Once again Chapter two
#2 of Once Again
Chapter Two
When I woke it was nearly four in the afternoon. My head hurt, my stomach was on fire and I had to pee something ferrous. After using the bathroom, washing up and getting dressed I checked what I had to do for the rest of the day. I had seven messages from Kel, all saying that she would cover for me and that I need to not stay out so late with guys as I had the night before. I looked what I had to do for the rest of the day. One meeting with the admiral of the Seventy Second Fleet. So I got ready for the meeting.
After the meeting I went back to my apartment, got into my casual clothes and just before I went out, my phone rang.
"Hello?" I said into my small mobile phone.
"John, it's Kel, General Young is very upset about you missing their meeting, he said he had very important information for you," Kel said over the phone.
"Well tell him to make for another meeting next week," I said.
"Yes sir. And on another note, please do not stay out very late again. If you do I will be forced to send Jake to retrieve you, I am under orders of Fleet Admiral Blake to do so," Kel told me.
"Yes mother, I'll be in by my curfew," I said, "now is that all Kel?"
"Yes that is it John, have a good day," Kel said then the line went dead.
I sighed softly knowing I would not be able to stay out so long but I was excited at the thought of meeting Silas again. I grabbed my wallet and my 1911 Colt, snapped them both into their hiding spots behind my right wing and headed out of the apartment.
I had walked down the road for a while, not many people seemed to be out today, so I decided to head back to the same bar as the night before. I walked into the bar, there were a few faces that were the same as the night before but Silas was nowhere to been found. I sat at the bar and ordered a beer. I slowly sipped on the beer and waited hoping to see Silas walk in.
After waiting for three hours, night was setting in and Silas had not come in so I decided to leave. I began to walk home once again, I thought about taking a different road but then decided that if those two men were there that I would just take them out once again.
About half way back to my apartment I heard the footsteps. You would think they would learn. I turned to see thirteen people, not just two.
Most of them were holding metal pipes or bats or some kind of blunt weapon. Two of them were holding pistols, T-6A Military model. And one was holding a J-17 Assault Rifle, the standard issue of most UPA military soldiers. My right hand twitched as I fought the urge to grab my colt. I didn't want to make things worse.
"So you're that John Al I have heard about," The lead man said, "You don't look that impressive."
"Well you know my name already, what might yours be?" I asked him.
"My name? I guess there is no harm in telling you, my name is Trace Larz, the leader of the Borderline Rebels here in the city," Trace told me.
"Ah so you're the leader, I didn't think I would get the chance to beat the crap out of the leader of the gang, just a couple of fool members," I said.
"Trust me, you won't want to touch any of us, bring him out," Trace said
A couple of men pushed forward another person with a bag over their head. They pulled the bag off, it was Silas. One of the men had his pistol up to the back of Silas's head. Trace smiled.
"Now do as we say or your nice friend here dies," Trace said.
"Fine, what do you want?" I asked.
"First, disable your tracker, the one all UPA members have. Then take out that nice colt of yours, nice and slow," Trace told me.
"Ok, Ok," I said and did as I was told, the whole time Silas just watched me, I could see the fear in his emerald eyes.
"This is a nice gun," Trace said after taking my colt from me, " I do believe I found myself a new gun. Now John, how much do you think the UPA will pay for your return?"
"Nothing. The UPA does not make deals with rebels of any kind," I told him.
"Well that's too bad, and I really thought you two had something going," He said and nodded towards Silas.
The man standing behind Silas pulled the charging hammer of his pistol back making it click. I jumped slightly at the sound.
"Fine, I'll get you money," I told him, "Just don't hurt Silas."
"That's more like it," Trace said grinning, "But first, I think I would like to talk more terms. I want a ship, a destroyer. And I want the UPA to keep off our asses for an hour after we are all on the destroyer and have it moving."
"I will see what I can do," I said.
"Good, good," Trace said.
"Want to know your one mistake?" I asked him.
"What?" He asked in return.
"It was turning off my tracker, then not moving me," I told him.
A strong gust of wind followed by the wine of a M-17 Saber drop ship's engine flying overhead. A shot rang out and the man holding a gun to Silas's head fall over bleeding from his chest. The nearly silent ship landed right in front of me and the troop bay doors open. Nine fully armored troops filed out of the door. I knew who it was, the only team that had nine members on it, my best friend and head of security on my ship, Jake.
Each one of the men turned and began to run, including Trace. The heavy armored men opened fire on the fleeing men; they all fell to the ground dead. Silas had fallen to the ground as soon as the gunfire started. I ran over next to him and kneeled down.
"Are you alright Silas?" I asked him
"Wha- yeah I think I'm ok," He said looking up at me, he still had fear in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry about this Silas," I said helping him up, "I never thought something like this would happen."
"John, thank you," Silas said wrapping his arms around me in a hug, "I thought they were going to kill me. They never said why they were holding me; they just kept putting a gun to my head and telling me to walk. I thought I was going to die!"
"It's ok Silas, you're safe now," I said returning the hug. "It'll be alright."
Silas held onto me for another couple of minutes, when I was finally able to get him to let go I took him back to his house. I received an earful from his brother I apologized for everything that happened, and told him that I would give them money to make up for it. I also asked if I could call or come over to check up on Silas. His brother reluctantly agreed to allow me.
After thanking his brother I went into Silas's room. There were several posters on the wall of different bands, a desk full of auto mechanic books and his small one person bed. He was curled up on the bed, his eyes shut tight and he was shivering slightly. I sat at the foot of the bed and put my hand on his knee.
"I'm sorry all of this happened Silas, I should do as some of the higher Admirals and Generals keep telling me to do and stop making friends," I told him.
"John, it's ok," Silas said rolling to look at me, "I just, I just need rest. I've lived here all my life but I've never seen these guys."
"Well their gone now, they had a bunch of weapons stockpiled in the headquarters, a small warehouse somewhere in the city. Turns out they only had a couple dozen members, and when the UPA troops showed up, they gave in without a fight," I told him.
"That's good." He said and sat up, "Thank you again, for everything John."
Silas hugged me again and as we pulled apart he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. I felt myself blush hard, I smiled at him and told him goodnight. Jake gave me a lift back to my apartment and said he wanted to stay the night just in case. I said he could, with him around I felt safer then with an army of men, Jake was the best fighter I knew, the best shot, and the best friend I knew. Only bad side is that he only knows how to take orders, he can lead but only when he has orders from a higher source.
I laid my head down on my pillow. I tried to sleep but my thoughts kept going back to this kiss Silas had given me. It made me smile thinking about it, but also made me sad because of what happened to him today. After a while I was able to fall back asleep.