Love Struck Delusion

Chapter 228 - You need to think.

Ying's POV.

I held my ground as Archer took a moment to comprehend what I just told him. In moments his hand went to his belt and I watched as he pulled out his M9, placing it on the desk to reply with an equally triggered tone.

"You're backing out? Because of what? You already lied to me about you getting permission to be here in the first place. You clearly don't care about China and since when has G.U.N been a concern for you?"

"It's not about G.U.N. It's about my company right now and I thought you'd be a man who could get this done in ample time. But with weeks gone Archer what do you expect? My men aren't here to fight your war. We are here to help you hold your borders. That's it. You want more, you need to pay."

He gave me this dumbfounded look and slowly began to laugh after it had appeared.

"Excuse me? Pay? You promised me you'd be here to fight the war. You said your men were legal and this would be okay with China and G.U.N. You promised me your help Ying and then I find out you've been lying this whole fucking time. You never told China about this. You never had the intention to help. You just put your chips on me; hoping I'd get Raptor in time for you to pull out. Before anyone would know what was really going on. Now you're in trouble because it's taking too long. Now you want to run and get away with what you have left as a good name. You want to abandon me before any more of your men can get killed. I'm sorry but that's not something I can let you do. Not at this point when things are so close."

Chuckling as he called me out I replied.

"Close to what Archer? Your men are losing the will to fight here. You're on the ropes and you know just as well as me that your old buddy Raptor is about to have two armies at his side. You know your getting fucked and you know what?"

Archer now had this look in his eyes that made me worried, but I kept myself strong and stood up from my seat slowly to direct to his attention.

"I should have just gone with my first instinct and invested the money to get answers. I should have just asked Voltz myself and not have been greedy. I should have known you were incapable of giving me what I wanted and I should have…?"

My eyes widened as he suddenly reached for his gun. Before I had a chance to get out of the way he fired off a round that hit me right in the top of my left leg.

"Aghhh! You….?" Then he aimed at my head as I bent down to hold the wound as my blood gushed down my pants. I shut my mouth as he shouted.

"You aren't doing anything! You promised me help and you're going to stick by your word and help me finish this! Is that clear Ying!?"

My eyes looked to my leg as my blood had reached my shoes. I took a second to breathe as I knew my next sentence could mean the death of me at this rate. Looking back into those crazed eyes of his I told him bluntly.

"You're playing with fire. You kill me and I promise you now it would be the biggest mistake of your life. Despite my relationship with China, you kill me and you'd have another enemy. You can't afford that so trust me and put that fucking gun down!"

Archer took my words as blunt as they were and I watched as he had a choice to make. However he kept the gun pointed at me the whole time and Jin came running in with a rifle up to see the scene. Archer aimed up once his trance had been broken and seeing him aim at Jin; I jumped back to push his rifle down while ordering.

"It's okay Jin!"

Jin was like a son to me and he was ready to shoot Archer once he saw the bullet hole in my leg. I looked him right in the eyes as he asked.

"What happened?!"

With Archer now focused on shooting both of us I replied.

"A misunderstanding."

Archer slowly lowered the weapon as I nodded and urged Jin.

"Everything is under control. Trust me."

It took time but Jin listened and lowered the weapon. I smiled as Archer did the same. In return I stepped from Jin and started to turn back to Archer. However everything went south when out of nowhere Archer jerked his hand back up to pull the trigger.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

My eyes widened and my head snapped back as he had shot Jin right in the chest. The rounds sent him stumbling back until he had tripped and fallen onto the carpet floor. At the same time I screamed.

"No!"

My body flung itself down to the ground alongside Jin as Archer now lowered the gun completely till it had been placed back on top of the desk. I watched in complete shock as the light in Jin's eyes had left his body. His breathing stopped and he went still leaving me in a form of disarray I never had felt before. From behind I heard Archer say.

"Everything is under control. Now anyway."

I was shaking. Jin's rifle laid right next to me and I contemplated picking it up and giving it my best shot to get revenge. However I knew Archer was watching and I knew he was faster. I just focused all that anger into my breathing as he told me from the safety of his desk.

"You aren't going anywhere. You're men are mine and you are mine. I win this war and you and your company can work with me to restore what we lost. You can take the mantle and form a real government and have the chance to be a real army. After this war the rebellion name is just history like Raptor said. We need to change that. But it will be us who does. Not him. You learn your place fast Ying. Or just like your boy…...I will put you there myself."

Pepper's POV.

