Chapter 31: Loyalty

September 24 2010 0615 Hours

Langley, Virginia, CIA Headquarters

The activity going on in tactical operations room was urgent. Bookman was looking at a live drone feed on the monitors of downtown Budapest. A firefight had started out between two CIA field officers in the middle of one of the busiest cities in Europe. Naturally the Hungarian Department of State was raising hell about why the CIA was doing a wild west shoot out in the middle of their capital but Bookman held firm.

"I told you that I will forward all the details to you later. Right now I have a man on sight that will suppress the rouge agent. I'm also sorry for the loss of your officers, I will do everything within my power to ensure that their killers will be brought to justice."

He then hung up his cell phone and then dialed in another number, the one to his former left arm.

"What do you want?" Hex answered annoyed. The sound of gunfire being exchanged in the background between Cutthroat and R.

"You know why. Abort your operation immediately Hex! That's an order!"

She then laughed. "Sorry but I can't do that chief. In fact I don't think you could have ever stopped me. You said 'Under Shaft' is about making Koko your puppet but I've learned something about her. No matter how hard you try or how much time you spend you will never bring her into your fold. She will become a monster, even if that traitor Andrushko wasn't with her to fuel her fire it will happen anyway. Mark my words your little plan will fall harder than you can imagine. I've been out there and I've seen what our enemy is capable of, you don't understand the mind of a terrorist."

"Are you finished spouting your nonsense, Linda?"

There was a slight pause on the phone. Bookman then looked back at the monitors, the gunfight still raging, the sounds amplified by his phone.

"Hmm. I must have made you angry. You hardly ever call me by my first name."

"You reviled your true loyalties to me, the company, and your country the moment you started shooting at my right arm. I hope the "Nightmare" you created consumes you."

Bookman then hung up and focused back on the live feed from the drone. R and Damien were bounding back from Cutthroat trying to escape. But Hex had them cut off as he saw that down the opposite end of the street there were two men on a rooftop. Knowing what was about to happen he placed a call to one more person, R had backup on the way.

1215 Hours

Budapest, Hungary

We were taking suppressing fire from both sides of the street. R and I could only let out short bursts and we were in a street with no alley ways. We were in a bottle neck, the perfect area for an ambush and there were too many of them. We had no choice but to fall back.

"R! We gotta go! Where's your ride!?"

I saw him returning fire one car over.

"End of the street!"

"Take Koko and go! I'll be right behind you!"

I then managed to score another kill by hitting one as he tried to flank us. I bounded back to the car he was at as he took Koko back to the next. Hex's cronies were continuing to keep the pressure on us but it looked like they were only shooting if they had a bead on us. I then heard Hex's shout even though my ears were ringing from all the random fire.

"Seal them off! Don't let them breathe!"

I kept low as I bounded to the last two cars. I saw R unlock the rental we had but then came two loud and heavy sounding shots followed by a metallic thumps. I then scanned the rooftops at the end of the street. We were screwed.

"SNIPERS! R! KOKO! GET BACK HERE!"

I then laid down suppressing fire on the roof of the one building that they were on and then let loose my next grenade. The blast sent debris and large chunks of concrete everywhere. But then I got hit with more fire from the rear. Luckily Koko and R made it to me and we were stuck in between two cars.

"You guys alright?"

"Yeah, but they shot out my car's engine. Fifty cal at least. You get them?"

"Don't know, but we can't run down that street though, if they're still alive they'll pick us off and we don't have any wheels. We trapped!"

This was the first time I ever felt I had no way out. Even if I called Lehm, they wouldn't know where the snipers were and we were still being hit from up the street. R however realized something and he dialed in his cell again.

"Saw! We need help! Can you access this car's remote start up!? Mine just got shot up!"

After a few seconds the silver sedan I was leaning on came to life.

"Thanks, one more thing. Get Lehm and the others here."

After a few seconds he smiled.

"Grazie vecchio amico." He then hung up. "Already on their way five minutes ago."

"Better get here fast." I said as I was reloading both my clip and my last grenade.

Koko then put her hand on R's shoulder.

"R. It's ok, I don't care if you're a spy. We won't tell anyone, right Damien?"

I smirked at him. "Don't know what the hell you're talking about. I see a friend that just saved our lives."

"Thanks guys. But for now I need you two to run. Ready?"

