Chapter 7: No Encore

May 19th 2010 1320 Hours

Dubai, United Arab Enmities, The Coast

I could have gone faster but even I picked up Koko and put her on my shoulder I would have exhausted myself. Either way we couldn't just get away from Orchestra on foot.

"Christ! Where the hell's Ugo!?"

Suddenly I got my wish as I heard an engine coming up behind us fast, it was Ugo's Armored Lexus RX. But behind them was a red Ford pick-up, Orchestras leader in the back with a 240B LMG. Ugo got in front of us as a shield as he opened fire. Mao and R popped out of the windows to give us cover.

"R! Let us in!"

"We can't stop we'll be sitting ducks!"

Mao turned "Just keep running, we'll handle them!"

The shooting continued and as I expected Orchestra's aim was as piss poor as back at the mall. Then they sped off in front of us continuing to fire but then turned around two intersections ahead of us. They wanted to take us head on.

"Good God in Heaven!"

I looked up at Mao. His face said it all, he must have seen whatever the hell Orchestra was planning to use.

"Koko! Damien! They got a Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the back."

"Are they crazy!?" Koko shouted

"You already know the answer to that question!" I snapped.

With over 75 years in service, great dexterity, and rounds that can literally blow people in half or hit you at over two thousand yards. The M2 is both loved and feared by infantry all over the world and we were about to get on its bad side. Ugo's car wasn't gonna be able to take that kind of punishment. The red pick-up came right toward us.

"Mao, concentrate your fire on the engine block!" R shouted.

"Got it!"

They lit the truck up but it kept coming.

Can't stay here, can't run to the intersection, looks like we swim.

I grabbed Koko around the waist and jumped off the top sidewalk into the sea just as the big rounds of the M2 went off. The noise was deafening.

After the splash I hand signaled underwater to Koko to follow me and stay low, she nodded. I could see the hits in the water from where the .50 cal was going off but it didn't matter. Unlike the movies, bullets can't go through water. We surfaced, climbed to the sea sidewalk, and made toward the steps. I saw Ugo's car standing upright, he must have hit that retaining pillar hard.

They better be alright.

I gently poked my head up to get a look at the street but I saw Orchestra fire a burst and I pulled my head down.

"Fuck! Koko don't move!"

He was standing across the street next to a building without cover and I heard him shout "That must mean that bitch is still alive too!"

I didn't give him a chance and I fired off my clip. Cursing myself because I only had two more and he probably had shitloads. But then I heard the girl speak.

"Maestro we gotta scrub this, lets just try again later. Something about this doesn't feel right!"

Stick yourself out you trigger happy douchebag.

"Don't let weird superstation get to you. Screw this I'll do it myself!"

I won't miss at this range, time to close the curtain on your show.

"Maestro!"

He stepped out but before I could fire his chest bursted open and blood sprayed everywhere. During that time I heard a single shot from a great distance. Didn't need to guess who our guardian angels were. Maestro fell to his knees and then his head whiplashed back. One down, one to go.

As the girl started to scream, Koko spoke.

"Gap between the shot and the target indicates that the distance fired was over 900 meters away most likely using a .338 Lapua Magnum round. It was Lutz's shot."

Awesome shot man. I must do a shooting contest with him. Gotta keep the practice up.

"Now lets see if Chinatstu enters his line of sight."

"No! No this can't be real!" The girl was freaking out, my guess was no. "You gave me a new life Maestro! You can't leave me now! You can't!"

It was obvious that Orchestra's newest and probably last recruit hadn't been on the receiving end of failure or seeing someone they know die. But this Maestro guy must have took her in because she was as twisted as he was. The girls head was anything but stable as she continued to curse at us.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"

She stumbled forward sticking herself out slightly in front of the building. Lutz had the shot but I didn't hear any fire. She tripped forward and fell on the ground then I heard the shot but it was aimed at the LMG. She grabbed a pistol off the ground and then bolted back behind the building. I then heard more fire. Lehm and Tojo had moved in behind her on the other side of the street. But she was quicker that she looked, and disappeared into an alley. It was over, I sat down on the steps with my head against the wall and sighed deeply.

