Cyberknight: One Path (original novel)

"I swear to God, I'm innocent! "

The memories of Oltevin's bloodied body flashed inside McCree's mind. The image of Jerry's smug face as his ability unleashed senseless violence onto his friend irritated him. 

"I did nothing wrong! I had nothing to do with the Empire or anything they stood for! "

The pictures of the aftermath of the Appalachian Disaster flashed inside McCree's mind. Despite knowing how millions died, the scene of the devastation barely left any remains to be buried or even identified. The inhumane nature of the massacre sickened McCree to his heart. 

"Please, man, I was just here to see my family! My wife... my wife she gave birth to our son. I asked for a few days of leave just to be by her side. You can see all the proof, I wasn't lying to you at all! "

Frustrated with the man's desperate pleas, McCree abruptly smacked him in the head with the butt of his pistol. The rage inside McCree's eyes burned all the reasons out of his vision. He only saw an Imperial Agent who refused to confess his crimes.

[McCree] - "I'm sick and tired of your excuses! I won't rest until every single mother fucker responsible is caught. "

Said McCree before walking out of the room. 

[Dunhill] - "So? Did you get a confession from him? "

[McCree] - "The bastard won't talk. "

Said McCree with a frustrated expression. 

[Dunhill] - "Maybe we need more convincing methods. Want me to send in a priest or a butcher? "

[McCree] - "Send in both until that son of a gun talks. "

Said McCree before coming to a stop before a different door guarded by two men. 

Slowly, the bloodied man chained to the steel table looked up in fear as McCree stepped in. Before the man could protest, the door was slammed shut behind McCree. As the minutes passed, the only sound in the hallway was the muffled yell of agony from that room. 

Meanwhile, Audrey silently looked at the small chip Dane gave her. So far, she has been refraining herself from watching its content due to fear of espionage. She was aware that the chip contained incriminating information about something or someone. However, in the current climate filled with suspicion and injustice, it would be wise for her to learn of its content in a safer environment. 

After shoving the chip into her pocket, she sat back on her bed where her girlfriend slept. Just as she prepared to sleep, a random thought came back to her head. She thought back to the night when Kadyn had a mental breakdown and noticed that Kadyn had a massive bruise around her left eye. The more she thought, the more wounds she began to notice on Kadyn's face, and the more she suspected that maybe Jagger was lying about Kadyn's situation. 

Considering her history with Kadyn, Audrey knew her friend would never simply go crazy out of the blue. After all, not even the sight of KD-556 and KD-552's massacre made Kadyn flinch, so how could a person with such a stable psyche suddenly break down with no apparent cause? Even if it was cyber-psychosis, the signs of the disease would start presenting themselves early. 

As the pieces clicked together, Audrey suddenly stood up in shock. That night, Kadyn seemed to be angry and afraid of something or rather, someone. The way Jagger treated Kadyn like a plaything, the way Jagger dismissed their concerns for her, and the way Jagger kept everything under wrap; All indicated that Jagger was abusing her in some way and was trying to keep her silent. 

Without losing a second, Audrey got dressed and stormed out of her room in a hurry. In the past, Audrey has been in a few abusive relationships, so she knew without a doubt that something bad was happening to Kadyn. Audrey won't sleep tonight or tomorrow unless she gets to the bottom of all this. After all, without Kadyn's help, she won't be alive today.

[Dunhill] - "Great job there, McCree. You made that traitor confess in record time. All I can is that I now no longer doubt why Sir Mike sent you here to work with us. Great job, buddy. "

Said Dunhill as he walked with McCree down the hall. 

[McCree] - "It's my duty after all. I was given the chance to make things right, so I'll do my damn best to make it right. "

Said McCree in a disgruntled voice. 

Despite the blood and bruises on McCree's hands, the only thing that occupied his mind was the fact that he failed to get a confession out of the first guy. 

[Dunhill] - "You don't seem happy with what you've accomplished today, friend. "

Said Dunhill as he noticed McCree's frustration. 

[McCree] - "The bastard earlier. I knew he was hiding something but I just couldn't make that son of a bitch confess... "

[Dunhill] - "He'll talk eventually, I'm sure of it. "

[McCree] - "No! You don't understand! I saw firsthand what kind of consequences this kind of stubborn bastard could bring upon us! The longer the truth stays hidden, the longer his associates could regroup and hide... or even plan something new! "

Yelled McCree with a deranged expression on his face. 

