No hero

A very short, sort of darker story.

No Hero.

My name isn’t Important. What is; is that I’ve done horrible things. I’ve betrayed my country. I’ve betrayed my friends. My comrades. The love of my life. That’s why I’m where I’m at right now. Falling to my watery grave. The crashing waves and the jagged rocks below. I deserve this place as a final resting place. I’m sure however, you’re wondering what I’ve done to make me deserve such a fate…well…that story, begins five years ago….

            Friday, September 24^th 2018, five years and two days before T.O.M.B. (Taking Of Monument Building)

My morning ritual started the same time it normally did. Alex, my best friend and the best Black Ops sniper in the unit, woke me up with a Trumpet to the ear. Thankfully, since I was an artillery operator half the time, loud sounds never scared me. And it barely woke me up. Although the ear plugs I wear to bed probably helped. I smiled and looked up to him and was met with a surprise. Not only was it Alex but everyone in the unit, including Copper, our commander. They were clearly up to something. I asked what was going on. A bit of a mistake. I found myself outside in my boxers. Despite it being six in the morning, it was already seventy degrees out. I looked around. Everyone had these large…boarder lining creepy smiles on their faces. Two rookies in the unit moved aside and revealed Jennifer. The communications expert of the unit, and my wife. It was frowned on to be married to someone else in the military, but we never made the mistake of looking out for each other more than anyone else. She was holding something. A cake. “Crap” I thought to myself. She had remembered my birthday. Being 30 years old I really didn’t want to have to deal with this today. I just shrugged it off. I stood up and walked over and grabbed her knife from her waist. I cut several slices and we all enjoyed it. I wasn’t much of a cake person…but I’d rather deal with this semi boring wakeup call than to deal with gun fire like a week ago. B******s.

            Now would be a good time to tell you about what we’re doing here on the coast of Japan. Well, we’re assisting the Japanese in fighting The Brotherhood. The Brotherhood was born when some exiled or fleeing leaders from various countries came together and put their fucked up little minds together. They managed to brainwash a few people into fighting for them. And from those few thousand people, they began to grow. Within a few months, their army had grown to over half a million strong. They began their attack on the countries of the world. Taking out the less protected and smaller areas first. It was after the third area of Africa was taken over that the U.N. stepped in. They started counter attacks, but these men…these leaders of The Brotherhood and former leaders…they knew everything. Every formation and weak spot of a country. They were maniacal and battle ready geniuses. They had tactical advances. They operated from Tunguska, a city in Russia where a nuclear reactor had gone critical. A small town in the wilderness, they are undisturbed there. It was nearly impregnable.

            Anyways, back to my birthday. It had been several weeks since we had taken back the Japanese southern coast. After the cake was finished and my new night vision scope Alex got for me was installed, I got changed and walked out of my tent. I took the moment to look around. This unit, REBEL UNIT ONE-THIRTY FOUR, this was my family. Japanese, Americans, Africans, Australians, Germans, Canadians…our list went on. Over one hundred people in the unit. Each ready to lay their life on the line for their personal freedom and take down the biggest threat to the planet. “Move out everyone, we’re engaging today. Taking back the upper coast.” Copper called out. We began our march. Leaving the Rookies to pack up and join us later. I used an AR-15. Not the best choice when out in front so I was a scout. Jennifer was behind me. She had a comm tap. A device able to intercept communications on any frequency. Jennifer suddenly stops me. She slowly lowers her hand and points forward. I drop to my stomach and look through my scope. It’s a bit difficult to get it even in the sand, but I managed. “Two clicks west, up in that small tree. See him?” Jennifer asked. I nodded and took perfect aim…until I saw it. He was merely a scout. A convoy was approaching the coast. By the looks, it wasn’t an offensive one. It was defensive. That’s when I saw it; a small black limousine was in the middle of the convoy. I radioed to Jennifer and the others. “Visual confirmation confirmed. High profile target sighted. Awaiting I.D now.” Jennifer’s voice whispered over the radio. “Eighty-six that ID and terminate target. Repeat; terminate target once you get the shot. Is that clear?” Copper commanded over the radio. I confirmed that I understood and took aim. I waited and waited. The convoy came to a stop and quickly the surrounding area was covered in troops. The Leader Genova, of the Russian branch stepped out of the limo. I took aim and waited. I had a clear shot. The wind was going about five miles an hour to the south, towards my target. I took the shot. I don’t remember much after that. A few images here and there. I hit him that much I’m sure of. But, aside from that, I remember an explosion. People yelling in several languages. And a searing pain in my chest. Then blackness. I awoke a week later…chained to a wall.

