A Battle My Own (Sequel to AWNMO) part 1

The short blonde man pushed through the double doors at a neck-breaking speed. He paused for a split secant as he looked about him. He had entered a huge warehouse for storing iron trusses. Without another moment's loss, he glanced at the double doors again then turned and weaved his way into the labyrinth of trusses.
The double doors burst open again and another man entered. He was tall with dark hair and clothes. In one hand he held an automatic hand gun. He glanced up at the few lights that hung from the ceiling and cast a dull light over the warehouse. He raised his gun and shot out each light. Darkness covered the warehouse floor.
The short man huddled in a small space between trusses with fright. He tried to stop the shaking, tried to slow his breathing, but it was near impossible, for his fear was far too great.
"Come out, assassin." A voice, cold, hard and inhuman called out from the dark. "I can see far better in this light then you can imagine. Save yourself the trouble and come out; but if not, I will find you."
Silence ensued for the next several minutes, and slowly, the little man crawled out of his hiding place. He paused, straining to hear his attacker. Nothing. Carefully he took a step out. Then another; then suddenly he was grabbed by the hair. A very strong hand held him in a vice, the little man sputtered, pleading for his life.
"Please, please sir; I don't know what you want."
The cold voice answered: "On August 3rd, three years ago, you entered a juvenile penitentiary and killed on of the occupants, a certain Avery Horst. He was innocent for the crime which placed him there, and he was innocent when you murdered him. Retaliation has come to claim you."
There was genuine shock in the little man's voice. "What? No, no! I did no such thing! Three years ago in August I was in Europe."
"With diRothe!"
"No! Well yes."
The tall man pushed the little man towards the wall, the automatic stuck in his back. "You admit to me you work for diRothe. I should kill you now."
"No, NO! Please!" The little man turned and held up his hands, pleading. "Please, I know of all diRothe's dealings! I would know if he had sent someone to kill Avery Horst!"
The assailant pushed his victum to the ground and stood over him, pushing the gun into his face. "You DARE lie to me!"
"Its no lie!" The little man screeched, if he could be seen in the dark, he would have looked ready to cry. "I'm caYair. I was diRothe's assistant! I knew everything he did!"
"If that's true, why aren’t you with him now?" The gun backed a way a few inches.
"I was afraid of the Council and what they would do to me. So I left." CaYair tried to get a look at his assailant, but he couldn’t see through the darkness. "Please, you must believe me. There is no way diRothe could have sent anyone to assassinate any one of the infamous Horsts without my knowledge."
There was a long pause, and then the assailant stepped away from caYair who slowly rose to his feet. "You may go," came the cold voice. "And tell no one of what has happened this night or I promise you, you will not live to regret it."1

2

Gwyne Havvock paid her driver and stepped out of the yellow taxi. She turned and looked up at the town house. The October wind rushed about her and she shivered. Hurrying up the steps, she pushed the button for apartment two. A brief paused ensued, then: "Come on up."
The door unlocked and Gwyne pulled it open. Then went up the stairs slowly. It had been two weeks since she had last seen Lorin and it was always hard to break the ice. It didn't matter how much she loved him, but things had happened over the past three years to just make things hard to open. The first few words were always the hardest.
Glancing down at the ring on her finger, Gwyne wondered, not for the first time, if she was willing to make the scarifies a life with Lorin would demand. And once again, she felt the calm assurance that Lorin and she were made for each other. In the months since their engagement she had gone through more trials than she could have expected. But she knew that she was one of the very few people who could ever hope of understanding Lorin. And he needed her. She knew that, she knew it ever so well. Ah, well. Sweet is not so sweet without the sour.
She paused at the third floor landing before knocking. A smile crept over her face, but at the same time a sigh escaped her. Her hand met the wood door, once, twice, tree times. It opened almost instantly.
"Hey."
"Beloved."
He embraced her, tenderly, slowly. They were far too old in their minds to rush into a hasty embrace. The moments they had were far too few and far between to be spent speedily. A genuine smile spread over Gwyne's face as she returned Lorin's embrace. He called her 'Beloved'. She didn't know why, but she loved it. No one in her entire life had calleld her 'Beloved', and so rarely did he do so that she found it to be one of the most beautiful moments she encountered.
He led her into the small, cramped apartment. She had only been here a few times when Lorin was in the states, but she was still amazed at how clean he kept it.
"How long will you be here?" She asked.
"He sighed and helped her take off her coat.”I'm not sure. At least a week, maybe two."
Gwyne turned and smiled. "Good, you'll be just in time for the family reunion."
"'Family reunion'? Who's, yours or mine?"
"Oh stop it." She playfully slapped him as she followed him into the kitchen, which was in various stages of preparation for dinner. "You must come, Daddy says that if you do not, you’re very likely to get shunned as the black sheep to the rest of the family."
Lorin poured Gwyne a glass of wine then turned to stir a pot on the stove. The smile played on Gwyne's mouth again; she was constantly amazed at Loirn's ability to do things. He had turned out to be a better cook than herself. "And don't you want to meet your future relatives?"
"Isn't that support to be a thing to be avoided?"
"Ah!" She scoffed, "I'll have you know that most are very nice people."
"'Most'?"
"Well, there is Uncle Aubrey, but he’s not all that bad."
"Who has a family reunion in October?"
"Mine."
Lorin turned away from the stove and stooped to kiss her cheek. "Then mine will too." He stood and began pulling dishes out of the cupboard. "But I half to go up and see Linda tomorrow. I have some news."
Gwyne sat up straight. "What news?"
There was a pause, and when Lorin answered, his voice was husky. "I found out that diRothe did not order the death of Avery."
"Then who?"
Lorin sighed and shook his head. "I don't know."
Silence elapsed and Gwyne sipped at her wine. She didn't approve of Lorin's quest for revenge, anymore than she approved of his current occupation. But she couldn't help him on this path; it was one he would half to walk without her.3

