Torn Shadows Part 8

Major Hall sat next to Lydia. He knew who Aiden was by Lydia's description the night of her father's murder, and also by how Lydia did not take her eyes off him. He could not decipher her gaze. It seemed to carry elements of so many emotions all pushed together that he could not pick out any individual from the group. He wondered how she would deal with meeting her father's killer for the second time.
Aiden was wondering about Lydia as well. He had so many things to think about and plan in order to make the operation go smoothly but his mind somehow always found it way back to that girl. He still did not know her name. He had over sixty men setting up defenses all throughout the capital building. He had to make this place a fortress. Of course this whole operation would be hopeless without the hostages. they were the key. Each one was leverage to keep the federal forces at bay, and what a great selection of hostages; twelve federal delegates, seven legislative advisers, and an assortment of guards and maintenance staff.

Then there was Lydia.

Aiden had never dreamed that she would be here. He did not yet know what to do with her. He could not simply let her go. She knew too much. He decided to deal with the girl later, right now he had work to do.
Lydia was paralyzed. She could not think, she could not speak. All she could do was look at Aiden and remember. Gunshots ringing through a ballroom. Dancing with a handsome stranger. Her father's blood on her dress. Aiden's face when he saw her at the bottom of the stairs. Aiden ordering her capture. All this swirled in her mind. She needed to do something or she may go mad, but what?
"You there." a rebel guard pointed at one of the delegates who slowly stood. Two rebels grabbed him roughly and led him out of the room.
Aiden was now peeking out one of the upstairs windows. Federal troops were arriving in trucks. So far over ten trucks filled with soldiers had surrounded the front of the capital building. Aiden had to keep them away. That is when his men arrived with one of the delegates, bound, gagged, and blindfolded.
"Good, bring him out on the balcony."
The rebels brought the hostage out and held him up for the soldiers below to see. Aiden came to the front of the group and shouted at the now silent troops below.
"This man is a delegate of this corrupt government that is killing our people! He is one of many hostages i have inside this building! If you want any of them to live, you will not send a single man within ten feet of this building! In order to show you i mean what i say..."
Aiden took a bucket from one of the men and doused the hostage. He then pulled out a candle and lit it.
"This man is covered in gasoline! One of my men will hold this candle and if he sees anyone come too close he will drop it! If you shoot my man he will also drop the candle, either scenario will end in the burning of this delegate!"
Aiden's declaration pushed the soldiers back. Now for Aiden to contact his superiors and inform them of this victory.
"Sir!" one of the rebel guards ran up to Aiden.
"What?"
"Sir, one of the hostages, a girl, she has a knife and she is threatening to kill herself!"

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 7

A horde of rebel soldiers rushed toward the capital building. Major Hall pulled out his pistol and grabbed Lydia. He pulled her along as he ran toward the front door of the building. The rebels were silent in their approach. No shouting, no firing, only the rumble of their many feet on the lawn. Major Hall reached the front door and threw it open, and thrust Lydia inside. The rebels were now a mere fifty yards away. Major Hall rushed inside after Lydia and slammed the oaken double doors behind him. The rebel army scrabbled up the steps to the door, and tried to yank it open, but it was locked. Up ran a man with a large shotgun who with ease blew the locks right off of the door.
Several men grabbed the doors and swung them open. they ran inside to see a wall of federal soldiers, guns aimed. A firing squad. A dozen rebels fell dead at the first barrage. Aiden who was among the first to reach the capital building, now led a team he hand selected along the side of the building. Major Hall's men that he left in the truck had now set up a position near the east corner of the building and had sent men to get reinforcements.
For the next few minutes chaos reigned. Rebel soldiers continued to pour into the front door of the capital building and continued to be shot in waves by Major Hall and the federal guards. Aiden led his team to a spot along the front wall. He then had a ladder brought forward and mounted to where it led up to the second story balcony. Aiden was the first to climb, followed by ten of his men. They reached a door and broke through it into a parlor. From there they moved into the hallway. Aiden's orders were simple; capture the capital building and hold hostages to use as leverage in the coming takeover. He had hoped that the initial attack would have gone better. He had hoped that his men would have been able to take the main hall by now but the arrival of Major Hall had thwarted his plans. But things were not terrible. He had one ace up his sleeve.
Major Hall knew he could not hold this entry hall for much longer, he needed a better defense. He needed reinforcements, but those may take a long time to arrive so he would have to make due. He called for the guards to fall back into the hallway. The men ran, cracking off random shots behind them as they retreated. They turned a corner and saw five more guards with rifles coming to help. That brought their head count up to thirteen. Thinking fast, Hall had them split into two groups and set up on either side of the hallway. They overturned desks and cabinets and made barriers to hide behind. This was not an ideal defense but it would work.
Lydia had gone to the different offices, per Major Hall's instructions and had warned anyone in the building she came across. So far twenty two officials and service workers were making their way toward the counsil room, the safe point Major Hall had designated. She was making her way up the stairs to the second floor when she saw a group of rebels coming down the stairs.
The fighting in the hallway had grown fierce. Half of the guards were dead and there seemed to be no end to the horde of rebel soldiers. Major Hall had never realized how big this movement had become. It was time for another tactical retreat, but this would be more tricky with all the rebels firing at them. Suddenly, he heard gunfire from behind and turned to see two more guards fall. He turned and his heart stopped. There stood Aiden and ten other rebels each with a government official as a human shield.
"Stop firing!" Aiden shouted. His men shouted with him and the noise stopped. "Slide your weapons toward me and come out with your hands on your head!" Aiden commanded.
Major Hall knew he had no choice in the matter. He slid his gun and stood, hands on his head. He was soon followed by the guards.
"Come with me."
Aiden lead them all into the counsil room. Major Hall was devastated. Aiden now controlled the capital building, over thirty hostages, and...he glimpsed a women sitting in the corner....Lydia.

