In Love With the Manhunter

I floated in the water behind some cattails waiting for the signal. The night and brush giving me absolute cover. I saw two light come into view, which I knew were from mounted flashlights on rifle, as I went underwater the old sounds were muffled footsteps and the breathing come out of the mouthpiece that rang in my head. When I let out a breath a very small collection of bubbles squeezed out as I pushed myself through the murky water that was almost impossible to see in. Suddenly I felt someone tug on my leg. I drew my pistol aiming it at the person who was with me. I looked to see it was Eddie my brother not by blood but by adoption and by arms, “What the hell?” I asked angrily keeping my voice to a whisper.
“Eh cool it the major called in man.” Eddie said looking above us as we began to hear multiply footsteps muffled to a dull roar. He was in full military diving gear with holsters and pouches. All of the gear was a black color.
“I told you get me on the radio don’t come to my position. Now let's wait for the signal-” I was cut off when I went to leave and Eddie pulled me back down.
“No there is no more signal.” Eddie said again looking as as another muffled roar of boots pounding on metal sounded above us, “The major radioed in about his man on the inside, and the rest of Omicron squad getting compromised. Ryder were the only ones left man, and to top it off-” Eddie cut himself off as he pointed upward with his thumb as yet another roar of footsteps sounded above us, “They are on high alert, so it’s good big-”
“Or go home.” I finished the catchphrase me and Eddie had as we continued down the swamp until we hit a wall.
Eddie pulled out a canister with a very thin tube coming out of it as he placed the tube against the wall, “Oxy-thermic torch going hot.” Eddie warned as a bright light began to emanate were cut molten metal trying to be cooled by the water as bubbles rose hurriedly to the surface.
I tapped eddie on the shoulder as I pointed up seeing two shadows above, “Two tangos I got them. Mark?”
“Sync.” Eddie said as he continued to cut through the thick metal. I swam up to the surface drawing my pistol screwing on a black silencer to the pistol’s barrel. Before I broke the surface I squeezed the twice as two bodies fell into the murky water. I grabbed them quickly dragging them to the bottom next to Eddie. I placed them on the soft dirt ground as a light metal pop came from Eddie’s direction. I holstered my pistol drawing my SMG. I cocked the gun it letting out a muffled click as Eddie pointed at the circle he made. I nodded as he kicked it. The circle bucked as I began to feel a strong suction begin to suck me into toward the hole that was almost open. Eddie kicked it again as a hole busted in the room being flooded with water as Eddie and I rushed in as we saw guys rushing for an exit to get to some air. Eddie pulled off some rounds as he the men that were still alive stopped moving and floated there a red mist coming from their chests and heads. Eddie and I advanced going to door leading to the upstairs.
We began to hear talking as I placed my index finger over my mouth making sure Eddie would say quiet, “Let’s make this silent so we have less resistance on my mark.” I said as we waited, “Three.”
“We better not have another sewage leak in the barreks again.” someone said
“Two” I counted.
“Yeah after those two color group soilder somewhat and did escape I left all my stuff.”
“One” I counted
“Aw dude that sucks you save your xbox?-” The door opened.
“Mark!” I said as we jumped out of the water grabbing them pulled them under the water. They screamed and struggled, but the water muffled the gunfire also as we killed them pushing them away. Eddie and I got out of the water the mouthpieces retracting away letting us breath our own air, “Alright let’s find out where their keeping the rest of our squad and where the major’s man is.
“If their not dead already.” Eddie commented as he grabbed a guy slitting his throat with his bladed brass knuckles as he tossed him into the water shutting the door, “Alright let’s get to the communication room or the main base before they find those bodies, which does give us much time.”
“Agreed.” I said raising my MP7 extending the stock fully. I wrapped my hand around the gun’s grip following Eddie as he took out a cell phone, “Is this really the time?” I asked looking at him through the goggles, which I removed hanging them on my oxygen pack as they began to fog up.
“Shut up dickwad I not tweeting I’m getting a layout of the base so we don’t wander aimlessly for hours thank you very effing much.” Eddie said an angry look very slowly disappearing from his face, “Harbor taught me some of her hacking tricks.”
“You good at them?” I asked kneeling back to back with Eddie covering his six while he cover mine.
“Of course not she sat me down for five minutes and left me to do a hacking job of ten hours, so no not at at all. Hopefully it’s enough… Got it.” Eddie said as I got up ready to follow him, “Alright comms room that-a-way.” Eddie said as he rose his MP5 hitting the charging handle in place screwing a silencer into the short barrel of the gun, “Let’s move and keep it quiet.”
