Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 222 - Consider the facts.
Raptor's POV, The next morning.
This was the busiest morning of my life. I wrote what had to have been a thousand checks and each one made Zeta pull a piece of her hair out as I gave the crowd my last few words of wisdom. Once I was done I got down from the wall and was quickly guided back to the capital by Hoffer who told me in my ear.
"Everything is going well. The city seems to be calming down, despite all the camera crews hah."
Looking around as we walked, I asked him.
"How are the others taking to the idea of changing the rebellion name?"
"Pretty well by all accounts. It's about time we worked at becoming something more military focused. Rather than well…...this."
"That's something we can both agree on." I replied as we entered the capital. Looking around as we had combat teams moving in and out of the building by the hour I then wondered as we went up the stairs where Zeta and Pepper were both waiting in full gear.
"Any news from Archer?"
"Not a peep. Afghanistan has been cracking down even harder on rebellion activities and to no one's surprise Ying's men managed to get back there to them to help reinforce the borders. Archer has himself an army and right now he's keeping quiet and he's focusing on maintaining order above all else. How about G.U.N? Any word from them yet Raptor?"
Shaking my head as we entered the office I replied.
"Not yet. I'm debating if I should take my chances and reach out to them first. Push the matter before it gets any worse."
Hoffer wasn't like some of the Generals who came before him. He actually saw the benefits to getting help rather than refusing to change based on old beliefs. With conversation halting as I checked my phone, I grew concerned when I saw a call from Char. Looking to Hoffer I urged him.
"Let me make a call real fast. Go make sure everything is running on time with the inventory check."
"Yes sir." He replied as he left the office. Pepper and Zeta both remained at the door as Cody was sitting in my chair just relaxing. Slapping him on the shoulder as I called back Char, he said in concern.
"Oh my bad. Here you go boss."
Getting up and allowing me to take a chance to sit for once, I soon heard from the other end of my phone.
"Hey Raptor, we got a problem."
"What's wrong? I saw you called."
Char seemed a little distressed and as I glanced up to Zeta he replied.
"The guys and I were doing a patrol of the south eastern side of the border. While there we found tracks leading to the walls."
"What kind of tracks?" I asked in confusion as he replied.
"Footprints. A whole lot of them. There have to be at least twenty or so pairs here and their boots. No doubt about it, but we may have some trouble here."
Taking a second to think I then asked Char while standing back up.
"G.U.N?"
"I don't think so. We followed the trail for about five miles. Tracks came from the east and they just appear in the middle of the fucking desert. G.U.N in Pakistan has all their men stationed within the city keeping the borders secured in case of an attack from Archer. I doubt they would come out this far and bother sneaking in after what you said on the news about asking for a truce. Are you secure in the capital?" He then asked me as I silently gave Zeta and the others the order to collect their gear.
"I'm in the main office for now, but I got places I need to be today Char."
"Well what should we do then?" He questioned as I calmly replied while picking up my M4 from off the desk.
"See if Roz and Saff can get to work on tracking them down. You, Diz, and Cooper stay on station just in case they find anything and report it back to me."
"Understood." He replied as I hung up to look back at Zeta and the others.
"Char thinks we might have some company paying us a visit. I got him investigating but you three need to be paying attention."
"G.U.N?" Pepper questioned as I shook my head to reply.
"I don't know. Point is I need you guys to keep an eye out. You got me?"
"We got ya." Zeta assured me as I sensed something was up. It could just be some rebellion troops who defected from Afghanistan and snuck back into the city, but that's not an explanation for the tracks being found in the desert from out of the blue. With time now a concern to me I made haste for the door to stop as my phone which was still in my hand went off. Looking down I answered the line unsure of who it was.
"Voltz here. What is it?"
"Raptor it's Drake."
My body stopped moving and the small group behind me noticed I went completely still to the voice. Unsure of what just happened Cody asked in confusion.
"What's wrong man?"
I couldn't respond as Drake went on to say.
