《The War Within》 The Black hoods The sound of the rain hitting the leaves and the smell of the refreshened forest were the only good parts in this cold and dark night. The man standing guard at the old metal bar gate, connecting the forest to an old tunnel, was even more irritated than usual, considering now he can not step even a foot out without stepping in the mud. -Hey Derek! - a voice called from behind the gate. - Hey to you too. - responded Derek with a note of apathy in his voice. - You don''t sounds so good. - said his colleague. - Another boring night. Just me, my rifle and the muddy forest. Even though they could not see each other''s faces, the two men were glad there was someone else to talk to during watch. The gear they wore definitely took its toll on their bodies, especially if there was nothing to occupy the mind. - Boring or not we are paid a lot of money to do this. - said the other guard. - I guess. - said Derek and shrugged shoulders. - These people sure spend a lot on military contractors to guard these places. God knows why they brought us out here in the middle of a German forest. But like you said the pay is good. - Who knows. It''s not like I understand a word of what they are saying. A few minutes of silence followed. The two men stood watch, keeping their senses sharp. Even a boring job was still a job to be done. Equipped with heavy body armor, their trusted M4 rifles and a flashlight, among their other gear, the old friends waited patiently for their shift to end. - Hey Derek did you know there are wolves in the forest? - Seriously, that''s what intrigues you? - Derek responded with a voice mixed with surprise and irritation. - No I''m just saying it because I saw one pass by. - responded the other guard. Just as Derek averted his gaze to glance at the passing wolf, he heard a metal object his the ground. He turned around to see his partner dropped his rifle and in a second fall of the ground. Just as he aimed in the thick of the forest to take a shot an arrow pierced his eye and another pierced his neck. From the trees approached 2 shadowy figures. Tall and lean men wearing black suits and covered with hoods. - A bit late on the shots boys. - mumbled the first one. - Forgive us captain it won''t happen again. - responded the two archers. - I''m sure they won''t. Now get ready. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Just as the captain said that he raised his hand to signal the path was clear. From the trees emerged more and more shadowy figures each carrying a different type of weapon. None of which firearms. One of the hooded men inserted a key and opened the gate and the small army of shadows entered the tunnel. After a couple of minutes they reached a door. - Khadir you''re up! - whispered the captain. Khadir was a young operative of Arabic descent who specialized in cybersecurity and hacking. Despite his young age, he was adept in his field and he was among the captain''s favorites. In a minute he had broken the code and unlocked the door. - Okay people this is it. Enter the prison and find out people. No witnesses. - with these words the captain opened the door and entered first, followed by his twenty subordinates. The old prison looked like a giant underground maze, with hundreds of cages. Fortunately the rescue teams knew where to look already. The dim light from the torches helped the hooded assassin''s to move in the shadows of the maze. The first guard didn''t even understand what happened. The captain snuck behind him, covered his mouth and jammed a knife in his neck, killing him on the spot. The two new recruits drew their arrows and released them towards the guard of one of the cages. One of them hit the target in the neck, but the other one missed. Understanding they were under attack, the second mercenary opened fire with his rifle. The sounds echoed throughout the prison alerting the other guards that they were under attack. The recruit archer froze in fear as the bullets started flying towards him, but all he could see was the silhouette of his captain shielding him from the bullets. Just enough time for the second recruit to shoot another arrow and kill the guard. Throughout the chambers and tunnels gunshots were heard, screams echoed and then - silence. -Captain!! - screamed out the first archer - Are you alright? - Yes of course. It seems the armor upgrades really do work. It still felt like solid punches, but no permanent damage. Impressive. - Upgrades? - Asked the second archer puzzled. - Yes, as a part of a new project, us captain were given armor improvements. Bulletproof suits. Didn''t like the idea to be a test rabbit, but it paid off. Of course that wasn''t going to happen if you hadn''t missed your shot! - the captain''s gaze met the young man''s scared eyes. - Relax. You''re only 20 and it''s your first mission. You''ll have time to improve. Come on. They reached the cage and in it found twelve of their comrades, all beat up, some even mutilated. The prisoners looked up to see who came for them. And why. - They sent a captain? - one of the prisoners