“I already said that to you!” I whispered yelled as I followed him getting up and turning around. As we continued down a flight of stairs we came to a window, “Layout wrong, out of date?” I suggested turning around looking down the long hallway and at the stairs.
“Nope.” He said before I heard the glass shatter and three silenced shots banged out, “We need to cut across the compound and through more water to the next compound.” Eddie said hopping out the smallish window.
I studied it, “Dickwad I can’t fit!” I whispered yelled looked at his head poking out of the bushes he was in.
“Take off your gear then and shove it through and then squeeze your fat ass though.” Eddie whispered as he continued.
“No! Dip shitit’s too small for either! Eddie… Eddie!” Eddie continued through the bushes and he jumped into the water, “God damn it.” I turned around walking down the hall and looking for a way out besides putting an explosive on something and blowing it. When I turned a corner a woman little more than half my size looked back at me. I tightened my grip on the MP7 as she went to grab her holstered pistol, “Don’t even think about it. I’m reptilion if you can’t tell I will be able to kill you five times over and walk away to safety well before I bleed out, and that’s if you pierce my body armor I have on. She went to grab her pistol, but I rushed forward tackling her ripping her pistol from the holster aiming my MP7 and her M1911 to her head.
She raised her hands as best as she could as she whimpered a bit, “Alright, Alright, Alright j-just don’t kill me.”
“Where are you keeping the rest of the New Tranquility soldiers?” I asked pressing the guns hard against the side of her head when she stayed silent.
“Uh uh the- the brig!” She answered quickly as her radio went off.
“Seven eight-two come in.” The radio emitted a static as the male voice finished
“Answer it. You try to sound irregular, try to call for help, or even think of doing anything like that I will paint these walls with your blood.” I said. I placed her pistol well out of her reach as I grabbed her radio.
I placed it to her face pushing on the button on the side as it let out a soft static, “Yes I’m here.” She said sweat forming on her face as I pressed the Mp7’s barrel harder on her temple.
“Can you please stop messing around and just get to your post next to the brig and tell the person there to meet me at the main headquarters.” He said as the radio let out a bit of static.
“Right a way sir,” she said as I turned the radio off.
I placed the radio on my belt and placed her pistol in a empty holster on my belt as I let her stand and place my MP7 on the back of her head.
“You're taking me there, again try to get help or draw attention to me or yourself I will kill you.” I said pushing her forward with my empty hand, “Move.” She began to walk I followed her glancing around for other enemies. We moved down some stairs and outside I tailed her as I moved to some brush making myself disappear, “I can still see you and gun you down continue.” I pointed out as I continued through the bushes keeping an eye on her and the other around. I tapped my wrist as it glowed a soft blue, “Eddie I’m on my way to the brig where the rest of our squad is and I think even the major’s inside man is meet me there I got a help you could say.” I said cutting the connection. I stopped as I saw her begin to unlock a door.
When she unlocked the door I saw her rush in beginning to scream something, “Sound the-” She was cut off when I squeezed the trigger the two bullets leaving the gun embedding themselves in the back of her head. She fell to the ground a small pool of blood forming around her head. I rushed into the building a man holding a pistol. I squeezed the trigger a bullet flying to his head as he pulled the trigger a bullet flying hitting me in the chest. Luckily the bullet did not go through the armor I had on wish I had on the outside so my diving suit was perfectly fine. Suddenly a man jumped out of a cell a knife in his hand. He had ripped the MP7 from my hands as his blade began to glow a soft red. (Thermo-blade!) I warned myself already feeling the heat from it as it was only inches from my face. I tried to push the blade away from my face, but the man had exo arms so he was easily overpowering me. However I was able to keep the blade away from my skull. Then a silent shot rang out and the man fell on my is eyes devoid of life, and a hole through his head. I pushed him off of me and got up picking up my gun. Suddenly a loud blaring siren exploded from everywhere.
“Not good!” I said looking at the shooter that help me.
Eddie stepped out of the shadows, “No thanks?”
“Eddie not the time let’s move, we will be swamed in minutes now run!” I said
Eddie pulled out his phone pointing at the metal stairs, “Last floor,” He said, “Cell block H, last cells on the left and right.” Eddie, and I sprinted down the stairs as we began to hear the stomping of feet above us, “Jump!” Eddie said as a rocket flew at us. We jumped over the railing as the rockt obliterated the stairs as we crashed into some widows a little way down. We hitting the ground our dull yellow oxygen tanks letting out a high pitched hiss.