I cocked my ACR. "Yeah."

"LET'S GO!"

R leaned out of cover to go first and got to the end of the car providing cover fire. I led Koko to the passenger door as she climbed into the driver's seat. But then I heard a yell, R was buckled over and his left leg was bleeding. One of Hex's crew was right on top of us on the other side of the street. Falling slightly back into my rage I took aim with my grenade launcher. My shot hit its mark as I must have hit the gas tank and the back of the car lit up like a match. It was then followed by agonizing screams, the dumb bastard was literally caught in the fire and was wailing around panicking while firing his weapon all over the place. I put a quick burst into him not to end his suffering but to get him to stop shooting.

"Burn bitch. R! You ok!?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Take the little lady and drive!"

"What about you!?"

"When the rest of the guys get here I'll take advantage of the chaos and run. Goodbye Koko, goodbye Damien, it was fun."

He then bolted off towards Hex's thugs without giving me a chance to respond. I then turned back to Koko, I hated the fact that sometimes I had limited choices but I always opted for another one, no matter how dire the situation was. I leaned inside the car as she got into the driver seat and gave her my other .45 I always carried. She looked at me confused.

"You need to run. Don't argue with me just go."

"What? NO! Damien please don't be a-"

I figured I give her what she wanted for the longest time. I wouldn't let my new family suffer any more hardships than it already had. I wouldn't just waste the chance of bringing everyone back alive. We were all going home together. I cupped her face, shut my eyes, and made it quick, simple, and direct. I'd suffer the fallout from Sophia later.

"I'm getting him back. We'll talk things out properly. And we'll send him off to wherever he wants to go knowing we cherish his friendship."

After the shocked look on her face it grafted into her all business mode and she hit me in the chest twice.

"You come back goddamnit! You both come back!"

I leaned out of the sedan and she sped off. Hex's thugs were focusing on R as he was returning fire from the rear of a black sedan on the left side of the street. I then saw another SAD member about to flank him from a delivery van. I then ran from cover firing at him as I advanced towards him, reloading as I hit the van getting into cover and he hit the ground. R then noticed I was to his three.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"Doing what I do best, making a choice. Now let's ruin this bitches day! You hear me Hex!?"

As I was shouting in her direction, I heard a very upset response.

"AN-DRU-SHKO!" She said while firing in my direction. R then peeked out to look.

"That her?" He asked.

"Yep."

"She's hot. What is it with you that attracts the opposite sex, seriously?"

"I've been trying to figure that out since I first started shaving. Advance I'll cover!"

With that we began our assault forward. In the lack of any other direction, you always run to the gunfire. It wasn't just my drive as an American to counterattack an ambush rather than retreat. But it also gave you a tactical advantage to throw the enemy into disarray because you were thinking irrationally. Allowing for a level of unpredictability a well-organized plan will not immediately compensate for. The advance was slow but we couldn't rush it, R took one and then I took one. But we didn't know how many more she had.

"R, I don't care that you're CIA! You're my friend above all else." I shouted over to him and got his attention.

"And you're not who other's say you are Damien. You're a nightmare to them, no one else!"

It was the first time I ever felt like that word had an appropriate meaning. Renato was right, I was letting them know not to fuck with me. We then continued our assault but I then got hit with suppressive fire and dove back down for cover. I then heard R scream.

"YOU BITCH! LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

He must have spotted Hex. I then heard more fire as I was reloading. If we could get to her it would be over.

"R! I'm advancing, cover!" But I got no response.

"Renato!"

Still no response. I peeked out to see, and my worst fear had come true. Renato was lying face first on the street, horrified I sprinted from cover shooting at anything that was hostile. I then rolled into cover where Renato was at and dragged him to me by his collar.

GOD! PLEASE NO!

There was nothing that I could do for him. The amount of blood that was coming from his body was telltale enough but what sickened me was the hole in the back of his head from the kinetic energy of the round. If anything, his death was quick and painless. But it didn't help it any further on how painful it was that I failed in bringing him back. I didn't make a choice, I made a gamble, and I had failed. I then took out my frustration on the trunk of the car I was crouched behind by punching it.

"GOD! FUCKING! DAMNIT!"

After that the shooting all of a sudden stopped. After a brief moment of pause I then remembered that there was the possibility I was still surrounded. I then turned to look back down the street at the building next to the one I hit with my grenade launcher. I was in their sights.

