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Raptor’s Tale
6 - A Lesson Learned
JC woke up bruised and beaten. He was back at the “Nest” while the five men
stood above him. He began to apologize
profusely, but the old man said it was okay.
“20 to 1, and you managed to take down 6. No need for apologies there, who knew it was
that girl who would do you in.” Now
fully awake he searched for any patched up gun shoot wound.
“You’re not going to find anything, it was only a
tranquilizer.” Said the old man
“You should be happy they didn’t use a real gun”
smirked one of the other four men.
JC stood up put on his suit, “I know where to go, leave it to me” and with that said he walked away. Barely managing ten steps he collapsed. When he woke up for the second time, JC took it a little slower.
“Did they unmask me? Did anyone see? How did they know
I’ll be there that night” now thinking clearly he began asking the right
questions.
“No, No, and there’s a leak within the organization”
replied the old man to each of JC’s questions.
The four men looked between themselves trying to
figure out who betrayed their companion.
“I don’t blame him, his family was threatened.” The old man said. “But for his sake he better disappear for a
while, until we know why JC wasn’t killed” he added. The five men left allowing JC to recuperate from the beating he
had received. With that said JC went
back to sleep.
A few hours later JC finally woke from his deep
sleep. Not yet fully aware where he is,
he stumbled around right to the corridor of his training. He tripped an alarm and again a barrage of
paintballs shot off. Reacting to the
gunshot sounds JC managed to duck down and dodge the bullet. Hearing the gunshots the five men came running
to the corridor and helped JC up.
Looking up JC saw something he has never seen from the old man before, a
smile of approval.
The old man decided to give JC a few days off crime
fighting to fully heal from the assault he was put through. During this time of absence another guy
replaced JC, it was the guy who competed against JC for the position of Raptor,
David. David and JC haven’t been
keeping in touch since JC was chosen, but they still remained friends e-mailing
one another in occasion.
During his time-off he still can’t get his mind off
work. He constantly found himself in a
daydream and re-enacting the scene when he was jumped. Constantly thinking of what he could have
done to defend himself better. Now he
doubts his skills he’s lost he doesn’t know if he can keep being Raptor, he is
afraid what would happen to other people if he can’t protect himself. In school that morning he couldn’t help it
but look at a distance and cover up his bruises with sunglasses and a long
sleeved shirt.
That night lying on his bed, he still couldn’t decide on what to do. He doubts himself, he is afraid. He picked up his telephone by his computer and called his cousin Kristina, they began with a friendly conversation just like what they always have, then he snuck in his situation in a manner that he though wouldn’t reveal the depth of his situation and problem.