The Mission: The beginning(1)

8

 

Austin never knew his actions were going to cost him two soldiers. He had never lost a soldier on a mission before. He didn’t say anything as the little boy led them out of the tunnel. The walk was in total silence as the soldiers were trying not to think about their lost comrades. When they finally reached the end of the tunnel, Kemisola was the first to break the silence. The end of the tunnel leads to a place with nothing but rocks and sand. There was no life as no leaves grew on the ground. 

 

"Where are we, little boy?" she asked the boy.

 

"We are on the outskirts of Roku." We share a border with Lana. "My name is Tannia." The boy said to her, "The creatures will soon be here."

 

"How are they everywhere?" Lenny questioned the boy. 

 

"They reside here anyway." This is their home. " Tannia answered sadly.

 

They’ll soon be here. We need to leave now! " 

 

Austin shook his head at the little boy. He didn’t like the way the boy was ordering him around. He had never taken orders from people lower than him, and he was not going to take orders from a little boy. "We are not taking orders from a child."

 

"The same child who saved us from the creatures," Tammy reminded him.

 

"Whether a child or not, we need to get to the base camp before it gets dark." 

 

"Order your soldiers around, not mine." You may go, but we are staying behind to face the creatures. " Austin yelled. 

 

"For once!" Kelly shouted at him. Stop thinking about what you’ll achieve just to prove you are the best. We just lost three soldiers. They all died because of you! "he pointed out. 

 

"What did you just say?" Austin grabbed Kelly by his jacket. "You think you know best!" Austin shouted.

 

"You know what I mean, dear cousin."

 

Austin punched him in the face. "I dare you to say that again." Kelly’s face turned, but his body didn’t budge.

 

"I bet that’s what you are good at."Kelly laughed. "That’s why you couldn’t protect Maya." The name Maya got Austin angry, and he pushed Kelly to the ground. He lay on top of him and punched his face over and over again until he was pulled up by Tammy and Sammie.

 

"Let’s go off me. I am going to kill him." Austin yelled and rushed to hit Kelly, but he was pushed back by Tammy. 

 

Kelly lay on the ground laughing. He spat out the blood in his mouth and continued laughing. "I bet that’s painful." That’s exactly how I wanted you to feel. " Kelly confessed. 

 

"That’s enough, Major." We do not need to raise any more fight. " Tony begged. 

 

Austin broke himself from Tammy’s and Sammie’s grips. He took a deep breath and walked away without saying anything to the soldiers. "What do we do now?" Kemisola questioned the remaining soldiers.

 

"We go back to the base camp," Tammy answered. 

 

"What about him?" she pointed towards Austin, who continued walking without looking back. 

 

"He wants to die." "Let him be." Kelly advised. 

 

"But he is our...." she paused and looked into the eyes of the remaining soldiers. Their eyes were void of any emotions. It was as if they didn’t want to be on Austin’s side. I’ll go after him. We’ll meet you at the base camp. "Kemisola said and ran after Austin.

 

"Let’s go, soldiers!" Tammy ordered the remaining soldiers, who looked weary from their long faces and dusty uniforms. 

Kemisola ran after Austin to keep up with him. When she got to him, she shouted for him to stop.

 

"Please stop," Kemisola begged, but Austin didn't stop, nor did he turn. "Espresso!" She shouted, but he didn't respond.

"Austin Davinson," she shouted, his real name. This made Austin stop and turn to face Kemisola. 

 

"What did you just call me?" Austin walked towards her, and with every step he took, Kemisola took a step backward. "How dare you call me by my name?" He shouted at her and grabbed her by the shoulders. 

 

"I'm sorry, sir." Kemisola apologized. "It's the only way to stop you." She pointed out "We need to leave now." The creatures would soon be out. " She reminded him. 

 

Austin let go of her shoulders and pushed her to the ground. "I don't need you to tell me what I already know. I can face the creatures on my own! " He shouted at her. 

 

Kemisola stood up and wiped the dust off her body. "We are in the middle of nowhere!" Kemisola pointed to the desert they were both in. "If we don't leave now, we will both get killed."

 

"I never asked you to follow me," Austin retorted, and walked away. 

 

Kemisola ran after him but stumbled on a stone, which made her lose her steps. Kemisola stretched out her hand for Austin to take, but he ignored her, and Kemisola fell to the ground. "That hurts." She groaned in pain. "You could have helped me," she yelled at Austin, who had stopped walking and was looking at her.

 

"You are so..." Kemisola said but Austin  bent down and looked at her, and he stretched out to touch something while Kemisola thought it was her face. 

 

"Move!" he commanded. 

 

Kemisola stares in awe as Austin continued to stare at what could be behind him. She stood up and was about to abuse Austin when she saw it. "Oh my!" She exclaimed, but quickly covered her mouth. She had fallen into what seemed to be an underground building. A tiny bit of white light shone from inside the ground. Austin hit his fist on the ground, but it was futile as the ground refused to break and he was only hurting his hand. 

