A Battle Unseen

[hyraemous]

IBSI and Kundrati intelligence were monitoring Leo Ingleton. Head honcho of the pro-"democracy" forces in Kalistan, Ingleton was the top suspect to capture, obviously being the leader and the man with the highest fame in the movement.

Ingleton, for months, had been in hiding, roaming around Kalistan. Of course, the pro-"democracy" insurgents fell to Kalistani and Kundrati forces. The insurgents revealed information about their command structure, how they operated, supply locations, and more. Using that information, there were some educated guesses over where Ingleton could be. Teams would be sent to these locations, and while they would find some insurgents hiding, they wouldn't find Ingleton.

Until now.

Ingleton had been in hiding, but he was a recognizable face. An old retired lady had spotted him, in disguise, at a bingo club in Neveras. His disguise was shoddy, given how long he'd been hiding and how few his supplies were coming towards. Ingleton didn't know he'd been spotted, though he did shout bingo.

An emergency services call would be forwarded to the IBSI a few minutes later. Forces were sent. A few minutes afterward, the bingo club was stormed. 

Ingleton would run as fast as he could, and he did make it out via a back exit, but he was shot at least twice in the leg by a passing officer.

Soon enough, he was taken in a specialized police wagon to a nearby hospital.

When he arrived at the hospital, the IBSI and Kundrati intelligence sent some of their agents to talk to him. They were led by Kalistani's Alan Stallion and Kundrati's Ezekel Bastarrarena. Troops and police surrounded the hospital to secure the area just in case, and hospital personnel were forbidden from even entering the unit Ingleton was at. Workers in said unit were forbidden from entering Ingleton's room without permission.

S(tallion) and B(astarrarena) entered I(ngleton)'s room. They would interrogate him from there.

S: Ingleton. How are you?

I: You didn't have to shoot me in the leg.

S: We had to. You were running. It was obvious your little stunt was going to kill you.

I: Sure.

B: You're responsible for initiating a civil war in Kalistan. Your troops were defeated. Your attempt at democracy, your tiny stunt, is over. Luckily Kalistan doesn't have the death penalty, but we could send you to another country and just shoot you there.

I: Is that a threat?

B: If you don't tell us what you know, maybe.

I: But I don't know anything.

S: You know, those bullets are still stuck in your leg. Those IV tubes are stabilizing you, but it is blocking them from removing those bullets.

I: Hah. You're really going to knock my IV out?

B: No. Not that.

I: I don't know anything.

B: Bullshit. The leader of democracy doesn't know the insurgency that he led. How does that make sense?

S: Yeah. It doesn't.

I: But it is.

[Bastarrarena would grab a knife and some gloves.]

B: Maybe this might help.

[Bastarrarena would make a few tiny cuts in the left arm. The arm would start to bleed, though slowly and not enough to cause immediate death.]

I: You captured all of the insurgents. What is there for me to share?

S: Perhaps we didn't capture them all. Where are the rest of them?

I: You know where they're at. 

S: If we knew, we wouldn't need you.

I: They're already in jail.

S: Not really. Given how you used them, we're considering giving some leniency to some of them.

B: Let me ask you. Do you love to manipulate others?

I: No. I believe in what I say and say democracy is best for Kalistan.

[Bastarrarena would start to use the knife to make some petite piercing on Ingleton's right arm. At this point, Ingleton starts to scream.]

B: If you scream, we'll grab the bullets in your leg and yank them out. So shut up.

[Ingleton would stop screaming.]

S: Are there any remaining munitions stashes in Kalistan?

I: A few. We hid them nicely and clearly in the middle of the mainland. There are a few near the border with Baltusia.

B: Ah, so you work with the Baltusians.

I: No. 

[Stallion would leave the room. He would call HIM Pavlina I Ananto-Hulanevek via a secure line. They would speak for a minute before the call ended and Stallion would reenter the room. He whispered to Bastarrarena.]

B: The Empress wants your head.

I: Of course she does.

S: Unless you tell us everything.

I: What is there to share?

S: Whether you work for Baltusia.

B: Or whether you just want to become famous.

I: Alright. 

S: So?

I: Baltusia helped me.

S: How so?

I: I took money from them. They wanted me to start a revolution.

B: What kind of revolution?

I: A violent one. We wanted to restore democracy with syndicalism instead of liberal democracy, and we got the money from Baltusian partners. We shot the Emperor to spark that revolution. He was too weak, too spineless to do anything, the Empress was controlling him! That's why she's the co-sovereign! Our leading man was Steven Brown there.

B: And of the Empress?

I: She's from Kundrati, not Seleya. We wanted her gone, too, but we didn't because we didn't have the nerve to when we met her. I told you already that she's the real power, she controlled the spineless Emperor! My arm is bleeding badly and I want a nurse.

B: Alright. We're done for now.

The duo left, and the police allowed the doctor's team to tend to Ingleton's wounds. A day later, the duo returned to Ingleton, who was meant to be preparing for surgery to remove the bullet, though this was delayed to let the duo interrogate Ingleton.

I: What?

B: Your Baltusia lead came up empty.

S: See, it didn't go through easily. We have no records of Baltusia being involve-

I: But they are!

B: Shut up. 

S: We have no records of them being involved in this stunt. We didn't capture any Baltusians who were high-ranking enough. Unless you can tell us that hole in the story, we're going to shoot you in the head.

I: Alright, alright. The revolution was meant to be a cover. We were hired by Baltusian intelligence to start that revolution, and there are Baltusian agents. They're all in Odufaray, and they were the ones who helped recruit members to our revolution.

B: Where are they now?

I: They're trying to escape back to Baltusia.

B: Bullshit. We have military troops already at the border. They'll be caught in no time.

I: They know the area. They know where to hide and where to run.

S: Thank you.

The duo left. 

Some policemen in thick local Neveras accents entered. They left moments later and approached the duo for information that had been shared. The policemen confirmed that, so far, nobody of Baltusian origin was trying to cross the border illegally. Some concerns were brought up that Ingleton's movement was a cover to introduce fascism to Kalistan as well.

The duo returned.

B: Lying will only make things worse for you. Come on.

[Bastarrarena would grab some gloves and open one of the leg wounds. He was slowly beginning to dig around for the bullet.]

I: No! No! Okay, okay it wasn't Baltusia!

S: And?

I: It was homegrown! Homegrown! I lied about Steven! He's my associate but-

[Ingleton would scream very loudly at this point. The bullet was taken out, though it was an ugly scene. Bastarrarena would stop at that point. Ingleton would go into shock and the duo stayed.]

B: Should we let the doctors in?

S: Maybe.

[The duo left. Doctors were allowed in, and they attempted to stabilize Ingleton. Another man, a senior policeman, approached the duo.]

Policeman: What the fuck was that? He's dying!

B: He didn't reveal anything.

The doctors managed to stabilize the bleeding, though they would have to clean up the room. 

The next day came. Ingleton was unconscious. The duo entered Ingleton's room and realized he was still unconscious from yesterday's incident. They called Her Imperial Majesty's office. A direct line was then established, and they informed him about what happened. She gave the order.

Bastarrarena would approach Ingleton. He yanked the IV tubes out and then took off Ingleton's shirt. Bastarrarena would shoot Ingleton in the chest twice before Ingleton's shirts were put back on. The duo took the body with them, and they, and some policemen, would take the body and put him in a coffin. The coffin was taken to a hearse. The hearse was sent away to where Her Imperial Majesty was for further orders.

The hospital room remained untouched. Nurses were forbidden from cleaning the room pending orders from Her Imperial Majesty.