Koko, I'm sorry, I failed.

I let my anger get the better of me again. This time it was gonna cost me my life. I looked directly at the sniper, I would at least let him see that I wasn't afraid of him in my final moment.

CRASH!

I was immediately hit with such force that I was pulled off my crouch from cover and then heard the sound of glass breaking followed by landing on a wooden floor with a body on top of me. The body of a woman to be more precise.

"Saving your ass better not turn into a habit."

Sophia. That lightning speed of hers as well as her strength that gave me a run for my money had pulled me out of the fire by spearing me into a store. She then put her finger on her earpiece.

"Lehm! Lutz! He's clear! Take them out!"

Two seconds later I heard a screech outside. Followed by two sharp cracks, that solved our sniper problem but there was still fire being exchanged in the street. Sophia then looked to me and pulled me up off the floor.

"We have to go Damien!"

I stopped her before we headed back outside.

"Not yet. He's coming with us." I said while pointing to Renato's body outside.

She acknowledged and got on her radio again. "Mao, Tojo, Ugo! Cover Damien! We're leaving!"

I handed her my ACR and the team put coving fire on what was left of Hex's crew. I then picked up Renato's body in the fireman's carry and sprinted down the street towards Ugo's car. I carefully placed him the trunk and I hopped in with him. The rest of the crew regrouped at the car and we sped off, leaving Hex bloodied and beaten. But we fared no better, as we had just lost a friend.

"Wiley and Lutz just got to Koko. She's ok." Lehm spoke up, probably to me.

Knowing it was my responsibility to tell her because of my failure, I then called Koko. She picked up immediately.

"Koko, R's gone."

The silence was what I expected. But now since the adrenaline was wearing off my left forearm was starting to hurt. Possibly a fracture.

"Understood. Are you ok?"

"Meet us at the nearest hospital, I need to wrap up my arm."

"Ok. We'll meet you all there." She said calmly, but I knew she was absolutely crushed.

I then hung up and felt a hand on my head, Sophia turned around from the back seat looking at me. No words were needed, no expressions needed to be shown, just a comforting embrace that I really needed.

1400 Hours

Kutto Hospital

After getting my arm wrapped in a cast and bandaging my hand, me and Sophia were with Koko filling out the forms in order ship Renato's body to wherever we were going to give him his funeral. She had handed the doctors there a hefty sum so that they wouldn't ask questions but I had a feeling we couldn't stay in Budapest for much longer. A bunch of dead American SAD agents were all over the Castle District and this was the second major firefight I'd been in in less than a month. We were gonna be front page news if we didn't disappear and fast, but not before R got the recognition he deserved.

Koko then handed the forms to the doctor, all that was left was to get out of Hungary. We then stood up, my wrapped forearm still sore from earlier, to follow her out but then her satellite phone rang.

"Yes? You've got a lock on her location? Good. Do not lose her. If you do I'll kill you myself."

It first struck me a little odd that she had picked up Hex's trail that fast but then I didn't care. I had failed to save Renato's life. It be only fair that I clean up the mess, since I was really the target that Hex wanted dead. I looked at Koko, I wanted to make this right. But I let her go first.

"Remember when I told you on how Echo told me I should be always smiling?"

"Yeah."

"Well R always said that he couldn't tell what I was thinking. That I was hiding my feelings behind a Cheshire grin. That it wasn't necessary, now I don't know what I should do."

I then breathed deep. "You don't need to do anything. I know exactly what to do."

"What are you talking about Damien?"

"I'm gonna bury Hex, I'm done with this shadow that's been following me for two years. Time to shine some very bright light on it."

Sophia then grabbed my shoulder getting my attention.

"Wait a second what do you me she's been following you?" She demanded.

"Short version. She made me out to be some kind of monster to get back at someone else because of her own past failure."

Sophia then looked at me perplexed. "Who?"

"That doesn't matter now. Koko you said you had a fix on her location. Where is she?"

She then stared at me with anger, like I was about to go wild again.

"No Damien! I know what you're thinking and just no!"

"Hex is still out there and I'm not about to let Renato's killer just get away! I failed in bringing him back to us Koko. Please let me do this, just me, and no one else."

