Chapter 3: The Sad Truth
Dylan held his forcelance tight in his bandaged hand still trying to figure out exactly what was happening. Everything seemed to be moving so fast and he felt rushed and disoriented. Vee tossed him his coat and stared at him waiting for him to get up so they could be on their way.
"What do you mean he won't come back?" Dylan asked but without warning she opened the door and the cold air swirled in causing her cloak to blow around her like a cape in the wind. She almost looked like a beautiful bird of pray in flight. Dylan quickly put on his coat to ward off the cold noting that something about her wasn't quiet human...she seemed out of this world but Dylan couldn't put his finger on it. He hesitantly stepped out into the whirling snow that blew him back ferociously but Vee seemed to slice through the winds force with ease leaving Dylan trailing far behind. They walked for what seemed like miles before Vee finally made it to what looked like a big metal barn, she struggled to slide back the thick metal door that was frozen shut. Dylan finally made it to her chattering and licking his chapped lips. He pushed with her until the door finally broke away and slide back with a scraping moan. Inside was dark and cold and Dylan squinted trying to adjust his eyes. Before him was something astonishing, it looked both sleek and cumbersome at the same time. It was big, and metal just like everything else in this rundown town but this had a much different flare of ingenuity and reckless power. He gazed at it longer remembering it being called an automobile, but this one seemed more rugged then the ones he had seen in his history books. It looked modified and stronger then the sputtering machines of the past.
"What is this thing?" He asked looking it over and resting his hand on the huge cold grill. He was amazed at just how tall it was, seeming to look down on him ominously.
"It's a contraption Zee built. He calls it a car...I call it Nancy." She said rubbing it slowly. She opened the car door and got in. she started up the engine and the metallic beast vibrated with life. The bright headlights snapped on and shown in Dylan's eyes and he covered his face from the barrage. Vee gazed out of the windshield with annoyance.
"You getting in or what?" she snarled. Dylan shook off his shock and pulled himself into the mammoth vehicle she had named Nancy which was a very odd name for something that looked so tough. Vee adjusted her seat and then reached up to tap the huge plush dice that hung on the rearview mirror. The furry red dice swayed rhythmically and she watched intently. They finally came to a stop and she smiled.
"Snake eyes. You better hold on." She said switching gears with a loud click. The car surged forward and roared out of the barn like the angry metal beast that is was, set on the task of ravaging anything in its path. She held the wheel tight her eyes never deviating from the road, her face solid and focused. Dylan watched as the poor town's people leapt out of the way of the speeding car shaking their fists angrily. The car shook and rattled as it jumped over embankments and fishtailed on ice patches but she looked well in control skillfully maneuvering the car and shifting gears with sharp jerks of her right hand.
"What, what's going on...where are we going and what do you mean Harper won't come back unless we bring him back?" Dylan said in a rush grimacing as the car fishtailed wildly to the left and the engine roared and rumbled in response as she frantically turned the wheel to compensate with a sneer on her lips.
"He's had a hard time Dylan, the game has him and that's all he can see, this is his life now and he's afraid that if he's taken from it that it will land him back at square one. He's afraid of waking up again to an unfamiliar world." She said making another sharp turn which made Dylan yelp in surprise. She threaded a tight alleyway, the side mirrors sparking wildly as they scrapped along the metal walls of the two buildings creating an unbearable sound but she didn't even flinch. They finally made it out of the alleyway and out onto what Dylan guessed was a road. The windshield wipers worked diligently shoving the falling snow back and forth as the spinning wheels sprayed snow on the homeless street urchins trying to warm by their barrel fires.
"He wants a life that wants him. One that he knows he can keep and won't forget and he thinks the life he has right now is it. You have to convince him that there is more up there in that ship of yours." She said. Dylan sat quietly unsure of how to make Harper believe that his whole life was in orbit around the planet. Everything was waiting for him, they had refused to touch any of his things, his room is how he left it and so is his favorite machine shop and Beka continued to stock up on sparky cola in hopes that one day we'd find him and she could see his face light up at a storage hold filled with his favorite drink. Dylan's eyes began to water just thinking about all the pain losing Harper had caused them, the psychological anguish they all had suffered. How could he make Harper understand just how much they loved him, how much they needed him? How could he make him want to remember?
