THIS STORY IS PART OF THE SZABLAVERSE CANON


Takes place 4 weeks after the events of Dragon's Fire



The waters of the Paraguay River were quiet, too quiet for a night like this. But for a lone boat that crossed its waters, it was the perfect setting. As the motor quietly purred, only two passengers were in it, all determined to finish a job.

The job they were hired for was to kill a commanding officer in the Paraguayan People’s Army. Ever since 2005, the communist guerillas have attacked farms, kidnappings, and demanding free food and refuge or else they’ll start shooting. The PPA has become a problem due to a car bomb that murdered a local politician. Then a ranch belonging to a wealthy meat magnate was burned down after they demanded free meat. The magnate was livid after what they did. Phone calls were made, and hence the two came in.

Basile steered the boat as gently as he could. The spaniel simply looked ahead with dimmed lights while the other passenger shone a flashlight on the maps. That other passenger was Lucienne. They both knew each other by reputation and started to know each other more…intimately. How did that happen? It all started after death of a U.S. Marshal, but that is for another time.

“Keep her steady and we’ll be at the target zone in an hour.” Lucienne clicked the flashlight off as she sat down in the seat next to Basile. “You know the plan right?”

“Yeah.” Basile said as he kept driving the boat. “Though I do wish that someone else would of come with us.”

“When I called you, I am going to need someone to keep communications open.” Lucienne said as she started to look ahead. “I immediately thought of you and besides, what could go wrong?”

“Nothing.” Basile said. “We’re just doing a routine kill and that’s it. It’s not like these guys are heavily armed.”

Lucienne hated the confidence that Basile radiated. She knew from her time back in the Fusiliers Marin that such beliefs, such thoughts were damning. Must be because Basile barely saw combat, he was a support role, just the radio guy. But in a sense, she wanted to be with him after the whole ordeal with the Dark Empress back in Hong Kong and Togo. But it was more than that.

Maybe it was a sense that she was drifting apart from him slowly. Maybe it was a sense that she was worried for him. Or she didn’t tell him what she felt for him. Maybe it was a fear of losing him. Maybe it was the dread that one day, it could be their last day on the world. Maybe one day, either one will die. That was something she could not bring herself to lose, or even if painfully admit.

Or maybe was because it was the fear of him cheating on her. That he found someone better than her. Someone more attractive and prettier than her and does not have a metal arm. Someone who could satisfy his needs…All of them, even the more carnal ones. She turned to face him, just seeing him pilot the boat like an expert. She looked into his brown eyes, innocence and something else about them.

“You know Lucienne….” Basile started to speak, slowing a bit down. “When we arrived to Bogota and saw the old Palace of Justice…I noticed your face was full of scorn and anger.” Taking a curve, he gave the pedal a press. The boat now cruised normally. “I know your dad is Colombian…Well…I’m curious, was he involved that day? Was he a M19 member?”

There was never anything to talk about with his dad. Aside from learning Colombian Spanish to speak at home, but that’s all she talked to him. There was nothing to talk about him. There was little connection between the two. Joining the Fusiliers Marin made the rift with him and her mom wider. There was no point of making a bridge…

“There is nothing to talk about…” Lucienne did not want to speak about the raid. “I don’t even know if my own father was involved in that event.”

“I…Sorry…” Basile said as he kept driving the boat. “It’s just that…”

“Mmmm?”

“I know what happened in Togo and before that…It’s just that I don’t know…I feel like we’re drifting apart. I mean…I just want to ask if you don’t think I’m good enough for you…” Basile said as kept driving. “That maybe you found someone better…” He switched to French. “<Someone who can really make you happy because I’ve been having bouts of nightmares that you’re going to tell me that you’re going to leave me…I’m insecure you know...I wanted to tell you that one day I just want to call you and ask you if you want to put this all behind.>”

“<What do you mean?>” Lucienne raised brow.

“<One day I want to leave all this behind, all of it…The crew, the ship, people that I consider my family. Just call you and we can run away as far from all this. I don’t want to grow old and just fade away. I want to spend my life with you Lucienne. I really do but I don’t know if you feel the same or just see me as another guy in a long list of who you dated and that’s it…Poof, just a memory.>”

“<I see…I->”

“<I just have my worries, that’s on me to say.>” Basile said.

There was an uncomfortable silence as the boat continued to move across the waters of the Paraguay River. Now this made Lucienne think about what Basile said. Maybe she met a few guys here and there, but they lacked something he has. She reassured herself that maybe it was just the stress or maybe long hours he worked…Or maybe it was just his desires coming out. Yeah taking it slow, but a career like this, who has time for a relationship?

“Up ahead…” Basile killed the engine as he saw patrol boats belonging to the PPA. “We won’t be able to cross undetected.”

Lucienne pulled out one of the weapons that Basile brought, a PSG-1 with suppressor and night vision scope. Taking aim, she looked around and found several PPA troops in the boats just lazing around. Must be fun to burn and terrorize innocents, she thought as the crosshairs hovered above a camo-clad jaguar who was fishing. Pulling the trigger once, the bullet flew towards its target.

