《Phantom Trooper》Arc 2-Chapter 19 (Every man is worth one bullet)
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10th of July, 2011
Lioko, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kill team Bravo is on their way to a French-American joint military base. They'll be briefed on their assignment once there. Right now they're in a truck that's part of a convoy of two transport trucks and two HUMVEEs.
Carla:"Man. I don't know about you guys but I'm feeling a strong case of Deja Vu. Didn't we do something like this last month?"
Franklin:"It's a bit different."
Carla:"Why?"
Franklin:"Didn't you read the file?"
Carla:"They're gonna brief us anyway so why bother?"
Yuri:"We are hunting one man. This man is an expert in guerrilla warfare and does not have one specific place that he particularly stays in. We do not have military support nor forward knowledge of his position. This is not a battle, it is a hunt."
Carla:"Ok? And who's the guys we're hunting?"
Franklin:"He's name's-"
*BOOM*
Something exploded outside. The truck stopped and Franklin got to the front:"What's happening?!"
Driver:"I don't know! The HUMVEE just exploded-"
*BANG*
The driver was shot in the head. Franklin gets down on the ground:"Get down!"
The team gets down and bullets start flying from all directions and there was another explosion. After a few minutes the firing stopped. The team was still on the ground.
About 20 African men with rifles came out of the trees. They killed all the soldiers and were approaching the truck. They opened it and saw Kill team Nemesis. A man wanted to shoot, but another man, wearing a yellow beret, stopped him:"No. We will take them to Bakome."
The man pointed his gun, telling them to get out. Yuri goes for his shotgun, but Victoria grabs his hand. She whispers:"Don't."
He looks at her and then the men outside. He lets go of the gun and gets out. The Africans take their weapons. One of them looks at Franklin:"I'm sorry brother."
Franklin:"I'm not your brother."
Their hands are tied in front of them and they start walking into the jungle. They walk down a small path. Yuri looks around the environment. After half an hour of walking, they arrive at a small makeshift base. It had a wooden/wire wall in the shape of a semi-circle with four towers, each with a Dragunov wielding soldier. Inside on the left was a large tent with military weapons and equipment, a few wooded houses, one brick building and a mortar nest. On the right were more wooden and brick houses but also a training course. In the centre was a large brick building and in the back was a dock with several boats. The base was connected to a river for an easy escape.
There were about a hundred men inside, including the twenty they brought them there. They were taken to the centre building in front of which they stood. Out of the building, a 5'11 middle aged man with a sleeveless military jacket and a red beret comes out.
Carla whispers to Franklin:"So that's the guy-"
Franklin:"That's the guy we were supposed to kill. His name is Bakome Banza."
Bakome:"Impressive work Americans. Though not good enough. That convoy of yours is now ours. Your weapons are already taken from you and now you're my prisoners."
Carla:"Yeah tell us somethin we don't know smartass."
She gets hit in the head with the butt stock of an M90 and falls on the knees.
Bakome raises his hand:"Enough! If you kill our contestants before the big show I will have your head."
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Victoria:"Contestants?"
Bakome laughs:"You think we let you live cause we're merciful? You will be in our fight games tonight."
Yuri:"And what makes you think we will participate?"
Bakome walks closer to him. He gets an inch in front of him and smells him:"I have a good sense of smell. And you reek of blood. You must be an incredible killer. And yet you held back against my soldiers. For what? Them? It just proves how weak hearted you Americans are."
Yuri head buts him, knocking him on the ground. He then grabs him by the throat and starts choking him:"I am not an American."
A soldier hits him in the head with his gun, but Yuri's head just moves. He then kicks him, but Yuri is still on him. Then three men tackle him and one aims at his head. Bakome gets up:"No!" He yelled out,"Not him! Leave him unharmed!"
Soldier:"What?! He almost killed you! I'm killing this morherfu-"
*BANG*
Bakome shoots him in the head. The others just watch with a shocked face.
Bakome:"He is worthy! He will face Jabari!"
