Ch.13: The Senator

A.N.:

Canon lemon at some point in this chapter. I wouldn't call it a lemon per se because I tried to not be too graphic.

Anyway, sorry it took so long to write.

Personally, I think I dropped the ball on this one, but I need to keep updating so I don't fall behind.

Thanks to everyone still taking an interest in the story. I really appreciate it.

"Sir, we have…"

From the eagle's nest of the observation deck, I replied to the Replica sentry, "I know. Maintain position but hold your fire until I say otherwise."

The Replica sniper replied, "Roger that sir." The incoming Black Hawk had U.S. Military markings and I would bet that she was a Delta Force bird. The pilot had radioed in to us that a negotiator was onboard but I was not going to take any chances. For all I knew, they were a Special Ops team sent in to kill us. Alpha 1 returned with a missile launcher.

With his voice distorted by his mask, he remarked, "Just say the word sir."

I said, "Begin tracking, but hold your fire until I tell you."

As he raised the launcher up and began tracking the bird, he replied, "Copy that. Standing by."

From the created command post inside the tower, Jin radioed in, "Becket, I have established a secure line to the pilot. Patching you in now."

I said into my com link, "Identify yourself."

The pilot responded, "Commissioner Rodney Betters's and Delta Force Coordinator Shepard's shuttle. Call sign: Delta 5."

My eyes narrowed as I ordered, "Reverse course immediately Delta 5. Your intrusion into our airspace is not authorized."

The voice of my old boss said, "Sergeant Becket, this is Den Mother. Stand down. That's an order."

I looked over at Alma who smiled ominously at me. I nodded at her before I replied to the order, "Ah, nice of you to finally join us. Kindly blow it out your ass sir. Last warning, reverse course or we will begin to fire."

Betters said, "Wait Sergeant. Point Man sent me information revealing Armacham's crimes. We know what they did."

I muttered bitterly, "You don't know shit about what those bastards have done. Project Origin is just the tip of the iceberg."

He replied, "We want to help. Unofficially, the U.S. Military has your back."

I questioned, "And officially?"

He answered, "Officially, our hands are tied. Armacham has a major name backing them in the government. A Senator…"

I finished, "David Hoyle."

He replied, "Yes. He is sweet talking the brass into taking action against you."

I thought for a moment and said, "Maintain position for a moment. I need to consult my boss." I looked over at Alma and said, "Your call. Do you want their help? It would definitely help if we had some pull in the DoD. They might even know how to get to the senator." She thought for a moment before she nodded. I nodded in return.

Looking back at the hovering helicopter, I spoke into my com link, "It's your lucky day gentlemen. My boss thinks you might be useful. Land on the helipad near the tower, turn off your engines, and allow yourselves to be escorted to my location. Deviate from those instructions and I assure you that you will be dead before you can twitch. Understood?"

The men responded, "Understood."

A few minutes later, Gamma 3 reported, "VIP's are in custody sir. Escorting them to your location."

I replied, "Copy that." Sure enough, only a minute or two had passed before Gamma 3 entered the small room with Betters and Shepard in tow.

He paused and saluted me before he reported, "Sir, the VIP's."

I saluted him in return and ordered, "Very good Gamma 3. I want you and Juggernaut to guard the door. Make sure that we do not have uninvited guests." He nodded and exited the room. I leaned against the nearest wall of the room that about the size of a supply shed. Alpha 1 continued to stand with his automatic shotgun in his grasp. The two men eyed the armed Replica soldier nervously and I could not help but laugh. I remarked, "You two don't get out in the field often huh? I apologize for the rude introductions but I can't afford to take security for granted. So, you want to help…well you can start by telling me how to avoid being arrested or killed for terrorism."

Shepard explained, "Our men are hesitant about killing their own brethren. We all know that you and everyone else involved with this mess are not terrorists. However, that senator is too influential for us to stop the operations that are being planned against you. They are going to happen whether we want them to or not. Unless…"

I questioned, "Unless what?"

