The soft hum of the personal computer complemented her soft typing on the keyboard, the clicks and clacks providing almost a calm and relaxed atmosphere. Almost. That was the keyword here. Almost. Yes, for Jane Bai, this was one of the most exciting, urgent, if not, most dangerous times in her life. She knew she shouldn't. Hell, her significant other Benny from the black lagoon company specifically told her no, but the money was just too tempting. Too tempting you hear?
As she typed in that last bit of code, she leaned back onto her chair and eagerly awaited. She had done this hundred, if not thousands of times, she was all too familiar with the slow loading times, but this particular time? It felt like every second was an hour. She knew it was pointless to curse, to urge on her computer, but time was of the essence here. Every second wasted could mean that one of her many competitors could beat her to her prize. And she couldn't risk it. No, not with that much money on the line.
One second, two seconds, three.. She counted down the painfully, dreadfully slow seconds. Her fingers tapped gently and lightly on her keyboard, her foot tapped the floor, she was breathing too fast, She felt like a kid again, not being able to stay still. Always on the move, yes, that feeling was always exhilarating wasn't it?
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, what she was looking for finally popped up. It was an image of a raggedy looking young man, sporting a full beard and mustache. It was grainy, hard to look at, hell even blurry. The man in the photo wasn't looking at the camera. No, he was looking at something else. The camera has just caught him running at something, his back hunched forwards as the camera caught him in a classic crouch run. He held a rifle, an Ak47. A classic for the standard terrorist in one hand. The other hand clutching a grenade as he doesn't even notice the camera. His dead fish-like eyes didn't even notice the camera, his eyes were completely forward. Almost as if he was in his own little world.
Next to the photo was text. Short, immaculate, and full of guesses and hypotheses. Heh, so, even old uncle Sam doesn't know who exactly his friend was huh?
Name: Unknown.
Age: 16-26
Height:5'6-5'9
Affiliation: Mujaheddin, Tehran Eight?
Sect: Unknown *Most likely Sunni. Small chance of Shia
Last known location: Roanapur, Thailand* RECENT.
Ethnicity: Unknown
Threat Level: Extremely dangerous
Alias: The beast of panjshir, *REDACTED Sokolov
Notes: Almost nothing but the bare minimum is known about this individual. He is known as the beast of Panjishir and has most likely received training. From either our own specialists in the field or those of the Pakistanis.
He was last seen talking to agent *REDACTED about *REDACTED at *REDACTED After that, his location is currently unknown. Nothing is known about this man. We suspect him to be *REDACTED. His disappearance at *REDACTED and perhaps *REDACTED could be tied together. Due to *REDACTED refusal to work with the UN and us. Upon sight, detain this individual. *AVOID KILLING AT ALL COSTS. And interrogate him for information on *REDACTED. He must be must be sent *REDACTED at all costs.
Be advised, tread carefully. This individual is extremely dangerous. He not only possesses a keen intelligence, but is extremely competent at fighting. Engage with ALL Caution.
"Tch." Jane clicked her tongue. Almost nothing really was known about this guy after all. And even worse, she couldn't hack into the frame on time. Bastards managed to cover up almost everything important.
"Well, money is money." She said with a sigh. Already moving the files onto the drive.
"They didn't say that it had to be complete and unclassified after all~" She said with a yawn, picking up a can of coke and taking a sip from it.
"But man though, would I hate to be that guy eh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Holy fucking shit, did I ever tell you about how much I hate my life? I never was one for groups, I never was one to be in the spotlight, I never wanted it, and tried actively to not get caught up in it…So, can I somebody please tell me why, explain it to me, Why the fuck does this shit happen to me?
Sofiya Pavlovna gave Chang a heavily lidded stare as she still leaned against the door. Slowly steadying herself as she never took her eyes off of him. It was almost as if she was eyeing him up, like a bear to its prey.
"Why are you still here?" She said slowly, her words incredibly cold, Indicating that she was in no mood to be playing around.
"Why i'm helping you out of course. This Yuri Sokolov of yours is quite the trickster."
"Pft, more like a filthy, backstabbing rat of a terrorist!" She said with visible anger, getting off of the door frame and walking into the room.
"Should you even be here? I could smell the Vodka before you came into the room."
"Oh please, you have done nothing but underestimate me. One bottle of Vodka is nowhere near enough to make me drunk. If anything, I could go for another."
"Well I would prefer if you didn't, if we are to catch Sokolov, then we're going to need to be on our A game here. Time is ticking after all."
"You worry too much. We'll catch that rat, I'll make sure of it. By god I will. Come hell or high water, he will be caught by me." She practically snarled as she stopped at the table this time. Looking Chang in the eyes as he continued to smile.
".." Saying nothing, he merely nods as for the most briefest of moments, his smile disappears before resurfacing again.
"Sigh, Makarov, report." She said as she ran a hand through her blonde hair, this time looking at the map as sighed after a long pause.
Now, that. Is my cue to leave.
"Well Kapitan, so far we haven't seen the hide or hair of Sokolov. He has escaped our pursuit and our men are doubling our efforts to catch him."