"I believe you Captain Dylan hunt. I believe that he had a better life up there in the stars. Anything is better then this...anything." She trailed off and Dylan knew she was referring to what she called "the game".
"What is the game?"
"It's what we play." She said as the car suddenly jerked violently to a stop. Dylan looked around to see that they were just millimeters from a steep cliff. Below them sat a city which looked much more prestigious then the slum they had just come from. The buildings sat tall and pretty with lights on in every window nestled in what looked like a big crater.
"A game of chance. Our job is to take orders and leave no one alive. Zee is the best and everyone knows it so it wasn't odd that he was the first to be asked to go on a mission to execute a key diplomatic leader by the name of Caranova. He's visiting here to stir up public relations for his campaign to become president over these 6 united planets. Our employer feels that if Caranova wins the election that he would lose his pull over this system and that doesn't sit well with him."
"Is that the mission Harper is on right now, To kill a diplomat?" Dylan said in shock, what had Harper become? Was he an assassin?
"Yes it is, but our employer is very fond of Zee...he's the man who found him, took him in from the cold, and trained him to be the best. He thinks of Zee as his son and in turn Zee thinks of him as his father. He knew this was a suicide mission so he gave Zee a choice to either take this mission or decline with no penalty, he didn't want to see him killed. I pleaded for Zee to decline and he did, but I think now he went back on his word." Vee said staring thoughtfully ahead at a cluster of tall buildings. She kept her hood on trying to hide her emotions but Dylan could feel the pain radiating off of her.
"He's angry, confused and scared, I know he is...and right now he's taking more risks then ever. I know he's just waiting for that choice bullet to blanket his world but I'm not gonna allow it!" She said staring into my eyes...her brown eyes wavering with unshed tears.
"You ready?" Vee said charging all of her weapons. She then took the rabbits foot in hand, rubbed it and brought it to her lips. She kissed it slightly and let it drop back onto her chest. Dylan didn't like this one bit and his morals tugged at him. He couldn't stand by and watch Harper slaughter a political leader because his employer didn't like him. He had to find a way to talk some sense into him...
"What's the plan?" Dylan asked.
"There's never a plan when the dice read snake eyes." She said stepping out of the car. Dylan was about to protest when an explosion of mammoth proportions lit up the sky with bright orange and red. They watched the debris and dust fall like rain as one of the building imploded onto themselves, toppling down to the earth's surface with an animalistic roar. The sound of gunfire and blood curdling scream could be heard next.
"That must have been Dee with the on...we can't be late." She said running down the steep cliff toward the action. Dylan slipped and stumbled down the cliff after her determined to figure out how she was gonna get Harper out of there. He wasn't sure that he was willing to become involved in the unnecessary battle. She suddenly stopped and Dylan caught up with her at a frantic dash. He double over, grabbing his knees out of breath noting that running in snow was extremely difficult.
"One more thing. That neitzchean you call Tyr...what's his last name?" She asked.
"Anasazi" Dylan said
"Tyr anasazi...of Kodiak pride...oh Zee, hang in there" she said quietly before dashing off again. Dylan was utterly confused but dashed off after her kicking up snow. Vee ducked behind a building and pulled a small pocket communicator out of her pocket as explosions filled the sky like fireworks and some of Caranova's armed guards marched by.
"Dee come in" she said quietly
"Whoa...Vee...didn't know you were in on this one" A man with a rough voice responded.
"I'm here for Zee, where is he."
"Last time I saw he was leading a frontal assault on the Caranova's personal Calvary up around the state building. We're trying to hold back the soldiers but they keep coming out of the woodwork."
"Frontal assault? Damn, that's not his usual style"
"Tell me about it, I don't know what's going on but whatever it is I wouldn't get in the way...he's really kicking some ass out there...and that's saying something." The man said and Vee nodded.
"I have to stop him, he's gonna get himself killed."
"We've got a lot of fire on us so I can't stay and chat but hey...be careful out there girly...Dee out" The communicator went dead and Vee looked around the building to see that the coast was clear.
"Follow me" she ran off in the direction of the explosions with Dylan in tow. It didn't take long for them to make there way to their destination. Fires burned hot while yellow and blue discharges flew through the air from various weapons on the noisy battleground. The loud crack of grenades and explosives could be heard as the grunts of pain and exhaustion rang out from all who were involved in this war. I could hear orders being barked in the distance by a familiar voice and my eyes landed on a blond spiky haired man.
