Brutal Betrayal

Explosions could be heard as a war was going on outside. Michael and Pearl stood in the hallway of an old Mansion that the owner had left behind when the war broke out. Soldiers could be heard entering the bottom floor of the mansion while they searched different rooms.

“Hey Pearl? Can you kind of hurry up and open that door,” Michael said, as he walked down the hall and peaked around the corner to see if any soldiers had spotted them.

Pearl kneeled on one knee and took out a silver pin from her curly hair and stuck it into the lock of the doorknob.

“Alright, Alright. I got you just watch our backs,” Pearl said, as she concentrated on picking the lock to get the door open.

“Hey Michael? you do remember why we were here right,” said Pearl.

Michael walked back over to Pearl as she was still working on the door to get it unlocked.

“Yeah, our mission is to get into this room and steal the documents that are in there and get out of here,” Michael said.

The doorknob clicked as it was unlocked. “Nice. there we go,” Pearl said, as she and Michael opened the door and slid themselves into the room. The room was lit by the afternoon sunlight as it beamed on the wooden office floor.

A large wooden desk sat in the middle of the room. Michael made his way over to the desk and found a black flash drive sitting on top of a large manila envelope.

“Pearl come over here and bring your bag. So we can hurry up and get out of here,” Michael said, as Pearl moved over to where he was behind the desk.

Pearl opened a midnight black backpack and slid the envelope inside as Michael put the flash drive into his blue jean pocket. Soldiers could be heard moving quickly up the stairs and through halls heading to their position.

“Come on quick. We have to find a way out of here,” Pearl said.

As the house shook from the explosions going off outside, the office door got kicked in. A man in a dark green jumpsuit with black leather boots strolled into the room.

“You two aren’t going anywhere. Until you answer some questions I have,” he said. He had a silver name tag that was pinned to the front of his jumpsuit. The name read Carnal.

“Oh snap,” Michael whispered. Pearl zipped up her bag and slung it across her shoulder.

“What is it that you want? Carnal,” Pearl said.

“I want the two of you to join my side. To help me win this war,” Carnal said, as he stepped towards the desk.

“Sorry bud. But that’s not our problem,” Michael said.

“Oh well? that’s too bad,” Carnal said.

When a tall bulky soldier came into the room wearing black survival gear like Michael and Pearl.

“Take the guy,” Carnal said.

The bulky soldier rushed toward Michael tackling him to the ground wrapping his hands around Michael’s throat and started to squeeze.

Michael started to throw punches at the soldier to break free, but every punch he threw felt like he was hitting a brick wall.

“Help...help,” Michael said. As he struggled to breathe.

“Michael No,” Pearl said. As she tried to make her way over to him only to be stopped by Carnal.

“So, what will it be? are you going to join my side or let your partner die?” Carnal said.

What should I do? I already have the documents. She glanced at the door, I should just run. But I can’t just leave Michael here to die, Pearl thought.

Pearl pushed Carnal out the way as she ran and drop kicked the bulky soldier off Michael. Michael staggered to his feet and tried to catch his breath. They both moved towards the window.

“If you want us. Then you're going to have to come find us,” Pearl said. As she and Michael jumped out the window falling to the forest below.

Once they landed on the earthy soil, Michael brushed himself off and searched himself to make sure he still had the flash drive from the mansion.

“Hey do you still have the Flash Drive?” Pearl said, as she turned around to look at him.

Michael patted himself down and reached into his pocket to feel the flash drive with his fingertips.

“I have it,” Michael said.

Pearl secured her bag on her back and started walking farther into the woods.

“Cool, We need to get moving. Carnal and his men are probably out looking for us,” Pearl said.

Michael followed close behind Pearl as he thought back on how they got their hands on the information for the documents to steal. The thing was the way Michael had received the info on what the documents looked like was not from a phone call but through text message with only a few words, which read.

Look for black drive. Don’t let it fall into the wrong hands and for a partner bring someone you can trust to have your back.

As Michael walked he looked at Pearl and thought.

I wonder if Pearl and Carnal know each other?

“Hey Pearl? Can I ask you something,” Michael said.

“Sure what’s on your mind?” Pearl said.

“Well? The thing is do you and Carnal know one another?”

Pearl hesitated before answering.

“No I don’t know him. Why do you ask Michael?”

Soldiers could be heard searching for them off in the distance of the woods.

“It’s because you know when Carnal and his men showed up. You seemed more annoyed than anything when he barged his way into the office.”

