Chapter II
Nineteen Years Later
Nineteen years had passed since a young Dmitri had been kidnapped from outside the old medical centre. A now thirty-year-old Dmitri stood on the same street staring at a collection of abandoned buildings where the medical centre had once stood. ‘How could it have gotten worse’ Dmitri thought to himself as the voice of Vernon came over the intercom in his helmet.
“Dmitri, your transmitters gone down. Report.” Vernon said. Dmitri chose to ignore this and walked around a large patch of water on the ground and into the right-hand building which was more a wreck than a standing structure.
Once inside Dmitri walks through the decaying rooms until he reaches what was a small living area where a fire had been lit and two men sat on chair staring into it. One of the hooded men sensing something was off turns around to see Dmitri standing in the doorway. His lip curls upwards.
“It appears we have… Company.” The first man said turning around to the second before returning to Dmitri.
“For what do we owe this very… Late pleasure.” The second man said rising from the chair as the first man does the same.
“You don’t remember me do you.” Dmitri said, trying to keep his voice under control. “The small kid you kidnapped outside the medical centre that used to be here.” He said drawing his gun.
“You’re going to have to narrow it down more.” The first man said sighing deeply.
“Why?” Dmitri said looking at the two hooded men in front of him
“Why what?” The first man looking confused.
“Why did you take me?” Dmitri said looking between the two men trying to decide which one was the easier target.
“It was nothing personal kid. Our boss needs a quota filled every month.” The second man said. “Saw you alone on the street and thought it would be an easy hit.” He finishes drawing out a long knife. At which Dmitri fires his gun at the second man, hitting him right between the eyes, before quickly turning the gun on his companion. Who slowly draws his own long knife. Dmitri smiles.
“Looks like you brought a knife to a gun fight.” Dmitri said holding his gun.
“So, I did. Very well, shoot me boy. I know you want to. Right between the eyes.” The first man said smiling. Dmitri quickly realised that the man was taunting him, raising his gun Dmitri pulls the trigger. The gun clicks. ‘Fuck. Shouldn’t have wasted the ammo on that cop.’ Dmitri thought to himself before drawing a blade from his belt. The man responds before drawing a second knife, wielding both in either hand. The two proceed to fight with Dmitri on the offensive, his armour taking the blows the hooded man made at him. Whereas the hooded man had no armour and was quickly beaten down and sitting up against a nearby crumbling wall, with serval cuts to his arms and legs. Dmitri walks towards a nearby window as the rain starts to come down and turns on his communication device. As Vernon’s voice comes over the speaker.
“Dmitri, report.” Vernon said.
“Prep the cell Vernon.” Dmitri said, he turns over to see the man finish biting down on something before turning back to the street. “I’ve got a piece of scum that we need to interrogate.” He finishes, turning around and a look of terror comes over his face. The man is spluttering on the ground, like a fish out of water. White foam coming out of his mouth, nose and eyes. Dmitri drops to the ground next to the man, taking of his glove he reaches around his throat trying to feel for a pulse, but finds none.
“No, no, no, no, no, No!” Dmitri said before getting back up and punching his un-gloved hand into a wall. This achieved nothing other than the sound of bones in his hand cracking upon impact. At a guess Dmitri thought that he had just broken several of his knuckles. Before speaking back into the intercom. “Vernon, cancel that previous order and prep the landing pad for my return.” Dmitri said.
“Erm, Yes.” Vernon said. The intercom clicked off and Dmitri holsters his weapons and walks out the door and into the street, looking around for what he hoped was the last time. Before heading off into a nearby field where his ride was waiting for him.
Dmitri flies his gunship through the gap in the rock and lands the ship onto the landing pad as the doors to hanger bay close and the fake waterfall starts up again. He gets out and descends the ramp towards the nearest metal platform where the butler Vernon is waiting for him along with Charlie. Dmitri hands the cloak to the butler.
“Get this analysed Vernon.” Dmitri said and Vernon nods heading up towards the lad with the black cloak in his arms. “Charlie, you didn’t need to come down here just to see me.” Dmitri said.
“I didn’t. I came to check on your hand. Vernon said something about you crying like a baby on the return trip.” Charlie said smirking as Dmitri reluctantly holds out his hand which he had wrapped up. Charlie removes the bandages and looks at the hand. “Well, you fucked this up.” She said. “Come to the med bay in about half ‘n hour.” Dmitri nods and Charlie leaves, as he looks around, he sees Alan looking down at the scene from a balcony on the floor above. He walks towards the elevator and goes up a floor to see what the matter was. It was unusual to see Alan down here, even at the worst of times.
“Anything new?” Alan said.
“Nothing.” Dmitri responded looking tired. “Just a trip down memory lane. Meeting the two bastards that kidnapped me as a kid.” He said looking grim.
“Both dead?” Alan asked continuing his gaze down into the cave below him.
“Yeah, I killed one and the other did the whole, rather die than be taken alive routine.” Dmitri said. Alan sighs and walks over to a long table and sits down at the head of it.
“That’s the fifth one in as many months.” Alan said more to himself than Dmitri. The latter places the robe he had taken of one of the recent corpses and puts it on the table.
“I did however manage to grab what was left of their robes. Has the same symbol on it as this.” Dmitri said, taking out the silver locket he had received many years ago and places it on the table next to the robe to show Alan, who in turn examines the symbols.
“This. Now this changes things.” Alan said putting the items back on the table. “How the hell did you get this?” Alan asked looking at the silver locket.
“It was given to me.” Dmitri said, it had been the only thing that the kidnappers had not stolen from him. It was only now that he wondered why that was, it had no value that he knew about and they had taken everything else, so why leave it with him all the time he was with them.
“Was it now. This may give us an opportunity.” Alan said before calling out. “Vernon! Vernon! Where is that useless butler.” Alan said before exiting the room, leaving Dmitri with his memories.
