Journal Shadow Wrought's Journal: [Serial Writing] Everywhere, Is the War (Part VI) 2
There was a hush in the woods that could only come from waking with the dawn. Even as the Sun rose over the jagged butte to the East, Walker sniffed in the sweet, fresh air of morning. Opening his sack he pulled out a breakfast MRE and got his morning started. Not even the tinny after-taste of the purification tablets in his water could dampen his mood. For the first time in years he no longer dreaded his missions. Whatever he could do, he would. If he died in the process, at least he knew, truly knew that he had helped to change the world. After less than half a dozen key assassinations, already the Shadow group was beginning to turn on its self.
Granted the news had been thin, but suddenly exit strategies were emerging for the War, and whistleblowers were coming from unheard of levels; maybe the world was changing. For now Walker had by far the easiest of his jobs. Two executives on a hunting trip in rural Virginia. He had entered the woods with his "buddies" four days before their trip was slated to start. That they had started as a group of five and left as a group of four went wholly without notice. Since then Walker had been living off of MREs and biding his time. It was, all things considered, a nice little way to make a living.
Perched on a knoll, he resumed his scan of the main parking lot. Within half an hour of his estimate, a black Escalade drove in with his targets. The two execs readied their gear and began hiking into the woods. One worked as a tobacco lobbyist, the other was a doctor at a research hospital in Maryland. The same prestigious hospital that had recently released a study disputing half a century of known tobacco issues. Strange bedfellows indeed! With them identified, his tracking began. Since there were far too many people near the main entrance path he wanted to wait until they were seperated from the rest to take the shot. As the sun steadily rose, the number of rifle cracks echoing across the valleys increased as well. Who would notice a couple more?
The two execs had obviously not come for the quiet out doors and their inane chatter made them quite easy to follow. They followed a path through which the midmorning Sun dropped random beams helter skelter through the thick foliage. Even though he had come to terms with his wife's and children's losses, the sadness still bit him occasionally and, usually, when he least expected. How I would have loved to to share this view with them... Putting the thought from his head enough to complete the mission, though not enough to forget its lingering pain, Walker continued his pursuit until the two men camped themselves in a deer blind.
Knowing that the would not move for some time, Walker slowly moved to where he was opposite the blind, some 300 yards away. He slowly scanend the foliage until he again spotted the blind. Even though the lighting was awful, with his scope he could make out their faces. That was all he needed. He took a couple minutes to scan the surrounding area for any wayward hunters before laying down and scoping in the execs. The were still and silent, waiting for a buck to come and investigate the doe pheremone they had laid out. The Lobbyist would get it first. People expect them to be corrupt. Doctors, however...
The Ruger 204 had a lot of power behind a little bullet. It's 4,000 foot per second speed meant that Walker could see the Lobbyist's face dissappear in a puff of blood. The super light bullet disintegrated on impact, but not before fatally imparting all of its kinetic energy on the target's head. Smoothly working the bolt he had the next round already loaded as he saw the doctor bent down over his comrade. Almost on cue, the doctor turned to see if he could see where the shot came from, and was rewarded with the same fate as fellow.
Two more, Walker thought, dropping the rifle and walking away fromt he spot. The bullets were highly frangible, poor ballistic matching, and the rifle was untraceable back to him. He went back tot he tiny spot that had been home to him the last four days and pulled out a venerable 45-70 rifle. He squeezed off a round towards an old Oak tree to further contaminate any chain of evidence which could theoritically be established. Even though he would be a dozen plus miles away by the time they found the bodies, it always helped to plan ahead. By nightfall he would be in the little cabin on the far side of the North ridge that Clarke had rented. No real evidence and a strong alibi, Clarke was supposed to already be there, meant for a relaxing albiet fast hike. He savored the thoguht of teaching his kids about the woods the entire way. It was odd how, now that they were gone, his thoughts of them were no longer worries about their future. If only I had known how to think then...
Continue to Part VII
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Re:I, uh (Score:2)
I appreciate your reading, and by all means please share any other thoughts that you have.