Interception

featuring Mikhail Andreyevitch Loskov aka "Kestrel"

This chapter is a bit short, the next chapter will be longer.

DISCLAIMER: The hand to hand combat skills described in this chapter are based off actual maneuvers and they should be used for SELF DEFENSE ONLY. You should have proper training from professionals. Don't do this stuff on your own, you could get hurt or severely injured. In other words, don't try this at home.

Chapter Three: Some Hand to Hand Combat

10:00 Hours

January 7 2048

Krasnoyarskaya Kraevaya Klinicheskaya Bolnista, Muz

Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia

"How is that possible?" Kestrel asked. "That's the mystery now isn't it?" Axel said. Fedul entered the hallway, quietly shutting the door behind him. Kestrel and Axel looked at him for some kind of answer, which fortunately, he had. "She's going to be fine. I sedated her, she'll wake up in a few hours not remembering a thing." Fedul said, he looked at Axel, "I'll trust you'll tend to her." Axel nodded, "It would an insult if I wouldn't." He said. "Well then," Fedul said with a smile, "if you need me I'll be in my office just off the lobby." The administrator looked at Kestrel, "And you my friend, stay as long as you need to." He turned and walked down the hallway towards the lobby, before he disappeared though he asked one final question. "Oh, how my I address you?" Fedul asked. "My real name is fine Fedul." Kestrel said. Fedul nodded and went about his business.

Kestrel and Axel could hear Evstrat crying from within the room. They looked at each other out of pity and entered. Evstrat had a tissue box, and a revolver in his right hand pointed at his head. He was playing a game of Russian Roulette. There was only one bullet in the weapon, and he clicked it empty five times. He breathed slowly, and counted to ten in Russian. "Raz, dva, tri, chetyri, pyat..." Kestrel quickly walked over and kneeled in front of him. "Open your eyes moi droog." Evstrat opened his eyes, which opened up with tears. His lip trembled, his body shook, he looked like he was going through the early stages of hypothermia. "Are you alright?" Axel asked. Evstrat shook his head. "No, I'm not, I've never felt so guilty in my life. All the innocent people I've killed, the terrible people I saved." He looked over at Sofia, a tear fell. "I, I don't know what to do." Kestrel moved over beside him, still in the crouching position. Axel moved a bit closer. "You move on moi droog." Kestrel said. "How can I do that, when I can't even live with myself?" Evstrat said. "I honestly don't know," Kestrel said, "I've never had that experience. I've never told myself that I cannot live, because I've never believed it."

"Then what do you do?" Evstrat asked. "To suppress guilt?" Kestrel answered. Evstrat nodded. "Do you have a family moi droog?" Kestrel asked, knowing that he was about to get into the world's most personal subject. Do you kill to protect your family. Do you want revenge for your family. Do you want to save your family. He asked this question for two reasons. Reason one, family was the only thing he had, and reason two. He didn't have a reason two, he just thought he did. Evstrat shook his head. "They all died during the first two epidemics. My father was a zombie, my mother was mutant, my sister started to become sick about three years ago and she asked me to-" he paused. "It's okay Evstrat," Kestrel said, "I won't think any less of you for shedding tears for your семья. I cry every day for mine."

"Thank you," Evstrat said, "Kestrel right?"

The Russian nodded, " Да Брат." Kestrel said. Evstrat looked at him, surprised that he called him his brother. "I don't deserve to be-" he started to say when Kestrel cut him off.

"Yes you do, don't let anyone tell you different. I heard what you did back there, you acted out of pure heart, that wasn't me holding a gun to your head. That girl was dying in your arms and you felt it, you knew that you had to do something. That takes courage moi droog."

Sofia began to toss and turn in her bed, mumbling in her sleep. Axel walked over and placed his hand on her head. He closed his eyes, taking in every last detail. He inhaled. A pulse from his fingers, like a mini EMP, erupted. Axel opened his eyes and walked back over .

"Nightmare." Axel said. Kestrel nodded, "Will you keep her safe?" He said, "I have a feeling I won't be back." Axel nodded, "Mikhail, I'm your friend, you know my answer already."

"Thanks moi droog, I can always count on you." Kestrel said. Just then, Kestrel's earpiece, which also acted as a Bluetooth, rang. "Yes?" Kestrel said. "Is this Kestrel?" The voice on the other end said. "He is speaking to you. Why, who this is?" Kestrel asked. "This is Trifon Kyznetsov."

"Listen to me," Kestrel said, his voice growing grittier, his veins pulsing with rage, his soul yearning for murder. "you have a lot of explaining to do you fucking bastard." Trifon laughed. "Yes, I know, we'll get to that, but if I were you, I would be paying attention to the time." Kestrel looked up at the analog clock, it was 10:26 in the morning. "Any particular reason?" Kestrel asked. Trifon laughed, "You'll find out." The connection ended.

The sun began to peer through the window, breaking from the heavy overcast. The light poured onto the floor and onto Sofia's bed. Very slowly, the light moved up to touch Sofia's face. Her skin began to crackle and fizz as if it were a chemical burning in a fire. She opened her eyes, which were now a dark evil red fire that would make the devil himself look away. "Kestrel." She said. "Yes Sofia-" Kestrel turned towards her, his mouth hung open a second. "Dear Christ," he said walking over to her slowly, "what happened to you?" Sofia sat up in one vertical motion, behaving like a door hinge. "Kestrel." She said in a cold icy voice. "Don't let him hurt me." She pointed towards Evstrat.

