse or damage. The hunting rifle on her back can be quickly shrugged into her hands, but the immediate danger is the hand-axe that is decorated with a red and black bandana.

“I’m Rose and this is Tyler,” the woman says while chewing on a homemade toothpick. She spends a few quiet seconds eyeing Lloyd, the flicker of recognition on her face. “Awry told us that we’d be getting a celebrity. Didn’t expect it to be someone so infamous. Here I thought all of the serial killers had been executed or left to rot in their cells. Not sure if the country can handle a man like you wandering around.”

“Lady, it couldn’t handle me before it fell to pieces,” Lloyd replies with a broad smile. As Rose moves, he notices a feathered toy for cats sticking out of her pocket. “So, how do you know our mutual friend?”

“We find having Librarians who came from our ranks to be very useful,” Tyler replies, his steely voice revealing his impatience. The challenge in his eyes softens when he turns his attention to Cassidy. “Awry was told not to tell you much about the situation. We want to keep this issue a secret for as long as possible. Not only for our reputation, but it could create some panic within the city. Come this way.”

“Awww. He didn’t say it right,” Lloyd pouts, earning a chuckle from Rose. Passing through the doors, they find themselves among panes of glass that are covered in signatures. “If you picked this place as your personal space then I must say I’m impressed. Wonder how many of these people are still alive.”

“We’ve heard rumors about various celebrities being seen around the country,” Rose replies while taking off her jacket due to the humid interior. Having removed the right sleeve of her shirt, the gang leader blatantly shows off a forearm tattoo of a savage-looking rabbit. “Maybe we can give you a full tour after things settle down. As Tyler said, we want to keep this contained and every minute brings us closer to a bigger problem. Have you two had any dealings with Guardians?”

Cassidy groans and rubs her eyes, the thought of contending with another deadly zealot giving her a headache. “We ran into a sniper defending rhinos in New Jersey. I’ve had a few encounters over the years, but that’s been the worst one yet. Now you’re going to have to explain the situation and offer us something in exchange for our help. Sorry about sounding cold and heartless, but putting my life on the line isn’t a hobby. My mom was all business when it came to these things and I like to follow her example.”

Tyler is about to speak when Rose puts a hand on his shoulder and gestures for their guests to follow. They move down the curving hallway until they reach a section that has been set up with cafeteria furniture. A long table has been covered with empty glasses and various bottles of alcohol that the gang has gathered and traded for over the years. The space reminds Lloyd and Cassidy of a bar, complete with a curtained stage for a band to play on. Two guitars sit nearby and Tyler claims the red one before taking a seat and inspecting the instrument. Rose heads for the stage and gets comfortable on the edge, her hand falling on a drumstick that she twirls in her hand. With no effort, she smoothly moves the toothpick from one side of her mouth to the other, which is a signal for her partner to continue the conversation.

Instead of talking, Tyler pulls a few pictures out of his back pocket and hands them to their guests. The images are of him and Rose soon after they established the Metal Minstrels and helped Cleveland come back together. In every picture, the pair are with an animal that ranges from a red panda to a baby deer. Every creature shows signs of having been injured and rescued, each one obviously on the road to a full recovery. One photo is of the pair helping a group of Guardians calm and help an adult elephant, the beast suffering from an arrow in its eye. The next picture reveals the gang leaders sitting in front of the bandaged animal, which is holding a bass guitar in its trunk.

“You had an alliance with the local Guardians,” Cassidy mentions, handing the pictures back to Tyler. Taking a seat at the makeshift bar, she runs her finger around the rim of an empty glass that is still decorated with a few grains of salt. “There’s a similar set up in New York City where the multiple zoos have been turned into a huge veterinary hospital system. You can’t release all of the wild animals from their enclosures without guaranteeing that they can get medical help. There has to be some responsibility for them because they aren’t in their natural environment. Where do you fit into this? I thought Guardians only trust their own in these situations.”

“There’s a lot of philanthropic history behind some of the names here and we felt like we should carry on that tradition,” Rose says, the explanation sounding more like gloating than an actual answer. Going to the bar, she pours herself a shot of whiskey and does the same for the others as an afterthought. “Did you see the kids leaving here? We teach them about this place and anything else we can fit into the lesson. Another one of our charities is that the Metal Minstrels act as guards and muscle for the Cleveland Zoo. Because of the city’s condition and reputation, they get a lot of animals and are undermanned because many of the local Guardians prefer to wander with their charges. We even had a team that would ride out to collect runaways or follow rumors about unprotected animals. Always with a Guardian escort of course. All we asked in return is the chance to visit the zoo and have an exotic pet. It was a red panda that I named Saul. Before you ask, the current situation forced me to give him back.”

Cassidy drinks her shot in one gulp, the liquor burning her throat since she is more used to beer. “At least it wasn’t tequila. I assume you want us to get your pet back. That’s going to be costly, especially if you don’t have a map of the place. Only plan I can think of is trying to pass ourselves off as Guardians and infiltrate the base. Trying to escape with a wild animal, which will probably be terrified and panicking, is not something I have experience in.”

