Love Struck Delusion

Chapter 215 - A people's war.

Raptor's POV.

Four on one? I was always one for the odds being out of my favor but right now I was under armed. I had my Glock tucked behind my back and under my shirt but I had nothing more. These guys were armed and fully outfitted to handle the war. I remained at my car and between the door and the driver's seat as the two men closest to me had nothing but mean looks on their faces. Outfitted with what looked like some heavy duty assault rifles I listened close as the man who came closest to me was a red hedgehog with short cut quills. Alongside him stood a echidna and behind them were the other two which was another darker red hedgehog and a black human male. They looked real nasty and I knew for a fact they weren't here to chat much. With the hedgehog stopping by the back of my trunk he told me with his weapon lowered.

"You know you have some fucking balls just walking around this city. You understand how much trouble you're in there Voltz?"

"Nah how about you tell me?" I urged him as he chuckled and watched as the echidna made his way around the other side of my car. My eyes remained on the guy in front of me as his other two friends were now waiting by the front and back of the humvee.

"There is a price for you right now. Our boss wants a word with you in Afghanistan. So make this easy seeing as you're outnumbered. Come with us and we'll just get you right on over there for some…...questioning. I'm sure you'll be safe."

The two by the car began to laugh as I felt the echidna making his way around the hood to my car. However I kept myself looking at the hedgehog as he waited for my response. Keeping my hands where he could see them I replied.

"You know I can't just do that right?"

Shrugging he replied.

"Not like we expected you to just say yes." My eyes looked to his rifle as he lifted it up. With the barrel being pointed now at my stomach he admitted.

"And it's not like you're worth anything alive to the rebellion. So we'll just settle for a body. You'll get the truck all messy but it'll be worth it." With the echidna now right behind me I kept myself calm and stared right at the hedgehog as he gave the silent nod to his buddy to grab me. The echidna put a lot of effort in it and when he reached over to grab me from behind, he was caught off guard when his hand slipped right through me and he basically slammed the top of my car door. At that moment everyone widened their eyes as I reached back to grab my Glock and told them.

"We'll see just who makes the bigger mess."

My gun came out and without a second thought I aimed and fired.

"Toof!"

The hedgehog who had the idea of doing this crumbled as a round was sent right between his eyes. You could hear his skull crack from the inside as his buddies jumped to raise rifles. I remained where I was and switched between the human and the other hedgehog as they managed to send rounds downrange. Before I could drop them with a few chest shots, my car door had eaten four or five rounds. But as they each fell over I looked back to see the echidna who was behind me panicking in all sense of the word.

"You….!?" Swinging his rifle at my head, I ducked and aimed at the window that was between us.

"Toof! Toof! Toof!"

The window shattered as each round went through the glass and into his stomach and upper chest. As he stumbled back I stood up and aimed at his head.

"Toof!"

Again the sound of skull cracking echoed down the street and watching where I was as he fell over, I widened my eyes when I heard and felt two rounds hit my back. I grunted and turned as fast as I could to see the human leaned up along the humvee. His eyes went open in shock as I aimed back at him to unload what ammo I had left. Blood splashed the side of the truck as his body soon rested on the ground. My Glock ran out of rounds and from there I grunted and placed my gun on the top of the roof of my car. Reaching back to feel two openings in my shirt and some blood, I used what I had to and sealed them on the spot. The rounds came out of me shortly as I began to look around the street to see people coming out of their homes to see what had happened. A few were cheering and cursing at the dead. Clamer on the other hand came out from his home to ask me in disarray for what just happened not shortly after our meeting.

"Raptor! Dear god are you okay!? You're bleeding!"

Nodding my head as he slowly stopped over the dead echidna I replied while taking back my Glock.

"I'm good doc. Go back inside before anyone else gets here."

Clamer was hesitant but went back to his home. However more than a few civilians had already made themselves a part of this by starting to gather around the humvee and began kicking the dead and breaking the truck's hood and windshield. A few gathered around my car as I was quickly recognized from TV. My name began to litter the air and I knew for a fact there would be more trouble coming. Doing all I could I put away my Glock and ordered the forming crowd.

There is going to be more coming after all that noise was made! You should all return to your homes before things get ugly! I have no control over the rebellion and not over these fucking pricks here!

The crowd was losing their minds about the sense of rebellion I just performed here and my words had little to no effect as it was clear they were ready to fight anyone else who came around. I began to panic as some of them even took the weapons from the dead Ying soldiers and began to fire them off into the air. I wasn't able to be a part of this and the more noise they made began to attract more people to join the gathering. Some who came were already armed and by that point I had gotten back into my car and managed to pull out. I knew there were people coming and there would be more violence soon enough. Part of me was upset I had to leave because I knew there would be more than a few of them killed without me to help, but I had no choice. I wasn't kitted for this kind of uprising and right now I was focused on just getting home. This would cause a lot of trouble for the rebellion tonight and I knew I would have to act on it tomorrow. It was clear the people wanted to help fight for their rights back and who was I to stop them?

