ALL NOVEL Chapter 138: Against Threats
Mavin held a rock. His fingers like steel claws that stabbed through the sediment. Behind Mavin, or at least clinging on Mavin’s back was a scoped rifle handed by Gaul. He pulled himself up, and walked to the other side of the rock platform. “Owl, what does the orb see?”
“There are multiple threats coming from the city, Boss. Intel suggests that it’s the right hand man of the Colonel we took out. Unlike Elric, Arminus is somewhat smart.”
“Is he around?”
“Are you taking him out, Boss?”
“Might as well.”
“Hah, if the Colonels hear you, they’d think you're crazy.”
“Not that I care, Owl.”
Mavin switched to another frequency, “Wolf, you got an eye on the target?”
“Nothing for now, from what I can tell.”
Mavin turned towards the location of the small town just a few meters away from the border crossing. Without observing, one would not notice the quadcopter design. Mavin had been using the blueprints he knew. Though the ‘memories’ told him of what may happen, it wasn’t all that. There were also ‘memories’ of a desperate man who hunted down the killers, and spent his time studying machineries. Mavin lacked the practical experience to actually build them, but with money and research, even ideas could turn into reality as long as one had the proper technology to do it. Fifty-seven years was a long time to do it. Mavin guessed that most of the funds went into keeping him a secret, the eye in the sky, and the research and development of the equipment that they were using.
He had Gaul operate the orb to monitor the situation. He needed a view from the above to monitor, assess, and find where this bastard was. No matter how threatening this ‘Arminus Rax’ is. Mavin just needed to put a bullet in his head. If one bullet is not enough, then he’d just put another. If this Arminus Rax was stronger than expected, he’d personally do it.
Some may take time to be careful, but chances are rare to come by. And Mavin had always been particular about being proactive when it comes to threats. Don’t let the sickness happen, and find a way to cure it. To let a wound fester was something Mavin did not agree with, and even if he did. He doubts that he would agree to keep them walking.
Examination, patience, and understanding of the enemy is a viable option. But as you examine and understand them with utter patience, they keep on moving to their goals. And if you miss their beat, they disappear, and you have to find them again. Hesitation was good, but too much of it would just be inaction. It’s the same as finding you have a disease, and then doing nothing about it.
“Found him. 2500 yards, northeast of your position, Ghost.”
Mavin dragged his rifle and took a prone position. He adjusted his sight while calculating the external factors that might make him miss. Then again, he just needs to compensate by finding the right timing to his shot.
He saw Arminus Rax. He looked like and stood like what a Hound should be. Every leader always had their dragons, and it looks like in terms of fighting. This Arminus was better, stronger, and sturdier than Elric could ever be. Mavin observed him with interest, and found that he was a natural born hound. He had discussed this with Ike and Martina once. How if two hounds copulate, they would breed into a much more stable form. Perhaps, Ike and Martina had given birth to another hound. Not that he knows anything beyond what he read in Aunger's journal.
He has advantages because of Anger. Even Aunger’s son and daughter are now fighting for him. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. How he was still using them despite the time that had passed, but it was the only way he could. Mavin wasn’t arrogant enough to think that he needed no help. He had people work for him in order to face the Exiled One, and being alone made things harder for him.
He thought of how things are. Perhaps they were looking for Miss Wendy, and anyone who knew enough of Holmia would think of leaving this place. Air and sea was an obvious way to go, but there are complications when it comes to doing that. Nonetheless, in a way, Mavin wanted them to follow in their footsteps, and if it leads them to this place, then so be it.
“Target confirmed,” Owl said on the radio. “Should we take the shot, Boss?”
“I will. Just going to time it with something,” he switched to another line. “Wolf, you got the drone on top of him?”
“Is this necessary, Boss?”
“It is.”
“Very well, releasing frag.”