"Quadruple it." Was her simple reply as she studied the map now.
"Very well Kapitan."
"And you? How long do you intend to stay? I have work to do." She said, scowling at Chang.
Dammit! I don't like this situation, not a goddamn bit! If I leave just like that, they'll definitely stop me and ask. Come on, somebody give me an out already!
…. Nobody said anything now as Chang and Sofiya looked at each other, the people in the room including me were nervous, It felt like somebody was about to be shot. And I knew that feeling all too well, whether I wanted to or not.
"...Very well, I only stuck around to find more about this Yuri Sokolov of yours. But I can clearly see that you are not in the mood…I shall take my leave. Just remember, tell your men to keep a low profile. What with the protectors of the Islamic front and all. City is teeming with them and the local government has half a mind to declare martial law and to shut down this city completely."
"...." She said nothing now, only focusing on the map as she started drawing out positions on it.
..Wait, wut?
What did this guy just say? Protectors of the Islamic front? The fuck? Wait, hold the fuck up, WHAT?
"You're not soldiers anymore. You're criminals. Just like us. If the city is locked down, then there isn't any money to be made. And if there isn't any money to be made, then the status quo is severely weakened, worse broken. And when the status quo breaks, then you're the first target."
"Nobody wants that to happen, well, nobody with half a brain wants that to happen. We're on thin ice here. And I won't be having anyone take the wrong step."
"..." Sofiya kept her silence now as Chang looked at her.
After a long pause, he sighs and begins to leave.
As the door closes, Sofiya shakes her head as she doesn't even pay any mind to Chang.
Crap, this woman really wants me dead huh? Welp, fuck it, im definitely leaving now. I'll make shit up and say that I'm going to use the restroom or some shit like that.
"Rrgh! I need a fucking drink!" She scowled, throwing the pencil onto the map, with it clacking off of the table.
"Makarov, how are talks with the terrorists?" She asks, looking at him now as he begins to answer her question.
"Well Kapitan, Boris is trying desperately but is failing. Even with all of the criminal organizations putting pressure on them, they just refuse to back down stating that the, And I quote, "Beast of Panjshir is of utmost importance to the protectors of the Islamic front. Such as we protect Islam, we shall protect him.""
"Hah? Why would he be important to them? They're a branch from Hezbollah. They're Shiates, not Sunni."
"Wait, was Sokolov Sunni?"
"Probably, he was with Massoud wasn't he?"
"Of course he was Sunni, what else could he be?"
"Then why are they looking for him?"
"We don't know, we're working on it right now."
"Sigh...Well, I want an answer and fast."
"Yes Kapitan."
Sniff, "Is that coffee?" The woman asked, now looking at me.
"...Er, yeah. Here, I just made it Kapitan, still fresh, I'll just go and make another cup." I say, already turning around.
"Weren't you in the infirmary?" That question made me stop in my tracks.
"...Wanted some coffee, but there wasn't any creamer. Found some here. I'll be going back now."
"...Oh?..."
"..." There was a pregnant pause. Well woman? Spit it out already!
"Don't leave the infirmary again. You understand?"
"Yes Kapitan."
PHEW!
"Tsk tsk tsk, guys like you were the first to die in Afghanistan you know?"
"Oi, don't tease the kid Makarov."
"...Kapitan, Gentleman? I'll be leaving now."
"Allright, carry on."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The office was in a frenzy. Papers were everywhere, Phone Calls were ringing at an absurd pace, and nobody seemed to have a clear handle on the situation. Party members were yelling at each other, hell, screeching even and the air was tense as it was insane.
"Look! I'm telling you! Nobody with that name or description came to and or made a deal with any of our people in the Embassy! If they did, we would be the first to know dammit!"
"Then explain to me why one of our highest ranking party members came to me, screeching his fucking head off about some doomsday scenario!"
"Listen up you dog! You army types are retarded as all hell aren't you? This is obviously a ploy or something, somebody is obviously putting pressure on that party member to make you squirm!"
"Hah? I've just about had it with you pencil pushers! With your head so far above your ass-"
"Sir!" The officer was cut off abruptly. Turning around, he was met face to face with a young soldier. Panting and sweating, he held a salute with one hand, and a file in the other.
Cautiously returning the salute, the Private stood at ease after he did so, Handing him the files as he made his report.
"Colonel! With a bit of digging, we finally managed to get some information about this individual, sir!"
"Continue private."
"Sir! This individual appears to be the beast of Panjshir. A legendary terrorist belonging to the Mujaheddin during the Soviet Afghan war. After that not much is known about him. Our top specialist, Li Xinlin is currently trying to dig up more information on him, but is currently having difficulties, Sir!"
"Soviet Afghan war? That was a while ago, why the hell is this surfacing now? Everybody knows that we were supporting the Mu-muja- Aiyah! The Militants!" The colonel said in frustration, leafing through the thin bare bones file of this "Terrorist"
"Apparently this individual did something to piss off the Americans because the Americans are frantically searching for him now as we speak. Sir!"
