Love Struck Delusion

Chapter 273 - A journey of ambition.

Raptor's POV.

Sand flying and the desert air bringing my whole body to a freeze as I continued to chase Archer through the very land we both bled to protect. His blood leaving a small trail as I was surprised he was even capable of keeping on that bike. Yet I guess I shouldn't be shocked. Archer is still Archer. A soldier till his very last breath.

We drove through the dunes like two madmen. My eyes watched as he took every one of them like it was his destiny to outrun me. Yet every time we took another jump my thoughts flashed back to when I was with Shadow. Doing this exact thing at a much more different time in our lives. When I could still be proud of who I was and what I stood for.

As time went on and so did our chase, I widened my eyes when a bullet flew past my head. Archer was somehow able to aim back at me. His M9 carefully taking each shot as I was gaining by the second. Once another round had clipped my shoulder, I took my chance and broke off his rear going to his far right. He still took shots at me but that gun would run dry and I'd have my chance. Yet we were nearing a trench and neither of us would be slowing down.

I followed him down into the trench and to say to you that it was easy to follow would be a lie. Rocks and a tight trail made the trip difficult, but Archer was just as challenging as I was. Nearing only meters away from him in due time, I pulled out my Glock and aimed for his back.

"BANG! BANG!"

I saw one round hit his back license plate and the other must have gone right by. But when I made contact, he panicked and began to swerve. I took a few more shots at his back tire, but was unable to make it work. Archer then floored it and I watched as he drove right up a dune and out over the trench.

Going eighty miles an hour, I did the exact same thing to feel my body almost leave the bike. It had to be the biggest jump I ever made out here on one of these dunes. Easily a hundred feet and the landing was surprisingly smooth as Archer had gained some space.

Tucking my Glock in the side of my vest, I shifted my focus back on speed. For a few minutes it was just a race between old friends. Archer, still hanging on as a smack of thunder went off to our west. My eyes went off in the direction of the thunder to see a sandstorm coming in with a menacing trot. It had to be only minutes out and when you stared at it you could see lightning going off from inside the clouds. It reminded me of the same storm I got caught in on my way to meet Zeta all that time ago. And if that was the case then I knew this was going to be bad. I had to stop Archer now. Otherwise if that thing reached us there was no telling what would happen. Staying mounted on this bike would damn well be impossible. For either of us.

Putting as much gas into it as I could, I gave it my all to catch up.

Archer's POV.

I was losing all sense of control. I was losing too much blood and Raptor was still on my tail. I had only a few rounds left in my M9 and a storm coming in from the west, and besides that he was now gaining on me again. I knew I couldn't stop him by myself and I knew without help I'd be dead in the next few minutes one way or the other.

Looking towards the sandstorm I contemplated my last choice of action. I'd be willing to die this far in, but it would either be by his hand or my own. I'd rather it be mine and at the very least if he wasn't going to stop; he'd be just as screwed as I was. So clutching on the brakes, I made a direct left and changed course for the storm. You could feel the air changing as we were now on a direct course with it.

Taking a few moments to calm myself down, I braced for the end. One way or the other one of us would end our story here and now. So giving it everything I had I drove us face first into hell.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" My screams couldn't be heard over the sounds coming from this death cloud, and the screaming was a very mute point when a smack of lightning went off only feet in front of my bike. I tried to look back to see if Raptor was still there, but it was impossible. The wind was taking it all over along with the million liters of sand being spun around in all directions. It was hitting so hard it began to feel like I was getting pushed by god. Then it happened. I felt the front tire to my bike snap off and with it I closed my eyes as my body dug into the sand below.

Tumble after tumble, I felt myself endure. My eyes shut accepting my death as I drilled into the earth, piling myself into the dune and blocking all light I had in the process. I dug so deep I almost lost the sound of the thunder above, but when I came to a complete and utter stop, I questioned if I really just survived that crash and for some reason I thought about not moving. Just staying where I was and trusting the storm to carry out the rest. Yet instinct kicked in and so did my panic. Trying to unearth myself and get that taste of fresh air once more. In maybe a minute, I got to the top and opened my eyes to feel my heart go completely still in the moment. My bike nowhere to be seen and nothing but the attention of the storm cracking off in all directions. My head was barely able to comprehend the beauty of it all. It felt like I was watching the world around me come to an end. Yet as I sat here I looked down to my legs to recall my last ditch effort. Then I turned my gaze around to see someone crawling through the sand a few meters away. Then I felt everything else leave my mind. Raptor was still alive and I had one last and one very final chance to die at peace.

