The Vindicators

Chapter XVIII: Crash and Burn

     A helicopter arrived to pick us up. Kelton was with them. Logan and I got in and we discussed the plans.
     "I have several hundred people at my disposal," Kelton said. "Seemed like enough at the time but I may be wrong. But one of you has to go get the girls. The other has to take care of the Executioner. So take your pick."
     I looked at Logan and nodded. "I'll take him out. Logan will go find them."
     "Great. With our numbers, stealth isn't exactly an option so we'll have to charge in with guns blazing. All of the guys I've handpicked are highly trained in different skill sets. We've got guys in light armor with the normal assault rifles, heavy armor with machine guns, several dozen snipers, some vehicle operators, and medics. They're the best we've got. When you're looking for the girls or the Executioner, see if you can find a way to make all of the REVO soldiers fall back or fall dead. You get that?"
     We nodded our heads and Logan looked down. "This could very well be the last battle. The question is, who's last battle will it be?"

     We were dropped off in DC. We boarded one of ten C-130 planes. Those things were massive. Each held ninety-two passengers. Some couldn't hold as much because of the heavy troops.
     After an hour, we were five miles from New York. We'd just finished up saying our prayer to God when rockets started flying right at us. We were told to get out as fast as we could. The door opened up and everyone, including Logan, jumped. Except me. I had an idea. I walked to the cockpit and told the pilots to grab a parachute and join the rest of them. I planned on getting in the city later. And the plane was going with me. They did as I said.
     I sat in the pilot's seat and started bringing the plane down. I spotted the gate into the city. Guards surrounded it. A voice came on the radio and said, "This is the pilot to your right. I speak for all of us. We see what you're up to and we've decided to pitch in."
     I grabbed the radio. "This is Dawson Walker in the plane to your left. Are you sure about that?"
     "Absolutely, sir. It's why we signed up in the first place. We all hope to see you again in time. It's been an honor."
     "Likewise. I'll see you on the other side. Someday."
     All ten planes were about to crash in several different places. Three of us took the entrance, two took the barracks, and the rest just crashed wherever they saw REVO. The impact was insane. REVO tried to flee when they saw the planes, but they were a little too slow. In time, flames devoured everything in sight.

     I got up a while later with Logan smacking me in the face.
     "Hey!" He yelled. "Why am I always the one to wake you up after you've fallen from the sky?!"
     I got up quick and felt a bullet hit my face. Logan ducked behind cover. I ran at the guy who just shot me and threw him against the side of a building.
     "Come on, Logan! I ain't waiting on you!"
     He came out from cover and ran with me. We looked around until we finally came into contact with the REVO outpost.
     "There she is," Logan said. "We gotta get inside without anybody noticing. They could have the right weaponry against you."
     I agreed and we both went our separate ways.
     I had gone through a door on the side of the building. Surprisingly, it was poorly guarded by two REVO soldiers. I snapped one's neck then threw his weapon at his friends face just before kicking him in the gut. I opened the door to find a small room filled with junk. Spare parts and such. Nothing useful at all.
     After about half an hour of killing people and hiding bodies, I finally found him. He was standing with his back facing me. He was wearing the same trench coat and mask from before with a black machete behind his back and Logan's knives at his waist. I figured I was completely screwed.
     "Here he is," He said. "The hero. The one that fights for a lost cause. Even if you win today, it is delayed."
     "What's delayed exactly?" I asked.
     He turned around and replied to my question, "Genocide. What did you think it was?"
     I stood there slightly confused. "What about you guys? With you alive, it wouldn't be complete genocide would it?"
     "Who says I'd be alive?"
     I looked at him like he was some kind of idiot. "Is this some kind of religious based thing? I'm a little confused with the goal."
     He chuckled slightly. "I guess you could say that."
     He pulled out his machete and walked closer to me. I stood there, ready to receive whatever was coming at me. He just kept walking around me at a decent distance.
     "Only one of us leaves here alive," I told him. "It's gonna be me."
     "I don't doubt that. But he has commanded me to keep you at bay. If I kill you, it'd be one less problem. But the odds of that are small. His visions have never been false."
     "Where is he? When I'm done with you, I'm coming after him."
     He laughed louder than ever. "You think you can handle him? You think, with the help of your friends, that you can kill him? You've never seen power like his."
     "Does it look like I care about how much power he has? He's not here. It's just you and me, buddy. And I'm prepared to smash that skull of yours with my own two hands."
     If his face was visible, he probably looked pretty ticked off. He came at me with the machete in his hands. I dodged it just barely. The blade had ripped a hole in my shirt and cut through my skin a little. I looked down and the cut slowly closed itself. I looked back at him with a smile on my face and said, "You'd best do better than that."
     He pulled one of the knives from his belt and stepped closer. I briefly looked around the room to see if I could make use of my surroundings. Nothing was there but a few doors that led to other rooms.
     "You ask for a challenge," he said. "I'll give you a challenge."