"...Do we have any more pictures of this individual?" He asked the private, pointing at the one picture of the bearded beast of Panjshir, gripping a rifle in one hand and a grenade in the other.
"N-no Sir!"
"Well dig up the archives, he kind of looks Chinese, could be a Uighur probably. Could have left the country to fight the soviets… We were supporting the militants, there HAS to be a picture or at least something that we can use.``
"Sir!" The private saluted and quickly left the room.
"Hah, this is a goddamn shit show!" The man behind the desk growls out as he pulls out a cigarette, lighting it as he takes a drag.
"Oh you think? I got central breathing down my neck about some obscure terrorist from nearly a decade ago!"
"Sigh, and Hong Kong was about to get handed over to us soon as well, could this year get any worse?"
"You tell me buddy. You're probably gonna have to watch every single goddamn embassy in the entire southeastern theatre!"
"Lets just hope that that hacker of yours, what was their name again? Li Xinlin? Lets just hope that they're good."
"Oh their good, they're the best damn hacker in the entire division." The colonel with an exhausted face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I walk down the hallway quickly, ignoring the pain in my body, pushing myself to the absolute limit. I have to get out of here, No. I will get out of here, suspicion and possible danger be damned. This city is a goddamned hellhole and I am NOT sticking around!
Hezbollah, why the fuck would they want me? Why are they even here? This is just absurd at this point! Why would the Shiiates want me? What the hell is going on anymore?
"Bzzt!...Lep…aun! Answer…Dam….ow!" Stopping dead in my tracks, I looked at the source of the sound. An open door? What? Slowly and cautiously, I walk to it after looking over my shoulders multiple times.
Entering the room, on closer inspection it looks like a normal closet, with cleaning tools layed about all over the place. But the most intriguing thing about the place was the fact that I could hear the faint static and voice of a person. Focusing on the sound, I find the source of it all. A walkie talkie…Shit, there really was a rat!
"...Dammit! You fucking bastard! Answer me dammit!"
"..." Sigh, fuck it!
"This is leprechaun, what do you want?" I say after a pause. Hoping to god that this might just work out.
"Fucking finally! Where the hell were you!" Was the furious question that boomed back at me through the tiny little walkie talkie.
"I was in a meeting, the Kapitan and everybody were discussing how to capture that rat, Yuri Sokolov."
"Good, good! How about the Archangelus? Did you guys discuss it?"
"No, the Kapitan was entirely focused on Yuri Sokolov."
"...Hmm…Interesting, she has to know something after all…"
"What do you mean?"
"That's none of your fucking business." She said neutrally.
"Listen, just keep on trying to get to Sokolov. Information, hell even rumors, you get a lead you follow it and you tell me, understand?"
"Yes. Is there anything else?"
"Oh! The guys that are wreaking havoc in this city, The protectors of Islam were they called?"
"...Yes?" I ask cautiously, not sure of what she was getting at.
"If you see one of them, interrogate and try to find out why exactly they are here, and whether or not Sokolov has linked up with them, do you understand?"
"...Why do you think that Sokolov is in league with the terrorists?"
"Sigh…I'm going to need you to think critically here dumbass. If he wasn't in league with them WHY would they be here? Jesus, your retarded. Maeve out."
I meet silence now as I hold the now quiet walkie talkie in my hands, even more confused now.
The Americans think I'm in league with Hezbollah. Sofiya's boys think that I have some relation with Hezbollah. And I know that I, without a shadow of a doubt, have no ties to Hezbollah.
…Why is my life so wrong?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Li! Any information on this guy?"
"No, this dudes a ghost."
"Well you better find something on him fast. The colonel, hell, the party is getting impatient."
"Aiyah, wouldn't it be great if this guy was just some normal dude that got caught up in all this? Sure as hell would make my job a lot easier, would also ease up a bit of that world tension as well~"
"Your job is to dig up the truth about this guy, not become delusional."
"I know, I know, the only thing I got so far is that he fought in Panjshir valley, and did a shit ton of heroic things and became a legend in the process. You WOULD become delusional if you couldn't find anything like me either, seriously, any further than this and I might just enter conspiracy theorist territory."
"....Hmm…maybe if I…Eh, but?...Ah fuck it."
"What?"
"Might as well try hacking into the countries near Afghanistan. Maybe he went to Iran or, most likely, Pakistan. Then through there, probably went through India only to end up in Thailand."
"Don't"
"Eh? You do realize that you're telling me to give up any possible leads right?"
"We can't raise the tension up any further."
"Then what the hell do you want me to do? There's nothing here!"
"I want you to do your job."
"....Sigh, fine! Don't blame me if I cant find anything!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notes:
Hachiman: Pink
Sofiya: Orange
Russian grunt one: Green
Russian grunt 2: Light blue
Makarov: Red
Chang: Orange
Edit* Please note, that any organizations posted in this story is posted solely for a fictional story. I am strictly neutral on all and any politics that these organizations tend to bring. I am only posting because I want to clear up any misconceptions. I'm not picking on anybody. I'm just writing a story that I want to be interesting and fun. It's a bit late. But this is just a fanfiction. Nothing more, nothing less. I am neutral.