As I was pleading with her, Sophia pulled me towards her away from Koko, both of them clearly didn't want me to go anywhere.

"What is it with you pushing yourself so fucking much!? It's not just that you're injured, you need to stop being so arrogant. Why do you think that this is just your problem? R was my friend too, let me and Lehm handle this, you just look after Koko and recover."

I knew that was her way of saying to not do anything stupid but I was gonna make my point stand. I then held both sides of her face and placed my forehead on hers.

"I'm not that easy to kill. Hex is responsible for Renato's death but I was the reason we were ambushed today. I'm gonna clean this up and I'm gonna make good on that dinner you said I owed you. Ok?"

I took my hands off her and she was looking at me frustrated because of my stubbornness that I wasn't going to listen so she knew that there was no way to stop me. She then left out the double doors to the rest of the crew. I then turned back to Koko.

"You told me that you're not a good person. That's true on some extent but not all of it, you have a drive for success that I have never seen in anyone. You have a dream that you're going to make reality and I want to you do that."

I then closed the distance between us and held her close, kissing the top of her head.

"Renato thought the same thing, that's why he gave his life to make sure you lived. I know it in my heart. And I feel the same way and will never leave you alone. Just tell me where she's gone and I'll do this clean and quiet."

She then looked up to me. Probably wondering why I was being so stubborn, but with tears in her eyes. I now had one more reason to kill Hex. Knowing that I wasn't going to listen to her reason she answered me.

"She's currently heading West on E66. She's probably heading towards Austria."

I let her go and then headed towards the exit.

"I'm gonna head back to the hotel and get our other rental car and the rest of my stuff. Keep me posted and I'll see you in probably a day."

It was all tactical mode now, I took a band out of my pocket and wrapped my hair in a ponytail. I was going to walk into a fight properly prepared.

You created this monster Hex. Time to show you what it's truly capable of.

September 25th 2010 1800 Hours

Gussing, Austria

Either Hex was really crippled and desperate from the fight or I was extremely lucky. Since yesterday Koko had HCLI track almost her every move since the firefight in Budapest yesterday so I essentially was making a lengthy road trip and not even using any of the tracking skills I had. I was keeping track of the news reports that stated that it was a mob hit that had gone terribly wrong. But I knew that it was a cover story that the CIA had probably told the Hungarians in order to keep a lid on the fact a CIA agent had went rouge. I was thinking it was kinda ironic that I was technically doing the CIA a favor but I remembered I was doing this for Koko and not them.

After I crossed the border into Austria, I got a call from Koko stating that this was the last place they managed to track what was left of Hex's crew. They had ditched that Bentley they had and got away in a less conspicuous BMW, which was parked outside of a pharmacy I was scoping out a car over. Two of Hex's goons were exiting it but she wasn't with them. They were carrying medical supplies, so it appeared that she had to have been injured. It looked like I needed to find out where she was, and I only needed one of them alive. Since they didn't expect me to be out there that soon I exited my car and walked toward them casually with the suppressed Mk23 I borrowed from Lehm. I got in close and shot the one with black hair in the head, the older one with a roughed up face I shot his right leg and left shoulder, he let out a painful yell as he fell to the ground. There were still a few people out and they only then realized what was happening and began to panic and run. I however didn't care as I walked over to the wounded SAD member, punched him in the nose, tossed his gun into the street and flipped him over onto the ground and zip tied him. I then dragged him by his collar over to my car and threw him in the back seat. I then drove away quickly while carefully avoiding the panicking civilians.

1810 Hours

The Forests Outside of Gussing

In order to extract where Hex was I needed to find someplace private but the area I was in was very rural and not a whole lot of places to hide an interrogation so I chose the woods. When you needed to find out information on the bad guys you had to do some things that were rather unpleasant. But the good thing about this though is that I won't really lose my sleep over making this asshole suffer. He associated with the bitch that killed one of my best friends.

After searching him thoroughly for no cyanide and anything of interest I had to wrap up his leg and shoulder to stop the bleeding cause I needed him alive for as long as possible and I also needed to hurry because she would suspect something if they were gone for too long. After tying him tight to a tree I pulled out my knife and began.

"You know who I am and why I'm here so I'm gonna keep this as simple as possible. I'm gonna ask you one question. You will answer that question in a way that I find satisfactory and I will let you live. But if you do not, I will fucking carve you open and leave you here to either bleed out or be eaten alive by the wolves."

