Darling Wildfire (Red Rabbit #2)

37

THERON

The next morning we were fed breakfast and then cuffed and put into the back of the enclosed van.

I estimated the drive to be about an hour along windy, bumpy dirt and gravel roads. When we finally arrived at our destination, the van opened into a room with seven sets of full tactical gear. Everything from helmets to boots. We were uncuffed, and a message came on over a speaker.

“When these doors open, you’ll be released into the arena. The objective is to bring the target back to your safe zone which is right outside these doors.”

I stripped and started putting on the gear as the others followed suit.

“Along the wall outside, there are comms units to communicate with each other and a map of the arena. There are three other teams of seven you’ll be going against. It’s kill or be killed. A final reminder—if any of you get any rebellious ideas, the tracker we’ve placed in you will detonate. There are cameras recording visual and audio everywhere. Good luck.”

When I was done, I turned to Nyx and tightened his vest, making sure everything was in place, then did the same to Atlas.

“I don’t care what this fucker does—we stick together out there, got it?”

I said, my voice low to be heard by only them.

“Copy that, boss,” Nyx said.

Atlas nodded.

“Just another day, boys,”

Vyper said eagerly as the doors opened.

We stepped out into the sunlight, and the doors closed ominously behind us. I walked over and grabbed a comms unit. I stuck it in my ear as I surveyed the map crudely scrawled on the wall.

“Comms check,”

Vyper said.

The map was a classic city grid but when I turned to look at the actual arena; it looked like a war zone. The buildings were crumbling ruins, many of them looking like they’d been blown up with their entire fronts gaping letting us see the inside. Others were missing windows and doors or were simply a mess of concrete in the streets. The roads were pocked with craters from explosions and there were even a few burned and gutted vehicles. It looked like a war-torn city—eerie and desolate.

“Looks like we have a sixty-minute countdown,”

Vyper said.

I looked over my shoulder at the other side of the door where a red digital clock was set at sixty. A buzzer sounded and Vyper had us move out as the clock began the countdown.

“Phantom, Kraven, Reaper—rear guard. You three—on me,”

Vyper said.

We spread out into a formation and quickly made our way down a street in front of us. In the first building we found a few .45s and a handful of grenades but no ammo. We cleared the next few buildings and by the time we were approaching the center of the map, we’d found enough to outfit each of us with a firearm. The only problem was ammo.

“We should split up,”

Vyper said. “Kraven, take your team and finish clearing this street. Holler if you find an ammo dump.”

“Copy,” I said.

I gestured to Nyx and Atlas and we took off down the street. I took the lead because I had the only gun with ammo so far—a .45 pistol with a single clip. Nyx also had a .45 and Atlas had an AR but both were empty. I was cautious going into the next building. It was another crumbled ruin with the entire south corner gone revealing a gutted concrete three story. On the second floor Atlas found a loaded sniper rifle, and we found a case of .45 ammo. As we loaded up, I looked around and saw a camera in the room. It wasn’t the first I’d seen. Nearly every spot on the map so far looked covered by a camera. They were watching, and they were listening through our comms.

“Let’s move out,” I said.

We crept down the street quickly and stopped at a burned up van. I poked my head inside and instantly went on comms.

“Vyper—ammo dump.”

“Copy. Gather what you can and finish clearing your section. There’s a large crossroads east of you. Meet us in the general store.”

“Any sign of the target?”

“Negative.”

We loaded up on as much ammo as we could carry before continuing on. I could tell Nyx was itching to talk but like Atlas and I, he kept glancing at the cameras and frowning.

We were almost at the crossroads when I heard AR clatter and motioned them both to hold. I moved to the corner and looked down the next street. I heard the gunfire again but there was nothing in sight so I motioned Nyx and Atlas up to me. We advanced another block and came to the edge of the crossroads. I saw Vyper and the men flanking the entrance to one road alongside a gutted convenience store. I was about to motion for us to make our way across when Atlas laid a hand on my shoulder.

“Sniper—bell tower,” he said.

“Of course,”

I muttered.

“It wouldn’t be a game without a camper,”

Nyx chuckled.

“How much do we want to bet the target is in that church?” I said.

Vyper barked out a laugh over comms. “Poetic of him. Phantom, go camp your ass in that building next to you—”

“Not alone,”

I stated flatly.

“We’re not in a video game, Kraven.”

“Exactly. I’m not having him go up alone to get picked off.”

“Stop arguing and let’s make a move,”

Colt snapped.

“He’s right, we can’t stay here,”

Dutch said.

Atlas dropped his sights. “He’s occupied with something on the other side of the church. We need to move now.”

