Explosions and Shouting or My Time in Limbo
This is it folks. The arc is now complete. But don't think this is the end of the Coyote. I got one more story to churn out before I put him to rest.
This should only be read by people aged 18 or older. This is rated R for blood, gore and swearing.
Read it. Comment. Rate it.
I want to thank my readers for sticking with me throughout this entire series and understand the amount of pride I take into knowing I can actually finish something like this.
I also want to thank my editors: Ishtar and Yuri for helping me to improve my stories. You guys are the best.
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"Johnson! Cover the right! Meyers, go and help him!"
"Where are Masterson and Gonzales?"
"They're dead!"
I woke up to shouting and gunfire, hot brass falling into the sand next to me as my ears continued to ring from the explosion. I saw Staff Sergeant Swift laying muzzle first in the sand. Still disoriented I crawled towards him as the sounds of battle raged around me.
"Swift...Swift...Where's my gun?" My voice coming out like a drunken slur when I spoke, as I got closer I felt my elbows sink into the sand. "Oh no..." Swift (or what was left of him) laid muzzle down in a pool of his own blood and intestines. The explosion must have been right beneath his feet. One of the Rangers noticed my stirrings and hauled me to my feet and shoved someone's gun into my paws. I tried to ask the Ranger something but he ran off, back into the fight.
I almost moved to follow him, but something reminded me why I was here and I felt my professionalism take hold of me. I snuck off, away from the loud sounds of gunfire and towards what appeared to be a secluded part of the mountain. It wasn't far from the fighting but it was well away from any prying eyes. While I looked for a way to get in I took stock of what I had. My clips were still in their holders, three grenades were still clipped onto my body the rest lost to the sand and the weapon that had been shoved into my paws was almost identical as my personal M4. Just, not as awesome.
As much as I wanted to help the Rangers out, I had my own job to do. I had to get inside that cave network and kill Jacob Black. I continued to look for a way into the caves, finally settling on a few ledges that looked climbable. The gunfire had gotten sparse now and that could only mean one of two things: Either the Rangers had killed the majority of their attackers and were taking pot shots at anyone who was hiding in cover or the Rangers were slowly being slaughtered. Suddenly I felt a wave of guilt crash over my body, dislodging me from the ledge I had been hanging onto and I fell back into the sand.
It was just like what happened to me, an ambush and more dead souls who would never see their families again. I won't let that happen, I will not have more deaths like Jasper's on my conscience. With new found strength and purpose I quickly climbed the ledges and found myself at the mouth of a cave. Slinging the rifle up to my shoulder I started to move through the cave. I let the faint echoes of gunfire lead me in the right direction and sure enough I saw what looked like a Lemur hiding behind a rock as bullets flew past him and impacted behind him. He couldn't see me, instead every few moments he would hoist his Ak-47 over the edge of the rock and pop off a few shots. The continuous fire from the Rangers masked my approach. With a quick pull of the trigger the Lemur's head exploded in a shower of gore and his body fell off the ledge into the sand. I moved towards the opening and peeked over the rock, down at the surviving Rangers who had come out of cover and were surrounding the Lemurs corpse.
"Well, would you look at that!?" said one.
"It's the Merc."
I waved at them and moved back into the caves. Whether they would cut their losses and retreat or push on with their mission was completely out of my hands. My only concern was my job. I pushed farther into the caves trying to find a large cavern or room that would serve as a command post or sleeping quarters. I found a few empty sleeping quarters but had yet to find a command post. The caves were largely deserted, either the fighters were out trying to stop the Rangers or retreating further in so they could escape while a chosen few stayed behind to fight.
I progressed along the tunnel, checking every room. As I was leaning into past a corner to check another room three fighters came charging up the opposite end of the tunnel, swearing loudly I jumped into the room as bullets tore into the section of wall I had been leaning against. The room was another sleeping area with no real cover for me to hide behind, so instead I took one of the beds and flipped it onto its side. Not a moment after I did so the room was filled with gunfire, bullets slamming into the mattress and the wall. They were firing purely from the hip. On top of that they were firing together, hoping that their combined fire power would kill me as opposed to one guy firing while another reloaded. My moment came when I heard three clacks as their empty magazines hit the floor. I stood up from my cover, the world slowing down around me like a special effect in an action movie. The last thing I saw was their horrified eyes. Realization creeping in at their mistake, mouths covered by rags meant to keep the sand out of their mouths and with three quick tugs against the trigger they collapsed onto the floor. Stepping over the crumpled heaps of flesh I moved down the tunnel in the direction they had come until I came to a choice. To my left was a large room, filled with primitive equipment. To my right was a longer tunnel that led out of the cave. Jacob could have already been spirited away and out of my reach, but perhaps I could find some information as to where so I took the left.
