[Issue 44] Blemishes - Part 3

[TriNitroToIuene 4,765]

Read Part 1 here

Read Part 2 here

 

 

***

 

Generalissimo Ehrlich looked around at the deserted convention hall.

 

It had been fifteen minutes since all the delegates had left, mumbling insults under their breath, withdrawing their support from Operation Decateur. Thanks to Connor Lynch's doppelganger, the Generalissimo was alone, and potentially vulnerable to any further plots from the Decateurs' side.

 

And still, he wanted to go on.

 

As he climbed down the dais and into the row of seats, he heard a beeping sound, which upon further investigation turned out to be from his phone.

 

He pressed the answer button. "Hello?" he barked into the mouthpiece, waiting to tick the caller off for calling at such an unceremonious time, but instead, when he heard the voice mail speaking to him, the colour drained out of his face, and he tottered for a while before finally shutting the phone and collapsing to his knees on the floor.

 

The call was from Connor Lynch.

 

***

 

"WHERE IS IT?" screamed the head Decateur as he lashed Connor, the sound echoing horribly across the room.

 

"I-I don't know," mumbled Connor, wincing as the whip cut into his skin.

 

"You have the audacity to lie? Lie to me,  Connor?" You'll tell me or you'll be sorry!" exclaimed the head, striking the whip with renewed anger.

 

"Sir, don't you think he's had enou-" volunteered a Decateur timidly.

 

The head simply turned around and smacked his fellow on the face, and the latter crumpled to the floor.

 

Breathing heavily he turned towards Connor, whose arms and legs were now blue. "Remember," he said through gritted teeth. "Remember this, Lynch. A leopard cannot change his spots."

 

Connor remained silent as his assailant walked out of the door.

 

***

 

"Organize the Humvees! Get a move on!" Generalissimo Ehrlich called upon a last, polite favour from those who still had faith in him. He glanced at the coordinates which he had jotted down when Connor Lynch had uttered the numbers over the phone, and he was now confident of mounting a surprise attack. However, nobody believed him, which meant he was really short of men.

 

"You sure them coordinates are accurate, G'ssimo?" enquired an old aquaintance of his.

 

"Positive," muttered Ehrlich, avoiding eye contact. He was undergoing a rough patch at the moment and the last thing his nerves needed was wrong information from Connor, which would cause whatever limited forces he had to desert him.

 

"Let's do this."

 

***

 

A droplet of blood trickled down Connor's neck, as he finally cracked.

 

"Good," said the leader of the Decateurs, who simply preferred to be known as Alpha. "You see, pain is the most powerful catalyst there is".

 

Connor rolled his eyes and groaned, his recent torture having taken its toll. Meanwhile, Alpha pocketed his phone. "This'll come useful to us, Connor. Thanks."

 

Connor strained against his bonds as Alpha and his men left the room. "Wait!" he shouted. "What about me?"

 

The men had a hurried conversation. "You, Lynch", said Alpha, "are coming with me."

 

"W-what for?"

 

"Oh, I think you'll prove yourself useful."

 

***

 

"This is it," said Ehrlich, showing a closed fist - the sign for stop.

 

He silently signalled all his men to alight from their vehicles, and they did so with practised ease. One man, however, jumped carelessly and landed on the gravel, making a loud noise.

 

Everyone turned to look at him, straining their ears for signs of an alarm. 

 

"Sorry," whispered the culprit.

 

They made their way to the entrance, which was deserted. Strange. The entrance made way to a hallway, and Ehrlich and his men crept through it on tiptoe, scared out of their wits by the complete darkness.

 

"Okay, this is it, men. Torches off, and a rehearsal of the plan."

 

As the room leapt into darkness, his second-in-command whispered. "You go and find Connor, G'ssimo while we distract their men. Plan A."

 

"And Plan B?" asked another timidly.

 

Ehrlich's mouth was a grim slash of determination. "There isn't a Plan B."

 

***

 

The shooting started when Ehrlich heard a yelp.

 

Whipping out his pistol, he shot a mysterious assailant bearing the Decateur insignia. And before he knew it, they were surrounded.

 

"Go, G'ssimo!" shouted his second-in-command amidst heavy gunfire. "Find Lynch! We'll hold them off!"

 

Tearing his eyes away, Ehrlich broke from the crossfire, firing shots from his pistol, and made his way through the maze of corridoors.

 

Before he reached the second turn, he bumped into Connor.

 

"Connor!"

 

"Generalissimo Ehrlich!"

 

The Generalissimo stuck out a palm and shook Connor's hand; however, he noticed something wrong. There was a cornered look in his eyes which creeped Ehrlich out, but they had their main man back.

 

"Connor, do you know where the Intelligence Centre of the Decateurs is?"

 

"Yes, I was held prisoner there, why?"

 

"I can place an EMP detonator within the room and set it off. Think about it! All their data gone waste in a few seconds!"

 

"Er, I'm not sure you want to do that."

 

"Hell yes I do!"

 

"Okay then, I'll take you."

 

"You're bleeding, Connor."

 

"Nothing, nothing."

 

And with this, Connor set off through the corridoors, Ehrlich tagging along. Left, right, left, left, right, left, right, right, right; the Generalissimo lost count of the number of turns they took. Yet, Connor seemed to be navigating the building with ease.

 

A glance at the latter's face showed immense concentration, as if his life depended on getting to the Intelligence Centre.

 

Ehrlich found a route familiar, and sure enough, they were back in the room where they were ambushed. The room had gone silent, and dead bodies lay strewn everywhere.

 

Overcome with emotion, Ehrlich stopped short, but Connor dragged him along saying "We must hurry."

 

Finally, they reached a garden. Connor walked till the middle of the garden and stopped. He wheeled around and faced Ehrlich.

 

"So, um, is this it?"

 

There seemed to be a twinge of regret in Connor's eyes. "I'm sorry, Generalissimo."

 

And that was the last thing he heard before something struck him hard across the back of the head.

 

Woozy, Ehrlich swayed on the spot, barely keeping consciousness. And finally, as his mind gave way and he collapsed, he heard three words which he could never forget for the rest of his life.

 

"Well done, Lynch."

Edited December 4, 2015 by Lhamster

[Ambitious 2,084]

Awesome!

[MessagerAngel 33]

Creepy

[MessagerAngel 33]

Cant wait for more. :)

[fordmustang12345 3,910]

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[BlueDragon_tamki 3,204]

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[yoyo360_GTO 265]

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I need to read more of this