I stood by and watched as Raptor trained. There wasn't much else to do today according to him. He was waiting on Hecan and who knows how long that would be now that him and Drake were on the same boat. The city was under construction thanks to my sister's money and Raptor had all his soldiers turn in their ranks as of this morning. At the moment the rebellion was nothing but a people's army at last. No one was higher than the other and that would remain that way till Raptor had the chance to really make a change. The change he wanted anyway. However his men all still looked up to him. Even now as I made sure he was left alone for his training. Soldiers of every breed and of every age had their eyes watching him as business today would run on schedule. He was still a goddamn hero. Even if his rank as commander was techinically gone. No one was going to treat him as an underleng.

Looking back to see him still on the pullup bar, I asked him.

"How much longer are you gonna do that?"

Raptor's body was beyond normal and he didn't hide it. Made everyone around look worthless as he had been doing this since we got here. However as he heard my question he got down and replied.

"For that much longer."

I chuckled and tried to refocus on watching his back. However Raptor then asked as he saw my quick interest come and go.

"You want to train with me?"

Looking back at the man as he was sweating from head to toe, I questioned.

"Excuse me? Train with you? You tryna prove something by beating your bodyguard? We both know that's not fair."

Giving me a good laugh he went on to state.

"It might not be fair, but I didn't say it was going to be a competition."

Lowering my rifle and turning myself around to face him, I then asked.

"So what do you have in mind then?"

Wiping his forehead, he replied while tossing me his water.

"Get some fluids in ya. Then we can worry about that."

Catching it in my other hand, I gently flipped up my mask and exposed myself to the wandering few who never saw my face before. I caught some staring as they found out I was a female and even Raptor noticed as he began to look around at the few who stopped to stare. Once I had taken a good enough drink he went on to say.

"You've been a couch potato since we got here. How about we get you moving a bit and we have ourselves a spar?"

Now I gave him this look that showed him that I thought he was joking. Once I started to chuckle did I question.

"You want to fight me? Didn't you just say this wasn't going to be a competition?"

"I already beat your sister. Might as well complete the circuit and finish off the Diskov family."

Now I laughed in disbelief he said that. Raptor on the other hand took a moment to take off his vest, then his shirt. Once shirtless he grabbed back onto his vest to add.

"Plus let's consider this the moment where you can get back some of your dignity from Alaska that I stole."

I was really questioning his sanity at this point. I knew he was strong but I was more than confident in my CQC. Unlike Zeta I was actually able to fight without a rifle. Watching as the old man got back on his vest, I kept my ears wide open as he finished his shit talking.

"You always wanted to fight me right? I mean come on. What are you worried about? The cameras?" He mocked as he knew damn well people could be watching this unfold. Not like we weren't being watched in the first place. Raptor was a fucking stud without a shirt and now just in a combat rig alone he had everyone's attention. Females anyway. The men were more interested in me at this point. I just kept chuckling to myself as I looked around at some of the people. After some time I refocused on him.

Tossing him back his water, I nodded my head and replied.

"Okay then. You want it that bad?"

"I want you to really try though. No holding back. I'll do the same set of rules I did with Zeta. First one of us to fall three times is the loser. Anything goes and no hard feelings at the end. How's that sound?"

Directing his attention to my attire I asked.

"You want me to fight in all this?"

Giving me a smile he replied.

"Not if you don't want to, but it would probably be a good idea to stay in it. You won't be fighting my enemies naked."

Giving him the finger, I pulled off my mask completely and replied while undoing my cloak.

"I'll take these off then. It'll get in the way of me kicking your ass."

Raptor readied himself and started to do some quick stretches as I slowly placed my gear to the side. Once I had it down and placed and began to stretch myself out did he mutter at me.

"I wouldn't talk till you at least take me off my feet once."

Cracking my neck I then wondered out loud.

"How many times did Zeta do it?"

Giving me another long smile he replied.

"Not once."

Oh I loved this. I've been waiting to kick his ass since I met him. He had no clue what was coming since he never saw me fight hand to hand. With my body ready to go, I had to ask him one more question before being ready.

"Are you sure you want all I got? I can start off easy for you old man."

Shaking his head and just focusing himself on my body he replied.

"No need. I'm ready for you. Just give it your best."

Activating my venom and seeing my vision change in focus, I locked onto his face and chuckled.

"We'll see about that. No cheating with…..well you know what. Make this a fair fight."

Raptor for once shut his mouth. Giving me nothing more than a single nod he was now fully prepared to fight. I made sure to check his stance and once I was ready I grinned. It was after that when he came out swinging.