To Be Continued

Torn Shadows Part 6

Lydia spent the next week secluded to General Cauldwell's house, but not of her own accord. The streets were no longer safe for anyone but especially for a defenseless young lady. The rebels had become more and more aggressive during this time, raiding the houses of government officials and attacking businesses that were known to support the government. Dozens of soldiers and policemen had been killed and several civilians had died as well. this made General Cauldwell very cautious and brought him to confine Lydia to his home for her safety. this did not please her and she would often roam the halls to avoid succumbing to the boredom. But at night she could hear the gunshots and shouts that were signs of the national upheaval that was occurring all across the country. She had heard news that federal troops had been completely pushed out of the town of Clidet.
However, three days followed that were strikingly silent. The rebels did not conduct their usual raids, and Lydia slept soundly because of the lack of gunfire at night. This gave her a hope of escape from this prison.
One morning she approached the General in his office. Papers were scattered about and he still was looking decrepit due to his lack of sleep.
"General, may i speak with you?"
The general's eyes brightened and he tried to put on a relaxed air, "Of course my dear come in."
"I was wondering," she began tentatively, "Could i possibly take a stroll this afternoon around the block, for some fresh air?"
"Most certainly not." the general replied bluntly
"But the streets have been quiet for days, and i am being suffocated here." Lydia continued a little desperately.
"Whenever the streets go quiet it means the enemy is planning something big! This is most definitely not the time to go strolling."
"Surely you are being paranoid general..."
"As long as you are under my protection and this conflict goes on, you shall not leave this house. Is that understood Ms. Edmont?"
"yes sir" Lydia replied downcast and submissive
"Why don't you go to the kitchen and have Heather fix you a nice breakfast?" the general offered trying to be nice.
"yes sir."
Lydia, of course did not visit Heather in the kitchen and did not do as the general ordered. Instead she decided that she knew best and that the general had grown paranoid due to lack of sleep. Therefore, she put on a shawl and slipped out one of the side doors of the house onto the street.
It had been so long since Lydia had taken a quiet stroll. the first thing she noticed was the overcast sky, gray with clouds. This, she decided was not going to ruin her day so she decided to go to the park, where she knew of a great spot to sit and think under a pecan tree. Not many people were walking on the sidewalks, and those that were walked either hastily looking all about or slowly without looking anywhere but where their foot would fall next. She let her mind wander and it did so for quite some time.
During this time Major Hall returned to the general's home and reported to him about his latest round of patrols.
"Quiet as a tomb out there sir. Much too quiet."
"That is exactly what i told Lydia."
"Lydia sir?"
"She asked to go for a walk earlier this morning and i told her that now the streets were much to dangerous."
After this meeting Major Hall decided to check on Lydia to see if she had found any way of occupying herself. Upon arriving at her quarters he knocked, but received no answer. He knocked several more times before a young maid went inside to see what Lydia was doing. She told Major Hall that she was not in her room. He preceded to search the whole house, top to bottom, before returning to the general.
"Sir, Ms. Edmont is not here." he reported urgently.
"What do you mean not here?" the general asked perplexed.
"I mean she is not in your house, sir."
"Did you check..."
"Everywhere sir."
The general finally connected all the pieces. "She has defied my orders and gone for a walk."
"I have my men still in the truck sir, we can search for her."
"You do that Major, and when you find her bring her straight to me. That girl needs a stern talking to."
"Yes sir."
Major Hall rushed out of the house and jumped into the patrol truck with his group of ten soldiers and they sped down the streets in search of Lydia.
Lydia was not so worried about her own safety. She had wandered the streets aimlessly for a while, not knowing where she was going and frankly she did not care. All she wanted was the freedom she felt. Coming to her senses she gazed at her surroundings she stood on the porch of the capital building, thick stone columns stood ten feet apart holding up the awning above. Two guards stood at attention by the door about fifty yards ahead of her. She looked out at the wide lawn in front of the building and the line of houses beyond, nothing seemed to stir.
Suddenly, a patrol truck drove up to the side of the building and out jumped Major Hall. He ran over to Lydia who made no attempt to run, though she was disappointed that her stroll had to end before she could get to the park.
"What in the world are you doing here?" Major Hall asked scolding her like a child. "Do you have any idea how worried the general is? You have scared the both of us half to death."
"I was only out for a stroll." Lydia replied purposely to be difficult, "Is it a crime to walk the streets now Major?"
"You are a difficult young lady Ms. Edmont. Now will you please come with me back to the general's home where it is safe."
"I think you are both paranoid. I think it is perfectly safe here."
At that moment two loud cracks split the air and both the door guards fell dead. Major Hall pushed Lydia to the ground as they took cover behind a pillar. The major chanced a look out from his cover and his heart stopped. The once empty line of houses was now an anthill filled with armed rebels milling about. A huge crowd of them was running head long toward the capital building.

Letter from the Author

Yes i am aware that the next passage for this story is long overdue. i will hopefully be able to get it to you, my faithful readers, shortly. I am currently having a renewed effort at blogging and i hope this time it will last a little longer. so wait just a little longer for the next installment of

TORN SHADOWS