"I know I'm probably the last person you want calling you, but things are complicated with all the troubles in Afghanistan and the development of peace talks you're asking for in Iraq. I want…..?" Cutting him off I growled back.
"How did you get my number?"
The girls quickly picked up on my anger as Drake went on to state.
"That doesn't matter Raptor. I work for G.U.N and right now peace talks are what my government wants and it's what Hecan has ordered me to contact you on. Your number isn't important, what's important is the future and I know…?"
"Fuck you." I replied as he urged me calmly.
"You need to hear me out. You think I want to be talking to you after what we went through last time together? You think I don't understand how much you probably want me dead for all the things I've done? War is a fucking nightmare and I'm not a good man when it comes to playing fair. You should understand that as well seeing as the lengths you went through to try and kill Gorgon all that time ago."
"What do you want then?" I asked him as he took a moment to breathe. After a second or two he replied.
"I've been ordered to come make a deal. A deal between my government and yours. We know Iraq is under some control now that you're back in office and we all saw your speech and the interviews. Despite your hatred of me Voltz, I know you seek the same thing I do right now. We can't afford to keep fighting one another over stupid fucking beliefs. We need to fix Afghanistan and we can do that one of two ways. You can try your hand at doing it by yourself; risking the few men you have. Or you can work with me and I can promise you we'll do right by you this time. I'm not asking for this. I'm begging you. Differences aside I regret what I did, but you know better then anyone why I did it in the first place. I'm sorry….?"
"Sorry!?" I shouted as Zeta and the others moved aside as I came charging back to my desk to scream.
"You fucking had my family killed! For what!? For fucking what Drake!? For me!?"
Drake went silent as I screamed.
"Your sorry is what you're trying to tell me?! You're sorry you gave the order!? Is that what you're trying to tell me!? Is it!?"
"Yes." He replied as I was fuming now. Zeta was unsure of what to do as I went silent. I couldn't do anything but breathe heavily and consider my options as he went forward with the conversation to state.
"I'm sorry. I know it means nothing and I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. I'd be the same way, but right now this is just as hard for me as it is for you."
"No…...no it really isn't." I told him back as he urged me.
"Regardless of who feels what. I need to make some progress on the situation we face. You need G.U.N support and I need to make a deal with you to make it happen. I want to come down today and meet with you. I know you have no intention of coming to Pakistan and I'd rather be on your turf then my own. Hecan has given me the ok to make this happen. I can be there in an hour. All I ask is that you will have me and we can try and talk some of this over. I know we can never be friends and I know you'll never come around to wanting to care about me in the slightest, but for the sake of your people I ask that we can sit down and talk out a plan. G.U.N is willing to offer you the support you need, but first we need to shake hands and go public. Show everyone what's going to happen and all that. Bring back some hope to the country. What do you say?"
"Give me a minute." I urged him as I muted my side of the call.
"Who is that?" Pepper asked as Zeta quickly saw I was about to kick in my desk. Not answering her sister, Zeta begged me before I felt my anger spike.
"Raptor just….?!"
Using all I had I slammed my fist right through the top part of my wooden desk. The sound it made as it snapped in two made the room echo and despite everything Cody muttered in shock from the display of force.
"Holy fucking shit! Is your hand okay?"
I did my best to ignore his chuckle after and looked to see my knuckles bleeding in two spots. Regardless of the damage I gave myself just then, I unmuted my phone and said.
"Fine. We can make a deal."
"Okay Raptor. I'll be on my way as soon as I hang up the line."
"Okay." I replied back as he hung up and left me with a massive mix of anger and loss for what to do now. Zeta and the others saw me lower the phone and once I had it back in my vest did she dare ask.
"What's going on?"
My eyes said it all as I looked back at them with nothing but rage keeping me together.
Linnen's POV, forty five minutes later.
"You make sure you show respect to him Drake. I don't need him going off on you in front of any cameras. Save the fighting for after and just focus on making this deal happen." Hecan ordered me as I nodded and looked around the helicopter at the same group of soldiers I brought along for the trip just in case. They were nothing special when I compared them to Gorgon and what his men were, but they were in charge of my security for this trip. Eight of them; all armed and looking the part as we heard from the pilot up front.