Betters explained, "If you eliminate the senator, we can get the operations suspended. We might even be able to authorize military assistance. We did manage to get a black ops authorized for you…" He started to hand me a folder, but I raised my right hand.

I informed them, "I am not the person that you should be giving that to."

Confused, he asked, "Then who…?"

A soft whisper came from behind them, "Hi."

Both men wheeled around to see Alma in her child form observing them with an emotionless expression. She silently walked between them. I was certain that she was enjoying their fear as she slowly passed them with measured steps. She made her way over to me before she turned and leaned against my right leg. I smirked at the men as I said, "Gentlemen, my boss: Alma Wade."

Shepard did not know who she was so he was just stunned by her sudden and unusual appearance. Betters on the other hand, he knew and started, "Becket, she is…"

I interrupted him when I said, "…a victim. I know who she is and what she has done. More than you could possibly understand. She is not going to hurt you unless you give her reason to."

Confused, Shepard asked, "Am I missing something here?"

I remarked, "Don't worry about it, sir."

Alma extended her right arm as she opened her right hand. After a brief moment of tension, Betters handed the folder to her. She took it and handed it to me.

As I opened it, Betters explained, "David Hoyle has been under scrutiny long before this mess. The CIA believes that he may be responsible for the leaking of some of our top military secrets including technology specs, black operations…you name it. All the evidence has been circumstantial and so far, no one has been willing to come forward to testify. Therefore, no operation against him has ever yielded anything other than suspicions. After the Origin Explosion, he disappeared and we believe that he has gone into hiding until this blows over. There is a strong reason to believe that he is currently at his residence on an island just outside our territorial waters south of the Florida Keys. It is international territory so we can't authorize a normal strike force."

I added, "That is where I come in."

Betters nodded before he continued, "Yes. Hannibal-3 satellite images have confirmed an increased presence of hired guards and security measures. There is a layout of the island in the folder. I am sorry Sergeant, but that is as far as we can go for you."

Still going through the contents of the folder, I nodded before I said, "You have stuck your necks out far enough. Rest assured, the senator is as good as dead. Thank you gentlemen, just be sure to cover your end of things once he is gone." I telepathically communicated for Gamma 3 and Juggernaut to enter and escort the two men back to their Black Hawk.

About an hour later, I was examining the layout of the island inside the command post. A small finger poked me and I looked down to see Alma pouting. Smiling, I picked her up and set her down on top of the table that we were using to view the data. Morales looked up from the documents that he had been looking through and said, "Becket, man this will not be an easy task. From what I can gather, this guy has a small army of security guards at his disposal. This island is only a mile wide and three miles long at best. That means that either you go in guns blazing which will give him a chance to escape, or you somehow turn invisible."

I refused to play their game and I replied, "No, no, no. Everything has a weakness. I just need to come at this from a different angle." I thought through my options and arrived at a plan so crazy that it would have to work. I looked at Alma and asked, "Alma, do you remember that other universe?" She nodded with a confused expression. I continued, "What would it take to trap an entire island in your nightmare world?" She examined the layout of the island before smirking.

She looked back at me and explained, "Not much. I could do it whenever you asked me to. Such a tiny area would be no problem for me now that my power is increasing."

I replied, "Perfect." I looked over at Alpha 1 and questioned, "How long until the C-130 is refueled?"

He spoke into his com link for a moment before he answered, "Full tank capacity can be achieved in three hours sir."

I ordered, "Have them begin the fueling." He nodded and started speaking into his com link. I turned back to Morales and said, "Manny, handle things while I am gone."

He gave me a worried look before he asked, "You sure that you don't want me to come with you?"

I sighed before I explained, "Manny, I have my doubts that I am even going to come back. Besides, I need someone that I can trust to stay here and keep everything in order."

He frowned before he said, "Becket, Stokes was not your fault."

My breath caught in my throat, but I managed to reply, "Yes it was." I turned and walked out of the tower with Alpha 1.

