Author's Notes:
Aussie social security is a bitch, so much internal bureaucracy at play and plain laziness. Pardon my French. When they cancel your allowance for stupid invalid reasons, and you need to go over and justify that their reason was contradictory. (Sigh)
On the bright side, been getting some positive comments about the recent chapters. One person has addressed that its almost a clear victory for Royal Army and apparent defeat for Golden Path. While it might seem to be the end, like usual, i leave clues several chapters back as to what plays out in the future. Like for example, the two missing Devas have yet to return.
If you put your trust in Uncle Havok, Uncle Havok will deliver. It would be foolish to stop now.
There was an old Chinese saying, "There is no medicine for regret." It was an appropriate analogy for the current situation Vasu was in.
Despite their fabled invincibility, despite their experience in warfare and martial prowess, despite their unholy exaltation by Mohan's benefactor who was obviously not human despite the time and age. They didn't account for the simple fact that they weren't the only ones that had inhuman monsters in their ranks. They complacently denied the title Demon, Badala was given by their colleagues who had seen more action against him. It was simply inconceivable and yet here they were with bodies that couldn't be destroyed by normal means. They should have known that the name Demon was not a title given lightly, not a when it inspired fear. The title was not given by the Royal Army, nor the People.
But the Golden Path itself.
Vasu's senses were blunty and muffled as he looked up to see his brethren slaughtered by a single foe, sweeping them like a farmer reaping his harvest. Not with knives or guns, those had been expended in their fight, that monstrous gun of his went dry, his kukri broke against the stone pillar he cut in half as Vasu took cover for a brief moment. The demon swept his brethren with his bare hands, they came apart like twigs. Sanjeev came to him weeping but shouted for him to leave, for it was becoming something they couldn't handle on their own. He looked to where he last saw Mohan, now gone. The Commanders had taken him away. Vasu looked back at the incomplete corpse of his brother.
"Hey… Bhishma… get up." He called out to the lifeless corpse as he looked meaningfully at the corpses eyes.
Explosions could be heard in the distance, but all his focus was on his brother. The one he bled and fought beside for decades. It didn't register with him that he could die so easily after all they'd been through. After all the trials and tribulations, they barely survived but survived they did. So how could he just die right now?
"Brother…"
"He's gone! Get that through your head!" A shout struck his inner being, Vasu turned to the origin of the voice.
"San-…jeev."
"We need to get out of here. It's hard to accept, brother. But we lost. The Royal Guard regiments have come to reinforce them." Sanjeev didn't wait for a response as he threw his brother on his back and dashed off in the direction everyone was going.
"Wait… Bhishma's still there…. Brother? He's stil-." Sanjeev gritted his teeth and pretended not to hear his elder brother's constant heart given denials their brother in oath had perished. Even now, the demon rampaged the retreating forces. The fighters were so afraid that they threw down their arms and packs to lighten their load to increase their speed. The Vehicles taxiing the Royal Guards blitz began blazing away at the fleeing fighters, they cared not that they raised their hands in surrender and followed the example of their lord.
Vasu's eyes trailed towards the area that exploded with gore and blood, where the demon was, indulging itself in mindless slaughter. With his enhanced vision, he could see the ever present smile of glee still planted on its face behind the blood stained mask.
How did it come to this? Vasu recalled the sequence of events that led them here.
Six minutes ago-
…..
"Raarrrghh!"
There wasn't a thought other than cleaving Badala in half, as he charges up to him with kukri in hand Badala stayed where he was composed. He should have known something was wrong.
He hadn't engaged him until now because of his fragility as a normal person, even if he was strong he wasn't their insanely strong. Or so he thought.
There was a different air about him, a glowing pair of yellow irises shone under the shadow of the roof.
(Bang)
"Huh?" Vasu found the world turned upside down, or rather he was the one turned around. Flying. His body slammed into the four-metre-tall slab of concrete that defined the maze and the slab collapsed from the force.
"(Cough) (Cough) Huh!" When he came to, he didn't have time to even comprehend what had happened as his senses detected imminent danger. He dodged with all of his muscles, and not a minute too soon.
(Bang) The sound of something hard smashing the concrete where his body originally lay. As he tumbled away he saw the silhouette belonging to none other than the man they thought were supposed to be hunting.
A flash of steel came for his neck. Vasu raised his kukri to parry the knife away.
(Clang)
As his knife contacted the other metal he felt and incredible force push his hand upwards away. His counter was blown away with a knife strike by Badala!
"Impossible!"
The slash was followed with a series of ruthless swings, each without pause or respite and insanely quick that his eyes being enhanced still have difficulty tracking.
