Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 53 – Together.
Wreak's POV, Iraq Capital.
So much was going on I barely had enough time to get everything set up. An hour ago the crowd outside was no more then a hundred people. Now it looks like the city gathered in mass. I had all men who were not on border duty form a perimeter. Not to say I don't trust the people, but I would not be taking chances here.
Looking around, I soon saw Archer making his way out of the Capital with a few other men. Looks like things were going to get started.
Keeping my guard up, I began to look through the crowd.
Archer's POV.
Making my way up to the makeshift stand Wreak had made for Raptor, I approached the microphone to get everyone's attention.
"Can we have silence for a few seconds please?" I asked among the crowd as they all began to simmer down the noise.
"I know everyone here has questions on what is going on, and I assure you all they will be answered here today. But for a starters you probably all can guess who we are. Someone up front here, answer me. Who are we exactly?"
Looking down to a local he replied with a shout.
"The Rebellion!"
Nodding my head I replied.
"For that we are. We are here to retake what we earned twelve years ago under Commander Shadow Robotnik's leadership. Our methods may have changed slightly, but that's to be expected with the new threat to our homeland. And I'm not just talking about Iraq. I'm talking about Pakistan. I'm talking about Afghanistan. The Middle East is our home. The people who live in are our children. We fight everyday for each and every one of you. But G.U.N is something we can't beat by ourselves. We need every able body to stand up. Stand up and help us."
The crowd listened as I paused to see Raptor making his way out from the building. Behind him were two soldiers. They held up a G.U.N member. By the looks he was too young to know what he had gotten himself into. But this time Raptor had the right idea.
Sending the two men with the kid to the side where Wreak stood, I got a nod from Raptor himself as he waited.
Nodding back; I said back into the microphone.
"I'm not the most convincing. Your lives belong to you. But if there is one thing we all know. It's that the last war taught us how to work together against all odds. And I believe we can do it again. But this time...we can do it right."
Looking back to Raptor, I said.
"I know Shadow is no longer among us. I know what he meant to the Rebellion and to the Middle East. But that doesn't mean we give up. And thanks to my one good friend here today, we haven't. Not yet. Not ever. His name is Raptor Voltz. And he's the new face of the Rebellion."
Shadow's POV.
Standing among the crowd, I watched as the microphone was switched out. Soon came up an older looking hedgehog. Grey quills with green strips. This was Voltz. He looked like he had been through a lot. And if there was one thing I could see just by looking at him, it was that he wasn't dumb. Hell he looked like he was ready for this. As ready as a savage can be for war anyway.
Taking his place over the stand and the microphone, I continued to listen as the crowd around me breathed in anticipation.
Raptor's POV.
Standing among my family, I looked upon the crowd as they looked me over.
"Like my friend here said. My name is Raptor Voltz. I command this Rebellion. And I'll be the first one to tell you all. I am not Shadow Robotnik. And to be honest, who could be him? No one I think. But I try my best to uphold his standards as a leader to such a great cause."
It was clear this was a big deal to the world. Among the local news I saw a G.U.N state van. My luck this was being aired worldwide right now. I had to make this count.
"Twelve years ago we took back our home from G.U.N. Shadow Robotnik lead us there. Back then I was his second in command. I led the special forces division and most of the troops we had back at that time. So yes I'm no stranger to war or taking command. But I'll be honest. Being his replacement is hard. The hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. And not only do I doubt myself at times, but I'm worried that without the support of all the Middle East we will not be able to truly be free once more."
Glancing to Wreak, I went on.
"I have in my small army, some of the best. "Pre this war" you could say. They are veterans like myself and some of the best. They are risking their lives same as me. But the one thing that didn't change was that after Shadow died, they didn't lose hope. Now I don't wana sound harsh, but I knew mostly everyone in the Rebellion back then. And I know who ran from their duty. I know a lot of you in this crowd were once under Shadow's command. You know what being free is like. You can't tell me you are willing to let G.U.N take it back just cause he's dead. Show me hands. If you were once part of the Rebellion."
Going silent, I watched among the crowd as hands began to raise. Wreak looked around with a laugh as I shook my head.
"I want to know now. From all of you. Why did you leave!?"
My tone brought the area around to a sort of chill. Archer stared among the crowd as well as I waited for an answer. From anyone.
With some of the people among the crowd now looking around, I was caught off guard as a voice came out to say.
"It seemed hopeless!"
"Who said that!? I want you to step forward! Now!"
Watching as the crowd shifted aside, I watched as a short brown fox stepped past my men to stare up at me. Looking down I asked.
"What's your name?"
"Jackson sir!" He replied as I wondered.
"You served under Commander Robotnik Jackson?"
"I was stationed in Pakistan back then sir! I followed you when we launched the assault on Reacher!"
Nodding my head I asked.
"When Reacher was killed. When the war was over. When Shadow himself signed our freedom to us. What did you do?"
"I spent time with my family sir!" He replied as he grew to wonder what I was going to say next.
"You spent the time with your family. So answer me this Jackson. Do you remember when G.U.N came back to our homeland? Do you remember the day they pushed the Rebellion out of Pakistan?"
"Yes sir! I do!" He replied as I then asked.
"What did you do?"
Gulping, the fox replied in a lower tone.
"I came here with my family and denied every being part of...the...Rebellion sir."
Nodding I then wondered.
"Why?"
The man had trouble looking at me as he replied.
"I wanted to keep them safe sir. Without Shadow to fight back for us, I didn't know any other way."
Running my hand along my mouth, I came back to the microphone to reply to him.
"Shadow never fought back for us. We always came together as a FAMILY to fight back. It was never just him. It was all of us. Me, you, and all the other soldiers here today. And you should know by now that G.U.N isn't looking to keep us safe. The only way to guarantee our future is to claim it ourselves."
