Arson

Chapter Ten

Alexandria's P.O.V

Arrow. After. Arrow.

It's impossible to go a single direction without the impending crack of bark.

The tip of an arrow sliced the side of my being, leaving a large gash across my lower back and side. I cried out, the force of the arrow making me faulter to the ground.

"GUNNER, GOD - IT'S ME! IT'S FRANK CASTLE!" Frank yelled over the chaos of arrows splitting wood and such.

I propped myself up against a tree, the blood leaking down the rough plant. It helped me gather what energy I had to force myself to him.

Frank didn't have anything but a hoodie and a shirt underneath. I was the one that could take the hit if Gunner decided to fire again.

So, I put myself between them.

Finally, I could put a face to the name. The man was adorned in a full camo-suit, paint on his face and everything. He looked like a piece of the forest...I had trouble seeing anything human about him.

"Gunner, don't you shoot her. Not again. Your problem is with me, leave the lady out of it."

Gunner stayed silent, but eased up on his pull.

"I just need to know why. Why did you record what happened in Kandahar...? 'Cause the people who knew, they blamed me, and killed Maria. Killed the kids."

...Is that who he lost?

I held my tongue. It wasn't my place to say anything. And a part of me didn't ever want to bring it up...because I didn't want Frank to feel it anymore than he already was.

A heartbreak that would never end.

"...I just need to know. Agent Orange? Is that you?"

Gunner dropped the arrow's nose to the ground.

"I'm sorry 'bout your family, Frank. That wasn't my intention, you know that. No, I'm not Agent Orange."

"Why? Why did you tape it?"

"...A kid in Kandahar...he gave me his knife, since I had misplaced mine. A few days later, I find out that he died, so I go back to give him back his knife..."

My teeth barred as Gunner began to explain further. It was appalling, and I wish I could've forgotten everything he said.

It made my blood boil.

"I'm sorry I shot both of you. I just don't know who to trust anymore."

"Yeah," Frank grasped the main body of the arrow, the metallic snap following after a clear indication of what he did. "S-So am I."

"Do you know who Agent Orange is?" I asked, agony cracking my voice. Just a little.

"No ma'am, I'm afraid I don't."

"That's just great...we got shot with arrows and chased through the woods for nothing!"

Low and behold, our day had just begun.

The sound of helicopter rutters made my head perk up. Uh oh. That couldn't have been good.

"Friends of your's?"

"Definitely not," Frank stumbled to his feet, his hand hooking around my arm to force me to my feet as well. "Let's move before-"

RAT-TATAT-TATAT!

Gunfire split the trees around us. Frank at this point is pushing me to move, while shielding me from the automatic fire.

Instinctively, I reached for my shoulder...only to realize I had dropped my weapons when Frank went for the passive approach.

All I had was my pistol, and bowie-knife!

Well, I was going to have to make due.

Slipping passed Frank, I drew my pistol and fired. It was a lucky hit, but more were coming.

It gave Gunner the time to redraw his bow, now pinning enemy after enemy with his accurate hits.

A lucky resupply is all we need. Frank swiped a rifle, and littered the forest with the bullet shells.

But...our foes are smart. They wait for the ammo to run low, before beginning their assault again.

We took cover between two trees.

Gunfire is all around me. All around us.

Gunner swiveled around the tree, but it lead to him being caught in the crossfire. He dropped his bow, his hand shaking from the wound...the other wound in his side making it even worse.

Frank tried the same thing, but it also lead to him being injured by the hot metal coming our way.

He pulled the trigger from his rifle...but nothing. A pained silence.

"THIS WAY!" He tossed it aside, letting the leaves and earth claim it.

With only an arrow, and a few lower classed weapons, we were in a serious situation. The enemy count is lower, but still a threat...all we can do is follow The Punisher through this warzone.

We reach a fallen tree, our only cover at this point. It's a calm moment, a few seconds to just...catch our breath.

I leaned against Frank, holding the wound on my back. It leaked scarlet, my hand barely doing anything to contain it.

"I didn't think this would be the way I go out. Behind a tree, with no weapons, and special forces on my tail."

"Don't say that. You, Gunner, and I are gettin' out of this. Just...give me some time to...think..." The weakness in his voice was very prominent.

That arrow had to come out of him. He was losing too much blood. Ugh, where was Lieberman when we needed him!?

We were gonna die out here, and he's probably off eating a sandwich and reading some weird book!

...Was this it? Was this how it ended?

Maybe.

The sound of another helicopter was steadily approaching. More reinforcements, no doubt.

But...this helicopter sounds weird. Like, a mini helicopter.

I look up to the direction of the noise, my violet gaze locking with the cause of the noise. It was a drone.

And not just any drone...our Hail Mary.

Lieberman finally had the gaul to stand with us...well, fly above us and monitor what we were doing. It's a start.

And most importantly...it's a fighting chance.

"Okay, Alexandria, Frank. I assume the three people behind the fallen tree are you two and Gunner?"

"Micro..." Frank looked up at the drone, a smirk spreading across his pale face.

"Yep, I assumed so. Two are coming from behind you, and even if you take them out, there's another pair coming from the front. You'll have at least ten seconds once you dispatch of the two nearly upon you, so move quickly."

Into the fray, once again.

I clutch the knife, and let out a breath.

The footsteps around us close in.

...Here we go.