The thug with a very rough looking face, probably from a burn or being dragged on a rough surface, exhaled sharply and looked at me with anger and fear.

"So here it is. Where is Hex?"

I knew that this guy was a trained operator like myself, no one got into the type of position he was in unless he was prepared for anything. He wasn't going to blink immediately at the impending use of torture but he was still human, he had limits.

"I'm waiting asshole."

He then spat in my face. "I'm not stupid Andrushko. You're gonna kill me anyway so just do it, or better yet go ahead and start cutting. It only proves how much of a monster you really are!"

I then wiped the spit of my face. "Have it your way."

I grabbed his throat and pressed his head against the tree, taking my knife I slowly started to cut from the right shoulder down across the chest and to the left side of the stomach. All the while his was howling in pain I was very careful not to pierce the flesh or cut too deep. I then implemented the same process by starting on the left shoulder. I had no feelings throughout the process, I was just getting what I needed, it was all up to him to make it less painful.

"This can end very quickly if you tell me what I want to know." I said in my deep voice void of emotion.

"Fuck you! You fucking traitor!" He screamed.

The look on his face meant he was in absolute agony but not broken. What he was just going through was physical pain. It was nothing like the mental torture his boss had cursed on me for the last two years being alone, on the run, ashamed, frightened, and angry that I had nothing left in the world. I then grasped his wounded shoulder pushing my thumb into the bullet wound.

"I may be a traitor, but I'm not a lair. Tell me where she is and this ends."

I took my hand off of his throat and then began the next phase. I slowly than began to cut upward at the center of the X I had carved on his chest. Grasping on the flay I held it in as I then pulled a portion of his flesh upward as I was cutting. All the while, he was shaking violently and screaming at the top of his lungs. This had to be when I was at both my absolute best and worst.

But I could give a fuck. This was one of the bastards that tried to kill me, murdered my friend, and made the woman who gave my life back cry.

"ARRGH! ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! STOP! STOP! COUGH!"

"I'm listening." I said as I stopped cutting with my hands covered in blood.

"We have…COUGH…a safehouse in the forest of Steingraben, half an hour west from here. COUGH! There's an old dirt road that leads off the main road that leads to a cottage. That's all."

Satisfied I took a bottle of water and did a quick rinse on my hands and blade, wiping them off with his jacket. I then walked back to my car.

"Hey! Cut me loose! You said you let me live! ANDRUSHKO!"

"I did." I then smirked at him maybe a bit viciously. "But I didn't say that I would let you go."

"You son of a bitch! You'll never get away with this! The CIA will burn you and Hekmat-"

I then shut the door on him to drown out his shouts as I sped away down back towards where Hex's safehouse was leaving him to his fate. I then got on the phone to Koko.

"Damien?"

"I need you to do a thermal satellite scan of the area around the Steingraben forest. Hex is hold up there somewhere and I wanna make sure she doesn't run."

"I'm on it. I'll let you know if she moves."

"Did you all manage to get away?" I said after fiddling through my iPod. Looking for the new album I downloaded yesterday from Avenged Sevenfold. The album's title and the song seemed appropriate. I decided that for today, I would embrace my curse.

"Yes. And Valmet is still livid that you went off by yourself. Will you be back soon?"

"I told you quick and clean. I'll let you know. Bye."

I hung up and then pressed play. The slow ominous tone of chimes that sounded like a babies lullaby. Followed by the rapid fire hit of drums and the tune of an electric guitar. Then the balanced pace of a build where it climbed and climbed until it reached its peak.

NIGHTMARE!/Now your nightmare comes to life!

"Appropriate for you Hex."

1845 Hours

The sun had already set behind the hills and the temperature was beginning to drop. But how hot or cold it was outside never bothered me in a fight, especially if I was in full assault mode. I had pulled up on my GPS the location for the cottage and parked the car off the road a safe distance from it. I then opened the trunk and pulled out my gear. The weight was just the same and I wouldn't be hindered in the slightest. Only difference on it was that I didn't bring my rifle this time, this time I wanted to get up close and personal, I brought along my Super 90. If casual Friday met the US Army then that would be me. I then donned my helmet, hooked on my NVG's and made the rest of the way up the road on foot.

