Chapter 16 The Clash.

Chapter 16 The Clash.
The ridge was cold.

Marco had made the right choice of ridge, it was high on three sides, a steep drop to the valley below, it was simple, it didn't need climbing. If anyone was coming for us, they'd have to come through the narrow path at the base, they'd walk into the open space.

I stood at the edge looking at the trees down below, the road, the stretch of grass, the morning was windy.

Zemirah was few feet's away, Marco her positioned where we could all see her, she looked like a statue standing there fearless.

That was the point.

"She's in position," Marco said, standing beside me. "My men are on the ridge above us. Twenty more are positioned in the trees at the base.

"How about the other side?"

"They're observing"

I nodded. Marco hesitated, I could tell there was something on his mind.

"Say it."

He looked at Zemirah, then back at me. "You sure they'll both come?" He meant Detlef and Xavier.

"Not together, but they'll be here, Detlef will come for Zemirah."

"Oh, how disastrous it'd be for them to find themselves here." He chuckled.

"What happens after that?"

"Let's watch."

Marco didn't look convinced, but he nodded and moved back to his position.

I walked towards where Zemirah was.

Her eyes was fixed on the valley, she didn't turn when I approached.

"How much longer before they get here." She asked.

"Could be hours"

"Will I see them approaching from here."

"Yes, you will."

She nodded.

"You should go," they shouldn't see us together."

She was right, but I didn't want to leave her up there like that.

"I'll stay here with you "

She smiled.

"I'll be at the base with the men incase you need me."

"Okay." She said

I stood there for a moment, before I turned and walked down the path.

\------

The surroundings of the ridge was quiet.

Men from my pack spread around the trees, they were invisible unless you knew exactly where they stood.

Marco had positioned them in a semicircle around the entrance.

The fields of fire overlapped, the lines were clear, ground was good, cover was sleek.

I discovered a spot behind a large boulder and settled in to wait.

I checked my phone, there was no call or message.

Two hours had passed.

I panicked that I'd miscalculated, perhaps Detlef was smarter than I gave him credit for or Xavier had more patience than I thought.

My radio crackled.

"Movement on the southern road." Marco's voice was low. "Two vehicles, they have blue crescent markings."

Detlef.

"How many?"

"Can't tell, approximately ten or maybe more."

Just ten, I'd expected less. It could only be hired men from somewhere.

So he left himself exposed because of her? I chuckled.

"They should come." I said. "The men should wait till I give an order."

"Okay." Said the caller.

I looked out to the ridge, I couldn't see her from here- it was a wrong angle, trees were in the way, but I knew she was there.

The radio crackled once again. "Second group, from southern ridge, they have no markings, moving fast."

Xavier.

This was moment of truth, exactly what I had planned, for both of them to go after the same thing.

"Let them both come," I said. "Everyone stays till I say move."

The next few minutes had to be the longest of my life.

I heard sounds movements in fragments, Detlef's vehicles dropping men, sounds of weapons being checked.

I came out from the back of the boulder.

"Detlef."

There was silence.

I walked towards the part that was cleared at the base, slowly and in a way my hands wouldn't show, I didn't bring out my weapon. I wanted both of them to see me.

Detlef came out of the trees on the left, he embodied hell, dark eye circles, rumpled clothes, hair longer than usual, but he looked focused and his gaze focused on me.

"Fernandez? Where is she ?"

"Above you?"

He looked up to find her, I saw the relief on his face after her sighted her.

"Did you intentionally bring her to me?"

"As if that's not what you came here for!" Nandez said. "I just want all these to come to and end.

Suddenly a cold laughter erupted from behind the trees at the right.

Xavier came out, with five men behind him. He looked at Detlef a certain kind of way. Their resemblance was uncanny.

"War you wanted, war you would get!"

Detlef looked at his brother. "You?"

"Me what?" Xavier spread his hands. "What made you think I'd let you have her, after taking everything? You took the pack, our father's name, the whole territory, all of that should've been mine."

Detlef rushed towards Xavier, strangling him.

The woods erupted.

