Ivory Heart

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Gunfire, a sure symbol of war. It was this one thing that surrounded the Irregular Hunters, as they pushed their way inside the Memorial Hall. Terraforce agents, going to the hall for a meeting, where surprised by the arrival and invasion of hunters. Not having orders to negotiate, or cease action, the Terraforce opened fire and the bloodbath began.

Dr. Dudas had met with Alex, Jacob, and Alyssa, to tell them of his plan. The Irregular Hunters where to arrest the Terraforce, taking their commanding officers to the HQ. Unfortunately, the Terraforce wouldn't go without a fight, and the attack began. Alex, leading a force of hunters, ran inside first. He was followed by two other waves of forces, leaving Jacob and Alyssa to command their own team of hunters.

Alex had pushed into the building via the main entrance, and Jacob was making his way inside via the fire escape on the left side of the building. As he walked in, Alyssa at his side, the sounds of battle filled his ears. Just down the hall to his right was the main hall, where Alex was fighting with Terraforce agents.

Jacob led his force down a hallway running toward the back of the stage. As they reached the stage the hunters took their positions, noting that Colonel Ryan was standing on the stage's balcony. Jacob saw Colonel Ryan, and sighed as he turned toward Alyssa.

"Alyssa-"Jacob started, being silence by Alyssa as she stepped toward him.

"Jacob," she said in a whisper, "He can't be a Irregular …he just can't! I know him…please Jacob, there is good in him, he is good! My brother would never do these things…please…"

"Alyssa I promised your brother I would protect you. What he is doing is dangerous; the Terraforce has to be stopped! If fighting him will protect you, then I'll do it." Jacob said, turning away and moving toward the stairs.

"But Jacob! You promised me you wouldn't hurt brother!" Alyssa cried, rushing after him.

"…I can't control what your brother does Alyssa…pray he doesn't make me draw my blade."

"COLONEL RYAN!"

Colonel Ryan, vice chief of the entire Terraforce army, turned toward the stairs as a hunter clad in red armor rushed at him. With a grin Colonel Ryan drew his blade, and stepped farther onto the balcony to allow his opponent room.

Jacob came to a stop on the red carpeted floor of the balcony, a large area that stretched the length of the enormous stage. He drew his own Saber, and focused on Colonel Ryan, who stood there staring at him with a grin.

"So, Jacob, you have came…against my sister's wishes I can bet."

"Yeah, Alyssa didn't want me to come here and fight you. But I can't let this go on any longer! Why did you do this Colonel Ryan! Why did you attack the Sky Sanctuary?"

"As I told Alex, I did not attack the humans! The Terraforce is a peace keeping force; we are not a guerilla movement against the human government! Why would we attack defenseless people, OUR people!"

"I don't know, but I saw the video! Terraforce ships where firing at the Sky Sanctuary, how could you do that!"

"I DID NOT! I would NEVER hurt the humans, or any other fellow Humanoid!"

Jacob straitened up, sighing heavily. "What about Alyssa?"

The question sent a bolt of shock through Colonel Ryan, who put away his blade. "What are you talking about?"

"Wait…you don't know?"

"Know what!"

"Just before we arrived a supply train was coming to our mobile commander center, and Alyssa was along with that train. Just as the train was arriving it was attacked, and most of our reinforcements were killed. Alyssa was pursued by the attacker, and was almost killed on more than one occasion. The enemy, the one who was firing at Alyssa…was a jet fighter, bearing the Terraforce symbol!"

Colonel Ryan staggered backward, his eyes wide in shock. "WHAT! Alyssa! Was she hurt!"

"No…thankfully I arrived just in time to save her, but seconds later and it would have been too late. We escaped by luck, one of the jet's missile detonated on itself…you didn't know?"

"Of course not!" Colonel Ryan roared. "How could you think that I ordered for my own sister to be killed?"

"Well that's the facts Colonel Ryan. If you're not ordered the attacks…then who is?"

"I don't know…but I well intend to find out."

"WHAT! Why aren't you killing him!" cried a man, the very same man that had visited General Hawley so late in the night.

The man wore a long black cloak, the hood covering most of his features, aside from his blood red eyes. He stood in the same house as he had last time, the General Hawley seated across from him. A large screen was displayed between them, and they both had watched with interest.

Alex and his force were locking in heated battle with Terraforce agents on the ground floor, a flurry of gunfire all around. Jacob and Colonel Ryan stood on their own, talking on the balcony. It was these moments of peace between the two commanding officers that had caused the cloaked man's outburst.

"Peace…They are just speaking of matters." Said the General Hawley, his voice deep.

"Well they should be fighting! What is he doing!"

"It appears they are talking…" said the General Hawley with a dull smile.

The two of them watched on as Jacob and Colonel Ryan spoke more and more, all the while letting the fight go on around them. After a moment Colonel Ryan turned away from Jacob, and the two spectators growled with anger.

The man in black jumped from his chair, knocking it to the floor in the process.

"This is an outrage! KILL HIM! COLONEL RYAN, don't just stand there talking with him, KILL HIM!"

"ENOUGH!" yelled General Hawley, rising from his seat.

The man in black, filled with a powerful rage, turned to his host and growled at him as he spoke. "NO! You are just going to stand here and let him TALK! Colonel Ryan has failed you General Hawley; it seems he is working WITH the hunters!"

"No, Colonel Ryan would never betray the Terraforce!" General Hawley yelled, firm in his belief.

The man in black chuckled, sitting back in his chair.

"He would never betray the Terraforce?"

"Never! He would never fight against me, against his fellow brothers and sisters!"

"…I know of one way he would betray you…"

"And just how is that?"

"….For his sister…."

The General Hawley's eyes widened, realizing that what the man said was true. Alyssa and Colonel Ryan where family, and close family at that. If Alyssa needed Colonel Ryan he was always there, and she may make him turn to the hunters cause. This realization drew fears into the General Hawley's mind, fears of losing and fears of total betrayal.

"….He….He wouldn't…" the General Hawley whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

"Oh wouldn't he? General Hawley, you cannot rely on Colonel Ryan alone! You need a sure fire way to DESTROY the Irregular Hunters! You need a weapon, and true demonstration of the Terraforce's strength and influence in the Humanoid community! The human government will always send their hounds after you, and as long as the Irregular Hunters remain NEVER will Humanoids know peace!"

The General Hawley heard these words, and fell back into his chair. "A…Weapon?"

"Yes…A weapon, a weapon of unmatched power!" the man said, moving toward the General Hawley and placing his hand on the commander's chair.

General Hawley turned toward his guest with an almost needy look, his eyes gleaming in the light.

"….What sort of weapon did you have in mind?"

The dark man grinned. "The final kind….the true, Eclipse Cannon…"