The illuminated green world I was so accustomed to guided me easily around the woods. The cottage was in sight, smoke belching from the chimney from a fire that was going on inside the rather dimly lit cabin. It was a rather nice place with a used feel if you wanted spend a week or so outdoors for a hunting trip. Too bad inside was the source of my misery for the last two years. She was the only one left, all I had to do was go in and do the job.

As quietly as I could I made for one of the windows, peaking inside slightly. I saw the target, but not in the way that I would have expected. Crouched in front of the fire in a fetal position, half of her face bandaged up and her exposed eye vacant. It looked like Renato managed to hit her with a well-placed shot. This would be sad if it wasn't so pathetic. This is what happens when an ambush predator becomes too cocky. They jump on something that's clearly out of their league and they get obliterated. I then heard her speak through the thin window.

"Why me? Why should a patriot be forced to run and hide in a shack like the scum she hunts? What kind of government turns on those that would die to defend it? I am justice."

You're nothing but a psychopath using patriotism to cover up your own selfish desire to kill.

It was starting to dawn on me that this wasn't worth my time, but I had a job to do and she was still a threat. If I left her here out of pity, she would come back twice as strong. I just had to get it over with but I couldn't help but want to look her dead in the eye and just tell her how much of a fool she was. Her back was turned against the front door, so I figure I'd make myself at home. I slung my shotgun behind my back and took out one of my .45's, it was the first time I thought that something would have been overkill. I then heard her speak again.

"Damn you Bookman. You sided with a terrorist sympathizer? I didn't want to kill Hekmatyar out of vengeance, I was only doing it for the country I love. She will turn into a monster, she will threaten our country, and when that day comes, I hope you break down and realize I was right."

Slowly opening the door I lifted up my NVG's and had my aim aligned perfectly before I spoke.

"The worst type of person is the one that believes the bullshit coming from their own mouth."

She turned towards me shocked and full of fear. There was no one to keep her safe from the true monster no more than ten feet from her.

"Little refresher of knowledge before we go any further. A terrorist by definition uses violence and murder to force others to accept their way of thinking or take power from other authorities. The best way you can describe Koko is that while what she does costs human life, she's a businesswoman above all else."

She then stared at me with utter hate. Not the first time I've come under its gaze.

"Come to make me suffer haven't you?"

"I'm not as vulgar as you think I am."

She then stood up, probably wanting to die on her feet than on her knees.

"You've really fallen so far from your heritage Andrushko. You were one of the best. Then you pissed it all away."

"That may be true but she caught me and pulled me back up."

"Into a world where money is exchanged for human life." She countered.

"It's the bastard at the other end of the gun that kills people and she is nothing like the scum that goes around slaughtering people like you do."

She smirked arrogantly. "What makes you any different?"

"None. I know my anger consumed me, and I have only myself to blame. I'm a killer and a coward, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to right my own mistakes. You see I believe in this little thing called choice. And I choose to be her protector because she's given me back my life."

"You're unbearably naïve." She said with frustrated annoyance.

"Because you think you know the minds of terrorists? I don't have time to argue philosophy with a homicidal cunt like you. All you need to know is that I'm probably the only man in this world that truly knows what she's really like."

She then looked at me fiendishly. "You're heading towards your own doom Damien. That sweet girl that you think she is will lead you down that path that will not only kill your soul but the country you once swore to defend. You're nothing but a mangy dog listening to his bitch. Once she's truly unleashed her plan on what she really wants, you'll know I was right."

Bang!

The first shot went center mass to the chest, the heavy slug from that close range went through her and stuck into the stone fireplace behind her. She immediately fell to her knees and grasped where she was shot. I closed the distance for the follow up. She looked up at me for one last look, her face composed of fear and pity.

"I doubt that…very much."

Her undamaged eye then widened, probably for one last hope of mercy.

12 Years Earlier

March 12th 1999 1300 Hours

Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, 1st SFG HQ

"Sir this doesn't make any sense! Why would they disband us if we were doing so well?"

"I don't like the outcome any more than you Lieutenant but this goes above me. I couldn't do anything even if I tried."

"Grrr. So that's it? I come asking for your help and you just flat out don't care?"

"I have the other candidates to consider, and care is something you've been lacking ever since you first set foot in this damn program."