As I made it back home I was far enough away from the scene to not have to worry about there being any trouble from the rebellion or Ying in my area. As I pulled back into the driveway I slowly got out of the car and began to go for the house. I didn't bother with the door and just walked through to find Zeta and her sister resting on the couch. They were doing something and I knew they had no clue I was there. As I walked for the basement Zeta turned to the sound of my feet to widen her eyes and say.

"Oh I thought you were asleep? What's up?"

"Nothing." I told her as I was nearly there. However she gave me this confused look and ordered while standing up.

"Hold it!"

I stopped in place and turned to look at her as she came around the side of the couch to approach me. My eyes followed hers as she came right up to me to sniff my face. I knew I was fucked at that moment. Giving me this more confused look now she asked me carefully.

"Where were you? You smell like chamomile."

Chuckling I replied while stepping a foot back.

"No where?"

The wolf backed me into the wall and Pepper who remained on the couch tried to help me but telling her more than a curious sister.

"He probably just used a new shampoo Zeta. Leave him alone."

Using her hand as she continued to sniff me. Zeta gave her the palm side of her hand to urge her.

"Shut up. I'm right. You smell and I know you didn't get a shower. Your quills are too dry for that."

"It lingers." I whispered back as she for a second looked me right in the eyes. I knew she knew and without question her hands came forward to grab me by the shoulders. Using some force she turned me slightly to my side and began to sniff down my shirt. As she reached the bottom I whispered to myself.

"Okay."

Her nose picked up on the scent of my blood staining the quills on my back and reaching for the spot she pulled my shirt forward to see the holes where the bullets went through. Instantly she smiled and shouted.

"I knew it!"

Pepper was chuckling in her seat as I got back my shirt and urged Zeta.

"I went out for a little. Okay?"

"To do what?! Get into another fight?! How many times do I have to tell you!?"

Pepper stood up to approach us as I tried to defend myself.

"I'm old enough to handle my own business without you always at my neck Zeta. Relax a little and just let me worry about me."

"Oh that's how you want to be?! You make me sound like a problem!"

"I mean you're getting a little worked up." I told her honestly as she widened her eyes and reached back to grab my shirt and hum in anger.

"For good reason! You have bodyguards for a reason! I can't bodyguard if your body isn't with me!"

Chuckling I urged her with a gentle pat to her head.

"Relax pup."

Instantly she snapped her teeth for my hand and ordered me.

"Don't do that! I'm a grown ass woman!"

By this point Pepper had asked me in a much calmer tone.

"Are you okay though?"

I nodded and replied

"I'm fine. It's all patched up. I'm just going downstairs to drink a little before bed. Okay?!" I asked Zeta with a quick turn of my attention. Giving her this smile, I gently stuck out my tongue. The wolf was fuming and her sister chuckled as I got the door for myself. As I walked down the stairs I heard from under me.

"Bought fucking time."

Marcus was already here and as I reached the bottom I looked under the stairs to find him sitting at the bar with two glasses already made and a bottle of whiskey between them. He was nothing but smiles as I asked him.

"Are you serious about this Marcus? You know those two upstairs have good noses right? Zeta flagged me down the second I got in."

"Well that's your fault for getting shot. As far as I know those two have no clue I'm here. I've been quiet. Just trust me. Come on and sit you bastard."

Marcus was all dressed up. He was wearing a dark blue pair of cargo pants and a long cloak. It looked the same as the one I had that he gave me, but it was well overdue for a makeover. The thing was shredded but I wasn't about to question his outfit. However as I sat down with the fox, I noticed he was still dawning Shadow's combat vest. However he was unarmed; apart from a knife that I knew by heart and hand. It was Shadow's too. Marcus caught my eyes looking at it and told me as he sensed my curiosity burning.

"Yeah it's his too. I never used it just so you know."

I couldn't look away so putting his drink down he reached up to where it was on the vest to pull it out and hand it over to me as my other hand got a firm grip on my drink. The second I touched the blade I felt some memories returning. Marcus smiled and urged me.

"Just keep it. It means more to you anyway."

From then on, Marcus took his focus back to his drink as I continued to stare at it. I felt like I shouldn't have the right to touch it so I just broke my focus and slammed it onto the top of the counter. Marcus didn't flinch as it now stuck there tip first. Without my eyes leaving the blade I took my whole glass down in one gulp and sat back in my seat to let out a sigh. Marcus chuckled as I nodded and began to pour my second glass.

Zeta's POV.

I was gonna tear that tongue out of his mouth one night I swear it. Pepper continued to laugh at me as it had been maybe a minute since he went down there. I did my best to ignore the fact that I wanted to kill him for treating me like a kid and as I began to relax I soon picked up on something that was clearly wrong and bothering me to no end.

