Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 156 – The Turn On.
Raptor's POV, the next morning.
For the most part everything was ready. The capital was booming with reporters, soldiers, civilians, high level officials, and just about anyone else who cared remotely enough to come today just to hear about what happened to take back the city. Staying in my room till it was my turn to go out there, I just made sure my things were gathered and ready to go. Zeta had most of my gear waiting at the plane but I made sure to grab all I could from the armory earlier this morning. Mostly ammo, but not like that was a bad thing. With Molly gone with her, I wondered how this would go down. I had an idea as to how this would turn out, but I've been wrong before. Many times actually. Guess we will see. Plan however was this. Wait till I was called out, go on stage and confirm everything Mason already said, then announce my resignation and get off stage as fast as possible after. The only people who would try to stop me would be Mason if I lacked speed. Key to making this work was leaving them without answers and up till now I considered Mason one of my best friends, but this was more important then that. Regardless of how he would feel this was for the best and after our dispute he would make the perfect target. All I had to do was put on my best face.
As I sat here I looked to my phone as it went off. Seeing it was Watts I answered.
"Yeah?"
With a calm tone he replied.
"Everything is ready for you. But I need to ask ahead of time. If you get killed I want my money regardless from the Zeta contract."
"So pull your cut then now if you want. Just don't go spending it all in one place."
"Yeah just letting you know. Don't need you freaking out if you see your short some money."
"I'll be fine Watts. Listen I got to get going."
"Okay Raptor. But you better call me when you get there."
"Why?" I then asked as I heard a knock at the door. Standing up to approach it he replied.
"For the same reason I'm calling you now. I want a check in."
Opening the door I looked to find Dom at my door with a few other officers. Giving them a signal to wait a second; I replied while turning back for my bed to grab my duffel.
"How about this? I'll call you when I want to fucking call you. Till then just fuck off and let me handle my business. We clear?"
With them watching as I got my bag over my shoulder, he replied.
"Clear. Asshole."
Hanging up the phone, I looked back to Dom to ask.
"It time?"
Nodding he replied while giving me room to walk through.
"Yeah Mason is about to be done. Your on next."
Walking passed them I replied while heading into the hallway.
"Let's get this over with then. Come on."
"Yes sir!" He replied as him and the others tried to keep up.
As I walked out and down the main stairs I took notice to the front door being wide open. Armed soldiers watching as we neared. Approaching them I began to quickly fix my vest and hair. I knew I looked like shit but fuck it. I wasn't in the business of looking good for this shit.
"Commander." One of them said as I stopped to ask.
"Where to?"
Pointing outside he replied.
"Head to the training grounds. Commander Mason is just getting done now."
"Thanks." I said as I made my way outside into the heat for one last time.
As I walked with the Dom and a few others at my side I began to notice all the tv cameras. Guess this really was going to be aired worldwide. I guess for the sake of Linnen I should try to smile at least once. But this wasn't going to be a moment to celebrate. This was the beginning of the end. At least for the rebellion.
As I neared the stage I caught Mason's eye. Dressed in full gear the old man actually looked like a soldier. Hope he was ready to carry it.
Stopping near the small set of stairs that led up to him, I looked out to the crowd. The whole interior courtyard was swamped with people. Many rebels with it and even more people just looking to see hope. Looking for wise words and some inspiration. Truth be told I was out of all that.
Towards the front of the row sat Lieutenants Incus and Vacus. The girls were eying me down as I waited for Mason who was on his last few words.
"Now despite all the suffering this city has gone through and the countless lives lost. One man stood and made a stand. Stood and made a difference. Went straight out there on the front lines and bled by his men. That takes more then just courage. It takes a special kind of leader. One that should remind us all of the one we lost twelve years ago. He went out alone and like I said already countless times he defeated G.U.N on their home court. And through the face of death and the odds stack against him he came back to us and lead the charge forward. Afghanistan is the start. The war started here over twenty years back and today it is the beginning of the end. We will win this. We will reclaim our homeland. But don't take my word for it. For now it is his turn to speak. Ladies and gentlemen...commander Raptor Voltz."
With Mason looking back at me with a smile, I nodded and started my walk on stage. As we passed I whispered to him.
"I'm sorry Mason."
His eyes went soft as I approached the mic. Once facing the crowd I let out a deep sigh and stared dead ahead. This was it. The time was now and with the whole world watching, this was the time to make a change.
Linnen's POV.
I did my best to ignore most of what that old rebellion prick Mason had to say. Regardless of how happy that city was, my city was still in chaos. With a drink in my hand and my head almost slumped on top of my desk, I felt my ears go up when I heard him say to the world.
"Ladies and gentlemen...commander Raptor Voltz."
My eyes instantly shot up to the screen as I questioned the name I just heard. With my hand starting to shake I questioned out loud.
"What?"