The man nodded as I went on.
"That's why I'm here now. The reason I wasn't there then, was because I was still in shock. I was there when Shadow died. I could never see anything other then that play out before me. Like you I lost hope, but I won't make it sound like I was immune. It took me a long time to get over it. I regret not acting sooner. But as you can see from last night's actions, I'm here now to retake what he died giving us. Saying there is no hope left is no excuse to leave what you were willing to die for behind in the sand. You all know that G.U.N will ruin our lives. Our children's lives. You know if we don't come together again we will never be free."
The crowd now seemed to be listening. I think I'm getting through to them. Looking down to Archer I ordered.
"Go get it."
Nodding he replied.
"Yes sir."
Watching as he went for the Capital doors, I refocused to ask the fox.
"Let me ask you something. Are you still willing to fight? Are you still willing to put your family and country first and retake what Shadow gave you all those years ago?"
The fox glanced back at the crowd. I followed his eyes as it appeared he had his family in the crowd. After a good look, he replied.
"Yes sir."
"What?" I asked as if I didn't hear him.
With a loud voice he shouted.
"Yes sir!"
Nodding I then asked the crowd.
"What about the rest of you!? Are you willing to fight again!?"
Archer quickly came to my side with the treaty.
"A few days ago G.U.N tried to leave our land with our pride and joy! Look!" I ordered them all as the cameras focused in on the treaty as I unrolled it for all to see.
"They planned to leave with our treaty! Our proof we our free! They would have burned it if we haven't stopped them! My Rebellion did that! Shadow's Rebellion did that! Hope is not lost so long as we hold onto what we have as a family! As a Rebellion! As a free Middle East!"
Wreak began to clap which quickly got more around to join in as I yelled.
"Now answer me this questioned Iraq! Are you going to fight for what you believe is right!? Are you going to join our cause and help us retake what was ours!?"
I heard nothing but cheers as I asked again.
"Answer me Iraq!"
The cheers got louder as Archer retook the treaty.
"I don't intend on being what Shadow was. I don't intend on dying against what I believe in. But what I do intend is winning this war just like he did. I will take back the Middle East, and I will take back our freedom."
With the crowd fired up I continued to say.
"But I can't do it alone. After the Q&A I will step down from this stand and I will let you voice yourselves. We will be accepting back any old soldiers such as myself, such as Jackson here. And we will be accepting the new. The one's who will lead the way for their kids. The one's who will truly change the world. All you need to do is act. Join us. Join my Rebellion. Join our Rebellion, and help reclaim what was yours at birth. Join me in this Iraq. Help me retake our home!"
With the clapping now among everyone I could see; and the cheers flooding my eardrums, I looked to my side at Aiden who was still being held by my men. His eyes looked to mine as I smiled.
Smiling back at me, I refocused on the crowd to ask.
"Any questions Iraq?"
Hands instantly raised as I pointed at the first one I saw.
Commander Drake Linnen's POV, Pakistan Capital.
"Any questions Iraq?"
Shutting off my TV, I heard from one of my Generals.
"He makes a convincing speech."
"He's insane to think he can beat us." I stated as another one of my officers wondered.
"How much support will he rally off that?"
"A lot."
Looking in front of me, I stared at Hannon as he sat between my men.
"Iraq is already his. And giving him that treaty didn't help our cause one bit Linnen. Hell the speech was aired everywhere. Afghanistan will follow him and so will the people here. Hell he might even get support from other countries as well."
"The people here will die if they fight back. That I assure you Hannon. As for Afghanistan, they would have to go to some length to offer him any kind of support. And last time I checked G.U.N owns the other countries outside the Middle East. No one over there is mad enough to fight through our borders. Voltz is left with Iraq. That's all." I stated as Hannon replied.
"That's still a lot of support Drake. And trust me when I tell you this, Raptor won't waste any bit of it against us."
"And nether will I against him. Now shut up for a second and let me think. I ordered him as I asked one of my Generals.
"How much gear was in Iraq when Monroe died?"
Looking through some papers, he replied.
"Ahhhh...at least ten tanks, six or seven transport choppers, a few minibirds, a good heap of oil that they didn't blow away in the attack, and give or take a few thousand rifles and other munitions. In sort, Voltz has his army. He'll probably work fast on converting it all as soon as possible."
"Fuck." I mumbled as I then asked.
"How fast can we get more?"
"More what sir?" He wondered as I went on to ask.
"Troops! Tanks! Birds! Guns! Anything really! How long would it take for the states to help us?"
"Assuming it would even clear through, it would be a good month or two Commander." He stated as I then ordered.
"Well get to it. I want more. I want this place to be impossible to get into. And if needed I want the manpower to push Voltz in Iraq."
Nodding he replied.
"Yes sir. Right away."
Nodding I looked back to my other officers to order.
"Get everything else on lock-down. No one gets through our borders without a complete search and paperwork. I want any bad neighborhoods searched for Rebellion presence and I want troops out in the dunes by nightfall. Nothing gets around us. Understood?" I asked as they all nodded.
"Yes sir."
"Is that going to be enough?" Wondered Hannon as I looked to him to reply.
"Voltz may have an army now, but he won't one up me."
"He's going to find a way." Stated Hannon as I ordered my officers.
"Get him out of here!"
Getting up, Hannon urged.
"He will strike Drake! He will kill you!"
Tossing Hannon out of my office I urged.
"Let's see him try it."
I have one more chapter for today. It will be on soon I promise. Remember to review and let me know what you think as always. Thanks guys and gals for the support. Love you all.
mT Shadow.