Love Struck Delusion

Chapter 95 – What now?

Raptor's POV.

Hunter shut the door behind her as I just looked back down to the cloak in my hand. Gently placing it down on the bed, I was soon placed in front of her. She made her way a foot from me and smiled and said.

"Your awake."

Nodding once I replied.

"Yeah."

Latching onto not a moment after I just stood there and she hugged me as tight as she could.

"I thought you were dead." She said. Shutting my eyes as she was clearly breaking out into tears, I replied.

"Me too."

My arms struggled to raise up and hug back. Hunter soon cried.

"What happened?"

I now went silent. The question was triggering. Hunter even though she was crying soon noticed the change in the mood and began to let me go. Her eyes looked up into mine to whisper.

"Raptor?"

I shut my eyes tight as she then said in a caring way.

"Please talk to me. I know how you are feeling and...?!" In an instant burst of rage I pushed her. Hunter lost all balance and with the force I applied she stumbled back into the door landing on her butt and hitting the back of her head on the wood. I now stared right at her down state as she had her eyes widened in instant shock.

"You have no fucking idea how I am feeling right now Hunter! NONE!" I screamed as she now was curled in fear from my voice alone.

"Not a fucking clue! You...! You have absolutely zero perception on what I had to do that night! I shot my son! My SON! Do you know what that feels like!?" I asked her as she didn't respond. Taking a step closer I asked again. This time with so much force she stumbled her next words.

"N...No!"

"Then don't you ever say you know how I feel!"

"Okay!" She said in clear fear as I began to breathe heavily.

Putting her hand behind her head, Hunter slowly patted herself and brought it back to her front to see blood on her palm. I just stared at her as she looked backup at me.

"Please calm down! I didn't mean to upset you like that Raptor!"

"Then what did you want!? Did you want a step by step guide to the murder of my whole family!? Followed by what it felt like to wake up in agony to see three body bags next to mine!? Huh!?" I asked her as she struggled to stand.

Wobbling onto her feet she replied.

"No!"

"Then what!" I asked her as she began to cry. Now in sadness.

"I...I didn't want this to happen! Raptor I'm sorry!" She cried in tears as took a step back to watch her take a step closer.

"Back up." I warned her as she stopped in her tracks to question.

"Raptor it's okay! I don't wana hurt you anymore! I just want to be here right now! For you!"

"You staying here right now? After trying to ask me that question? You are lucky I don't do more."

Hunter began to shake as I said with force.

"Get the fuck out of my face. Now."

Hunter was absolutely lost at how I was treating her. Not seeming to understand I then ordered.

"LEAVE! NOW!"

With her tail between her legs Hunter back off and left the way she came.

Black's POV.

Marx, Char, Archer and myself all waited. We all stood up straight as Hunter soon came around the bend. Her hand was on the back of her head and tears flooded her eyes as Marx instantly ran for her.

"What the fuck?" I mumbled as we all now approached her.

"What happened?" Asked Archer in a panic as she showed us her hand. It was covered in blood and in an instant she replied.

"He pushed me. He pushed me away. I hit the door."

"What?" Questioned Archer as Marx looked to us to state.

"I told you. He's not okay. He's mad. He's very mad. He clearly isn't safe to be around. He wouldn't have hurt her if that wasn't the case Archer. Hell he was going to hurt me if I stayed even a second longer in that room."

Archer was at a loss for words. Hunter not being able to do a thing was very problematic. But god he hurt her. What the fuck is going on? I wondered as Marx looked back at Hunter.

"It's okay Hunter. Give him time. We need to let him go through this right now."

"And what happens if someone else gets in his way Marx? He'll take it out on them." I stated as Archer replied.

"We need to do something. The rebellion needs him right now."

"And how do we do that?" Questioned Marx as Archer just shook his head to reply.

"I don't know."

"I need to talk to him." I stated as everyone then turned to me.

"I can handle him if he gets physical. Right now someone needs to get through to him. I'll take the risk."

"Are you sure?" Questioned Archer as I nodded.

"Just let me talk with him. Okay?"