Mavin slowed his breathing until his perception of time crawled almost to a still. His boons allowed him to hyperfocus, and make his vision clear enough to see where the frag was and time his shot with it. He pushed the trigger, watched as the bullet followed the trail, entering through holes, and passing through a crack, reaching the frag grenade, penetrating the armor, causing the explosive to go off.
Before the man called Arminus could react. The explosion caught him, his toughened body was flung up, although his body resisted the blast, the shrapnel impaled him all over. Mavin aimed once again, this time, targeting the shrapnel on the side of his head. Like a hammer to a nail, the bullet pushed in the shrapnel embedded on the side of his head.
“Another one.”
The drone that Gaul controlled dropped another frag. This time, to make sure that Arminus wouldn’t be standing up ever again. If there was one thing that Mavin was sure about his hounds, that it would take a lot to kill them with their inherent toughness.
The boom caused the guards around Arminus to be in daze. They stood in their places, before they hastened towards their shredded leader.
“Kill confirmed. Gaul, drive to the path discussed, I’ll catch up.”
Mavin slung the rifle on his back, and started descending the rocky platform, using his legs to run across the rock, and hands to catch edges until he was down on the ground.
Sprinting away from the area, he zipped through the forest, rocks, and crossings and found the camper taking a dirt path leading to the main road. Mavin didn’t hail for Gaul to stop, instead he leapt on the roof, and entered through the skylight.
He tucked himself inside the camper, and placed his rifle on the side. “Nice driving, Gaul.”
“Same to you, Boss.”
Mavin went to the small kitchen in the camper, took a cup of glass, drank it, walked to the booth and slid his butt across it. Miss Wendy stared at him. Her eyes clearly wanted to ask.
“What is it?”
“Who did you kill?”
“Arminus Rax. Do you know him?”
Miss Wendy nodded, “Was he after me?”
“Yes. He was probably planning to secure the borders. We were fortunate that he was on our way, and I was able to get a chance to kill him.”
Her eyes shook at the words ‘kill’.
“Why not capture him?”
“It’s far easier to kill.”
“Do you kill anyone who disagrees with you?”
“Only the important ones. You have training on weapons, Miss. You haven’t killed anyone yet?”
“No.”
“That’s good. Killing people makes you numb or traumatized by it. The good ones are traumatized, the lesser ones go numb at the thought of it.”
“What about you, Sir?”
“Numb. I’ve seen death. Did death, but even though I feel numb about doing the deed. The ‘death’ itself is the hardest part. No matter what aspirations, goals, and kindness you wanted. Once dead, no one would know. Colonel Elric, he had goals, aspirations, and wants in life. Perhaps, if I had sat down instead of outright killing him, then perhaps we would have come to an understanding. Changing minds is impossible with someone who has enough guts to continue down that path. The act of killing, the ones that matter usually ends up being martyred. They want to find a symbol, and perhaps the killings that I have done would make them into symbols of Holmian Tyranny.”
“Then why?”
Mavin rested his back on the seat, “Conversation with them is pointless without any power in the government, and the agendas of many outweigh the opinion of one or two individuals unless they possess enough threat to make their words weigh. They had violated a city, and from the looks of it are still running. The deal was off the moment they involved innocent civilians. What I did was nothing more than beheading a snake.”
“So you’re the judge, jury and executioner?”
“No. I’m just some killer removing them before they become a disease to Holmia. Then again, that’s how I see it at least.”
Wendy looked at Mavin without changing an expression. Mavin didn’t know whether she was disgusted inside or troubled by what he was saying. Then again, it wouldn’t matter, as long as he could send her away to safety.
“Do you enjoy this?”
“No. I do not.”
“I see.”
Miss Wendy looked away. Her eyes watching the blurring trees. Mavin chose not to disturb her. It didn’t matter what she thought of him. As long as he could send her back, then that’s fine. All he had worry about now was the person in-charge of following his trail. Holmia would be curious enough to know who's the one taking their enemies out.