"I was doing my absolute best to prove how much I can achieve! To do what I have to do for my country. Isn't that why all of us are here!?"

"You're here to be trained to do a job that few others can do, not achieve glory! Patriotism only can get you so far. Your obsessive behavior and violent attitude have no place in the United States Special Forces."

"Isn't violence of action part of our SOP!?"

"Let me put this in a way you'll understand. A soldier is a trained, disciplined, intelligent, professional. A murderer is someone that kills out of petty anger."

"What do I need to do to prove to you that I can fight better than any man ever could!?"

"That you're not a greenhorn full of piss and vinegar. And after you've actually been in combat and know what war is really like."

"…"

"If you know what's good for you Lieutenant you'll wipe that fucking look off your face now. You can't pull off the predatory look even if you grew fangs."

"…"

"I didn't dismiss you yet Schaeffer! If you want your career to end before it even begins I can arrange that!"

"It doesn't matter Andrushko, this is all I ever wanted to do. Serve and protect the country I love from enemies that truly deserve what they get. And you as a Major should know when a fellow soldier is in need. I'm going to prove to you that I'm right and when you see me in the future I will surpass what you've accomplished. I hope that one day you truly feel the pain of losing everything."

"Hmpf. From you, I doubt that…very much."

Present Time

"You are just like your father…COUGH…a blind…cold…bastard."

Even with death ready to grab her, the hatred she had for my father still burned strong. She said he betrayed her, but I think dad saw something horrible in her and stopped her from going any further. Irony is turning out to be quite a theme in my life, he kicked her out of Special Forces but I, who am no better, just took her place. But I wasn't here on my dad's behalf. Since he was still around I knew that he wasn't the type to just keel over and give up. I was here on Renato's and I at least can finally break myself from her curse.

Bang!

Her head whiplashed back and the bullet went into one of the burning logs on the fire sending it, embers, and ashes throughout the small cabin. I stood over her corpse seeing the blood slowly drain from the exit wound onto the floor, the deed was done. But then I started to smell a little more smoke, one of the logs that were hit from the bullet was still burning hot and was on the carpet that was underneath a table. It seems as though my little curse didn't lift immediately, fires did tend to start wherever I was at. But I think this was the devil letting me know that he'd take it from here. I then slowly left the cabin leaving the door open and headed back to the car taking my time. I then pulled out my phone, the glow of the growing fire illuminating the path and some of the surrounding woods.

"Koko?"

"Yes?"

"It's done. Where ya'll at?"

"Naples."

"See you in a day."

September 29th 2010 1830 Hours

Cetara Campania, Italy, The Cliffs Overlooking the Mediterranean

My flight got a little bit delayed when I was travelling from Vienna to Naples. I forgot about the certain types of "procedures" you need to do in order to travel with your guns. But this evening was going to be the proper funeral we would give Renato. It was a lovely setting that Koko had picked for his grave in the short time that we had to bury him and get him a proper headstone. It was nice and isolated from the rest of the graveyard and had a great view overlooking the sea. The sunset was beautiful with the array of orange, red, pink, purple and dark blue from the sea up.

Even though I was no longer part of the Army, this was the first time I had actually lost a friend in battle. My old team couldn't take that mantel though since I didn't truly form a bond with them in the three months we were deployed and the fact that I betrayed their trust and got them all killed. I wanted to make sure I did this properly though, so before we went I had to get a few things that I could place there with the white roses I bought. A bunch of black feathers to tie it with a dark red ribbon. The ribbon for the colors of his old unit in the 1st Bersaglieri and the feathers for what they wore in their helmets as a ceremonial reminder of when Italy unified into a full country in the 1800's.

"It's a nice touch Damien. He would have liked it."

Koko and I were the last ones to pay respects, the rest the crew was waiting by the cars. We both dressed properly for this, I was wearing the John Phillips Koko had bought for me and she was in her all white Christian Dior. I brought the flowers but she brought something that would have really made him laugh, a bottle of his favorite brandy.

"Same for you."

I went first kneeling down placing them gently on the tombstone.

"Renato Socci: Friend, Brother, Comrade."

"Thank you for everything. Goodbye…brother."

As I stood up to let Koko go next I heard Tojo.

"Hey Koko, someone wants to see you."