Flicking my head back to my sister who sat back down on the couch I asked her.

"You want to know something?"

"You want to eat him?" She wondered with another chuckle as I shook my head and replied.

"That asshole never answered my question."

Pepper widened her eyes in confusion as I urged her.

"Hang on a second. I want to ask him again."

She instantly got back up to reply.

"You two are like an old couple with all this playful fighting."

"It's not fighting." I told her directly as we walked for the basement door. As I made contact with the knob I explained.

"It's just how we are. It usually works out, but for some reason he….?"

My eyes widened as I caught a new smell entering my nose. Pepper halted behind me to see I was now focusing on the scent. After a second she asked with a whisper.

"What's that?"

I was utterly lost to the answer so I replied while taking the first step down.

"I don't know. Come on."

Slowly we began to descend the stairs and the whole way down all I could smell was it. It was almost impossible to describe what it was like that I was smelling but it was completely different from anything else in the house and I know it had to be new because I was just down here last night.

I was the first to reach the bottom and upon looking around the room I saw Raptor wasn't anywhere else other than the bar. His scent traveled that way and as I looked under the stairs I rested my eyes on the man in question as he was focused on a knife that was stuck on the very top of the table. However there was one other person among us. Pepper came around my side to ask.

"What's going on down here?"

Her eyes soon were resting on what I was now staring at. We both went still as this fox was parked right next to him in the chair. A glass in his hand and his eyes on what looked to be Raptor who was just focused on drinking. Pepper, who was slow to react went to say something.

"You got her all worked…..?" Then the fox looked away from Raptor and right to us. The instant his gaze crossed us Pepper finished what she was saying with a lost and very stunned voice.

"….up?"

Everything was cold now. The air around us was freezing all the sudden and the fox shot us a smile. He even showed some teeth as I quickly was trying to put together who he was. He was a pure black furred fox. The black was as dark as it could get and his eyes were green. Wearing an old beat up duster that looks much like Raptor's. In fact it had to be his or another exact copy anyway. As Pepper and I began to grow concerned, the fox opened up his mouth to greet us in a voice unlike any other.

"You two look a little worried. Want to join us for a drink?"

His voice held no accent or if it did I couldn't tell which it was. He sounded more like Raptor but at the same time very different. As the question was now out there for us to answer, I slipped by it and asked Raptor who put down his glass.

"Who the fuck is this guy Raptor and how the hell did he get in the house?"

Raptor took his time to look my way but as he did he replied calmly.

"He's a friend. Calm down and do what he wants and get over here. I promise everything is cool."

I looked right on over to Pepper who was just as concerned at this point as much as I was. I had no clue who this fool was and I knew it wasn't anyone I ever saw before. I feel like I would have remembered a fox like this. He had to be as old as Cody or maybe around my age in fact. He was young and I can't picture Raptor hanging out with toddlers. With Pepper stepping forward she asked as she passed me.

"What's going on?"

I had to follow her behind and as we neared the bar the chill started to go away. Raptor moved us behind the counter so we had room but I remained staring at the fox. He continued to smile at me the whole time as Raptor finally answered Pepper.

"What's it look like? We're just hanging out and having a few drinks. Come on now and grab some glasses."

I wasn't going to move. I didn't trust this guy a single bit as Pepper got us our cups. As Raptor began to pour us some whiskey from his bottle, the fox added to the conversation.

"Just a few. I'll be out of here in a few minutes. I just wanted to make sure everything was good with the big guy here." He then patted Raptor's back and I forced myself to ask.

"Just who the fuck are you and how did you get down here?"

He had to know I wasn't fucking around wth anythng before getting some answers. Because as Raptor finished pouring the drinks the fox replied.

"I'm a close friend of Raptor's. We've known each other for a long time now. That's all."

"You're not answering me." I told him back directly in anger as Raptor looked right up at me. I caught the glare he was shooting me with and took a second to relax and drink some of the alcohol before my very eyes. Once I was taking down my first gulp Raptor refocused on his friend and told him.

"Thank you for this morning."

The fox widened his eyes and looked confused slightly as Raptor added.

"For helping me deal with Gorgon and his boy."

I was looking right at the fox now to see what his reaction was and I knew something was happening when the guy replied.

"Your welcome. Bastards deserved what they got. I'm just glad I could help. But again Raptor you need to be honest with yourself now that it's over. You can't be slumping around like this feeling bad about it. You still have work to do and I know it's gonna be rough finding your motivation, but you see the way the country holds up when you start raising the bar. People wana fight for you and hell there are a lot of people in the rebellion fighting each other over what's the right move now to make. It's almost like a free for all out on the streets. All you need to do is join in and lend a hand. You're more than capable of fixing things."