Everyone nodded and in response Marx begged.

"Don't hurt him. Please. I'm going to take Hunter to get fixed up."

"I'm going with you." Stated Archer as I nodded and took a step forward.

"Be careful. Both of you." Urged Hunter as we proceeded to his room. Archer kept to my side as we approached. Once there he said quietly.

"I'll be here to help. If he tries anything I will get your back."

"Okay." I replied as I opened the door to see him sitting on his bed.

"Commander?" I said as he quickly replied with his head down.

"Everyone is just so keen on bothering me right now. What is it this time?"

Archer shut the door and replied.

"We want to talk. We saw what happened to Hunter."

"I didn't mean to hurt her." Replied Raptor as it was clear he was crying himself now.

"It's okay Raptor." Stated Archer as I added.

"Your mad. No body blames you for that right now. You have every right to be this way. Even Hunter knows now. But we need you to understand something right now. Okay?"

"Understand what?" He asked next as he looked up at us with wet eyes.

Taking my chance to gain a foothold I replied.

"We need you in one piece. The war is coming. We don't know when but we need your leadership. Now more then ever. You know the stakes if you stay on this path. Gorgon will die. You just need to believe that. You'll get what you want but not right now. Hurting yourself and us isn't going to make it happen sooner."

Raptor slowly shook his head and said in a breaking voice.

"You don't understand anything. You have no idea who I am. You have no idea what I went through that night. You just expect me to accept the death of my whole family and what? Move forward like it didn't happen? You expect me to just lay down and do nothing? To let them just wait for a chance at redemption that might never even come?"

"We expect you to see the bigger picture."

"Bigger picture!?" He questioned with a growl as he stood up in rage.

Archer and myself tensed up at the ready as he pointed at me.

"I didn't mean it like that Raptor." I urged him as he kept his hand pointed at me to reply.

"Right now all that is on my mind is getting closure. I'll do whatever it takes to see it done. With you or without."

"Your place is here Raptor, with us. With the people you promised to save." Stated Archer as Raptor now lowered his hand to shout back.

"I promised to save this country! I promised freedom! I promised to win this war! But not before this happens Archer! Not before I get his head on a spike!"

"Raptor we can't let you go down this road. You leave and you might as well not ever come back. Because leaving Iraq is basically killing yourself. Pakistan is not within reach. You won't even get a chance to find Gorgon. And if he's not here? You plan on crossing into the states? You won't make it onto a plane." Stated Archer as I kept silent.

"I'll find a way! I will find a way! That fucker and his friends won't leave until the rebellion is gone! We killed Ruby and Jagger! If anything Gorgon won't leave for the same reason I want his head! Because we killed his family! Do you not understand that!?" He asked Archer who then replied.

"So what? You have too much left to live for. You need to be here for this. You need to guide everyone."

"I'm not saying I won't come back." Stated Raptor as we now just listened to his calming voice.

"You hold the rebellion down while I do this. After it's been done I will come back and finish off this war. You have my word on that Archer."

"I didn't know what to say to that." Archer on the other hand replied.

"What's to say if we do let you leave on this suicide run? What's to say Linnen doesn't attack and kill all of us first? What if he attacks and he wins cause you weren't here? All for one fucking guy? It's not worth it. Shadow wouldn't want this for you ether."

"Don't talk about him." Ordered Raptor as Archer now bit his tongue.

"Get out of my room. Both of you. Now."

Archer gently grabbed my shoulder to step me back. With the words resting on that we both left the room to leave him alone.

"You think he'll leave now?" I asked as Archer shook his head to reply.

"I don't know what to think after that. Let's just go check on Hunter."

"Alright." I replied as I took one last look at Raptor's door.

Raptor's POV.

With my anger coming to an end I slowly exhaled and sat back down to lower my head.

"Why am I being put in this spot? Why can't I just die?" I asked myself as I soon heard from no more then an inch next to me.

"Cause you and me have work left to do."

"This time I didn't panic." I just replied.

"Yeah. I guess winning the war wasn't my only promise."

With his hand resting on my upper back he whispered.