The jaguar hit the water while the others did not even hear the splash. Lucienne simply bid the insurgent good night, then placed the crosshairs on the one steering the boat. Pulling the trigger again, she watched the corpse hit the boat. Looking at the other boat, the two were panicking as they needed to tell HQ that they have been discovered. As the pilot was about to turn around, a bullet impacted his head thus ending his life quickly. Another bullet, and the guerilla hit the water.

The boat continued to make its way across the waters. Once they reached shore, they could hear communist music. It was still the same bullshit that Russia exported, the same bullshit Cuba exported, the same thing that the Chinese exported. Because the truth is, these idiots were nothing but the dregs of society and the idea of overthrowing the government, seizing the means of production….For what?

“Idiots…” Basile said as he pulled back on the charging handle of his SIG 556. “Like Cuba or Russia would feed them once they get into power.”

Lucienne mentally agreed with him. She got her bow and an arrow meant for the commander of the guerillas. She saved this one just for him, to remind him of what he did and what he should of not messed with.

As the two moved across the dirt path, the music was getting louder. Lucienne made a signal to stop. Up ahead were two sentries with AK-47 rifles. Putting the poison arrow back in the quiver, she pulled out two concussion ones. Pulling on the bowstring, she aimed at the two and released.

The two guards were knocked down.

Perfect.

As they arrived into the camp, they noticed that they had several innocents tied to a pole. Basile pulled out monocular and noticed things that were happening. Zooming in, he found a pampas cat in camo. That was the target. By the looks of things, he was finishing sentencing the captives. A line of guerillas aimed their AK-47 rifles, all they were waiting for was the order.

“I’m taking a shot.” Basile aimed his rifle, the ACOG crosshairs hovering over the cat’s head.
Lucienne pulled out an explosive arrow and aimed it at the firing squad. Letting it go ,she watched as the blast sent the firing squad flying. The pampas cat started to shout things in Spanish. As she got the poison arrow ready, she aimed it at the target and released it.

The Pampas cat screamed as his leg took the arrow. He managed to pull it out, but it was too late. The poison already entered his bloodstream, nothing could be done to save him. As the guerillas were frantically running around looking for the assailants, they would only find their leader dead. The only thing that they saw was him dropping to the dirt.

“We’re done.” Lucienne said as she put away her bow.

“What about the captives?” Basile mentioned.

“They’re not in the mission details.” Lucienne argued.

“We can’t just leave them here.” Basile countered.

“Fine.” Lucienne got her bow out. “I’ll cover you but don’t take too long, I don’t exactly have infinite arrows.”

Basile rushed down towards the camp. Seeing several guerillas, he aimed his rifle and pulled the trigger back. The bullets tore holes into their uniforms and bodies. Others started to fire their rifles at him. He continued to run, diving for cover as bullets continued to fly. He broke from cover to fire several bursts.

Leaving cover, he fired some more shots as he made a dash to save the hostages. It was not until he was dragged to the ground by a lone guerilla. The bird whipped out a Tokarev pistol and aimed it at him. Basile let out a curse in French, knowing that the moment has finally come.

Then it happened.

An arrow pierced the bird’s skull which dropped him. As more guerillas appeared, another arrow flew towards them, this time there was a green liquid that sprayed on them. They started to scream in pain as smoke hissed out of their bodies. More arrows hit the guerillas square in the throat, forcing a raspy noise out of them. Getting up, he grabbed his rifle and untied the captives.

Lucienne finished the job and began to head towards Basile.

With the hostages freed, they started to run away from the campsite.

“You have to teach me how to do that.” Basile said as he looked at her.

And perhaps to take away the insecurity out of him, or maybe she did not want to drift apart from him. Or just something in the heat of the moment, she kissed him.

“What was that for?” Basile blinked.

“That was for earlier, you think someone else can replace you?” Lucienne asked him. “No one can and if I found else, then they couldn’t match up to you.”

“Well,” Basile rubbed the back of his head. “That’s good to know.”

“And besides, you said you wanted to learn how to use the bow no?” Lucienne grin.


----

“Not bad for the first try, but your aiming needs some work.” Lucienne said as she got behind Basile to help him with his technique. “Alright try it again.”

Basile released the bow string.

The arrow landed a bit to the right.

“How do you even aim without sights?” Basile wondered how she always managed to aim straight. “I mean, you got gold every time you shoot.”

“Practice,” Lucienne said as she got behind Basile. “Lots of it.”

“And shooting multiple arrows in one pull?” Basile wondered.

“That is more advanced, when you have learned the basics, then I’ll see about teaching you that.” Lucienne said. “Back straight. “You’ll need the bracer when you practice, so you can keep that.”

Basile aimed the bow. Don’t say “or a metal arm”, don’t say “or a metal arm”…

“And try to not let the urge to say a metal arm overwhelm you.”

Basile released the bowstring. He looked at her. “…What? How did you?”

“Call it intuition. But we have an entire island and this range for ourselves.”

“Since we have do have an island for ourselves…You know after this we can watch a movie and-”

“If you manage to get 20 gold before sundown, then we’ll see.” Lucienne teased.

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Sketch one a few weeks back in  DarcNefarion's raffle stream

Lucienne created and owned me by  JJShodan20

Story written by and Basile created and owned by  Kitsune633

Art by  DarcNefarion