A wolf in human's clothing

Chapter 7: A Colonel and his tragedy

The next day...

Colonel Martinson sat on the front porch of his old ranch house, his head down. He stared at the picture of him and his son. A tear dripped from his eye and fell on the picture. "My son...." He whispered to himself, distraught. "You were all I had..." His hand trembled, almost dropping the picture. "Sir? Are you there? Over." A voice said from Colonel Martinson's walkie-talkie. He unhooked it from his belt and said, "I'm here. Over." "We've searched all other parts of the bunker, sir." The voice said over the walkie-talkie. "And, we've burned everything as well. No sign of Aris anywhere. Over." "Find her." Colonel Martinson said, extremely stern. "And, if she resists, shoot her." "Yes, sir." The voice said. "Over and out."

Meanwhile in the chapel in the bunker...

Ricky sat on one of the benches with his head down, thinking. Aris is away, sneaking into the U.S. headquarters of the United Mothers and Fathers of Unionism. She told Ricky to stay inside the chapel and that she has all the doors locked. This whole time... Ricky thought. Aris knew my Grandparents... I should've stayed in the closet until Aris found me. She would've explained everything to me immediately... He looked up. I shouldn't have accused God of taking away my Grandparents from me... He thought. I've always loved him. Without God, I'd be nothing... He picked up his Grandparents' book next to him and stared at it intensely. Aris had this book.... He thought. My Grandparents' book... I don't believe this.... I SHOULDN'T believe this...! "You can't look in the U.M.F.U.'s U.S. headquarters!" A voice from outside shouted. "It's for U.M.F.U. officials only!" Colonel Martinson?! Ricky thought, his fear meter breaking. Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no!! He hid himself under the bench and held his Grandparents' book close to his chest, shaking with fear. "Oh, no. Why is HE still here?!" He whispered to himself fearfully. "Oh, please, no!" It got quiet. It's......quiet? Ricky thought, confused. Then, he suddenly heard Colonel Martinson cry a little. What...?! He thought, more confused. He's....crying? But, wh...? His son! Oh, gosh.... He's still mournful of his loss, huh? So sad... He slowly climbed out of the bench and got up, placing his Grandparents' book on the bench. "I......wanna know more." He whispered to himself. "I know I'm supposed to obey my elders, but I wanna try to change Colonel Martinson's behavior." Still fearful of Colonel Martinson, he slowly walked towards the stairs, through the kitchen, and slowly walked outside. Colonel Martinson didn't look up. "C-Colonel?" Ricky said, getting Colonel Martinson's attention. Colonel Martinson quickly grabbed his pistol with both hands and aimed it at Ricky. "Hands. Up." He said coldly, as Ricky held his hands up. "Where's Aris?" "I don't know." Ricky said, trying to hide his fear. "I really don't." "Tell me where she is." Colonel Martinson ordered impatiently. "Or I WILL shoot." "I only came to talk to you about your son!" Ricky cried. "I'm not trying to cause trouble!" Colonel Martinson lowered his pistol in horror. His hands trembled. "How do you know about my boy?!" He asked, angry and confused. "Who...told you?!" "Nobody!" Ricky cried. "I found an old picture in the ranch house. It had you and your son on it." Colonel Martinson hooked his pistol back onto his belt. "Sit down, son." He said, stern, but calm. "Let's talk." Reluctant and frightened, Ricky sat on the porch next to Colonel Martinson. "What do you know, Ricky?" Colonel Martinson asked calmly. "I know you're lying. Aris told you about Jim. What do you know?" Ricky sweated in fear. "I....I know you're a former Air Force pilot during the War of the Unions." He said. "And, that Jim died from cancer." Colonel Martinson became overwhelmed with shock and sadness. "That is very accurate information about me and my son..." Colonel Martinson admitted. "But, it doesn't make me feel any better. A criminal told you that." "Aris is just spreading the word of God." Ricky said. "That's all she's doing Colonel. She's not trying to start any wars." "Treason leads to war." Colonel Martinson said strictly. "War leads to destruction. Destruction leads to an apocalyptic future. Is that what you want, Ricky?" "No! Definitely not!" Ricky cried. "War is what took millions of lives! I've realized that during the War of the Unions!" "Exactly." Colonel Martinson said. "That means you agree with the United Mothers and Fathers of Unionism. And, that's why I have to find Aris. I'm just doing my job." "But, she's not committing treason." Ricky said. "She's only bringing hope to the world. That's not trying to cause war." "Spreading the word leads to treason, Ricky." Colonel Martinson said strictly. "And, you already know what treason leads to." "...Yes, Colonel Martinson." Ricky said. "I understand." "Okay, good." Colonel Martinson said. "Now, back to what I asked you earlier. Where is Aris?" "She's gone." Ricky said, technically lying. "She isn't with me anymore." ".......Why did you run away from an officer of the Military?" Colonel Martinson asked sternly, much to Ricky's horror. "Running away from the Army during interrogation is a federal offense, Ricky." "I was scared, okay?!" Ricky cried. "Don't 'okay' me, Ricky!" Colonel Martinson snapped. "Or I'll have you AND Aris taken to the English camps in New England! Understood?" "......Yes, sir." Ricky sighed. "Sorry, sir. I was just scared of talking to you guys." "All you needed to do was to turn Aris in. And, if you met her at the park we talked at, you should've contacted us immediately." Colonel Martinson said. "We would've offered you 50 grand." "Are.....Are you gonna execute me?" Ricky asked fearfully. "No, I'm just gonna set you off with a warning. But, if you see Aris again, contact us at once. Understood?" "I...understand, Colonel Martinson, sir." Ricky said reluctantly. "But, about Jim..." "He was the only person I ever cared about." Colonel Martinson sighed sadly. "It's because of his encouragement that I stayed alive. He encouraged me until the War ended. He even read me encouraging verses from the Bible." "You...were........a....Christian?" Ricky asked all of a sudden. "I........was before I lost everything." Colonel Martinson admitted, a tear dripping from his eye. "I thought God loved me. But, he took my son away from me." "God didn't take your son from you, sir." Ricky said. "He never wished for you to be miserable." "He didn't?" Colonel Martinson asked, sarcastic and enraged. "Then, why do I kill millions of others? Why don't I stop doing what I'm told? And, why do I feel nothing but distress, anger, and dejection?" "You always feel anger towards everything." Ricky said. "You're letting yourself continue to mourn over your loss and it morphed itself into anger and hatred." "I.....never wanted this." Colonel Martinson admitted. "I never wanted to kill anyone. Anyone in our country. But, I have nothing to be thankful for. No one to love. So, why should anyone else be alive, huh?! Why should ARIS be alive?!! ALL I EVER WANTED WAS TO HAVE JIM ALIVE AND WELL!! BUT, HE'S GONE!!" Ricky can't believe what he is hearing. "I never asked for this...!" Colonel Martinson continued tearfully. "I would never have asked to become the colonel of the U.M.F.U.'s Military if Jim was taken away from me. But, I've seen everyone else happy and positive. I felt angry and left out. I asked the four Governments of the War if I could help enforce the countries they've controlled. I wanted to take everyone's happiness away from them." "If you take others' happiness away, you'll be taking your own happiness away from yourself as well." Ricky said. "You do know that.....don't you?" "It doesn't matter." Colonel Martinson said. "I said I have nobody to love. There's nothing to be grateful for either..." Ricky still can't believe what he's hearing. "Even if I suffer, at least everyone else will with me." "But, that isn't what God wants." Ricky said. "God wants you to allow happiness in your life." "Just.....carry on." Colonel Martinson said, getting up. "I must continue looking for Aris. Farewell." He walked off. Man..... This guy takes his job seriously, especially since he lost his son. Ricky thought. I wish I could change him. But, I can't....

