The Survivor

Chapter 24

  Who do I see? None other then General Logan. I can't tell whether I'm mad or glad to see him. I try my best to straighten up, only thing though is that with this bandage I'm as stiff as a log. I hide my pain, well enough that my family doesn't see, but I know that he can. 

  "It's ok. No need to straighten up. I was hoping that we could talk," General says. I nod my head. "I was thinking some where privet," he adds. "Here, you two can go into my office," Felix says, point the way to his office.

  I lead the general to the office. We walk into the smell of books and cologne. I point towards the black leather couch for him to sit on. Once he's seated I sit across couch in a matching chair. The only thing separating us is a little wooden coffee table. "How are you doing?" The general asks. "Fine," I respond. Why is here? 

  We sit there for a moment in silence. General Logan gathers his thoughts, "Look, I'm sorry that I left. Seeing you in that state and condition again, it brought back memories I wanted to forget." To be honest, I don't really care any more. All I care about now, is Hassan. "Why didn't you kill him?" I ask. I can tell that he is taken of guard with this question. "Wha-what do you mean?" He stammers. "Hassan. Why didn't you kill him? I remember you carrying me away and seeing him. You should have killed him," I say, doing my best to stay calm and not yell.

  "Incase you forgot, you were bleeding out. I need you alive. There will be another chance to take him down." Another chance my ass. He deserves to die. "Look I came here to see how your doing," he says softly. "I'm fine sir," I say, remembering my manners. 

  "You don't have to be Mace. Your allowed to feel, your human," he states. I don't respond and instead I just sit there with my legs crossed and my hands in my lap. Would a human be able to kill though? "Mace, please talk to me. Don't shut down like you did last time. I know it hurts to talk about this stuff. Believe me, I do. But you need to talk about it. I don't want you ending up like me," he sighs.

  "I'm fine. I chose this job, I knew what kind of work I was going to do. I knew the risks, and I was willing to take them," I tell him. The general looks down to the ground, and sighs. "I told your parents that I'd pay for your therapy sessions, along with the rest of your medical bills." "I'm not seeing a shrink," I snap.

  "I know that this isn't easy. I also came here so I could permanently release you from your line of duty." The moment he says this I can feel my heart drop and my stomach turn upside down. "I'm doing this for your safety," he adds. "I need to be the one to take him down. Hassan took my team away from me." I can feel tears threatening to fall. 

  "This is for the best, Sergeant Major Mace." The general gets up and walks over to the door, leaving me sitting in the chair. Right before he leaves, he turns around. "Your first session with doctor Miller is tomorrow at 9am." And just like that, he leaves. 

  I sit there for a minute, gathering my thoughts and thinking about what the general said. I may not be in the military anymore, but that won't stop me from tracking down Hassan, and killing him. I will make him blee. I'll give him a slow painful death, I WILL avenge my team.

  I get up and walk out of the room. I need fresh air, and a smoke. I walk over the Felix's desk, knowing that he secretly keeps a pack in his desk. I grab one from the draer and make my wat outside to the front of the house.

  I light up my cigarette with the match I stole from his office. I take a big puff and exhale, instantly starting to feel calmer. "How did I get into this mess?" I ask myself. I look up to see Hassan standing right infront of me. I jump back and the moment I blink he's gone.

  I can feel my heart pounding so hard it might jump out of my chest. "Shit," I whisper under my breath. I look around frantically, scanning the are. What the hell just happened? I bring my hands to my head and hold it. Try to stop my head from spinning.

  I take another puff and decide to check the perimeter of the house. I make my way around the perimeter of the house. I didn't see anything that would indicate him being here. Meaning that it was just in my head. Or either that the drugs still didn't fully leave my system. Let's go with option two. It makes me sound less crazy. 

  I take a seat back on the front door step and finish up my cigarette. Once I head back inside everyone is carrying on with their day. I walk into the kitchen and open up the fridge. Nothing really catches my fancy. Along with the fact that I don't have an appetite. I walk over to the coffee pot and a make some coffee. What a week.