“Look. Just drop the whole idea of thinking that me and Carnal know one another.”

Leaves on the ground crunched under footsteps and tree branches snapped like pencils as something moved in Michael and Pearl’s direction.

Michael hid behind a tree and stood still like a statue to make himself unnoticeable to the enemy who he assumed was approaching. Pearl ducked behind some bushes and looked through them to see silhouettes of people. The first silhouette seemed to be tall with a muscular build. The second silhouette seemed to be that of a female. Her build was medium and slender reaching up to the first silhouette’s shoulder.

As the two humanoid silhouettes came closer into view both of them were wearing black hooded vests that were zipped, ripped jeans from hiking through the forest and chocolate brown hiking boots.

“I’m telling you Sam? This is just crazy, why would we meet them if they weren’t going to be in the meeting spot to begin with?” said the tall guy.

His partner put her hands to her lips then turned and looked at him.

“Will you please keep your voice down Robbi. If you have not noticed we are in enemy territory,” Sam said.

“You’re right sorry. We need to stay on guard,” Robbi said.

Michael and Pearl looked at each other from their hiding stops and formulated a plan. Pearl motioned to Michael that he was going to tackle the guy to get the jump on him while she went and took care of the girl.

“Robbi make sure to be aware of your surroundings. Something doesn’t feel right,” Sam said.

“Yeah I know what you mean. It feels like we are being watched,” Robbi said, as he turned his back to the tree line.

Michael and Pearl rushed Robbi and Sam simultaneously knocking them both to the ground and placing Robbi’s and Sam’s arms behind their backs to restrain them.

“Who are you two? Are you with Carnal and his men?” Michael said.

Sam had turned her head to see one of the captors kneeling down next to Robbi holding his arms and not letting Robbi squirm around to try and escape.

“What? No we are not with Carnal. Release us and then we’ll talk,” Sam said.

Robbi tried to wiggle out of the tight grip that Michael had him in,

“Yeah! For all we know you could be working on the same side as us and not even know.”

Pearl heard a radio go off then looked at Michael as if to say, “Any more time here and those soldiers will be on us.”

Michael and Pearl got to their feet and hoisted Sam and Robbi to their feet.

“Okay look. We need to get going,“ Michael said.

The two of them released Sam and Robbi. Sam looked at Michael to see if he was the person she and Robbi were supposed to meet.

“Hey? what’s your name special ops dude?” Sam said.

“my name is Michael. I take it you’re Sam,” Michael said.

Robbi looked at Pearl and started to back away from her.

“Yo! Michael I’m getting a strange aura from your partner,” Robbi said.

The Soldiers were closing in on the group’s location.

“Look if we are done with introductions. We need to move,” Pearl said.

The group ran ever deeper into the woods until they stumbled upon an old shack.

“I think we can hide in there for a while. Till the soldiers pass by,” Robbi said.

Michael and Sam entered into the shack first and upon them stepping on the wooden floor it gave under their weight and collapsed revealing a large cemented floor below. Sam and Michael picked themselves up off the cold ground and saw a narrow pathway in front of them.

“Hey Michael? Can I ask you something?” Sam said.

“Sure, what’s up?”

Sam pulled a picture from her vest pocket and showed it to him. She shined a flash light at the photo so Michael could see it. The photo was of him and a girl with long blond hair under the photo where two names, Michael and Angel.

“You were given this mission right? You came to this country with a partner who was a longtime friend,” Sam said.

“ Yeah and the partner I came with was Pearl. Wasn’t it?” Michael said.

“No it wasn’t. The person you came with was named Angel.”

“What? No you’re lying. There’s no way that happened.”

Sam leaned in close to Michael.

“That girl Pearl. She might really be working for the enemy. Carnal,” Sam said.

Robbi and Pearl made their way down to their companions and saw the narrow pathway.

“I think Robbi and Sam should go. Then Michael and I will follow after,” Pearl said.

Pearl picked up a small wooden floor board and hid it behind her back as she watched Sam and Robbi make their way through the pathway.

“Hey, I think I see light. We can probably get out this way,” Sam said.

Pearl stepped towards Michael.

“Hey? Michael.”

“What is it Pearl.”

“I don’t know how to tell you this. But …”

Michael froze in place afraid of what Pearl was going to say.

“I’ve been working with Carnal. I Sorry,” Pearl said.

With tears in her eyes as she swung the floor board cracking Michael in the back of the head knocking him out. Pearl searched through Michael pockets and found the flash drive she needed to deliver to Carnal.