            Friday, October 1^st, 2018, four years and three hundred fifty days until T.O.M.B.

The chains were around my ankles. I looked around but couldn’t see much. It was too dimly lit. I heard some whispering from above me. I couldn’t really understand what they were saying. I called out, and immediately the voices stopped. I heard rapid footsteps approaching. I was prepared. A man entered the room and covered my head with a sack. When the bag was removed I was in a room full of guards. There was another man in the room. He, like the one I had shot a week earlier was dressed in a black and red robe. A Lieutenant in The Brotherhood. “You killed my comrade. If you had been anyone else you’d be dead. But its you. The infamous man we heard about.  Able to lie to the president of the United States and the U.N. and not break your story for years. The type of man to take a secret to the grave. I like that. I am Blood. Leader of the West African branch of The Brotherhood, and second in command. My friend, you look uncomfortable. Please, allow my guards to remove your restraints.” Blood motioned to his guards to let me go. 

“You see…I’m in a bit of a bind. Your president isn’t being very…agreeable with my terms of surrender. And is intent on us having to try and take the U.S. East or West coast by force. Now, this is next to impossible I’m sure you’re aware, but a full scale attack on the U.S would cost brothers and American soldier lives. We need someone to infiltrate the White House, and take the president’s life in a quick painless fashion. And you would be perfect. I don’t want to see anyone else die in the name of revolution. Here’s where you come in. You owe me a life. I can take yours. Or you can help me take down the most powerful adversary The Brotherhood has. If the U.S. falls to us, the rest of the world will soon follow. What do you say?” Blood asked, moving his hand outward. I looked at him and grinned. I ran at him, and grabbed the knife from his side and held it at his throat. I was surrounded by guns immediately.

“I could gut you now.” I told him.

“Could have. Probably should have. The fact you didn’t though, shows you’re interested in my offer.” Blood said with a smirk. I dropped the knife and the guards around me put their guns down. I have to admit, I did consider the idea.

“Ok…I’ll make you a deal Blood. I want rebel unit one thirty-four spared. And I want to be the one to imprison and have the call on what they are fed, and how they are treated.” I stretched my hand out to shake his, but he pulled his hand away.

“You’re in no position to be making demands, friend.” Blood glared at me.

“True, but you wouldn’t have kept me alive, or told me your intentions if you believed, or even your leader believed that you could do it yourself. Let me guess; you tried multiple times to breach the coast but never could?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Blood slowly nodded his head. “Exactly, so I want those needs met. And we have to do this my way.” Again, I stretched my hand out to seal the agreement.

“Deal.” Blood stretched his out and shook mine. I felt a cold, eerie feeling crawl up my spine.

“First, we need to get you the proper train in blood weapons and battle strategies. I’d prepare myself; your life is about to pas through every layer of hell.” Blood told me with the coldest stare I’ve ever seen. And he was right. I was escorted to my room. My confiscated attire was there. Even my blood soaked jacket. They really had the notion I would stay true to my word. And I would. I guess they knew why the unit was called REBEL unit. We all went AWOL and abandon our country assigned teams. So they started a unit for just us, and it worked out just fine. But still…my problem was working under the president of the U.S, and that’s exactly who we worked for. A part of me really did want to kill him. The part that didn’t knew that the small uprisings as The Brotherhood took over would cost lives too. I lied down in my bed. Surprisingly comfy. I thought about the future to come. I awoke the next morning…dazed and confused. I swore to myself I had fallen asleep in the bed they had provided me, but I found myself in a room full of other people. I was the only one lying on the ground. I stood up and looked around. I felt some snap against my back. My skin felt like it was on fire. I felt blood begin to trickle down my back. I turned to see a woman standing there. Her uniform was different than everyone else’s. Including mine. Someone had dressed my while I was asleep.