"There he is." she said. Harper was dressed in a one-piece jumpsuit much like Vee's with huge strapped boots adorning his feet. He wore a trench coat that blew in the wind and a black scarf wrapped around his mouth and nose that waved in the chilled wind. He casually walked with his arms fully extended in front of him as he sprayed gunfire with startling accuracy. Each shot hitting its target, His two modified guns smoking from the rapid fire. The guns made a mechanical sound telling him they were empty. He quickly flipped to the left and hid behind a huge chunk of debris.
"Cover me!" he shouted as the enemies fire chipped away at his concrete cover. The rest of Harpers team kneeled down in the snow like the red coat British Calvary of the olden days, laying down cover fire. Slowly they were picked off by the opposition, falling down dead one by one until only a few remained. Harper threw down his exhausted weapons, reached behind his head and into his coat and pulled out a huge double barrel laser shotgun that seemed to dazzle and glint in the moonlight. His movement's seemed to be in slow motion as he jumped up from behind the pile of debris dragging the gigantic gun with him. He held the oversized weapon with two hands cocked it, loading the chamber. Then he squeezed the trigger making him recoil at the sheer force of the guns power. It sounded like a cannon as it shot off two blue beads of light that zoomed through the air and hit an enemy soldier square in his chest sending him flaying back and smashing into a near by window. Harper cocked the gun again sending the spent shell falling to the ground at his feet while he sent off another devastating shot. He walked forward, bullets whizzing past him, drilling holes in his trench coat that waved behind him like a flag. Each of his shots rang out and echoed as he picked up a rhythm, click clack boom, click clack boom. Soldier after soldier fell in his wake as he made his way closer to the state building where he knew Caranova was hiding, but soon even that gun ran out. There were only a handful of Caranova's squad left and Harper threw down his depleted shotgun. He stood with his coat blowing back looking like swiss cheese, His stance wide his eyebrows knitted together in anger. He lifted the collar of his coat to his mouth eyeing the soldiers before him who were awaiting his next move.
"Fall back. I can handle this." He spoke smoothly to any members of his team who were still alive
"But you're out of ammo!" Dee yelled over Harpers com with exasperation.
"Since when have I needed ammo?" He said with a hearty laugh letting his collar go and cutting off the conversation.
"He's a fool!" Vee shrieked as Harper reached into his boots and pulled out two knives each one with a sharp curved tip. He fisted the knives tight and smiled.
"Take your best shot." He said. The troops raised their guns and Harper made a break, quickly running toward them as the bullets peppered the snow at his feet. He jumped into the air coming down with his knife plunging it deep into the enemies chests while kicking another creating a domino effect and knocked them all off balance. He bent down and grabbed the dead man's gun by the barrel leaving his knife deep in his foes chest cavity. He went about the task of taking them out two by two a knife in one had and a gun in the other. He used moves Dylan had never seen before using his small stature to his advantage, twisting and flipping out of danger and into the best position to jab his knife deep into there neck or chest. He moved quick and agile like a cat stabbing and pistol whipping them all into submission. Finally there was only one soldier left and Harper stared at him. The field was littered with bodies, and blood spread in the snow.
"Where's Caranova" He said sternly but the soldier spit at him instead. Harper wiped his face and laughed.
"You must want to die." He said twirling his knife like a baton.
"So do you." A voice boomed from behind him. Harper stilled.
"Caranova, how good to see you. I was just asking about you." Harper said slowly turning around with his hands raised in the air. The once last surviving soldier took Harper's knife and gun and joined his comrades. Harper took in the whole scene...there were at least 30 more henchmen and Caranova stood frowning at the top of the buildings steps.
"Anasazi sent you didn't he?" The man sneered.
"Actually I'm just here for the thrill, had to get some things off my chest." Harper said staring at Caranova. Dylan looked to Vee who had pulled out her pocket communicator. She tapped a button on the side using old mores code that cracked on Harper's collar communicator just loud enough for him to hear. Zee ran his hands through his spiky snow dampened hair with a smile.
"That's the signal. We move in now!" she said shoving Dylan forward.
"I want you to meet someone." Zee said and just as soon as he did two of Caranova's guards were taken down by gun fire to his left. That gave Harper his much needed diversion and he leapt forward wrenching his knife and gun away from the soldier and breaking his neck in one fluid motion.