Reaching into my leg pouch, I felt my fingers grasp around a syringe of viper venom. Once I pulled it free from its slumber, I brought it up to my eyes and looked over the tip. From there my focus shifted back to Raptor who was still crawling around in disarray for what to do now that he reached this point. Taking a grip over my M9 with my other hand, I took my last stand and injected myself with the miracle drug. The drug that caused so much trouble. The drug I hated and the only chance I had left at leaving this world happy.

Raptor's POV.

I broke my left arm when the storm hit. I couldn't comprehend what was happening as I crawled for cover. Yet there was none to be had. I was just trying to find my way back to my feet.

"Aghhhh…...fuck…..?" I couldn't hear myself over all the noise. I could barely breathe in fact. Yet when I looked around I couldn't see Archer. I could only sense him and that was no advantage in this mess. It was more of a problem then anything since I knew he was still alive.

I gave my body a few more feet of crawling before trying to get back on my feet. Yet when I did I felt my right leg give out from under me. Then I realized I must have broken something else. So sitting there on a knee, I tried to collect my power and focus on healing.

"BANG!"

My eyes widened when I heard a gun go off just behind me. When I looked back I found Archer slowly pacing his way towards me with his M9 pointed right at me.

"BANG! BANG!"

"Aghhh!" A round hit me in the side of my ribs and with it, I leaped backwards rolling down the other side of the dune to leave Archer's sights. And of course the roll down was a long one. It had to be twenty meters and once I reached the bottom I spotted a set of small rocks only feet from me. So with them came my life. I scrambled and tucked myself behind them and in seconds of getting there I looked back to see Archer reach the top of the dune. He lost sight of me thankfully and with no options left, I reached back for my glock turning around to level out and take aim at Archer.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Archer quickly located the spot I was in and when one of my rounds connected to his chest, I panicked as he returned fire hitting me in the right hand that held my Glock up.

Almost immediately when the bullet hit me, I felt my index finger snap off and with it my gun. I yelped out in agony and got back behind the rocks to look right at my hand that was now missing a finger. I struggled to hold back my screams and with that came my inability to retaliate. Archer was slowly making his way down the dune and with my options just as low as his, I had to make a choice.

I felt every instinct I had kick in out of desperation. Reaching for my Glock with my left hand and taking it back into my grip, I switched it to auto and used all I had left to peek at Archer. With it came the last of my rounds and thankfully a few managed to hit him. I saw another go into his right leg and once I was out of rounds he knelt down in agony and began to return fire. Thankfully I was back behind the rocks and scrambling for a new clip. Yet I had no time. Archer was only feet away now and with it the end. Ditching my Glock and pulling out Shadow's M1911, I leaped out from behind the rocks and took aim at his head.

However the second I pulled the trigger a bolt of lightning hit the very ground between us. I felt my whole body jolt and together Archer and I fell backwards. Neither of us were able to move as I could practically smell my quills burning. The only thing left to do was to try to move. Archer was struggling to do the same, but together we got to our feet. Myself on one leg; as he ran forward to take me down by the throat with both his hands.

"Aghhhhh….You fucking….?" I tried to say something, but Archer had more than enough strength left to shut me up. And thanks to a broken arm, I only had one that was able to try and defend me.

I was completely unsure how he had the energy to keep this up after losing so much blood, but the reason became clear when I got a good look at his eyes. He was using venom for this moment. A man who hated the very idea of drug enchanments was now under the influcence of one.

I grabbed at his vest and pushed him up with all I had left, but it wasn't enough. During the time he choked me out; he shouted at me from above with teeth bared.

"Just stop fighting! You've done enough! Let me have this!"

"Fuck you!" I replied as he took a moment to take one of his hands off my neck to instead punch me right in the side of my right eye. I felt my head spin as he went back to choking me shortly after.

"Aghhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh…...ughhhhkkkk!"

Sand was flying everywhere. Covering me and pelting him as another bolt of lightning went off only feet away from us.

Choking on some of my own blood, I quickly forced my head from side to side, hoping I'd find Shadow's M1911. Yet Archer saw that as a chance to punch me again and this time shouting down at me in anger.