Xavier's men lifted their weapons, my men emerged from the trees, Detlef's hidden wolves poured out from the left wing, their guns up already.

I lifted my hands, everyone paused.

"Nobody moves until I give the permission to." I said, my voice echoing through the woods. "You both are here for her, she's up there watching everything you both are doing, she'll judge which one of you is fit enough to take her."

Det's grip on Xavier's throat loosened.

"This isn't about who's stronger." Detlef's voice was rough as he spoke. "I didn't come here to prove anything." He added.

"I'm sure you're here because you can't let her go, you've been destroying yourself for months because whatever you want, you can't help destroying it first." I said mockingly to Detlef. Then I looked at Xavier. "And you? You built an army secretly for three years, oh you thought I wouldn't find out? You've been secretly awaiting your brother's downfall, now he's here, his pack, undefended, I'd advise, you take what belongs to you and walk away peacefully, this war isn't worth the while.

Xavier's eyes flickered, it was obvious he was weighing his options.

Then I added more coals to the fire, I added sarcastically "but you'd be a coward to walk away, when you walk away, he'll have her all to himself, the pack to himself, every damn thing."

"You don't know a thing about what I want, shut the hell up!" Xavier fired back.

"Surprisingly, I do." I said sarcastically. "You want the pack and it's territory." I stepped back, giving them space.

"This is what we'd do. A test for strength. You both are going to fight, right here and now, anyone who walks always takes her home."

Detlef let out a hollow laughter. "What makes you think I'd believe that? that's you'd let either of us lay hands on her."

"I'm giving you both the opportunity to end this madness."

Xavier pushed Detlef off him, stumbling backwards, his men moved to shield him, Detlef's wolves followed suit."

"You think this is an clever act? Setting two brothers against each other while you sit and be entertained."

"Well, hell yeah!"

The path was quiet for a long moment, Detlef and Xavier stood staring at each other, their men stood in waiting."

Then Detlef looked up at Zemirah.

I didn't come here to fight my brother Zemirah, I came here to take you home, please."

"She doesn't belong to you."

"I know that." He said. "But I feel miserable without her, I don't want this fight, I just want her."

I felt a little bad for him, I'd never thought he could be this vulnerable, but I couldn't let him have her anymore.

Xavier stared at him. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you win, you can have everything, the pack, the territory, you know..."

The words shook Xavier, he was in shock and disbelief and he had a slight look of triumph.

"You want to give up?!"

"No, I'm putting a stop to this, I've had enough of all the drama."

Xavier smiled in anger and disbelief. "After all these years, after all we've been through... You're just.... Stopping? Are you a coward?"

"You better watch your tone!" Detlef fired back. "I'm exhausted."

Xavier moved fast, before anyone could stop him, his blade went through Detlef, below his ribs. A twist and a pull.

Detlef fell to the ground.

Xavier stood over him, breathing hard. "You don't dare stop, neither do you give up, you can't walk away from everything you took away from me."

Gunshots erupted.

Xavier's men fired, my men returned it, Detlef's wolves started running away, some returned fire, some fell at the spot.

I immediately thought of Zemirah, I hastily started moving towards her.

The path was steep, I climbed, she was still exactly where I'd left her, she looked pale.

"Zemirah." I called out.

She turned, her eyes looked empty.

"He's dead," she said. "Xavier killed Detlef."

I didn't know what to say to her because I had planned this, it was what I wanted; a world where Detlef Gray would no longer exist, but when it had happened, I felt bad for what I'd done.

"You need to leave." I said. "On the other side below, Marco has a car waiting, he'll take you somewhere safe."

"What about you?"

"I began this,I have to see the end."

The firing below had reduced, Detlef's men had reduced drastically, some injured, some dead, some firing shots at Xavier's wolves.

She looked at me for a long moment, then she walked to me.

"I don't want to run anymore." I told you.

"But Zemirah-"

"I'm not running, let's finish this!" She said with a note of finality. “Can't let anyone ridicule me anymore.”

I couldn't dissuade her, I held on to her hand.

"Together." I said.

We both went down the path, whatever that came next, we'd face it together.