"No one left alive..." he said rolling to the side and throwing his knife into the neck of another one of Caranova's henchmen. Harper quickly stood propping the man up, using him as a human shield. The man's body rocked with the bullets they sent flying Harpers way and blood splattered his coat and face but Harper looked unfazed. Vee charged with a roar both of her guns firing like an automatic weapon, obviously modified by Harper. She quickly mowed down half of the opposition, each shot perfect in accuracy. Dylan ducked and rolled sending off shots of his own and taking out men with well placed kicks and punches. Finally the last man dropped to his knees with a sickening gargle and Harper whipped off his bloody blade. His eyes landed on Vee for just mere seconds but Dylan could see an 'I'm sorry' shinning in them. He looked away and casually walked up the stoop and stood in front of Caranova who was trying to hide his fear but his shaking hands told only the truth.
"Let me introduce you." Harper said slipping on a pair of brass knuckles while the man watched and sweated.
"This is my wife Vee and some captain guy named Dylan, and this will be the last thing you will ever see." Harper said and then revved back his fist and hit the man in his stomach. He doubled over coughing up blood, Harper didn't hesitate and kneed him in the face sending the man toppling backward and down the icy stairs. He slid in the snow and laid there still and unconscious. Dylan finally shook away the shock and screamed out.
"You're gonna kill him in cold blood?!"
"It's what I do." Harper said intent on finished what he had started.
"It doesn't have to be..." Dylan said remembering the engineer he use to know who had a heart of gold, who wanted to help people not cause so much carnage. Dylan looked around the battlegrounds, There was so much death. If this was the game Dylan most certainly didn't want to play.
"Shut up! I'm not in the mood to hear your lies! He wouldn't do that to me..." Harper said angrily grabbing Caranova's collar ready to plunge his knife deep into his chest.
"Are you sure Zee?" Vee spoke up and Harper shook his head trying to hold back the emotion.
"I'm sure! He wouldn't do that to me! He cares about me..."
"Wake up Zee! The evidence is clear! Our employer...Tyr Anasazi of Kodiak pride is the same man who betrayed you, took you away from your life in the stars, wiped your memory and enslaved you. But you already knew that didn't you? You knew it the minute Dylan said his name and described him to you. So you ran away and came out here to kill yourself!" She said letting her emotions surface on her face. She looked pained and Dylan could see how much she truly loved him.
"Why would he take care of me then...he gave me a home...he taught me everything I know! I don't understand." Harper muttered rocking back and forth on his knees in the snow.
"After he took your knowledge he probably saw your potential as an assassin. I know Tyr Anasazi and he's just using you." Dylan said.
"When I thought I couldn't trust anyone and when no one was on my side I looked to him for help and he was always there..." Harper said in disbelief.
"After you built the ships he wanted he must have wiped your memory and pretended to be your savior so he could turn you into his own personal assassin." Dylan said piecing it all together. He was astonished at the evil of his former crewmember how could he do something so sinister to Harper? The man he had once lovingly called 'the little professor'.
"Everything has been a lie, my life is a lie." Harper said, his face balling up with pain, the tears threatening to fall.
"You can come with me Harper...leave all of this behind and regain the life he stripped from you. He isn't your friend Harper, he isn't you father. Your father is the man that sacrificed his life so you could have one, so you wouldn't be a slave to anyone. Don't stay here and stay a slave Harper..."
"I have to kill him first...I can't leave anyone alive." Harper said struggling with his thoughts, and his programming.
"NO! Listen to me Harper!" Dylan yelled and Harper stilled with his knife held high in the air. His now wet hair lying shaggy in his eyes.
"Vee told me that this guy is threatening Tyr's empire and his hold over this system and that's why he wants him dead, but what better way to stop Tyr's evil and to get your revenge then to protect this guy and ensure he wins this election." Dylan said and the world seemed to freeze while Harper thought. His hand finally relented and it dropped the knife which sunk deep into the snow blood soaked snow.
"Is there really a place up there for a person like me? I'm not who I use to be, you keep calling me Harper...but I don't even know who that is " He said looking at all the snow stained in blood. He had done so much damage, had slain so many.
"There is always a place on the andromeda for you ...always." Dylan said and Harper closed his eyes and raised his face to the heaven's...letting the snowflakes fall in his river of tears.
