Nemesis: Inception

by G. Michael Hopf

  Lexi drove up to the spot where she’d last seen the man, stopped, jumped out and briskly walked over to him.

  The man was still alive and struggling to crawl away.

  Lexi was happy to find him alive. She kicked him until he rolled onto his back.

  On his back he looked up at her, squirming and grimacing in pain.

  Lexi knew him. She pulled out her pistol and yelled, “You recognize me? Huh?” Once it was confirmed she knew him, she began to kick him.

  The man coughed and grunted each time she kicked his side. “Please don’t, please,” he begged her.

  “Those words sound familiar. That’s what my sister would say to you before you’d rape her each time,” she yelled and kicked him more.

  The man screamed, “Fuck you, bitch! You fucking whore!”

  “That’s it! That sounds more like you!” she screamed and kicked him several more times.

  Gordon had finally showed up but immediately attended to Jones.

  With each kick, Lexi could see her sister pleading. This image only enraged her more.

  Resigned to his fate, he blurted out one expletive after another at her.

  “Yeah, you got a dirty mouth, don’t you? You’re a dirty, nasty motherfucker!” she snarled. Her leg ached and sweat poured off her from the dozens of kicks. Not wishing to stop punishing him, she aimed the pistol and shot him in the crotch.

  The man squealed in pain. He attempted to inch away, but she stopped him.

  “You’re not going anywhere. Come here,” she said as she straddled him. She grasped her pistol by the frame and began to use it as a hammer against his face.

  Gordon was focused on Jones, only to stop when the sound of bones crunching hit his ears. He looked over and saw Lexi pounding away on the man’s face.

  Unsure of how many times she hit him, she stopped only because her arms hurt. She looked at the man, but there was nothing left of his face to know what he looked like. She holstered the pistol, stood and hollered in anger, “Arghh!”

  Gordon knew the feeling, so he had to ask, “How did that feel?”

  “Good…no, not good, that was fucking great!” she replied. She glanced over to Gordon, sweat streaming down her face, and howled, “Now let’s go kill the rest of them.”

  February 25, 2015

  "You were born to win, but to be a winner; you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win.” – Zig Ziglar

  One mile north of Rajneeshpuram

  Gordon and Lexi immediately went to scout the compound upon first light and found the place was extensive with eight large permanent structures and one massive barn that were estimated to be over twenty-five thousand square feet.

  Lexi and the others had arrived too late the day before, so instead they established a campsite to the northwest of the compound. The compound was nestled in a small valley that ran east to west with six different access points.

  “How many people did you count?” Gordon asked Lexi after she returned from her recon to the north end of the valley.

  “He’s got two men on each road coming in. I counted six main roads leading into the valley, so that’s twelve there. I only noticed people coming and going from the main hall next to the pool and the gigantic barn.”

  “I have an idea what he’s doing in there,” Gordon mused out loud.

  “On the grounds themselves I counted eight men walking the perimeter and only a handful milling about,” she said.

  “Where do you think he’s keeping his prisoners out of all those buildings?” Gordon asked.

  “It’s a guess, but he only seems to be using that main building and the barn. He might be keeping everyone close,” Lexi guessed.

  “Here’s a sketch of the area. From here to here, it looks to be about a thousand feet,” Gordon said, pointing to the square that represented the main building and the barn.

  “So a rough count is what?” Rubio asked.

  Gordon and Lexi looked at each other.

  “Go ahead, smarty pants, what do you think?” Lexi joked with Gordon.

  “I’d say we’re looking at about forty to fifty people down there. This is based on what we’ve seen and what I remember he had before.”

  “Has your girlfriend started talking yet?” Rubio asked Lexi, referring to the woman they had captured.

  Lexi pointed her middle finger at Rubio and then blew a kiss.

  “She hasn’t said a damn thing; so far she’s been useless,” Gordon replied.