exclaimed with shock. - You sound disappointed Corina. - Captain Illaris? Thanks goodness. Does that mean- - Yes. You''re all coming home. - said the captain. Captain Heinz Illaris was a strong man in his mid thirties, with a well trimmed beard, dark eyes and an affinity towards his fellow operatives. He made sure his people always came home. Even if that meant crossing a few lines. After giving the prisoners a few second to absorb and process what just happened he tapped the bug in his ear and asked for a report. -Sir, we have everyone safe and sound, some have sustained injuries, but they will live. - Any casualties on our side after that slip up? - asked Illaris. -No sir. The armor improvements really do work. -Glad to hear it. Take our people and let''s go home. - the captain averted his eyes to Corina and asked - What happened? Corina felt uneasy and ashamed to admit but finally she said. - We got careless. And we got naive. We got ambushed and we lost half of our squad. - Corina said with a trembling voice. - How did they find you? - asked the captain. -We were set up. - By who? - asked Illaris firmly. - The Hunter! Just a simple collector Amsterdam, Netherlands 7:00 am The sound of the alarm fills the tiny, but cozy hotel room with it''s noise, almost loud enough to wake up the neighbors. Nicola opened his eyes to meet the first sun rays through the windows and realised he forgot to close the curtains. He woke up to a beautiful morning and a clear sky and took in the sight of the city below him. After putting on some clothes, his thrusty hoodie and his backpack, he made his way to the breakfast hall near the lobby to start his day right - some juice, sausages and eggs and a toast. As much as he enjoyed the atmosphere of the hotel he couldn''t stay for much longer, so he headed to check out. After all he had places to be and people to meet! - Good morning mister Cooper, I hope you are enjoyed your stay with us! - greeted him the receptionist just as he was handing in his keys. Nicola looked at the young lady before him and with the wide smile on her face and couldn''t help but smile in return. -Oh yes, it''s a lovely hotel you guys have here. I''ll be sure to come back some day. Oh here is a little something as a thank you for your hospitality. - he said as he passed her a hundred euro bill and a small hand crafted chocolate he bought from a nearby market. - And before you said anything, I left one for the house keeping maids too! -Oh wow thank you! We hope to seeing you again soon! He waved for goodbye and exited the hotel, finding himself on the street. The time was a bit past 9 so he assumed the place he was supposed to go was open. Or at least it was gonna be by the time he walked there. As he walked around the streets of Amsterdam he enjoyed the small bridges and the flowing river, the boats in the water and the people just enjoying the sunshine and their lives. After what seemed like a decent walk he found himself in a small antique shop. He entered inside and looked around him as if looking for something beyond the collectibles on the shelves. He made a brief eye contact with what seemed like the owner, walked up to him and said: -Good morning, I''d like to get a coffee please. The man behind the counter, an old guy with barely any hair left and vintage reading glasses, while still reading his magazine replied: -This isn''t a coffee shop. -I can see that, but I bet you have a machine, no? - said Nicola. -We are out of beans. - replied the owner. -That''s okay, I brought my own. The merchant looked up to meet the young man''s eyes and got up from his chair. He turned the "open" sign, looked at the young man and his attire and simply said: -Follow me! After walking in the back they entered through a door and walked into a room with two more workers in it. A man who seemed to be middle aged, but fit and with a solid presence and an elderly woman who was sorting some envelopes. Nicola assumed it was a family business. - Coffee? - asked the old man while holding a mug. - No thank you, I actually prefer tea. - replied the young man. - Suit yourself. - said the old man while shrugging shoulders. - So, you are a collector? I heard you might be coming, but just so you know what you''re looking for isn''t cheap. -How do you know what I''m looking for? - We got word you might be visiting. I hope from a friend of yours. - the old man sized Nicola from head to toe, but wasn''t really expecting an answer. - Well either way, I''m here. I''m looking for a small ring made of gems with family engravings. Ring any bells? - said Nicola while taking off his backpack and opening it. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. - It does. The ring that belonged to Cassie Cooper. A relative of yours. I have to say it Is a beautiful ring. Here you have it. - the elderly man said while the younger one passed his a small wooden box, from what seemed like an exotic type of wood. On top the engravings C. C. could be seen. - Thank you, mister Wilco. - Nicola nodded in gratitude and passed two envelopes to the old merchant. - And these are your payments. In one you have 20 000 euros, and in the other a letter from a friend of mine in Poland. He will make sure your family is protected and your business untouched. The family looked at the young man with awe and gratitude. They had never expected someone to respond to the distress signal they send, after they shop was broken into a few months back. - Thank you, young man. Before you go we have something for you. An anonymous third party left this for you. We checked, it is not a bomb. - mister Wilco passed a metal sliding box with an engraved serpent on the top. Upon opening the gift, Nicola''s eyes were filled with happiness, his smile revealed his white teeth and he even giggled. In the box was a deck of cards with the same serpent engravings on the back as the one on the box. The deck of cards itself wasn''t something important, but it looked great and the cards were a special request by the previous owner. After picking up the deck to examine it he saw a folded piece of paper. He opened it to read the content, expecting a small letter from the third party. But all the letter said was "For your assistance in Peru. I.". He thanked the family and said his goodbyes, making his way out the entrance when his phone rang. On the other side he heard a voice. -Hey man, it''s me. I need to talk to you. In private please. Nicola recognized the voice. - Hey. Good to hear you man. I''m on my way. With those words he hung up and called a taxi passing by. It was time to go catch a flight. California USA Delta strike company HQ -SEVENTEEN DEAD! - yelled out the man behind the desk. - SEVENTEEN OF MY MEN GONE, AND YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO ME? -I don''t have to tell you anything. Your men were hired to do a job and they failed. Their families should still be thankful for being compensated for the loss. - replied the man in the suit. -Compensated? - the PMC leader could not hide the anger in his voice. - Seventeen families left without fathers and husband''s and you speak of monetary compensation? - he spitted out while hitting his desk. The man sitting in his desk was named Gerard Collins. An ex-steal turned private military contractor. Even though he was passing 50 years old he was still in top shape, with well trimmed beard and sharp, grey eyes. Unfortunately for him his ire was pointed towards a US senator by the name of Gregory Manwell. The senator had hired Collins'' men to protect a high-value prison site in Germany. And none of Gerards men made it. - I lost some of my best in that mission. And they were slaughtered like they were on the same level as civilians. - Gerard said in a low tone, reflecting his grief and his regret he didnt do better. - Yes you did. - replied the senator. - But their sacrifice will not be in vain. At the sound of these words Gerard could barely stay in his seat. -Sacrifice? You mean you knew? You knew my boys were about to face the Black Hoods and you did NOTHING? What the hell were you trying to accomplish? - the mercenary used all of his self control not to jump over the desk and strangle the senator with his bare hands. Regardless of the fact that the senator''s two bodyguards where ready to draw their weapons on a moments notice. - I wanted to see the level of preparadness of the Black Hoods, but I hoped they would send a general. Not just a captain. Even so that speak volumes about how underwhelming your men'' s performance was. The senator''s unfazed look pierced through Gerard''s mind and just for a split second the old Navy seal felt unease. And maybe a little bit of fear. - Do you have any reports or news I could use? - continued the senator - Or are you going to waste any more of my time? - They had armor improvements. - said Gerard reluctantly. - Their new grade armor protects them even from close range assault rifles. An M4 didn''t as much as slow them down. And whoever that captain was, he wasn''t just an ordinary one. He had skill and knowledge. My guess is he is either awaiting promotion or he is very well connected and informed. I can only imagine what a general would be capable of. - What do you mean? - asked senator Manwell. - Didn''t you know? Usually a general is given even higher grade equipment and are even more deadly. There have been speculations, but none of my men, or from other groups I am in contact with ever managed to confirm. And our spies were killed long before they could extract anything useful. -Interesting. Well this meeting surely had its good sides. I''ll be in touch in case we need your help in the future. - said the senator as he was getting off his seat. -Go screw yourself. - Gerard hissed at him. - Excuse me? - I said go screw yourself. You treated me and my men as disposable and second rate humans. We did your dirty work for almost 3 years and you still only came here to demand information rather than show some basic courtesy. And worst of all. You betrayed the trust me and my men had in you. Screw you. I''m out. - the ex-seal said while he leaned on his desk, standing up. - Shame. - said the senator with yet another