4


Major Taylor Harnnet paced in the hallway outside the Cornell’s office. He had good cause to be nervous. This meeting was unprecedented and unforeseen. Harnnet could never have suspected being called back from leave for a special assignment. The door opened and a pretty woman in a business suit motioned him in.
He strode into the room and stood at attention before the cornel who sat behind a large wooden desk. "Major Taylor Harnnet reported as ordered, sir." He saluted.
"At ease, Major." Cornel George Kynies motioned for him to have a seat. "Major, I'll get right to the chase. I have a very sensitive assignment that needs special attention. Your name came to the top of the list. But I won't order you to do this. I need you to be willing."
"What is the assignment, sir?"
"There is a special unit of the Air Force that has been recruiting 'special' men from the private sector.”
Harnnet leaned forward. "I'm interested and willing sir. What's my mission?"
"One of those recruits went renegade recently and disappeared. A few days ago he came back into our monitors. And we need you to go and bring him back. No matter the cost."
"Why is he so important? Why do you need me to bring him in?"
"Not just bring him in, Major, but convince him to come back to us."
"I'm not understanding this sir. If he joined, isn't he contracted to come back?"
"No, not in this unit. The work they did and are doing is very risky and dangerous. They are...special....unique. They hold special abilities that most people don't."
Taylor snorted. "Super powers sir?"
"Not exactly, major. A little more realistic. Some call it spiritual powers."
Taylor shook his head. "Whatever you say sir. Who's my man?"
"A young man named Lorin Horst."5

6

Major Harnnet stood before the brick townhouse. It was ordinary brick and fit perfectly into its neighborhood. He walked up the stone steps and rang the bell for the secant apartment. No answer. He tried again. Still no answer. Suddenly the door opened and out walked a lovely young woman.
"Excuse me, Miss." Harnnet put out a hand to stop her. "Do you know the man who lives in apartment A2?"
"I should hope so." A wary smile crept across her face. "After all, I'm marrying him in a few weeks."
"Oh, so sorry miss...eh..." Harnnet held out his hand.
"Gwyne Havvock." She took his hand and glanced at his uniform. "Major Harnnet."
"Yes, well. I assume Mr. Horst is out?'
"Indeed, can I help you with anything, Mr. Harnnet?" She adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
"As a matter of fact you can. I would like to talk to you about what you know of his dealings with the Air Force?"
"I'm afraid I know very little....would you mind walking with me? I have an appointment."
"Of course." He followed her down the steps. "Tell me what you know, Miss Havvock."
"Well, all Lorin told me was that he made some sort of deal with the Air Force and in return he was given access to certain files he coveted."
"Do you know why he wanted those files?"
Gwyne sighed. "He has an on going desire to fine the people who killed his brother, Avery, a few years back."
"I thought that it was a prison yard killing? Some sort of fight?"
Gwyne shook her head. "No, there was no fight. Avery was killed at night while he was still in his cell. He was shot in the head. Lorin took it hard. Not only was Avery in jail for a crime he didn’t' commit, he was murdered because (or so Lorin things) he was his brother. A tool for leverage on Lorin."
They paused at a crosswalk and Harnnet took his leave. "Thank you, Miss Havvock, you've been a tremendous help."
Suddenly, Gwyne placed a hand on his arm. "How do you know what I've told you is the truth?" She whispered these last words quickly before moving across the street.

7