"I'm right here. This is your choice. Even if you don't stay, they won't blame you. But so long as you come back. Any regardless of what your choice is I will be with you every step of the way. Now that we have a deal I must see it through. Till the end."

With wet eyes coming to an end I looked to my side to stare into his eyes.

"Help me." I begged as he just smiled blankly.

"I already am. Take time to rest right now. You'll need the energy. As for what else I did that's for you to find out. You already know one thing." He stated as I looked up at the near bottom of my door to see Hunter's blood resting in a few hard drips.

Everything seemed to clear up in my head. And pulling myself together I asked.

"What do I call you? Death?"

Taking his hand off my back and placing it onto my right leg he replied.

"That's what Shadow saw me as. I guess it sticks. So yeah. Death sounds good."

"What's your real name?" I wondered as he chuckled and looked forward to reply.

"Hehe...that's a fun one. How about for now we just stick to Death? Maybe in time...you'll know."

With his gold eyes staring right into my soul I nodded and offered him back his cloak which was resting between us. Instantly placing his hand on top of mine he urged.

"Keep it. It's a gift."

"What is it?" I asked as I let it rest on my lap now.

"It's yours. That's all. It has scars. Just like you. Wear it with pride. Not as a way to hide. But to be seen. By everyone."

His words sounded true to my ears. And with silence now between us I laid back on my bed to see the moon outside my window. Death slowly stood up to approach the window himself. With his hand on the glass his he said while fading away.

"A storm is coming. Maybe a good chance to leave this place. Who really knows?"

Disappearing before my eyes I watched as his hand left a print. Almost like frost it was. Slowly it too faded away. Leaving me alone to try and think. Think of a way to do this.

The next morning.

Getting up at dawn I got myself dressed and ready. The night provided some ideas. One which was more ballsy then any of the others. But I had to confirm something I should have done long ago.

Making my way out into the hall, I made haste to my office. The guards outside my door greeted me as I entered to find it empty. Approaching my seat, I sat down to begin going through some old files I had stored away. Finding the one I needed buried deep in the back, I pulled up the vanilla and opened it to see some highlighted text. In one of the columns sat a phone number. One I wasn't expecting to call. At least not personally.

Reaching for my office phone, I stopped my hand from dialing. Placing it back down I reached into my pocket to grab my personal phone. Opening it up I dialed the number and sat at the call button for a few seconds. At a point I bit my tongue. This wasn't easy. And doing this could jeopardized me. It could be a mistake. But if what Shadow told me was true. Then I have to trust him. Hitting the button to begin the call, I placed it up to my ear and waited. After one tone a woman answered to say.

"Office of Hecan Moore. May I ask who is calling?"

Taking my teeth off my tongue I replied.

"Raptor Voltz. Iraq rebellion. I wish to speak with him."

The woman went silent and soon replied.

"One moment sir."

Shutting my eyes to what I was doing, I was soon reconnected and she said calmly.

"Transferring your line sir. Hang on the line."

I didn't say anything as I was soon approached by another quick dial tone. After it went off I heard him.

"Hecan Moore. May I ask who is calling?"

"Raptor Voltz. Iraq rebellion."

A few moments passed as he was clearly surprised. But despite that he replied.

"I wondered when I might hear from you Voltz. Right now however wasn't one of those times. I heard quite a rumor as of late from our dear friend Drake. Appears it was but a rumor after all."

"You knew?" I wondered as he calmly replied.

"I didn't have anything to do with what he did. I just heard the outcome. Linnen went to a big height to set you up the way he did. Can't say I disagree. You and Shadow had that in common. You two were hard to get a firm hold over. Drake on the other hand played dirty. And it might not mean anything but I am sorry for your loss. If I had any say in the matter they would still be here. Senseless death isn't how I run my government. It's not the image I like to set for people. I'm very easy to understand. And quite blunt at times. A strong reason a lot of people still keep me around. As a leader anyway. But I assume hearing about myself isn't why you called. Is it?" He wondered as I asked.

"You helped Shadow right? With Reacher? And the others who came before? Why?"