Vasu breathed out and recalled his training and martial arts to reassert dominance. Just because he could match his strength didn't mean anything.
"Eh?" He suddenly realised.
-Match my strength?-
It was that moment that Vasu realised that there was something too wrong about Badala. He was like them on the inside. And yet, something they truly didn't understand. A monster, and worse. Pagan's monster.
Vasu tried to disengage and regroup with Sanjeev but as he turned around to increase his speed, a shadow appeared on his left. Slashing his back as it passed by.
"Arghh!" He wailed as he continued to run towards the corridor in an attempt to shake off Badala. But then, his pursuer suddenly disengaged and he saw him used a grappling hook to move as quickly as he did. But Vasu wasn't at all relieved, in fact he was shocked. He was going in the direction of Sanjeev.
Vasu quickly followed him, retracing his steps towards the area they were originally.
"Yearrghh!" He heards a cry of pain.
-Oh-no!-
When he reached the corridor, he found Sanjeev fighting desperately with his bayonet mounted rifle. Bhishma was also awake, much to Vasu's surprise. But his hand was missing, the recovery had saved him, but significantly impaired him of one arm. Still, he fought voraciously with his kukri.
(Bang) A discharge of his double barrelled rifle blew a chunk out of Sanjeev and incapacitated him temporarily, leaving Badala with just a handicapped Bhishma to finish.
He parried Bhishma's attempt to slash him and pinned his only arm against the wall with the kukri he had. Bhishma wailed in pain yet again.
The sight was scary, but he couldn't leave his brothers to their fate. So he ran towards Badala with everything he could. Badala was already aware of his arrival and used the grapple hook to dart away from a charging Vasu.
Vasu fired his battle rifle in full auto. To counter, Badala used the grapple to change his trajectory in midair, the hook piercing the concrete resounded throughout the labyrinth. Yet it was difficult to make out his shadow or current location. Vasu could only detect him at the last possible moment when killing intent exploded out behind him. He ducked as the knife sweeped pass his head and grazed his ear.
(Ching) The Kukri Badala carried had cracked from the excessive use.
Vasu saw this as a game changer, Badala was now unarmed. Sanjeev had recovered from the assault of the .700 nitro sabot round. Bhishma tore his hand from the second knife impaling him to the wall which recovered instantly.
Though it was unlike anything Vasu had originally thought, he welcomed their assistance. He needed it now more than ever.
"This- This man is more dangerous than Darshan!" Sanjeev said panting.
"….." Vasu was inclined to agree, but was quite sure what Darshan showed them wasn't all he was capable of.
"We'll use the Crane guard, lock him as long as possible till we can get out!" Vasu said to which they agreed. The got into a three-person row formation.
On Badala's end, the entity that took his place grinned bashfully. More sport, it assumed.
"Go!" Sanjeev took the led in the snaking formation as he reached Badala first and struck his blade at a high point while he parried with the gauntlet. But simultaneously Bhishma came and did the same at a different point forcing Badala to step back to dodge since he possessed no weapons. Then Vasu came in slashing and successfully cut his arm. Badala made a low growl and glared hatefully in Vasu's direction. But by now they had effectively circled him and begun continuous attacks. Though he was fast, he couldn't predict the next line of attack as he had to switch concentration between three people.
Vasu realised something.
-He doesn't know the Royal Martial Art?-
It made him shudder and sigh in relief at the same time. He couldn't predict their movements and yet could effectively take on anyone of them singlehandedly. Vasu was starting to think that fighting him fairly was not something they were capable of and was embarrassing to admit he would outmatch them. Their taunts were baseless from the beginning.
-Then what was that weeks ago?- Did he miss judge his strength, underestimating him? When Badala couldn't parry his blow when they first met. But now, his movements and fighting style were so savage and unrelenting they dared not slow down or think of anything to keep him suppressed.
Badala roared but was unable to get out of the entrapment. Sanjeev snorted.
"Don't let up! Or we'll regret it!" Vasu warned Sanjeev's show of complacency. They circled around slashing at him from different heights and directions making it difficult for him to counter. They grazed his armor and found it to be seriously tough, but relied on the brute force to do the damage to him.
Badala was getting frustrated, as he growled so. Vasu and the others were wondering where that witty comebacks went and why he was acting very strangely since the start of their hand-to-hand fights.
They didn't stop pummelling Badala as they moved towards the exit which had been previously sealed. They thought they could suppress him all the way.