  “So based on your estimates, we’re looking at upwards of fifty armed people, and we have three men, one pissed-off lesbo, and Jonesy, who’s now a gimp.”

  “You know I probably would turn gay if I had to look at your little dick all the time,” Lexi joked.

  Jones chuckled loudly.

  “Guys, enough bullshit, we have a job to do here. Now let’s focus,” Gordon said firmly. “We have five of us, we’re all well armed, well trained and can do some serious damage if we plan this right.”

  “It’s not going to be a cakewalk, but Van Zandt is right, we can put the hurt on them,” Rubio said.

  Gordon led the conversation and presented his ideas. His plan called for a night raid. He, Lexi and Rubio would enter the valley from the south. Their assumption put Rahab within the main building, and accessing the valley from the south made it a more direct route. To the south a hill sloped very close to the front entrance of that building. McCamey and Jones would position the Humvee in a hide position on the hillside. There they’d have an unencumbered vantage point from which to provide cover.

  As they discussed scenarios, the radio in the Humvee came to life.

  “Romeo Sierra One Three, this is Papa. Come in. Over.”

  “The radio is working out here?” Gordon asked.

  “I guess we’re close enough to a repeater,” Rubio commented and stood up.

  “You guys set up repeaters?” Gordon asked.

  “Yeah, part of our overall mission on these long-range patrols is to reestablish communications, and the only way to do that is with repeaters. Apparently we’re picking up a signal.”

  Jones leaned over and keyed the handset. “Papa, this is Romeo Sierra One Three. We read you lima charlie.”

  “Roger that, Romeo Sierra One Three. Be advised. Terminate current mission and link up with Romeo Sierra Actual. Over.”

  Not knowing how to respond, he handed the handset to Rubio.

  Rubio grabbed it and paused.

  “Romeo Sierra One Three, did you copy? Over,” the voice over the radio asked.

  “Roger that, we copy. Terminate mission and link up with Romeo Sierra Actual,” Rubio answered. He didn’t know what else to say. He dropped the handset and looked at Gordon.

  “Who’s Papa?” Gordon asked.

  “That’s the command element back in Coos Bay; Actual is Gunny back in Klamath Falls,” Jones explained. Their parent unit was stationed in Coos Bay, Oregon, with their detachment headquartered in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

  “So that’s it. You guys are bailing on us?” Gordon asked, concerned.

  “Corporal, we could head back tomorrow morning. Let’s at least try to get this guy,” Jones said.

  Rubio gave Jones a nod but didn’t reply to Gordon.

  “So, are you staying for the grand finale?” Gordon asked.

  “Yeah, we’re in. Let’s see this through,” Rubio answered

  “Now that we have that settled, what do we do with the girl?” Lexi asked, leering at the woman.

  Everyone looked at each other, unsure of how to answer her question.

  “We can’t just let her go, she might head back and warn Rahab,” Rubio said, stating the obvious.

  “You know there’s a good chance they’re on a heightened alert now anyway. With their people not coming back, they must be concerned,” Gordon added.

  “Yeah, I’m sure they’re watching out, but I just don’t know if he suspects he’s about to get attacked,” Lexi said.

  “We don�
��t have anything to worry about if we kill her,” Jones boldly said.

  Cross talk took over the conversation after Jones gave his suggestion.

  “Stop! We’re not going to murder her!” Gordon declared.

  “Wait a minute, Van Zandt; you’re not in charge here!” Rubio countered Gordon.

  “Think about it, Rubio. We don’t have to do that,” Gordon said.

  The woman was tied and gagged to a tree. Hearing them discuss her demise made her frightful, she began to wiggle and groan.

  “Here’s the grand compromise. Let’s keep her tied up. If we survive, we’ll come back and untie her, if we don’t…well, for her sake, let’s hope we can come back,” Gordon recommended.

  The group reflected on his recommendation. After a few moments they all finally agreed with Gordon.

  “Then it’s settled,” Gordon said and walked over to the woman.

  As he knelt down next to her, her eyes opened wide with fear.

