Maximum Carnage, Year 2
Issue 14 - "The Things Men do for Money"

by Justin Anderson


 

Tuesday, April 19th. 11:27 AM

 Jack sat in one of the chairs in this room. General Peterson sat beside him.
The secret service agents stood beside the desk and by the doors. Behind
the desk sat one of the country's most powerful men- President George W.
Bush. This was a special occasion. A meeting with the head man so the General
could discuss the final plans. Cletus wanted to tour the city, so Jack was
left to do all the talking for his team. A team known as Maximum Carnage.

"Well, I can't say I approve of the way the matter had to be resolved, because
I don't. If it had been my decision, we would have waited and done this matter
as peacefully as possible. But General Peterson and I looked at all the options
as closely as possible, and if any innocent people were to live, then we both
concluded it had to be done that way"

"Yes, Mr. President. Anyway, tomorrow I will have them settled in to their
base in the Arizona desert. The restored farm house"

Jack looked across the desk.

"I would have voted for you, if I had been legally alive. I can't vote, or
so much of anything with that on my record. Death makes many things a lot
harder"

The General opened his briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers.

"Jack, about that. I've decided to review your records on the matter. And
I agree, death would be an inconvenience. Have a look at these papers"

Jack took them. Thumbing through, he saw a high school diploma, college degree,
driver's license, birth certificate, social security card, and many other
papers.

"I've had you reinstated as living. Your status as 'dead' was placed incorrectly,
as there was no body found. It would have happened after seven years of being
missing, but I've made sure the detectives who inspected the remains of the
house.....well, they won't make the same mistake again"

The General produced something else from his briefcase and handed it to the
young man.

"A wallet. You'll need it now. Mr. President, I have a few papers I have to
review and sign. I'll leave you two to talk"

The General stood and left the room.

"While I wish there was a better alternative to handling these situations
than in hiring a team of independent soldiers, I trust General Peterson's
advice. He had worked many years in this field, and he knows what he's doing.
And until every American is willing to work for a peaceful nation, tactics
like these are, unfortunately, necessary"

"Well....Mr. Bush, sir....I'll try to do the best I can. I definitely have
no intention to kill an innocent person"

"I'm glad to hear it. You should probably get going. While I had to authorize
this, he's in charge, and I imagine he wants it to run smoothly"

He stood. Jack stood as well, and both men shook hands. An agent accompanied
Jack out of the room. 


Wednesday, April 20th. 2:14 PM

 Cletus sat on the couch in the living room. It was a big house, two floors.
White walls, big living room, kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, garage,
and a few other rooms. It was a big house. Jack had already claimed his bedroom.
He got the master bedroom, despite the fact he has the least stuff. Cletus
got one of the smaller rooms. He flipped through the channels on the television.
They had a DSS dish with loads of channels. And they weren't paying a cent
for this place. But there was one catch- the nearest town was 35 miles away.
They were stuck in the Northwest corner of the state, in the Mohave desert.
Aside from this house and road to it, which weren't on the maps, there was nothing.

 Jack walked down the steps. He was dressed in his usual black pants, with his
favorite Alice Cooper shirt on.

"I wouldn't get too settled in here, Cletus. The general is...."

He looked out the window to see several vehicles driving up.

"...HERE! TURN THAT OFF!"

 Cletus fumbled with the remote as Jack tossed the potato chip bags into the
garbage. He brushed the crumbs off the couch and into a garbage can just
before the door opened. They stood at attention.

"Please, there's no need to do that. You're not soldiers under my command.
Just continue what you were doing"

Cletus jumped back onto the couch and turned the TV back on. Jack let out
a sigh. The general walked through the room.

"So....enjoying your new home? Oh, yes, I have something for you, Cletus"

He walked over and handed him a large envelope. Opening it, Cletus couldn't
believe it. Papers galore, with a strange name on them. Pulling the
driver's license, he saw his own picture. But it wasn't his name.

"Wha...wha...but..."

"A new identity. And before you refuse it, these papers are in place. I've
had fingerprint records switched, and all existing records in places where they
may be important"

"But...who am I?"

A corporal walked into the room. He was a tad bit shorter than Cletus, with
combed red hair. He was almost Cletus's twin brother.

"He agreed to have an identity swap for the purposes of your missions. This
way, no one will question you. You can check into hotels, and do many other things.
And no one will remember you as a murderer. And if they do, you have proof 
otherwise"

He handed another envelope to Jack.