But they didn't account for his cunning. They would soon learn that they should never play the same trick more than once in front of him. He ignored all of their attacks and concentrated on only one of them. Bhishma took the short end of the straw as he went for him. Vasu and Sanjeev attacked with downward slashes and struck him. Badala lost footing for a second but it didn't stop him, for he fired his grappling hook at Bhishma and reeled him in. Because he had been severely weakened with the absence of an arm, Bhishma tumbled and was dragged in by the triweave line. Badala reached out and clasped his neck.
"Huurghhh!" He choked from the powerful grip, despite his own powerful physique.
"Let him-(Bang) gaaarrrhhh!" Badala used his newly acquired meat shield as a mace and struck him against the others.
Sanjeev received the brute of a flaying leg from Bhishma and struck the rubble that covered the entrance.
(Bang) The tunnel shook from the force of his body colliding.
Because of the narrowness of the corridor, their circling formation was no longer effective. And they were helpless against Badala who used his hand and feet to kick them away while his hand held Bhishma hostage. He could see the hesitation in their eyes when he held their comrade and used it to his advantage.
Vasu continued in his one man assault with the knife, employing that difficult martial art that few had bothered to pick up but if they did would become the most powerful martial fighters in the country. Being without a weapon, the figure that was nothing like Badala, more akin to a demon used its own fists to pummel back Vasu.
Vasu received significant bruises and broken ribs from that brutal strength employed by the demons lightning fast attacks. A split second of hesitation or pause would lead to their deaths, Vasu was convinced his immortal body could no nothing against a continued assault. He refused to give in as it would mean the end of him and his brothers, his recovery did everything it could to compensate for all the damage he was receiving. Sanjeev watched from where he was, regretting even inciting the idea of fighting Badala in hand to hand.
"Vasu!"
Vasu was already wobbling where he stood between the Demon and his kin in the narrow corridor in a deadend. Sanjeev begun striking the entrance with his enhanced strength that could shatter rock.
It was then, the demon said the most disturbing thing to them.
"NeEd a hANd?"
Vasu thrusted his blade that would surely impale the demon from the narrowness of the tunnel corridor.
(Ching) But the demon caught it with its bare hands and grinned back at Vasu. It wrenched the blade from his hands and grasped his face and pushed him back. Vasu went flying and slammed against Sanjeev. "ooppff!" "Argh!"
But it didn't end then, he dashed towards them with his everquick speed despite having an injured Bhishma in one hand and threw him too against his fellow brothers to make a three-tier sandwich of Devas in the tunnel. Then it did a jumping kick towards them and struck the outermost layer, which comprised of Bhishma. The latter wailed in agony as he received the most of the brute force that the demon had done so far. His body caved in to the foot that landed on his body, ribs cracked along with some organs crushed. He felt like he died several times already, the more he did, the more he feared that thing that had been tormenting him this entire time. Between their bodies and the rock, the former was stronger, so rock was crushed by their force acted upon it by the demons flying kick and the Devas bodies. Causing massive pressure and an explosion of rock and rubble out of the entrance of the tunnel to where the rest of the Golden Path had been under a ceasefire for negotiation.
In the air, Sanjeev and Vasu recovered and landed on their feet, their metabolism kicked in and recovered their extensive wounds. They looked around to find the entire army assembled and thought the odds changed. Except they didn't account for the absence of Bhishma who was still in the demon's possession. Grabbed back while they were all unconscious from the brutal punishment they one-sidedly received. Even so, their bodies recovered from such devestation. It surprised even Vasu, in a mere five seconds of rest, his recovery could heal not just his wounds but his energy. The mistresses blessing was unlike anything. And yet, they couldn't overpower this one man.
If only they knew, this wasn't all he was held.
If a single word could trigger a war, it was what the Demon said warmingly to the Golden Path whose inner voice was telling to direct its rage at. The Demon was a creature of instinct so it would take its thoughts as priority.
Mohan had long given the order to retreat, he of all people knew the situation better than anyone. The demon gave a recognisable stench, he had to approach his master on this case. They were all ill prepared for it as they were. A fortress in the path where the road to King's Bridge was supposed to be, an impressive defensive formation and arsenal the defenders could bring to bear, and worst of all was the demon that lurked within. The Golden Path followed him oblivious to the true terror he could foresee. That if they stayed, they'd all be slaughtered by a single force. He never expected that Badala was associated with the same kind of occult as them, but his incredible strength he herald explained it. Mohan's problem was decemination which force provided him that strength. Supporting Sabal was no longer an option, he would order the fellow to withdraw as well. They couldn't afford to lose anymore forces, enough of their blood had been spilt today.