"What the hell? That girl."

"Hmm?" I looked up.

"She wasn't wearing any panties."

The look on Koko's face was legit and I never saw her like this until now, she almost didn't believe what she saw. But that train of thought quickly vanished as I heard sirens in the intersection behind us and in front of a police car was a red sedan.

Calvary always comes in late. Wonder if Koko can pull the strings on these guys.

A man in his mid-thirties exited the sedan but he wasn't Arab.

"Afternoon! Don't put up a fight, there's been enough of that for today."

He's an American?

"Koko Hekmatyar, we caught you red handed."

"Caught me doing what? Getting shot at?"

Shit. He's definitely working for one of the alphabet agencies but I should be glad he thinks I'm just one of her thugs.

"Don't try and play innocent. I saw the whole ordeal."

"You may have the police here, but you however are anything but a cop. Who the hell are you?"

"No one. Just a citizen making a citizens arrest. Nothing more."

I stood up. "Ok asshole what's your play?"

"Do I look like I'm playing a game?" He then answered with a foot to my face. I lost my balance and fell back into the ocean.

Stupid son of a…

One pretty cool thing about Dubai was that the water wasn't just very clear around the beaches. I saw Koko raise her fist up in the air.

Fall back. I just hope the guys put a tail on that cocky ass wipe.

After swimming a few meters under water I hopped back up on the sidewalk. The radio Lehm gave me was completely waterlogged so I threw it on the ground and starting making my way back to the hotel but then I heard behind me.

"Hal 'ant wahid min alrrijal Koko?"

(Are you one of Koko's men?)

"Law ana?"

(If I am?)

"La daei lildhdhieri, waqal almuddakhan litahsil."

(Don't panic, the smoker said to get you.)

"Naqdir dhalik. 'ana la aftarid ya rifaq yakun taghyiraan aljaf lilmlabis?"

(Appreciate it. I don't suppose you guys have a dry change of clothes?)

1540 Hours

Dubai Police HQ

I didn't know for sure but I now knew it was true, Koko's company had a far and deep reach. It made me question why the world let bad people get away with shit all the time. I slipped the officers a few extra bucks to find out where she was cause since the crew was locked in the hotel I pleaded just to let her have one person looking out for her. I'm anything but heroic but I had a job to do. I was a little annoyed that the only dry things they could get for a guy my size was a white t-shirt and track pants. I decided to wait outside the police station, cause the cops said she'd be in and out as fast as possible providing that US Agent was with them didn't cause any more hassles. I hoped to hell he wasn't who I thought he was. But it looks like he wanted to cause trouble the whole way through as I heard him as the doors to the police station opened.

"I'll tear you apart limb from limb!"

"Get in line. You're not the first person who's said that to me today."

I saw blood coming from her nose. Whoever this guy was he wanted Koko bad.

Her face remained expressionless but her eyes were widened almost with fear. She must have figured out that she was alone. That girl from Orchestra was still out there.

Damn! Wind picked up all of a sudden. Ok, better get her out of that trance.

"You gonna stand there or are we gonna go?"

"Hey you!"

"Yeah yeah. What happened to your nose?"

"That asshole from before, nothing to worry about. How are you here? I thought the crew was locked up back in the hotel?"

"I gave them the gift of the color green and they sent me here. Rather generous aren't I."

"A regular Bill Gates." She took my left arm. "Shall we go?"

"How much longer until the rest of the guys are released?"

"The police will handle them but it's gonna take a few hours."

"You did say you'd show me around the city, and I need a new change of wardrobe. Is it a date?"

"It's a date. Onward Captain!"

