The Cosmic Crime: Part Four

Andrea winced at the gunshot. And, yes, she did feel genuine regret at the apparent passing of Ms. Madison. Maybe she hadn't known the blonde well, but she had known her well enough to know that she was a brave young woman. But she also knew that the Green Man did not take the murder of his employees at all well. The Order of Cain would not only be smashed, but even those already in the custody of the Police would perish quite miserably. And yet to live and see justice done would be better.

"Your turn next," the apparent leader of this Cainite death-squad spoke harshly. "Turn around."

"No." Andrea was insolent. "Besides, what are you going to do if I don't?"

"There's more than one way to kill someone," the man replied.
"And?" Andrea smiled. "If you think I'll do as you say just because you threaten to shoot me so that I die slowly, then you're a bigger fool than you look. You see, if you do anything other than shoot me through the head, you and one of your men are going ahead of me. And to the other place."

The man cocked his gun, but Andrea's defiant words had bought more than just a pause. A couple of gunshots split the air. Two men fell at once, while the remainder turned, ready to engage the foe at their backs. As they turned, two more of them fell, and Andrea took out another couple. The others were diced in a lethal cross-fire.

"That should teach them." Much to Andrea's amazement, it was Ms. Madison who strode into the room, wrapped in a towel. "Don't they know that girls like us always take a pocket pistol into the shower?"

"The girl with the waterproofed Derringer?" Andrea smiled.

"Got it in one," Ms. Madison grinned. "The Green Man gave it to me a long time ago, and it's saved my life a lot of times since then." She laid down the revolver she held in her other hand, answering all questions as to just how she'd been able to shoot so many people. "And once you kill one gunman there's always a spare gun."

"True." Andrea started disarming and trying to identify the dead men. They'd have to leave the mission at any rate, but she was sure the wicked Order of Cain would not try to frame them as ruthless killers. It was too obviously a shoot-out. Ms. Madison left to get changed.

*********************

It was after Ms. Madison had put on some clothes and had finished helping bury the bodies that the 'phone rang. She snatched it up at once.

"You've arrived." The Green Man spoke without asking who was on the other end. "And the Order of Cain have made an attempt to kill you."

"Two," Ms. Madison corrected him. "But you're essentially right. Where do we go from here?"

"An estate a few miles outside Los Angeles," the Green Man replied. "Owned by Jameson Line, the actor. He's a supporter of the Order of Cain, so you should be able to find a few clues as to their plans."

"Tonight," Ms. Madison agreed. "And we'll take the burglary kit."