"Damn straight." Pepper added as I nodded and waited some more. Raptor was thinking and after a moment or two he replied back.

"I know what I'm going to do. I'm not stuck on it. Motivation? It feels more like an obligation."

My eyes looked to him for a moment before I brought myself to ask his friend.

"Are you with the rebellion?"

Finishing his drink the fox put down his glass to look at Raptor for the answer. Slowly Raptor replied.

"No. He's just a friend."

Looking to Pepper we both were slightly lost now on just who this guy was and what part he played with Gorgon. Clearly Raptor didn't want to say it and the fox wasn't about to answer me directly for some reason. Even though he seemed a lot more talkative than Raptor himself. In concern I then listened as Pepper wondered out of the confusion.

"How do we know we can trust him then?"

"Because I said so." Raptor replied as I questioned.

"Raptor you got to understand our concern here?"

Raptor finished his glass in the meantime and once empty he lowered his glass to the counter to reply.

"I do but for the last time you need to understand to trust my word here. He has no dealings with the rebellion. In fact he's not even from this country or any others for that matter. He's on my side and he's not going to do a fucking thing to corrupt what we have here. Isn't that right?" His question went back to the fox who at this point turned in his chair to stand up. I leveled myself with the counter as he replied.

"My business is with Raptor and him only. I promise I'm good for it. You two look like twins by the way."

My view crossed back to Pepper's who was caught off guard now by the comment. The fox chuckled and added as Raptor sat up in his seat.

"Can't decide which of you is better looking."

"Careful now. Zeta here might bite your neck making statements like that." Raptor urged him with a small chuckle as I blushed from the embarrassment. Pepper smiled and then told the fox who fixed his cloak.

"She's not nearly as fun. She doesn't know how to take a compliment. But thank you regardless."

I quickly hit her arm and watched close as I could make out a combat rig under the fox's cloak. It for sure looked like rebellion and it closely resembled Raptor's. However I remained silent as the fox put his hand back on Raptor's back. The hedgehog looked over to ask him.

"You getting out of here?"

The fox nodded and replied.

"I think I overstayed my welcome. Maybe next time I won't have to sneak in."

Raptor gave off this puff of air as the fox made his way for the stairs. I watched the whole time as he did and felt the urge to shout.

"I'm sorry for the interrogation!"

Stopping just before the rail the fox looked back at me to reply.

"It's all good. Like I said….next time."

He remained all smiles and began his hike up. With Raptor remaining at the bar just in front of us, we listened as the door upstairs opened and closed in a matter of seconds. However once he was gone I asked Raptor directly.

"Who the hell was that?"

I was still utterly lost and needing an answer as Pepper leaned down to listen. Raptor who stared at his empty glass gave us this long sigh and replied while grabbing the knife from out of the counter and standing up out of his seat.

"That was Marcus."

Pepper took much longer than I did to feel her heart drop towards the name. The second Raptor said it; I let out this confused response.

"Huh?"

Raptor just proceeded to head for the stairs as I looked right at Pepper to see if she was feeling the same way I was. Shaking her head as if she was seeing double she told me while grabbing back the bottle.

"I need to get drunk."

Looking back to Raptor I shouted.

"Hey whoa whoa whoa there! Are you being fucking serious?!"

Raptor stopped in the same place the fox did and looked back at me to reply.

"What do you mean?"

With wide open eyes I stepped out from behind the counter to approach him. As I got close I shouted at his clearly unconcerned grin.

"What do I mean!? That was….?! Raptor that was him?! The god you said you were friends with!?"

With a single nod he replied.

"Kinda why I gave you that look earlier when you were questioning him. You didn't know what you were doing."

"Of course I did! I just didn't think for a moment that….that….?!"

"That he really existed?"

I caught my tongue and went dead silent as he smiled and nodded. With one last sentence before taking the first step up he said to me bluntly.

"I figured you never really believed me."

I felt my heart jump as the statement left his mouth and entered my ears. All I could was try to mutter in response as he gained distance.

"I…..Raptor I…?" As he reached the top of the stairs he urged me.

"It's fine."

As he left my sight I told myself.

"No it's not."

Pepper who was now getting hammered offered me her glass and with that I just came back to her in a disarray to question.

"How was I supposed to know?"

Pepper who was taking this a lot better than me replied while pouring me another drink.

"I'm not questioning the fact that we were just two feet from him. Nor will I question the compliment he gave us. You shouldn't either."

Taking my glass slowly I tried to tell her what I was feeling.

"I can't comprehend all this bullshit. I was treating him like shit."

Laughing now Pepper replied.

"You were! Hahahah!"

She was drunk and I knew it because she was laughing like a kid all the sudden, but maybe that's what I needed to be like now to live with the facts. A god was right in front of me and I had no clue the impression I had left. How was this real? How was any of this real? I had to be crazy. We had to be crazy. There is just no way.

mT Shadow.