TBC...
Dylan held his forcelance tight in his bandaged hand still trying to figure out exactly what was happening. Everything seemed to be moving so fast and he felt rushed and disoriented. Vee tossed him his coat and stared at him waiting for him to get up so they could be on their way.
"What do you mean he won't come back?" Dylan asked but without warning she opened the door and the cold air swirled in causing her cloak to blow around her like a cape in the wind. She almost looked like a beautiful bird of pray in flight. Dylan quickly put on his coat to ward off the cold noting that something about her wasn't quiet human...she seemed out of this world but Dylan couldn't put his finger on it. He hesitantly stepped out into the whirling snow that blew him back ferociously but Vee seemed to slice through the winds force with ease leaving Dylan trailing far behind. They walked for what seemed like miles before Vee finally made it to what looked like a big metal barn, she struggled to slide back the thick metal door that was frozen shut. Dylan finally made it to her chattering and licking his chapped lips. He pushed with her until the door finally broke away and slide back with a scraping moan. Inside was dark and cold and Dylan squinted trying to adjust his eyes. Before him was something astonishing, it looked both sleek and cumbersome at the same time. It was big, and metal just like everything else in this rundown town but this had a much different flare of ingenuity and reckless power. He gazed at it longer remembering it being called an automobile, but this one seemed more rugged then the ones he had seen in his history books. It looked modified and stronger then the sputtering machines of the past.
"What is this thing?" He asked looking it over and resting his hand on the huge cold grill. He was amazed at just how tall it was, seeming to look down on him ominously.
"It's a contraption Zee built. He calls it a car...I call it Nancy." She said rubbing it slowly. She opened the car door and got in. she started up the engine and the metallic beast vibrated with life. The bright headlights snapped on and shown in Dylan's eyes and he covered his face from the barrage. Vee gazed out of the windshield with annoyance.
"You getting in or what?" she snarled. Dylan shook off his shock and pulled himself into the mammoth vehicle she had named Nancy which was a very odd name for something that looked so tough. Vee adjusted her seat and then reached up to tap the huge plush dice that hung on the rearview mirror. The furry red dice swayed rhythmically and she watched intently. They finally came to a stop and she smiled.
"Snake eyes. You better hold on." She said switching gears with a loud click. The car surged forward and roared out of the barn like the angry metal beast that is was, set on the task of ravaging anything in its path. She held the wheel tight her eyes never deviating from the road, her face solid and focused. Dylan watched as the poor town's people leapt out of the way of the speeding car shaking their fists angrily. The car shook and rattled as it jumped over embankments and fishtailed on ice patches but she looked well in control skillfully maneuvering the car and shifting gears with sharp jerks of her right hand.
"What, what's going on...where are we going and what do you mean Harper won't come back unless we bring him back?" Dylan said in a rush grimacing as the car fishtailed wildly to the left and the engine roared and rumbled in response as she frantically turned the wheel to compensate with a sneer on her lips.
"He's had a hard time Dylan, the game has him and that's all he can see, this is his life now and he's afraid that if he's taken from it that it will land him back at square one. He's afraid of waking up again to an unfamiliar world." She said making another sharp turn which made Dylan yelp in surprise. She threaded a tight alleyway, the side mirrors sparking wildly as they scrapped along the metal walls of the two buildings creating an unbearable sound but she didn't even flinch. They finally made it out of the alleyway and out onto what Dylan guessed was a road. The windshield wipers worked diligently shoving the falling snow back and forth as the spinning wheels sprayed snow on the homeless street urchins trying to warm by their barrel fires.
"He wants a life that wants him. One that he knows he can keep and won't forget and he thinks the life he has right now is it. You have to convince him that there is more up there in that ship of yours." She said. Dylan sat quietly unsure of how to make Harper believe that his whole life was in orbit around the planet. Everything was waiting for him, they had refused to touch any of his things, his room is how he left it and so is his favorite machine shop and Beka continued to stock up on sparky cola in hopes that one day we'd find him and she could see his face light up at a storage hold filled with his favorite drink. Dylan's eyes began to water just thinking about all the pain losing Harper had caused them, the psychological anguish they all had suffered. How could he make Harper understand just how much they loved him, how much they needed him? How could he make him want to remember?
