Honor In Evil

Chapter 1 - Perception is reality

A torrent of rain began to pour down immediately outside the offices of Matthias Conley. Conley pacefully walked into his office, ignoring every greeting or gesture that was directed towards him. News of what happened have not spread yet, it was a lowkey situation in a rural area. If the media was there, they would have chewed him up for all the casualties that occurred. In addition they would've given false and bias information of the events.

Kyle was sitting down in his chair eagerly awaiting for his boss to say something. He could tell that Conley was not in the mood, his collar was up, shirt untucked, and sleeves were rolled up. At least he knew himself that he was better dressed than Conley. Kyle is twenty-six, he was admitted into the FBI six months ago. He's extremely tall, with long golden blond hair which suggests that he has not outgrown the high school days.

"Boss, I got you coffee, and here is some more information on Keck," said Kyle as he handed over a report.

Conley lifted his eyebrow, giving Kyle a very quizzical look. He immediately rose out of his chair like a madcap and snatched the papers quickly scanning and digesting any new piece of information he could get. Unamused by the documents, he ripped them in shreds and threw them all over Kyle. 

"You are one useless pathetic loser!" screamed Conley.

Kyle was in a state of shock, everyone from outside the office started looking in. People started gossiping about what was happening.

"What the hell are you still doing here? Get out!" yelled Conley.

Kyle slowly got up, as if he wanted to further anger his boss, and said calmly as he walked out, "Goosfraba."

Conley slumped into his chair, his hands covered his face. His eyes wanted to force shut due to the extreme exhaustion and stress he was currently facing. He was in deep trouble. He has his hands in a lot of illegal activites.

"Why is Keck coming after us?" he mumbled to himself.

He began to ponder for a few minutes without coming to a real conclusion. He sat there lifeless as a desolate desert. Then the phone abruptly rang, interrupting his moment of silence. 

"Conley here, Federal Bureau of Investigations."

"I hear Keck is coming after you," the voice on the other end said.

"He won't get me," Conley replied in a reassuring tone.

"Why would you anger him?" inquired the voice.

"I don't know what I did Brad," said Conley

"Don't play effing stupid with me, I know the businesses you are involved in. Tell me the exact details of the drone attack in Dubai three weeks ago," demanded Brad.

"We were targeting Al-Shahik Mubar Aashim, he was not exactly in Dubai but he was staying near a village which was populated with many American tourists." said Conley in a skeptical tone, as if he could not trust Brad.

Brad was his college roomate at Ohio State University. He was always a dorky kid, he played poker obssessively and always bothered Conley during their four year stay. They never got along, until the night of a football game where the Wolverines came down to play. A bunch of fans in the nosebleeds section were becoming quite boisterous. It started as a scuffel, and then quickly escalated into a brawl between students from both schools. Miraculously no one was seriously injured, security broke up the brawl in a timely manner. But on the way home, Brad was stalked by Michigan students, and they jumped him. 

Conley happened to be in the vicinity of the assault, he was walking home with a girl -- who then was his girlfriend. He tentatively decided to help, weighing his options, but settled to help his roomate only because he knew it would impress his girlfriend. 

He ran in, the students were caught by surprise. One stepped in front and threw a wild right hook. Conley blocked it with his left hand, and delivered a straight jab to the nose. The student stumbled backwards, his nose bleeding uncontrollably. It was definitely broken. Conley cotinued his flurry, he issued a devasting blow with his forearm to the throat of the student. The student started gagging, coughing, and wrapping his arms around his throat as if he could mitigate the damage already done.

Within a split second, a big husky white boy, grabbed Conley from behind and kicked him in the back of the leg. Conley fell to his knees and absorbed a painful blow to the side of his head. He was instantly swarmed by the remaining two, as they savagely beat him.

He could hear his girlfriend scream histerically in the background, but that came to be a faint whisper as he desperately tried to cling on to his life.

Their hands all of a sudden were not touching him, most importantly not inficting further damage. They were focused on Brad, who has re-entered the fight after watching Conley nearly get murdered. Conley waited no longer, he stood up while the students were focused on Brad. He threw a roundhouse, perfectly rotating his hips and angling his foot down towards the side of the knee of one of the student's. 

The student's knee cracked, the bones breaking, and he hollered in pain as he fell to the ground. There were two left, one focused on Brad, and the other one diverted his attention on Conley. Brad was inferior in combat compared to the white husky kid. Before he saw it coming, the kid swung a vicious right uppercut which landed squarely on Brad's chin, knocking him out cold. 

While this was happening Conley was man handling this skinny student, he grabbed him around the neck clinching him in towards his chest and locking his elbows in so he couldn't move. And he commenced by giving power blows to the body by using his knees. He released his grip and the student fell effortlessly to the ground. 

He was now face to face with the white husky kid, a second of staring and both of them giving each other the dirtiest looks they could offer. The kid charged in trying to take Conley down. He stuffed his takedown and sprawled out, delivering a knee to the face during the process. They squared up ready to go at it when they heard the police sirens. Conley immediately picked the unconcious Brad up, and painfully carried him back to their dorm. His girlfriend ran off when she heard the sirens.

"Conley, are you there?" asked Brad

Conley came back to the present moment, after remembering the incident where he saved Brad's life, while risking his own.

"Yes," answered Conley.

"Who gave the orders for this attack?" 

"The president."

"Now you're lying to me!" Screamed Brad, "The president would never authorize an attack if American lives were at risk!"

Conley remained silent, waiting for Brad to continue. He knew that he could not lie any further.

"Do you know the names of the Americans that died?" asked Brad, who decided not to question any further about the authorization of the drone attack. 

"No," replied Conley, he was not sure where this was headed.

"One of the bodies was identified as Tyler 'Renegade' Smotrycz," said Brad.

Conley hung up the phone immediately. Renegade was one of Keck's closest friends. And he instantly regretted the day when he was showered in approval and lauded for his efforts in taking out the terrorist.