The soldiers don't respond. Bakome walks up to Yuri and takes his cross. He then gestures the soldiers to take Yuri and the others to the brick building on the left.
The team gets in the cell. They sit down and think. Carla speaks up:"Jabari. What the hell is that?"
Yuri:"It means fearless. They want me to fight their strongest fighter."
Takeshi:"If that's the case I might have an idea."
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a paper clip and a small hook like piece of metal.
Carla:"What's that?"
Takeshi:"I saw the lock. I can lock pick us out of here. When I do, we're gonna take their weapons and finish the mission."
Carla:"How the hell do we do that?"
Franklin:"It won't be that hard. Takeshi can sneak over to the tents where they stockpiled the weapons they stole. You can take out the snipers. These weapons aren't silent so were gonna have to move quickly. Yuri? You're gonna be in the most dangerous spot. Everyone is gonna be around you. Once the shooting starts, there's no telling what could happen."
Yuri:"As long as Bakome dies. I will drag out the fight as long as I can. I do not know how good this 'Jabari' is at fighting so I can not guarantee a lot of time."
Takeshi:"Just hold him for as long as possible."
Victoria:"And please try not to die."
Yuri:"No one can defeat me... No one."
The team chuckled and continued to ponder around the plan.
(Meanwhile)
Out in the jungle, about 100 meters away from the base, a man is punching a tree. The man is close to seven feet tall with a bulky body covered in large scars. As he keeps hiring the tree, parts of it fly to the side.
Then Bokame comes forth behind him:"I see your training is going well, as usual, Jabari."
Jabari:"What do you want Bokame? Have you more unworthy opponents for me to kill?"
Bakome:"A few. But one looks promising."
Jabari:"Not interested."
Bakome:"He took several blows to the head and it took more than a few of my men to contain him."
Jabari turns his head.
Bakome:"Whoever he is, he is strong. And worthy."
Jabari walks up to Bakome and looks down at him. It was like looking down at a child. But Bakome didn't lose his cool.
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Jabari:"I am the only one who decides who is worthy and who is not."
Bakome:"Then decide tonight."
He turns around and leaves. Jabari walks back to his tree and places his left palm on it. He closes his eyes and sees a glimpse. A vision of a white figure burning in flames with bloodied hands. Be punched off a large chunk and the tree falls down.
Bakome smiles as he walks away:"This will be an interesting battle."
————————————————————
(Later that night)
The men light torches in a circle. Everyone gathered around and started cheering. Almost all the men where present aside from a few who were guarding the dock, the snipers and the guard in the make shift prison.
A man walks into the prison:"It's time American."
Yuri:"I told you I am not American."
Man:"Doesn't matter. It's time for the fight."
Yuri leaves the cell. Victoria:"Good luck."
Carla:"You kill that motherfucker, ya hear!"
After a few moments, Takeshi spoke up:"Let's get started."
Carla gets up against the bars. She starts puffing her chest and putting her finger in her mouth:"Hey there big fella." She giggles, "Why don't you get a little closer?"
The soldier comes to the bars and stands a meter away:"What do you want?"
Carla:"Well I need your help. See, I usually have my boyfriend do this for me, but he's not around so... could you help me out?" She winks at him.
He smiles and gets closer:"Oh? And what would that be?"
She gestures he finger, telling him to get closer. Then she grabs his shirt:"Could you perhaps..."
She then squeezes his testicles and be wheezed out. Then Franklin walked up and punched him in the face, knocking him out.
He looks at Carla:"Nicely done."
Carla giggles:"I had time to practice."
Takeshi:"Alright, my turn."
He starts picking the lock.
(Meanwhile)
Yuri walks through crowd of soldiers. They spit and taunt at him. Some even pulled out there weapons and threaten him. But he wasn't shaken, not one bit. He slowly walked to the circle of torches. As he stood in it, Bakome walked up in the centre. He waved his hand and everyone went quiet.
Bakome:"For years! Foreigners came to our lands and took what ever they wanted! Our treasures, our land even our people! But we fought them! Did we not?!"