[Dunhill] - "I understand your dedication, my friend. However, you must rest now. I'll have Agent 11 handle things with that man. He has a reputation for making people talk, so rest easy now. Tomorrow, I can guarantee that stubborn son of a gun will spill all the beans. "

Said Dunhill with a few friendly pats on McCree's back. 

*In a flashback

[Jagger] - "Dunhill, I have a new guy I want you to take care of. He'll be representing the Blue Guards as their poster boy. "

Said Jagger as he looked down at Dunhill from his throne. 

[Dunhill] - "My lord, do you have any specific instructions for me about this new person? "

[Jagger] - "Very simple, my friend. I want you to radicalize him. He's the kind of oblivious meathead who has a good heart. People like him will believe things as they are fed to him without question. In his mind, as long as he believes in something, nothing else will matter. It's like taming a dog. Make him believe no one is the good guy except us. "

[Dunhill] - "I've looked at his files, my lord. So you are confirming to me he's just the average roadside redneck I believe him to be? "

Said Dunhill with an amused smirk. 

[Jagger] - "Precisely, my friend. Make him understand the scale of things... "

As McCree met Dunhill for the first time, Dunhill quickly greeted him warmly before offering him some fine cigars and liquor as a friendly gesture. After gaining McCree's trust over a few days, Dunhill quickly began presenting McCree with classified documents which revealed the horror behind the scenes that wasn't available to the public. With the shock factor present, Dunhill quickly began shifting the blame onto all the supposed enemies of the Allied Forces. 

[Jagger] - "...Then make him believe in our cause and justify what we do... "

Dunhill then began to present McCree with the invented crimes and affiliation of totally innocent individuals while constantly referring McCree back to the initial horrors he presented him with. With the fake pieces of evidence, Dunhill was quick to twist the narrative and present his organization as a bastion of hope in a society filled with traitors. 

[Jagger] - "...Finally, make him feel guilty about his previous inaction and convince him of the positive impacts of his involvement. "

As a friendly gesture, Dunhill invited McCree to have dinner with him. As the two conversed during the meal, Dunhill strategically shifted the conversation toward McCree's past.

[Dunhill] - "I believe you survived the KD-series assassin attack on the base you were stationed in because you and several hundred others were trapped in a sector which was blockaded off the main area once the alarm was sounded, is that right? "

[McCree] - "Yes, but I wished I could be trapped on the other side. After seeing what you've shown me, I wish I could be there... to maybe save a few lives instead of waiting to be saved by others. "

Said McCree in a guilty voice.

[Dunhill] - "It's not your fault. After all, there was nothing you could do. You were powerless in front of these inhumane creatures. They were the servants of satan while you were just a mere mortal. "

Said Dunhill while intentionally making it sound like he was pitying McCree's helplessness.

[McCree] - "Then what do these damn crystals serve then? I defeated a mother fucking cyberknight, and not just any cyberknight! I found out the buster I defeated was a cardinal cyberknight, one of the highest positions possible for a cyberknight in the Empire! I know I have the power to do more, I know if I was there fighting alongside my friends, more lives could've been saved! "

Yelled McCree with passion. 

There was a smirk inside Dunhill's heart but he professionally kept the facade on his face. 

[Dunhill] - "If you believe in your power, then you know what kind of contribution you could offer us. We need a man like you, who believes in justice and sacrifice. Understand that, in this line of job, no mercy could be shown to the men we deem to be a threat. "

[McCree] - "I was trained for this. Before all this, I was a sleeper agent in the Empire. I'm ready to do my part! Look me in my eyes, you can see I won't hesitate until all the people responsible are put either behind bars or behind the hard plate of a coffin! "

Said McCree with a determined look in his eyes. 

[Dunhill] - "Good then! Show the world there is still hope. Show us that justice is still the dominant force in our dark and sombre reality. "

With a gentle smile, Dunhill presented McCree with his hand. Without a second of hesitation, McCree stood up and leaned forward to shake Dunhill's hand. All the while, Dunhill remained seated like a fisherman while McCree acted like a hungry fish desperately hanging on to the bait. 

*Back to the present

The abrupt knocks on the door woke McCree up from his slumber as he groggily looked at the time which showed 3:04 AM. He was so tired that he fell asleep on his desk. As another set of knocks echoed inside the office, McCree quickly wiped the drool off his desk before putting away the confidential documents. Just before Audrey could send a third wave of knocks, McCree kicked the door and made Audrey recoil in fear. 