“That’s good because we don’t want the one animal,” Tyler says while playing a few chords on his guitar. Drinking the whiskey, he casually shrugs at the taste and tosses the glass to Rose for a refill. “Our alliance was broken a few days ago when this new Guardian showed up and took over the zoo. The two of us were lucky to have been running late considering all visitors were executed instead of released. This man calls himself Amur and claims that humanity should bow before the rest of nature. He considers us abominations and zoos are nothing more than concentration camps for animals. Doesn’t matter to him that very few are permanently kept there and it’s more of a hospital. We don’t know where he came from, but I get the feeling that his presence puts a lot of people and animals in danger.”

“So you want assassins?” Cassidy asks, surprised that the two leaders look to be in sudden disagreement. Tyler nods while Rose shakes her head, the two of them scowling at each other. “I would really appreciate it if you gave us all of the information upfront. Keep feeling like I’m failing a test of some kind and that’s making me irritable. Just tell us what you want and we’ll state a price.”

“Tyler wants to use violence, but I want a chance to talk to this Amur,” Rose states, throwing the whiskey bottle to her sighing partner. She chugs her shot in a graceful motion, pausing to run her tongue along the inside of the glass. “A fight could make the situation worse, especially since this man seems to be unstable. If my attempt at reviving the truce through words fails then we’ll do it the other way. What I would like from you two is to act as my bodyguards when I visit the zoo.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous. Amur has already killed people, so you should take him out.”

“I only want one chance and nobody else is willing to go with me.”

“Sorry, but I don’t do suicide missions.”

Lloyd raises his hand, the empty shot glass covering his thumb. “What exactly were you going to pay us with? Might as well hear the offer before we say no. I assume that’s the smarter way to do business around here. Though I do agree with Cass and Mr. Glistening Chest Hair over there. Best to slit throats and hope the next leader is friendlier. If not then you repeat until bored or somebody with a sense of pattern recognition shows up.”

Rose goes behind the bar and rummages through several boxes to find the items that she thinks will entice her guests. Having heard about them from Awry, she has spent the morning considering what they want the most. Lloyd’s eyes light up when she offers a serrated knife in a sheath and a stack of graphic t-shirts that depict various band logos. As the serial killer examines his potential prize, Cassidy remains in her seat and shifts her feet toward the exit. Rose can tell that the young woman is determined to leave, the revelation of a modest-sized cardboard box having no effect on her decision.

It is only when the car stereo system is taken out and put on the bar that Cassidy begrudgingly decides to get a closer look. Small speakers are connected to the main device, which is larger than the one they lost early on in their journey. Examining the CD player and radio, she finds a note with the specifications and is happy to see that it holds six discs. The thought of not having to deal with Lloyd’s horrible singing after they leave Cleveland makes Cassidy so happy that she almost whoops for joy. Placing the stereo system back into the box, the young woman takes a nearby bottle of vodka and takes a quick drink.

“I still think you’re crazy, Rose, but I’m in. What about you, Lloyd?”

“Of course because I’m bored and have a new stabby to play with. Let’s get to the action before we lose the audience.”

“We’re supposed to talk to Amur.”

“Ugh. Am I allowed to skip a few scenes?”

“Just shut up, Lloyd.”

*****

The small group is forced to stop in the parking lot, their path impeded by a herd of zebra, giraffe, and impala. All of the animals are visibly on edge, which means the people cannot get any closer without risking a stampede. Far in the distance, they can see the entrance pavilion where armed men and women watch from the roof. More Guardians are around a closer building that has a glass dome on the roof and a broken archway sign. Instead of living inside with the tropical animals, the people have erected a shanty town around the structure. The makeshift village is very small, but everyone is aware that a bigger collection of tents and huts has replaced the distant zoo amphitheater. The idea of an army of Guardians puts Lloyd and Cassidy on edge, so they remain off to the side of the group and prepare themselves for a retreat in case things go horribly wrong. Nobody is sure what to do until the herd becomes agitated and rushes back into the zoo, the noisy giraffes having to go around the building and through the collapsed fence.

Passing through the entrance and arriving in a green motorized cart, Amur stops at the edge of the parking lot to greet the Metal Minstrels. The man is dressed in khaki pants, a tan shirt with multiple pockets, and work boots that are covered in what is mostly dried mud. His black hair has vibrant orange streaks and his eyes resemble those of a cat, giving him an odd appearance. A pair of binoculars dangle from around his neck and he occasionally lifts them to get a better look at the intruders. Hopping out of the cart, Amur holds up his hand to stop an unseen animal from moving. There is some gentle rustling in the overgrown grass around the perimeter of the lot, but the source remains out of sight and silent.

“Leave this place or be killed,” Amur announces in a booming voice. He taps his foot on the ground and licks his lips in mild glee that the gang refuses to listen. “I made my point when I removed the previous abominations. The longer you get in my way, the longer it will take for me to destroy this hellhole. Now go away before I unleash my army on you.”

“But I have a ticket!” Lloyd replies, waving a piece of paper around.

“Where did you get that?” Cassidy asks, snatching the yellowed stub from her companion. A groan slips from her throat when she sees what is in her hands. “You took a post-it note and wrote ‘1 Adult Zoo Ticket’ in crayon. This is an attempt to annoy Amur and goad him into a fight, right?”