Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 223 - Standing in fire.
Archer's POV.
"Linnen just touched down at the capital. Him and Voltz are heading inside."
Listening over comms I urged the officer.
"You're there for Raptor Lieutenant. But if you get the chance….you take Drake down with him."
"Yes sir." He replied as I went on to state.
"This is the perfect chance to end this right here! To end this war and to secure our country Lieutenant! You do whatever you have to, but make sure Raptor is brought back alive and Linnen is dead!"
Comms went silent from that point on as Ying was standing over my shoulder. Standing back up straight I listened as he asked.
"You think they'll be able to pull this off?"
Keeping my eyes on the radio I replied without a doubt in my mind.
"I trained those kids. They know everything they have to know. Raptor is good but he's just one man. If they can get him alone or at least side by side with Linnen, he'll have no chance. I trained under Shadow himself. He taught us what it meant to really be a ghost. They have the equipment and they have the morals down. Nothing is stopping them. Give it time and trust me. By the end of their little meeting, we'll have both Iraq and Pakistan in complete disarray and this country will be mine."
Ying just had this look on his face. He didn't take me seriously but he knew this was our best chance to get Raptor. Linnen was just extra and I still had faith. The question was how and when they would do it.
Raptor's POV.
Drake sat only feet away and I knew he was worried despite his more than professional looking exterior alluded to. His men could be heard outside the main door chatting and that alone was enough to get me to feel even more upset about he was the same man I was once being tortured by and no matter what he was planning to say he was always going to be the cold son of a bitch who sentenced my family to death. The one thing I regret about this whole ordeal was that Hecan wasn't by my side to keep me in line. I feared I'd kill him if silence went on much longer between us. Just sitting here staring at him did me no good. After a few moments he said the first words.
"You changed. What happened to you?"
I knew he was talking about my appearance and not my personality. So keeping myself together I replied.
"A lot of shit happened after that night you put me through. The look doesn't matter to me anymore. Gray quills? Black quills? Red quills? It doesn't matter. My eyes? None of your concern. They see what's in front of me really well and right now all I have to look at is you. So how about you tell me something? What happened to you? Where's Gorgon and the rest of his lackeys?"
Drake had to think I had no part in their missing person reports. In fact it was nothing but reality when he made up this lie.
"As far as I know they went back home to the states after what happened between you and the rebellion. They aren't coming back anytime soon."
"Shame." The word left my mouth like a buzzsaw. Drake sensed the hate in it and replied.
"They were just following orders. Orders I gave and I regret right now for issuing them."
"You regret? You could have fooled me. You're nothing more than a snake like me. So do me a favor and don't make shit up while you sit there. You can be honest with how you feel about me Drake. We both know we have to come to terms and make a deal happen by the end of this conversation. I need your help and G.U.N wants mine. Between what Archer has done since I left and what you have to deal with over in Pakistan, the future isn't bright. G.U.N wants someone in charge that can lead the people back to something fucking good. While at the same time they want us to get along. Spread a good image that blood ties can be cut and we can work together towards something everyone wants. Peace. So don't lie to me. I'll be more than glad to tell you how I feel about you, so I expect you to do the same. You're hiding your emotions. Just fucking say what you want. Because we both know I'm right. You ordered my family to die and they died. But of course there isn't anyone who can support my claims and you sure as shit won't admit it to the press in fear of losing everything you worked so hard to achieve. My goal isn't to see you rot in some fucking jail back stateside. If I had it my way I'd kill you myself, but…...I'm not about to put my emotions above the people I fight to protect. It won't happen and I'll bite my tongue till it bleeds so long as I can see my country one day being one worth living in."
Drake began to tap his fingers on the sides of his chair. I leaned back and just stared at his eyes as he got together his words. After some time he told me.
"Your right. We need to make this work between us. I'm not above having to bite this bullet to get it to work out in the end. But you're wrong about how I feel. I regret giving Gorgon the chance to express his anger for what you did to Ruby and Jagger. I was overzealous back then. I was mad for them but that's only because I was once part of their team years back. I still have feelings about the situation, but this is the truth so listen."
Sitting up Drake put both his arms down on the table to lean in and state directly to my face.
"I ordered Gorgon and his men to use your family as bait. Bait so you would come out from hiding and the plan from there was to arrest and bring you in to face a life sentence in a G.U.N courtroom for multiple war crimes, but it was to also make sure this country had a real chance at making something of itself. I see I was wrong now for thinking you weren't the right choice for the position, but your people bleed your name and it doesn't take a smart person to see your nothing but honest with your followers and your trying to make change and do better."
I was just focused on his eyes as he took a moment to adjust his combat vest. As it got back where he wanted it across his chest he continued.
"However, getting back on topic. Gorgon felt more than I did for what you did to our friends. He disobeyed orders and took his anger out on you and your family. He was supposed to let them live. That I swear to you he was. Killing them was not what I wanted. My plan worked and even you know it would have played out my way if he just fucking listened. But now look at where we are because of it. We're acting like stubborn kids and I can't say a damn word about what he did to anyone above or below me. Your right I do care about where I am now and I plan to keep it that way. There isn't any evidence and Gorgon won't admit to anything because he has a family to support. I'm sorry for what happened to you but I can't do shit now. I want you to understand that from the bottom of my heart I'm sorry for what happened."
Drake stood right up to enforce his statement even further.