Eddie and I got up with some groans, “Tanks are cracked. Dump them, they’re just dead weight.” I said as I took off the back harnice.
“What if we need to dive again?” Eddie asked a bit of worry in his voice.
“Then you better hold your breath.” I said as I continued down hallway looking for another way down, reluctantly dropped the tank following me. I came to a window that cracked. Suddenly I ducked into cover as a hailstorm of bullets hit the glass and things around me. The window shattered as I saw a black letter hastily painted on the stone to our left. The letter was a D, “Eddie we’re only on cell block D we have four more blocks to go, and I don’t see more stairs except the middle control room, however we have to go up to the top to access it, and that path is gone!” I pointed out blind firing the rest of the clip as I reloaded.
“Then the only way is down!” Eddie said as he jumped out the window we took cover behind as the firing let up a bit. I followed as Eddie fired a grappling hook hitting the middle metal spire in the middle. Eddie outstretched a hand to me. I did the same as we joined hands as we spun around the middle spire descending at a dangerous speed but it was better than what the other speed would be. We hit the ground rolling to our feet on the gavel ground. Eddie retracted is grappling hook as more bullets flew at us and we sprinted to the only cell block H entrance and exit. We dived in Eddie catching a bullet to his leg. The bullet flew in the back of his knee and it shattered his kneecap. I rolled to my feet where Eddie rolled on his side clutching his knee, “Agh! Ryder I don’t think I can walk with this go I will hold them off go!” Eddie ordered grabbing his gun, which fell next to him.
“No I’m not leaving you, let’s go.” I said as I picked him up putting him over my shoulder giving him a second pistol. “Cover me, I run you shoot.” I ran down the hallway as I began to hear boots stomping on gravel.
******
“Here’s the last cells-” I cut myself off as I saw the bloody cells. Blood was smeared on the walls body's lay there ripped apart.
“T-Th-They scourged them to d-death… Those bastards!” Eddie screamed as he fired twice ejecting the clips of the pistols as I put him down. When I looked down the hall we came from two new bodies lay there in a growing pool of their crimson blood. I slumped to the ground looking at the scene before me, “Ryder I need new clips I’m out… Ryder!” I didn’t respond as I began to hear more people approach us, “Ryder any time now!”
“Drop your weapons!” A man said as red lasers grew on me and Eddie .
“Ryder. Any. Time. Now. Would be fantastic.” Eddie said through gritted teeth.
I looked at them getting up. I drove a needle connected to a tube into my wrist as a bright orange liquid rushing into my bloodstream. I gritted my teeth my vision taking on a orange and red hue as I took out a large kukri knife. I gripped it tightly as I felt rage boiling in my blood. I rushed forward driving the large blade into a man’s head his eyes full of surprize as they had life stripped away from them. I twisted the blade as a loud crunch emitted as bone and flesh flew out from his head. A women shot me in the ribs, but the body armor held as I grabbed the pistol out of her hand. I drove the knife into her stomach lifting it down and away as I kicked her down throwing the blood stained usp pistol to Eddie as I threw the knife at another woman the blade lodging itself into her chest. I punched a man some of his teeth clacking against the wall as I threw my knee into his head a soft crack sounding from his neck. Eddie shot ten bullets in a blink of an eye ten people falling to the ground with holes in between their eyes. Before I knew to the hallway was clear.
Eddie got up shakily as he looked behind me, “Ryder look out!” He screamed as I felt something drivin into my back, however I felt nothing. I turned around to see a man holding bloodied knives. I grabbed his throat putting as much force as I could to choke him out. He swung the knife catching me on my face blood poured into my right eye. I gritted my teeth even hard as a loud snap echoed in my eyes as he dropped his knives to the ground his eyes glossing over. I began to feel pain rush through my body. I fell to the side as I looked at the packet that fell out of a pouch I had on my belt. The bag had harsh letters written across it, “Ryder, Ryder we got to go do you have more Maximus Hydra on you? We just have to-” Eddie was cut off a woman tackled him. I got to one knee as I tried to get up. I looked to see Eddie holding a knife away from his face as the woman tried to stab him. I fell to the ground as I tried to get up. I crawled over to him grabbing the woman’s backpack. On the back back I saw a bandolier of grenades on the backpack. I put my fingers through all the ten pins taking them from the grenades. The white spheres began to glow an orange as a loud buzzing came from them. Eddie kicked her off with his good leg as I grabbed his belt pulling him toward me. I rolled over him as a loud explosion erupted from behind us as another bone shattering pain erupted in my back as we rolled out of the hole. I fell to the ground howling in pain.
