Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 233 - Hunter's resolve.
Hunter's POV.
I was in a race towards the sounds of gunfire that came from the checkpoint. I left for the capital the second someone radioed in a blast that went off. I had no idea what was going on much like everyone and Black had already ran for the other site which was being attacked. Tap and Leo were at the capital and just as I went to go I heard fighting coming from the border close to my post. I knew Gabe was on the defensive and I wasn't about to leave him alone to fight whatever was going on. I ran through the empty streets and as I rounded the corner leading to the checkpoint I widened my eyes to see the gate opening. In confusion I picked up my rifle and ran as fast as I could to see what was going on.
Upon reaching the checkpoint, I rested my eyes on rebellion bodies and three humvees moving out of the city. In confusion I locked my eyes on the control tower as a man came running out.
"What the fuck?" I asked myself quietly as I questioned what species he was. It looked like a bird. He was in a black and blue uniform and I saw his feathers were a mixture of gray, black and orange. He ran for one of the trucks and I lost sight of him as he got in the back and drove off. Once they had left did I decide to leave my position and begin looking around. Rebellion troopers were dead among the street and there was another body resting at the top of the wall. Blood dripped down onto the road and in concern I began to call out.
"Gabe!?"
I heard nothing. No one was around and with the trucks gone I went for the control room. As I climbed up the stairs and entered to see another dead body, I went to my comm link and said hoping to get Black's attention.
"Black? Are you there? Please come in. It's Hunter."
It took a few seconds but he came through asking.
"What's wrong Hunter? Where are you?"
"Checkpoint seven. Everyone here is dead Black. I was heading for the capital to meet with Tap and Leo but I heard gunshots and turned back."
"What? Who killed them?"
"I don't know. They took three humvees and got the gates opened. By the time I got here they were driving out.
"Shit. Okay." I heard Black ask as I went for the stairs to stop in my tracks. My eyes locked on what rested at the bottom and with my heart stopping Black asked.
"Where's Gabe? He should be there."
I couldn't find the words to respond. Gabe was at the bottom of the stairs and his blood was everywhere around him. Slowly I came down and began to see his armor was covered in metal bits. I was shaking as his helmet was injected with some as well. The glass visor was shattered and he wasn't moving. As I reached the very bottom, I looked left to see three more dead bodies. Each one covered in the same metal bits but with bullets also in the back of their heads. Did that bird do this?" I asked myself as I looked back to the big bear who was no longer there to comfort me.
"Hunter?" Black broke through the silence and fear I had as I knelt down to get a better look at the damage. My hands were shaking as I very slowly reached in to touch the metal pressed into the helmet. The second my finger hit it I heard the flesh underneath move and shift. More blood came out from under the helmet and with tears coming to my eyes I questioned.
"Gabe?"
He was dead and I knew it, but I still wanted to have hope he was there. But the metal wasn't just metal. It was nails. What the fuck happened that got these men killed with nails? Gabe of all people didn't deserve this. He was….?!"
"Hunter come in. Are you there?: Black asked as I went to my comm to reply.
"I'm here."
"Where's Gabe?" He then asked as I let out a sigh and replied with tears still in my eyes.
"He's…...he's dead. They killed him."
Black went silent as I sat down to just look over the bear I grew close to. In time Black came back to comms to order.
"Hold your position. I'm heading over to you now. You hear me Hunter?"
I nodded and replied.
"Okay."
Black had to know I was choked up and with my mind at a loss for words, I asked myself just who that bird was. I never saw a uniform like that before and without a doubt he was the one to kill Gabe and the rest of these men.
Black's POV, Ten minutes later.
Hunter knelt at my feet as I looked over my dead friend. I had my rifle lowered and my tongue held back from screaming at someone. How the fuck did this happen? I knew who did this. It wasn't hard to figure it out. Ying got away from the capital and on his way out he destroyed half the border walls and the capital itself got blown to bits. Thankfully we didn't lose too many people over there but this attack was enough to fool us. We thought we were getting invaded, but the whole time it was just a distraction for Ying to get out of the city without Archer knowing.
Hunter looked up at me as it was clear I was pissed. Now I lost two close friends to this war. To this bullshit I got us roped into thanks to my sister. Gabe was wearing the same armor Tap and Leo were in. But whoever he came across was ready. Fucking peppered him with nails and it's not like he stood a chance. I don't know what exactly he used to kill Gabe, but unless the armor is made of solid steel those nails weren't being stopped.
Doing my best to keep calm, I listened as Archer came to my comm link asking.
"Black? What's the status of that checkpoint?"
I connected eyes with Hunter as she knew I was close to snapping. My tone didn't hide it as I replied.
"Gabe is dead along with the others. The checkpoint is down and the gate was opened. Three trucks are missing and I can only assume it was Ying and some of his men. They're long gone."
Reaching down as I waited for him to respond, I grabbed Gabe's dog tags and put them around my neck next to mine. By then Archer ordered.
"Get that checkpoint under control and get to work on fixing the wall. I don't know how Ying managed to get away and smuggle C4 onto my property, but we gotta get this all fixed up before someone gets the word out we were hit. Burn the bodies and get a move on."
Hunter reached up for me as I growled instantly at that last order. Grabbing onto my left wrist she held me as I replied to Archer.
"I'm not fucking burning Gabe's body. You can go fuck yourself. You hear me?"
Hunter knew I was playing with fire and begged me.
"Black stop it."
"Answer me you fucking prick!" I ordered Archer as he was silent.