The Royal Guard regiments appeared from the western corner to circle and destroy the Golden Path, bore witness to the numerically superior Golden Path running from a single individual. From that moment, they dared not question Badala's authority in future, no matter if they were under direct orders from Yuma. So they joined in the one sided massacre of the fleeing Golden Path, asserting their vengeance upon the people that rebelled and killed some of their mates over the course of the civil war. The defenders of Bastion one and Amita were left with mouths gaping, standing stunned and frightened. They saw a side of Duke Badala that they had never seen before, a monstrous side that scared them to the very core.
The demon was oblivious to their thoughts and feelings, all it cared for was the slaughter of its victims.
The conscience kept deep within was merely a speck that controlled this body that it gave to the Demon to render destruction upon the Devas as was its specified orders were. But now, there were no Devas in sight, only future victims of the demon. The demon forced that conscience back into the recesses of its mind.
"Oh my- gyaahhh!" The demon sliced a man in half with a swipe of its grapple hook and line used as a twirling flail, in addition to its monstrous strength, nothing could stop it. The dreaded chopping sound of the spinning death closed in on the fleeing souls who couldn't get out of the demon's zero. What came out was bloody and smashed body parts in the collision of the hook like mace.
But they were considered the lucky ones to die painfully quick. The demon enjoyed using its hands to rip apart body libs or heads to use as a club against the still breathing victims. Shreeks of agony and bewilderment filled the air. Making those still alive run without turning their heads around to look.
Some chose to cover their comrades retreat and collectively fired upon the demon. Not that the 7.62mm rounds did anything to it thanks to Chiffon's protection, the raw energy of the bullets force was also absorbed by the demons warped hardness and resilience of skin. They stood up to overwhelming odds bravely, and in the next minute. They regretted they ever had to go through so much pain before dying. For the demon used its flail and hands only to dismember its victims.
It had reached the forest, a mile away from the fortress where it was intending to make another 'crimson woods'. There was nothing to stop its rampage, the conscious that belonged to the body had been shoved inside and the only person that could suppressed it the other time was not around. It would have free- (Ding) (Psss)
"(Growl)!" A hidden syringe injected a cocktail of tranquilizers into the demon's bloodstream. Its speed used to chase the fleeing Golden Path slowed down until it was on its knees. The fighters took the opportunity to run out of sight, going back was not an option on their list.
The demon slumped to the ground, weighted down by its sleepiness and inactivity of its blood.
So what stopped the demon then?
Ajay knew that before unleashing the demon, he had to control its actions. But till this point, he couldn't. So he did the next best alternative. He would limit the time of the demons attack. He wore an auto-injector on his armbrace under his armor with a timer from when he let loose the demon.
Ten minutes to finish the fight with the Devas. He was under the impression the fight would stay within the labyrinth, but things didn't go as expected. The tranquilizer mix was concocted by Noore who spent days experimenting with samples of his blood and different solvents and chemicals that would hibernate this energized blood. And she succeeded, which was why Ajay was so confident in letting go of his inner demon.
But when Ajay awakens, he would bear witness to the carnage he caused. What he got out of it was more than he wished for.
From the forested hill they were based on, Hurk peered through his magnified optic at the converging Golden Path strifeforce sent to 'liberate' Baghadur, confident they would seize Pacchim Valley, they divided a small group to capture the only remaining fortress in the Western region.
"Four thousand and counting." Hurk said to the assembled Condotierri and Marines. All thirteen of them had come to the field, now all they were missing were the last two members of the group.
(Rustle) They turned to the movement in the bushes with their wits about them.
Vajra darted into the bushes making a friendly sound.
It was only when the familiar appearance of Maya and the boy appeared did their guards loosen. Maya petted the black wolf generously till it settled down, a growing attachment to the her despite its true master.
"Ma'am."
"Miss Maya."
"Status." She asked.
"Latest estimates are around four thousand, could be more as we've only seen the front element." Ricardo reported.
"….."
"Should be more than a piece of cake for the brigade then." He said complacently as he always did. Maya smiled wryly.
"I hope so, any indication on the Command element?"
"Five hundred metres down East from our location, Commander of the operation… Sabal." Hurk responded emotionlessly. Maya's hairs stood up, there was rarely a moment Hurk miss identified someone or something from a distance,
"Sabal?" Samson had also heard.
"Wasn't that prick killed by Badala, one-punch style?" Ricardo chuckled.
"This Sabal doesn't have scars." Hurk continued.
"What?!" Maya stormed forward and grabbed her binoculars to see.