“Eddie you okay.” I barely said through my heavy spastic breathing as I tried to ignore the pain.
“Ryder on three.” he simply said.
“What are you-” I was cut off as he began to count down.
“Three, two!” Eddie said through gritted teeth as he pried something from my back. I let out a scream of agony as he tossed two very small metal poles to the side. Blood poured from my back and face. I tried to clean my face, but it just smeared the blood across my face. I got up on shakely as Eddie and I hobbled slowly through the swampy forest as we tried to get to the landing zone where their rescue would be from this planet would be. We got to the point, but there was no helicopter.
I looked down to my wrist to see a timer counting down, “Damn it were a minute and twenty to early.” I said as I heard growling. I stealthed my knife grabbing my MP7 checking the mag. I saw a few golden bullets in the mag I placed it back into the gun as I pointed at the bushes where I thought the growling was coming from. I fell to my knees as I felt a rush of dizziness hit me. I looked around my vision slow and lagging. I saw some big wolves come out their fur smeared with mud, “Dire wolves.” I blabbered out as I fell to the ground. I pushed myself up as Eddie and I were back to back.
“I have diconiquises over here.” Eddie said as I saw beasts cross of a scorpion, tiger, and a bear. There were three of them as the dire wolves and diconiquises began to box us in. I heard the sound of a gun’s mag being pulled out. Eddie let out a grumble as he tossed the gun to the ground taking out a pistol. Before I could do anything I was thrown off my feet and into a tree as I felt a cold pain rumbling in the back of my head as I saw the dire wolves pounce on Eddie as my vision blurred into one grey color.
******
Suddenly I heard the noise of someone walking toward my bed. Their footsteps punctuated by a clinking. I was a bit groggy from being pulled from my nightmares. I felt around the underside of my bed to grip a pistol. When I cracked my eye open I saw a dark figure coming toward me. Images flew through my head from the murder, to an enemy soldier, to Eddie’s. I cocked back the hammer of the pistol tightening my grip around the gun. When I saw the figure draw within arms reach I shot up grabbing the figure’s throat. I gritted my teeth in anger as I placed the pistol against the figure’s head. My mind was still in the dreamscape as I saw the figure transform into the enemy soldier from Harmony Ark. But then my mind caught up to the real world as I saw the soldier transform back into Jessica. Her magenta eyes were full of fear. My mind went from firing on all cylinders of anger to nothing. I let her go and dropped the pistol. My mouth opened and closes, but no words came out. When I released her she dropped to her knees coughing, “Jessica I- I-” I couldn’t even explain myself as she looked at me as if I was a vicious monster. I got up trying to get some type of explanation out, “Jessica I didn’t- I didn’t mean to-”
“What is wrong with you?!” Jessica asked a bit sheepishly, but still held her ground. The silver nightgown she was wearing shining in the light that barely made it into the room
“What isn’t wrong with me?” I murmured out finally getting my voice back, “I didn’t mean to attack you, but my mind was in the bad times were I was cornered. Now I know that’s not really an excuse, but you can’t imagine what I’ve gone through. I have had things given to me only to have them ripped away from me, be it love or family. I’m probably jinxing it, but it’s a fucking miracle that I haven’t had my friends and hell even Zero taken from me.” I said looking at the ground sitting on the side of my bed. I ficked on the lamp in my bedroom giving the room some light.
“Then why don’t you just tell someone what you’ve been through?” Jessica asked getting up coming a bit closer to me, but I could tell she was keeping her distance.
“It’s not that simple. Just me telling someone isn’t going to bring the people back, telling on someone isn’t going to undo what has been done. Nothing will unless you can bend time,” I said matter-a-factly, “I’m not the person for expressing feelings unless totally necessary even then I don’t really like to. Unless something can be done about it what’s the point, all I know is to hold on and hunt down those responsible, but that can’t happen. For example Eddie I would happily put a round through his head, but I can’t.” I looked at her to see she was sort of appalled at what I was saying, “I know this murdering, and revenge stuff is new to you and all, but you have got to get use to it. For all I know Eddie is waiting to kill me in my sleep. So that’s why I have weapons at all times. It’s why I wear armor most of the time. Unlike Eddie, Strip- I mean Rachel, and you can wear actual clothes and sort of relax. I can’t. I know someone or something is just waiting for me to let my guard down before it kills me.” I said a small yawn escaping my throat.