“On me,”

I said and jogged out into the courtyard, sliding behind a wrecked trolley. Once Atlas and Nyx joined me, I advanced again until we were one building away from the church entrance. I saw Vyper get into position in the alley near the church just as the concrete near my head exploded.

“Fuck,”

I hissed, ducking back around the corner.

I watched Vyper and the others run towards the church entrance leaving us to draw the fire.

“Bastard,”

Nyx cursed.

“Can you take out the sniper?”

I asked Atlas.

He looked around and then up at the building we were leaning up against.

“Yeah, give me a sec.”

He climbed through a blown out window and a minute later he came back on comms. “We’ve got company. There’s an entire team coming up the road to the left of the church. I have a clear shot of the sniper.”

“Send it,” I said.

A moment later I heard a rifle shot ring out.

“Sniper down,”

Atlas reported.

Two more shots followed.

“Took out two of the team before they disappeared into the church,” he said.

“Come down.”

I looked around the corner and heard an explosion rock the church followed by gunfire.

“What the fuck?”

Vyper exclaimed over comms. “Taking heavy fire—target is—target is in a cage! It’s a woman!”

“Repeat that?”

Nyx asked.

“A fucking cage, Reaper—get your asses in here! We need ammo and backup!”

We bolted for the front of the church and charged through into chaos. The pews were destroyed or shoved against the walls leaving the massive middle area open and exposed. At the altar, as though put there as a sacrifice, was a large cage with a woman huddled naked, locked inside. Vyper, Preacher and Dutch were on one side of the altar behind a column exchanging fire with another five men across the way. There wasn’t any sign of Colt.

We immediately dove for cover as one of the enemy soldiers opened fire. Nyx and I scrambled backwards as the stones exploded at our feet. Atlas had gone the other way and was making a run for the stairs leading up into the gallery.

I grabbed Nyx and hauled him to his feet just as three smoke grenades went off sending the entire space into a thick haze. I used the wall as a guide, feeling Nyx’s hand on my shoulder, as I made my way towards the altar. I saw a muzzle flash and nearly walked straight into the barrel of a gun. I knocked it away and went to the ground on top of the man, a mixture of instinct and training kicking in. I landed on him and got in a few solid punches before a sharp knock to my head gave him the advantage and we rolled across the church floor.

I was temporarily breathless as my back slammed into a broken pew. The second cost me and the man took advantage by landing a few punches to my face before his hands found my neck. My hands scrambled to both sides, searching for anything to use as a weapon. My fingers closed around a piece of wood and I brought it up, striking it against the side of his face. I scrambled to my knees, yanking a knife from his belt as he toppled over and followed him down to the ground. I plunged the knife into his neck, jerking it sideways so hard the bones of his spine scraped across the blade.

I heard chatter over comms. “Vyper, open the cage!”

I looked up to see the smoke had thinned, revealing Nyx on his back with a gun in his face. I yanked the knife out of the man beneath me and threw it across the space. It impaled the man in the arm and the shot aimed at Nyx’s face went wide. I launched myself at the man a moment later, taking him down and fighting for the gun as we rolled. I gained control and with a snarl, shoved the gun under his chin and pulled the trigger. His head exploded, coating me in more blood. I quickly ran a hand over my face to clear my vision and nearly shot Nyx as he came up with an AR in hand.

Another man ran towards us out of the diminishing haze. Nyx and I both raised our guns but before he’d even made it another step a rifle shot rang out and he dropped. I looked up at the same time as Nyx who saluted the gallery.

“Thanks,” I said.

“No problem, boss,”

Atlas answered over comms. “I have two targets pinned in the back room. Vyper is at the cage.”

I rushed with Nyx over to the cage.

“Move!”

I demanded. “Why the fuck haven’t you opened it yet?”

I shoved Vyper out of the way, ignoring his protests. Raising my gun I shot the lock and threw open the door. The woman was huddled in the back, her wrists handcuffed in front of her. There was a blindfold over her eyes and duct tape over her mouth. I grabbed her arm and dragged her out, throwing her over my shoulder.

“Let’s go!”

I barked. “Atlas—any movement out front?”

“Negative.”

I was already moving towards the front doors. The woman was struggling in my arms, making it difficult to carry her.

“Vyper, Preacher—rear guard—”

“Since when are you giving orders, Kraven?”

Vyper demanded, jogging to catch up.

I rounded on him so fast he nearly ran into me.

“Since this has become an utter shit show,”

I snarled.

“Fuck you! I did what I had to do! I’m not taking orders from you!”

“We don’t have time for this!”

Preacher demanded, gun pointed towards the back door that had inched open as we stood arguing. I drew my .45 and pointed it at Vyper.

