Treachery

The four hopped out of the van and walked into the diner. Elise who was 25, wiped her forehead of sweat after working out before the boys to pick her up. She had changed out of her sports bra and red spandex and into some casual clothing. One of the men, Ted who was in his early thirties, walked up to the counter and flashed his GC card. The GC card allowed GC officers to purchase food at half the normal rate regular citizens would be charged.

"What do you guys want?" asked Ted as he felt the waitress take his card. The group looked at the menu above.

"I'll take the Carpathia open faced sandwich. After he rose from the dead, I only want to honor, love, and worship him more then I do now."

"I second that," said Elise. "Mike, what about you?"

"The usual," said the tall broad shouldered man. His hair came to his shoulders in a ponytail and he wore his usual biker jacket. It was black, sleeveless and it seemed to show how strong he was. Hell, many of those damned Judaites feel victim to his brute strength. One person fell on his mind though. No, two, three, more then four he knew. One of those was Rayford Steel, the man who had killed Carpathia in the first place. When Carpathia rose from the dead, Mike was overjoyed and he wanted to bring Rayford to Nicolai himself, just so the he could deal with him in his own way. But first things first. In order to prevent anything like this from happening again, Carpathia required that all take his mark on either their heads or hand. Anyone who didn't have this mark could not buy, sell, and would be hunted like animals in the wood. This process would begin in three weeks to make sure no mistakes were made. He looked out the window of the diner to see three pickup trucks drive up with guillotines on the back.

"Mike."

The soft voice of Elise shot him back to reality. Normally it would be the fierceness in her voice that would do that. The four sat down at the table and ate. Josh who was a year younger then Elise, said his prayers to Carpathia and then gobbled his food like someone would steal it from him. The door rang, indicated someone had walked into the diner. It was a tall black man. He wore a red hoody that seemed to swallow his entire upper body, and some white khakis. Some of the people looked at him strangely, because he fashioned himself this way in the dead of summer. Was he cold or what? He was well shaven, but his hair seemed like a forest atop his head. It was just so fricking nappy. Elise eyed this man. It wasn't the fact that he was black, nor was it the fact that he dressed himself strangely. It was the fact that he was one of the wanted. He had eluded GC up until now. He looked over at everyone eating. He kept his hands in his pockets and walked over in a strange manner over to the counter. He practically skipped his way merrily over there, almost like a schoolboy.

"That's one of the guys we were looking for," Elise whispered. "should we act?"

"Not yet," said Ted as he went into leader-mode. "wait until he gets his food, then we'll nab him and take him in."

They nodded their heads in agreement. After he was done ordering he walked over and sat next to them. Elise wided her eyes at this huge chance they had. She saw him take a bite of his beef sandwich and look at her. He made it no secret that he thought she was good looking. He looked her up and down from head to foot, then resumed to his meal. Ted nodded his head.

"Shawn, is it?"

"Who's asking?"

Ted pulled his badge but Elise stopped him. She wanted this one. Ted back off after seeing her determined face.

"I'm asking, Officer Briges. Shawn Banks, stand up now you're under arrest."

"For what?"

"Insurrection, treason, and violence. Don't make me repent myself."

"Better do what she says Judaite," said Ted.

Shawn took another bite of his sandwich and held up a finger indicating for her to wait a moment as he swallowed his food.

"Treason? Oh dear me I love my country very much good woman. And as for insurrection, what kind are you taking about? That earthqauke that happened after the witnesses had died must have really rattled your brain."

As quick as lighting she took one arm and held his face down on the table. The other three members told everyone to go back about their business as they made the arrest.

"I told you you fucker, don't make me repeat myself!"

"You got some soft hands there, very soft indeed."

"Shut it Judaite! You'll be kept in prison as we await the enforcement facilitators!"

"You mean the guillotines?" he asked merrily.

She punched him in the back. He groaned in pain a bit as he was forced up.

"You're not eluding us this time you fucking prick! Now get moving!"

"You know, you were made very beautiful. You have a nice flat stomach, curvy body, and a pretty smile. It's a shame you'll come to an end one day soon."

"You really like adding up the charges don't ya boy? Move!"

They shove him outside. Elise walks in front of him as the three men get the van ready.

"So how does it feel?"

"Nani den de o?"

"What did you say?"

"Oh yeah. Its, "what are you saying?" in Japanese."

"Does it look like I speak Japanese?"

"Ie."

She slaps him hard across the face.

"Speak English!"

Shawn's head didn't move back to its normal spot. Instead, it seemed to be looking at an armored vehicle driving speedily down the street toward them.

"Friends of yours Elise?" Shawn asked as if he knew what was coming. She was puzzled at how he knew her name, but he answered for her. "Don't worry, I have to keep tabs on everyone I meet these days."

Mike turned around and yanked him to eye level.

"Two choices. You can shut it or I can shut it for you! What will it be?"

Shawn thought then smiled.

"Second choice is good."

"Good answer."

He shoved him back as the armored car came to a stop. Five men armed with rifles and machine guns came running out of the car, followed by one who was not dressed up in all black.

"Well hello my little friends," he said as he spat. "I found what I was looking for."

Ted walked up and brought his arms to attention.

"Sir I think you'd be glad to know that we caught this one today."

The man didn't so much as blink.

"Good for you. Now release him!"

They were stunned by the order. Elise stepped in.

"Um, but sir he is on the wanted list."

"And your point is?"

"God is good," Shawn said butting in. The man looked at him and shook his head. He turned his attention back to Elise.

"Guess you didn't hear me."

"No, we heard you sir," Ted said as he uncuffed Shawn. "You better run as fast as you can boy," Ted said.

