by A McKay
The other two tried to stab Slade with their stingers but they too were killed moments later, his speed faster than they could swing. He then was ordered to wait where he was until the clean up team arrived. He stayed awake that night and soon the sand picked up and helicopters appeared.
He looked at Zach, when his eyes re-opened, harder this time to open then before. The pain in his stomach stopped in the clenching now it was just sore, as if he did around a thousand sit-ups.
“How?”
“How, what,” Slade asked?
“How can this be, the agency, the creatures, the “he took his hand and put it up flat and wiggled it with making the “oo-ee-oo-ee,” sound.
“The agency is good at what they do; they have never failed.”
“Okay, but why did you run from them, if they are so good, how do you think you can escape from them.”
He recapped the story, and realized that he just rambled about his first kill, a kill for the agency that he regretted now. “I had another mission, a mission to kill a clan of creatures living in the Kettle Moraine.”
Zach jolted the wheel and then regained control. “What,” he took a breath, “my Kettle Moraine.”
“Yes, your Kettle Moraine.” He looked at him his eyes bulging but clearly waiting to hear the story. “I was asked to find this clan, or you could say Kingdom.”
“A kingdom, how, I mean really how could they hide a big thing like that.”
“The ice age center.”
“The ice age center,” Zach squeaked out. “How in the hell?”
“The ice age center is actually as big as that whole area. I could see it with the glasses, I could see the creatures all around there, and I could see the creatures that blended in the trees. The kingdom was protected by harpies, they were cruel creatures but they were killed, I led the attack, the agents struggled with them, but I snuck into the kingdom, as they fought the harpies. I walked through a door that was a secret doorway to the vast kingdom.
I killed anything that looked at me. The fairies ran, they did not attack, they tried to hide, but I could see them, I could see where there tracks went. I was told that these fairies were the disgusting version of them. I saw them for who they were, they weren’t ugly they were more beautiful than angels. Their wings glittered, their blood dripped crimson that seem to sparkle whatever it hit. The blood seemed to grow the ground around them. It didn’t take long for me to reach the castle where the king sat in his throne waiting for me. He yelled at me. He asked me why would I do this, why would I fight alongside a group that was trying to open a gate for demons. Before the fairy could speak anymore, before he could lie to me anymore,” Slade took a deep breath reliving that worse killing he ever committed. “I slit his throat and the entire kingdom withered away with him.”
“What made you believe him?” Zach asked sensing the pain that rolled off of Slade like smoke from a cigarette.
“Well I didn’t, well not at first.” He looked out the window. “The captain, captain Robertson, he pulled me into his office for a meeting, and asked what I thought about what the fairy told me. Of course I told him what he wanted to hear.”
“But you knew,” Zach said
“Yes, otherwise why would the captain be so worried and try to convince me that it was false?”
“So you escaped, and now your old boss is trying to kill you.”
“Yes,” he said barely able to keep his eyes open.
“Let me guess they can track you from anywhere, they have connections.”
“Yeah, my guess was they were watching you, waiting for me to show up.”
“Great, where the hell are we supposed to go?”
“To the cabin”
“The cabin, I haven’t been there, well since you left.”
“I know, but I have been.” Slade steadied his breathing, knowing it would be hell trying to take the agency down. “I’ve created a lodestone barrier around it.”
“Lodestone?”
“Yes, you see if you position them just right you can make things disappear from satellites, and even from eyes, you could say a force field. You won’t know it is there until you are in it.”
“Won’t they know that a place just disappeared on their map?”
“I hope not, but even if they travel the land, the magnetic fields push out so much, that it even makes you turn direction, and you usually end up walking around it, but make you feel like you’re walking straight.”
“We will be there by sun up, get some rest brother.” Zach said seeing how tired Slade’s eyes were and drugged.
Slade turned over and laid there his eyes trying to watch the outside but soon they were closed and he drifted into unconsciousness.
3
Slade woke up his heart pounding, the sweat dripping from his body. It took a moment to realize why his body felt sore and tired. The wood panels went around the room proving he was in the cabin. The ceiling was low with white tiles that reminded him of being back in an old school building. The regular stained wood panels were just flat pieces placed on the wall.
He could feel his three hundred and fifty pounds sink against his bones, preventing him from getting strait up. He had a bead of sweat forming on his baldhead that dripped off when he turned his head to look at the IV that was in his arm. He couldn’t tell if it was just for hydration or if Zach put some kind of anti-drug liquid in it. He squinted at the window seeing the light was showing it was about noon. He saw gauze and tape on the table next to the IV. He took a deep breath readying to pull the needle out of his main vein. With the other-hand, he pulled the needle out, the blood oozed out, as he quickly put pressure on the open vein to stop the bleeding.
Slade slowly stepped out of the bed sitting up in agony and weakness. He took a deep breath crunching his size eighteen feet on the carpet and started to stand. Only being a little wobbling he stood straight up to stretch his hands touching the ceiling that were just less than ten feet in height. They made the cabin extra tall for Slade but it still was reachable for him.
