May 15, 1981
The loud cheers and screaming filled the crowded room. Raven glanced around the cheering men and women. Confused, He pushed through the men to see what was happening at the centre. Three men, and Wolf, were throwing punches in the arena. One man had grabbed a knife and was wrestling with the other for it. Wolf twisted and contorted his opponent, before throwing him onto the ground. Pure Pandemonium ensued, as the crowd fumbled around, betting whatever they had on who would survive the battle. "I got 100 cigarettes on Wolf!" One cried out, amidst the frenzy. The fight ensued, until Wolf was pushed against the wall, knife to his neck. Wolf pushed the soldier away.
"Everyone quiet…..QUIET! "
The room fell silent.
"The Initiations over. Rook, Mongoose, Ant. Over here."
The three fighting immediately stood in line, as straight and silent as a board. "You've earned your keep here. You've shown that you're willing to throw down anyone who oppose you. I commend you. Welcome to Lightning Daggers. Dismissed." The men saluted before leaving. Men around Raven were either celebrating or groaning at the outcome of the bets. Wolf dabbed his face with a towel, as he walked up to Raven, the room silent.
"Enjoyed the show?"
"Not one for fist fights, I'd rather keep my enemies at a rifles length. I'm just giving you updates from dragon."
"Dragon? Who's that?"
"The POW from china. I take you didn't name him?"
"No. I don't really stay around here much, can't remember the all those names. At least you do."
"Well, keep in touch and you might get to know people."
"Good idea. What did he say?"
"He heard from our Intel in the field that Quan's next stop point was Shanghai. If we intercept him there, we could confirm his cargo and stop him making his delivery. "
Wolf set down his towel and gestured towards him "Come on." he said.
"Excuse me?"
"You've haven't done this, I'd say you're good at it. Come on."
"Now, Wolf…"
"Ah, not an option. Go."
Raven sighed as he took stance. He swung at Wolf, which he promptly blocked. He threw his fist again. Wolf grabbed it and twisted. Raven grunted in pain as he lost balance and Wolf threw him onto the ground. Raven coughed up as he sat up. Wolf took stance as Raven stood up. Raven quickly turned and walked away.
"Where are you going?"
"I told you… fist fights aren't my thing" Raven said, as he pushed the door open and left. Wolf went back to the table and grabbed the bottle and took a big swig of it. He put the bottle down and rested his hands against the table. Suddenly, the radio crackled.
"Wolf, respond"
"Viper. What's up?"
"Come to the meeting room, me and Dragon are gonna brief you."
"…right."
"Something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing…"
May 19, 1981. Outskirts of Shanghai
Even on the edge of Shanghai, the place was bustling, full of all kinds of people. Strangers, cheaters, liars and killers. The roaring trucks struggled its way through all the people. As the horns beeped at the people, not too far away, a vengeful eye was keeping on them from the distance. For a while, the truck continued to an open square. Soldiers in fatigues stood out to be checked by their commander. Wolf stood from afar and saw Shao Quan. He was in black and red fatigues, with a beret, sunglasses and a pencil moustache. One thing was considered odd to Wolf. Quan had a patch on his right arm, but it was hard to make out. He could only see a blur of deep purple and blood red.
"Wolf here. Got my eyes on the truck, they're making a stop."
"Good, make your way and confirm the delivery."
"Gonna be a bit difficult. But ill manage."
Wolf ended the call, and waited for a moment. In only a few moments, a group of children started throwing rocks and other things at the soldiers. The soldiers started shouting at the children, which turned into a full scale argument between the soldiers and parents. Wolf seized the opportunity, and scrambled his way into the back of one of the trucks.
He gazed into the cold interior of the truck, it was filled to the brim with boxes. Wolf lifted one of the crates lid. Needles, IVs and packets of morphine filled the box. Wolf looked in another box, which contained white packets wrapped in tape. "It's confirmed Raven." Wolf murmered into his radio. "This is the delivery. I'll be sure to stop it."
"Right. Viper said to bring back a sample, just to be sure"
"Right, Wolf out."
Wolf grabbed one of the small white packets and stuffed it into his backpack. He pulled out a explosion charge with a timer. He popped it in a box and set it to ten minutes. "Enough time for me to get out." He thought to himself. He closed the box, and as soon as he turned around, one of the soldier opened the canvas flaps. The soldiers looked shocked and shouted out to his fellow soldiers, Wolf planted his boot firmly into the soldier's chest, as he collapsed onto the ground. More soldiers shouted as they pulled their rifles and started fire. Wolf dived onto the bed of the truck to dodge the gunfire and crawled his way through the opening onto the driver's seat.