"You ruined everything! You ruined me! You son of a bitch! Just die already!"

I was losing control over my body a little bit more with each passing second. Lack of air made my time shorter, but out of some miracle I spotted Shadow's gun buried maybe five inches out of my right arm's reach and like I said, without a way to fight back I was nearing death. I had to trust in my powers this last time. Just as I began to see my world go dark, I phased through Archer's grip and quickly rolled out from under him and towards the gun. Archer of course was completely caught off guard and when he saw me roll; he jumped onto my back and took me into a chokehold using both his arms as I was basically on top of the weapon. He was so strong and with it he pulled me back up till I was laying on top of him in the sand. I struggled to do anything from that point on as he growled into my ear.

"This is all your fault! You fucking deadbeat! You're no hero! You're no savior! You're nothing and you're going to die here! By my hand!"

I began to panic even more because I felt his grip change at that moment. He was trying to snap my neck. So I began to shake and swung back using my only good arm. I felt my fist hit him three times in the side of the face, but he didn't budge. He just kept twisting and for the life of me I was now scared. Phasing out one more time, I went again for the gun, but Archer caught me by my legs. Tackling me back down and assaulting me with a series of punches and downward hammers.

I felt my face breaking apart as he lowered one of his hands to his belt. I saw it a second too late, but he got a grip on his knife and with it my stomach. I widened my eyes in shock as he twisted it to the side with his right hand and reached up to grab me by the throat with his left. At the same time I allowed my body to rest. I couldn't move. I could only listen as he shouted at me in happiness.

"That's it! Just breathe man! Let it go! Come on! Just relax!"

I went to reach for him, but he quickly cut that off by pulling out the blade and stabbing me right in the dead center of my chest. As far as my reaction went, I jolted in pain and this time got him by the base of his chin. He shook me off without much trouble and put full effort into driving the knife further into my chest cavity. I was giving up and he saw that when my hand hit the sand one last time. Giving me a sadistic smile, he shouted to me with new found vigor in his blood.

"Just let go….you'll see them soon! I promise!"

"Ahhhhhh! Archer!?"

Leaning into me he whispered.

"Shhhhhhh."

"Ahhhhhh….ahhhhhh…..auggkkk….?"

Archer held the embrace for what felt like hours. The storm was going off all around us as I felt my body growing colder.

"I loved you like my own brother." Archer whispered as I let out a deep breath and felt my head roll to the side.

"Just rest brother. You've earned it."

Everything was going dark and the worst part about it was that this is how it ended. With my eyes barely able to see in front of me, I felt this sharp chill spike around and as if by my own imagination, I saw Shadow standing right there.

Just staring at me as I questioned my own sanity one last time. Just wearing normal combat pants and a brown tee, his red eyes and my fading purple interlocked. I was unable to speak, but widened my eyes as he moved his right foot in the sand. Then everything changed when I saw he had kicked his M1911 into my hand. I felt the steel circling my fingers yet couldn't look away as he was emotionless towards what was happening in front of him. As if he was disappointed. Yet the moment I got a grip on the butt of the gun; he gave me a very small smile and faded away. Leaving me with one last task to finish before joining him in the afterlife.

Archer clung to me with such an embrace it was impossible for him to see what was coming next. Slowly lifting the gun up and leveling it with his right ear, I found enough energy left to tell him before pulling the trigger.

"I'm sorry."

"BANG!"

It felt like a wave of pressure left my mind the second I felt his blood splash my face. His body lost all sense of control and for a split second after I shot him, I could see his hands still moving as the one on the knife connected to my chest desperately tried to remain curled around the handle. Very slowly it lost its grip and fell down to my side as the rest of his body turned into dead weight. His face was pressed right along the left side of my head and with it, I could feel the warmth of his blood running down my neck. For what must have been minutes I just laid there and contemplated what just happened. What I saw and what I did. The storm was striking everywhere around me and in it I found a moment of calm between all the chaos. Enough that I could at the very least close my eyes and relax like he wanted. Archer's knife was still in me and with it my soon to be end. I had the energy left to take it out and live, but was it worth it now that it was over?

I had to ask myself that question one more time. I've asked it many times before now, but it was never clear to me what the real answer was.