emotionless expression. Just as he finished his word, both of his bodyguards took out their silenced pistols and shot the PMC leader. One to the heart. One to the head. Gerard Collins fell down on his chair and his well maintained uniform was now stained with his own blood. And with the sting of betrayal. I need a favor Sof¨ªa, Bulgaria After finally arriving at the airport, Nicola made his way to the exit, called a taxi and took a ride to a little storage facility where he had a few things he needed to retrieve. Since he was here on a detour, might as well run some errands and visit some friends. While in the car, he looked at the scenery around him. The capital of the small eastern European country hasn''t changed much since he was last here a few years ago. Although he noticed some improvements have been made. The old Soviet style bloks* looked a bit refreshened, the streets, even though still full of cracks at least had some repairs done. But even though there was much to be done, he enjoyed the fact that there was improvement. The taxi stopped at the warehouse on the outskirt of the other side of the city and the driver decided to have a smoke while waiting for Nicola to gather some things. He went inside, went to one of the many containers inside and entered a code on the keypad. The door opened and he took a peek inside. Everything was still in place, which was a good sign. He opened one of the lockers and took a green backpack he had a contractor prepare beforehand, filled with some cash, a few envelopes, two books and a multitool. He then popped the top end of the locker revealing a compartment behind a false wall, from where he took a car key, a medium sized dagger and a glock 18 with 2 extra magazines. He then opened a small cabinet from where he took some clothes and changed. He put on a bej trousers, a white T-shirt and a forest green shirt over it. He tucked the gun in his pants, put the knife in a small pocket of the bottom of his backpack, put the old clothes in the backpack he took, locked everything and went outside to get a ride to his hotel. The taxi driver was a bit surprised and thought the young man before him looked too much like a foreigner, considering he dressed way too well, was tall and had a short, but well maintained hairstyle, unlike most boys around, but then again he did speak the language as good as himself. "A rich kid probably" he thought. After 30 some minutes they arrived at the hotel and before the taxi driver could even tell him the price, Nicola had already handed him a 100 leva* bill and an extra tip of 200 euros for the waiting. The taxi driver laughed, sent off his client with some warm words and then took off. NNicola entered the hotel and went to check in, asking for a room closer to the elevators. While waiting for the keys he looked around in the lobby. A small waiting lounge near the front desk with leather chairs and a small coffee table. A few plants scattered around but still placed with care. But his favorite was probably the small deli market with homemade pastries. Or at least they were advertised as such. Either way the hotel was definitely worth the extra bucks he was spending. After receiving his keys, he went in his room and left his backpack on the bed, made sure to hide his gun and knife, but still placed them in a place where he could draw quickly if needed. He organized his belongings, left his backpack on the chair in the room and went to try out the restaurant. He was starving, he was thirsty and most of all he was excited to try out the menu, since he read somewhere it''s one of the best in town. The only thing he brought with him was one of the books he took from the warehouse. A Russian grammar textbook. Even when travelling for a meeting he had to keep studying and improving himself. He ordered a steak, a fortified red wine and a creme brulee for desert. While waiting for his food he remembered he didn''t workout today and was a bit annoyed ta himself. After a few minutes the steak and wine were in front of him and he couldn''t wait to enjoy the meal in front of him. The reviews did not disappoint! The food really was good and the desert was just enough to satisfy his craving for sugar. He then paid and went back to his room where he changed into something more sporty and waited a bit for his food to digest. He had to workout before bed, even if the timing wasn''t anywhere near good. After his short but productive hotel-gym workout he went and took a shower and then checked his schedule for the next day. His meeting was for lunch so he had time to sleep in, have breakfast and even walk there. He woke up the next morning and checked the time. It was 9:30am, which meant he overslept by a bit. The bad taste in his mouth reminded him he didn''t brush his teeth the night before, so he got up, did just that, got dressed with those same trousers and shirt as yesterday, took his backpack and knife and left the hotel. He opted to leave the gun as he didn''t think he would need it. After around a forty minutes walk he was nearing the agreed spot. It was a small local