A few of the officers who had gathered to watch with me all stared at me in confusion as I stood up in shear shock. With the camera shifting to the edge of the stage, I felt my heart go shallow when I saw him walk up the stairs. I was at a complete and utter loss as to what I was seeing. A pure black hedgehog. Who had the body of a beefed up kid on steroids. Besides that he had a huge scar along his forehead and two purple eyes. But as he got on the microphone I knew it was him. But how? Gorgon he...?
My whole train of thought got cut in two when the first words that left his mouth were.
"I'm sorry everyone."
His voice hadn't changed. Instead it was somehow more profound. Almost intimidating as I put my drink down to listen. This couldn't be real. Gorgon killed him and I would have...I would have known if he was alive by now. But...? I had no idea what to think. All I could do was listen as he looked right at the camera. As if he knew I was watching.
Archer's POV.
Everyone was waiting for this. Mason was getting to the end and I knew Raptor had to show his face. With myself along with most of everyone else on base gathered around to watch on a set of large monitors we had set up for this in the mess I stayed neared the front with Black and Hunter. Both of which had been left in the dark up till this point. Raptor being in Iraq was only known between me and Mason. Word hasn't reached Iraq about the details. But up till this moment Mason had explained it all too well and just by looking at them I could see they were starting to piece some things together. With Marx and Misty and Black's men all along my left waiting, I sat down and listened as Mason said the magic words.
"Ladies and gentlemen...commander Raptor Voltz."
I could feel the tension in the air get lifted as Hunter stood up to question.
"What?"
Black quickly got her to sit back down as I waited for the camera to shift. Something I wish never happened. Cause the second it did I felt my whole body go cold at what I saw approaching. This black hedgehog. Not a strip of any other color on him. Just pure darkness and a body that sent shivers down my spine as everyone began to chatter to themselves about what was going on. Mason didn't tell me anything about this. Just about what happened. Not about what happened to him. Why? I asked myself as it was clear to everyone the confusion going around. The first question I heard from one of our men was.
"Is that commander Voltz?"
Standing up I got a good look. The hedgehog looked no older then twenty and his eyes were purple.
"What the fuck?"
"Who is that commander?"
Looking around as questions amassed I panicked as I heard Hunter ask in a lost voice.
"Raptor?"
Black held her by the wrist as she tried to keep calm.
"I'm sorry everyone." Everyone went wide eyed and silent at that voice. All the shivers came at once when I realized that really was him. What the hell happened? What did he do to himself? I asked as no one moved. We all just listened.
Looking over my shoulder to General Hoffer I asked.
"You seeing this?"
Nodding once he replied.
"Yeah I am. What happened to him?"
With every one of us frozen in place we just listened to what he was going to say.
Zeta's POV.
Blitz and I were on the plane and thankfully we had a tv on board to watch this moment happen. Molly sat right on a seat alongside me as we all focused on the screen. With Raptor center mass I listened as he said to the crowd.
"I'm sorry everyone."
With the wolf alongside me just listening, I tried to continue cleaning my AK as he went on.
"I know and I understand that it has been awhile since I last spoke to you all like this publicly and there is a reason I couldn't up till now."
Even sitting here I could feel the crowd. Everyone was silent. The only sounds around were cameras snapping off photos from time to time as he continued.
"Very recently...I came to this city to visit my wife and kids who I left in the hands of commander Mason. A great man and an even greater leader then myself."
"Bullshit." Stated Blitz as I looked at him to question.
"What?"
Looking to me he replied.
"I know guys like Mason. He's just another big rank behind a desk calling shots. He isn't getting dirty. Raptor is instantly superior because unlike him he isn't afraid to stand up and fight. That's the truth."
Looking back to the screen I couldn't help but agree with that. I was never one to follow a guy I never trusted. Mason being a prime example as to why I only follow people like Raptor. It's not about your rank. It's about what you do. What you risk. With Raptor getting comfortable he went on to say.
"During my stay with him and the great people of this city. Soldiers under the command of Drake Linnen managed to slip into our ranks before the battle we held not more then a few days ago. These men kidnapped my wife and my two children and had them executed."
Instantly you heard the crowd explode with questions as officers in front of the stage ordered them to hold back till the end. At this point I was focused on listening as Raptor took a moment to wait for silence. Once ready he continued.
"I was led to make a choice. The men ordered my surrender for their safety. Ask that I come unarmed and alone to make the deal. As a father I had no other choice but to follow their demands."
At this point I noticed how Mason was looking at him. Raptor was going off script completely. His family being murdered was unknown to the world. Unknown to the rebellion. Only known to him and probably a few others Raptor trusted. Regardless the situation happening will tell everyone listening that Linnen made a move well before the war was signed. Which in return was going to fuck everything up for him in Pakistan. Hecan Moore would have to react now and that was perfect for us and Raptor knew it.
