This chapter plus the song Nowhere (Madlax soundtrack) go well together ... enjoy the action!
I honked the horn twice to get Vanessa out my apartment, down the stairs, into my jeep in the passengers seat.
She threw her bag in the back, snapped the seatbelt on, clutched her right hand to a handle bar and let wind cruse her by, as the car began to move away from the city.
The village where thirstari was located is a day's drive away, in between a mountain valley across from one of the major Galaza battlefields.
I knew we'd probably drive through a military zone later today, so I loaded up on ammo.
While passing a wooden bridge leading to non-civilian zones of the jungle, I tilted my head towards Vanessa, noticing how the setting sun shining upon her facial features enhanced her beauty.
I shifted gears, next placed my right hand on her lap whilst steering with the left.
She stirred a bit, aware of my warmth against her. Softly I said.
"We've been driving for five hours, and by the looks of it ... I'd say we're close to a battlefield. Vanessa when I ask you dive your head down, cover your eyes and don't look, understood?"
Her expression became engrossed with worry.
She managed to hesitantly reply.
"Okay, but ... do you really think the solders would attack us?" - "You can count on it."
Vanessa seemed depressed when she mumbled, "I see", then turned away from me, and gazed out the window.
To her this must have been hell.
A woman used to peace, harmony and everyday life now found herself in a country where any day could be her last, with death all around her and me, the bringer of death her only protection from the horrors of this land.
I gently moved my right hand from Vanessa's lap to shift gears.
Something moving trough the air above us caught my eye.
A military helicopter hovering too high for my bullets to penetrate it's gas tank.
My worries subsided as the helicopter flew passed without firing at us.
Seconds later I glimpsed at the back mirror, a cylinder shaped bomb was released from the copter.
Vanessa jumped in her seat as she felt aftershock vibration from the explosion.
I pressed the gas down hard, avoiding the ragging flames behind me.
One thing was certain ... we were in the battlefield, and an active one.
Two mud paths led to the village, I speed towards the narrow one, less troops were stationed there.
By now aware of the explosion close behind, Vanessa twirled her head around to get a clear view of the damage behind.
I informed her.
"We could have been part of that explosion, so you see the solders on either side don't care about us. In fact they used to get in my way often."
There wasn't a response, so I added.
"My point being ... don't trust them ever!"
I yelled the final part as I saw approaching military trucks with armed men in army uniforms.
"Vanessa please take the wheel, whilst I protect you!"
We switched seats, I pulled both guns out, aimed them at the front tires of the military truck then pressed the triggers down.
The first truck spun out of control, colliding with the second, third, fourth, however the fifth managed to stop.
Another shot I fired at the second truck's oil tank.
Instantly a vibration could be felt.
First the second truck disappeared into a cloud of yellow fire.
A few more vibrations were felt as the other trucks experienced a domino effect then blew up.
Vanessa wisely stopped the car twenty feet from the fire storm I created.
I hopped out the car, opened her door, pulled her towards me, but paused as I noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks and what her pupils looked like.
She was shaken by the sight of so many people dying simultaneously, and worse, killed by me.
Right there and then I wanted to comfort her, to explain my actions, to say its going to be alright, but the time frame wouldn't let me.
Simply I said.
"If we were lucky they would have killed us on the spot, if not then they'd capture us, throw us in a jail cell then let us rot away in there. Vanessa I hadn't a choice, here take my hand."
She hesitated for a mere minute of sobbing, then reluctantly I picked her up whilst kindly whispering.
"I guess I can carry you the rest of the way ... just wrap your arms around my neck, I'll hold your legs with my left arm, the gun in the right, and here."
I handed her the second handgun.
With her in comfortable position I began to walk towards the fire left behind by the explosion.
There were still some solders alive from the fifth truck -not for long tough.
Passing by a side of the mud path far enough from the burning debris, I saw a about six men in the distance.
Each had a riffle, stood ready to fire, but before proceeding one yelled.
"Surrender now! Stop where you are!"
I sigh whilst feeling Vanessa's embrace tighten around my neck, bring my weapon to eye level, then fire shot after shot without flinching even once. The man who yelled out the warning was first to fall.
Before a minute went by all were clad against the ground -lifeless.
Vanessa didn't say a word when I walked passed the fifth truck.
I noticed a communications radio lying in a short shrub.
Hearing the voice of a Galza solder speaking trough the frequency, I picked the radio up by flinging it with my foot then catching with the hand holding the gun.
