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Traitor

Chris Lay – Traitor

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself." ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero  

The officers took me from my holding cell, the chains, eroded, scuffed, and badly rusted. This was the day everyone had been waiting for... The beginning of my trial...We enter the courtroom, it stood blaring in my ears... Yet in my head, it was silent. I had dreaded this day ever since my arrest. I sit in disbelief as the judge reads my case... This event took the world by shock. So many people walked through the doors each second. There were not even enough seats for everyone in attendance. I look back, see my family and friends...Face covered in sorrow and many dejected looks filled the room. I look to my right, my lawyer... Trying his absolute best to uplift me from this predicament I have somehow been put in. To my left, there is every single one of my comrade's family members, staring in pure hatred of my sight. And working with all of them... The world's greatest prosecutor (appointed by the president). All the odds were stacked against me, nothing I could do now... Newscasters flooded the room; I was surrounded by hatred. All over something I did not do.  

“Court is now in session, please state your name, age and birthplace for this hearing.” said Judge Bishop. “My name is Gunnery Sergeant Lopez sir, I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. I am 25 years of age.” “Mr. Lopez, do you know what you are being charged with today?” asked Judge Bishop. I replied with “Yes sir, I do...”]

- I am sure you are wondering what a guy like me has done to put myself in a position like this... I have done nothing but serve this country... I have given it my blood, sweat and tears!!! Moreover, there is nothing I can do or say now. All I can do is ponder to when my life ended only 1 year ago. I am being charged for the murder of every single field agent on our team that day... We were on a search and evac mission a few miles south of Japan...  We were there to rescue a man named Johnathan Harper; A world-renowned Chemical Engineer. He had been kidnapped and taken across the border to form a chemically induced virus for a group called “The Reds.” This virus, (if placed in the wrong hands) could kill everyone within 5 feet instantly. It can also be passed around by talking, breathing, or smelling... Their plan, like any other criminal group was world control. And with this virus, they would have every government at their knees. The president put this atop our to-do list. Or at least that is what our “report” said... This was a 5 - man mission (so I am being charged on 4 different accounts of murder). At the time, I was a nobody, I had just joined the Marine Corps after both my parents died in a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler. I had no other family, and there was nothing else for me to do in life. So, I worked incredibly hard, and got selected to join “The Alpha Recon Squad;” a team made up of the best Marines in the entire world. We did missions ranging from assassinations to children rescue. I am not exactly sure how or why I was placed on such an elite team... A team made up of gold medalists, honor badge award winners, etc. But with me being the first ever newcomer to achieve a feat like this, I took this as an honor. We were world heroes that no one knew about... Until as of late, where now I am about to be charged with multiple murders... Anyway, it was 0200 hours(2.am) and from our “report”, he was being kept in an incredibly oddly old motel. The motel had zero wildlife surrounding it, you could tell it had not been in use for an odd some 50 years. We surround the motel, very quietly... This was a non-lethal operation, (since the president said The Reds will be of zero threat) so none of us were armed. Our Battalion Leader entered first; after breaking off some of the locks, he took a long time before coming back out. We heard loud thuds, glass shattering and even a few screams... Despite that, he stuck to his story that the motel was empty. After figuring out the perimeter was clear he called everyone in. We walk in, in March Formation (to avoid many casualties in case of an ambush). Me being a “rookie” I went in first. [“That’s actually pretty funny.” said Judge Bishop... I did not respond.] - I could hear the faucet water dripping slowly, the wind hissing outside... This still silence creeped me out. There was not a faint sound in this motel... The ceiling was cracked in multiple places... Floorboards ripped from the ground; someone had obviously been here. We climbed all three flights of stairs till we reached the top floor. On the top floor we found a massacre of dead bodies... With no sign of this “Johnathan Harper.” Heads cut off, body parts incapacitated, this was a very bloody and disturbing sight. The bodies were still warm, meaning this had happened in the last 12 hours... I noticed government badges on some of the lackluster bodies, my Battalion Leader seeing this, at once kicked me out. [The judge again, tried making another joke. And I again, did not respond.] - I walked downstairs to be a lookout. [“Were there any major landmarks around this motel?” asked the judge. I replied with “No.”] -This motel was indeed in the middle of nowhere, no lights, no street signs. Surrounded by a large forest. With only one way in and out. With that being said, I saw bright lights closing in from about a quarter mile away. It was an old station wagon passing by slowly... Within an instant, bullets rained down from the top floor, followed by a huge explosion...  I saw bodies of comrades shoot through the windows and a large green gas emitted from the rooms. People jumped from the station wagon carrying multiple automatic weapons. [“Can you recall what they had on?” asked Judge Bishop. “They came wearing all black with a fully red mask on.” I responded.] -In lower parts of Japan, red masks stood for “New government, by way of blood” I tried ducking and dodging as many bullets as I could, this was indeed useless with me being hit several times in my upper and lower body. The bullets continued to ring out, louder and louder as they approached. Two bullets hit my upper leg, and now I could barely walk. As any smart person would, I played dead. This act, indeed, saved my life. - In the Marines we are taught many ways to avoid enemy capture (slowing our pulse, holding our breath for extended periods of time, even turning our skin pale). I was unsure of why this was learned. Our Battalion Leader: Admiral King, was the one who taught us everything we know. He is a Vietnam Veteran, won many Nobel peace prizes, and even has a medal of honor. He is the president’s second in command. I have heard many stories of his great feats and achievements, but I have never actually seen any of it. He hid a lot and was very secretive with our mission reports. Nevertheless, he died along with everyone else in the motel that day. - The Operatives, seeing that I am dead go into the motel. [“What did they do?” asked the judge, “I have no clue” I said”] They came back out carrying a dead body, I’m not sure who it was. I called for a rendezvous to my location. And by that time. I passed out. And that is it, no sign of any hostage just an ambush. From the inside. My story indeed caught the ears of the audience. I was so outmatched; I honestly just hoped the truth would set me free... By that time, it was too late. [“Judge there was never any sign of Johnathan Harper, so I don’t think there is any way you can charge me with his murder.”] -I said this, before seeing a group of men wearing all black with red masks on standing in the hearing room... All carrying automatic weapons. People soon caught glimpse and started fleeing, begging not to die in such a gruesome way... My heart dropped from my chest, knowing of what would happen next. The one standing in the very front, took off his mask. And before opening fire on everyone in the courtroom... I saw his face; it was Admiral King. I had just preached at my own funeral. I instantly remembered something he always told us in training... “The saddest thing about betrayal, is that it never comes from your enemies.)