Primitive equipment didn't begin to describe what I found. The radios looked like they were from the sixties or at least used too. Someone had taken a whole clip to them in an effort to cover his comrades' tracks. The thought that this individual may still be in the room was confirmed by the smell of burning paper. I rushed towards the smell, desperate to stop this person from destroying what could have been my only lead. His back was turned to me when I found him, feverishly tossing papers into a small fire he had going.
"Freeze, stop right there pal." It's back went rigid as I spoke. I couldn't tell what species it was exactly, some kind of short tailed fur but that's all. "Put your paws on your head, lock your fingers and slowly turn around." The stranger followed my instructions to the letter and turned around, a grin that could shame the devil plastered onto his muzzle. It only grew wider when he saw the surprise in my eyes, the fire still burning behind us.
It was Jacob Black, the man who I was meant to kill.
"You look surprised Ranger. Expected some low level peon? Well congratufuckinglations soldier. You just struck gold. "I saw his eyes roaming over my supplied uniform. "Well what's your name son? Whose face is going to be plastered across every newspaper for bringing me in?"
"My name is of no importance and you're not going anywhere but to a special part of hell you sonofabtich." It was his turn to look surprised, the grin evaporated and changed to a look of fear.
"W-what...you can't kill me! I'm too important to the government to just be left rotting in a cave!" His voice rose in pitch.
"Just watch me pal, now you and I are going to go and take a little walk. Killing you here seems too merciful. Now move it." Hands still linked he slowly walked past me without another word, I followed him a few paces behind him gun pointed at his back.
A stupid mistake I should have tied his hands or something.
It happened like lightning, we were passing by a shot up radio when he made his move. The man was former CIA; he had more tricks up his sleeve than I could ever hope to have. Without any sort of warning he grabbed the nearest piece of broken metal and backhanded me with it. I felt the metal tear into my cheek, cutting deeply into my mouth. What happened next wasn't a series of moves, just a move like watching ballet. As I staggered back from the blow he kicked the tip of my rifle, sending it into my stomach. A rush of air escaped my lips and I fell down to my knees, his knee crunching my nose into a foreign shape. He let me fall on my rifle and ran out of the room. Fighting the urge to pass out I got up and stumbled after him, catching a glimpse of him running down the other tunnel bent on escaping. Not today, not when I've gotten so close. He had a good head start on me but I quickly caught up to him right as he exited the cave I dove and tackled his mid section.
The two of us fell into a small dune outside the cave. I felt the strap on my gun snap and the weapon was left at the top of the dune. My attention was taken away when he smashed his fist into my cheek, sending me reeling into the sand my magazines scattering into the sand. The Rottie straddled me and started to wail on my face with his fists, my vision blurred and the pain from my nose was enough for me to beg for death. But something kept me from blacking out and I started to put my arms up to try and block his strikes. Didn't do too much but it gave me the split second to scoop up a pawful of sand with one of my free paws and throw it into Jacob's eyes.
"MY EYES!" He rolled off me, claws digging into his face in a vain attempt to get the stinging sand out of his eyes. I struggled to stand and when I did the world spun in front of me. Jacob was still clawing at his face when I started to climb up the dune to try and reach my gun but it didn't take him long to notice my absence and right as I was reaching out for the butt of my rifle when I felt him grab onto my leg and drag me back down the slope. When I was flipped onto my back I was met with a bleeding, snarling face with eyes that could kill.
"Boy, aren't you the prettiest lil-" Another punch cut me off before I could finish my witty comment. Followed by similarly powerful knee to my stomach, he tried to bring back but I caught it between my own knees rising up far enough to give him a firm head butt and that sent him reeling back. This time I was the one who straddled him and gladly returned all the punches that were going my beautiful muzzle into a map of black and blue. His paws flailed in the air, desperate to grab some sand and throw it into my face but he couldn't get a solid pawful. I paid no attention to them, my mind focused on making him pay. With each crashing blow I roared at the top of my lungs.
"THIS IS FOR JASPER!" Crunch!
"THIS IS FOR SWIFT!" Snap!
"THIS IS FOR ME!" Crack! He went still.
By the time I was done his face looked worse than mine would when I got to a hospital. I got off him and took a minute to admire my handiwork. His nose had been reduced to a pile of cartilage, both his eyes looked like puffed out fists and his jaw hung at an angle. I climbed my way back up the dune, my intention was to grab my rifle and give him the old double tap just case he was still breathing after that intense beating. As I bent over to pick up my rifle I noticed something .My face went white with fear whirling back towards the dune I was met with the horribly mutilated face of Jacob Black but it wasn't his face that scared me, nor the maniac grin that spawned from his crooked jaw. It was the grenade he had clutched to his chest and the dangling pin still attached to my ACU.