“What’s going on here?” I asked everyone. No one responded. The woman hit me in the side of the face with the whip she had hit me with a second ago. My cheek was split open.

“You are in the training hall. And you are the new pet of Blood. I don’t care if you were the pet of Slayer himself, you are mine.” The woman said in a thick Russian accent. I looked at the other people’s faces. They were smirking at me.

“Screw this; I’m going back to bed.” I told her as I began to walk out. I heard the air begin to whistle as the whip began to make its return to me. I turned and put up my arm. The whip end wrapped around it. I pulled on it and forced her over to me. As she stumbled forward, I elbowed her in the jaw, knocking her to the ground. I put my foot on her chest and held her there.

“You really have to come up with new tricks, cause that one got old really fast. Like I said; I’m done in this training. I'm thinking my training far out ranks yours.” I told her as I let her stand.

“Quite right you arte my friend. However; disarming your opponent won’t always work. People like Ms. Minka here, will always have the flame of battle in their bellies. As do you my friend that is why, you must kill or be killed.” A man said stepping out of the shadows. Everyone in the room stood at attention.

“You must be the man in charge.” I asked.

“I am. My name used to be Carlsland. Ex-president of the United States; Victor Carlsland. You may call me Slayer. And your about to become a rug.” He told me pointing behind me. I turned in time to bare dodge Minka’s knife. Someone threw me a knife but I didn’t need it. I didn’t intend on killing her. She did. She charged at me, flailing the knife wildly. I took this time to note, that she had little to no training in hand to hand combat. That was to prove to be her downfall. I Grabbed her knife wielding hand’s wrist and broke it. For her to be a drill Sargent in The brotherhood she was very frail. She kicked me in the stomach and cracked her wrist. Apparently, she doesn’t break easily. I tried to move, but felt a pain in my stomach. I looked down to notice a tiny cut in me abdomen. I looked down at her shoes. She had small blades studded throughout the soles of her shoes. I should have guessed. She smirked, and stood on her hands. She walked on her hands towards me at a surprising rate. She spun her legs at me, cutting into me with every rotation. I swept the ground with my foot, and managed to knock her off balance. She stood up and walked over to me. I was down on one knee when she reached me, I hadn’t had enough time to stand back up.

“I told you; you must have killer instincts. She is merely a pawn. As are you. I can afford to lose pawns.” Slayer told me. I picked up the knife Minka had dropped earlier. The floor…it was slick from my blood. I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I readied the knife and waited. When she was within range, I shut my eyes, and used all the force I could muster to spin myself around. I did four full 360’ rotations. Each time, I felt the knife slice through something. After the fourth rotation, I stood up and opened my eyes. Minka was dead. Her internal organs were sprawled into a pile on the floor. Her gutless corpse was next to it. I looked around to get a feel for what I had just done. Everyone but Slayer stared at me in awe.

“You are captured after killing one of my brothers. You are spared out of the kindness of Blood’s heart. You come in here, make one of my best instructors look like an amateur, killing her in the process…where have you been this entire war?” Slayer asked me.

“On the other side. I have to say; if I can do stuff like this more often, I think I’ll stay on this side. I liked how that felt.” I told him.

“Then stay with me my Rook. You may very well become my Knight one day. You must first purge the kind hearted, “let’s you live” side of yourself. And instead allow the blood of the killer you are seep into your mind. Let it destroy your reasoning and leave only orders, and survival.” He told me, gripping my shoulders tighter and tighter.

“I…I will. However I want one promise from you. “ I told him.

“And that would be?” He asked.

“I’ll kill the President no problem, but I want to be the one; to hang a Brotherhood flag on top on the White House.” I told him. He smiled, and escorted me out of the room. I was to take Minka’s place. And for the next few years, I would be trained as a killer.