1920 Hours

It seemed like life had returned to normal in Dubai since Orchestra's awful performance earlier this afternoon. But I preferred spending the evening in jeans and plain shirt instead of the $3,000 John Philips Koko bought for me, I never liked suits. But I did get the Omega I wanted adding another $7,000 made me feel a little guilty on how well Koko was treating me but she didn't seem to care about the money. But raking in tens of millions of dollars every month by selling guns and hi tech weapons by herself meant money was never an issue. As we walked down the street from the French restaurant we just finished, the city lights of Dubai reflected off the sea like a mirror.

"You're nicer than you give yourself credit for you know? You came down to the station to look out for me."

"It's my job. And don't let my persona fool you. Nice guys don't cause mayhem or kill lots of people."

"That's not 100% true, these days even deeply faithful people carry guns. Preaching God's love to the sound of gunfire, and in the end it's all about what you believe in and what makes you pull that trigger."

"I hope you're not referring to all those assholes that have the United States stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan. They use God to cover up their own damn hatred and brainwash the locals into thinking we're the root of all evil."

"They still have a belief though. And they believe that to be true."

"They have a choice though as well, from what I saw, read, and heard. They just don't wanna make it."

"Well picture this instead. Imagine whenever you fight or when you shoot you're not firing bullets or throwing punches. But your conviction and determination to do what is right."

I still didn't even know what I did WAS right.

"That's what makes you so different from any other soldier I've ever met, employee, buyer, or otherwise."

As we continued to walk she started poking my back as if she was playfully seeing that I liked something.

"It really does confuse me. You said you wanted to make a difference in the world by joining the army and stopping people like me. But then when you go do what you knew was right and then think you just blackened your soul and are desperately trying to right your wrongs. You also said to me that you never get close to people because they always end up hating you but you also have a fantastic sense of humor and you came to get me because you were concerned for me. I thought you hated people like me."

Her mind ticks faster than anyone I've ever met. I really can't answer that yet because I don't have one. Better just be honest.

"You're actually ok. I don't hate you if that's what you think."

"Aww how sweet!" She rubbed her head against my arm. "But at the end of the day I'm just another dealer. It's stupid to think otherwise."

"I will also be honest about you and the rest of the crew. You're not hypocrites, them, liars, and elitists are the only real people I hate it the world."

"Hmm, looks like I don't need to tell you the world is not a kind place."

"It's not about how hard you get hit but how hard you get hit and keep on going."

She chuckled. "Ok Stallone. Well skip that part."

Looks like she's going into one of her lectures again.

"The UN has a list put together called The Millennium Development Goals. 189 countries working together to end hunger, achieve universal education, promote gender equality, reduce child morality, improve maternal health, fight AIDS, sustain the environment, and make a global partnership for development. All to be done by 2015."

I hope this doesn't turn into a political debate. She'll lose badly to me on that. While well intended it's just a disguised idea to give more power to a defunct 20th Century relic.

"Consider goals two and three, even combined it would be far less then what the world spends each year on weapons. Can you believe that? People want to spend more on ending lives than helping them."

"Yes I do. It's all about maintaining their power. I only gave up on my government not my people or my country. But from your perspective that's good for business isn't it?"

"And I should be happy my goods sell so well? You may be right but as an arms dealer I see things in the world from a different perspective. Same way you said you believe in your country and not your government."

"Well then I should tell you that you are in the right from seeing things from different perspectives."

"Ok another question, what's the largest group of people that own guns?"

No brainer.

"Average everyday civilians. Military may get the bigger stuff but it's all too often I look up that civilians get access to better more quality products that regular soldiers do."

"Ok we'll skip that one too. But let me say this, nobody in the world can hold himself separately from violence."

"Good point, human beings have the unfortunate habit of choosing great violence over great compassion."

"You know Damien. I really don't want you or any of the others to die. You all are more precious to me than anything else."

"Then do us all a favor and do two things. Stop pissing off so many people and stay away from assassins. Cause like it or not were mortal, all it's gonna take is one well-placed bullet."