Standing amidst a concentration of warriors, wearing that all familiar smug, now enhanced by his complete look. Was the thorn in their side himself.
"How-…."
"Was the one we face all along a double?" Samson gave an interesting theory.
"Could be." Maya didn't have any leads so it was best to assume it was him. But even if it was, so what. That was thinking any other person would have, except Maya. It was the point, where someone who had been concealing his identity would likely conceal his strength as well.
"We'll proceed with caution, capture Sabal if possible to extract intel on the new developments of the Golden Path."
"I'm surprised the Golden Path still allow him to be a Commander after all the shit he's pulled over the course of the campaign."
"….." She found this odd too. But then, it meant they had to be extra cautious around him. He might not be the same person they'd been fighting till now.
(Boom) (Boom)
The sound of explosions and gunfire erupted from where Delta Barracks was. It seemed they had arrived upon their waiting army and begun a skirmish.
"Let's roll then."
"Hurk, take point and advance scout." She ordered.
"On it." He flung the recently acquired camo cloak over his head and activated the remote wrist device to turn on the uncooled adaptive camoflauge.
"Tsk!" Perkins showed visual dissatisfaction. David sighed, his second-in-command was showing a childish side of himself to all the wonderous kit and gizmoes made available in the last few months of their alliance with the Royal Army.
"You're a trained professional, camo cloaks are for sissies." Stew consoled him with a pat to the back as he took point for the group.
"Damn it, Stew. You wouldn't understand. It's not combat I want that cloak for." It took a little while for Stew to register, his face turned sullen. Hurk was in possession of the only available 'invisibility cloak'.
"Fuck! Why does Hurk have it?!" Stew ended up joining the Perkins train.
"I know, right?" David couldn't help but shake his head. If it were still California, they'd get sent to prison but here the penalty if caught could be death.
Over at Delta Barracks, the Golden Path were having a fierce fight with Unit 58's Tiger and Leopard Battalions. In the battle, both sides were evenly matched. In equipment, they were both wearing body armor, not that it could stop the high powered weapons both sides used. They were also old guard versus the new Royal Guard led by Sandesh. If any advantage was his, it would be his adeptness to the snowy environment which currently daunted the Kyrat landscape. The thick snow mired the Golden Paths advance to their barricades. But the tigers had cross training so they knew exactly what to do and what would be his next command.
Their adept knowledge of the snow allowed them to hold off the Golden Path long enough for Chief Yang to flank and Maya to decisively cut off the head of the Commander of this force somewhere behind.
Hurk stalked closer to a canyon where tents had been set to conceal their location and protect their sensitive communications equipment.
Hurk was currently alone ahead of the rest to observe and report the numbers and terrain.
"Bearing 020, Three hundred from your position. Canyon entrance, two guards. Tracks of three hidden snipers in the area. Canyon walls are too high for an effective barrage. Over."
*Roger. Maintain position and we'll begin attack shortly. Do not engage on your own. I repeat. Do not engage on your own. Maintain radio silence throughout. Out.* Ricardo replied on the headset microphone Hurk donned.
Hurk sat against the rocks on his high ground continuing to observe the enemy with this Rangefinding binoculars. He estimated the team would take ten minutes to get into position to attack the Command team leading the assault on Baghadur.
His eyes landed on a new arrival amongst the Golden Path.
"Hello?" He murmured.
They wore uniforms in pixel, Hurk matched the appearance to the description he received of the CNS operatives.
-Weren't they supposed to be observing?- He recalled the briefing that intel reported Mohan told them to sit back, yet here they were. Apparently, the commander of their force didn't feel obligated to follow his orders or that of Lynch's.
But they weren't the only ones there. Behind them were the figures of two familiar people.
One belonged to Jason, the other belonged to Daisy.
"Oh shit!"
He realised that they were walking into a strike zone. He picked up the radio, but remembered that they enacted radio silence. Hurk's worry for Daisy's safety increased. His team were oblivious to her presence and would go guns ablazing in there.
He peered several times through the scope to find the hidden snipers that protected the Command team. When he had found them all-
(Breathed in) (Bang)…..(Bang)…(Bang)
He fired his M110 sniper at all three snipers without the suppressor to muffle the report. He saw the Command Team have their wits about them including the CNS operatives. Then he began sniping them, to lessen the numbers. A few seconds after his attack, the CNS somehow located him with a device that caught sound vibrations and located its origin. An anti-sniper system. A combination of rifle and rockets flew to his location. Chipping the rocks. He'd seen the weapons brought back by Badala, more dangerous than what the Royal Army or Golden Path were kitted with. Even an assault rifle had the punch of a battle rifle and the range but the weight of a sub-machine gun.
