Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 170 – The triple cross.
Watt's POV, 1 hour later.
"God damn it." I whispered to myself as I tried to get my network back up and running. Things were not going well and at this rate it would take hours. At the very least I got to talk to Raptor before it got any worse for me. Thankfully I now had money to work with. After this I can upgrade this dump. I needed a better computer and a few million dollars will afford me the best; if not one of the best on the market. Just thinking about it got me all excited.
"Come on." I begged my internet as it struggled to connect.
Letting out a sigh, I just hunched down and watched as it kept trying. Things we're going no where at this rate and...?
"Cling!"
Widening my eyes I turned around in the roller chair I was in and looked at my door. I know I heard something just now; so without warning I reached back to my table for my pistol. As it left the surface, I just focused and aimed at the door. As my eyes were locked, I jumped when I heard the same clinging sound bouncing off my door. Taking aim I held my breath and waited. Someone was coming and I knew it wasn't anyone good. But who...?
Juper's POV.
Reaching over the chair he sat in, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled with all I had.
"Aghhhkkkk!" This man had some fight as I gave it all I had. With his gun dropping to the floor under his feet. I released my right arm and reached for my side. Grabbing my knife, I pulled it up above my head and went to stab his chest. But as I swung the chair he was in fell backwards and sent both him and myself to the ground. I still kept my left arm on his neck as I dropped my knife from the fall.
"Agghhhh! Aghhhhkkk! Ahhhhh! Let me go you...?"
Looking up I widened my eyes as Dex finally got through the front door. In a panic I reached back down for my blade. Grabbing the butt of the knife I wasted no time and shoved it halfway into his lower back.
"Aghhhhhhh!"
With the chance in front of me, I released my grip over the knife and pushed him forward into Dex who opened fire the second I was out of danger.
"Toof! Toof! Toof! Toof!"
Watts took all four rounds to his chest and both Dex and I watched as he collapsed backwards and into the side of the tipped over chair. Taking a chance to catch my breath Dex asked in concern.
"You good Jup?"
Nodding my head I replied.
"Yeah I'm good. Finish that." Giving me smile Dex aimed at Watts once last time.
"Toof!"
With a bullet going right through his forehead, I took notice as his hands jumped from off the ground the second the lead hit his brain.
Getting my composure back together, I asked Dex as he lowered his gun.
"You got the USB?"
Nodding Dex reached into his vest to toss it at me. Readying my hand, I caught it, and turned around and began to look for a port to plug it into. Once I found his laptop, I looked back and used my right hand to flip the chair back up. Taking a seat I began to scroll through his files. This guy was loaded. Raptor wasn't lying. Without looking for specifics, I attempted the long process of cutting and pasting all the files into the USB. Dex got behind me as the download would take at least an hour.
"Anything good?" He wondered as I shook my head to reply.
"Don't know. But I can browse while we wait." I told him as I began to do just that.
1 hour later.
It didn't take long to realize this dude was kitted out with all the information. From postal routes to military operations. Information I'm sure he could sell to make a small fortune if given to the right groups. Regardless this was the plan. Take everything and burn the building. No traces of this bullshit if we do it right and that's what mattered most. Raptor made that clear. Hopefully after this we can just relax. But as I browsed from file to file I soon caught something that caught my eye. Opening up the file it was clear to both me and Dex what we just stopped from happening.
"That would have been bad." Dex stated as I read to myself the large word document I had up on the screen. The whole time I was silent. Up till the end when I replied to my friend.
"He wasn't finished writing it, but it told Ying everything that was going on with Raptor's scheme to rob them of their money. Guess Raptor was right when he figured this dude was going to try and fuck him just to make an extra buck. If Ying had this evidence Raptor would be in some serious trouble. Not to mention Zeta. The guy even had pictures of our convoy leaving the city. He really was about to sell him out. Guess he wanted to wait to see what he would do for Pepper. Not to mention get yet another large chunk of change from it. Greedy son of a bitch." I told myself as I got the file loaded and off the computer. Looking to Dex I ordered.
"Get this place ready to go up Dex. We are leaving as soon as this is done."
"Yes sir." He replied as I watched him walk over to the small kitchen that was in the far corner of the room. Flipping on the stove and exposing the gases, Dex soon stated while heading back to me.