He stepped out of the room onto the cool floor and looked at the fireplace and then the kitchen. Left over steak was left on the counter. He grabbed the pieces and ate them, tasting the venison grit in his mouth, coughing a little bit, as the food was dry. Zach never was a good cook. As boys that went, camping together Slade always did the cooking on the fire.
His mouth was as dry as the desert it seemed. He needed water; with the need, he grabbed a cup. He quickly poured some in his cup from the sink. He now was sure happy they decided on the well, maybe not then, but now, feeling stronger from the refreshing well water. Instead of jugs that they couldn’t stop and pick up anyways, he took another gulp. He coughed again, clearing his lungs from overdrinking the cold liquid. Something was different though; the water seemed more lively more tasteful than before. Maybe it was just from the well not being used.
His gut wrenched as he looked around and didn’t see any signs of Zach. The cold venison was there but how old was it, maybe Zach left it before he left. Zach did set up an IV for him. Maybe he didn’t want to see Slade after all.
He looked at the birds eating from the bird feeder that hung straight out from the sliding doors. The birds weren’t even close to be disturbed; it was as if he could feel the free care in the world. Suddenly a loud bang went off, that snapped him back in reality. He ran out the door not grabbing any pants or shirts, just in his briefs in the middle of the northern woods to the sound. He got around the corner of the cabin where Zach was walking back, his pistol on his side, and a rabbit in the other hand.
Zach stared at Slade, eyeing him from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, stopping only a second at Slade’s midsection. “About time you woke up, but what were you going to do whip me to death with certain body parts?”
“How long was I out,” Slade rubbed a hand on his face feeling the coarse hair of a beard growing.
“About a week.”
“A week,” He tried
to put the time in his head, and raised an arm to smell his own armpits. They reeked but only of a day or so. “I don’t smell of a week.”
“Yeah,” A horrid expression hit Zach face, “thank god you woke up, tonight would have been another sponge bath.”
“I don’t remember a thing after we switch seats.”
“That’s good; I am the only one that is scarred from seeing you naked then. Well maybe not if we stay out here in your boxers.” Slade almost smiled with a laugh, until a sound of a plane broke the natures sound. They both glanced up, and thought it had to be a warden checking on the park, probably due to the gunshot.
***
After they ate the rabbit stew and of course after Slade got dressed in his black pants, boots and blank tank top he felt revived. He even got to take a warm shower rinsing the rest of the sleep off of him.
The injections not controlling his life any more, he had control of his own fate, something he knew he would never get with the agency. True the agency was hunting for him, and yes, they would find him. Right now, he didn’t give a fuck.
Slade walked over to a section of the floor that was under the coffee table. First, moving the table and lifted a hatch to a secret hiding place that Slade put in on one of his secret trips to the cabin.
“That wasn’t there before?” Zach said more of a question then a statement.
“I told you I’ve been here since I left you.” Slade pulled out a black case. Nothing looked unusual about it, pretty much a safe on wheels. A case that they use to use on missions to carry their firearms to keep them looking a usually tourist. Zach usually had his rifle in parts and Slade would have his rifle in there in addition. When they went on missions for the military, they used them. Zach was the head sniper and Slade was his spotter, never getting in trouble that they couldn’t handle.
“You should have said you brought house warming gifts, why do I have a feeling those are bigger than my pistol.” Zach’s face changed again to somewhat of a sour face, like a baby, “we could be eating bear.” Slade sat back down on the couch pulling the coffee table back in place. He put the number code in, the latches popped open. Zach’s eyes watched the case and tried to appear over the side like a kid getting a present at Christmas.
“May I reunite you with your rifle?” Slade asked, probably surprising Zach that he brought back an old friend.
“This is where we get told to go to some place from the commander and kill a leader.” Zach said as Slade pulled out the parts for a Remington 700 super magna rifle with an array of snap on scopes that Zach used for his sniper missions. Zach looked like he was about to cry. Slade continued to pull out guns, one was his favorite, and Zach’s most hated gun. A look alike, KRISS super V.45 ACP, but Slade like them, Slade then pulled out parts for a browning semi automatic thirty ought six with a ten times zoom scope.
“What is that?” Zach asked.
“The rifle?” Slade asked starting to put the guns together, not realizing what he was looking at.
“No the thing that looks like an Uzi but a different type of sub machine gun.”
“My new toy,” all Slade got was rolled eyes as they stared at the gifts in front of us. Zach realized he wasn’t going anywhere with that, so he finally got to ask something that was bugging him for a week.
“Why so many blades?”
“To make sure they are dead.” Slade got up and walked to his belt that had his knives. He refastened the blades to his body. He put two on his belt, one on the back, and another in his boot. He knew he didn’t need them now, but he slept better knowing he could kill anything that went bump in the night. He looked outside and saw that night came fast and his body was ready for another sleep. “I’m going to bed, tomorrow we can begin.”
“Begin what,” Zach asked.
“Fighting through hell.” Slade didn’t wait for an answer. “It is time for you to learn that hell is among us now.”