The sound was distorted, I heard an order being issued, next silence.
A voice came back on, it stated.
"The troops who are still alive wait for our assistance, we're sending backup right away!"
I cursed under my breath while speeding up my walk with quick long steps. There is backup, I have to kill more people before reaching my destination. Softly I spoke to Vanessa.
"You heard the information ... I need to take care of this, so we arrive at the village safely."
She made a nodding motion then pleaded.
"I know you'll do this to protect us, but please don't die."
While smiling I said.
"That I promise. Now Vanessa please hide behind that tree and don't do anything stupid, wait till I finish."
Carefully I set Vanessa down on her feet.
She faced me, gazing at me with pleading eyes.
Spontaneously she grabbed hold of my shoulders, leaned in, parted her lips then shut them on my lower lip.
I stood motionless, enjoying the feel of her lips as she kissed me.
The moment felt reassuring, as if an affirmation of my existence.
Something rapidly moving forward distracted me from Vanessa's sea green eyes, I looked up, seeing four tanks rolling in our direction.
Dreading it, but without choice I broke the kiss with Vanessa, took her hand, led her off the path, then gave a soft peck on the cheek.
She hid behind the tree as I asked.
Without regrets I dashed back to the fifth truck, crawled inside, next threw my backpack down, unzipped it, and then pulled out a crimson dress saved for special occasions.
Quickly I threw my green jacket off, next shirt and shorts.
The tanks were still a far distance away when I zipped the bag with my regular clothes in it up.
In front seat there was a rather powerful light machine gun.
I clutched it in my right hand whilst my backpack resided on my left shoulder.
Looking closely at the gun's label, it read, "FN Minimi".
The tanks were over 50ft away.
I crawled out the truck, arched my left arm up then tossed the pack to where Vanessa was hiding.
She gave me a short-lived look of astonishment.
I only smiled.
No one spotted me yet, even though a beautiful blond woman clad in a red ballroom dress in the middle of a jungle war zone was quite a sight ... especially with the machine gun.
I released the safety as I walked head on towards the approaching tanks.
There were at least one hundred rounds, which I'd use proficiently.
Nearing a nine foot distance from the first tank, I focused energy to my legs, let go, instantly ascending trough air.
I was still ascending when the tank drove over the spot I stood upon a moment ago.
My gun was in perfect aim, my index finger slipped, bullets rained down.
The tank drove passed me then sparks began to burn it's exterior.
I landed on the second tank in after dance bow position with both arms out wide.
Solders from the first tank scrambled out with helmets on and riffles at hand.
All three fired simultaneously.
I jumped back behind the metallic shooter canon, dodging bullets as I went.
These solders were nothing compared to Limelda, but she was killed by someone with zero experience with a gun, so I learned to never overestimate myself.
Swiftly I closed my eyes while positioning the machine gun with a single hand.
Bullets dropped like raindrops as I fired back.
Each fell after twenty rounds.
Blood was seeping trough the military garments they wore as all three lay dead.
I only destroyed one tank, there were four tanks left, including the one I stood upon.
Of course the troops behind noticed there's something wrong.
However they couldn't fire a canon at their own tank, so instead solders climbed out the sheds with helmets on and guns aimed at particularly me.
A sigh escaped my lips.
I twisted the handle bar of the hash open.
A guy managed to say, "What the, who are you...", before I shot a six rounds.
A few more unsuspecting solders were sitting confused inside as I hopped in ... not for long.
Bullet after bullet flew out the mouth of my gun and inside then out the mouths of solders.
Red gushed out as they fell to the floor, without time to react to my sudden intrusion.
An LCD display of the jungle outside was positioned next to a complex control panel.
I placed the gun down, sat on my knees, reached both hands to the controls and began pressing random buttons to see which one was in charge of blasting.
A big round red button with a caution sign above it caught my attention.
Taking the direction control I turned the canon around to face three tanks trailing behind, zoomed the coordinates then pushed the red button down.
Vibration echoed from the tank I sat in.
Gazing at the screen I saw the third tank vaporize in a miniature fiery mushroom cloud.
For a brief moment I took a mental brake, closed my eyes and let the air fill my lungs.
There will be more violence for me before I obtain all 3 books to fix this, I thought as I swept sweat off my forehead.
Hearing the screams of solders from the remaining tanks, I slammed the red button a few more times, grabbed the gun, opened the rooftop, and then swung out.
To avoid explosions set off by me pressing that button, I jumped upwards.