With the sands of my nation blowing over me, I placed the M1911 down on my chest and from there lowered my hand. I opened my eyes to look up in the sky to only find clouds of sand and lightning above. It was beautiful and to be honest all I had ever hoped for. This moment was my moment. The thing I had been searching for so long. Shutting my eyes and letting it take me over, I mumbled one last word to describe to myself what that moment really was that I was feeling.

"Peace."

Zeta's POV.

"Thirty minutes out." Our driver informed us as we approached Afghanistan. My full focus was on Raptor still. I hadn't heard anything since Drake called in last and so far there was no news about anything else going on over there. For all I knew Raptor could be dead right now. Archer could be rallying the city and we might be saving a body.

My mind shifted as I felt Pepper place her hand over my left leg. I looked back at her as she was starting to get worried. She could only keep a straight face for so long and at this rate I knew she was at least starting to get worried.

"We got a problem!" Someone shouted over the radio. Everyone in the truck reacted in concern for what that really meant. My sister and I listened as the driver asked.

"What's going on up there?"

Pepper and I got our rifles up as he replied.

"A huge sandstorm just rolled in from the west! It's fucking massive and it's gonna hit the city! By the time you guys get here you won't be able to find the entrance!"

"Shit." The driver mumbled as I questioned.

"So what are we going to do? We can't just stop the attack and wait this out. If anything this is an advantage. How bad is it? Ask him."

Listening to me, the soldier went back on the radio to ask.

"How bad is it?"

In seconds he replied.

"Judging from where we are it's strong enough to blow the dunes apart! I can't see anything but a wall of sand and lightning for miles around!"

"That kind of power will wreck the city Zeta." Pepper informed me as I nodded and listened more as General Hoffer came onto the radio to state in command.

"This storm isn't going to stop us. Forward team, your to maintain position and radio in when the storm hits. The rest of the attacking force is still coming in regardless. Knowing how few men Archer has left; those few will run for cover. By the time we reach the city we'll be cleaning up what's left."

"What about the capital sir?" The forward team asked as Hoffer replied.

"Plan remains the same. For all we know the capital is gone and Archer ran for the nearest safe haven. We won't know till we get there, but forward team, try to hail him from where you are. See if you can get any information and radio it through."

"Yes sir." They replied as the radio went dark.

With Pepper trying to look out the window in hopes of seeing the storm, I managed to state.

"It's just getting worse."

Her eyes darted back to me as I let out a sigh and put my head into my lap.

Marcus's POV.

If this wasn't what I had expected I'd be surprised, but here I was. Standing in the middle of the world's biggest storm and looking down on my demi as he had finally finished his fight. Archer dead on top of him and the man himself was no longer with us.

"Hmmmm." I grumbled as I stood there with my arms down to my sides in deep thought for what to do.

With another loud bang of thunder going off right above my head, I looked to my side as I felt a very familiar presence appear beside me. A fully embodied spirit with enough power to level this storm if he wanted to. Yet there he was looking down on Raptor with his arms crossed. Taking a deep breath, he asked me.

"So this is the guy?"

Nodding my head I replied.

"Yeah. That's him."

In truth, I hadn't seen this man in nearly five hundred years. Still looked the exact same. A six foot two echidna with pure yellow fur and two coffee brown eyes. Wearing to my surprise an attire of modern clothes. Torn and dirty dark blue jeans and an equally worn black shirt. Covered up by a cloak much like the one I gave Raptor. With seconds of silence passing, I kept my mouth shut as he knelt down to look at Raptor directly.

"Hmmmm. Young. Smart. Extremely skilled and despite that extremely stuipd."

"You don't know the half of it." I informed Roslin as he reached out to place his hand on top of Archer's right shoulder.

With a small shove, he pushed the dead man to the side and went back to looking at Raptor's face. He then shifted attention to his heart and placed his hand on top. At the same time asking me.

"Are you confident he's the one you want?"

Nodding my head I replied.

"I'm sure. Yet…...he might not be. Afterall…...he gave up."

Roslin took that as his queue to question.

"A man this beaten down has no sense left of what is real Marcus. He probably believes that death is what he deserves after going through hell ten times over and who can blame him? You were the same way."

Again I nodded and listened more as he asked me.

"If you're sure he's the one, then why aren't you acting?"

The question lingered in my head as Roslin awaited an answer.

mT Shadow.