The crowd cheers:"YEAAAAAA!"
Bakome:"Champion against champion! We did not make these rules! But we uphold them! For years the foreigners have sent out warriors to fight us and they have failed! But now! They finally came to their senses and sent forth their strongest!" He points at Yuri as the crowd boos him. "Will he be a worthy opponent, for our champion?! Only one man has the right to determine that! And he is here! The king of the jungle! Jabari!"
Jabari walks through the crowd as they cheers him and yell out his name. Jabari stands in the centre next to Bakome. Yuri walks up to him. As he is five inches shorter, he has to look up into his eyes.
Jabari thinks:"I sense strength within this one. Could he be the White Demon from my vision?"
Yuri thinks:"He's taller than me. His musculature is bulkier. I have to be faster and more precise. The neck, solar plexus and knees. His eyes are another option."
Bakome:"These two are the champions of their worlds! But now these worlds clash! Let us see who will be the victor! Warriors! Begin!"
Yuri immediately hit him in the face with a jab. He kept up a barrage of strikes to his face. Jabari tried to grab him with his right arm. Yuri ducked and hit him in the jaw with an upper cut. He then backed away and got into a boxer stance.
Jabari held his bleeding face. He looked at Yuri. Not with anger, but with joy. He charged him and tried to punch him with his right hand. Yuri sidestepped to his right. But Jabari was quick. He used his left hand to grab Yuri's left arm and pull him closer. As he did, he hit him in the jaw. Again and again and again. Yuri head butted him in the face before he could punch another time. And kept delivering strikes to his left side. Then he jabs his left side with his hand, forcing Jabari to lean to the left and let go of his grip. Yuri grabbed Jabari's head and knees him in the face.
The two behemoths stood. Both wounded. One more so. The Dark Titan vs The White Demon.
Jabari held his side and thought:"What is this? I've been hit by men and beasts. But this is strength on another level. He truly is a worthy opponent." He looks at Yuri:"Warrior! What is your name?!"
Yuri:"Reaper!"
Jabari chuckles:"A fitting title for such a man! You truly are strong! For years I've fought men and killed many! But none of those could compare to you! Let us fight to the death!"
Yuri thought:"I have to keep him occupied until the others are ready." He then sees Franklin and the others standing at the entrance to the prison. Takeshi is holding a detonator and Carla is aiming down a Dragunov.
Yuri takes a deep breath and gets out of his stance and lowers his arms. He opens his fists and stands calmly. Jabari is confused. Has he given his opponent to much credit? Has the White Demon given up?
Jabari grits his teeth and chargers at Yuri. He tries the same tactic. Right punch. But Yuri raised his right hand and deflected his attack. Then he grabbed his wrist with his right hand and pushed his left forearm into his shoulder.
*CRACK*
He dislocated his shoulder. But before he could scream, Yuri grabbed got him into a neck hold.
*SNAP*
Jabari's lifeless body fell on the ground. The Dark Titan, was finished.
The crowd looked at Yuri with terror. Bakome muttered:"I-Impossible."
*BOOM*
A large explosion went off at the weapons tent.
*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*
All the snipers were down. Gunshots started coming from all sides at men dropped by the dozens. Yuri ran towards one, took his gun and unloaded it into the crowd. He reloaded and aimed at Bakome.
A soldier came up behind him.
*BANG*
Carla shot him.
To her, everything was slow and everyone was a target. One shot. That's all it took. One by one she killed the soldiers until most were dead. The ones that survived ran towards the boats or into the jungle.
The team ran towards the dock and saw Bakome get away in a speed boat. They thought it was over.
*BANG*BOOM*
The boat blew up. Carla shot the propane tank below the grill. Yuri yelled out:"NOOOOO!"
They looked at him with a confused look. He turned towards Carla and walked up to her with an angry look. She was terrified, like back in Turkey.
Yuri then turned his head and saw a helicopter in the distance. He walked away.
Carla stood there:"Did... did I do something?"
End of chapter 19
Thank you for reading
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