“Decide. Now. Or I’ll consider you a liability,” I panted.

Vyper’s eyes narrowed and his lips thinned as he glared at me.

“Copy,”

he said through gritted teeth.

I threw a look at Nyx who nodded. I didn’t trust this man with a gun at my back.

“Preach—Dutch, up with me,”

I snapped.

They pushed open the doors and checked the area before motioning us out. Atlas joined us and we took off across the courtyard at a run. The woman was screaming against the duct tape and pounding on my back. She wasn’t strong enough to do any damage, but it was difficult to run, hold a gun and carry her. We reached the other side of the square at a dead sprint and spread out along the sides of the road leading deeper into the buildings.

I threw the woman down at my feet and tore off her blindfold, then ripped off the duct tape. I crouched down in front of her and grabbed her by the neck, dragging her close.

“I will knock you out if you continue to resist me,”

I said in a deadly tone.

Her wide blue eyes were filled with tears but she nodded quickly. She was covered in dirt and Vetticus had painted a giant crosshair in red paint on her chest. I bared my teeth at it in disgust before I looked both ways down the street.

Vyper had his gun trained towards the church. “Movement at the front door.”

“Let’s move!”

I tossed the woman back over my shoulder and motioned for Dutch and Atlas to push forward again. We made it a block before Atlas signaled for us to hold at the corner of a four-way city block.

“Four incoming from the north road—”

Atlas reported.

“Three from south—”

“Fuck—”

Preacher said. “The two from the church, plus a third coming up behind.”

I looked around at where we were. We couldn’t risk getting pinned down.

“Atlas, Dutch—grenades north and south on my go—”

I watched them pull two grenades each and pull the pins. “Go!”

They threw the explosives, and we took off across the street. I heard the explosions nearly simultaneously, and then the gunfire tore into the ground and buildings as we sprinted across the street. I felt something bite into my leg and stumbled, the weight of the woman nearly taking us both to the ground. We reached the other side and Preacher and Vyper were busy pinning the enemy advancing behind us as we pushed forward.

Suddenly, we were taking fire from ahead of us.

“Here! Cover!”

I shouted, directing us into a nearby building. There was no getting around it, we were surrounded. “Back exit?”

“Yeah, there’s one that leads into an alley,”

Nyx said, coming out from sweeping the back room.

“Let’s move,” I said.

Nyx and Dutch led the way through the back door and we all spilled out into the alley. Vyper and Atlas covered our backs as we pushed deeper into the shadows between the buildings, climbing over rubble and stumbling over loose footing. My limp was becoming worse and then Nyx was there.

“Let me take the girl,” he said.

He didn’t wait for my answer as he grabbed her from me. I didn’t protest, simply took his AR he pressed into my hands and we were off again. We were almost to the other side of the alley when two men rounded the corner nearly on top of us and shot Dutch point blank in the face.

All hell broke loose.

A grenade rocked the ground around us, sending Nyx and the girl into a nearby wall.

At the other end of the alley, Preacher was exchanging blows with one man, Atlas with the other. Instinct had long since taken over and I laid cover fire behind us, pinning the advancing teams at the far entrance of the alley. I didn’t like how trapped and exposed we were in this bottleneck. I saw Vyper out of the corner of my eye grab the woman.

“Only one of us needs to get the target across the line,”

he said before he disappeared.

I didn’t have time to curse his name six ways till fucking Sunday for ditching us. As soon as the other team ducked away to reload, I ran over and helped Nyx to his feet. He was dazed and had a nasty gash on his shoulder but otherwise seemed okay.

Atlas and Preacher had dispatched both of the men quickly but Preacher had a limp now and one of Atlas’ eyes appeared nearly swollen shut. To top it all off, we were dangerously short on ammo and not nearly as close to the DZ as I’d like.

“On me,”

I commanded.

Atlas took the lead with Preacher behind me while I supported Nyx who after a few steps shrugged off my help. We jogged through a neighboring building, encountering no resistance. We were a block from the DZ when I heard gunfire.

Two teams were after Vyper as he tried to make a run for it—it was a straight shot to our DZ, but I watched him get a few yards from safety and a bullet hit him in the thigh, sending him to the ground. The woman was thrown to the side as he fell. She scrambled away, terror in her eyes as bullets flew by her.

I watched the opposition reach her and grab her as she screamed and struggled. I was already on the move, Atlas cleared two men out of my way and then I was on the soldier. I ripped the woman away from him and shoved her towards Preacher. My fist connected with his jaw and then my gun was at his head and I pulled the trigger.