"All good. One round and we're gone."
Nodding my head, I waited till the download was done then pulled out the thumb drive. Placing it in my pocket I slowly reached to my belt and undid a frag grenade.
"Let's go." I told him as he turned for the door. Once out of the room I pulled the pin and ran out after him. With the data in hand; we just had to focus now on getting back to the safe house. The whole time I thought to myself.
Fucking Raptor was a genius to make this play. Only the smart ones cut loose ends.
Hunter's POV.
"Aghhhhh!" Widening my eyes as I patrolled the streets. I looked back as I heard an explosion maybe a block out. People on the streets screamed as it was clearly a bomb going off of some sort. With my gun at my side, I broke into a run and went straight after the location it came from. It didn't take long to see the blast I heard come from a building. A small littler apartment block and the third floor up was nothing but rubble and smoke. With the fire reaching out from the windows I questioned what just happened. But with no one but civilians around to watch the event, I went for my comm to state.
"This is Hunter! I got a building that just went up in smoke! Is anyone around?! The fire is getting out of control!"
I wasn't lying. The flames were starting to ride up the building and at this rate who knows when it would stop on it's own. Thankfully I was soon asked.
"Hunter we heard the blast. We got a fire truck on the way. Any idea what happened?" It was one of Black's friends. I think his name was Tap but I wasn't too sure. Just keeping calm I replied over all the noise.
"No clue! It just went up!"
With my eyes just watching the blaze. I panicked as I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder from behind. Turning around almost instantly, I felt my heart relax a bit when it was just Black himself. He was covered in blood however. All on his face and it appeared dry. In concern he asked while lowering his rifle.
"You see anything?"
Having to catch my voice from the small surprise, I soon replied.
"No. I just heard it and came running. What the hell happened to you? Are you hurt?"
Nodding he replied.
"Yeah." Widening my eyes I followed his hand as he showed me the side of his head. There was gash maybe three inches across his skull. Went right by his right ear and finished. Blood still oozing out as he turned back to me to state.
"Got jumped maybe thirty minutes ago by some people."
"What? Why?" I questioned as he looked to the fire to reply.
"Just more pissed of people looking to kill Mason I assume and had to settle on me cause I was around. Don't worry about it. It got handled." He said that with a lower voice as I knew what must have happened. I had to do the same thing to a few people today. This city was out of control and last thing I heard was that even the capital was having issues. Almost like he read my mind Black asked.
"You hear about what happened at the capital?"
Shaking my head I replied.
"Not really. Do you?"
Nodding Black replied.
"Two of Mason's best men turned tail and left. Took a good chunk of people with them too."
"Why?" I questioned as he calmly replied.
"I don't know for sure. Haven't been back there for at least a few hours. But regardless of what happened it had to have been big and bad for those guys to turn like that. Even better if it got most of their friends to join them too."
"Is Archer doing something? That can't be legal."
Just giving me a shrug Black replied.
"Its the middle east Hunter. Not like there are cops around. But if their teams left then I assume Archer will have to respond. That's a lot of men to lose."
"How many you think?" I then questioned as he took a moment to think. After a few seconds he replied.
"Eighty or so. It happened fast."
"Jesus." I muttered softly to myself as Black nodded and took a seat down on the curb next to me. Following him to the floor I asked with almost a whisper.
"Any idea where Raptor is?"
Keeping his gaze away Black replied.
"Still no news from what I know. He could be anywhere."
Placing my hand on his leg I wondered.
"Do you really think he gave up?"
Now shifting focus, Black looked to my eyes to reply.
"I don't know Hunter. Hell I don't even understand what happened to him at all in the first place. It had to be for another reason though. I doubt Raptor would ever give up on something like the war. After all it was his idea."
Nodding my head I continued to listen as Black stated.
"The man left to hunt down his family's killers. My former friends. And as far as things are looking those friends are dead too. Came here to Afghanistan to kill the turncoat general Hannon. On his own according to Mason's accounts. Which makes him giving up so sudden even more unbelievable. But probably why people also think he left cause of Mason."
"You don't believe that's true?"
Shaking his head I watched as the calm hedgehog replied.