With Hunter standing up to hold me, she took me deep into a hug in hopes I would stop yelling. However it didn't do anything as I yelled over comms for anyone to hear.
"He was my fucking friend and my brother! We had no reason to stay here and help you with this fucking war your waging! I only stayed because I made the mistake in thinking things would fix themselves! But now with Raptor gone and my friends dead and you fucking everything up, I have to ask myself what I should do next! And I'm warning you right now, that isn't going to be burning my friend's body!"
Archer was still silent and I knew very well this was going to start trouble. Hunter knew it too and whispered into my ear.
"Stop."
I was waiting for Archer and in time he replied with an equal amount of anger to his voice.
"You will do what I say Black. Fuck your friend. I've lost more than you and each and every person who is dead now is considered my friend and dare I say family. We all make sacrifices and right now we don't have time for you to be running off doing a burial. So you listen close and do what I'm telling you. Don't raise your fucking voice again to me. Get that checkpoint cleaned up and the bodies disposed of. Now Major."
"Fuck you." I replied as Hunter shouted.
"Black!"
Letting go of my comm I asked her.
"Don't Black me! What the fuck else do you expect from me Hunter?! Look at him!" I ordered her as she looked down to the dead bear.
"Archer can go fuck himself. I'm not burning him. I didn't have a choice with Vector, but I have a choice here Hunter and I'm doing what I know he would do for me."
"He'll kill you." She tried to tell me as I knelt down to look over my dead comrade. As I looked into the depths of the shattered helmet, I replied to the hedgehog.
"He can try. But I should have done something weeks ago about this. Raptor is over in Iraq getting shit together and I'm doing what? Helping a dictator just because his men look up to me. Actually the men who look up to me are in Iraq. Fuck this Hunter. I have no reason to stay. No reason to risk any more of my friends. I'm done. You should be too."
Hunter looked at me with concern in her eyes. Keeping my argument up I told her directly.
"I know you don't support this. You don't believe in the shit Archer is feeding everyone. You don't and I know you're not the type to disobey orders, but Hunter listen to me. Get your shit together and leave with me. Tap and Leo are on their way and once they get here we need to leave. It's a long drive to Iraq but it's worth it."
Hunter was deep in thought as I finished.
"We aren't part of this. We're better and we need to be better. Before it's too late. G.U.N and Raptor won't give us a pardon if we stay. We need to take what chances we got left and try to fix things. What do you say?"
Hunter had her eyes on mine and with seconds passing she questioned.
"Do you really think he'll just take us back?"
Taking a small breath I replied with a nod.
"Yes."
Hunter let out a sigh and after that I said to her.
"Come on. You know I'm right. Just say yes. Archer can't do shit if we leave as soon as they get here. We'll be gone and in Iraq by the morning. Hunter please." I begged as she broke through her silence to look down at me and reply.
"Okay."
A smile broke through to me and shortly after I urged her.
"Help me move him. I want to get him away from here."
"And to where?" She asked in confusion as I quickly got one of Gabe's massive arms to reply.
"I don't know yet. I'll figure that out on the road. For now just help me and get his other arm."
Hunter did her best but Gabe was still easily two hundred pounds heavier than us. It took time and a lot of power, but once we managed to get him to a truck; did Tap and Leo arrive to see the mess left behind. My only two remaining comrades both stopped in their tracks at the sight of Gabe; and Tap who had his rifle up had gotten down on his knees to just focus himself on some calm breathing exercises. Leo on the other hand questioned in disgust.
"What the fuck happened Captain!"
Hunter and I by this point got Gabe loaded up into the back of the truck and with my voice trying it's best to keep calm I replied.
"I don't know. Hunter found him by the time it was too late."
Looking at the girl Leo asked.
"What did you see? Who killed my friend?"
I don't know who did it. Not for sure, but they left with Ying so that has to mean something. I'm sorry though. Gabe was my friend too."
"Not like he was to us." Tap replied as Hunter let out a sigh and proceeded to look back to me to ask.
"You want to tell them what's going to happen?"
My two friends now focused on me as I said it.
"We're leaving. The four of us are heading to Iraq to join up with Raptor and the others. Any questions?"
Leo said nothing and I knew why. He knew I was right and he wasn't about to argue. He wanted to leave well before myself. Tap however had to ask.
"Yeah just one. What the fuck are we going to do about Gabe man? I don't wana just dump him somewhere. The guy has a family. We know they deserve a body to mourn over."
Looking over my options, I replied with some worry towards the back of my suggestion to come.
"For now we'll keep him with us. It shouldn't be too bad. Once we get to Iraq we can talk it over with Raptor. Maybe he'll help find a place to bury him. Or maybe since he's trying to help G.U.N, maybe we can find a way to come clean and get him shipped back. I agree with you Tap but we're still AWOL. I just don't know yet."
Tap nodded because he knew that was true. I had no idea what was going to happen but for now we needed to get going. Looking back to Leo then back to Tap, I asked.
"We good to go?"
The pair of them slowly got back their voices. Leo replied while opening the back door to the truck.
"Yeah let's go."
I just went silent now. Hunter had to feel it too. This was the second friend of ours to die to this. This fucking war that we had no part in up until I got sidetracked. Up till I traded freedom for answers. My men agreed to come but at what cost? Looking at Gabe as he was resting in the back of the trunk, I shut the back and turned just in time to see Tap and Hunter both getting in the car. It was at that point that I got my shit back together and went to drive. I had to get to Iraq. Had to make amends. It's the only real choice I have. The only choice we all have.
mT Shadow.