THE RETURN Of the LEGENDARY KING of WAR

Dopple What?

For what felt like an eternity, Andrew stood still at the spot, his face bewildered with shock and anxiety with both feelings leaving him in a thrill.

“This is not possible, you should be dead!" He grimaced.

He ran his fingers through his already ruffled hair as he could feel a rush of adrenaline through his blood stream that brought his heart beat almost to a halt.

“Well, Commander…I must say you are the last person that I was expecting to see here.” Carl turned to the man close to where he was and whispered something inaudibly.

The man gave a nod and walked away leaving the two men alone.

Carl clears his throat. "I just asked that he reconfirm if we have the right person, there was no way I could have missed your name …” he sighs. " Though I never checked to see who we were going after, you know how it is for a bounty hunter like myself.”

Andrew clenches his fist in anger or malice but a sense of understanding at how frustrating the situation was turning out to be.

“It is fine, I just hope this is over soon …You know better than your minions the consequences of adopting a commander unaware.”

Carl nods affirmatively. "I will take care of this, you'll be released soon.”

*******

(Back at Andrews apartment)

The phone buzzed and at first, Mason eyed the number not feeling that bit of urge, call it a feeling of uncertainty or perhaps seeing it was a strange number, he hesitated two more times, and only picked on the third ring.

“Hello?" His voice had that bit of edge to it, gentle yet carrying the heavy weight of anxiety.

“We just got an intel we know where the boss is.”

"Really… That is good news, I'd get the men and we…" His phone buzzes with another call, interrupting his reply.

“Hold on, I will call you back. I have to pick a call."

"Mason?” Andrew's voice filled the room from the other end.

“Boss?"

Mason was a bit puzzled. "What is wrong… You sound a bit different from the other times you called." He muttered.

There was a bit of silence from the other end almost as if he was hesitating to speak.

"Are … Are you fine?!" Mason stammers.

“Yes, there will be no need to call in the rescue team, everything is under control."

Mason stood still where he was for a few seconds trying to put his boss’s words together.

It was hard for him to process as he couldn't bring himself to believe the manner of scandal the matter would have created, and now when he was at the brink of getting the rescue team in, he was calling it off.

Something appeared amiss!

Yet at the same time he was weighing the matter deep at the back of his mind, because how was that possible?

What could have gone wrong?!

The eerily silence persisted for more than thirty-one seconds that was filled with nothing but his own silent heartbeats.

Each thud from his heart echoed through the room as he evaluated the situation.

At this point he was furious. ‘What in the hell was happening.’

Andrew, understanding the plight he was in, spoke again. “Like I said, I am fine. Trust me, I will be home in a couple of hours.”

“I called because I… I know that you'd be worried.” He scoffed.

“It is a good thing that you did, I almost had the men in.”

"Call everything off, like I said for a few more hours. I just need to settle things here with an old ally, and now, I know why I was picked in the first place.”

Mason nodded. "Alright sir, I would let others know."

“Will text you an address so you can come for me much later." He chimed in.

As Mason dropped the call, he could still feel the tension crawling under his skin.

His heart was still pounding heavily as he paced the length of the room, still confused about what was going on.

On second thought he stops abruptly and picks up his phone, and in one swift motion, dialed Baron.

“Crap, I hope he is fine…” he sighed deeply while muttering to himself.

*****

(An hour later – Exit of the Detention Facility)

The metal gates groaned, creaking open and disrupting the silence that had filled the moment before then—

Andrew stepped outside, the late afternoon sun stinging his eyes. He paused, taking in the air like he hadn’t breathed properly in days.

Carl walked beside him, hands in his pockets. “I’ve made the calls. You're cleared. It was a misidentification… officially.”

Andrew’s eyes narrowed. “Misidentification?”

Carl avoided his gaze. “Yes… but, off the record…” he stopped as though cautious that someone could be listening.

Andrew turned to him. “Talk.”

Carl hesitated, then said quietly, “There was someone. A man caught on surveillance a week ago. He had your face, your build, your voice. We thought it was you.”

Andrew stared at him, silent. At that moment two things were right there at the back of his mind, but one was prominent: Carl was calling the bluffs and this was just his way of covering tracks for what he did. A cock and bull story most definitely.

Carl continued, “That’s why we moved. I didn’t think to double-check until I saw you in person. Whoever that man is… he fooled high-level scans, facial tech, everything.”

Andrew clenched his jaw. “A doppelgänger?”

Carl nodded slowly. “Or worse. Someone pretending to be you… for a reason.”

Andrew’s voice dropped. “What was he doing?”

Carl glanced around. “You’re not going to like this. He accessed a restricted military compound. Gave all the right codes. Disappeared right after.”

Andrew took a step back, mind racing. “You said he disappeared… how?”

Carl looked uneasy. “He walked into the compound, then... vanished. Security footage ends right there. Like he knew how to wipe it clean.”

Andrew’s blood ran cold, who could this person be and why was it alleged that he looked so much like him?

Carl patted his shoulder. “Be careful Commander. If someone’s out there with your face, your clearance… They’re not just playing dress-up.”

Andrew gave a slow nod, but his thoughts were already spiraling.

Who was the man who looked like him?

And why was he walking into a military base facility… with his very own identity?

The thought played through his mind as a car stopped right before them.