Ch. 6 "Trust"
Seven days had passed, Vicious and his men had returned to their base. Though the attack was successful, no one celebrated. For the men had experienced first hand the brutality of war, and the mentality of war. Vicious's ten men were now down to four. He had one wounded soldier, but that soldier was in the medical tent, he would soon be ready for combat once more. The laughter of his troops brought Vicious out of his thoughts and into reality. Vicious looked up at them. The laughter stopped.
"We're sorry, sir. We didn't mean to disturb you." Gren said. Vicious stood up and left the tent, leaving his soldiers to their own devices. He had other matters he needed to attend to. Vicious headed towards the communication tent. A guard stopped him.
"Stand aside soldier." Vicious said coolly.
"What is your rank?" The guard asked.
"Supreme commander. Step aside." Vicious said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"All communications will be intercepted 0by the enemy, you are aware of that sir?" The guard asked in a business-like tone. Vicious nodded.
"I am aware of such." The guard nodded solemnly then stepped aside, allowing Vicious to enter the tent. Vicious entered the tent and walked to the nearest data transmitter. He accessed his personal communication account. Since he was only interested in reading what he had received, he didn't have to fear leaking information to the enemy. He had one message.
To: Vicious@titan.op.net
From: Someone@mars.net
Subject: Grencio
Vicious, don't forget your mission. Don't think we aren't watching you. The Syndicate has its eyes on you. Kill Grencio.
From,
Someone.
Vicious deleted the message. "Grencio.... Gren?" Vicious's voice trailed off. He smiled and said, "They prey has come to the hunter." Vicious wondered why the syndicate wished Gren ill. He had heard rumors of Gren associating with Julia. Vicious made a mental note to question Gren before he killed him. The tent was filled with light as a soldier entered the tent. The soldier saluted then said, "You have a visitor."
"A visitor?" Vicious asked. The soldier nodded. "Is it a civilian?"
"Yes. A woman, she is waiting in your personal quarters." Vicious closed his eyes. Julia?
"Bring her to me." Vicious ordered. The soldier nodded then left.
"Could it be Julia?" Vicious asked himself.
"Possibly." A feminine voice said softly. Vicious examined its owner. Indeed, it was Julia. Vicious's heart skipped a beat; he placed his hand on the hilt of his katana. She was wearing a long black trench coat, and loosely fitting black jeans.
"What are you doing here?" Vicious asked his eyes narrowing. Julia looked at the ground then took a few steps toward him.
"Spike is dead, Vicious." Vicious forced himself not to smile.
"You are here because Spike is dead?" Vicious asked.
"I thought..." Julia said softly, her voice trailing off. Vicious sneered.
"You thought what?" Vicious asked. "Spike betrayed me. You betrayed me. The only people I ever allowed myself to trust. The only woman I loved." Vicious smiled. Julia looked at Vicious, her eyes moist.
"It's over Vicious. He's dead." Julia flung herself into Vicious's arms. Vicious sneered and pushed her away. Julia stumbled backwards.
"He's not dead, Julia." Vicious said coldly. Julia's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" She asked. Vicious laughed silently.
"Tell me. How did he die?" Julia bit her lip then said, "He was killed on the job." Vicious smiled.
"Did you see his body?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"He died in an explosion, there was nothing left of him."
"Spike isn't dead." Vicious said with finality. Julia looked at Vicious.
"Why can't you accept the fact that he died?" Julia asked, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Vicious eyes flashed with anger.
"I would accept it if it was the truth. I know Spike, he was the only man I trusted with my life, and I don't trust weaklings, Julia. You being the only exception."
"Even you wouldn't have survived that, Vicious." Julia said softly.
"Spike wanted to get out of the Red Dragons, you know that Julia. You were there that night after we retrieved those papers from the warehouse."
"What are you saying?"
"He faked his own death so he could get out of the Syndicate." Vicious said as one would say to a child who didn't understand a simple concept. Julia's eyes widened.
"But....what about me?" She asked. "Why didn't he take me with him?" Vicious looked at Julia, her blonde hair resembling an ocean of gold. She looked so pitiful, so helpless, so innocent.
"Did you ever love me, Julia?" Vicious asked, trying his best to maintain his steely tone.
"No."
"Then why?"
"You offered me power, you offered me protection..."
"I offered you my trust, my love." Vicious sneered. "Yet you treated it like garbage. You betrayed me." Julia sighed.
"I'm sorry, Vicious."
"I could kill you right now; I could tell the Syndicate were you are and if I don't kill you, they will." Julia showed no sign of fear.
"I don't care anymore, Vicious."
"Get out of here. I'll let you go this time, but next time.....I will kill you." Vicious said, his voice void of any emotion. Julia looked at Vicious then left the communication tent. Vicious cold not restrain his emotion any longer. Vicious cried.
