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ilding。 Get out as fast as you can。 Steal a truck if you have to。 Things are going to get awfully hot here。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes。 You're not going to kill me？〃
〃No。 Not tonight。 You can relax； after you do exactly what I say。〃
The guard lets out the death scream。 I spray an especially wide shower of blood through the doorway。 Then I drop the guy down beside Joel； who pats him on the back and tells him to relax。 I hand Joel the man's weapon and order him to keep it handy。 Several guards outside the door are crying。 They have backed away； but not far enough to be safe。 I reach out and grab another。 He carries a high…powered machine gun； which I wedge between the door and frame。 He smells of hamburger and fries。 His food is probably not digesting well。 I don't know this soldier； which doesn't bode well for him。
〃〃You're going to die now；〃 I tell his horrified face。 〃I am sorry it has to be this way。〃
I kill him slowly； painfully； so that his throat…tearing screams and red blood mingle to create an image so ghastly that many of the soldiers feel they are trapped in a nightmare from which they cannot awaken。 When I am done； I throw what is left of his body into the hall。 It is very messy…the terror in the air is as palpable as the hard metal door that can no longer be closed。
This last execution has disturbed me。 If I am forced to kill； I prefer to do so efficiently and painlessly。 I will not make another example…I don't have the stomach for it。 It is time to leave the building； with Joel and General Havor in hand。 To grab the machine gun the soldier brought in； I drop from my position on the ceiling and immediately retrieve it and open fire。 The men outside the door stand frozen in place。 They fall to their deaths like tenpins。
I kill eight of them before I step into the hall。
Arturo and General Havor are at the far end。 They are a hundred feet away and backing up fast。 Between us there are many soldiers。 I cannot allow the big boss to leave the building without me。 But the bloody examples I made of the first two men have had an effect。 The soldiers are pushing and crowding behind General Havor and Arturo； slowing them down； preventing them from simply leaving。 Also； General Havor has lost control of his men。 I stand a clear and easy target in the hallway； but no order to fire es。 In their hearts； the men do not believe this witch can be killed with mere bullets。
They wish they hadn't opened the door。
〃Drop your weapons and I will let you live！〃 I yell。
Most in front of me surrender right then。 The few who don't； who take aim； I shoot in the head。 The sheer number of deaths does not numb me。 I look in the eyes of each one I destroy； and wonder about his life and who he leaves behind。 If it was just my life…honestly； if there was no danger of my blood falling into the wrong hands； I would let them cut me down。 But I have a responsibility to mankind。 I know that is the rationale of every great man or woman； of every merciless monster。 The smell of Wood is too thick even for my taste。
Arturo and General Havor disappear around the corner。
I call to Joel to join me in the hallway。
He cautiously peeks out。 He groans。
〃Nothing can be worth than this；〃 he whispers。
〃You may be right；〃 I say。 〃Still； we have to get out of here。 To do that； we need General Havor。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃On the second floor。〃 I grab Joel with my free arm and shield the top of his head with my palm。 〃Let's join him。〃
I leap straight up and smash through the ceiling。 Again； Yaksha's blood es to my aid。 Without it； such a move would have given me a righteous headache。 This time the ceiling barely slows me down。 Pulling Joel through the hole I have created； we stand up on the floor of the basement； level one。 I see soldiers down the hall jamming the stairs； frantic to exit。 Arturo and General Havor struggle in the midst of the human flood。 Raising the machine gun to my shoulder； I take aim at General Havor's right thigh。 For a split second it is dearly visible。 I put a bullet in it。 The general stumbles and lets out a cry。 No one stops to help him； least of all Arturo。 I grab Joel's arm。
〃e；〃 I say。
As I wade into the crowd； they scream and scatter。 I guess my red hair does not suit me。 Or perhaps it is the fact that I am soaked from head to toe in blood。 I must look like a beast that has climbed from the depths of hell。 Arturo is already out of sight； but General Havor lies helpless at the side of the stairway。 He is lucky that he…was not trampled to death。 But he is not lucky that it is me who reaches out to help him to his feet。 〃General Havor；〃 I say。 〃Pleased to meet you face to face。 Sorry I have to ask a favor so soon after saying hello。 But I need you to take me and my friend into the cave behind this pound。 I need one of those thermonuclear warheads you keep there。 I have a thing about fire； you see； about explosions。 For me； the bigger the better。〃
16
The cave turns into another prison。 We reach it without excessive bloodshed； but once inside I am forced to kill all the soldiers。 The endless slaughter weighs heavily on me。 Joel's broken expression begs me to stop。 But I can't stop until it is over； one way or the other。 It is my nature never to quit。
We are scarcely inside when the remaining soldiers close the door on us。 The metal is as thick as the door on the cell…it cuts in half the miniature rail tracks that run between the pound and the depths of the hill They also turn off our lights； but there are emergency lanterns。 For Joel's sake； and the general's； I turn on several。 The stark rays cast ghastly shadows over the carnage I have inflicted。 There is blood everywhere。 The red blurs in the silent gloom； in my racing mind； it is as if the walls of the cave Meed。 I try not to count the dead。