"I believe you Captain Dylan hunt. I believe that he had a better life up there in the stars. Anything is better then this...anything." She trailed off and Dylan knew she was referring to what she called "the game".
"What is the game?"
"It's what we play." She said as the car suddenly jerked violently to a stop. Dylan looked around to see that they were just millimeters from a steep cliff. Below them sat a city which looked much more prestigious then the slum they had just come from. The buildings sat tall and pretty with lights on in every window nestled in what looked like a big crater.
"A game of chance. Our job is to take orders and leave no one alive. Zee is the best and everyone knows it so it wasn't odd that he was the first to be asked to go on a mission to execute a key diplomatic leader by the name of Caranova. He's visiting here to stir up public relations for his campaign to become president over these 6 united planets. Our employer feels that if Caranova wins the election that he would lose his pull over this system and that doesn't sit well with him."
"Is that the mission Harper is on right now, To kill a diplomat?" Dylan said in shock, what had Harper become? Was he an assassin?
"Yes it is, but our employer is very fond of Zee...he's the man who found him, took him in from the cold, and trained him to be the best. He thinks of Zee as his son and in turn Zee thinks of him as his father. He knew this was a suicide mission so he gave Zee a choice to either take this mission or decline with no penalty, he didn't want to see him killed. I pleaded for Zee to decline and he did, but I think now he went back on his word." Vee said staring thoughtfully ahead at a cluster of tall buildings. She kept her hood on trying to hide her emotions but Dylan could feel the pain radiating off of her.
"He's angry, confused and scared, I know he is...and right now he's taking more risks then ever. I know he's just waiting for that choice bullet to blanket his world but I'm not gonna allow it!" She said staring into my eyes...her brown eyes wavering with unshed tears.
"You ready?" Vee said charging all of her weapons. She then took the rabbits foot in hand, rubbed it and brought it to her lips. She kissed it slightly and let it drop back onto her chest. Dylan didn't like this one bit and his morals tugged at him. He couldn't stand by and watch Harper slaughter a political leader because his employer didn't like him. He had to find a way to talk some sense into him...
"What's the plan?" Dylan asked.
"There's never a plan when the dice read snake eyes." She said stepping out of the car. Dylan was about to protest when an explosion of mammoth proportions lit up the sky with bright orange and red. They watched the debris and dust fall like rain as one of the building imploded onto themselves, toppling down to the earth's surface with an animalistic roar. The sound of gunfire and blood curdling scream could be heard next.
"That must have been Dee with the on...we can't be late." She said running down the steep cliff toward the action. Dylan slipped and stumbled down the cliff after her determined to figure out how she was gonna get Harper out of there. He wasn't sure that he was willing to become involved in the unnecessary battle. She suddenly stopped and Dylan caught up with her at a frantic dash. He double over, grabbing his knees out of breath noting that running in snow was extremely difficult.
"One more thing. That neitzchean you call Tyr...what's his last name?" She asked.
"Anasazi" Dylan said
"Tyr anasazi...of Kodiak pride...oh Zee, hang in there" she said quietly before dashing off again. Dylan was utterly confused but dashed off after her kicking up snow. Vee ducked behind a building and pulled a small pocket communicator out of her pocket as explosions filled the sky like fireworks and some of Caranova's armed guards marched by.
"Dee come in" she said quietly
"Whoa...Vee...didn't know you were in on this one" A man with a rough voice responded.
"I'm here for Zee, where is he."
"Last time I saw he was leading a frontal assault on the Caranova's personal Calvary up around the state building. We're trying to hold back the soldiers but they keep coming out of the woodwork."
"Frontal assault? Damn, that's not his usual style"
"Tell me about it, I don't know what's going on but whatever it is I wouldn't get in the way...he's really kicking some ass out there...and that's saying something." The man said and Vee nodded.
"I have to stop him, he's gonna get himself killed."
"We've got a lot of fire on us so I can't stay and chat but hey...be careful out there girly...Dee out" The communicator went dead and Vee looked around the building to see that the coast was clear.
"Follow me" she ran off in the direction of the explosions with Dylan in tow. It didn't take long for them to make there way to their destination. Fires burned hot while yellow and blue discharges flew through the air from various weapons on the noisy battleground. The loud crack of grenades and explosives could be heard as the grunts of pain and exhaustion rang out from all who were involved in this war. I could hear orders being barked in the distance by a familiar voice and my eyes landed on a blond spiky haired man.