"That is your mission. Between the towns if Cape Springs and Simmons is a
small town unmarked on the usual maps. The town has no name, as it is a
phony town. We believe the town is used as a front for a black market baby
selling operation. We can't investigate. Since the town doesn't officially
exist, we can't obtain search warrants. Due to that little catch in the
law, we'll have to rely on you"

He was handed another envelope by one of the privates. Opening it, he handed
the contents to Cletus.

"That is the man behind this. Keegan Voorhees. He's wanted for murder, rape,
theft, embezzlement, and hundreds of traffic warrants. He's known to wear
a bullet proof vest as well"

Cletus looked at the photo. Ugly man. One eye, the missing eye covered by an
eye patch. Long black hair, uncombed. His records placed him at being 35.

"This mission is the reason I decided to hire you in this manner. We had
two top agents disappear in this town. One of them.....was my son. You're
special ability is the only chance we have now...."

"I understand completely. Cletus, get your pistols"

"No, we'll do this right. Jack, Cletus, be ready to leave in one hour. You
will be taken to a small military warehouse on the edge of Lake Mead Recreational
grounds. You will then be taken south. The papers explain the rest. Now,
I have one final thing to give you"

He handed each man an envelope with their name on it. They opened their
packets, pulling out more papers.

"I decided official military ranks would be useful. So, Lieutenant Cletus Kasady
of the US Armed Forces, and Captain Jack Arden of the US Marine Corps, I wish
you good luck in your mission"

With that, he left the house, the soldiers and agents following him out. Jack
opened his envelope and inspected the papers.

"Cletus....these look to be real. The ranks, the uniforms, everything. I...
I can't believe it!"

"What do they say?"

"They're copies of the official papers the General signed. It says we pick
up our uniforms and papers after we get back...." 


5:03 PM

 Jack had just arrived in town in a limousine. His cover story. Cletus would
be in soon, coming in on foot from two miles outside of this false town. Jack
surveyed this place. It looked old. The town had been assembled around both 
sides of the road that massed through, tapping into water, gas, and power lines.
To someone passing through, just a small town.

 He entered the small hotel, as his orders said to. He signed the register and
paid in cash. Room 202, top floor. Entering the room, he sat his suitcase down
on the bed. He had no clothes in the case, just equipment. Guns, ammunition,
papers....the usual. His shotgun was cradled under his coat, stuffed into his
holster belt. The rest of his belongings were safe at his new home- the heart,
the book, the sword, and the drug- all taken with him on the long flight across
the country. He remembered how the soldiers and agents had been given instructions
nt to touch a thing. The general knew the importance of what these items could
be used for, and wanted them undisturbed.

 Minutes later, a signal came over a small radio in his suitcase. It was 
Cletus, calling from his hotel room.

"So, what now, Jack?"

"Orders are for us to scout the town. Find the missing children, find Voorhees,
and kill him. Kill his men as well. Afterwards, we call the General and get
agents in here to return the babies to safety"

"That's all? This shouldn't take too long"

"Just remember..... I don't want one child injured"

"Yeah, yeah.... when do we move?"

"Tonight, Cletus. Meanwhile, keep playing dumb with these people!"


11:24 PM

 Jack moved around in the darkness, peering in the windows. He found them.
Cribs, carriages, beds, full of missing children, ranging from newborns
to as old as two, he guessed. Jack almost threw up at the thought. This
Voorhees guy was treating them like perishable goods. He had no concern
for the lives he had ruined this way, the heartbreak he had caused. He was selling
these children. To who, Jack could only guess. Couples who didn't want the hassle
of adoption, at least, would be the best choice. The thought of experimental
purposes almost set him off in a rampage on the spot.

"Hey....Jack"

 Cletus had found a door in the desert floor, near one of the buildings. Jack
crept over. Seeing no one around, they opened it. No one was below them.
They entered. Tunnels ran under the makeshift town. The two men snuck along the
edges, eyeing the area. Wooden beams held the dirt up, while crates and
barrels lined the walls. A few men in torn clothes walked past. They had machine
guns.

"Follow them....carefully, Cletus...."

They crept along at a safe distance, ducking behind whatever they could. 
Finally, they reached a small room. A desk sat at the far end. Behind sat
the mastermind behind the operation. Keegan Voorhees.

"Okay....situation?"

"Well, Keegan, we have three couples coming through tomorrow, with cash.
A few scientists, and that.....cannibal"

"Excellent. What about those two strangers in town?"

"Uhh....they're not in their rooms. We can't find them anywhere"

"Hmm..... find them. They may be bleeding hearts, like those last two...."

 Jack turned to face Cletus. He kept his whispering to a minimum.

