Escaping Paradise: Part II

I'm running out of energy.  I have to relax, I know that I am way out of the distance of the guards.  I slouched down against a tall redwood to finally catch my breath.  Being "free" was bitter sweet.  I wasn't technically free; yes, I was free from the Asylum but I was still running for my freedom.  My next move?  Easy, keep moving; this battle was far from over.

I still had that weapon I stole but only a single clip remaining and as far as i knew, the clip wasn't completely full.  I'm sure that the police are close on my heels, I couldn't stop.  I wonder just how far civilization is.. CRACK!.  The snap of a large branch breaking under a steel toe boot rang in my ears.  I quickly snapped to attention, brought my weapon up and aimed in the direction of the noise.  SNAP!  I quickly turned around 180 degrees to face the other sound.  I scanned the area around me rapidally, ready to fire off a shot into anyone that I saw as a potential threat.  My heart was racing but as I continued to scan, I found nothing.

Am I going insane or am I just paranoid?  I'm losing my mind! Focus, snap back and take a deep breath, you've got this under control.  I took a deep breath, lowered my weapon and slung it around my back.  I turned around and continued to walk towards what I thought would be freedom.  Nightfall came quite fast and I tried to lay my head down to sleep.

"Sparman!  Sparman!  We know you're out there!  Come out with your hands up, weapon on the ground and we can end this peacefully.  There is no reason why there needs to be bloodshed in this.  Just do it!"

I am not giving up this easily.  They want to take me in, there will be bloodshed.

*      *      *

"Why isn't he captured yet?  You have got to be kidding me.  This is absurd, he is a degenerate.  He is one man with a single clip in a rifle!  Step it up for god's sake!"

"Warden you have to understand that Spurman is not like any other inmate.  He is an ex-Marine sir, he still has their mindset, their ways of survival.  You must know that if you want Spurman, dead or alive, men will die, a lot of men Warden."

"Do you think I care?  The only thing I care about is making sure that Spurman is captured before he can get his story out.  I don't want him being a free man.  You of all people should know that if he is to get his story out, he will become free."  The Warden got up out of his chair and paced by the window.  He stared out into the field where many of the inmates were lifting weights.  "I am still ponding how you let the largest inmate in our facility out and so easily?  Your men can not possibly be that stupid."

"Sir, both of those men were smarter than you.."

"I'm tired of the excuses Danski!  Enough!  Capture him and bring him to me, do you understand me?  Can you get that through you're pea sized brain you idiot?"

"I understand sir I won't let you down."

"You better not or it will be your ass!"

*      *      *

I dashed behind a rock and set my weapon up ready to fire.  The man that was yelling emerged from the tree line with a group of five other men.  I could recognize the leader.  His name was Marque, he had a scruffy beard that looked as if it hadn't been shaven in a month.  His green eyes beaded down at anyone he looked at.  He was tall in stature but very fit.  He always carried a sidearm, strapped to his leg and
a knife in a sleeve attached to his hip.  He rarely carried a main weapon but this time was different.  An M16 slung around his shoulder while he wielded an AUG HBAR aimed slightly off my position.

I was trained in waiting for the last possibly moment for the perfect shot to take them out.  "Come out of hiding you rat!  I'll kill you!" Marque yelled from his position.  I slowly raised my weapon and placed it in a crack in the rock I was laying behind.  His men exited the tree line, weapons drawn.  As soon as two of them grouped together I looked downed the sights and pulled the trigger back twice and quickly as i could.  Two shots rang out and the two men slumped to the ground, dropping their weapons.  The other henchmen scattered quickly and darted behind trees and whatever else they could find as cover.  Marque didn't move a muscle.  "You think I'm scared of you Spurman?  You are a joke!  I will not flinch!  So come out and fight me like the man you say you are."

I didn't move an inch.  Another man peeked his head out around the tree from which he was hiding behind.  He exposed himself just enough so that I could pump three rounds into his chest, removing him from the fight.  The other two men that were hiding ran from their cover towards Anza.  "Come on you babies!  Come back and kill this guy!"

I stood up from my hiding place and announced, "Why?  You can't fight me on your own?  I thought you wer the big, old tough guy?"

Marque threw his weapon on the ground, detached the sidearm from his leg and unslung the M16 from his shoulder and threw it on the ground as well.  He then proceeded to remove his knife from its protection and drew it and pointed at me.  "You want to fight?  Then bring it on."

I walked over to him, stood ready to fight.  I wasn't scared that he had a knife, infact I wasn't scared at all.I can take him.  He charged at me and went for the first stab, I quickly moved and defended myself, grabbed his arm and twisted it until he dropped the knife.  His other arm came up ready to strike but much to his dismay I blocked his second attempt.  Marque then proceeded to kick me in the chest, knocking the wind out of me.  I feel to the ground, hitting my head and making me dizzy.  As my vision focused marque stood over me, poised to punch again.  Strike after strike, his fist were like two boulders slamming into my face.
I started to fade but snapped back and struck him square in the chest knocking him backwards.  He hit the ground with a thud and grunted slightly as he started to rise.

I got up, shaked off the injuries and turned to face my foe once again.  Marque got up and raced towards me once again.  As soon as he got into range, I swung my arm and caught him in the jaw, dropping him to the ground with a devastating thump.  He lay lifeless on the ground.  I walked over to where he had thrown his weapons down, picked up the sidearm, cocked it back and aimed it at his leg.  "So am I tough enough for you yet Marque?  I'm much smarter than you think, I know much more in combat than you will ever know and know, your life is my hands.  Dealing with my life has always been a game to you hasn't it?"  Marque looked up and shuttered at the sight of me.  He winced in pain as he grabbed his chest.  His breath was short and he was fading in and out.

"You know what?  I'm not going to kill you.  Why would I give you the easy way out?  I am going to make an example out of you for all your little people to see that I am a force to be reckoned with.  If you are the best that they sent, then they are going to have to do better."  I raised the firearm, aimed at his leg and fired a single shit just above his knee cap.  Marque yelped in pain.  I dropped the pistol on the ground next to him and turned and walked away.  "This is far from over Sparman, you have just lit the fuse that will destroy your life!"