"Landing in two!"
Focusing back on Hecan I replied.
"I understand sir. We're landing here soon. I need to go."
"Remember what I said Drake. No matter what; you need to make him happy and this deal needs to go through."
"Yes sir." I replied as he then ordered me before hanging up.
"Call me back when you get some ground."
Leaving me with that, I took my chance to let out a sigh and fix my hair. My fur was gonna start to fall out at this rate and despite everything I've ever been a part of I'm actually more nervous about this meeting then anything pioir. With the two minute slowly passing by I began to feel the helicopter dipping. Looking at my men I ordered.
"Ready up."
They listened without question and began to stand up from their seats. With each of them grabbing a safety bar and holding steady, I took a look down to my leg to see Raptor's M1911 and his dog tag still wrapped around it's grip. I took a second to think about it and decided right then and there what was right and what probably was the only good thing I could do for him.
"We have touchdown!" The pilot announced as I nodded and looked to see the side doors swinging open allowing the heat and the sunlight to shine on through at us. Standing up I took the first step out and found myself face to face with the man himself. His eyes were different and I meant that in more than just their color. The glare he was staring me down with was enough to slice through my body and as I adjusted to walking again, I gave the area around a glance as I approached. Rebellion troops littered the walls and just outside I could hear people screaming for attention. The street was covered in news vans and reporters who were already hard at work documenting this moment as I stopped two feet in front of Raptor to state.
"Quite the display you have out there."
Raptor was clearly trying to hold himself back from attacking me. I knew there was no doubt in my mind he wanted nothing more than to stab me right now. But being the leader he proved he was he replied calmly back.
"It's been like this ever since I got back. They're harmless so long as you don't feed them."
Chuckling at his joke I laughed back.
"Bought as true as anything around this time. Where do you want to do this?"
"Inside." He replied as he turned around to begin heading down the platform. Looking back to my men I urged them.
"Just fan out and make sure nothing happens. Once we're inside the capital you can all relax and just let the commander and I talk."
My men accepted their orders and I began to track Voltz around to the front of the capital where we were introduced to two very dark and very concerning faces. I took a moment to slow down as I got within arms length of them. Two very built and very well armed wolves wearing what looked like metal combat masks made to be represented as wolves as well. One was orange and the other was blue. Raptor who slowed down as well stated to me and ordered them at the same time.
"Their personal protection for myself and in charge of making sure this meeting remains tame. Right now I need them to get to work. Go make sure the perimeter is secure and double check with the others and make sure we're left alone."
The wolves didn't speak back. They just walked on by my men as they were still stunned and staring at the two black armored and duster wearing guards. If anything they reminded me of the men from Fort Drake. They made themselves out to look like monsters to anyone in front of their lines of sight. I questioned for a moment if they could possibly be from them in fact, but upon restarting my legs I soon found myself in the capital and heading down a hallway. Raptor was by himself for all this too. There were of course some of his men watching the building but far less then I figured he would have set aside for this meeting. Was he really this understaffed? I asked myself as he continued to drag us down the long hall.
Once nearing the room he wanted us to be in, did he urge me.
"You're men can wait here. I just want this to be between the two of us. I promise they will be fine."
Nodding my head I looked back at my men and ordered.
"Set up a perimeter and make sure we're not disturbed."
With Raptor opening the door for me, I thanked him and walked on by into nothing more than a large meeting room. Just one long table filled with at least twenty chairs and a fan swinging above the center of the table itself. Towards the back however was also a set of glass doors that looked like they led somewhere else entirely. Raptor took his seat first at the far end and doing my best to remain relaxed I did the same across from him. Once sitting down together did I say to him.
"Well here we are."
His body was perfectly still and he showed nothing but distrust of my presence. With the same dark tone he had over the phone he replied.
"Yeah…..here we are at last."
mT Shadow.