A Damned Reunion

Chapter 6

~ Rorke

Look once at the gates and you would miss it. Look twice and you might become a little suspicious. Look three times and you would probably be shot for getting too curious.
A pair of wrought iron gates open to reveal a brick road hidden by overgrown shrubs and tree limbs. Follow it to a roundabout driveway full of armed trucks and brown tents; in the centre is a bonfire, its fuel family photos and precious furniture. The Federation flag drapes over the front of the building while an American flag lies abandoned in the dirt, its edges burnt and torn. Snipers patrol the rooftop as a dozen soldiers guard the entries. Smashed windows and battered stone. A crumbling timber veranda and broken columns.

Welcome to El Liberado Palacete. The Liberated Manor.

The Spanish style mansion was once a holiday home for a wealthy American family. That was before the Federation moved in, killed the occupants and ‘freed’ the surrounding suburbs. Now, the moss covered walls are home to Federation soldiers and the two most wanted men in the world.

Inside, the library was full of hungry men. A few days ago, the library had been turned into a mess hall because the soldiers were too lazy to go upstairs to the huge ballroom. The men were becoming idle; there had been minimal action in the last month. Although, they hadn’t done much when there was work to do.
Useless little shits, Gabriel Rorke thought as he strode through the trashed library. At least Logan gets shit done. And boy, does he do it well. Rorke smiled as he recalled what his Sergeant, Fletcher, told him of the mission in the suburbs. Brutal and merciless, it was pure evil. It was perfection.  Fletcher scowled when he spoke of Logan, which was probably due to the fact that Fletcher used to be Rorke’s second-in-command. After the first three small, but successful, missions in the country, Logan was promoted to squad commander and Rorke’s second. So, Fletcher hates Logan and Logan gladly returns the favour.  It was kind of a pain in the arse, actually. Fletcher would refuse to be around Logan, who would fling taunts and strut about. Well, there was no way Rorke was going to throw Logan out. Maybe he would send Fletcher to America for a scout trip, Rorke smirked. A trip he won’t come back from…

Rorke glanced around the room. He signalled to a soldier, a sandy haired fellow who was just finishing off his meal. What was his name? Sekra? Sekerito? Ah, who cares.

“You! Come here.” The man jumped up and stood to attention. Rorke clasped his hands behind his back, his chin held high. A slight show of dominance; if a little petty.
“I want you to tell Sergeant Fletcher that he has a new mission. He is to scout the American defences. I don’t care what he takes with him, just make sure he understands that I want the intel from their side of the line. Not just the border, actually inside the enemy lines.”

Sekra-Sekerito-Sekerta nodded, “Yes sir.”

Rorke smiled, “And tell him that he can take as much time as he needs.” The man nodded once more and marched out the brocade doors. With idiotic Fletcher out the way, he and Logan could begin to focus on the Ghosts and their capture. He laughed out loud at the thought of finally wiping the smile of that dick Merrick and marking Hesh’s face with scars like his brother’s. A couple of soldiers glanced at him, puzzled.
“What?” he barked. They shook their heads and turned away.
But Rorke was riled. “The Ghosts think they can win?” he asked to no-one in particular. “Do they really believe they can fight against me? Oh yeah, they think they’re so great because they’ve survived a few times. But they’re not! They’re stupid pricks that’ll leave you to rot and then blame you for it! What the hell is with that!?”

Men started leaving, taking their food with them. They knew by now that when Rorke became agitated, leaving the area was the safest option.

"It’s entirely their fault anyway! What have I always said, gentlemen?”
He answered his own question. “‘They deserve to die’. So, you know what I’m gonna do? I gonna find those assholes and make them scream!” Rorke grinned like a maniac.