[McCree] - "What do ya want, Audrey? Ya better have a good reason to wake me up at this darn hour. "

Yelled McCree with apparent frustration in his voice. 

[Audrey] - "We need to talk, McCree. It's important, so open up! "

Said Audrey as she frowned her brows. 

As soon as the door slid open, Audrey was blasted with the nauseating scent of sweat and unwashed clothes. While covering her nose with her hands, Audrey immediately identified the odour as emanating from McCree himself. 

[Audrey] - "Have you taken a shower or washed your clothes? Mon Dieu! "

Said Audrey before she gagged. 

[McCree] - "I don't got time for that bullshit! I have too much work to do for that crap. "

[Audrey] - "For shower and fresh clothes? What the fuck is it so important you had to forgo personal hygiene? "

[McCree] - "I'm the damn son of a gun keepin' everyone safe around here! Every single day, thanks to my work, thousands of people are saved from future tragedies like the one we've experienced so far! "

Yelled McCree as he sat down on his chair. 

[Audrey] - "Yeah, I heard you transferred to work with the Allied Intelligence Department. "

Said Audrey as she took a seat in front of McCree's desk. 

[McCree] - "The Dome Agency, you meant. I reckon that my talent and power could be used more proactively to help our cause. "

[Audrey] - "I'm not here to judge what you do. I'm here to talk about Kadyn. You were with Jagger that night, tell me what happened to her. "

[McCree] - "She's sick but she's under good care. Jagger got her the best medical staff and engineers to fix her problems. "

Said McCree dismissively. 

[Audrey] - "I don't believe your story until I see her in person. As her friend, I deserve to see that she's safe and healthy. "

Said Audrey as she leaned in closer toward McCree. 

[McCree] - "Master Mike said no visitors. Why do ya care so much, huh? Master Mike is her husband and he is takin' good care of her. I don't know what ya did that day but all I saw was ya draggin' her into that room for a party before she lost her marbles. Heck, I was the only one concerned about her disease before that day while ya were busy going on dates with ya girlfriend. For almost a month, you didn't ask, and now you decided to ask today? "

Said McCree while eying Audrey with a hint of aggression. 

[Audrey] - "I assumed she was safe with Mike too before the party. It was my mistake to not ask, alright? The reason I got that party prepared for her was because I care! "

McCree turned his head to the side to mock Audrey's attempt at justifying herself. 

[Audrey] - "Anyways, I noticed at the party she got bruises all over her face as if someone attacked her. Trust me when I tell you I know her for being a rational person with a stable mental state. I want answers for her unexplained injuries and this sudden disease she got without any ulterior signs. "

Said Audrey while trying to look McCree in the eyes. 

[McCree] - "Heh! What are ya suggesting? Master Mike is hiding something from ya? That he is secretly abusing his wife? "

[Audrey] - "Well, yeah! I have been a victim of abuse before, and I know all the signs of it! I think she's not sick and is just Mike being an abuser trying to hide whatever he did to her. "

McCree suddenly sat up and stared Audrey in the eyes with an aggressive look. 

[McCree] - "You keep that man's name out of ya damn mouth! He had all the power in the world and instead chose to help us in light of the Appalachian Disaster! He was out there doing God's work while ya relaxed and took a three-week vacation during some of the darkest hours of human history. If you slander that man's name again, I will make sure you regret it! "

Yelled McCree in an aggressive tone. 

It was a side of McCree Audrey had never seen in her life. The usually relaxed, ignorant and lighthearted Texan has somehow turned into a mad, fanatical agent with undying dedication to his work. Upon seeing McCree's unstable state, Audrey figured that it was useless to try getting any information about Kadyn from him. 

[Audrey] - "What happened to you, McCree? This isn't like you at all! What did they do to you? "

Said Audrey in shock as she backed away from him.

[McCree] - "They made me understand the similarities between an ignorant man and an evil man. Being ignorant is just as bad as being the evil itself as ya allow perverse ideas and actions to slip under your eyes without trying to stop them. Ya don't truly care about Kadyn or anything going on. Ya only care about what concerns you. When what doesn't concern you finds itself at your doorstep, that's when you care. But it would be too late by then. "

[Audrey] - "Well it's not too late to care now! I'm concerned for Kadyn's well-being! Please, McCree, just let me see her just once. I want to see my friend. "

Said Audrey while trying to find compassion in McCree's heart. 