“But why is that? Why are you have this paranoia? I don't think anyone would hurt you unless they have a reasonable-”
I cut her off know what she would say, “Reason?” I chuckled, “I have been hunted, stalked, trailed, followed, shot at, punched, kicked, clawed, bitten, and almost killed manies times by things without a ‘reason’. Like I said you need to get use to this stuff. I’m my line of work… No in the world you will be in around me you need to defend yourself. In my world the man selling you a drink may have it tainted with something, or the woman who is asking you to take her home has a grenade in her purse. So my so called ‘paranoia’ is perfectly valid. You have to be.” I trailed off remembering the death of my girlfriend who was mere second from rather saying yes or no, “You know that story I told you of one of Eddie’s men killing my to be wife?” I asked my tone a little unsteady.
“Yes.” she simply said searching my face to understand what I was truly asking.
“That man you butchered her was the same person who I bought the ring from. How about I let that sink in for a while.” I said anger slowly creeping into my voice as my vision blurred a bit as I beat back some tears, “Every time I let my guard down someone suffers because of it.”
“I- I-” that was all Jessica could say as she took in what I said.
“I have been through hell and back multiple times, and I was the one being burned constantly rather it being arrested or losing something. So call me a cynic, a psychopath, fuck it call me a paranoid little bitch, but don’t you dare say I don’t have evidence to be so. Until you have been through what I have and honestly say everything's fine I won’t change my outlooks on anything or anyone.” I said the tears disappearing my mind and body favoring rage to anything.
“You say that and I only know of one instance. Other somewhat including myself will say say you're a psychopath and that's it, but if you were to tell me or others what wrong maybe they will change their outlook on you-”
I cut her off once again knowing she wants to think people will take the peaceful route, “Once again I’ll tell you it’s not that simple. Like with you and May it is not a simple as a misunderstanding it was planed, and you and I got set up.” I said ager slowly bubbling up in me.
“No that’s not true she’s my older sister she wouldn’t.” she said seeming to be honestly hurt by my accusation.
“Yes she would hwo do you think your parents got that letter you mysteriously wrote? It’s not just some fucking coincidence you were setup to fall like I was. Just because you know someone be it family or friends you can’t trust anyone,” I said getting up, “You need to get it through your skull it’s not all singing animals and rainbows out here. It’s a battleground where survival of the fittest is a game people play regularly for fun!” I said a bit louder than I would have liked.
She looked at me tears coming to eyes, “She wouldn’t we loved each other.”
“That’s nothing I’ve been stabbed in the back literally by lovers for two effing credits… Two!” I said pointing to my spine which had been replaced by a robotic one. It was both in and out of my grey scaled skin, “I am not going to lose another person from my weaknesses. I have lost too much to lose more. I having nothing to lose, but at the same time I having everything to lose. Look at me and Eddie for a fucking example. The bastard kill our parents, my brother and sister, my girlfriend, and my closest friend. You tell me if that a good enough example of family stabbing you in the back.”
Zero appeared on the pedestal in my room looking at use with a confused, but concerned look, “What’s going on?”
I looked at her my eyes burn with a cold unforgiving fury, “I was just explaining to my guest here how thing run in this fucked up galaxies.” I said venom dripping from my words as I began to put on my black jump suit and armor on.
As my chest peice locked into place Jessica ran out sobbing a bit as Zero looked at me with some disgust, “What did you tell her? What did you do?” She asked angrily
“I told her what basically happened to me and how her sister probably set her up and set me up. How I get burned, shot, stabbed, and beaten fro my weakness. How to survive in these accursed worlds she has been dragged into.” I snapped placing on my helmet the two glowing crimson eyes looking back at me the helmet hiding my face completely, “I’m going for a walk.” I growled as I walked out of the room.
“Shadow get back here!” Zero ordered harshly venom dripping from her words.
“Why should I.” I growled back looking at her.
“She’s not like you! She hasn't been through what you have! She hasn’t been battle hardened like you have!” Zero screamed at me.
“Then she better step up and learn quickly this isn’t a jolly stroll through a park. It’s a trudge through a battlefield she will not survive if she acts like she does.” I barked back beginning to walk out the door. She tried to follow me, and even jumped into my helmet into the chip I had in it, but when she began to speak I took the chip out throwing it across the room, “She will not die on my watch.” I muttered under my breath as I exited the ship my boots thumping against the metal. When I hit the hanger’s metal the ship’s ramp retracted, and I saw all the eyes of the very few workers on me. It seemed even the early time of the ice storm they some of them still toiled on, “What.” I said more than asked as they all continued what they were doing. I walked down the hanger to the shield leading out to the ice blue and black abyss, and I stepped out into it.