"There he is." she said. Harper was dressed in a one-piece jumpsuit much like Vee's with huge strapped boots adorning his feet. He wore a trench coat that blew in the wind and a black scarf wrapped around his mouth and nose that waved in the chilled wind. He casually walked with his arms fully extended in front of him as he sprayed gunfire with startling accuracy. Each shot hitting its target, His two modified guns smoking from the rapid fire. The guns made a mechanical sound telling him they were empty. He quickly flipped to the left and hid behind a huge chunk of debris.
"Cover me!" he shouted as the enemies fire chipped away at his concrete cover. The rest of Harpers team kneeled down in the snow like the red coat British Calvary of the olden days, laying down cover fire. Slowly they were picked off by the opposition, falling down dead one by one until only a few remained. Harper threw down his exhausted weapons, reached behind his head and into his coat and pulled out a huge double barrel laser shotgun that seemed to dazzle and glint in the moonlight. His movement's seemed to be in slow motion as he jumped up from behind the pile of debris dragging the gigantic gun with him. He held the oversized weapon with two hands cocked it, loading the chamber. Then he squeezed the trigger making him recoil at the sheer force of the guns power. It sounded like a cannon as it shot off two blue beads of light that zoomed through the air and hit an enemy soldier square in his chest sending him flaying back and smashing into a near by window. Harper cocked the gun again sending the spent shell falling to the ground at his feet while he sent off another devastating shot. He walked forward, bullets whizzing past him, drilling holes in his trench coat that waved behind him like a flag. Each of his shots rang out and echoed as he picked up a rhythm, click clack boom, click clack boom. Soldier after soldier fell in his wake as he made his way closer to the state building where he knew Caranova was hiding, but soon even that gun ran out. There were only a handful of Caranova's squad left and Harper threw down his depleted shotgun. He stood with his coat blowing back looking like swiss cheese, His stance wide his eyebrows knitted together in anger. He lifted the collar of his coat to his mouth eyeing the soldiers before him who were awaiting his next move.
"Fall back. I can handle this." He spoke smoothly to any members of his team who were still alive
"But you're out of ammo!" Dee yelled over Harpers com with exasperation.
"Since when have I needed ammo?" He said with a hearty laugh letting his collar go and cutting off the conversation.
"He's a fool!" Vee shrieked as Harper reached into his boots and pulled out two knives each one with a sharp curved tip. He fisted the knives tight and smiled.
"Take your best shot." He said. The troops raised their guns and Harper made a break, quickly running toward them as the bullets peppered the snow at his feet. He jumped into the air coming down with his knife plunging it deep into the enemies chests while kicking another creating a domino effect and knocked them all off balance. He bent down and grabbed the dead man's gun by the barrel leaving his knife deep in his foes chest cavity. He went about the task of taking them out two by two a knife in one had and a gun in the other. He used moves Dylan had never seen before using his small stature to his advantage, twisting and flipping out of danger and into the best position to jab his knife deep into there neck or chest. He moved quick and agile like a cat stabbing and pistol whipping them all into submission. Finally there was only one soldier left and Harper stared at him. The field was littered with bodies, and blood spread in the snow.
"Where's Caranova" He said sternly but the soldier spit at him instead. Harper wiped his face and laughed.
"You must want to die." He said twirling his knife like a baton.
"So do you." A voice boomed from behind him. Harper stilled.
"Caranova, how good to see you. I was just asking about you." Harper said slowly turning around with his hands raised in the air. The once last surviving soldier took Harper's knife and gun and joined his comrades. Harper took in the whole scene...there were at least 30 more henchmen and Caranova stood frowning at the top of the buildings steps.
"Anasazi sent you didn't he?" The man sneered.
"Actually I'm just here for the thrill, had to get some things off my chest." Harper said staring at Caranova. Dylan looked to Vee who had pulled out her pocket communicator. She tapped a button on the side using old mores code that cracked on Harper's collar communicator just loud enough for him to hear. Zee ran his hands through his spiky snow dampened hair with a smile.
"That's the signal. We move in now!" she said shoving Dylan forward.
"I want you to meet someone." Zee said and just as soon as he did two of Caranova's guards were taken down by gun fire to his left. That gave Harper his much needed diversion and he leapt forward wrenching his knife and gun away from the soldier and breaking his neck in one fluid motion.
