Renegade

Chapter 8

     It was low, raspy, and muffled. It spread through the alley like an ominous shadow.

     Ben opened his eyes, still breathing heavily, "Who's there?"

     There was no response from the shadow-ridden darkness of the alley. Ben pushed himself into a standing position, keeping a tight grip on the suitcase. There was nothing but a still silence, with the only noise being his own breathing. It echoed off of the walls, but within a couple of moments he heard the raspy noise of another. Its breathing overtook the sound of Ben's, and it sounded hollow; inhuman.

     "Show yourself!" Ben shouted, pulling a gun from the lab coat he was wearing.

     Several feet in front of him, while his eyes adjusted to the dim light, a silhouette could be made out. He was tall, and thick muscles rippled underneath a thick, Kevlar-based, vest. His face was obscured, but the outline of a thick object seemed to imply a mask.

     "Who are you?" asked Ben, into the darkness.

     The figure tilted his head, non-responsive to Ben's demands.

     Fear crept into Ben's heart, something didn't seem right, "I asked you a question!"

     Again, the figure was unresponsive.

     "Tell me who you are!" Ben screamed, while he held up his gun and cocked it.

     The figure stepped forward, and the dim light illuminated the head. Ben took a step back as, not a face, but an old-fashioned gas mask came into view. Two, round, eerie eyes gazed at Ben from underneath the tattered leather material. The figure wore a suit consisting of thick gloves, a belt with canisters, and several wires running around the Kevlar vest.

     Ben began to back away because the situation was turning stale. The breathing from the figure in front of him was deafening when compared to silence. When Ben backed away, the figure took a step forward. Immediately, Ben fired a warning shot at the wall to indicate that he meant business. The figure stopped, and he held up a gloved hand.

     "Now, now," the figure finally spoke, with a tone of pity. "We wouldn't want to turn this place into a war zone..."

     The gas mask's voice sounded muffled and mechanical. None of it seemed natural, and that scared Ben.

     "You're here for the stone," Ben whispered, "aren't you?"

     The figure tilted his head back, "I'm afraid so."

     "Are you going to kill me?" pried Ben.

     "Oh, no," the figure consoled. "But, like everything else, the plan can change..."

     "What plan?" asked Ben. "Who sent you!?"

     "That is of no importance," the figure dismissed. "All I need now is for your compliance."

     There was a standoff between the two. Ben stared into the two, gaping circles that were his adversary's eyes. He must've tracked Ben to know that he would be at that location at that time. It was all part of a plan, and it was a plan that Ben had easily played into.