"See you in hell." Were his last words before the explosion tore a gaping hole in his chest and blew me backwards against the wall. I felt small jagged pieces of metal rip into my body before everything went black. As my eyes closed I gave myself a few seconds for final thoughts.
So here I am, bleeding out in a desert where it's believed souls go their final resting place. How ironic. At least Jacob Black will no longer kill another soul. My only regret is letting Rika down. But there was nothing I could do and I happily let death come and take me.
I found myself in never ending darkness, the only light emanating from my body. "Hello?
Hello...
Hello...
My voice echoed off into nothing. I was about to call out again when I felt something land on my shoulder. It was a gloved paw.
"How ya been James?"
"J-Jasper... How...I don't..." I was shocked; here was someone who's been buried in Arlington for years standing behind me looking clean and healthy as the day he died. I turned around; he was still dressed in his Ranger uniform. My surprise was overridden by the sudden realization of where I was. "Jasper, am I dead?"
"Close enough James you're skirting that fine line. Comes down to your willpower buddy, in the meantime you're confined to Limbo. But enough of that, I've been watching you."
"Creepy."
He scoffed slightly. "This is serious man; I've seen what you've put yourself through after...that day: Booze, obsession for a few years and finally Rika. You practically tortured that poor girl. At least you set that straight before you left."
"What're you, my conscience now? Not like it was worth. I'm dying remember."
"Ah yes, a few pieces of metal in some very vital places. Think you can hold on?" He looked down at me, staring intently at my chest. I followed his eyes and saw that my uniform was starting to stain with my own blood. My face turned pale and I fell onto my knees, paws clutching at my chest as I made a vain attempt to stop the bleeding.
"I don't understand!"
Jasper squatted down in front of me but it wasn't the same clean face I saw before. There was a huge hole in the middle of his forehead his muzzle was mangled in so many different places. Skin hanging off, teeth missing. "What's there to understand? Limbo is what you make it. I'm my own free will but still my image is influenced from your memories. I mean you can keep bleeding and I'll still have this hole in my head we won't die though. Well YOU won't, I'm already dead." He was right, considering how much blood had just spilled out of my body I should have passed out and died of blood loss but I was still alive.
"So it's all a figment of my imagination?"
"Yep."
I closed my eyes for minute and when I opened them the mangled face of my friend had been replaced with his true face. "There, now you're more attractive. So what were you trying to tell me?"
"I want you to live James. I know you already promised Rika that this was your last job. I want you to honor that..." He paused and looked out into the darkness; I followed his eyes and picked out another figure from the darkness. Clad in a black robe that covered his face I could only guess who it was.
Death in all his glory.
Jasper held his paw out in a stop motion towards the figure. "It's not his time yet. He has given himself a second chance." The figured nodded and faded back into the darkness, but not before looking at me and pointing his finger at me.
"Uh oh, you dun gone and made him angry I think."
"R-really? Oh shit..."
"Nah, he does that all the time. Anyway I think it's time to wake up old' buddy, Rika's getting worried."
I cocked my head at him. "Rika, what're you talking about? I'm still lying in the desert bleeding into the sand. Same place I've been for the past twenty minutes."
"It's been about three months actually. The Rangers circled around the mountain when they heard the explosion and found you lying in a pool of gore. They got you out just in time too. You spent about a month in an Army hospital until you were stable enough to be moved back to the states. All this time you've been in a very deep coma. Poor Rika, she's been worried sick. Only leaving your side to eat, powder her nose and oh yeah a brief stay in the hospital herself."
"Say that again?"
"She was in the hospital too. I won't tell you any details though, I'll leave that to her. Now then, get up and let's wake your sorry ass up." He got up and offered his paw to me, I took it and he lifted me up back onto my feet. He started walking in no particular direction and I followed.
"But wait...Jasper; will I ever see you again?" I asked, the question stopped him in his tracks and he turned back towards me.
"No, I don' think you will. You've done what you needed to do and found what you needed most, closure. Jacob Black was partly responsible for what happened to us and thanks to you no one else will die because of his betrayal. But I want to rest." He gave me and hug; pulling back momentarily to look into my eyes, a wide smile on his muzzle. "Now then, wake up!" He pushed me and I fell back, expecting to hit the ground. But nothing happened and I just continued to fall, the last thing I saw was Jasper's smile.
The next thing I saw was Rika staring at me. She looked radically different from when I left her. Her left eye was black and blue, she was missing patches of fur and her right arm was in a sling.
"Rika, what happened to you?" Her good eye widened when I spoke and immediately I found myself cradled in her healthy arm.