"No one left alive..." he said rolling to the side and throwing his knife into the neck of another one of Caranova's henchmen. Harper quickly stood propping the man up, using him as a human shield. The man's body rocked with the bullets they sent flying Harpers way and blood splattered his coat and face but Harper looked unfazed. Vee charged with a roar both of her guns firing like an automatic weapon, obviously modified by Harper. She quickly mowed down half of the opposition, each shot perfect in accuracy. Dylan ducked and rolled sending off shots of his own and taking out men with well placed kicks and punches. Finally the last man dropped to his knees with a sickening gargle and Harper whipped off his bloody blade. His eyes landed on Vee for just mere seconds but Dylan could see an 'I'm sorry' shinning in them. He looked away and casually walked up the stoop and stood in front of Caranova who was trying to hide his fear but his shaking hands told only the truth.
"Let me introduce you." Harper said slipping on a pair of brass knuckles while the man watched and sweated.
"This is my wife Vee and some captain guy named Dylan, and this will be the last thing you will ever see." Harper said and then revved back his fist and hit the man in his stomach. He doubled over coughing up blood, Harper didn't hesitate and kneed him in the face sending the man toppling backward and down the icy stairs. He slid in the snow and laid there still and unconscious. Dylan finally shook away the shock and screamed out.
"You're gonna kill him in cold blood?!"
"It's what I do." Harper said intent on finished what he had started.
"It doesn't have to be..." Dylan said remembering the engineer he use to know who had a heart of gold, who wanted to help people not cause so much carnage. Dylan looked around the battlegrounds, There was so much death. If this was the game Dylan most certainly didn't want to play.
"Shut up! I'm not in the mood to hear your lies! He wouldn't do that to me..." Harper said angrily grabbing Caranova's collar ready to plunge his knife deep into his chest.
"Are you sure Zee?" Vee spoke up and Harper shook his head trying to hold back the emotion.
"I'm sure! He wouldn't do that to me! He cares about me..."
"Wake up Zee! The evidence is clear! Our employer...Tyr Anasazi of Kodiak pride is the same man who betrayed you, took you away from your life in the stars, wiped your memory and enslaved you. But you already knew that didn't you? You knew it the minute Dylan said his name and described him to you. So you ran away and came out here to kill yourself!" She said letting her emotions surface on her face. She looked pained and Dylan could see how much she truly loved him.
"Why would he take care of me then...he gave me a home...he taught me everything I know! I don't understand." Harper muttered rocking back and forth on his knees in the snow.
"After he took your knowledge he probably saw your potential as an assassin. I know Tyr Anasazi and he's just using you." Dylan said.
"When I thought I couldn't trust anyone and when no one was on my side I looked to him for help and he was always there..." Harper said in disbelief.
"After you built the ships he wanted he must have wiped your memory and pretended to be your savior so he could turn you into his own personal assassin." Dylan said piecing it all together. He was astonished at the evil of his former crewmember how could he do something so sinister to Harper? The man he had once lovingly called 'the little professor'.
"Everything has been a lie, my life is a lie." Harper said, his face balling up with pain, the tears threatening to fall.
"You can come with me Harper...leave all of this behind and regain the life he stripped from you. He isn't your friend Harper, he isn't you father. Your father is the man that sacrificed his life so you could have one, so you wouldn't be a slave to anyone. Don't stay here and stay a slave Harper..."
"I have to kill him first...I can't leave anyone alive." Harper said struggling with his thoughts, and his programming.
"NO! Listen to me Harper!" Dylan yelled and Harper stilled with his knife held high in the air. His now wet hair lying shaggy in his eyes.
"Vee told me that this guy is threatening Tyr's empire and his hold over this system and that's why he wants him dead, but what better way to stop Tyr's evil and to get your revenge then to protect this guy and ensure he wins this election." Dylan said and the world seemed to freeze while Harper thought. His hand finally relented and it dropped the knife which sunk deep into the snow blood soaked snow.
"Is there really a place up there for a person like me? I'm not who I use to be, you keep calling me Harper...but I don't even know who that is " He said looking at all the snow stained in blood. He had done so much damage, had slain so many.
"There is always a place on the andromeda for you ...always." Dylan said and Harper closed his eyes and raised his face to the heaven's...letting the snowflakes fall in his river of tears.
TBC...