            Thursday, April 15^th, 2022, two days before T.O.M.B

I was in. I had been the past year. I guess Brotherhood training typically took five years to complete. I was done in three, and had sworn allegiance to The brotherhood. I played by my own rules though, which Slayer, The Brotherhood’s grand leader, was completely ok with. It had been over a year since I infiltrated the white house. The cover up story? I had broken out of a Brotherhood prison center, and taken the lives of two leaders while I was at it. It was believable. I was “sent” out my last day of training. I was dropped into the sea, and I washed up on the U.S. east coast. I was taken in. After taking a year of R and R, I was called back to duty. But this time, as a Secret Service agent. I guess that killing two of the leaders of the world’s greatest threat could give you that kind of reputation. I was trained and entered. And best yet, I was the president’s personal guard.

“Hey, wake up. You ok? Do I need to worry about you and the re-election?” Sam asked.

“No Mr. President. Sorry I was a bit concerned. I always get this way in these public speaking, you know what I mean?” I asked him.

“Yeah, I suppose I do. You killed the Brotherhood’s best leaders though. I trust you with my life.” The President said to me. I smirked and looked away. I found it ironic that he trusted me with the very thing I would be stealing from him. We arrived at the Washington Monument. We exited the car, and walked up to the preset stage. I stood to the right of the President as he began his speech. An hour went by, and finally the speech was over.

“Sir that was a good speech.” I was lying through my teeth.

“Thank you. I thought so too. Well, it’s been a long day. I’m heading back home. Is that fine with you?” He asked me.

“Yes sir. It’s your call though. I’m just your bodyguard.” I told him. He looked at me and frowned.

“I have something to share with you. I’m happy, and disappointed I have to tell you this. Your unit from a few years ago; was recently all but wiped out. I believe only two people were spared. Jennifer and Louise Copper.  Both of which have just recently completed the training to become Secret Service agents. And I have taken the liberty of assigning them to my guard detail along with you.” The President looked at me sadly as he spoke. I looked down in disbelief. Only two of my friends were left? I was right. The Brotherhood was weak. They didn’t have the guts to kill them all. I’m happy they spared my wife, but I could have done without Copper. Oh well. I figured it was meant to be. I escorted the President back to the White House and to his room. I waited outside the room for the shift change. You don’t image the leader of the “Free World” to be such a horny b*****d. The two hours before my shift change were always awkward. I’d normally just tune everything out. The time went by slowly as it normally did. Finally my shift change came, and I went to my apartment. I hadn’t been through the door more than a minute when my Skype began to chime. I checked my laptop. It was Slayer.

“How goes it my knight?” He asked.

“Same as yesterday. The day before. AND EVERYDAY SINCE I STARTED!” I yelled at the screen. Slayer backed away and glared.

“Someone seems tense. Was this mission too much for you to handle?” He asked.

“No. I just need to wait. I’m never alone with him where it wouldn’t be suspicious. I may have found an opening though.” I told him.

“Do tell.” He asked.

“You see, your men recently eliminated my old team. All but two I should say. And those two are joining me on guard detail of the president. With just a simple swap of our guns, I can frame one of them, and get off scot free.” I explained. Slayer smiled and laughed. He agreed that my idea was excellent and wanted me to report when it had been done. Suddenly, my computer shut off. I turned to see Copper standing in my doorway. My internet connection cord in one hand, his gun in the other.

“I figured as much. I knew that when you suddenly reappeared and wanted to re-enlist you were up to something. The Brotherhood? Really? You honestly should have stayed in Tunguska. Cause now, I am going to kill you.” He said taking aim at my head.

“You do that, you’ll be arrested. Especially since I’m the personal guard to him.” I told him with a grin. He looked at me with eyes full of malice. I slowly began walking towards him. His hesitation and shaking told me he wouldn’t pull the trigger. And that he feared me. I grabbed the gun and held it to my forehead.

“Do it. Blow my brains out. Seal your fate, and mine.” I ordered.

“Fine. Back to the grave buddy.” His fingers moved to pull the trigger. I grabbed the gun from him, put it inches from his left eye, and fired. I quickly caught the body. I placed the gun in his hand, aimed at my side and fired. The shot grazed me. This building was were all Secret Service agents lived. My room was full of agents in a matter of seconds. Idiots. They bought the story. That Copper came into my room and threatened me. That he shot me, and I had no choice but to kill him. That he was targeting me was a clear sign he intended to assassinate the president. Well, I was patched up.

