The Gauntlet Page #6

It's a ruse. It's a ploy.

He's trying to manipulate us

into thinking some...

I think he's on the level.

I'll call you.

Do that, Feyderspiel.

Before the whole bucket

blows up under our face.

You get that trial postponed.

Have a heart attack.

Perjure yourself.

Shockley's got to be stopped.

Stopped hard.

So long, folks.

Good luck.

All set?

Ready.

Hijacked a what?

Wickenberg-Phoenix.

That's 150 miles of goddamn desert.

It's 3 hours on that road.

We could...

...blast that bus to hell.

Sitting duck, you know?

Call Vegas.

Have the boys do it.

Blow the sh*t out of it, I mean.

I could make that call.

But the boys don't

do that sort of job.

It's a little high-profile.

But they're with us, right?

Yes, sir.

But we're talking about

a large bus on a public highway.

And that's big news.

Our friends in Las Vegas

don't like...

They're embarrassed by

that kind of coverage.

Our boys, then. The cops,

deputy sheriffs, Highway Patrol.

We've got heavy-duty weapons,

don't we? Bazookas?

We have the a**holes.

Show some balls!

Blow them away, for chrissake!

Sir, with all due respect,

this is a very well-traveled highway.

We don't want blood and tennis rackets

all over the asphalt.

Screw it!

A few casualties.

If there are casualties,

other than Shockley and the girl...

...someone will be answerable.

You.

I make the decisions.

Now what is it?

Are there any other options?

I suggest we let Shockley

drive right in.

Now, we have his route.

We then employ a two-phase plan.

In phase one, we use his friend,

Josephson, to lay a trap.

In phase two, we clear

the streets along his route...

...deploy our men and create

an impassable barrier.

A gauntlet, if you will.

He won't have a chance.

That would work, wouldn't it?

I mean...

...we could control

the media then too.

We'd appear justified, getting him.

It'd be a feather in our caps.

- Excellent thinking.

- Then that's our plan.

Can you manage? Can you

arrange the thing with his friend?

Josephson, sir?

Yes, sir.

I'll put it in the works right away.

I repeat to all units:

Station yourselves as requested.

Battalion Captains will be taking

their orders from this office only.

Contingency nine-one.

We're doing this to one of our own?

You heard Blakelock, didn't you?

But it don't make sense.

I mean, if this guy's

the mad-dog killer Blakelock says...

...why would he supply us

with his route?

What do you think they'll do to us?

Whatever Blakelock tells them to.

Isn't there somebody who can stop him?

The Chief or the Mayor or...

He's the Police Commissioner.

He'll do whatever he wants to do.

He can put an army on the streets

and nobody'd question it.

You do want kids, don't you?

Kids, a house, a car, swimming pool.

You name it.

Someplace with trees.

Someplace with neighbors

not too close by.

With hills to walk in.

Horses and a greenhouse, maybe.

Maybe even a little

guesthouse out back.

Maybe even a...

What?

Nothing.

You don't even know

if I'm good in bed or not.

I'll just take that on faith.

What if he gets through?

He can't get through.

He's gotten this far, hasn't he?

Sir, how many units have you deployed?

Four dozen? Five dozen?

And those marksmen

are the finest on the force.

I know. But what happens if...

I mean, there's going to be

hell to pay if something...

...goes wrong.

The only thing that can

go wrong is if your disciples...

...decide they can't shoot down

one of their own officers.

Jesus, they're cops.

The bastards are paid to shoot,

not think.

Then we have no problem.

This is where our

welcoming committee will be.

Why can't we just keep going?

Maybe they won't stop us.

We could just keep going and going...

Nag, nag, nag!

What's that?

Roadblock.

You get ready to hit the deck now.

They're letting us through.

Don't want innocent people

to get killed.

Who's that?

Jesus! That's Josephson.

What the hell you doing here?

Jesus Christ!

You don't have to do this.

We've got a friend at City Hall.

- Who?

- Feyderspiel.

He's the Assistant D.A.

On the DeLuca case.

I told him about Blakelock.

He promised to help us.

He promised to defend you

if you could prove your point.

I don't trust anybody

connected with the DeLuca case.

Damn it! Don't you hear me?

The man is the Assistant D.A.

The man prepared the whole case.

Maybe he's the one with enough guts

to go up against Blakelock.

And maybe they're in bed together.

Maybe the whole thing's a smokescreen.

Listen to me.

I've talked to Feyderspiel.

He's okay, not like we thought.

Besides, guy, you've got no choice.

Blakelock's got half the

goddamn police force out there.

Just waiting for

this elephant to roll in.

Where?

Seventh, Central...

...Mesa...

...Adams.

The whole route you gave me.

The place is swarming with squad cars.

Hell, even with this pig iron,

it's suicide.

Please. Transfer to my car.

Stay in the back.

Just stay down low.

I'll smuggle you into City Hall.

The back door.

Feyderspiel and I got it doped out.

We'll take the service elevator.

He said keep your gun.

If you think you're being crossed...

...you can use him for a hostage

to get away again.

For chrissakes! This man's laying

his life on the line for you!

What do you think?

I think it's worth a try.

Maynard Josephson, meet Gus Mally.

Hi, Gus.

Let's go, partner.

- Oh, my God!

- Get in the bus!

Get in the bus!

Son of a b*tch!

He's dead!

The son of a b*tches killed him!

Blakelock and Feyderspiel.

Goddamn, motherfucking...

Stay down.

We're going in.

Keep glued to that floor.

Commence firing!

Unit 4, this is Unit 5.

Stand by.

We failed to stop him.

He's headed straight for you.

Come here.

Drive this sucker.

Get up.

Drive this sucker.

I don't know how!

- Do what I tell you!

- Don't yell at me!

Do what I tell you.

Drive, please!

Jesus Christ!

Oh, my God! Look at this.

Open fire!

Just get down!

Stay down!

Watch out! Here he comes!

Cease fire!

Cease fire!

I've got a witness here

for Courtroom "G."

I gave orders!

They were supposed to kill them!

I gave orders!

Shoot them!

Shoot!

Kill them!

Shoot them!

Kill them!

Tell them.

It was Blakelock!

Tell them about Blakelock.

Blakelock did the cover-up!

- What cover-up?

- The DeLuca cover-up.

He set you and the girl up!

Please speak to me!

You know I love you.

Goddamn it!

Ben Shockley, don't you die on me!

Open those f***ing eyes!

Nag, nag, nag!

Get me up.

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