Then he saw one operative loosen a black case and pulled out some long bullpup weapon.
-Anti-material rifle?- He thought as he suppressed the other snipers in the area.
The man stood while holding the large weapon pointed in his direction. In that instance, all of his spidey senses were tingling with imminent danger. Hurk abandoned his location and jumped down the ledge the moment his former position exploded with rocks flying everywhere. Hurk fell on his back on some trees below and out of sight of that weapon. He looked up to see a smoking hole in the cliff boulder he leaned against. What confused him was that there was no report of that massive slug passing through. Even still, it had such a frightening capability. If that was not the last of that weapon, then his friends were in grave danger. Without a second thought, Hurk dashed in the general direction of the temporary command base.
-Please be there on time!-
Maya and the rest watched in shock as that weapon the operative held possessed such firepower that it barely made much sound except for the sparks generated from the weapons vents. The result of its firepower was a explosiveless impact upon the cliff where hurk had fired upon the entire group.
They initially wondered what was the reason, Hurk broke silence to attack them. It had to be some valid reason, he was intending for them to halt their attack. Unfortunately, Ricardo ordered radio silence because of their proximity to the Command base personnel.
Instead, they were now all eyes on that mysterious weapon held by the leading operative officer. The rest were a little astonished to see such a devastating weapon being deployed. But Maya had an idea of what it was.
"A rail gun."
She didn't know how something like that could be made into a portable weapon, she wasn't an engineer, but she wasn't oblivious to the latest developments in modern weapon applications and tactics.
At present stage, some Nations were developing it as a naval weapon. Promising superior armor defeating capabilities, without the use of propellent that made magazine holds in ships vulnerable to high explosives. To synthesize it into a handheld weapon was a feat that was decades ahead of even the most sophisticated armed forces development. Just who was this CNS conglomerate? Wasn't their focus on monopolizing the arms industry in the states? When did they have funds to develop this sort of tech.
Maya could see the applicable potential of the weapon. It meant that no one was safe behind walls or lightly armored vehicles when faced with an individual with a handheld rail gun. Not even armored attack helicopters, as there would not be a need to give lead to the shot at the cockpit or the tail rotor which was the most vulnerable part of the helicopter.
She now eyed that weapons with a sudden urge she felt before. And urge that could only be described in a simple way when she saw all things furry and cute.
-I want it!-
Maya turned her head towards the rest. Her eyes met with Perkins, holding the same glitter. It was then that they both smiled. It was a glitter of obsessive greed.
They were going to steal that gun.
"Plan?"
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." She continued to whisper her plan to Perkins whose ears perked up to hear every detail of the plan.
"Got it. I'm moving out."
"Be careful." His superior told him, Perkins nodded and crawled into position.
"You think he'll be alright?" David asked Maya softly.
"He's as eager as me, he won't slip this."
"I meant Hurk."
"Oh, yeah. Should be fine, he's more sneeky than mice." She said with little interest. David was a little astounded, but then he figured it wasn't worth pursuing. Hurk was an anomaly like Badala, a feared sniper amongst the Royal Army with a reputation to move with such efficiency and split second decision he was herald as Mizaru, the monkey who shut its eyes to evil. Like Hurk could see no cruelty in how far he took his shots. He shuddered to think Badala had turned that chubby goodness into a lethal killing machine. What made Badala so frightening wasn't his prowess in combat, but mindset he operated under. Unhindered by strong morals, or rather bearing a more profound understanding of morals himself. What limited the effectiveness of any weapon wasn't the device itself but the user. But it wasn't the case for him.
What kind of battles could create such a person? What kind of trials did he undergo before getting to this stage where he remained till this point unchallenged in wit and strength. While still retaining a good character and modesty? David had seen many a day, so many friends go insane from the stress of combat that they either broke inside or chose to end their life to spare themselves pain. It was why he always told himself to maintain a strong moral compass whatever he did, Perkins said it was just him and there should have been more like him out there if not for certain circumstances.
Minutes later, Perkins was spotted amongst the command group accompanied by two CNS operatives who skilfully captured him. His arms raised the entire time.
"Good luck, buddy." David whispered.
Commander Crow walked forwards. "Check'em." He ordered the two.
"Hey! Hey! Easy on the goods, alright?!" Perkins said unhappily as they roughly tapped him down.
Jason wasn't having a swell time, when he received that letter at his desk he thought he was being called to a duel with Badala in an undisclosed location. What he got instead was 'princess peach' without a 'Bowser'. When he arrived at the location where the map told him to go to a mountain passage to a cave. So it was like Badala handed him a free lunch.