Several hours later as we neared the drop zone, I was jolted awake by a rocking of the C-130. I looked over at Alpha 1 who started to say, "Sir, the island has defens…" At that moment, the plane rocked violently and the back section broke off from the rest of the frame. The suction force ripped me out of my seat and I flew out of the back of the cargo plane. I was briefly disorientated as I spun uncontrollably in the darkness.

Below me, antiaircraft fire lit up the island and filled the air around me with flak bursts. After several tense moments, I finally managed to gain control of my decent. By that time, I had passed the point that I needed to deploy my parachute. I pulled the cord and jolted skyward. The jolt ripped my pack from my body, and most of my weapons along with it.

Below me, I could see that I was about to land on top of a small concrete block hut that was likely the servant's quarters. At the speed that I was falling, I had my doubts that I would survive the impact. There were four huts set up in a cross with an open courtyard in the center of them. I steered towards the courtyard. I barely managed to miss the huts but the landing still caused me to black out.

When I regained consciousness, I was sideways in a fountain with my parachute hiding me from view. I heard two men conversing.

One asked, "Think he's dead?"

The other one replied, "You want to go check?"

With my pack gone, my only weapon was my pistol. I unstrapped the parachute and retrieved my sidearm. I used the barrel to peek outside the canvas that was surrounding me. There were two men nearby and I heard an APC engine somewhere in the courtyard behind me. I activated my reflexes as I charged out of the fountain. I dropped the first man with a single round, holstered my pistol, grabbed his sub-machine gun, and finished off the other man with a bust.

I turned around just in time to dodge a grenade round from the enemy APC. I dove behind the cover of a nearby hut as the grenade rounds continued to fly past me. I deactivated my reflexes to conserve my energy. As I tried to flank the vehicle, it drove through the hut. The flying concrete knocked me off my feet and the massive vehicle started to run me over but it stopped inches from my face.

The wheels were still moving but something was holding it in place. I looked behind me and saw an enraged emaciated Alma stalking towards us. I had never seen her so angry before. Her normally emotionless expression was replaced by a contorted demonic scowl. It was frightening to see her like that to say the least. I turned back to the APC and saw that she had lifted the armored vehicle off the ground. As if it weighed nothing, it flew backwards, somersaulted, and smashed into another hut. She walked past me towards the overturned vehicle. As she did, the negative energy radiating off her made me feel incredibly cold.

As she came to a stop before the vehicle, the cargo hatch opened and two men exited. I swore I heard her snarl at them as they levitated into the air. The courtyard was filled with the sounds of snapping bones and squishing flesh as she used her mind to toss them about the courtyard like rag-dolls. They stopped screaming after the third impact on one of the hut walls. She just kept hurling them into the ground, the hut walls, and anything that she thought would tear them apart. She walked into the center of the courtyard. Chunks of concrete, the bodies of the four slain guards, and anything loose started circling her with increasing velocity.

Finally, just as I could no longer see her behind the circling debris, she screamed. The sound was so loud that I momentarily lost my hearing. The debris flew straight up into the air and disappeared into the night sky. The sky itself seemed to rip apart as huge red gashes opened up. Blood red clouds emerged from the gashes and just as I had regained my hearing, she shrieked another deafening scream of rage. This time, a massive pulse of her psychic energy overtook the island and me in the form of a red tinted shock-wave.

The next thing I remember is her healthy adult form holding me in her arms. My groan alerted her that I was conscious. She kissed me quickly before she helped me to my feet. The courtyard, along with the rest of the island had been transformed. Reality had been replaced by her own twisted world. The screams of guards being ripped apart by monsters and apparitions born from her torment filled the air like a chorus. The whole area was bathed in orange like the world that I had fought Keegan in.

I noticed that nothing existed beyond the edge of the land except darkness. She had completely transported the island into her own nightmare world. I remarked, "That was…interesting. Thank you by the way." Before she could respond, an armored truck drove into the courtyard. I raised my sub-machine gun as I anticipated a squad of security guards. However, when the hatch opened, Alpha 1 and two regular Replica soldiers exited the vehicle. He waved at me as the two grunts set up a defensive perimeter.