[McCree] - "She's already fine under Mike's care. I'll let her know you came to wish her well when she wakes up. "

[Audrey] - "I just want to see her in person! "

Pleaded Audrey as she held her hands by her heart. 

[McCree] - "What? You don't trust me? You think I'm harming her or being an accomplice in doing her harm? "

Audrey held her breath before nodding her head. 

[Audrey] - "I trust you, McCree. But please, take care of yourself. Don't work get to your head, old friend. "

Without a word, McCree nodded his head before signalling for Audrey to please leave. Hesitantly, Audrey walked out of the room while sporting a disappointed look on her face. Although it was already near morning, Audrey just couldn't feel any urge to sleep. With a long face, she stepped into the commune room shared with her teammates where she noticed Oltevin on the sofa. 

[Oltevin] - "Couldn't sleep, comrade? "

[Audrey] - "No, unfortunately. I was thinking about Kadyn. I think something was off with her and Mike. Something tells me he was not telling us the truth at the party. "

Said Audrey as she poured a cup of coffee from the snack table. 

[Oltevin] - "I was thinking about comrade Kadyn too. Very unusual with our dear comrade these days, don't you think, Audrey? "

Oltevin's words immediately caught Audrey's attention and she quickly moved to sit beside him. On the television, the Russian movie "T-80 For Donbas" was playing. 

[Audrey] - "I asked McCree since he apparently knew a lot more about Kadyn than we do. However, he isn't himself anymore. He has changed into this... weird fanatical lunatic who thinks only about his work. I tried to inquire about Kadyn but he simply refused to give me a proper answer. "

Said Audrey as she stared down at her coffee. 

[Oltevin] - "Hmm... Maybe I should go try talking to him. I think I can talk sense into comrade's head. "

[Audrey] - "Good idea. Maybe a close friend could talk some sense into his nutshell. "

Suddenly, a loud explosion from one of the scenes made Audrey spill her coffee. 

[Audrey] - "Oh great! Why the heck are you always watching that same movie over and over again? Doesn't it get boring after a few times? "

[Oltevin] - "It reminds me of my old comrade. The plot of this movie feels very similar to our lives. Despite propaganda, I like plot of movie as well. It shows that we are all humans no matter what side we take. We could be wrong one day but it's not too late to correct our mistakes. "

Inside the screen, one of the Russian tank crew jumped out and pointed his weapon at the Ukrainian tanker exiting his knocked-out Abrams. After taking him prisoner, the main character had an exchange with the prisoner. 

[Ukrainian] - "Добре, так? Воюють за того пса Путіна, щоб вбивати невинних українців. Тобі соромно за себе, суко? "

*(Feels good, huh? Fighting for that dog Putin to kill innocent Ukrainians. Do you have shame in yourself, bitch?)

[Russian tanker] - "Держи имя Путина подальше от своих проклятых уст! У него была вся власть в мире, и вместо этого он решил помочь нам, когда НАТО нас угнетало! Он выполнял Божью работу, пока вы сражались за свое марионеточное правительство, которым управляет Америка. Если ты еще раз оклеветаешь имя этого человека, я позабочусь, чтобы ты пожалел об этом! "

*(You keep Putin's name out of your damn mouth! He had all the power in the world and instead chose to help us when NATO oppressed us! He was out there doing God's work while you were fighting for your puppet government ruled by America. If you slander that man's name again, I will make sure you regret it!)

As the subtitles appeared below the screen, the Russian's words caught Audrey's attention as they sounded very much like how McCree talked to her earlier. 

[Oltevin] - "Try to sleep a little, comrade Audrey. I have received order earlier. Tomorrow, by afternoon, we have to go on mission. You need to stay focused since they say mission may be very dangerous. "

[Audrey] - "Say, Oltevin, do the main characters always speak as if Russia is the only right nation in the world while Putin is a Saint? "

[Oltevin] - "Yes, movie was made after Russian victory in Ukraine. So movie director and actors all very nationalist. "

Audrey nodded her head before refocusing her gaze on the screen.

[Audrey] - "I think I'll sleep after I finish the movie. I wanna see just how crazy is the propaganda. "

Said Audrey before taking a sip of her coffee. 

To be continued...