Whilst flying trough air I noticed a tree wine, reached out my left hand, clutched the rope-like structure then swung full force to a tall tree far reaching the action bellow.
I landed on a long branch big enough to be my bed.
Vanessa was behind a tree across from the entire path where the vehicle explosions occurred.
Knowing she's fine set my mind at ease as I prepared to finish this job.
Two tanks below me fired at the tree simultaneously, I soared upwards, grabbed on to the next branch, afterwards pushed off with all my strength gathered in that arm.
Accelerating up a now falling tree, I positioned my body into a steady form, my head was down and eyelids closed as I pulled the trigger.
The tank fired directly at me as I descended.
I saw the scourging red of the fireball nearing my body.
With seconds at my disposal I did the only thing I could to avoid a death by burning ... I reached my right arm out full length towards the falling tree stem, extended length with the machine gun just enough to touch the tree, next with all my power I pushed against the tree and changed my trajectory.
The fireball flew so close to me that I felt the melting heat as it brushed within a centimeter of my face.
Pressing the trigger down, I swung my right arm directly over the canon luncher, causing it to explode immediately with gunpowder increasing the size of the chemical reaction.
Fear struck me, I was descending straight into a fire where two tanks stood firing canons at me only 30 seconds ago.
There wasn't a maneuver I could pull, my only chance at avoiding the flames was to let my arm fry while I push off the tank unto grass.
I reached my right arm out as I neared the tank roof.
Something unexpected happened, the roof swung open, a stupid solder got halfway out, instantly catching fire.
My hand hit the top of his helmet, I bounced off into a close-by patch of dense grasses.
The next thing I saw is green brushing in my face, and a sour plant taste filled my mouth.
Whilst brushing off grass strands slowly I stood up.
I looked around.
A large fire was spread from the five tanks I wrecked to the debris of military trucks, almost touching my jeep parked far off in the distance.
My first thought is Vanessa as I gaze to the other side of the forest.
What I did here today was intense.
Normally I don't have to deal with this many solders at once.
The tree behind which I told Vanessa to hide is where I run next.
She heard the explosions, maybe she watched the shooting and certainly she needs someone to tell her its okay.
As I reach the towering tree, slow down to a walk then circle around, I contemplate on what her reaction to seeing me will be.
I find my answer, she's down on the dirt, her hands are placed over her head and she is shaking.
I squat beside her, gently place an arm on her shoulder, while stroking her I say in a kind voice.
"It's over. We can continue our journey to the village now. Come here Vanessa Rene, hug me."
She sobs as she raises her head up to face me.
I see sadness in her tearful eyes, her lips and voice tremble as she speaks.
"Madlax I watched the entire thing. You killed so many people, destroyed so many things, but I don't think they're why I'm crying. I'm crying because I was afraid you might get killed!"
Before I let out a response she threw herself into me.
Vanessa's head landed between my breasts.
She didn't say a thing whilst embracing me, instead she affirmed my solidity by burring her body in the passionate hug.
Somehow the severity of what I did in the last few minutes dissipated.
Vanessa was my only focus now, as long as I had her to love me ... nothing around me would bring me down.
Softly I scolded her.
"You shouldn't worry over my safety, because I promised you I wouldn't die."
Whilst motioning my hands slowly against her back, I spoke words from the heart.
"Listen, the truth is I wouldn't be capable of living if you died. What's making my life pleasurable is you... now I have a clear reason to live. Vanessa I will end this war so we can live together happily in Nafrece without Enfant chasing us and without regrets."
I felt her arms tighten around me.
My words, their meaning, everything was a lot to take in.
There was an upbeat note to her voice as she asked.
"Live together in Nafrece, not just go together to Nafrece?" - "Yes I want to spend my life with you Vanessa ... you mean everything to me."
Our relationship moved faster than I ever imagined it would, we were close.
Vanessa undid the embrace, gazed into my eyes then joyfully cooed.
"I'm important to you, a beautiful seventeen year-old girl who kills for a living. I never thought about relationships, to be honest, until I met you and fell in love."
She picked herself up, I followed.
Whilst caressing my left cheek with her soft fingertips she sincerely smiled then confirmed.
"I will be happy to spend my life with you, but that is if we survive ... which we will because I promise to stay alive. But Madlax how do we stop Enfant from chasing us even after we end the war?"
"Well they are responsible for the civil war, and part of my plan to stopping the war is killing their leader Friday Monday. Right now is the wrong time for you to ask more Vanessa, when we arrive at the village all your questions will be answered. Now lets go."