She started laughing. "I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

May 22nd 2010 2300 Hours

Dubai, The Rose Tower, Koko's Suite

A few days had passed and we managed to not run into any trouble. But we kept our guard up while still having a little bit of fun. I bought a camera on our second much less gun fight filled day and took a few pictures. Since most of the places I've been to the last two years weren't really photo worthy I never took any but I'd never been to Dubai before so I didn't want to miss the chance. The best one I took was when me, Lutz, and Tojo took a risky one from leaning over the railing on top of the Burj Khalifa and used the rooftops of the city as the background like we were falling. The shootout was unable to be hid so the Dubai police gave a report to the media that it was rival gangs going a little bit too crazy. And speaking of crazy, that Chinatsu girl was still running around out there. I took the M320 off of my carbine and kept it close. Once again everyone gave me a crazed look but I wasn't gonna take the chance of being hit with fire superiority again unless she just rolled around the corner with a tank. I was on roof patrol tonight, Lehm and Lutz were keeping me covered from the opposite office building.

"Damien you read me?"

"I hear you Lehm. What's up?"

"We got a climber. Two floors below you west side."

"The girl?"

"Yep."

Koko then came on the net.

"Guys it's me. Don't do anything yet wait till I get up there."

Now what's she planning? Screw it, I'm too tired to care, I'll let her have this one.

"Understood."

After a few minutes I saw her jump over the railing.

"Stop right there! Point that gun at me and your dead."

Koko was above her.

"I have no idea which direction your sniper's in. I yield."

He ain't the only one with eyes one you, you crazy brat.

Koko then leapt off the overhang and kicked the gun away.

"You think this was some type of duel? Wrong, this was always a game of chance. I wagered until we were about ready to leave the city and I was right."

She'd make a killing in Las Vegas.

"But I'm glad you showed up when you did, cause I wanted to talk to you."

"Huh?"

"Chinatsu…seriously what is up with the no panties thing?"

And…my brain stopped. Don't tell me I walked in circles up here for two hours just so you could ask that Koko!

"You bitch why are your screwing with me!?"

"No I'm serious, answer me that and I'll answer what you asked me earlier on why I stay in this business. Even though it will probably kill me in the end"

Must have been that shouting I heard before I jumped off the second floor in the mall. Still, what's Koko getting at?

"Ugh fine. It was during the first job I had with Orchestra. We had to cross a river to get to the targets house and walking around in wet underwear felt awful so I took them off. During the fight my aim was better than normal. Maestro was proud that I took out more guys that he did."

She burst out laughing. "Awesome story! What about now?"

"Yes I'm fucking wearing some!"

Once again I've fallen into a sitcom.

"Ok you deserve to know my answer and I'll be honest."

She cupped the mike with her hand and leaned in close. I couldn't hear what they were saying but Chinatsu's response came as one of calm shock.

"You are one frightening woman."

"Your correct, but I do find you interesting. You could join MY crew. Interested?"

The answer came hard and fast.

"No way. I gave it three days and I'll never forgive you."

She then held up a crucifix. It must have belonged to Maestro.

"I am Orchestra, I am an artist and when I play it is a symphony of death. I will never work for someone like you!"

She then reached for behind her waist. I knew Lehm had eyes on her but I fired the first shot at her gun and he went for her chest. She fell to her knees slowly but Koko walked forward a caught her preventing her from falling forward and laid her gently on the ground. That's when I saw it after Koko stood back up a cold and emotionless face. The same one I had that night in Afghanistan before I started my rampage. Before the memories came back I heard Chinatsu speak, she was still alive.

"I never knew the sky was so pretty. I never knew because I was always looking at the ground."

She looked up to Koko, tears in her eyes.

"She's a monster." And said nothing else.

Koko kneeled down and placed the crucifix in her hands and shut her eyes. I'm surprised she had so courtesy for someone that was about to kill her. I walked to the roof door, no need to be up here anymore. I heard Koko speaking as I walked away with her phone at her ear.

"Sorry kid, but if it means anything you did ruin my vacation. Hey Chief I know it's late but I wanted to let you know we got the other Orchestra member. Sure, what would you like? Sniper instructor? I got someone you might like."