Friday, April 13^th, 2022, one day before T.O.M.B

The next morning I was back on duty with my partner. She was happy I was back, but she knew we had a job to do. This day was pretty quiet. All he did was drive to the U.N. building. Night came pretty quickly. And although I had originally intended it to be Copper, I could frame someone else. The First Lady was out this night, so the president had us stay in his room with him. We sat at a small table in the room playing cards. It wasn’t long before Jennifer was out cold. I used this time to make my move. I walked up to the president’s bed, and pulled out my gun. I took aim between his eyes. The room light came on, and I felt a gun against my head.

“Don’t even try it.” I heard Jennifer’s voice. I turned around and there she was, tears rolling down her face.

“Look, you don’t want to do this. Just leave now. I promise you’ll be spared.’ I told her. She shook her head and lowered her gun.

“I had heard rumors, that it was impossible. That there no way you could come back after three years of being a prisoner and not have some type of motive. Are they threatening you? Bribing you? Is it for money? Power? Why would you do this to the country that raised you?” She asked, becoming hysterical.

“Look, I’m not getting anything from this but the pleasure of putting a brotherhood flag up where the flag is. I volunteered for this job. I did this on my own. This country has fogged the rest of the world for too long. This country has policed the world for far too long. I’m putting an end to that. Once the world is under the rule of one leader, it’ll all be perfect. I explained. I lowered my gun from the President’s still sleeping head. I walked towards Jennifer. She backed away. I shook my head, and aimed at the President again. I pulled the trigger. I saw it in slow motion. The bullet that would end the rebellion of the U.S. against The Brotherhood. The bullet entered his skull, but didn’t have the momentum to exit. So it merely ricocheted around his head. I lowered my weapon and took out my phone.

“This is agent forty-five twelve zero-eight. The president is dead. Commence attack.” I said into the phone. As I hung up, there was an explosion outside. I looked out the window. Numerous explosions went up around the city. Confused, I called Slayer back.

“I don’t understand, how were you able to do this so quickly?” I asked.

“Simple; I had agents hiding underneath the city this past year. Ten thousand units ready at the moment you completed you mission. Now, finish what you started.” Slayer ordered. I knew what to do. I ran out of the room, and up to the highest level I could. I climbed out the closest window, and began my climb to the roof. I reached the top and reached into my back pocket. It was gone. I had a flag back there this morning, and now it was gone.

“Looking for this?” I heard someone call behind me. Jennifer was climbing up the roof. She held my flag, folded up, in her hands.

“Give it here. Just hand it over and it’ll all be over.” I told her.

“F**k you! You b*****d you’ve doomed this world to be ruled by a tyrant!” She yelled.

I shook my head and pulled out my gun and fired. She stood motionless and looked down. Blood began to flow from her chest near her heart. As she began to fall, I quickly moved and grabbed the flag. She stretched out her hand, thinking I was going to grab her hand. I should have, not that it would have mattered. I grabbed the flag and watched her body fall to the ground below. I looked away and unfolded the flag. I tore the American flag from its pole, and wrapped The Brotherhood flag from it instead. I looked to the yard below. It was flooded with brotherhood troops. I made my way down to the front yard. And there, I was met with Slayer, Blood, and the remaining five leaders. We were all left alone as the troops ran into the White House to clear it out.

“Good work my knight. I must congratulate you. You’ve taken down the most powerful adversary The Brotherhood had. How can I thank you?” Slayer asked.

“Burn in hell.” I told him. I pulled out my gun. Being the leaders, they didn’t carry weapons. I shot them all point blank. I walked over to a car and got in. I drove off to an area of the coast I knew well. The cliff where I had proposed to Jennifer. That is the cliff I had just cast myself from was that cliff.

 

So there you have it. The short version of it. I brought down the world basically. Like I  said in the beginning: My name isn’t Important. What is; is that I’ve done horrible things. I’ve betrayed my country. I’ve betrayed my friends. My comrades. The love of my life. That’s why I’m where I’m at right now. Falling to my watery grave. The crashing waves and the jagged rocks below. I deserve this place as a final resting place. And I have no regrets.

Author's Note

Ignore grammar