"Turns out no matter what I decided to do that night my family was killed before my eyes and I was nearly lost with it." Pointing to the scar on his forehead I began to hear more questions coming from the crowd. After another brief shouting match from officers to reporters Raptor went on.
"I woke up in a body bag because when rebellion troops arrived I was declared dead as well. But I wasn't." He stated as I reached down for my tail that was between my legs. Holding the end in my hand I squeezed and listened as he said with a sharp voice.
"I wasn't and when I regained my ability to think I made a selfish and a very foolish decision. I went after the people who did it. Those men now being dead."
The crowd went silent as Raptor said next.
"I turned all rational thought away from this war and the people who mattered and went out to try and fight my own personal war and try to avenge my family in the process. In the end I got what I wanted but I lost more then I gained. I'll never have them back. Never be able to hold my children in my arms and see what they can grow up to accomplish. I can never see my wife and just tell her how much I loved her. They took that all away from me and as a leader in this position I shouldn't let my personal emotions get in the way of business. But I did. Mainly cause I had no way of coping after losing them. All I could think about was getting payback and like I said it cost me. My soul being most of what was lost."
Blitz began to notice me squeezing my tail as Raptor went silent for a minute.
"What's wrong?" He wondered as I replied carefully.
"He's really doing it."
"Doing what?" He then asked as I said with a soft voice.
"He's coming clean."
Blitz seemed to understand and with his eyes going back to the tv Raptor lowered his gaze to say.
"I'm sorry everyone. I risked a lot. I put faith in others. I put trust in others to guide this country to freedom without me. People like Mason and commander Archer. When I should be the only one forced to bear this responsibility. I started this war. I should be the one to die with it in the end."
With Raptor looking back to Mason he said to him directly.
"You were right. You were always right. This isn't Shadow's rebellion. It's mine. It's mine and I've led it astray from the path. A path that was set years ago by Shadow himself. As a leader I put my emotions ahead of the people I should be caring about and focused only on myself. Risking not only my life but many others in the process. That's why I need to say one more thing before this is over and we go back to restoring this great city."
With eyes all on him, I watched as he took off his vest. Placing it on the ground alongside him so everyone could see. I could only sit still as he said it.
"As the leader to this great army. As a leader people look to for answers in this time of chaos. I am not fit to lead. My job is protect the people. Instead I risk my own life and I have strayed away from the path Shadow Robotnik had set before his passing. All I am at the end of the day is a killer. A soldier and a warrior. All I know is how to kill and how to do it right. When it comes to calling the shots that decide the future, that cost lives. I should not and will not be the one responsible. I've only come to realize this conclusion recently. Thanks to commander Mason and his strong words, I'm convinced there is a better person out there to fill my shoes. That's why after this meeting is dismissed I will be resigning as acting commander to the rebellion all across the middle east and I will be focusing all my efforts here on out to recovering myself and all I had lost to get this far. It's what I want. It's what my wife and kids would want. It's what Mason wants and I truly believe my time has come and gone since my selfish actions had been taken. If I can't keep a promise to the people I know and love then I know for a fact I will only keep hurting said people. For winning the war is my promise. Stepping down will accomplish that. I'm sorry everyone. I'm not the person you should trust with your future. I am not the same man I use to be and I am not the man this country needs as it's leader. I'm...I'm deeply sorry."
It was almost immediate. Raptor said those words and the crowd imploded. From people, reporters, to his men. Mason even climbed back up on stage as Raptor shouted over the noise getting everyone to shut up and listen.
"I'm not fit to lead this army! I am not fit to be your leader! And I am not fit to be a part of this moment in history! For everyone's best interests this is the right call and the only one I can see making! Again I am sorry to you all! Hopefully this country and it's people will prevail and I have faith that without me this war can still be won!"
Approaching the stand Mason could be heard saying to Raptor's ear.
"Hold on Raptor! Just...?" Raptor of course cut him off to say with a more depressed voice behind his words.
"I wish you all the best of luck. With me this country falls. Without me this country will rise once more. Thank you all for all you have done and for all the support. I hope you understand why this must be done and...goodbye. May god be with us all."
Without another word Raptor began to leave the stage. The camera followed him for as long as it could and to no surprise reporters and soldiers followed. All with questions and pleads as Raptor just made haste to the nearest ride to leave. Once the camera lost him I looked to Blitz to urge.
"We should get ready. He'll be coming and he'll want to leave."
"Yeah I can see that." He replied as he stood up to head for a seat. Shutting off the tv, I let my tail go and just walked to the cockpit. I couldn't believe he actually did it up till now. He just threw himself away and for what? Me? I wondered as I started to get the plane ready for his arrival to shortly come. Once set I let out a sigh and looked out the window. Just waiting now for the next chapter to begin.
mT Shadow.