Minister:"Gentlemen? Have you decided?"

The Russian generals were arguing between each other. The other generals were looking at them confused, not knowing what the problem was.

General Popov whispers:"Are you sure about this?"

General Jovanovich:"Yes. This is the way."

General Smirnov:"But maybe we could've picked someone else. We have other candidates like Aleksandrovich or Markov. Why him?"

General Jovanovich:"Trust me. This is best option."

Minister:"Is there a problem?"

General Jovanovich:"No. There is no problem. Sorry about the wait. For our representative we have chosen." *Inhale* "Private Yuri Maksimov."

The other generals feel chills.

General Steele:"I sense there's something strange about this man."

General Jovanovich:"Born in the outskirts of Volgograd and raised in the mountains of Kyshik, Yuri enlisted into military service at the age of 18 and has undergone Spetsnaz training at the age of 21 and finishing at the age of 24 after which he was immediately sent to service. He is currently in eastern Afghanistan on a mission to assassinate Abed Ghulam, a large arms-dealer in the Middle East."

General Abbot:"I've head of him. He's a pretty big name not just in the Middle East. But I have a question, if you don't mind me asking, why send a single private? Seems a tad bit... unorthodox."

The generals looked at each other, not knowing how to answer. The a voice comes out of a corner:"Because he is not just any private, general Abbot."

Minister:"Excusez-moi, and you are?"

The man steps forward:"My apologise. I am senior colonel Zoran Markovich of the Russian military."

Minister:"And why are you here, pardon my rudeness."

General Popov:"Colonel Markovich was assigned as the supervisor for Yuri Maksimov. He knows him better than anyone."

Zoran:"And I can tell you, that he is far from an ordinary private."

General Steele:"Care to elaborate colonel?"

Zoran:"Yuri is not a normal man. He has barely anything on his record. He never went to a school, he never went to the hospital, it's like he never existed. He was raised in a cabin on a mountain by his father and mother along his two brothers. His father was my personal friend, we served together in Syria. Truly a great man."

General Abbot:"Was?"

Zoran:"Yes. He died in a car accident when Yuri was 15, so did his mother. That was the first time I met him and I knew immediately, he was strong, fierce and unrelenting. He was his father and much more. When I offered him to come with me, he refused because he wanted to live out his life the way his father intended. This didn't turn out to be a good plan."

General Steele:"And why?"

Zoran:"Shortly after, his brothers... were killed by thieves."

Everyone was shocked. Something like this happened to a young boy. It must've scarred him for life.

Zoran:"And on that day, something was born. Yuri, in his rage, killed the thieves and then turned himself in. He spent three years in a correctional facility before I recruited him."

The room was filled with even more shock. This sounded impossible. A boy killing criminals and them turning himself in. Even if it was true, why would they recruit someone like that?

Zoran:"I saw to it that he received the best training. He passed the most gruesome and tiring of tests, getting stronger every time he rose up after getting knocked down. His natural talent surpassed older and more experienced soldiers. When he joined the Spetsnaz, he felt right at home. He was passing with flying colours surpassing every soldier in a short time span. An expert with any weapon, at any combat style, capable of adapting to any circumstance and able to complete any mission no matter how dangerous. He is more than a killer. He is a hunter, a ghost... he is the monster in the closet and under the bed. He is... the Reaper."

Everyone in the room was chilled and somewhat frightened. A man such as this can't really exist. It's a bit far fetched. That's what they wanted to believe anyway. But they couldn't. They saw how Zoran spoke and they knew he was telling the truth. That made it all the more horrifying.

General Suzuki:"W-Why would you have such a man?! This is... it's... I don't even know what this is!"

General Abbot:"This is really troubling."

General Steele:"And that's putting it lightly. We can't just have a lunatic running around with our men! This so insane!"

General Jovanovich:"You asked for our best... that is what we have given you. He has already killed many figure heads in the Middle East, Asia and cultists in Europe."

All the generals started talking at the same time. The French Minister then slammed his desk:"ENOUGH!" They stopped,"I just have one question. Why? Why would you give away a soldier like this? A one man army capable of single-handedly killing small armies and well guarded individuals. You could use him without us. So why?"

Zoran:"It's because he needs to change. He is reckless and doesn't value his life. In the past years he has completed every assignment but not once has he returned unscathed. He pushes himself to the absolute edge and gambles with life. Further more he always goes solo, without any backup what so ever. He needs to change this or he will die sooner or later."

General Steele:"Well that just sounds like a load of bullshi-"

Minister:"Very well."