“So its bed then?” Zach said getting up and walking to one side of the room closing the door gently. Slade couldn’t believe how well Zach was taking it. Just like Zach was, Slade would be there when he cracked; hopefully it was after they killed the agency.
***
They were outside by mid-morning after some breakfast, and the fog left the land. Slade was surprised how well his body recovered. It was time to start Zach’s training, and for Slade to re-teach his muscles after being asleep for a week.
A trail was just outside of the cabin that did a complete circle, about five miles in length that was perfect to see how the muscles would react. They started to walk the trail, Zach mocking on the slowness they were going. “Such hard training.” A smartass comment came from Zach.
“Your right, my legs seem healed let’s see how they react to a jog.” Slade lead the way through the trail, a trail with bogs, and logs that blocked the path. His lungs expanded taking in more air, more energy. He could feel his muscles begging for more, and Slade only knew one way to give it. He picked up his speed, the trees started to blend into each other. More energy exploded through him and he couldn’t believe how incredible it was. It felt like his muscles were orgasmic finally meeting a deep need.
This need he recognized from prior experiences. The feeling that drove him into the training his father gave him. The need that fed his army days, the fire that led him to the agency. The fire that now exploded as he ran through the woods. It was a sensation that the injections never gave him.
Before long, he was back at the cabin his body shaking with adrenaline and energy he got from the run. His body begged for more. He usually worked out, but he couldn’t remember ever running that fast.
He could hear Zach from behind leaning on his legs. “Let us begin your training.” Slade already recovered from the intense run.
Zach was panting like a dog, his tongue even hanging out; spitting fluid that he couldn’t swallow anymore. His body was more out of shape than Slade was. Zach was only six feet tall and skinny with muscles well defined but the run proved he hadn’t run for a long time. Zach still gasping for air he said “I,” another gasp, “take it,” he tried to straighten his back, “you feel better.” The energy it took him to say that was too much. He collapsed to the ground on his back.
Slade waited a few moments, until it sounded like Zach got most of his breathing under control before he spoke. “Let’s begin; first we will fight, than you will learn about the creatures.”
“I don’t know what they taught you at the agency but I still can make the big guys fall. You know what they say the bigger you are the harder you fall.”
“Prove it, little man.” Slade stood angled to Zach, his hands on his side.
“Fine,” was all he said, not caring if Slade just recovered? It surprised Slade for a second on how fast Zach could still move, his arm flying his fist coming fast. It didn’t matter though Slade still was faster, and more trained. He dodged the right hook, and in several steps, Zach was in a rear chokehold. If he wanted too he could of snapped his neck right there, and game over.
“You call that a hit,” Slade yelled to Zach hoping to anger him. He knew Zach had to have rage from the past week, and he wanted to see it. Zach shoved forward in a disgraceful manner to the ground. Zach took his shirt off, and Slade followed suit, throwing their shirts to the side.
“Okay, so you are better than I thought,” Zach said.
“Never underestimate your opponent.” Slade said knowing that was why he advanced so much in the agency.
From sun up to sun down, three days straight they fought. Zach was eventually able to stay on his feet from the fight. Slade knew it was going to be hard, but Zach was a fighter and would never admit defeat. The last fight on the third night something changed in his brother.
His movements became more fluid, he was becoming an assassin like Slade became. They thought they were assassins being snipers, but that training was nothing to what they had to go through now.
Zach came in fast, way close, where Slade could
grab him and wear him down by his pure mass. Zach knew that and for the first time Zach was able to miss the giant’s hands and jumped in the air. Slade could see only a shadow for a second. A second that made two legs came up and he kicked with both feet against Slade’s stomach.
Slade went flying back, his feet not holding him. Zach was able to do a back spring and landed on his feet, crouched, his hand down in front of him and his other hand up in the air to the side. Slade flew hard and hit a tree.
The tree exploded on impact as Slade lay limped against the tree. The tree tumbled forward making Zach dive to the side. Slade was slouched against the tree trunk not moving.
Zach shook his head clear of the moves he just did and rushed towards limp body. “Slade, Slade, are you okay, I don’t know what happened, something just struck me and I knew where to kick.” A kick that so powerful had to take most if not all of his anger out.
Slade head rolled to the side and looked up to Zach. “I think you just passed.”
The next day Slade taught Zach every creature he came across and some that he didn’t. He didn’t say anything back and just took in all the new information.
Night came and Zach finally spoke up, “Why.”
Slade knew what the why was for, he needed to amend this now, or they wouldn’t be able to connect as they use too. “I was stupid, I saw a new adventure.” Slade took a breath; he needed to give Zach more. “I couldn’t live in a town that thought my father was a drunk, he wasn’t. He just liked to go to the bar and what not. I was afraid if I stayed in the small town, I would turn to be like him, a drunk.”
“Your father wasn’t a drunk, he was my dad’s partner, and they did everything together, like we do. Do you know what my father said on his death bed?”
Slade took a breath, he wondered since they started the training why Zach didn’t mention his dad. It wasn’t because he was worried for his protection from Slade. It was because his father died as well. Slade shook his head, not being able to speak, a ball formed in his throat.