"Come back to us, Jason." She pleaded, he was surprised she knew that 'Jason' was no in at the moment. So his façade of the original bodies host fell in pieces, but it was interesting to say the least.
"You knew I was not your California boy….. and you still arranged this?" Jason laughed at the hilarity of the situation. To think that Badala would allow her to do such a thing. He laughed till tears came out of his eyes.
"I'm sorry to say sweetheart, Jason's never coming back!" He said with a malicious grin.
"No! I refuse to believe that!"
"And I did too, but you see…. Not everything turns out the way it should be." He said shrugging his shoulders.
Daisy's face was severely lacking in colour, her eyes flickered with anxiety. His behaviour was void of anything she recalled of Jason the last she heard and saw him. In his place was that horrible person, the one that took Grant from her. Both in mannerisms and tone, it was simply unforgettable.
For once, she sympathized with Liza. She was right, his condition deteriorated to such a degree that even if she stood by him he might hurt her or she might tear herself over the gradual loss of her lover. Then she realized…
-Didn't I do the same thing with Ajay?-
In pain of what they had become, left hoping for the better but in reality it was absolving themselves of the pain and worry over them. Making excuses. In the end, they weren't so different. Till now, she had yet to apologize to her for all the things she said. Perhaps when she got back, she could make a start.
"No, I don't believe for a second that Jason is gone."
"Think whatever you want, these are the facts. By the way, you know where I can find me a demon?"
"Take me back with you." Jason almost blanked out when he heard her say something too ubsurd to accept as a fact.
"'cuse me?"
"Take… me… back… with… you."
"No. I heard, but-…hahaha! You really are persistent aren't you senorita?" He said with a cheshire grin. But his response was met with a steadfast look in her eyes that even made Jason think about why she was asking such an ubsurd thing, it was like a zebra asking the lion to eat her.
"What do you hope to achieve?" He asked her.
"Bring back Jason, and…. Perhaps help you find peace."
"Pft… peace? HahahahahHAHA!" He laughed maniacally. "I am at peace, sweetheart! New body! New grounds! Absolute freedom! What more can I ask for?"
"Really?" Her eyes radiated an aura of inquisition, Jason was finding it weird she was reversing their roles.
"Really."
"Then why can I see a change in tone at the mention of freedom?" Jason was a little taken aback, something he was rarely capable of. Not since old man Hoyt passed on.
"You really like to pick at the words, did you know you have potential as a reporter, ma'am?" He said to maintain calmness.
"Well, you're not so different from a someone I knew. You both blame the world for your problems and circumstance. When you fail you blame it on someone else, because no one would believe in you if you were just a failure." She said with a sadden smile. Jason frowned, he was no longer laughing and his expression replaced with one of dissatisfaction.
"Tsk! Do whatever you want!" He walked out of the cave towards the place he'd been assigned to support Sabal. Daisy followed closely behind.
So things led up to the moment they arrived at the Command post which had just weathered a sniper's attack which a group of foreigners, Caucasian in descent. Used some sort of rifle to blast a rock in the top of a cliff they thought the sniper was.
"Did you miss me?" Sabal said grinning.
"Wha-?!" Daisy's spirit left her body. Something impossible was present before her.
"How did-."
"Fate, my dear. Karma sown between Badala and me and of course you to me prevents me from truly dying." He said with a fearless grin.
"You fucking trash." She glared. Sabal chuckled as he forcefully grasped her chin with his hand.
"Your glare is always a sight for sore eyes, it brings out something beautiful in you that mak-."
As Sabal's face neared hers, Jason's hand reached out and grasped his face.
"No touchy." He said with an annoying grin as he irritated Sabal in expression and tone.
"Tsk! Unhand me, damn fragment!" Sabal stepped back and swished his hand to knock Jason's off his face as well as release his grip off Daisy. And walked away from him to attend to other matters, not before sending a glance at Daisy that sent shivers down her spine. -Perverted bastard!- She sighed inwardly in relief. -Eh?- She looked to Jason with a complex expression. She was following without obligations for him to look out for her. So why did he protect her?
"Don't misunderstand, sweets. Nothing makes me happier than spoiling this little shit's day everday, it's a hobby. He seems to have quite an attachment to you, care to share?"
Daisy gave a gist of the story of their imprisonment.
"Tsh! I told him and he didn't listen, it's exactly as I said it would be. Well, he can't pay for his mistakes any longer." Jason chuckled.
"So, tortured. Huh? Still didn't lay a hand on either of you for that long. Is he impotent or something?" Jason mused with a hand to his chin.