〃I didn't want this；〃 I say； pointing my weapon at the general； who sits on the edge of the small railroad car that carries supplies into this place of secrets。 His leg continues to bleed but he doesn't plain。 He is a horrible human being； but he is not without strength。 A hard man with a blunt face； he wears his hair as if it were a disease growing on top of his head。 I add； 〃It's your fault。〃
My accusation does not faze him。 〃You can always surrender。〃
I kneel beside him。 To my left Joel sits on the ground； looking weary beyond belief。 〃But you see that is not an option；〃 I tell the general。 〃When history started； I was there。 And the only reason mankind has been able to move steadily forward is because I have chosen to stand apart from history。 I watch what happens。 I have no desire to have important roles。 Do you understand that I tell you the truth？〃
General Havor shrugs。 〃You've changed your style today；〃
My voice hardens。 〃You made me change。〃 I gesture to the dead men who lie around us。 〃All this is because of you。 Look at them。 Don't you care about them？〃
He is bored。 〃What do you want？ A nuclear bomb？〃
I stand and look down at him。 〃Yes。 That's exactly what I want。 And after you show it to me； I want you to arm it。〃
He snorts。 〃Do you think I'm crazy？〃
〃I know you're crazy。 I have seen inside your mind。 I know what you planned to do once you had my blood in your veins。 You were going to murder Arturo and rape me。〃
He's cocky。 〃You flatter yourself。〃
I slap him in the face； hard enough to break his nose。 〃And you sicken me。 I don't know how Arturo ever teamed up with you。 He must have been desperate。 He and I are not alike； by the way。 I never beg for anything； but I know how to make you beg。 Give me the warhead and arm it or I will subject you to such physical and mental torture you will think that soldier I ripped apart inside the cell died peacefully。〃 I raise my hand to strike again。 〃Yes？〃
He holds his nose； the blood leaks through his thick fingers。 〃May I ask what you plan to do with the warhead？〃 he asks。
I catch his eye； push hard enough to make him cower。
〃I am going to clean up； your mess；〃 I reply。
General Havor agrees to furnish me with a bomb。 He digs it out of the back； and wheels it into view on the railroad cart。 A black squat affair with a pointed tip and an elaborate control box on the side； it looks like something from an old sci…fi movie。 The general informs us that it is rated ten megatons…ten million tons of TNT。
I point to the color…coded buttons on the side。
〃Can it be rigged to go off at a specific time？〃 I ask。
〃Yes。 It can be set to detonate in ten minutes； or in ten years。〃
〃Ten years is a little long for my tastes。 But your men may escape； if they listen to me。 You will want to argue my position to them； once we get back outside。 Which leads me to my next point。〃 I gesture to the metal wall that blocks the exit。 〃How do we open this door？〃
〃It can't be opened from the inside。 They've cut our power。〃
〃Is there a radio in here？〃 Joel asks。 〃Can you talk to them？〃
General Havor shrugs。 〃I have nothing to say to them。〃
I grab the general by the collar。
It doesn't take much for him to piss me off。
〃You will tell them that we have an armed warhead in here set to detonate in fifteen minutes；〃 I say。 〃That will be； by the way； the literal truth。 You will also inform them that if they wish to prevent the bomb from exploding； they are to let us out。 Finally； you will mention that I am willing to negotiate。〃
He laughs at me。 〃You can do what you want to me； I am not going to arm this warhead。〃
I let him go； take a step back。 〃You think you can play with me； General。 You think the worst I can do is kill you。 Arturo never told you of the power of my eyes。 How my gaze can permanently fry your brain。〃 I pause。 〃If in the next ten seconds you don't tell me the code to arm this warhead； I will stab such a needle into your forehead that you will have the IQ of a chimpanzee for the rest of your life…however long that may be。〃
He lowers his head。 〃I cannot allow you to set off this bomb。〃
〃Very well。〃 I step forward and grab him by the jaw； thrusting his head up； forcing him to stare at me。 〃Look deep； General！ Into the eyes of the witch you thought to control。 See where I have prepared a place of fire for you to bum。〃
17
Ten minutes later the door is opened by the highest ranking mander on the outside and we wheel a fully armed warhead into the nighttime air。 The detonator clicks off the seconds。 Fifteen minutes to Armageddon。 Driving at high speed should give us and the soldiers time to get clear of the blast。 Overhead； the full moon shines down on our heads； bathing the entire desert with a milky white radiance。 The setting is dreamlike； as if there has already been a nuclear explosion； thousands of years ago and the radioactive fallout remains。
A small army aims a line of high…tech weapons at us。
On all sides； from the guard towers to the rocks in the hill； we are surrounded。
A minute before； a mumbling General Havor had ordered them to let us go。
But they're not listening。
The highest ranking mander on the outside is nowArturo。
He steps forward as we move out of the cave。
〃Sita；〃 he says。 〃This is madness。〃
〃You tell me about madness； Arturo。〃 I hold a pistol to General Havor's head； shielding myself and Joel with his wobbly figure。 He wept as I bored into his brain； but he resisted me as well I had to destroy most of his mind to get what I wanted。 Gesturing to the bomb； I add； 〃This warhead is set to detonate in less than fifteen minutes。 That gives you and your men barely enough time to get clear。〃
Arturo shakes his head。 〃We cannot let you escape。 An order has e from the President of the United States。 At all costs； you are to be stopped。〃 He gestures to the men around us。 〃We are expendable。〃
I force a chuckle。 〃You will not sacrifice all these people。〃
〃It is not my decision to make。〃
〃That's nonsense！ They look to you to mand them now。 mand them to drop their weapons and get the hell out of here。〃 I pause。 〃You are bluffing。〃
Arturo looks me in the eye。 He is not intimidated by my gaze。
〃I pray that you are the one who is bluffing；〃 he says softly。
The timer on the detonator goes to fourteen minutes。
I