The generals looked at him with a look full of shock and disbelief.

General Steele:"You gotta be kiddin' me!"

General Suzuki:" Minister Couture, you cannot be serious!"

Minister:"I am. Like I said before, we require skill and strength above all else. I asked for Russia greatest, I never gave a list of requirements."

General Hans:"B-But this is-"

Minister:"It has been decided! This operation has been launched by the French Government. And I have been chosen to gather the soldiers. I made my decision. The Russian representative will be private Yuri Maksimov. Callsign?"

Zoran:"Reaper!"

Minister:"And his current whereabouts?"

————————————

(3 days earlier)

West of Ashnam, Afghanistan

In the middle of nowhere, truly nowhere, was an old brick shack. Around it were three men and two jeeps. The men were armed and were patrolling the area. Inside the shack were two large and well built men. Between them was a short and a bit round man with glasses. This was Abdul, Abed's personal torturer/interrogator. He is well known for his long and excruciating as well as short but sharp and painful torture methods. He knew how to recognise fear and he knew exactly how to utilise that fear in his torture methods. He was truly a dangerous man with a twisted mind.

But.

The thing even more dangerous and twisted... was the man he was assigned to torture. Chined naked by his wrists hanging about five inches above the ground. His arms were spread apart with about a meter of space between them and the chains were about a meter long. Abdul would have his guards hold the man in different positions while he was torturing him.

The man's entire body was littered with scars. Stab wounds, slash wounds, bullet wounds, whip wounds... everything was everywhere. His front and back were covered in old and new wounds. Only his face was somewhat intact, apart from a scar next to his left eye.

Abdul stood in front of the man:"You... are a tough one. The toughest one I've had in my entire life. Truly Alah's blessing. But you see... the tougher my victims are... the more satisfying it is when I brake them."

The man didn't answer.

Abdul:"I know you are a spy of some sort. These weapons are Slavic. Not sure who you are exactly, but you're no American. Maybe NATO, no that can't be it. Hmmm, let's see... AH! I know! You're Russian! Heheheh, I hit the spot."

The man didn't answer.

Abdul:"Well then 'comrade', let's see just how long you can last."

Abdul turned around to get his tools. The man decided, it was time to finally end this.

He pulled his arms closer together. The chains were straight and the man was struggling to pull them.

Abdul:"What are you doing you idiot? You can't brake those chains."

That wasn't his intention. He kept pulling until the brick that the chains were attached to started coming out. After a few moments, he pulled out the bricks with the chains. One of the guards tried to punch him with his right arm, but the man swung the brick on his right chain and hit him in the had before he could react. He then swung said brick at the other man while he was pulling his gun. Abdul ran but the man tripped him with his left chain and hit his leg with his right, breaking it.

Abdul screamed in pain as the man crouched down and unchained himself. One of the men outside ran towards the door while the other two were behind him, readying their AK-47s. The man opened the door.

*BANG*

He was shot in the head. The tortured man held his body as he shot the man to the right. The man on the left opened fire but all the bullets hit the dead body. The tortured man slowly aimed his pistol.

*BANG*

The man fell.

Abdul was shaking in fear while grunting in pain. The Russian got up and kicked him in the face. Abdul was holding his bleeding nose and mouth and waved his hand:"W-W-Wait please? You want Abed, wight? I can twell you! He's in the east in a base between two cliffs. Pwease, spware me. I can show you-"

*BANG*

The Russian got changed into his uniform, took his weapons and drove off in one of the jeeps.

(One hour later)

(Russian's POV)

I arrived at the location of the arms dealer. It was just as that torturer described it, a base between two cliffs. It was a dead end with only one entrance. The gate was a concrete wall about three meters tall with a firing post/bunker next to the gate and two towers, one in each corner.

Six men. One in the firing post, one outside the gate, one in each tower and two inside the gate.

*PEW*PEW*

The towers are down.

*PEW*

Firing post down.

*PEW*

Guard outside the gate down. I ran to the edge where I climbed the rocks and got passed the wall. The guards were talking to each other and didn't notice what was happening. Bad move.

*PEW*PEW*

Two more down. I continue down the road and reach the open area. I duck down behind a concrete barricade and observe.

There wasn't a lot here. To the left was a garage. Next to it was a house like structure with one floor. Above it was small structure, probably for either a sniper or a machine gunner.

To the right was a two story building in the same shape as the one on the left. Closer to the entrance of the clearing was a parking space with two jeeps and next to it was a mounted machine gun. Next to the structure was an elevated position with another small structure for a sniper.