"Nah. Not for a second. Raptor left for something else. Something important too."
"What do you think?" I wondered as he looked over to me to reply.
"It's something special. Something that must have taken importance over the war here. And that something has to ether relate to it or it's pretty damn close. Cause a guy like him isn't doing it for a woman. Or something stupid and little like that. I just wish to god I was there now to help him."
"You put that much faith in him Black?" I had to question as he nodded and asked back.
"You don't?"
Instantly I lowered my eyes as he went on to state to me directly.
"It's going to work out. You just need to believe that. Raptor is a good guy."
Just looking him directly in the eyes, I watched as he reached out to nudge my shoulder.
"It is. Whatever he's up to is for the good of everyone. Especially his home Hunter. You were mad as shit when he first said he was resigning, but a few hours in after all that and your calm and not running for a roof."
Again I just looked away as he made me feel weird just there. Getting a faint laugh, Black finished his statement at last.
"That means you got to be a little more open minded now then you were in the past. That means you must have some faith in you somewhere for him. Answer me honestly. What do you think he's doing?"
Black's POV.
Hunter was giving that some real thought. I just remained on the curb as she sat there thinking. Placing my rifle on the ground next to me and lifting my hand up to my face, I gently wiped some blood off the back of my head. It hurt like a bitch but I wasn't about to take venom for this. I just kept my ears opened as Hunter slowly replied.
"I...I think he's doing something. Something we don't understand."
Looking over to the girl, I watched as she carefully looked back over to me. The fire was still raging on as she said with an honest voice.
"I just wish he would have let us help."
"Yeah...?" I replied to her answer as I knew how she felt at this point.
"Whatever he's up to I'm sure we could have helped with. But for some reason he just ignored us and went off on his own." Stated Hunter as I quickly replied.
"You already know why that's the way it is Hunter." I told her as she grew confused and questioned.
"What do you mean?"
Letting out a sigh I replied bluntly.
"He went off on his own cause he believed the opposite."
Hunter widened her eyes as I explained slightly. I knew I wouldn't have to say much for her to understand.
"We wouldn't help him. So he gave up hope and made his own moves. No surprise he ignored us after that. Bet if we were there now he wouldn't trust us to have his back. I mean why would he? We didn't the first time around."
Hunter was just sitting there. Her face said it all as she instantly turned her gaze to me. I could see some tears forming but she kept her voice strong as she mumbled.
"You make it sound like we are the bad guys in all this!"
Just keeping my eyes on the shaking hedgehog I replied.
"Wouldn't we be if you were in his position? You come to your friends for help and they all give you the same answer Hunter. They want you to be who they want you to be. No one wants a person to be themselves and look after number one. To do things for themselves when they could be doing things for others. Raptor just wants closure. We wouldn't let him have it. I'm sure he still cares about us, but that's not enough to bring him running back. Now he'll make his own moves and he'll come back when he wants to. When he feels like we will be there again for him."
Hunter was breaking down slowly, but opening her eyes she asked.
"What if he's just being selfish Black? What if he's really not the man we want or see him as? What if killing Gorgon just made him into a monster and he's really just focused on himself? What then?"
With the building burning bright, I replied while offering her my hand. With her eyes looking to it I replied.
"Then we look after the next best thing. That's Archer and Mason."
With my hand out there Hunter had to ask.
"And if their wrong? What then?"
"Then we find someone who isn't. Now stop crying." I urged her as she just sniffed up her sadness in one deep intake of air. After she reopened them she reached out and took my hand. Bringing her next to me I whispered to her side.
"We need to be together if we want to get through this."
"I know." She replied as she shut her eyes. With her rifle in her lap, I widened my eyes as she leaned over and rested her head along my left shoulder. Then she just kept them closed and started to breathe. Looking back to the fire I whispered.
"We'll get through this. Together."
Hunter just kept silent as I knew this was getting out of hand and that she might be right. What if Archer and Mason aren't right? The way things are going I can see the reason behind thinking that. Archer was taking the cities by force and no matter how much the people needed the rebellion to fight for them, they wouldn't let this pass unrivaled. And if Archer keeps this up he'll risk the most important part of all. The people. The soldiers. It's already happening and god knows when it will stop.
mT Shadow.