I saw Mao patting down an older man in a grey suit. He wore glasses, had square jaw, greying hair, and was somewhat stocky. His voice though was not like some office drone, he spoke as if he was a man of wisdom.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person Koko Hekmatyar. I hope that you can understand me not bringing flowers for him. In my line of work, you can't get emotional."

I didn't need to guess that this was R's boss. Instinctively I got behind Koko, ready for anything.

"George Black, I take it you're here alone and unarmed I hope?"

"I'm unarmed, I didn't come here for a shootout. Call me Bookman, or any of my other nicknames. But only R got to call me Saw."

"Bookman then. I appreciate the help you gave us back in Budapest."

"Don't mention it, but you can skip the false gratitude. I'm very impressed you could find such a place, it's beautiful." He then glanced over to his grave. "R, rest in peace."

He then glanced over to me, but he looked at me rather normally rather than as the man who went AWOL in the worst possible way and was still an enemy of the United States.

"Damien, your father is doing just fine. But I suggest you stay off the radar for a while."

He said that rather casually and then began to leave.

"The best SAD officers make themselves impossible to find. Continue on with your work but I'd advise you to be wary of Hex's shadow."

Several days had gone by and he still didn't know she was dead. No surprise that the CIA doesn't like to follow through. Koko and I looked at each other sharing a quick smirk and then gave Bookman the answer he wanted to hear.

"Appreciate it, I'll be careful."

"I think it's time I get back home." He then stopped to turn around. "One more question if it's not too much trouble. How many rockets have you launched?"

"What? No idea."

She said most definitely not wanting to answer that. But Bookman took the hint and walked away from the rest of us. Koko then went to R's grave to finish up paying her respects.

"So that's your pal Bookman. Real stick in the mud. But I bet you had way more fun with me, especially the drinking parties."

As she kissed the bottle, I then saw a tear run down her cheek. The final goodbyes are most assuredly the hardest. She placed it on top of the flowers.

"Thank you, and goodbye…Renato."

2000 Hours

Naples, Italy

The drive back to Naples to catch his flight home was a quiet one. He had just lost his right arm and his left had vanished. All he could do was pray that his operation could continue on. But he would now have to modify his plan since he no longer had any type of direct contact with Koko Hekmatyar. While pondering what to do next, his phone rang, the voice on the other end of it was panicking somewhat.

"Chief Black it's Narville! You alone? You need to listen to this!"

"Calm down, what's wrong?"

"One of our SAD agent's just turned up dead in Austria and another disappeared, witnesses say that a large, muscular, young man with a long ponytail shot Greg Rickman in the head and dragged his wounded partner off and vanished."

Bookman was not the type to be shocked so easily but the description matched Damien, and Rickman was one of Hex's men.

"Were there any other agent's with him at the time? I know who's squad he belongs to."

"Yes. As a matter of fact one of our safehouses in Austria was breached. A backup unit was sent to investigate a fire that started in the safehouse after its GPS beacon went offline. We found a body inside the safehouse, DNA analysis confirms the body of Agent Linda Schaeffer. But the fire didn't kill her, she was executed. Shot in the head."

Bookman then pulled off to the side of the road to collect his thoughts. He got out and leaned on the door.

"Understood. I'm flying back to Dulles tomorrow morning. I'll see you all then."

That was Hex's real name, Koko had already gotten her revenge and so quickly too. Bookman knew that the amount of power she was accumulating was growing exponentially. But he needed to find out how, and how he could pull her into his fray. But now he had to up his game, she had to be the most dangerous person he'd ever faced in his time as a spy.

"I've now lost both my arms. My God Hekmatyar really is a monster and from all I've learned about her she doesn't walk away from anything. R, you may have been right about her seeing something in Andrushko. He's just as much a monster as she is. He's also the physical manifestation of her power. But it's not over yet."

Giving into his nostalgic feelings of a Marine that never quits he grinned hard and started doing a slow version of The Monkey.

"I'll have the little lady dancing to my tune until she's gasping for breath!"

After his little boost of energy to get himself refocused he then spoke what he was thinking. Probably to answer both Hex and R.

"I always planned to join the US Military, I also knew one day I'd have to get my hands dirty. But my dreams of being a Marine crashed and burned after the back injury I got right out of the Naval Academy. I'm beginning to see the methods I use in my current post aren't all that different. God listen to me rationalizing shit."