He remarked, "You look like you could use a ride sir." I smiled slightly as I walked towards him.

When I reached his location, I asked him, "Is this everyone?"

He sighed before he answered, "Yes sir. The rest of Sierra died in when the C-130 exploded. Then, we lost three men when we were surrounded at our landing site. We all lost most of our gear in the fall but we managed to commandeer this truck and its supplies."

I commended him, "Outstanding work. Now, let's go avenge the rest of Sierra."

He replied, "Yes sir. They won't know what hit them."

I said loudly, "Mount up. Time to go knock on that bastard's front door."

Alpha 1 and the two grunts returned to the armored truck's interior. I followed close behind. The interior was a smaller version of the inside of Dark Signal's APC. The driver's seat was empty so I commented, "I'll take the wheel" as I sat down. I shifted the vehicle into reverse and backed it up enough to turn around. When I had, I shifted into drive. I pressed down on the accelerator as I turned the wheel to navigate around a hut. With a rumble, the diesel engine powered the armored truck forward. I soon located the road that led to the white mansion located at the center of the highest point on the island.

As I drove down the road, all around us I could see the same beasts that I had seen in the other universe. They overwhelmed the guards that we passed; literally swarming the men and ripping them apart like piranhas. I also saw more of those root-like tentacles emerge out of the ground and annihilate any guard within their reach. A heavy iron fence surrounded the mansion. In front of the main gate, I saw three Crown Victoria security sedans with black and white color schemes forming a roadblock. Undeterred, I accelerated and used the weight of the truck to bulldoze through the roadblock and mowed down the front gate.

The truck vibrated but continued forward. With the barrier neutralized, the horde of beasts poured into the complex. They cleared the way for our advance towards the mansion's large ornate hardwood doors. As I drove the vehicle up the clean marble steps, two guards appeared on either side of the double doors with missile launchers. I continued my course and even mowed down a marble statue and a small green bush that was trimmed to resemble the logo of Armacham. The men fired a round from their launchers as we neared their location.

Both missiles scored a hit on the truck's hull. Sparks erupted inside the vehicle but the diesel engine refused to die. The men tried to reload but I ran them both over and crushed them beneath the huge tires as I plowed through the wooden doors of the main entrance. I ended the truck's rampage as I maneuvered into the formal greeting room. I shifted into park before exiting the driver's seat. The grunts opened the hatch and charged out of the interior of the truck.

Alpha 1 tossed me an assault rifle and we both exited the vehicle. As I exited the vehicle, I remarked humorously, "Okay, now everyone remember where we parked." The interior of the once lavish mansion had been twisted by Alma's nightmares to resemble a cross between a slaughterhouse and a medieval torture dungeon. As she materialized, I remarked, "You are never going to be in charge of the decorating of any place we might live in." She smirked up at me with her childish façade but said nothing.

Mentally shrugging, I looked away from her and ordered the Replicas, "You two, secure this floor. Alpha 1, form up on me. Kill anyone you come across except David Hoyle."

In unison, they all replied, "Yes sir."

Behind us, the feral beasts poured through the opening and proceeded into the interior of the building ahead of us. I proceeded up the large bloodied steps that led to the second floor with my weapon raised. Behind me, Alpha 1 did the same with his scavenged pump action combat shotgun. When we reached the landing, I saw that the creatures were leaving the central hallway untouched so I proceeded down it. I shivered as I passed the various rooms.

The first room had a sign that had the name "Bill Moody" written on it. As I passed, the open door revealed a man being electrocuted in a chair as two shadow figures watched on. I nearly gagged on the smell of cooking flesh and burnt hair. I muttered, "You sick fucks didn't wet the sponge before you started pumping electricity into his body did you?"

The second room had a sign that had the name "Charles Habegger" written on it. The open door revealed a man being hacked into pieces alive on top of an autopsy table by a blood-covered figure dressed in hospital scrubs. The third door had a sign that had the name "Iain Hives" written on it. The door was closed but there was a viewing window with bars cover it. Inside, I saw a bloodied man in a straightjacket rocking back and forth against the far wall. He was muttering, "I didn't know. I didn't know. It wasn't my fault." There were only three more side doors and one main door at the end of the hallway. The next door had a sign that had the name "Alice Wade" written on it.

