Shadow's Within

25 : He's a smuggler

The knock came from a man outside my door. He flashes a light on his face. His face is hard to recognize despite the lit-up bright. Though I can make a certain aspect of his face. He has a tough-tight face, a military man perhaps. His square eyes stare into me below his musky Jets cap.

I roll down my window. "The package?" He asks.

"They are" Armore mutter.

"Okay... you may enter" He roll his head into the direction we need to be headed.

Armore gives the map a salute before the driver continues driving down the dark lane.

"What the hell was that?" Chase billows.

"Just a security measure" Armore replies.

I took another glance at the obscurity darkness. "Where exactly are we?"

"You'll find out soon enough my dear"

The car races down in a steady pace before pulling into a secondary stop. Another man knocks but this time it's on the driver's window and the same process indulge.

Then we continue skirting forward. I wonder how the driver could see where he's headed with all this darkness. I couldn't even adjust my eyes despite my years of training in the organization. Feeling confuse and annoyed at not receiving answer from the old man, I sit quietly crossing my arms.

Few minutes later, the car again stops but this time the driver kills the engine.

"We arrive my dear" Armore said opening his door.

Me and Chase follows through and unlock our door into the oblivion. The darkness is deeper than I originally thought. It's scary dark. I could hear footsteps, it's them I sure.

"You two okay?" Armore voice echoes.

I heave. "I think so... Chase? You there?"

Something seize me. I startle, hearts beating fast. "I'm here" Chase voice tuning out. Oh thank god, it's only Chase.

"The hell's matter with you!" I scowl. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry" He said.

An explosion of light burst just a few yards away in front of us. The light rushes in our direction one by one until the one below us erupted in a golden fluorescent glow. The sudden spurt of light causes my sight to be smudge. It took a while before my eye sight recover uncover the image we are in.

A garage? A huge one at that. Where exactly are we?

The condiment within the compartment is an expansive collection of cars, motorcycles, SUV, and a brunch of trucks covered in a vague cloth.

"Guess yet?" Armore said, his voice coming from behind.

I glance behind. "No idea"

He chuckles. "I must say I'm quite disappointed you're unable to guess our location."

Then it hits me. Wait a second. Collection of vehicles. Not normal vehicles, but most of the cars here are a varied variation of four-wheel drive collection. The trucks, and I took another glimpse at the mysterious cloth covering the trucks, the tight face person we encounter.

"We're in a military base" I said.

"Ding!" Armore overjoys. "Right you are my dear."

"But... how is this possible?" Chase looking confuse. "How could we be inside a military base?"

The old man giggles again. "It's all about connection my friend. Then how do you think I was able to be a successful transporter harboring fugitives... I hid them here.. People would think twice of snooping around here... They wouldn't dare to step an inch in here..."

His cough caught up with him again but he's still laughing.

"Major General Armore at your service" His hand resting above his left eyes giving a salute.

"You're in the army!?" I said, looking awe and surprise.

"50 years in the service" He said sounding proud.

"Then the story you told me?" I exclaimed.

"Ah.." he staggers in front of me. "I help him escape.. and that day I vow to help people escape but I realize I would gain nowhere helping anybody in the state I am.... So I enlist in the army.. claw my way up into the ranks.. and use my connection and authority to harbor fugitive here..." His face beaming.

I'm unsure of the feeling wobble inside of me. Confuse or excited or maybe both. I'm surprisingly impress. This man certainly obtains my respect. His way of dealing and dedication helps in to lead in a double life. A man in uniform by day and a sly transporter in the night. He is a force to be reckon with. A great ally to have.

"Your connection with Paulo Volpe?" Chase corners him a question.

"A job requirement.. being a man in this line of business requires me to expand my connection with even the most devious of man. To tell you the truth.. I hate him!"

Chase stands there, cradling his face with his hand, surprise of the whole information he's gathering.

"Then why don't you stop him!" Chase frown.

Armore sighs. "I can't.. military doesn't have jurisdiction on him.. besides having him as an ally helps me to gather as many as people that I could to harbor... as much as I hate working with him.. I have to."

Chase snickers. He wasn't satisfied with the answer.

"Now" He leads both of us across the garage. "Why don't I give you a tour of your new home." His chest exhales coughing as he walks forward.

I pat Chase on the back. He understands my gesture, striding beside me.