  “You hear that, we’ll come back for you. In some ways I don’t know if you deserve it, but that’s how it is,” Gordon said and walked away.

  February 26, 2015

  “You can lay down and die, or you can get up and fight, but that’s it – there’s no turning back.” – Jon English

  Rajneeshpuram, Oregon

  A half-moon gave them adequate light to maneuver from the campsite to their southern position overlooking the compound.

  “So how are we doing?” Gordon asked Lexi.

  “Between you and me, I’m a bit nervous,” she confided.

  “It’s okay to be scared—” Gordon said but was interrupted.

  “I didn’t say scared, I said nervous. I’m nervous because I don’t know what I’ll do with myself once he’s dead.”

  “I know what I’m going to do. I’m heading back to my family as fast as I can get there. You’ll figure it out,” he said, then turned to walk away.

  “Gordon?” Lexi called out.

  Gordon stopped and turned. “Yeah.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever said, but I’m really sorry about your son. I know how it feels to lose someone close to you,” Lexi said softly as she touched his arm gently.

  “Thanks, Lexi, you know something, deep down I know you’re not this ballbuster you put out to be.”

  Lexi smiled and said, “Don’t tell everyone my secret, okay.”

  Gordon returned her smile and said, “It’s safe with me.” He then walked away to chat with the others, leaving her to process the significance of what was about to happen.

  It was true. She had visions of becoming some modern-day vigilante wandering the apocalyptic roads of America, but now faced with the reality that her vengeance was almost fulfilled, she found that vision hard to fathom.

  “Let’s go green,” Rubio said, ordering everyone to turn on their night-vision goggles. Leading the team, Rubio signaled them to move out.

  Slowly and carefully they moved down the hillside, avoiding loose rocks or debris that could trip them. In no time they traversed the hill and stopped at the edge of the road that fronted the main building.

  Upon hitting the road, Lexi moved away from Rubio and Gordon and took position behind a car. She saw two guards at the front door and had an idea that would quickly neutralize them. Knowing men’s desires, she decided to play on them. She stripped down to her underwear and T-shirt but strapped on a utility belt that had her two sheath knives on it and slid them to the small of her back. Nervous, she took a deep breath and headed towards the guards.

  Seeing a shadowy figure coming towards them, the guards raised their rifles, but when she stepped from the shadows into the moonlight, they saw a partially naked and attractive woman ripe for the taking. What they didn’t know was she was the angel of death coming to extract a pound of flesh.

  “Please help me,” Lexi purred as she stopped about ten feet away from the guards.

  The men looked at each other, unsure what to do, but soon they lost all perspective as sexual fantasies filled their minds. They lowered their rifles and stepped away from the front door to approach her. Any sense of duty was lost when they saw Lexi’s nipples standing firm in the cold against the tight-fitting white T-shirt. Aroused and blinded by her beauty, they slung their rifles across their backs and reached for her.

  Lexi didn’t hesitate one second when they came into reach. Each hand grasped a knife, freed it from its sheath, and with the speed of a viper she struck. The knife in her right hand slammed into the temple of one man and the other knife she inserted upwards into the second man’s chin and into his brain. She turned both knives clockwise and removed them. Both men fell to the ground, dead.

  Gordon had been watching from a safe position twenty feet away and couldn’t believe his eyes. She’d managed to use deception to achieve what he would have done with aggressive force. It was risky but brilliant.

  He and Rubio stood and ran to the door. Rubio tried the door, but it was locked.

  As if she read his mind, Lexi walked up with a set of keys and unlocked it.

  “Wait here, I’ll be right back,” Lexi whispered then disappeared.

  “What was that?” Rubio whispered to Gordon, astonished at the scene.

  “And they used to be against women in combat,” Gordon joked.

  Lexi hustled back with most of her clothes on. In her haste she left her shirt and just put on the tactical vest. “Let’s do this, boys.”

  Gordon opened the door.