Upon seeing the name, I stopped dead in my tracks. I walked over to the closed door that resembled a prison cell door. Through the rusted bars, I saw a young blonde woman pacing around the prison cell as if she was looking for something. I muttered aloud, "What the Hell?" She must have heard me because she faced me and walked up to the door. She grasped two bars with her hands as she studied me for a moment. After a few seconds, she asked with an innocent voice, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Somewhat uncomfortable, I replied, "Sgt. Becket ma'am, Delta Force. I am looking for someone. Have you seen a man named David Hoyle?"

She shook her head before she replied apologetically, "No sir, I'm sorry I haven't." Her eyes lit up in brief happiness as she asked, "Wait, did you say Delta Force?" I nodded and she eagerly asked, "Please, can you help me get out of here? I need to find my father."

My eyes narrowed as I questioned, "Your father? You don't mean Harlan Wade do you?"

Her eyes widened briefly before she responded, "How did you…yes, he is my father. Please tell me you know where he is. I need to make sure he is okay." I shook my head and looked back to find that I was alone in the hallway. Furthermore, I saw that the door at the opposite end of the hallway was no longer there and was simply a solid wall.

I muttered, "Okay, what the fuck man?"

Alice's voice caused me to turn back to her. She backed away from the door slightly as she informed me in a frightened voice, "You have to leave. You have to leave. She is coming. If she finds you here, she will do horrible things to you."

Curious, I questioned, "Who? Alma?"

At the mentioning of my goddess's name, Alice gasped and remarked, "No, no don't say her name. She will hear you. Please, run and save yourself."

I smirked before I replied, "Too late for that ma'am."

As if on cue, I heard my paramour's giggling as she materialized beside me to my right. Alice trembled as she fell backwards onto her posterior. Alma observed her as if she were amused. Finally, she remarked, "Hello…sister."

Stunned, I said, "You never mentioned that you had a sister. She looks…nothing like you."

Alma explained, "Different mother." She walked up to the cell door and taunted her sibling, "Oh dear sister…I HATE you! I HATE YOU!" Alice screamed in fear and retreated against the far wall. She cowered in a ball as she babbled incoherently. Satisfied, the dark haired child turned to look at me with a mischievous grin.

Sympathetic, I asked, "Alma, why do you torment her so? What did she do to you?"

She frowned slightly before she explained, "She got father's love. She was the favorite daughter. Not me. No late nights crying alone or nightmares…or…or voices inside her head telling her to kill. Not her. Only me."

I shook my head before I asked, "Okay, but what did she do to you personally?"

Alma seemed confused by the question. I sighed and then explained, "Alma, look at her. She doesn't even know why she is here. She thinks she is still alive. Why are you torturing her? You, of all people, should know what it is like to be tortured and held against your will because of something that was not your fault. Watch…"

I walked up to the cell door and questioned the blonde Wade, "Sweetie, did you know that your father is a sadistic piece of shit who tortured his first daughter since she was born just so he could make progress in a little thing called Project Origin? He beat her, made her want to die, locked her away from the world when she was eight, forcibly impregnated her twice, made her give birth when she was fifteen and sixteen, never let her hold her own children, and then, when she reached out to her second son and caused him to go rogue, he pulled the plug on her life support which killed her six days later. He left her there in that liquid prison like she was nothing. Your father is a cruel, heartless man Alice. Oh, did I mention that he donated genetic material for the embryos that they put inside her? Guess he likes to keep it in the family. I wonder… did he have his eyes on you? Get a little too touchie feelie with you when you would play together?"

Alice charged forward as she yelled, "Lies! My father is a good man! He would never do such horrible things."

I laughed at her before I said smugly, "Oh no? Look at your sister! She is the proof!"

I looked down at Alma and said, "Alma, show her." She nodded and for a few moments, both siblings were perfectly still.