 

"That's enough, sir," Kemisola stopped him when he was about to hit the ground again. "It's too strong." She told him.

 

"Whatever is down there, I need to find out." He said, and continued hitting the ground. 

 

"I just said you should stop!" Kemisola shouted at him and grabbed his hand. She took out a tiny piece of clothing from her pocket and tied it on Austin's bleeding hand. "That should help," Kemisola said to him. 

 

Austin stared at her for a while before pulling his hand away from hers. "Let's go." He said. 

 

"You finally agreed to return to the base camp," Kemisola said, but Austin only hissed and stood up without responding.

 

Kemisola also stood up and walked behind him. "We are coming to check on this place tomorrow."

 

"You think something is down there?" 

 

"I don't think so," Austin answered. "I know." He admitted

 

Growlings sounded a distance away from them. This made Kemisola jump and cling to Austin's hand. "What are you doing?" Austin pushed her away. 

 

Don't be an ingrate. I came to save you. "

 

"Kemisola," he said, and grabbed his hand. 

 

"What's your problem?" Austin pushed away again. 

 

The growlings sounded again, and Kemisola's heartbeat twice. She walked faster, leaving Austin behind her. When the growls continued to resound in her ears, she didn't know when she start running. "Hey, Espresso!" She shouted. "You better run if you don't want to be killed by those things." 

 

Austin didn't reply to her but kept walking at a slow pace. When Kemisola saw that she was the only one running, she went back to where Austin was, grabbed his hand, and started running. Austin was shocked that a girl like Kemisola could have the confidence to face someone like him. Apart from his wife, Maya, he had never been so close to a woman as he was with Kemisola. He looked at her as she ran with her hand holding his tightly. 

 

                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

"Inmate 3002, you have a visitor." A warden said to Lord, who was laying down on the ground inside his cell. 

 

"Who?" Lord asked, sounding surprised. No one has ever visited, aside from his son. 

 

"You'll find out once you get out," the warden said to him, and he opened his cell door. 

 

 Lord groaned out in frustration before standing up and walking out with the warden. He opened the door leading to the visitor's room.  Lord scoffed when his eyes met the person that had come to visit him. "So it's you,"  Lord took his seat and turned to face the person sitting opposite him. 

 

"Hello, big brother," Raylle said as he waved to his brother. "You look good."

 

"What do you want? You haven't come in five years. What brings you here? " 

 

"What do you think, dear brother?"I'm sure you know where I sent your son to." Raylle laughed. "I sent your son to his death." He whispered. 

 

"Raymond Davinson!"  Lord banged his hands on the glass. "I'm going to kill you," he threatened.

 

"You know how I hate that name, Raymond." Never call me that, Lord. " Raylle warned

 

You must think that I'll lose to you, but you know I never lose to Raymond. " Lord made sure he emphasized on the name. "I will get out of here and come kill you myself."

 

"You ain't getting out of here, Lord, and even if you do, you will have no one beside you." "Your son is not going to survive that mission."

 

"And you think your son will?"  Lord retorted. 

 

"Do I look like I care about that failure of a son?" Raymond laughed. "He can die for all I care."

 

"I know why you are here,"  Lord said. "You are here because you are scared. You are still the little scared boy I looked after years ago. " 

 

"What are you trying to say?" Raymond questioned him. 

 

"I am trying to tell you that you are scared of me. If not, you wouldn't have come here. You are scared because you know that once I get out, all your secrets will come out.

 

Raymond grimaced at his brother. His brother was right about him getting scared of him. He was a leader, leading an organization, but in the sight of his brother, he was still the little boy he used to be years ago. "I  might be scared of you, Lord, but I have succeeded in one thing. I have succeeded in making sure your only son hates you." He burst into laughter. "If I were you, brother, I'll make sure to hide on the fifteenth of next month.  It's going to be a bloodbath. " Raymond stood up to leave. 

 

"I never meant to leave you in that factory for forty-five years. I'm sorry." Lord apologized. 

 

"I think you are a little too late for that, brother. Everyone's death is going to be because of you. If you hadn't left me alone in that dark container years ago, this wouldn't have happened. This is why your son hates you. I bet you are good at leaving people behind. " Raymond poured his heart out to his brother and then walked away. 

 

For a few seconds, Raymond's words kept ringing in Lord's ear. His brother was right. He was behind everything that had happened to his brother. The Lord remembered how he left his ten-year-old brother inside a container years ago. He didn't intentionally leave him alone in the container. He had only gone out to look for help, and when he returned, his brother was gone. He hadn't seen his brother for ten years, and when they met again, Raymond was not the young boy he left in the container. He was different and he hated the Lord to the core.

 

"It was all his fault, "Lord bowed his head remembering his brother. "I'm sorry, my brother." He cried. 

 

 Lord knew he couldn't change his brother's heart from doing evil, but he could help save the world.