I watched Nyx slit a man’s throat and shove him to the side at the same time Preacher dragged the woman into our zone ending the game. The buzzer sounded immediately and the sound of drones filled the air. In seconds, military grade drones were hovering above us, replaying the same message over and over on a loop.

“Game over. Return to your bases.”

“Fuck that!”

A man on the other team said angrily.

He made to step over the boundary line and a drone immediately shot him in the head.

Silence descended on the group and I watched the other men make the smart decision and run off back towards their own safe zone. Ignoring the drones, I stalked over to Vyper who was clutching his thigh, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

“What the fuck, Vyper?”

I demanded.

“What’s wrong, Kraven?”

He sneered. “Not happy you weren’t the one to win it for us?”

“No, I’m pissed because that was a fucking disaster out there,”

I yelled. “We’re lucky we only lost Colt and Dutch!”

“Oh, we didn’t lose Colt,”

Preacher said. “Vyper left him behind.”

Vyper glared at Preacher then looked back at me and shrugged.

“He was a liability,”

he said casually.

“You’re the liability, Vyper,”

I said. “I don’t trust you.”

“Too bad—this isn’t the real world, Kraven,”

Vyper said. “This is a fucking game. I’m not losing because some pretentious fuck is used to giving orders—”

“You’re right,”

I nodded. I pulled my gun and pointed it at him. “This isn’t the real world.”

“Whoa—Kraven,”

Preacher protested and took a step towards me but I watched Nyx casually step in his path.

“Do you want this man at your back, Preach?”

Nyx asked.

Preacher’s lips pulled tight, realizing he was outnumbered.

“Come on, Kraven,”

Vyper said. “It’s just a game—”

“I’m not dying here because you can’t execute,”

I hissed. “You left a man behind. You hesitated at the cage. You left your fucking team—we won’t get through this if we don’t work together.”

Vyper rushed me and knocked the gun away. He hit my injured calf and I went down with him on top of me. I struck the side of his face with my gun, the force knocked him sideways and I got to my feet. I kicked him in the chest, sending him backwards in the dust.

“Fuck you, Kraven!”

He spat at me.

I stepped towards him, raised the gun, and pulled the trigger.

No one spoke as his body went slack, and I heard the drones fly away. I can only imagine the show we’d just put on for whoever was on the other end of that feed. I tossed the gun away and stripped my vest off, a wave of claustrophobia rushing over me. When the double doors opened, I walked through them without looking back.

The drive back to Vetticus’ estate was quiet. The woman wasn’t with us when we loaded into the van, so it was just Preacher, Nyx and Atlas with me. My entire body hurt and my leg was throbbing. The others weren’t in much better shape, we’d definitely be feeling it in the morning. Once we arrived back at the estate, we stepped out of the van into a familiar forest scene, the estate ever watchful on its perch among the mist shrouded trees.

The guards directed us inside where our first stop was a large infirmary with a full hospital set up. There were several operating tables, hospital beds and all manner of instruments needed to triage and treat most injuries. Three stone faced nurses stood ready to receive us with the guards watching our every move, ARs ready as they stood watch over the exit.

The all male staff tended to every cut and bruise on my body, dosed me with painkillers and gave me an IV of fluids all while handcuffed. It was efficient and thorough. I was less injured than the others so I was first to return to our quarters down the hall. Once the guard removed the cuffs and left me alone, I immediately went and turned on the shower.

I stayed under the spray, letting the scalding water wash away my sins. I expected to feel something…remorse maybe, regret, especially for having to kill Vyper…but all I felt was empty as my mind replayed the entire game.

Nyx and Atlas had impressed me.

Nyx was ruthless and aggressive. He was always thinking ahead, and he anticipated his teammates moves, and acted accordingly. I felt like I’d been working jobs with him for years. He never hesitated, never questioned and didn't fall apart under pressure, instead he seemed to expand into it. He took risks but only if he knew he could do it without endangering his teammates.

Atlas on the other hand was the definition of a soldier. He obeyed orders and executed with precision. He moved off of Nyx and I, observing us before making his own move to support and defend. He was lethal with his rifle—a dead shot every time—one of the best snipers I’d ever encountered and his accuracy wasn’t isolated to just his sniping. I’d seen him shoot a man in the eye, then take out the second one the same way all within less than two seconds.

Now that I’d seen them in action, I knew we could build a good team around the three of us. But the others had to buy in too or there’d be no cohesive action and that would just result in all of us getting killed. The longer you worked with a team, the closer you became and the better you knew each man intimately and could work off of that instinctively. I knew the three of us would be dangerous, but I was worried about having more teammates like Vyper. Someone who saw this as simply winning or losing. It wasn’t that black and white. But for now, all I could control were the three of us and that was a good enough place to start.