  Lexi and Rubio entered.

  Lexi peeled left and Rubio right. The layout of the building was unknown to them, but they assumed based upon the desert compound that Rahab would be located upstairs.

  They all looked for a sign marking the stairs but saw nothing. To the right, a long counter stood, and straight ahead dozens of small tables and chairs were strewn everywhere.

  A door to the left of the front desk opened.

  All three stopped, pivoted and took aim.

  A little girl, no older than eight, emerged from the doorway, rubbing her eyes. Using a flashlight, she illuminated her path until she reached a door in the back and disappeared behind it.

  Sensing the door the girl came from led to the stairs, Lexi moved towards it quickly.

  The other two followed her instinct.

  They stacked up against the wall, rifles ready.

  Gordon touched Lexi’s arm, signaling they were ready for her to open it.

  She grabbed the knob, turned and opened it.

  Gordon poked his head in. To the left was a door with a sign above it that read STAIRS. Seeing this, he committed and entered the hallway, rifle up. He only made it a few steps when the door opened and a man stepped out.

  He let his rifle drop to his side on the two-point sling and pulled out Gunny’s knife. Placing his hand across the man’s unsuspecting mouth, he thrust the knife at an angle into the man’s neck and upward. Blood squirted out from the wound and sprayed all over his face. Gordon could feel the life exit the man as he went limp. He steadied the man’s weight and lowered him to the ground.

  With Gordon handling the man, Rubio went around Gordon and into the stairwell.

  Lexi followed close behind Rubio; they both vanished into the darkness of the stairwell.

  Gordon wiped as much of the blood as he could off his face with his sleeve.

  The door behind him opened up and the little girl stepped into the hallway with a glass in her hand.

  Gordon tried to run, but there wasn’t enough time.

  Seeing him startled her, causing her to drop the glass of water. Afraid of the unknown intruder, she screamed and beamed the flashlight into his eyes.

  The light hit his night-vision goggles and blinded him. “Arghh!” he yelled as he ripped them off his face. He spun around, ran into the stairwell and began his ascent up the darkened stairs.

  Lexi and Rubio knew the urgency once they heard the girl scream.

  Gordon passed them on the stairs and reached the second floor in seco
nds.

  “Okay, Lexi, this is how Marines do it!” Rubio said, pulling a grenade off his vest. He looped his finger through the pin and was about to pull it when Gordon stopped him.

  “Nope, there are kids here. I’m going left, you go right. Lexi, you’ll go wherever you go.”

  The girl’s screams had alerted others. The element of surprise was gone; now every person they encountered was a target. Voices came from the hallway on the other side of the door.

  Lexi’s pulse raced. This was it, now the gunfight would begin.

  Gordon placed his hand on Lexi’s shoulder and said, “Lexi, on three open the door. One, two, three.”

  Lexi threw the door open.

  Gordon went left and Rubio went right.

  Lexi raced past Gordon and took a knee. Before she leveled the rifle, Gordon was already shooting.

  From the sound of shooting behind her, Rubio had also entered a target-rich environment.

  Each person she placed the sights on fell, not by her shots but Gordon’s. He was working the space quickly.

  “I need you to watch the door to the stairs!” Gordon ordered her.

  “No, you do it!” she yelled back.

  “Goddamn it! Rubio, I need you back down here to watch the door!”

  Rubio heard him and obliged. He stepped backwards until he took up a position watching the door and hall.

  “We need to go room to room!” Gordon barked.

  Lexi listened but took off without a plan. She walked up to the first door and kicked it. The door didn’t move, and she kicked it again—nothing. She tried several more times, but the door would not break open.

  Gordon walked up and was ready to kick it, but a shower of bullets flew out of the door. One cut through the fleshy part of his left leg.

  Lexi returned fire until she emptied a full thirty-round magazine into the room.

  The room fell quiet.

  “Fuck, that hurts!” Gordon cried out.

  “You good?” she asked.