The stray bullets pierced the glass as Wolf scrambled onto the seat. His radio crackled as he struggled to start the truck.
"Wolf, we hear gunfire, what's going on?"
"They found me! I'm in one of the trucks heading out. My locations on that rada-"
A bullet whizzes and pinged of the dashboard. Wolf jerked as he started the truck and slammed on the pedal. The radio screeched and Wolf ripped the earphone from his ear. "Wolf? Wolf!? Damn it!" Raven slammed his hands on the desk and ripped the headphones off him as he stood up. "You two!" he called to some men at the door. "Get the chopper over to Wolf! He'll end up dead before he reaches the border!"
Wolf skidded through the square, trying to avoid casualties on the street. He glanced at the mirror as two more trucks swung around the corner. The heavy truck bounced around as Wolf kept the pedal floored. Wolf looked to his left to see a market on the street. He took a heavy breath and pulled the handbrake, swerving before release and changing gears. The two trucks kept up behind as a solider riding shotgun with Quan shouting from behind, firing his rifle, piercing boxes and tearing through the truck's canvas cover. The people looked on as the trucks squealed their way into the market. People made a dash for it as the truck burst through crates of produce. The soldier stopped his firing to avoid shooting the people and sunk back into his seat. The truck in the back sped and pulled up across from Wolf.
The trucks linked as they tried to push each other across the road. Wolf struggled to keep his balance on the truck. He glanced to the truck as the soldier pulled his gun out to fire at him. Wolf swerved the truck to smash against the other. The truck smashed against the curb and lost control. The truck swerved over the curb and smashed into a nearby stand. The two trucks that were left moved out into another square. The soldier in Quan's car came out again, rifle in hand and aimed carefully.
His shot pierced and blew the back tire. Wolf swerved to keep himself on the road. The ride was certainly bumpier as he quickly fastened his seatbelt as they entered a desolate road. Wolf kept going as fast he could until something stood in his wake. A roadblock. Wolf breaked, but lost control. The truck turned under itself and started rolling, crate flying out the back. As the second truck followed behind, the charge bounced out of the crate. As it hit the ground, the timer jumped to zero from the impact and detonated, knocking the other truck into the air. Both trucks tumbled down the road with sounds of crashing and screeching.
The world was fazing in and out of blackness as Wolf's arms dangled in front of him. He groaned as his body creaked as much as the upturned truck. He tugged at his seatbelt until it gave way. He collapsed onto the roof of the truck with a slam, grunting at the pain. He crawled his way out of the wreckage out to the street, he kept his head down, staring at the broken glass and the blood dripping from his head.
The sun glared in his eyes and he stumbled out of the seat. He staggered up as a helicopter is seen nearing the distance. Wolf approaches the second flaming truck, hunched over like a wilting flower, while Quan pulls himself out of the wreckage, among the spilled drugs and broken medical equipment. Glancing at Wolf, his expression changes as he pulls out his pistol to fire at him. The shot pings off his metallic leg, as Wolf steps back, pulls out his pistol and catches Quan in the shoulder. Quan cries in pain as he clutches his arm. The Helicopter flies over head as Wolf quickly runs over the dead men to Qualm as he pulls out handcuffs and restrains him. "I think it's time for some questions, Shay." Wolf said proudly, as he picked him up.
A few hours later…
Wolf slowly applied an adhesive bandage onto his eyebrow. A knock came off his door, as he wiped the blood from his face. He stepped over to do the door and reeled it opened with a loud creak, to show Viper standing at the door. Wolf smirked to himself, "they finally got you walking out of that lab?" he muttered leaning against his door.
"Well if it weren't for me you wouldn't be walking anywhere. Raven wanted to tell me he's in the interrogation room."
"Good." Wolf threw a jacket over himself and closed his door over. The sun was setting on the ocean base as they both clinked their way across. Viper pulled a rag from his coat and dabbed his forehead nervously. He glanced at Wolf nervously.
"…You sure this is the guy?"
"Yes, I've seen him." Wolf waved the copy of the picture, Quan's and Kraus's picture snipped out. Viper adjusted himself as he motioned to the picture. "I know that, but do you know him?"
"Do I need to?" Viper threw his charcoal black hand on his chest, staring at him with a concerned look.
"You can't go throwing shots in the dark like that."
"So what!?" he pushed him off "this guy's doing drug delivery, running an army! I-" Wolf stumbled for a bit, heavily sighing. "…You know why we do this… we pull in-"
"Money, recruits, all for revenge. But, " Viper swiped the picture from Wolfs hand "not everyone's in on it…"
Wolf looked away with a frustrated look on his face. "You should go in, I'll tall to you later." Viper said, turning around and heading back, as wolf turned himself and went into the brig.