Then, I saw Alice blink and she sank back onto the ground as she started crying. For once, I saw Alma display regret as she observed her broken sister. Alice looked up at her and managed to state, "I'm sorry Alma. I didn't know father did those things to you. Please, forgive me. I didn't know…"

Alma hesitated as she tried to understand what she was feeling. I said, "Alma, time to do the right thing. Release her from her torment and let her go." Alma nodded and the cell door opened. Alice stepped out and looked at us before she smiled. She dissolved away before our eyes. Alma sighed as she said, "Well…that's it. No more sister. Do you want me to release Aristide and father too?"

I remarked, "Hell no on Aristide and it's your call on your father." I moved towards the door at the end of the hallway. As I reached it, I suddenly found myself in an ornate bedroom. I turned to find that there was only a solid wall behind me. I realized that I was just inside her mind. Those people must have been in some way connected to her pain. She was torturing them to get even. The bedroom door opened and Alpha 1 walked in.

Upon seeing me, he said, "Sir! There you are. I was right behind you when you walked into the hallway but I thought I saw Ghost so I stopped. When I looked back, there was just a wall. So, I went all the way around. Why didn't you answer my calls?"

I replied, "Must have been interference because I did not get them. I thought you were with me so I did not look back. Wait, you saw Ghost?"

He fidgeted with the shotgun nervously before he replied, "I thought I did. He was there only for a second but I am certain it was him. It is impossible though. No one could have survived that fire."

I walked forward and placed my left hand on his right shoulder. I assured him, "We are in Alma's world now. We are bound to see a bunch of things that we don't want to see. You aren't crazy okay?"

He nodded so I removed my hand and motioned for us to continue forward. I went to leave the room but stopped when I noticed the bookshelf. In front of it, there were several books on the floor and the rug was slightly off center. I moved to the shelf. I bent down as I examined it carefully. If my suspicions were correct, then there would be a release mechanism somewhere in plain sight. I picked up a few of the books before throwing them aside.

I tried a few of the paperweights but still nothing worked. When realization hit me, I nearly face palmed as I said aloud, "Wait, what the fuck am I doing?" I stood and raised my left hand. It pulsed with red energy as I focused my psychic energy. I tore the shelf that was actually a disguised security door from the wall. I moved it off to the left and set it down. I looked back at Alpha 1 and said, "You didn't see that."

He laughed before he said, "No sir I didn't." I cleared my throat before I motioned for us to proceed.

It reminded me of the panic room Aristide had in her penthouse. There was a little workstation at the entrance. To the right was a set of stairs that led to a second security door. As we approached it, an intercom activated.

A smug, narcissistic male's voice said, "The assassins have arrived at my final defense. One an engineered puppet and the other a seduced puppet. Tell me gentlemen, do you have any idea how much it took to create products like yourselves? Are you even capable of fathoming the impact of what you have done? You think killing me or anyone else was involved with what has was done in Fairport is going to change anything?"

I yelled at the security camera above the door, "Save the speech Hoyle. It is time for you to pay for what you have done."

He laughed and then replied, "My, my, such an outspoken little grunt aren't you? Ah, I see that armor you are wearing. Yes,…I know who you are. Tell me soldier, did you watch them all die? Watched as the light faded from your friends' eyes? If only you could have reached them in time…maybe, just maybe, they would still be alive. Does it haunt your nightmares? Their faces staring at you as if asking why you did not save them..."

The black mass inside my mind threatened to break loose as I snarled at the camera, "Hoyle, open this door and face me like a man."

My threat only caused another round of irritating cocky laughter. After he finished laughing, he said, "Like a man? Dear boy, I am the only man here. Look at yourself son, do you really think you are a man? Poor little Michael, all he ever wanted was a fwiend to pway with. Do you know how much you were worth to your parents? Ten thousand dollars. They did not even bother to ask what ATC would do to you. Just took the money and handed you over to that school."

With a demonic voice, I screamed, "Shut up!"