"Oh no actually he's been cleared of all charges as of today."

The four were stunned. A criminal like him freed? Why? Shawn turned back and looked at the four. He shook his head and left. Ted stepped forward.

"Sir, I'd like to know why we just let a man guilty of treason escape us."

The man nodded toward the car. They all got in and drove off. They only rode for about three minutes at best, because they had pulled into an alley why.

"Out," said the man. Everyone didn't need telling twice.

"Why are we here?" young Josh asked nervously.

"The reason why he was let go was because the capture of an individual made by traitors is now null and void."

The four were taken aback.

"W…what?" stammered Josh, red with fear.

"We aren't traitors sir! We stood for and loved Lord Carpathia with our hearts and souls! I speak for all of us when I say that!" said Ted defiantly.

"We would never do anything that would be offensive to our lord and risen king!" Elise said. A tsk tsk sound escaped the man's lips.

"Well then where were you when the killer was there at the Gala?"

"Doing our duty….sir!"

"And do you know what that duty was? Protecting our lord and king Carpathia. When Rayford Steel walked into the Gala, you should have stopped him."

"We had no way of knowing that he was in disguise sir! He had hidden himself well!"

"He had hidden himself well," said the man doing his best to copy his voice. "I guess the bullet that killed him hid itself well too didn't it?"

Ted said nothing but gritted his teeth in anger. The men in all black, the ringwraiths, pointed their guns at the four. They didn't move another muscle upon this action. The man calmly walked over to Ted and removed Ted's gun from its holster. He cocked it once then whistled a tune to himself, Tiny Toon Adventures.

"My kid used to watch that show all the time when he was young. Do you remember Tiny Toon Adventures?"

"I do sir," one of the ringwraiths said as he held his gun towards to head of Josh. The man laughed.

"He remembers it. Hell, who doesn't? But I'm getting off topic here. Lord Carpathia had order your execution a long time ago anyway."

"What?" came a feint, disbelieving whisper from Elise's lips. She nearly choked on the word as her throat went dry.

"You heard me. He was going to replace you people anyway. You know, start with the weak then work your way up. Almost like an MMO. You start with weak gear then discard the weak for stronger weapons. That's what's being done here today, he doesn't need you now."

"Wait a minute! Ted screamed, "everything we've done was for him! When he said kill we killed! When he told us to round up Judaites, we did! We loved him and worshiped him with everything we had!"

The man spat again, this time in the face of Ted.

"You think he cares about that? The go ahead was given to us an hour ago. Don't worry, you aren't the only ones going the road you're going."

Ted couldn't believe any of this. He and his crew had served Carpathia for three years, and this was their thanks?

"We are the GCMM, the elite, the most loyal. You are the uh….the uh…."

"Useless meatsacks," said another of the men.

"Yes thank you. What he said."

Without another moments hesitation he shot Mike in the head twice. The large body of Mike fell with a sickly thud to the ground.

"Mike!" Elise shrieked aloudas she rushed over to Mike. Ted shook his head in complete disgust.

"Why?! WHY!?"

"I already told you, Lord Carpathia's got some new gear and its time to discard the old."

Josh turned to run but one of the ringwraiths trained his machine gun on the 24 year old man and with a quick, "brat brat!" sound, was shot to the ground. Blood began to pool on the concrete as it trickled down toward the boot of the man. The man spat again.

"Your turn you self-centered bitch," he said. He then shot Elise below the stomach. For her legs, it was like someone had unplugged the socket cutting off all power to a household appliance. She groaned loudly but softly in pain.

"Elise, no!" Ted yelled. The man hit Ted with the hilt of the gun. Blood and a few teeth fell to the ground. The man laughed at him.

"You know what, I'm feeling generous today so I'll let you run and get help for yourself. You've three seconds. Go!"

Ted turned and ran as fast as he could down the alley. Then man looked over to Elise who was clutching with all her strength at her wound to keep the blood from flowing out. She moaned in pain. The man shook his head.

"Well, I guess its time for you to go to I'm afraid."

To his right, there was a large green trashcan. Poking out of the trashcan was a large round metal beam. The man walked over to Elise after he withdrew it from the trashcan. He placed one foot on Elise and positioned himself.

"I always did want to play golf. FORE!"

He ran as fast as he could down the alleyway. He cut through houses and he hid behind an old dumpster and listened. Ted cried. Everything that he and his crew had done for Carpathia was for nought. He hated him for it. He hated him for wasting three years of his life, and then killing his friends in cold blood. He listened more and he heard the footsteps of the GCMM. He kept quiet, because he knew that if he was caught they would kill him.

"Oh well," said the man, "what can he do anyway? Someone will finish him off for us."

"What about that woman you struck across the head sir, i saw that man help her back there as we started running."

"You mean that man in the red?" he asked, wondering hopefully that he got away for his sake. The sound in his voice seemed to indicate that he knew that man. "We're done here, lets go."

Ted listened as he heard them leave the area. They didn't even make an attempt to look for him. He covered his mouth as blood continued to pour fourth. He cried. He hated Nicolai for what he had done. He stripped him of everything. At least he had gotten away with his life, he thought. The others weren't so lucky. The Judaites believed that when one diedin their sins, they went to hell. Well, once Ted got better, he would send Nicolai to hell himself for what he had done. But for now, rest was needed. After he had found a place to stay, he would start his plans for revenge. His thoughts were broken when he heard footsteps coming toward him. He quickly got up and stopped before he even ran.

"You got stripped of everything and now the only two things you've got are your life and soul. You need a place to stay?" asked Shawn.