Seven days had passed, Vicious and his men had returned to their base. Though the attack was successful, no one celebrated. For the men had experienced first hand the brutality of war, and the mentality of war. Vicious's ten men were now down to four. He had one wounded soldier, but that soldier was in the medical tent, he would soon be ready for combat once more. The laughter of his troops brought Vicious out of his thoughts and into reality. Vicious looked up at them. The laughter stopped.
"We're sorry, sir. We didn't mean to disturb you." Gren said. Vicious stood up and left the tent, leaving his soldiers to their own devices. He had other matters he needed to attend to. Vicious headed towards the communication tent. A guard stopped him.
"Stand aside soldier." Vicious said coolly.
"What is your rank?" The guard asked.
"Supreme commander. Step aside." Vicious said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
"All communications will be intercepted 0by the enemy, you are aware of that sir?" The guard asked in a business-like tone. Vicious nodded.
"I am aware of such." The guard nodded solemnly then stepped aside, allowing Vicious to enter the tent. Vicious entered the tent and walked to the nearest data transmitter. He accessed his personal communication account. Since he was only interested in reading what he had received, he didn't have to fear leaking information to the enemy. He had one message.
To: Vicious@titan.op.net
From: Someone@mars.net
Subject: Grencio
Vicious, don't forget your mission. Don't think we aren't watching you. The Syndicate has its eyes on you. Kill Grencio.
From,
Someone.
Vicious deleted the message. "Grencio.... Gren?" Vicious's voice trailed off. He smiled and said, "They prey has come to the hunter." Vicious wondered why the syndicate wished Gren ill. He had heard rumors of Gren associating with Julia. Vicious made a mental note to question Gren before he killed him. The tent was filled with light as a soldier entered the tent. The soldier saluted then said, "You have a visitor."
"A visitor?" Vicious asked. The soldier nodded. "Is it a civilian?"
"Yes. A woman, she is waiting in your personal quarters." Vicious closed his eyes. Julia?
"Bring her to me." Vicious ordered. The soldier nodded then left.
"Could it be Julia?" Vicious asked himself.
"Possibly." A feminine voice said softly. Vicious examined its owner. Indeed, it was Julia. Vicious's heart skipped a beat; he placed his hand on the hilt of his katana. She was wearing a long black trench coat, and loosely fitting black jeans.
"What are you doing here?" Vicious asked his eyes narrowing. Julia looked at the ground then took a few steps toward him.
"Spike is dead, Vicious." Vicious forced himself not to smile.
"You are here because Spike is dead?" Vicious asked.
"I thought..." Julia said softly, her voice trailing off. Vicious sneered.
"You thought what?" Vicious asked. "Spike betrayed me. You betrayed me. The only people I ever allowed myself to trust. The only woman I loved." Vicious smiled. Julia looked at Vicious, her eyes moist.
"It's over Vicious. He's dead." Julia flung herself into Vicious's arms. Vicious sneered and pushed her away. Julia stumbled backwards.
"He's not dead, Julia." Vicious said coldly. Julia's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" She asked. Vicious laughed silently.
"Tell me. How did he die?" Julia bit her lip then said, "He was killed on the job." Vicious smiled.
"Did you see his body?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"He died in an explosion, there was nothing left of him."
"Spike isn't dead." Vicious said with finality. Julia looked at Vicious.
"Why can't you accept the fact that he died?" Julia asked, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Vicious eyes flashed with anger.
"I would accept it if it was the truth. I know Spike, he was the only man I trusted with my life, and I don't trust weaklings, Julia. You being the only exception."
"Even you wouldn't have survived that, Vicious." Julia said softly.
"Spike wanted to get out of the Red Dragons, you know that Julia. You were there that night after we retrieved those papers from the warehouse."
"What are you saying?"
"He faked his own death so he could get out of the Syndicate." Vicious said as one would say to a child who didn't understand a simple concept. Julia's eyes widened.
"But....what about me?" She asked. "Why didn't he take me with him?" Vicious looked at Julia, her blonde hair resembling an ocean of gold. She looked so pitiful, so helpless, so innocent.
"Did you ever love me, Julia?" Vicious asked, trying his best to maintain his steely tone.
"No."
"Then why?"
"You offered me power, you offered me protection..."
"I offered you my trust, my love." Vicious sneered. "Yet you treated it like garbage. You betrayed me." Julia sighed.
"I'm sorry, Vicious."
"I could kill you right now; I could tell the Syndicate were you are and if I don't kill you, they will." Julia showed no sign of fear.
"I don't care anymore, Vicious."
"Get out of here. I'll let you go this time, but next time.....I will kill you." Vicious said, his voice void of any emotion. Julia looked at Vicious then left the communication tent. Vicious cold not restrain his emotion any longer. Vicious cried.