Allen's Choice

Modern Warfare 2

By: Emily 'Gadget' Robins

My name is Joseph Allen. These terrorists think I'm their friend. They think I'm Alexei Boldon. They think I WANT to be here. Really I'm a CIA agent undercover for America. I'm here because General Sheperd thinks I can gain Vladimir Makarov's trust and then finish him off.

I was proud of the job at first and maybe even a little bit excited. But now, as I'm standing in the elevator with these men, I'm thinking differently. I have this man in my sights right here right now. I'm closer than anyone has ever been. Why bother with getting him to trust me? Why let him murder thousands of people in this airport?

"Remember…No Russian." Makarov mutters as the elevator doors glide open. We nod and walk out slowly.

There are dozens of people waiting to go through screening and a handful of gaurds just milling around and keeping an eye on things. Everyone has their backs turned when we first enter…then slowly people begin to notice, all of them turning towards us, eyes wide with horror.

A few of the guards begin to raise their guns. That's when it starts. Bullets fly everywhere as the others fire their weapons. Civilians and guards fall, those left try to run only to be stopped short by another volley.

My hands start to shake as I try to bring myself to pull my own trigger. I want to vomit. I want to hit my head on something hard. I want to just do my job and stop being such a pansy. I tell myself to just DO IT! But at the same time the orders are echoing in my head. 'Earn his trust. Then, and only then, take him out.'

I look at Makarov as the others began to advance. "What's wrong Alexei?"

My hands won't stop shaking as I pretend to fiddle with my gun. "Stupid thing's jammed."

"Try pulling the trigger. That's what makes it go." He rolled his eyes and started walking.

They're all in a perfect line now. One belt would be more than enough to have every one of those terrorists dead on the ground. Why bother gaining their trust? Why bother kill all these innocent people? Why bother chancing it all on one man?

I lift my gun a little. I could just end this all now. One bullet. I don't even have to take out the others. I could, but I don't have to.

"Come on Alexei. You are wasting time." Victor calls over his shoulder.

I nod and start my advance. I keep just behind them as we walk. They mow down more and more civilians. I try my hardest to just shoot. It's my job right? My duty, my orders, my country…

My duty isn't to work along side this man, it's to kill him.

My orders don't make sense. They go against what I believe as a human being.

My country did not support this inhuman manslaughter.

"Do you even know how to shoot that thing Alexei or are you having second thoughts?" I realize one of the men…one of the monsters has fallen back to walk next to me. What was his name…Sven? I'm too confused to remember. I feel dizzy and the lights seem too bright.

He lowers his voice a bit. "Makarov doesn't take kindly to those who hesitate. If I were you I would hurry up and decide who to shoot."

I nod a bit and readjust my hold on my gun. "Yes, I am sorry. This is just my first job."

"When you do decide, I hope it is the right one."

I know he doesn't mean I decide to shoot him and his friends. He means he hopes I shoot down his enemy. He means he wants me to destroy America along with him.

"Alexei, come here." Makarov calls. I hurry up and come up next to him. "You better mop up a bit. If they do not get out before us they die. That is your job. Take 'care' of the wounded."

I nod again and fall back. The first person I spot is leaning against one of the stone flower beds. She has a bullet wound to the arm. I walk up to him and take careful aim.

She looks up at me with bright green eyes and whispers things in Russian. All I can really catch is her begging for her life. Talking about her family she's going to see. Her children. I look away, up at Makarov and the others. They all have their backs turned. I kneel down next to her and speak, in Russian. "And воньт харм ёу…" I will not harm you.

Then I just walk by, shooting the stone next to her.

They still don't notice me. I know what I'm going to do. This is not what America needs. We don't need to pretend to be terrorists. We don't need to befriend them.

I've been a soldier for only a short time, but I've never disobeyed orders. Never questioned my leaders. Never stepped out of line.

Now I'm doing the exact opposite of what the General asked of me. 'Wait.' He'd told me. 'Just do whatever they say.' No. I won't.

I will not have these innocent peoples' blood on my hands.

I'm shaking again. Not with disgust now. It's the nerves. I always seem to get a little fearful just before I take down a huge target.

I make sure my gun is loaded. All of them have to go down, I keep telling myself that. All of them… if I only get Makarov and two or three others, those left will shoot me down. I have to be quick and precise.

No mistakes. No turning back.

My name is Joseph Allen. I'm about to disobey my CO's and do something brave and stupid. I'm going to kill Makarov.

I aim high. Every hit has to kill. I know that. I understand how important it is for me to do this and do it right.

The bullets do their job. Victor falls first. Then Sven or whatever his name is. Then the other lakeys. Makarov is last. I shoot him in the shoulder and then his left leg.

"Traitor!" He spits, trying to reach his gun a few feet from where he's fallen.

"You can't betray someone you never really worked for. My real name is Joseph Allen, Vladimir Makarov. I'm with the CIA. I came here to kill you." I step on his chest, holding him down with one foot. "It's over Makarov."

He strung off a few curses in Russian. I'm pretty sure somewhere in there he said something about my sister. Funny I don't have a sister.

"I'm sure the SAS and Russia will forgive me if I do my job a little before I was supposed to." I smirk grimly. "After all I saved a couple thousand lives today."

"Are you sure Shepard will not be upset you disobeyed his direct orders."

"We'll find out."

And then I end it.

~~~~~~~~~~Two Hours later~~~~~~~~~~~

It's all congratulations and pats on the back when I'm picked up at the LZ. The pilot hands me a cold beer and says, "You have no idea how relieved I am to know that madman is dead, my friend."

I crack open the beer. "Cheers, then, to the death of a madman."

The shakiness is gone. I feel so much better knowing that I didn't kill anyone today that didn't need it. The only thing I have to worry about now is the gripe talk I'm gonna get from the General and which bunk I'll be sleeping in at the 141 base.

I lean back in my seat, closing my eyes. It was finally over. I didn't have to worry about answering to Alexei anymore. I could go back to doing what I needed to, protecting America and-

"ALLEN!" I jerk up into a straight position, eyes wide open. Shepard got onto the heli and looks madder than I've ever seen him. It was weird; I'm so used to that odd look of never-ending indifference.

I jump to my feet and snap off a salute, thinking, 'Here comes the gripe fest.' "Yes, what is it, sir?"

"You disobeyed a direct order! What exactly was running through that mind of yours?"

"People were dying, sir. Innocent people. I had to do something!"

"So you killed the man before you finished the objective," He shouts.

Now I'm mad. "Killing him WAS my objective."

"You're job was to get through that airport alive!"

"Why didn't I know that?"

"Because, if you would've followed my orders you would've!"

"If I had followed YOUR orders a couple thousand more people would've DIED and Russia would've started a whole….war…" Everything clicks together in my mind. Shepard wanted me to slaughter those people. He wanted Makarov to win.l He wanted war…why?

Shepard's angered face seemed to slide back into its regular indifference. "Well, as long as the man's dead. You start up with the 141 in the morning. In the meantime we need to get you somewhere safe and secure."

"Why, do I need protection?"

"Yes."

"From who?"

"We aren't sure. A few threats have come in from some of the people Makarov worked for. But don't worry. We'll keep you safe."

"With all do respect sir, I'd rather just go to the base—"

"We need to get you to safety first."

I sigh and nod. "Yes, sir."

Now that Shepard's gone I take my frustration out by downing the rest of my beer and crinkling the can up into an unrecognizable ball of aluminum. "Screw this." I shake my head. "And here I thought I'd be going somewhere they actually need me."