Angel In Disguise

Reece's POV

Valiant had returned to the ranch a few days ago and I had taken my son from her. I didn't want to talk to her, I mean I couldn't talk to her.

I looked at my baby Regal Vincent Shields, he was strong and determined much like his mother and me. When he had fallen asleep, I knew I had to do some more soul searching.

The woman I loved and disliked the most kept me in a constant cycle. She'd been hurt the most in her life but she loved to see others treated well and succeed. All others except me.

"Fūck it." I murmured, stepping back from the crib where my little heart. my saving grace laid sleeping on his back.

I turned on the baby monitor, checked the water levels on the humidifier and set the air purifier before walking out of the door. Funny how I could condition his atmosphere in this way and still harbor this unease for his mom.

Making my way to my room, I slipped into my black tactical shirt, pants, boots and gloves readying to head out to what me and the guys called the maze.

Sending a text to Papa and Madre that I was leaving and to let Val know, I jumped into my Subaru WRX and took to the wild terrain of my back yard. The bumps and dips toggled me and loosened up my body so that I could enjoy the hunt.

I grabbed my walkie and let out a howl, waiting for a signal to go at any moment.

"The motherfūcker is back! You're clear to enter into the game Claymore."

The nickname given to me by my brothers in arms was code for battle. I clipped the walkie to my Molle webbed belt and picked up my knives sliding them into the concealed compartments of my pants and shirt.

I checked my guns to make sure all the silencers were seated properly and tucked them into the small of my back, my boot and cargo pocket. Donning my black mask, I stood at the entrance of the dense maze and waiting for the last signal.

The sky lit up for a split second as the flare gun sent up a beacon and I heard the gates clamp down. I began running. I cleared the first 50 meters, taking a rough corner that snagged my shirt just a bit when I saw a flash of something move.

Getting into a kneeling position I let my fingers release the small throwing dagger from the pocket of my pants. I gripped it ready to fly it to my target when suddenly my dominant arm was ripped down by a German Shephard.

The vicious beast shook me with all his might and caused me to fall backward. I felt it's teeth sank into my flesh and I groaned in both pain and frustration. I wasn't expecting this to be a part of the hunt tonight.

I brought my forearm closer to my chest so I could grab the dog by its nape and twist him to subdue him. The tussle lasted longer because when I grabbed his nape, he darted for my face and I had to use more force to get him in a headlock.

I heard him whimper and then he laid down. I checked his pulse and stood up.

"Where the damn blood hound come from?" I bellowed into the walkie but I didn't wait on the response. I knew they wouldn't answer back as to not give away my location and status to my prey.

The delay had me making up the distance and by the time I cleared the first quarter of the maze, my target had disappeared. Slowing my steps I looked away at the hedges and the small trees planted amongst the bamboo chutes.

I heard the breaking of a twig behind me and I stood still.

"I wasn't expecting you to be out here. You of all people. You were one of my best soldiers Shields. I liked you."

I went to turn but then the person spoke up again.

"Face me and I'll be the last person you look at. Keep it forward man." The rushed words of a worried soul barked.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you sound like a man marked for death and you know it. I won't apologize for how I'm going to kill you tonight," I paused and looked up, "you hurt so many people and I can't let that go."

"Considering I taught you most of what you know, let's see if you can even touch me before I make it to the end and then you have to free me."

"Ummkay. I'll take you up on that."

I dropped my injured arm that had blood dripping from my finger tips to give it a rest. I inventoried the person's voice and skill set. When I was ready to turn around the person was already gone.

Damnit! It was going to be more difficult than i thought. When we come out to hunt, we don't know who the prey is all we know is who the predator is and for what offense we are going after the perpetrator.

I looked around to see the route of escape when I saw another flare light up the sky. It meant the hunted was halfway to the exit.

I took a few more steps and found a breach in the treeline. I broke through it feeling the prickly leaves and branches tear at my exposed skin. It was pitch black out tonight and I would need to rely on my sense or direction to bring me closer to my enemy.

