Secrets and Betrayal
The hours rolled by. It was nearly daylight. Sean, Robert, and O'Rielly stood stationed. Time ticked by as they waited for their enemy to make their move.
But, to their dismay, the DVX didn't show. Robert stared down at his wristwatch. "Dammit!" he swore to Sean. "The information must have leaked out to the DVX that we were going to show up tonight!"
"Hell, it looks that way. Damn double agent! I'll go check the street over there," Sean stated.
"I'll get the alley," Robert offered.
"And I'll get the warehouse across the street," said O'Rielly. They had to cover all their bases.
Robert searched the alley in the near-darkness. He was about to turn and leave, when he spotted a dark-clothed figure lurking behind a row of rusty barrels. The person was slight and wore long, concealing coat with a large hood and a black ski-mask. They must have seen him, because they jumped up quickly, running down the alley. Just then, Robert noticed the leather pouch which was carried under the arm of the hooded figure. It was the kind of pouch carried by the DVX comrades.
Robert's suspicions proved correct. The pouch fell to the ground and some weapons spilled out. Robert raised his gun to shoot at his running foe. He had to see who was escaping. He was certain it was the double-agent.
The bullet missed, but it hit a nearby barrel. There was a loud explosion. The barrel, which contained gasoline, caught fire. The force of the explosion had thrown the person Robert had been pursuing to the ground. They lay there motionless as the flames licked mercilessly at their clothing.
Cautiously, Robert approached the burning barrel. He carefully drug the dark-clothed figure away from the fire. Scowling, he jerked back the hood, then tore off the half-burned ski mask.
A cascade of silky long black hair flowed from the mask. Robert stared down upon the once-beautiful face of his wife. Her creamy flesh was now a mass of bloody blisters and burns. The explosion had knocked her unconscious.
"Anna?" Robert gasped in shock.
"This can't be!" he cried. "No! NO!"
He held her against him as he began to sob.