Archer West
The ground crunches beneath my boots as I walk across the dry grass toward the vacant lot..
Thanks to Honey's constant warnings over the past few days there is an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach..
The air is charged with electricity, like before a thunderstorm and the hair on the back of my neck bristles as my eyes sweep across the landscape.. There's nobody here.. But I'm a few hours early..
I pull my coat tighter around me to stave off the evening chill that has settled in, my breath coming out in puffs of white fog now.. I reach a small leafy tree and slip in behind it, leaning against it for support, settling in for the wait..
. . . . .
After the night sets in hours later, I see two black sedans with tinted windows pull up across the road, two solid looking guys get out of them and make a beeline for the field l..
I crouch down in my position behind the tree, between it and the thick darkness that has set in its unlikely they can see me.. And even if they can, my hand is already ready, resting on my pistol.
Suddenly flaming red light ignites in the air, engulfing the lot in an orange glow.. I duck even lower, pressing my chest to the ground now.. The men have ignited distress flares and thrown them into the center of the open feild..
Shit.. I know an ambush when I see it.. I already knew this was likely to be one when I walked into it, that's why I left O'connor and Ford behind.. But any doubts I had are now confirmed by a familiar distant chugging sound..
A chopper..
I have a decision to make.. Get out now and risk losing Bexley.. Or stay and possibly get shot by a crazy I.T geek with a bad boy complex.. Neither are ideal options..
I watch as the men return to their cars, knowing my window for escape closing rapidly.. "Fuck it.." I whisper to myself.. I've already come this far, there's no way I'm letting that montherfucker Flynn Bexley disappear.. I couldn't allow a sadisc fuck like him to escape,he has too much to answer for..
I would also like to have a little chat with Nikita Drackov...
Honey had acted strangely when I asked her about him.. And I want to know why.
The thudding of the chopper blades grows louder until it roars in my ears as the wind whips around me. Preparing myself for whatever may climb out of that helicopter I suck in several deep breaths and pump myself up for the fight..
The skids of the chopper touch down on the dewy grass next to the now smouldering flares.. Two large flood lights on the side panelling flash on, illuminating half of the lot.
Three more guys - two about the size of me and one a bit smaller - jump out of the now open side door.. They hold their pistols ready as they jog out and begin their sweep of the perimeter..
There is limited cover, so it's only a matter of time before they zero in on my position.. I plant my palms into the dirt and push up to my feet in one swift movement.
The element of surprise is all I have right now, so drawing my gun I sprint out from behind the tree, veering to the left, flanking the smaller of the hostiles and wrapping my arm around his neck.. One of the bigger perps notices me and begins to call out, but hes too late..
- - BANG - - BANG - -
He's several feet away, an easy shot.. For me. I lift my pistol with my free arm and fire off three rounds.
The guy's body jerks twice, one for each hit, red spurts from his chest and neck and he crumples to the grass as a rattling gurgle escapes him..
I drop to one knee, bringing the hostile still in my choke hold down over the other. A cringe-worthy snap cracks through the air, audible even over the sound of the slowing whirr of the blades.. I break his neck in that single quick motion, standing back up and letting his body fall to the ground.
I take off and keep my head down as I make my way around to the other side of the chopper.. I get behind the floodlights, using them to my advantage.. With their illuminating brightness I can see the last guy still standing, squinting into and beyond the lights... Looking for me..
- - BANG - - BANG - -
My shots ring out. Two in the head. He goes down.. I release my clip and shove another in its place, my head now turning in the direction of the road where the last two guards had gotten into their cars, which are still parked and just sitting there..
There is no movement inside either car.. Something is wrong.. Then I hear it.. The click of a loaded glock, right behind me..
"Drop it.. And get on your fucking knees, West.." I don't have to turn around to know who it is.. Flynn Bexley.
"You're making a big mistake, Bexley. If you turn yourself over now, I might take it easy on you.." I grind out the words between gritted teeth, kicking myself for letting this little asshole get the drop on me..
He presses the barrel of the gun into the back of my head as a warning.."You don't want to fuck with me, Mr West.." He hisses furiously.. I lift both hands, letting the pistol dangle loose from two fingers.