The lights around us flickered in reaction to my anger. The senator remarked, "Hmm…much more feisty than I remember. It is a shame you proved to be too anarchist for inclusion in Project Harbinger as a young teenager. You would have been a valuable asset. Tell me, did you appreciate my voucher for you to get into your precious Delta Force?"

I paused as I remembered the voucher I had gotten to be given the opportunity to join Delta Force. He mocked my silence by explaining, "What? You think that happened just because you were a good little boy scout? You really are clueless aren't you? Genius, most of your life is because of Armacham and me! There only choices that you have made are joining the military, which we exploited, becoming friends with that abomination, which we also exploited, and deciding to help that bitch get revenge. I must admit, I was so proud watching you in action. It was like watching an investment that kept growing and growing. Finally, when time came to cash you in, Aristide was as giddy as a schoolgirl. Poor woman thought I was helping her...I only ever help myself. Then, you performed marvelously. Just as you were meant to."

I ignored his taunts because he was just trying to rattle me. I spoke into my com link, "Sierra team, I have located primary objective David Hoyle. Sierra 7 and Sierra 9, secure a means of exfiltration while Alpha 1 and I neutralize the target."

The two Replica soldiers responded, "Roger that, sir."

The senator remarked, "Ah, I see you are finally fulfilling your primary function. Pity you fell prey to that succubus. What was it like? Did you enjoy her disgusting, slimy, cold nether lips sliding up and down on your member? You know, there is a word for that and it is called necrophilia."

I looked back at Alpha 1 and Alma and ordered, "Breach and clear. This circus has gone on long enough."

They both nodded as they moved into position. As Alpha 1 and I moved back, Alma walked forward. I said, "Do it." She sent a powerful psychic blast into the security door, which buckled under the assault. As it fell backwards, I threw a shock grenade into the command room. As it detonated, I charged into the room with my reflexes activated. I saw him near the back of the room recovering from the shock grenade. As I approached, he raised a pistol. I fired a round straight down the barrel of the handgun.

The weapon shattered in his hand and peppered him with hot shrapnel. Before he had time to register what was happening, I cold cocked him with the butt of my rifle's stock. I deactivated my reflexes as he collapsed onto the floor. Not satisfied, I dropped my rifle and roughly grabbed him by his expertly tailored black business suit's collar. Hauling him to his feet, I held him steady with my left hand as I delivered a savage series of punches with my right fist.

As his face became unrecognizable, I grabbed the back of his head and forced it down hard onto my left knee. As he staggered backwards, I lost control as images of Griffin, Fox, Redd, Keegan, and Stokes played over and over again in my mind. I do not remember when I kicked in his jaw, collapsed his ribcage, shattered his pelvis, and finally kicked in the front of his skull.

The next thing I remember is Alpha 1 pulling me off the bloody mess. He shook me as he held me against one of the walls. As if I had just come out of a trace, I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. My legs were completely covered in blood up to my thighs with bloody pieces of flesh and bone fragments coating my boots. My arms were coated in blood up to my elbows. I was breathing heavily as if I had just been running a marathon.

I went to look at the body, but my friend stopped me and guided me outside the room. As we exited the panic room, my com link activated. Sierra 7 reported, "Sir, we have secured means of exfiltration. Rendezvous is on the mansion's roof."

I replied with a shaky voice, "Roger that Sierra 7. Just be there."

He answered, "Yes sir."

I questioned Alpha 1, "He is dead right?"

He replied in a forced calm voice, "Yes sir. Come on, let's get out of here alright?"

I nodded numbly as he guided me through the hallways. Alma gently held my left hand with her right hand as she walked beside us. The trip to the roof went by in a blur as I remained in shock. As we exited out onto the rooftop, a waiting Boeing V-22 Osprey hovered just above the helipad. The loading ramp was down and Sierra 9 motioned for us to board. He helped us into the transport and closed the hatch.

As we flew towards Fairport, I was in a daze. It was not until when we landed several hours later that it hit me: I had beaten a man to death with my bare hands out of anger. I heard gasps from Jin as I passed her. Morales stood and tried to get over to talk to me, but Alpha 1 blocked him and explained what happened. I paid little attention to them as I made my way into the showers.