Daisy didn't know what to make of his act of familiarity to her. Should she accept him as he was and try to break past his emotional barrier? She'd come this far, she might as well go all the way. Ajay was nice enough to give compromise for her, one chance to save Jason while she still could. She failed Ajay, just as Liza failed to save Jason. She was not about to make the same mistake twice.
"Hey! Hey! Easy on the goods, alright?!" Daisy turned to look at a man in a familiar Marine Uniform was held captive and patted down for further weapons.
He noticed he was being eyed and looked to Daisy and winked quick enough that no one saw. It was a rather cryptic message that something was about to happen, she turned over to Jason who looked at her. As she wore a face of worry, being a man of instinct, he was quick to find something suspicious.
"A lone marine out in the woods, is this some sort of new Jarhead joke?" Dominic asked. Sabal was watching from a distance, he recognised the marine as the members who came for Willis.
"Nah!" He said.
"Staff sergeant Gregor R. Perkins, Force recon. Socom. What could JSOC possibly want here?"
"Hmmm? That's odd, didn't you here? Agent Asshole was supposed to be head for St. Petersburg, but took a detour to Kyrat. What, didn't your boss tell you why he brought you here?" Perkins said with a smirk.
Dane struck him with the end of his rail gun.
"Oohhff! Ouch!... I'm not the type to receive pain usually."
"Get used to it!" Dane said to him after delivering another riflebutt.
But Perkins laughed in pain. "That's quite a piece you've got there. Don't think I've ever seen it before."
His reply baffled them.
"Were you the sniper?"
"Every Marine's a marksman Army-rej- oww!" As he was mocking him half way a foot landed on his stomach again.
"Where is the sniper?"
"Even I don't know the question to your answer, why don't you smoke some weed? It'll help take the edge off, Kyrat's got plenty of euphoric goodies scattered about."
"Where!" He slammed him as he interrogated Perkins.
"Why are you here, Marine?" Dominic asked, as he sensed he didn't come alone, where were the rest?
"Would you believe it if I said it was for-…" He pointed at Dane.
"Me?" Perkins shook his head smiling sinisterly. And exacted his finger towards what Dane carried in his arms.
"What, this?!" Dane felt like laughing, he tried to get in so that he could steal this weapon theirs. While it was impressive, to follow out a whole plan just for it-…foolish... Dane admitted to himself that he didn't have the tenacity this jarhead had.
Dane smiled and unslung the rifle and placed it to rest on his knee in front of him.
"XM2014 prototype kinetic linear-rifle is what the labcoats call it for now, we simply call it the sabot gun. Fresh out of the electromagnetics research department. Holds a magazine of ten solid 10mm slugs fired through solidified hydrogen superconductor charged rails. Free-recoil and Semi-auto for shooting goodness." Dane showed him the features with a sparkle of in his eyes, he suddenly felt like bragging to reward Perkins for his one-man effort.
"MmmHmm! MmmHmm!" Perkins nodded with approval.
"Whether you're in a heli or behind a bunker, this thing'll penetrate it and shred you with the fragments into a bloody heap."
"Oooohhh…"
"Enough! Just because he's a deadman doesn't you continue feeding him classified info."
"Aye aye, sir." Dane sighed as he slung his weapon.
"Where are the rest of your unit?" Dominic set him back on track for his obvious attempt to delay, but Perkins was really interested in the gun, that was what Maya sent him for.
"Did it take you that long to figure it out? Man, for mercs you sure are slow witted." He teased once more. Dominic was at a thin line of patience and pressed his automatic shotgun against Perkins forehead.
"In ten seconds, if I don't hear a response your foreseeable future is as a meat paddy!"
"I don't need ten seconds. Hell, I don't even need five."
"Then wha-." Dominic was about to continue but then, he heard the most disturbing thing as Perkins continued where he left off with-
"Three, two, one. Bye Bye!" Despite his hands being cable tied, Perkin's jumped out of the way into the cover of the assembled crates.
(Boom) (Boom) (Boom) (Boom)
A combination of grenades, flashbangs and incendiaries created an instant havoc in the proximity that Commander Crow and the operatives as well as Sabal and his command group were.
Lines descended from the canyon and abseiling down them were the rest of Perkin's team and Maya's company.
While the rewards were generous. The risks were greater than they could have initially anticipated.
Author's notes:
Devas look beat, but they'll bounce along right back soon. The Witch will take things seriously from now on.
I nearly had the impulse to name this chapter Rip and Tear. ('cough' Doom 'cough')