park, pretty, but based in a bad neighbourhood. He arrived about 20 minutes early, so he decided to circle around and enjoy the scenery. As he was walking he heard noises from a nearby restaurant. A small diner style place with some tables on the outside, although no customers in sight. He went to check it out and as he neared, the noises became louder and clearer. It was a beat down! He peeked around the corner and saw two guys with black hoodies beating a guy on the ground and demanding money he supposedly owed. He carefully took off his backpack, taking the knife under it and hiding it in his boot, and placed it on the ground. He regretted going out in a 20 degree weather dressed in a shirt and boots, but he valued safety over comfort. The two black hoods were too occupied and didn''t even notice the footsteps behind them until it was too late. Nicola charged at the first guy and tackled him to the ground, which also pushed the other guy and disbalanced him. Before the second guy could plant his feet firmly and fight back, Nicola was already charging at him, leaving the first guy on the ground. The black hood tried to swing at Nicola''s face but Nicola just ducked, punched him in the stomach and while he was disoriented, used his knee to strike him in the tight, making him colapse on the ground. Just in time, as the first guy was on all four, about to get up, so Nicola low kicked him in the tight as well, making him fall down, and then he kicked him in the side to make him stay down. As it turned out the two black hoods had friends in the diner, who after hearing the excessive ruckus, went out to help. Nicola was surrounded by 3 Black hoods, 2 men and a woman, all of them equipped with spiked brass knuckles, ready to fight him. Just then he was thinking - should he pull out the knife? Or should he fight bare handed to avoid a bigger problem in the long run? One of the guys on the ground managed to get up, and while full of anger, took a small pocket knife, ready to fight alongside his friends. - Who the fuck are you? - asked one of the newly arrived men. - I passed by and heard a guy screaming. Didn''t want to jump your guys, but come on, 2 on 1? Seriously? - Nicola was standing on the tip of his toes, ready to dive at any one of them at a split second notice. - Black hood business doesn''t concern you dipshit. And we don''t like seeing our guys get beat up. - Why the excessive swearing man? - replied Nicola, trying to distract them with his words. The 4 black hoods made sure their downed friend was safe and one of them helped him sit up, before joining his friend. - We have you 4 to 1. Since you wanted to help that guy.. - said the woman while pointing toward the teenager on the ground - you should pay his debt. - You are a total of 5 guys to beat up 1 kid over a few bucks? Pathetic! - Go fuck yourself - exclaimed one of the men and begun to charge at Nicola. - Stop! - a firm voice yelled from behind them. The black hoods turned around to see who was barking orders at them and just as one of them was about to start calling him names he froze in place at the sight of the men before him. Right in front of him was a man, in a Black hood uniform with his hood up, covering part of his face. But unlike their own, his had more details on it. The visible extra thickness and incrustations, the more detailed emblem and even the tiny pocket above the chest, the size of a playing card, meant the man before them was a high captain! And behind him his two escorts. The man was standing straight, looking at his inferiors underneath his hood. His height allowed him to be able to see them clearly besides his limited vision from the clothing. The 4 black hoods and even the one sitting on the ground saluted him, one hand behind their backs, the other - palm on their heart and taking a small bow. The high captain nodded, indicating they can be at ease and said. - This man behind you is a friend of mine. If he intervened there was probably a reason to do so and I trust his judgement. Whatever money this kid owed you is forgiven. And I will cover his treatment in case you caused any Injury. Now get out! - exclaimed the captain and waved his hand, pointing towards the inside of the park. The usually temperamental black hoods reluctantly nodded and walked away. No one dared talk back to the high captain, let alone use words like they do with outsiders. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Nicola and his the captain''s eyes met and the former let our a sigh of relief. They walked towards each other and had a firm handshake. Nicola nodded to the escorts behind his friend and they nodded in return. - Hello, Walt. Long time no see! - Hey, Nicky, it really has been! - replied the hooded man. Walter Dillinger was a Black hood high captain who just hit 30. He is considered a living legend among other Black hoods, both local and international. One of the main reasons is because he is a member of one of the founding families. The Dillingers, the Coopers and the Goliaths. Although the names had slightly changed throughout the years. Behind him were his two assigned escorts - an Indonesian guy named Amri and a Polish gal named Lidya. They were here for an exchange program to train and absorb the best traits of other Black hoods. - Shall we go grab some lunch and discuss whatever it is you wanted? - asked Nicola. - Yeah, let''s go. I know just the place. They got in Walter''s car and drove off. Amri was the driver, since Walter was usually in the backseat doing some reading of reports. In about 10 minutes they got to the restaurant they wanted to. It was one of the few Mediterranean cuisine establishments, and while it wasn''t fine dining it was certainly trying to get there. The environment was certainly welcoming, and the blue sea thematic was calming. Walter walked up to the hostess and asked if they could get a table for 2 that wasn''t near a windows. Amri and Lidya got another table a few meters from them to give them privacy, but still be able to help quickly if problems arrised. The two men sat down and had a look at the menu and quickly selected the same dish. A red snapper with saut¨¦ed vegetables and a bottle of water each. After a minute of a quick look around the restaurant Nicola finally broke the silence. - First of all how are you doing Walt? Is everything okay? Is your sister okay? - Yes, we are both okay, thank you for asking. And you? Any good discoveries on your travels? - I''m good too thanks. And yeah, quite a few actually. Found a ring made of gems that belonged to one of my relatives. Really pretty peace of jewelry I must say. Also congratulations on your promotion! - Well that''s good to hear and thank you! It has really been a slow process, but I finally made it. And It came with some perks too! - replied Walter and sipped a bit of his water. -I still have no idea how your promotions work. I''ve seen 35 year old commanders and you''re a high captain. Also by the way happy late birthday! Sorry I didn''t call. -Yeah don''t worry about it - Walter said while waving his hand - not a big deal. And the promotions are kind of messy, but there are plenty of people to keep track of it. Basically the 2 ways you climb the ladder are by merits or by doing a huge achievement. Now I do have an advantage from being a member of a founder family! But since I don''t take down the big targets I rely on merits and hard work to climb up. I was a commander when I was 17 just for being a Dillinger. I became captain at 23 and just became a high captain few months ago just before I turned 30. Who knows maybe in some 8-9 years I can be a general! - Let''s hope so! Won''t you push for high general? You sure got the skill. - No. - Walt''s expression got serious - Unfortunately it''s not that easy. The high generals are trained to be such since birth. And to become one otherwise is almost impossible. I would need to single handedly kill our top 20 most wanted to be one. And we both know that ain''t happening. - I see. However I don''t think this is what you wanted to talk about, even though I started the conversation. So let''s get to the point. Must be important if you wanted to meet in person. Walter nodded and leaned towards the table. - I suppose you heard about what happened in Germany. - he asked. - I did. - replied Nicola. - That captain they sent sure knows how to lead. - Yeah Heinz is good like that. Now the thing about it is how they got into that situation. One of the captured black hoods mentioned they were set up. - Walter''s eyes were staring right at Nicola''s. - She said your "friend" was involved. - The Hunter? - Precisely. She claimed he set them up to be captured by some American PMCs. 26 captured, most of which are now scarred deeply both physically and mentally. What we don''t know is why. Maybe you can shed some light? - I don''t know about much about it, but if I had to guess, I think he was trying to start a conflict. - You mean make an existing one even worse? To accomplish what? - asked Walter puzzled. - My bet is he expected the Black hoods to send a general. A general gets there, maybe even gets killed, the chain of command needs time to repair itself and in the meantime the enemies seize the opportunity to strike and inflict heavy damage. The end result being a few hundred dead and pressure relieved off himself. Walter stood for a moment taking in what he just heard. It made perfect sense. The Hunter was using both sides to divert attention from himself and and take out whoever remained after such a masacre. And it almost worked. Finally Walter asked: - Have you been in contact with him recently? - Not really, I only send him some Intel every now and then and let him do his magic. - Well if you do, please let me know. I''d like to have a word with him. - A word? - Nicola raised his eyebrow and was a bit surprised by the response of his friend. - He knows some thing and some people and I think we might have a common enemy. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" type of thing. - I see. I doubt he will agree, but I''ll see what I can do! - Thank you, that''s all I ask. But there is one more thing I wanted to talk to you about. Walter unzipped his hoodie and took out a folder from the inside. He passed it onto Nicola. - Read this. After a few minutes Nicola closed the folder and just stared at it for a while. Then he asked: - When? - In about a year or so at least. There is just too much going on right now for such an operation. - But you''re sure he will do it? - After Vinys put you in that dungeon, even though you escaped, it was considered an achievement and he got promoted to a general. Since then he has gotten a lot bolder and his influence has grown a lot. So I''m sure he will. And I need your help. - Whenever it is, just call me. I''ll be preparing until then. - Nicola''s eyes were filled with fire. Walter leaned back in his chair and put the folder back in the inside of his hoodie and zipped it back up. The he looked at his friend sitting in front of him and asked him: - Hey man. I know this might be personal, but I gotta ask. Ieva told me about what you went through in there, and said your body was more wounds than flesh for months. What I''m asking is may I see the scars? Ieva Dillinger was Walter''s younger sister. Currently she operated In Estonia and the Baltic region as a research and development lead. Few years ago when Nicola was locked up and tortured by a man named Vinys Preacher, she was the one that took care of him and made sure he didn''t succumb to his wounds. Nicola looked at Walter and nodded, he then unbuttoned his shirt and slowly lifted his a part of his T-shirt. Even from the small portion of his body, Walter could see the scars. Scars that looked like they were caused by so many different methods of torture. Scars from bruising, from deep cuts, from burning, electrocution, syringes, tears and more just on top of the other. But worst ones were the syringes, since Walter knew what those meant. - Nicola, did he use- - Yes. After beating me for a few months he got bored and decided to use me as a lab rat for their new serums. Truth serums, pain serums, hallucigens. - Fucking animal. I swear if could I''d strangle him with my own hands. But so many syringes... So many scars... - He injected me with around 40 drugs. The results were an overwhelming of the senses and hallucinations. But what was worse was the withdrawal. It started 2 days after I escaped. I could feel every fiber of my body, every cell hurting. At times I couldn''t even walk. And then it hit me. The amount of drugs In My body altered my brain chemistry to the point I couldn''t feel emotion like I used to. After withdrawal the feelings I felt were about 85% less. Even though I spent millions trying to repair some of the damage, it barely made a difference. - Nicola''s face lost most of its expression. He no longer had to fake feelings in front of his friend. He now knew. He knew the secret he kept from others who tried to get close to him. - Dear mother of.. I''m so sorry man. I really am. - Walter was In shock. He knew. He knew Vinys was vile and sadistic. He knew his ambition justified even the most inhumane of acts. But this? This was beyond anything he expected. - Let''s change the subject please. So what are you going to do next? Nicola understood why Walt wanted to talk about something else. Even a hardened warrior like him had his limits. - I''ll give a few friends a call and check up on them, then I guess I''ll go find another artifact or family heirloom. I got a hot tip on some interesting things in the US. And I''ll wait for your call! I''ll try to get in contact with The Hunter for you. But I''ll also call my other "friend". Oh and send me a copy of that folder. - Thank you! And I will! The two men sat there and stared into each other for a while, contemplating what they had both just saw and heard. After a few minutes Walter asked for the check, paid and they both left. Nicola insisted to walk to the hotel to clear his mind and Walter completely understood. Nicola went on his way and Walt called his escorts and went in the car. Amri looked at him and noticed the serious expression on his face. - So where to boss? - he asked. - First send someone to look after that man. Hard times are coming ahead of us guys. We need to be ready. Drive to HQ, I need to make a few calls. The young indonesian started the car and drove off, while Lidya arranged for a few informants to keep an eye on Nicola. Walter was deep in though and he could not shake the bad feeling off him. 300 meters from them, inside one of the tall buildings a man closed with binoculars and turned off his hearing device. He got a call and a woman''s voice on the other side simply asked: - Well? - His torso should be about 90% scars. Now I see why he wears long sleeves. For a human he has an astonishing endurance. - Did you manage to asses if he is the one we are looking for? - Too soon to tell. There are still no defining factors. I''m also interested in that Walter character. - Why is that? - He is a spitting image of the void twins. - Are you sure? - It''s not possible to mix him up. I''ll keep you in touch. He turned off his communication device, deactivated his suit and left the apartment.