Coming out of the brush, I felt my legs go out from underneath me. I fell hard in my back, temporarily knocking the wind out of me and causing my head to spin. I coughed but went rigid underneath the steel toe black marauder boots.

"You should have stayed out of this. You had no business interfering Shields. Do you know how high and how far this will go? It doesn't stop with me and that is why I've gotta take the opportunity to end you."

I laughed. This was my maze on my premises, I'd be buried here one day but not murdered.

"You don't get it do you?" I retorted and begin unraveling truths for him.

"Someone from high in the chain told me to get you and them and to deal with the infestation. You guys are like crumb snatching roaches."

"Miller, you got in bed with an angel in disguise. She sold you up the stream for her position and you're not the only one."

I felt his boot travel to my Adam's apple. I stilled knowing this combat soldier could crush my trachea instantly.

'Play it cool Reece, you've got a son.' I thought to myself, the extracurricular activities didn't have to end with me being killed off.

Keeping my left hand, which is my dominant hand flat on the ground, I grabbed his ankle with my right hand.

"You know this is about to be over right? You guys kidnapped me and brought me out here like I'm a novice. I trained all of you." Miller laughed.

My left hand went to the knife I had stowed in the waistband of my belt, I just needed to get this shịt over with.

With the knife unsheathed, I struck it against his Achilles tendon, flaying his boot and flesh wide open.

He yelled and stepped back, immediately drawing a revolver and let one go in my direction. I felt the graze on my right shoulder and I rolled away in the opposite direction of him.

Miller then let three more rip from the gun and I was hit once in my chest. I covered my wound with my hand and watched the coward limp away as I laid there assessing myself. My arms were both in a bad condition but the chest wound seemed deep. He was going for head shots.

I got to my feet and dashed after him feeling the nausea and vertigo come on. I couldn't let him get to the exit.

Seeing him at the last stretch of the maze, I pulled out my gun and rapidly fired at his back. I saw two bullets disappear into the back of his skull and three greet his back with a splash of blood.

He fell short of the finish line. I too collapsed onto the ground. I reached for the walkie and pressed the button...

"I hate all of you bastards. Come get me, I got hit on the chest." And then I waited to be rescued.

******

Sitting on the medical bed inside the hut I observed the monitors and our medical provider. I survived the maze with two bullet wounds and dog bites. My chest and sternum were also bruised from the pressure of the booted foot.

I don't know if I felt any lighter than before.

Me and some of my battles from the service used the maze on our off-duty, off-record missions to deal with problems and release some steam.

"Yoooo! What's up man? You looked like you've had your head in the toilet and it's been flushed a few times." One of the guys started in on me.

"Yeah, doesn't look like he's had a chance to get his dịck wet lately. Still not made up with Vee yet?" Another one chimed in.

"Fūck you motherfūckers! You don't know my pain. I'd rather take a bullet or be bitten by a dog than to feel this shịt."

One of my hombres sat next to me. He looked at me and punched me hard in the arm. I grimaced.

"Can you blame her Reece? You put her in a tough position instead of waiting." Todd was closest to her, like a brother, he'd always be more vocal about her welfare.

"Look guys, let's just finish up here so we can have some drinks and talk about this later." The last friend finally said.

Angelo Garcia, Caleb Stanton, Gerald Woods and Todd Jennings were my brothers, especially since I was an only child.

The doctor cleared me saying that the bullet was removed in one piece and hadn't fragmented. The wound was stitched and bandaged. The graze on my shoulder was a superficial bullet burn and the dog bite was going to heal in about three days.

I thanked him and put on a clean shirt preparing to get off the bed after the wires and prods were removed. He left us with a nod.

"Valiant has been apologizing and wants to talk but I am just not ready yet. Which one of you are going to drive me back?"

They all looked at me and they all stood up rushing out of the door, turning off the lights, leaving me in the darkened room.