"Oh my god...you're awake." The scene played out much like the last time I was in the hospital. The doctor came in to check on me and tried to explain that I had been in a coma for three months but I stopped her. I knew everything already thanks to Jasper. The doc left in a huff and I turned my attention back to Rika.
"What happened?"
"You remember that guy who attacked you before? He came back again not long after you left. I was staying at your place, getting things ready for the move when the door was kicked in. He beat me good, almost broke my arm too. I got away and ended up finding one of the pistols you kept around. The police say it was self defense and I should get off scot free. I was here for about a week and then I was discharged. The house is on the market and I bought us a nice little place in the Caribbean. As soon as you're back to full health we can leave."
I took a moment to take it all in and finally to see the condition of my body. Couldn't see much on account of the sheets and when I tried to move my arms I found that it almost impossible. "My arms feel like weights."
"Yeah, that's what a coma will do. Want some help Coyote?"
"Please, and call me James. James Taylor."
She smiled even thought it looked like it took considerable effort. "OK James." She grabbed the sheet and dragged it down until my chest was uncovered. Fresh scars showed where the shrapnel had entered my body. "Doctors said it was a miracle you survived the way you did. You had more metal in you than a car."
"Was anything else damaged?" Rika shook her head.
"Most of the damage was internal, from the shrapnel. Apparently you took quite the beating too but that healed over time."
"Yeah, thankfully I'll never have to do that again. Now it's just an island, booze and you."
"Are you going to miss it?"
"What? Dodging bullets and explosions? Surviving your cooking will be bad enough."
"HEY at least I didn't almost burn the house down the last time I boiled water!"
"That was just a freak accident!" We could have gone on fighting forever if the doctor hadn't come back into the room. Coincidently enough it was the same doctor who had treated me before.
"Hello Mr. Rogers. I see your back from your long nap."
"Doctor Lombardi...nice to see you again." She gave me a routine check up and estimated that I would be released in a week and go straight into physical therapy.
"That should take anywhere from six months to a year. Consider yourself lucky Mr. Rogers. You should have died from your injuries. But through sheer force of will you survived."
"I know doctor. I know more than you'll ever know." She left Rika and me alone to go and finalize the rest of my paperwork. "So where's this island we're going to?"
"Oh it's a little out of the way place called Saint. Martin. No one knows who we are. As far as they're concerned we're just James Taylor and Rika Walker."
"How about James and Rika Taylor instead?"
"Oh that sounds nice has a nice ri-Wait what?" She looked at me; her eye looking like it could turn into a waterfall at any minute. "What are you saying?"
"I don't have a ring...yet but Rika? Will you marry me?" She started to cry and I felt ridiculous, this kind of thing was meant to be romantic yet here we were. I was confined to a bed with no strength, a crying German Sheppard with a swollen eye and a dislocated shoulder.
"Yes, oh god yes I will!" Again I found myself cradled against her frame, her tears sliding onto my scarred chest. "You don't know how many times I dreamed of this moment. But...as much as I hate to ask. Why?"
"I love you. Nothing more, nothing less. I had a talk with an old friend. Helped me realize how important you are to me." She clutched me tighter, tears flowing freely.
"I love you to James 'The Coyote' Taylor."
I stayed confined to the bed for another week before I was wheeled out of the hospital. Another year passed as I learned to walk and got my original weight back. But soon enough I was back to my old self and ready to say goodbye to Santa Cristo.
Summer came to find Rika and I, now officially married standing in the doorway of my old house.
"You ready husband?"
"Been looking forward to this day for a whole year..." I wanted to say more but the impatient honk of our taxi cut me off and we hurried to throw our suitcases in the trunk and catch our plane. As the car moved down the road I found myself recognizing various landmarks. We were going to the private airport again. It took about a half hour to reach our destination. To my surprise I found Kyle and Bill the bulls who harassed me when I first came here standing watch over our plane. They didn't recognize me or they didn't want too. Either way they treated me with respect and waved goodbye as we took off.
That was three months ago. Since then Rika and I have been living very comfortably, going so far as to buy a small bar on one of the local beaches to keep ourselves busy when we weren't just laying on the beach. I never heard back from the Big Three. I assume their still out there, solving our nation's problems in worn down warehouses.
But some days, when business was slow I found myself staring out in the endless ocean. Reflecting on what led me to be here and those who made the ultimate sacrifice so I could be here.
Jasper.
Swift.
Countless soldiers who died because of a selfish individual turning his back on his country.
It would be hard for anyone, but whenever I spaced out Rika would wrap her arms around my torso and lean her head against my back.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Can't ask for anything better than this.
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Thank you and good night.
10/30/2010-12/24/2010