Wolf slammed the door into the room, Quan waiting silently, handcuffed to the table. Wolf pulled the chair towards him and sat down
"Well, well" he said with a cocky grin, running his tongue in his mouth, as if trying to get something out of his teeth. "How long has it been? 10…11 years?"
"Where is he?"
"It has been a long time, hasn't it… you were only about this high."
"Cut the shit!" Wolf jumps up from his seat, his chair falling down. "Where's Barrett?!"
"Do you remember? '68, One of the Sandinistas revolts… we were sent to help ambush them. Then, we came across… you." He adjusted his tongue again.
"What?"
"We found you, alone on the edge of the jungle, looking half-starved and covered in blood and dirt. Quite a sight."
Then it all came back. A child with his father, on his job. A revolution in its wake. The father and son, escorted by a representative, being fed a bullshit story about the stillness of the state, as the man takes pictures for his job, a magazine on world affairs. Then, mortars rip the representative apart. Men storm in, bullets ripping the father apart. The boy, knocked back, runs as fast as he can, away into the jungle. Fumbling on the ground, covered in filth, the soldiers surround him. Fear in his eye, the boy stepped back away from them. Then a towering figure stepped over him. He looked at him, his face familiar to him…. Barrett.
Wolf snapped out of out of it, pain keeping himself aware as blood dripped from his eye again. He looked at Quan, unphased as before. "But, you've caught me so I guessed you want info. I'll only tell you this… go look in Brazil."
Wolf looked at him with confusion "Why are you telling me this?" Then Wolf noticed something in his mouth as he opened it to speak. A pill.
"Because you'll never find him."
"No!" Wolf jumped out of seat to reach and stop him, but it was too late. He bit down onto his cyanide pill. Wolf grabbed him and tried to take the pill out, but he delved into a fit, foaming at the mouth. Wolf threw him and clutched his ear. "Get the medic!"
One week later…
Wolf looked over the horizon, as the sun set in the distance. He rested his arms as Raven walked over him to him, with a newspaper in hand. "You made the paper." He said with a smirk, handing it over to him. Wolf looked at the cover of the paper, it was in Chinese, but was covered in foot notes. On the front was the burning truck it read:
CHASING DEATH
"Panic thrived in the streets of Shanghai as a group of mercenaries gave chase across the streets across the local marketplace in Shanghai. Locals described the fire fight as 'destructive', as it sweeped the vendors. The damage has not been counted as of yet, but rest assured police are on the case to discover who was behind this…"
"Great headline." Wolf sarcastically said, handing the paper back. "I know, it's not the best… Viper says we could use it as a way to get more contracts" Raven said glancing at the paper.
"No. This was a catastrophe, especially what happened here….
"Listen, we had a mishap, but we've got a location. Brazil, we'll just look there."
"That's like looking for a needle in a haystack. There's no way."
"What? You want to quit?"
"No, but…"
""You have a force like no other at your fingertips, aptly trained in all fields, and you want to stop here?"
"…"
"Come back to me when you wanna start acting like fight."
"You're right…. I… just feel like sometimes I was never meant to fight, like something dragged me into it. But every waking moment, my mind hit me with blunt memories of someone I barely remember, telling me I am and always will be a fighter."
"Sounds like growing up was rough."
"….You don't even know what rough is."
"Look, if you want me to stop, just-"
"You've proven your point." Wolf looked back with a sense of bitterness on his face, as if something had changed his mind. Wolf felt his vision blur to see his mind playing tricks again, the same figure plaguing him again. He ignored it. "We need to act. No stepping around it. Raven, come with me" Wolf walk across the path on the way to his room. Raven followed. They reached his room, Wolf walking in and pulling out a case. Raven looked around his room, knowing how messy it had become since he was last there. Raven walked over as Wolf as he opened the case, Raven looking in surprise.
"This is-"
"Remington M700 rifle, I remember your rifle was similar to it."
Raven picked up the rifle "Times ten scope, bull barrel for increased accuracy, enhanced trigger, bolt-action and…" He felt the black, cold stock. "What's this stuff?"
"Carbon fibre, lighter and stronger than wood. Viper thought it would be perfect for you. You still can visit the armoury for some stuff."
"You mean?" Wolf's hand landed on Raven's shoulder, as Raven took his attention away from the gun.
"You ready to take the field with me?"
Raven's mouth cornered into a smirk. "Gladly."
"If anything, I need you. Even with you, the men's observation aren't the best. Gotta have the right eye." He tapped the left side of his head. Raven put the rifle down in the case. "Right. I'll give it all I got."
"Brazil, right? let's hope they're ready..."