The first move he made was to try and strike me with a downward right hook. I slipped back and as his arm came swinging down in front of me, I reached in with my left hand and grabbed onto his wrist. My whole body leaned in with the action and once my hand connected fully to his wrist, I pulled his arm up with my whole body going back. From the momuntimen he had when he first striked it was easy to propel him back. Thanks to my shoulder catching him on the way back I smashed into the side of his face and yanked him over with such force his feet left the ground. I held his wrist throughout the whole spin and let go as he managed to land back on his feet with a stable stance.

The look he had on his face was a surprising one at that. He was stunned by the power my body had when under the right conditions; and right now I wanted nothing more than to beat him. As expected however he went to open his mouth to say something, but I wasn't giving him the time to breathe. I came in just about as fast as humanly possible. Pivoting on my back right boot, I spun full circle aiming to kick his head off. However his reaction was perfect. Both his hands came up to block that side of his face. The sound my leg made when it had slammed into his hands was as solid as a brick hitting a wall. The power got his feet to move back from the force it hit him with alone, but I wasn't done by a long shot.

About as fast as the block was issued, I had dropped my leg back and went in to jab him right in the nose. His head snapped back as I hit another, then another. By the time I landed the third hit I aimed to take him down. Hitting him with one more jab, I made sure I sent my other arm in to grab the neck of his vest. Using my shoulder once again, I threw my body into his. I felt his head wobble as I positioned my left foot just between his feet during the shoulder charge. Then in one quick motion, I pulled him down to his right side and as planned his feet gave out once they realized mine was there and he came slamming down onto the mat back first. Air left his lungs with how much force I slammed him with and as his body came to a halt, I positioned myself a few feet back to shout.

"One!"

Marx's POV.

I came out onto the yard just in time to see what had been going on. Everyone was watching from all around the yard. From the walls, to the gates, to the capital itself and most of the soldiers who were supposed to be going to their posts had stopped to spectate. Raptor was sparring and what a sight to behold as his opponent was none other than one of his two bodyguards; who up till this moment was the talk of the town between the soldiers. No one knew who those two were and that goes without saying when you consider no one has seen these two without their scary masks and their black combat armor and cloaks.

However with the one still recovering in one of my many filled rooms back in the medbay. I was stunned by seeing the other without the mask on to confuse the populace. She was out of the cloak but still in full armor. Her hair flowed as she sent Raptor to the ground with so much force his body hitting the mat could be heard from the front door of the capital itself. I widened my eyes in shock as he laid there and the girl backed up a few feet to shout to everyone watching, but mainly him.

"One!"

My body shook as Raptor laid with a bloody nose and his head absolutely rocked. The woman didn't budge at all by trying to smile or mock the man as he just remained down for a moment to contemplate his situation. I was motionless as almost everyone in attendance began to cheer and or beckon their commander to get back up. I was unable to process my thoughts as that Irishmen from his close inner circle appeared from behind me to ask.

"What the hell is going on out here? Sounds like a good old time being had." He came up to nudge my shoulder and once his eyes laid on the event did he groan.

"Ohhhhh that's what this is. Fuck me."

"You don't understand." I tried to tell him as he chuckled and watched as Raptor got up from the mat.

"What don't I understand doc? They're duking it out."

Shaking my head I replied.

"I'm aware of that, but Raptor has fought many of his own in the past. Especially when he was around Shadow back in the second war. They trained and Raptor made it a point to beat some of his more concerning soldiers into obedience and or submission."

"Sounds like he was just enforcing that he was the commanding officer Marx." Cody stated as I shook my head again to tell him.

"Of course, but listen to me. Raptor was by far in a class of his own when it came to hand to hand. No one. No one! Has ever been able to take him down once. Only person who did was Shadow himself, but that was during a time in which they were actually trying to kill one another. The fact that she just did what everyone failed at, holds much more weight than you can imagine. In his mind and those who follow this man closely."

Cody widened his eyes to question.

"You serious? If anyone can take him standing up it'll be Pepper there. She's been waiting to kick his ass since she first met him."

By now Raptor was wiping his nose off of blood and giving the wolf a second glance. I saw it in his eyes for a moment before he refocused on the fight, but he was worried. He was confused what he just was hit with and judging by the looks of it Pepper was ready to hand out more.

Which by the way was gaining her more fans by the second. I'm not the most responsive guy when it comes to showing how much I like a girl for her looks, but the others were whistling and cheering her on as Raptor brought his stance back out, but this time a little lower by the looks of it.

All I knew was this fight was gonna keep going and by the end of it Raptor would be a comeback king, or his friend would be on posters, TV, and on the minds of everyone out here. Either way this was going to be fun to watch.

mT Shadow.