"Shadow was the best thing to happen to the middle east in a long time. Before him the country was just chaotic. He brought order and he brought peace. And his focus wasn't on wiping me out. He accepted a deal that played both sides in a common favor. It was a truce. And a very fair one. One myself even agreed with. That's why I helped him. The government has a very bad track record on assigning commanders. If it was down to me we would never have a war at all. But that's not how a diplomacy works I am afraid. People like to promote violence. It is an easy way to handle bad things. Even ones like wars. People don't want to talk. They want to kill and have one side rule. But with Shadow that wasn't the case. Probably because he was the one decent soldier G.U.N had and he wasn't forced to be."

"But you gave him permission to attack your men. You allowed him to kill Reacher. Why?"

"Cause Reacher wasn't the person to handle that war. The middle east needed a leader. One who would bring peace peacefully. Not through death. Shadow was smart. With Reacher gone I knew we could forge something. And we did. For years up till now. If it could have been done with just Reacher dying it would be a perfect world we live in. Sacrifices are a part of the job. My job was to establish peace between everyone. Those men who died with Reacher were all men who supported violence. In my mind it wasn't much of a loss."

I went silent to his answer as he then asked.

"So let me guess. You want me to do the same with you. You want me to approve the death of Linnen."

"No." I replied as he now seemed confused and replied.

"Really? Then what is it?"

"Gorgon and his men. Scrotus, Blitz and Tusk. I want them. I don't want to go through a war just to get to them. I don't even wana fight in the first place. But Linnen puts me in that place. Like you said. If it was a perfect world I would just have my way with them and call it quits. End everything."

"Shadow spoke highly of you when he was alive. He said you two got along well. I can understand why now."

"Can you help me?" I asked in a lost tone as he went silent to think.

"I promised everyone I would bring peace. But I need peace with myself before that can happen. Please." I begged as he sighed and continued to think. After some time he said.

"Tell you what."

My ears shot up as he said that. With my full attention I listened to his offer.

"I have no direct control over what happens over there. All I can do is talk and sign papers really. My job is mainly a title. Linnen has the real power to act. Taking action with or without my approval. Despite all that however I know a lot about Gorgon and his men. Including that he killed one of the past commanders I had in place of Linnen. All because he saw peace and Gorgon and his men saw death. Gorgon being clearly one of the best killed him cleanly and tried to cover it all up. I know Linnen knows this as well. Drake was once part of his team anyway. I'm sure he uses his power to keep them in line so they don't kill him next. And as all things go I don't take kindly to infighting. Especially when that same man he killed was dead set on renewing the treaty you so unfortunately lost a few months back."

"What?" I asked in shock as he replied.

"The contract was going to be renewed. But Gorgon didn't let that happen. He killed him before his signature could touch paper. This war is his fault. All the death is his fault. And I'm fully convinced they have no clue I am aware of their actions. But like I said before I have no control over Linnen and his men. Gorgon included. But I can point you to someone who can help you find him. If Gorgon and his men happened to have an accident. One where their bodies might unfortunately be...unrecognizable. That would be such a great...loss. Whats worse is nobody could point fingers. It might just be forgotten. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I replied as he then asked.

"You have a pen on you?"

"Yes I do." I replied as he then gave me a few short numbers and a name.

"She's the best tracker I know of. And before you ask. She isn't with G.U.N. Just a merc."

"Thank you." I replied as he then said in a calm tone.

"One more thing."

"What?" I wondered as he then said.

"After the "accident" happens. You should think about calling me back. Maybe we can work something out. I have a few ideas on how to resolve things between us."

"Yes sir." I replied as I began to lower my cell.

"And Raptor?" He said as I quickly pulled it back to reply.

"Yes?"

"My lips are sealed about you. You should do your best to do the same."

With that advice I lowered the phone and held down the power button. Shutting it down, I placed it back in my pocket and looked down at the number I was just given.

"Zeta." I whispered as I calmly placed the note in my pocket and stood up from my seat.

That was the easy part. Now for the hard stuff. I told myself as I opened my door to begin my walk down the main stairs.

mT Shadow.