In the centre of the clearing was a wide and short building. It had an iron door and no windows. That's probably where Abed is. Above it was an elevated position with a structure that had a satellite dish on top of it.

*INHALE*

Four men in the garage. Five men in the structure, one in the sniper post. Two men around the machine gun, seven in the structure, one in the sniper post. The number of enemies in the short and satellite building is unknown. Possibility of more enemies in the structures. Minimum amount of enemies is twenty.

*EXHALE*

Time to get to work.

I get out from behind the barricade.

*PEW*PEW*

Two by the mounted gun are down. I run into the garage.

*PEW*PEW*PEW*PEW*

Four in the garage down. I run into the structure.

*PEW*PEW*PEW*

Three on the bottom floor are down. They were playing cards so they didn't expect anything. Two were on the upper floor watching a soccer game. I run up the stairs.

*PEW*PEW*

Two more down. I get out of the structure and climb the latter to the smaller one above. The sniper noticed me but too late.

*PEW*

One more down. Half way done. The other sniper seemed to notice me. I picked up the dead sniper's Dragunov.

*BANG*

The others heard this. Three men ran out of the structure. Bad move.

*BANG*BANG*BANG*

The other four were by the windows. Two on the first floor and two on the second. They opened fire in my direction. I ducked down behind cover. As they fired they didn't stop to reload. Soon they ran out of ammo. I got up and aligned my shot.

*BANG*BANG*

Two down. The other two panicked and fired randomly. Amateurs.

*BANG*BANG*

That's twenty. Now for the other two buildings. No one wanted to come out so I came to them. I take my Zastava M21 and fired it's grenade launcher into the iron door. It falls but no one comes out. When I walk to the door a man jumped out and started firing. I take cover on the side. Then I throw a frag grenade.

*BOOM*

I walk in and I see two men dead on the floor. One was alive but his legs were broken and bleeding. This man... was Abed Ghulam."

Abed was grunting:"You think it's over?! I have more men! Here they come!"

Just then, six more men show up. Two get in the building and point their guns at me.

Man 1:"DROP YOUR GUN! NOW! HANDS UP!"

I drop my gun and raise my hands.

Man 1:"TURN AROUND!"

I turn around. The man approached me and when he got close enough, I quickly turned around, knocked his gun on the floor and grab him by the neck with my left hand. His friend aimed to fire at me but I turn the man I was holding towards him and he ended up killing him. I pull out my pistol while I'm holding him and shoot the other man in the stomach and then the head. I kick up the M90 on the floor and shoot one man I saw outside.

One of the men pulled out a grenade and threw it but I used my gun as a bat and hit it back at him. The grenade exploded killing two men and injuring the third one. He tried to crawl away. I walk over to him taking the KS-23 shotgun from my back. I stood right next to him kicked him over.

*BLAM* (I don't know how to write a shotgun blast)

The I walk back to Abed. I saw him shaking in fear. I couldn't blame him. Seeing his men killed by a single soldier is terrifying to him. He was waving his hand trying to get me to spare him:"W-Wait please. M-Maybe we can make a deal. I can pay you anything you want! Just name it and I will-"

I step on his knee to get him to shut up. He yelled in pain.

*CHUNG*CHING*

I aim my shotgun at him.

Abed:"You will burn in hell!"

*BLAM*

I pick up my assault rifle and start heading to a jeep. But then a laptop starts ringing on the desk in a corner. I walk towards it and open it. There I see a familiar face. Zoran Markovich.

Zoran laughed:"Very impressive work as usual Yuri. The higher ups are quite pleased."

I answer:"What do you want colonel?"

Zoran:"Straight forward as usual. Well... there's a 'plan' the French made that will help us take down the terrorists and other threats to the UATF. Russia has been chosen to pick a representative and apply him or her for the program. We have chosen you."

"What will change?"

Zoran:"Nothing much. You might get a chance to work in Europe more and even go to Africa and South America, but that's about it."

..."Fine."

Zoran:"Excellent. I'll inform the Generals and and the defence minister immediately... Good luck Yuri."

I close the laptop.

Picture references and basic info

Name: Yuri Maksimov

Date of birth: 21st of August 1982

Place of birth: Volgograd, Russia

Height: 193 cm

Fighting styles: Sambo, systema

Primary weapon of choice: Zastava M21

Secondary weapon of choice: KS-23

Sidearm of choice: CZ-75

Equipment: Frag grenades, smoke grenades, throwing knives.

End of chapter 12

Thank you for reading