"We have to hit now. Go up and make sure the town is clean. If not, clean it.
Radio me when you move the kids to safety. I'll wait here"

 Cletus snuck off. It was their usual plan. One cleans out, the other cleans
up. Jack waited, and watched. Keegan ate a sandwich. How he could be so 
disgusting while eating a sandwich, Jack would never know. For that matter,
how this guy could LOOK so disgusting was a puzzle in itself. Possibly
an explosion victim, but it didn't explain his clothes. Dollar store, maybe.
Granted, Jack's Alice Cooper shirt wasn't exactly high fashion, but he was
dressed rather well, in new pants, boots, his long, black coat, and gloves.
But this would have to wait. A gun barrel had just been pressed into the
back of his neck.


 Cletus surveyed the area. The buildings were empty. Most were probably
for show. They were cheap, too. Probably disassembled buildings, trucked in,
and nailed together overnight. It was possible, if you didn't actually
use them for anything but show. The hotel was solid enough, however. He saw
some activity in one building, however. Three men with machine guns. They
were talking over a radio receiver. One saw him through the window.

 He pulled one of his pistols in preparation for the shoot-out. He didn't
notice them approaching from behind, until a bullet tore into his shoulder.
Turning, he saw the three moving forward. They were dressed in street clothes, 
but carried weapons. Before they could move any further, he raised his own 
weapon and fired, hitting one of the guards in the forehead. In the confusion,
he shot the other two. He turned to see four more. They fired, hitting him a 
few times, but after seeing their target remain standing, they began to
run. Cletus hit each one in the back of the head.

 He ran over to one of the bushes and pulled out a black backpack. Unzipping
the flap, he pulled out a small remote. He moved towards one of the buildings,
the one where the missing children were kept.

 
 Jack was held down in his chair. The guards held their guns on him. He could
take them, but he was waiting for Cletus to finish. Keegan's receiver came
on.

"Find the second guy yet?"

"Sorry, Mr. Voorhees, they're dead. And I want you to listen to this..."

 Keegan held the receiver button down. Seconds later, sounds of his city being
blasted into pieces came over the speaker, and the ground shook as the buildings
above were reduced to rubble. Jack threw himself forward, burying his right fist 
into Keegan's back. Before the two guards could take aim, he tackled one.
Grabbing the handle of his machine gun, he turned it around, twisting the shoulder
strap around the guard's shoulder. He fired, hitting the second. He stood.
Jumping for the desk, he grabbed his shotgun and unloaded on the second guard.

 Keegan stood, his back still throbbing. Before he could pull his machete,
Jack swung his shotgun, bringing the butt end across the man's face. He
continued smashing the end of his weapon into the man's frame.

"Monster....I'll beat you till you BEG!"

Jack dropped his shotgun. He proceeded to smash his fists and feet into the
man. 

"Go ahead....kill me. I want you to. Cause then, you'll never find out where
all the kids are kept!"

Jack bent down.

"Oh....we already have"

Jack picked up his shotgun. Sticking the barrel under the man's chin, he
pulled the trigger.


Thursday, April 21st. 10:53 AM

 Cletus sat on the couch, watching a TV show. Jack sat at the kitchen
table, the General opposite him. His new Marine uniform hung on a hanger
on the refrigerator handle. 

"What will happen to those kids?"

"They will have their prints taken, and their prints will be checked against
missing child reports. If claimed, they will go back to their families.
Otherwise, they will be placed for adoption"

"At least it's over..."

"Maybe. There, it is over. But it happens all over the world. And we can't
stop it completely. Just as we can't stop anything we fight against. But
we can try. And you two should help make the fight easier, and should
help many people survive, that normally would become casualties in the war"

Jack set down his glass.

"One can hope...."


THE END


Author's Notes: Keegan Voorhees was an insult to my former internet name
"Kasady Voorhees". I changed the name to avoid character conflicts. The
character was meant as a final slap to that user name, which I recently
dumped as I got sick of being attached to it. Kasady Voorhees is dead. This
story seals that fact. 




Notes: Basically set in the Marvel Universe, I will be using a lot of my
own continuity for this series, and generally focus on the main characters.
Appearances by Marvel's universe will be special occurrences. Crossovers with
characters/titles from other companies will be treated as "single universe",
not as "2 universes crossing temporarily". I will also try to ignore major
Marvel comic story arcs. Cletus Kasady, Carnage, and other Marvel characters
are copyright Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. Other characters are either
my creation(copyright myself), or copyright their specific owners if non-
Marvel licensed characters. Characters used without permission/not for
profit. These are strictly fan stories. Permission to reprint extends to
placing this text, unaltered, elsewhere online. It may not be altered,
and especially NOT TO BE SOLD, unless Marvel wishes to license this series
from me.