"I'm really fucking sorry for what happened. I can't begin to imagine the pain you went through and what you're probably still feeling to this very day. I'm sorry Raptor. Please trust that much of me. I'm not lying."
The funny thing was he wasn't. I was reading every emotion he displayed and I read his mind. Not a sidetracked thought came after that statement. He just stood there watching how my reaction would play out. However my eyes soon located his hip and the weapon resting in its holster along his belt. Quickly his eyes followed mine and without a word he pulled out Shadow's M1911 and muttered through some disappointment.
"Gorgon brought this back as proof he had killed you. I held onto it when he left and to be honest it never felt right at my side. Here."
I watched as he spun the weapon on himself and offered it to me by the butt. Very slowly I leaned forward and reached out to stop part way to stare at my tags that were wrapped around the butt itself. Drake waited till I was ready and once I decided it was time, I took it back. His arm dropped as I took the gun into both my hands. Carefully I unwrapped my tags and took a moment to look at them. Dry blood could be seen across the metal and I had no idea who it belonged to. Was it Midnight's? Ghost's? Alicia's? Or just mine? I didn't know the answer, but shortly I got myself back together and put the gun back down on the table. Drake sat back down as I wrapped my tags around my head. In a minute or so they were hanging just below my neck and I went back to focusing on the weapon. I didn't know what to do. I was faced with the choice now. I could shoot him right now for what he did, but I couldn't decide if that was right. I'd risk everything just to shoot a man who honestly said to my face he was sorry? I don't know what chance is like, but this had to be it. I tried to reach back for it, but failed halfway there. Drake who was silent up till this point asked me softly.
"Who's Maria?"
My eyes flicked right back to him as the name became clear. However I was honest now as well and replied just as soft.
"The gun belonged to Shadow. It's the weapon he used to kill himself and Maria was his…..she was his mother."
Drake gave me this understanding hum and then wondered.
"You were his security chief right? You decided to keep it as a memento?"
I nodded and I felt it as he didn't push the subject further. Things were thinning out between us and doing my best to regain some composure I managed to ask him.
"Did you ever lose someone that close?"
Nodding once he replied.
"Not to the war. My son passed away when he was six. Hit by a car when I decided to leave him alone in the front yard for a few minutes to answer the phone. Last thing I heard from him was his screams of pain. By the time I got back out there was already gone and the woman who hit him was in the middle of the street crying. She didn't see him till it was too late."
"What did you do?" I then wondered as his eye contact broke for once. He was losing his own composure now thinking back to it. But being who he was he managed to reply to my question.
"Nothing. I couldn't bring myself to press charges. It wasn't her fault he died. It was mine for not being a good enough parent. The blame was my own and I just had to find a way to live with it. It was….well it was the hardest experience I ever had to face."
"What about the mother?"
"She couldn't stand the idea of not doing anything. She left me and about a month later she overdosed on heroin and cocaine. I never forgave myself for letting that happen ether."
I felt everything. All the pain in his heart as he was now unable to keep direct eye contact with me. It took some time but eventually he was back on track and looking back into my eyes. The next thing to leave his mouth was this.
"We both know this is bullshit what we're doing right?"
I nodded as he went on to state.
"We're not making a deal right now. This meeting is for the world to see we can be in the same room together and talk with one another. That's all this is. That's all it's meant to be for now. Hecan Moore has to make the truce a real thing between us. Until he has faith we can be together, I doubt he'll be down here to write up a contract anytime soon."
Looking close at the wolf before me I then told him back honestly.
"Your right. This is just a way to show people that G.U.N can be trusted. I know a treaty is still a long way from coming, but we do need to make something happen."
"What do you suggest? After all these are your people waiting for us."
The two of us were perfect for this moment. We had no real idea what to do. I think we were just hoping this would be enough and we wouldn't have to make something up for the cameras.
My thoughts and almost all my focus was on trying to find an answer to that question. Time seemed to stop and in moments I felt something hit my senses. Drake picked up on the sudden change to my stance. I went from looking lost to looking around. In confusion he asked.
"What's wrong? Did you think of something?"
Something wasn't right and thanks to the amount of people outside the capital, I was unable to pin it down. Sitting up in my chair, I tried everything in my power to figure out what was wrong exactly. The room was silent as Drake began to worry for what was going on with me. Starting to sense danger, I reached out for Shadow's M1911. The second my hand touched the grip to the weapon I felt something just behind me. Darting my eyes back at the door I tried to figure out what I heard. With Drake starting to stand up he asked me again.
"What's going on? What do you see?"
Standing up myself, I reached behind my back and pulled out my Glock. Making sure it was on single fire, I then tossed it forward to reply.
"It's not what I see. It's what I'm feeling. Be quiet for a second and listen."
Drake adjusted the weapon in his right hand and together we listened. In a matter of seconds Drake found out what my concern had been up till this point. His men were completely silent. Very slowly I undid the safety of the M1911 and looked back at the glass doors leading into a connected set of cubicles just beyond its blinding unfocused texture. From there I heard something. It sounded like a faint click just outside the main door. Drake was unaware at the time and gently using my offhand I began to push my chair back just enough to give me room. Once Drake began to do the same did we panic and jolt our heads back to the rear exit. In a split second the door we now had our backs to slightly opened and in came an object. It happened so fast. My brain for once moved faster than my body and once I realized the thing that came in the room was a flashbang did I look back at Drake to shout.
"Get down!"
mT Shadow.