As I stood underneath the deluge of mostly clean water, the full impact of what happened over the course of the mission hit me. I had been shot down, barely escaped death upon landing, lost most of the Sierra team, nearly got my friend killed, traveled through Alma's mind in the form of the hallway, uncovered more of my past from one of the last people I would have wanted to, and then beat that man to death in a blind rage. I turned, placed my back against the tiled wall, and then slid down it.

As I sat there against the wall, I buried my face into my soaked gloves. I did not respond when she sat down beside me. As I had not bothered to take off any of my clothes, she leaned in and said, "Michael, you are going to get sick like this. Come on, let's just…"

I flinched away from her as she tried to grasp one of my boots. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me back over to her. She was in her healthy adult form as she knelt down in front of me. I was too shell shocked to do anything other than mindlessly watch her untie my boots before she slipped them off. She placed them and my socks outside the reach of the water.

Next, she removed my gloves, knee pads, elbow pads, and vest. She placed them near the discarded boots before she returned. As her hands reached for my belt, dulled alarm bells went off in my mind. I made a halfhearted effort to move away from her but she held me in place. As she unbuckled my belt, unfastened my pants, and undid the zipper, her hands were almost constantly rubbing up against my member. By the time that she had removed my pants and set them aside, it pushed painfully against the cloth prison of my underwear. I breathed deeply in relief as she removed the irritating garment. She removed my shirt and placed it neatly next to the established pile.

Despite being nude before her, my mind was worlds away. She straddled her nude body against mine and raised her hands up to hold either side of my face. She tried to get my attention but her voice sounded distant so I paid her little mind. She sighed and muttered, "Forgive me." She retracted from my body. As I stared off into a corner, I did not see her maneuver herself above my still slightly erect member.

As numb as I was, I still shuttered when I felt her mouth descend upon my semi flaccid organ. As she nursed it with her mouth for several minutes, the fog inside my mind slowly lifted. Finally, as she went to descend the shaft once more, I reached up with my right hand, grasped the top of her head, and pulled her all the way down. I held her there for nearly a minute before allowing her to retract. As she did, a trail of saliva connected her mouth to my fully engorged organ.

She smirked as she glared at me as if she was daring me to continue. I smirked back as I reached out and grasped both cheeks of her well-toned buttocks. She purred in a sultry tone as I drew her in and lowered her onto my manhood. She moaned softly as I slide inside of her before roughly pushing me back against the tile wall as she moaned loudly as my full length entered her.

For nearly two hours, we fought for dominance like insatiable animals. Each time one of us would make the other climax, the other would respond with increased viciousness and feral tactics. Finally, after two hours, I pushed her off from where she had me pinned in a corner. Grabbing her throat with my right hand, I forced her hard into the tile wall underneath the still running showerhead. She stated to groan in pain but I kissed her to stifle her.

While I had her pinned, I slipped back inside her. I was agonizingly close to release so I assaulted her with rapidly increasing fervor. The remains of one of my earlier climaxes trickled down her left leg as I took her underneath the warm shower. Sensing how close and desperate I was, she shifted from the ravenous demon to the nurturing companion.

Leaning in, she whispered into my left ear, "That's it Michael, punish the dirty little girl who ruined your life. Come on, teach me a lesson. Treat me like a worthless whore…come on! Come on, I fucking raped you! Come on, return the favor like you want to. That's it…"

I cried out in relief as I finally passed the point of no return. As I released inside of her for the final time, she whispered, "Good boy…that's my good boy." I clung to her like a frightened child as she lowered us to the ground. As she held me, she asked, "Feel better?" I really did. In fact, the numbness, the dark presence, and all the frustration I had been suffering from the past few days was gone. I could finally think clearly again. I smiled weakly at her and nodded. Before I could stop it, the afterglow of our actions and the gentle massaging of the flowing water caused me to fall asleep.

A.N.: Like I said…not much of a lemon. Becket is quasi better now though. No more voices in his head so to speak. For now…