Dropping to the cold, wet grass with a thud I feel the dampness seeping through my jeans to my knees.. I hear the ground crackle as he takes a step closer behind me to snatch the pistol from my hand...
Just like I want him to..
I can hear his ragged breathing.. He's enraged, and I figure that is my best bet as a strategy.. Make him angry, until he makes a mistake..
Sure, it's risky, but it's the only plan I have right now since I had so stupidly decided to go lone wolf on this op.
"Give me the key, and I'll give you the courtesy of a quick death.." I could have done without the death threats, but I gotta give the guy points for bad guy flare..
"No." I reply simply.. Not giving this little prick any insight into my head. No feeling, no fear.
"You think I'm playing here West? I have a reputation to uphold as the infamous and elusive 'B'.. While you and you're Specter cronies were chasing Asher all over the place, I was busy building an empire.." Uh-oh, talking. While it's terribly clichéd for the villain to reveal their secrets in a ridiculous monologue, it's a real thing.. it's also a very bad sign.. It pretty much means they are almost certainly about to kill you..
"Look how well joining your 'empire' worked out for Asher.." I shift my position slowly, turning my head and shoulders slightly, so I can see him in my peripherals. Bexley, dressed in a black skivvy and brown chinos.. I can see the black revolver he holds with both hands, pointed directly at my head..
"Asher was a dog. A rabid dog who got off his leash.. So I let you put him down.." His shaggy black hair hangs limply as his rants like a madman..
I laugh, trying to make it convincing even though I'm sure he's about to put a bullet in me. "You let me? I think it's more like this.." I shift again, twisting around to look up at him.. I need him to move, just a little closer, and a little to the left.. "I think your plans went to shit back in the warehouse.. Maybe even before that..like back when old man Carrington tricked you with a honey trap you should have seen from a mile away, who stole all your tech.." I remember what Honey had said about Bexley seething at the fact Alex had outsmarted him.. Rubbing it in now might be the gasoline to the flame I need..
"You son of a bitch!" He brings the butt of the revolver down, bashing it into the side of my skull with a heavy crack.. The blow is intense and disorienting. I drop a palm to the ground to stabilise myself.. I can already feel the blood oozing down from my hairline..
"You got that right.." I groan, straightening back up and looking up at him definitely.. I got him closer, I'm almost ready to make my move.. So long as his other two lackeys don't show up, I might actually have a chance of survival here..
"I'm not going to waste my time on this bullshit.. I'll just go get the girl, she can tell me. Maybe when I'm done with her I'll let Drackov have her.. He was very interested in.. Sampling her goods, back at the warehouse.." I want to puke.. That's why Honey had been so cagey about Drackov.. And this fucker just let it happen.. I see red..
Taking a swing I knock the gun sideways and launch my full weight at him, taking him to the ground. Pinning him down I bring my fist up, smashing it back down into his jaw..
"GAAH!" He groans and struggles beneath me, legs kicking into mine, his fists pummling at whatever they can reach.. Just as I rear up to take another swing, a shot goes off..
- - BANG - -
Searing, red-hot pain rips right through my shoulder, looking down I pull my coat aside to see the blood beginning to saturate the fabric of my black sweater..
The agony rocks me.. It's not the first time I've been shot, but its not something you ever get used to..
Bexley manages to get his legs up underneath me and kicks hard with both feet, pushing me off to the side, he scrambles to him feet, a small back up pistol in his hands now..
"It's time for you to fucking die West, you piece of shit!" He cocks the pistol and points it at me..
l'm sure I'm dead.. I must be, because the next thing I hear is Honey's voice.. "If you shoot him, I shoot you Flynn."
Honey appears from the other side of the chopper, my military issued M18 in her surprisingly steady hands..
This is bad... Bad bad bad..
What is she doing here!?
Everything inside me screams to jump on her, cover her with my body and suffer the bullets.. But that won't nessicarily keep her alive.. "Honey, don't come any closer." I try to make it sound like an order instead if the plea that it is..
"Shut up, West!" She barks at me but doesn't take her eyes off Bexley..
Bexley can obviously see her from the corner of his eye, but his focus remains on me.. Honey steps forward.. "Don't do this Flynn.. Please.."