Kestrel looked over and saw that Evstrat was shaking, his eyes were red. His pupil disappeared, leaving just the eyeball, a dark crimson color. His hair became black, his veins were popping out his head and body, he moved his hands, closing them into fists and opening them again, he as if he were about to fully transform into a demon. The last thing that Evstrat said with his conscious was, "I'm sorry about this, but I can't control myself. Please forgive me." He shook his head, as if trying to wake up, he smiled, stood up, looked at Sofia, and in a demonic voice said, "You will know soon enough the power we behold." Sofia shook her head, "I don't want to!" she yelled. "I just want to be a normal girl again." Tears, which burned her already destroyed skin fell down her face. "Why would you want to be mortal?" Evstrat said, taking militant strides towards the bed. "When you can be a god!" He smiled as his skin began to burn and smell like rotting flesh. He motioned his hand towards her. Sofia closed her eyes in fear and screamed, "Do something!"

Kestrel stood, took a few steps and grabbed Evstrat's neck with his left hand, placing his thumb on the brachial plexus origin at the base of the neck. Evstrat smiled as Kestrel's hand started to burn, the Russian black ops did not flinch in his grip. "Do you feel that Kestrel?" Evstrat said with an evil despicable smile. "It's called pain, isn't it wonderful?" He asked. Kestrel nodded, "Yeah, fucking great." He said, as he applied pressure on the pressure point and for extra measure, punch him on the side of the cranium as hard as he could with his right. Evstrat staggered towards the wall and fell to the floor unconscious. Kestrel's left hand started to sting. He shook his right hand out as he looked at his left, the skin was burnt to a crisp, and it hurt like hell. "Damn it." he said. The pain grew sharper and more consistent with each passing second. He grunted in pain, and fell to the floor on his knees. Axel rushed over. "Let me see." Kestrel held out his hand as Axel examined it quickly. "I might be able to save it." Kestrel nodded, satisfied, "That's good." Axel helped him up, "That's a pretty big might mind you, I can't promise anything."

"I understand Axel." Kestrel said as his friend led him back over to the chair. "I'll get an ice pack to numb the pain." Axel said. Kestrel nodded as his friend exited the room. The room fell into silence for several minutes. Kestrel leaned his head back against the wall and rested his eyes for a moment. That moment turned into a fifteen minute nap.

"Help!"

Footsteps.

"Kestrel, wake up!" A voice said. Kestrel stirred and noticed that Evstrat was up, holding a gun to Sophia's head. Evstrat dawned crazy Norman Bates smile and laughed. "Your move Kestrel." Kestrel stood up. Sofia looked at him. "Please don't." She pleaded, shaking her head. "You don't want to do this Evstrat," Kestrel said. Evstrat smiled and fired. The bullet grazed Sofia's head, she fell. Kestrel watched her body slowly fall, his heart became cemented. "I warned you Kestrel," Evstrat said, "but you didn't listen to me." He aimed his pistol at Kestrel's torso. "I'm sure this looks familiar." Evstrat said with a despicable laugh. Kestrel just started at him menacingly.

He grabbed Evstrat's wrist with his left hand, keeping a firm inescapable grip, pressing deep into the skin causing a pressure so painful and devastating, that it would force a person to gasp for air. Kestrel didn't care about the stinging sensation or the fact that the skin on his hands was slowly coming off. He just wanted justice, restitution. All respect that Kestrel had for Evstrat had completely dissipated, the only thing that Kestrel had on his mind at the present moment was killing this vampire. Kestrel quickly grabbed the barrel of Evstrat's pistol and pushed the barrel towards him, twisting his wrist. Evstrat winced from the pain. Kestrel began to sweat from the strain, his hands were killing him, he was about to give in but his mind told him to press on. Kestrel rolled the handle of the pistol against Evstrat's thumb, forcing Evstrat to give up the weapon. With weapon in his left hand, Kestrel lifted his arm and bashed Evstrat on the left temple with the butt of the pistol. Evstrat fell to his knees. Burning tears fell from Evstrat's eyes. "Please," Evstrat said, "have mercy on me. Please, I was just-" Kestrel spun the weapon to a firing position, aiming it at Evstrat's torso. "Please Kestrel, I beg of you, have mercy!" Kestrel cocked the pistol he fired. Evstrat screamed, keeling over, groaning in pain, he pleaded again for mercy. "Kestrel, please, show mercy!" Kestrel aimed the pistol at Evstrat's head. He slowly pulled the trigger. He quickly changed his mind, aiming at the wall on the other side of the room and fired. Evstrat cried, "Thank you." He said under his breath. Kestrel smiled and picked Evstrat up by the collar with his right hand. His hand hurt like hell but he didn't care. "W-w-w-what are you doing?" Evstrat asked, a bit nervous. Kestrel said nothing as he moved his arm back and threw Evstrat towards the bed. He flew through the air like a rag doll towards the wall. Kestrel aimed his weapon and fired two shots. Bang. Bang. The bullets hit Evstrat in the torso, his body fell slowly and beautifully onto the bed. He landed spread eagle on the bed, looking peaceful and relaxed. His eyes spoke of terror, but his mouth found sweet relief in death. Kestrel sheathed his weapon.

Sofia lay motionless on the floor. Kestrel bent down with his knees and checked her pulse, it was faint but still there. Running could be heard from the hallway. "Mikhail!" It was Axel, screaming his head off. He stopped in the doorway and caught his breath. Kestrel looked over. "Easy moi droog, what goes on?" He asked. "We need to move." Axel said, terror in his voice. Gunshots rang out. Screams. Running. Chaos. Blood curdling battle cries. Kestrel heaved Sofia over his shoulder and quickly followed Axel down the hallway.

"The place is being seized." Axel said as they ran. "Any idea who?" Kestrel asked. Axel shook his head as he stopped in front of an oddly placed steel door with a number pad security system. He entered in a five digit code. "No idea," Axel said as the door opened, "but the administrator's been shot."