An hour later...

Ricky returned to the bunker and, later, Aris returned as well. Ricky told Aris everything that happened when she was gone. "Ricky, you could've gotten yourself killed." Aris said, stern, but calm. "You can't do that again. Do you understand?" "What choice did I have?!" Ricky cried. "He suffered a great deal of depression when his son died! I wanted to try to help him!" Aris made a sort of sad/happy smile. "I know you're trying to help the Colonel." She said, kneeling down and placing her paws on Ricky's shoulders. "But, please, please try to be careful. I don't want to lose you either." "I don't wanna die either." Ricky said. "But, I wanted to try to change the way he felt about losing his son." "Ricky... I know you wanna try," Aris said softly, "but, Colonel Martinson must face only God about his actions. You can't change a man's behavior, but you can try to give them encouragement. Especially during dark times." ".......You're right." Ricky sighed. "But, even HE didn't deserve to suffer a tragic loss." "You're right as well as I am." Aris giggled. ".......Hey, Aris? Do you.....hate the U.M.F.U.?" Ricky asked all of a sudden. "No. Absolutely not." Aris admitted. "It is ungodly to feel hatred for anyone. Even if it's the United Mothers and Fathers of Unionism. But, they have to face God for their sins." Ricky looked down in shock. W-Whoa! He thought. S-She doesn't hate the United Mothers and Fathers of Unionism, a Totalitarian Government?!? Aris is.......just so sweet, it's heartbreaking. "Are you okay?" Aris asked gently. Ricky almost teared up. "Yeah, I'm final!" He cried. "I'm......just surprised that you don't hate a Government that did what the Nazis couldn't." "Hate is from Satan, Ricky." Aris said. "You must never hate anyone. God doesn't ask us to hate, but to pray. Pray for those who are suffering. Those who are struggling." "...Deep information." Ricky admitted. "But, even I would speak out against the U.M.F.U.. If they wouldn't execute me. Heh heh..." Aris smiled a little. "You're a great kid. Jeff and Julicia were very lucky to have you in their lives." She said happily. "And, I'm lucky I got to meet you."