Brutality

October 1941

Explosions boomed in the distance, a British air raid was shell-shocking German towns, four men who had not seen much of the outside of their dead, abandoned bedsit sat silently, listening to the rumbles of battle behind the walls. Their previous mission had not gone according to plan, Scorpion still harboured resentment towards Reptile for ruining a basic snatch and grab. Reptile, had unknowingly, caused more problems for the French and English forces in Belgium and surrounding nations. Newspapers had titles such as 'British troops hit civilian village' and the like, the fighting was fiercer but the men inside the ashen bedsit could do nothing to help. It had been two weeks since their last US contact, Stryker, had seemingly abandoned them already.

Scorpion looked out of the window, he could see Germans running with their rifles and machine guns. A small car drove past, shouts bypassed the bedsit like a mouse scurries past an unknowing cat.

"Get up," Scorpion nudged a snoozing Reptile, "Idle bastard."

Reptile hissed, "Why should I take orders from you?"

"Because the last time you didn't you nearly got us killed." Scorpion's voice grew louder to which Sub Zero hushed, "Leave him, he's not worth it. I'm sure Colonel Stryker will contact us shortly."

Scorpion scoffed, "They have left us here, we mean nothing to them now, a failed project and now we are left with these...abilities. My wife and child are at home, probably wondering where I am. In a ditch maybe? That's what they'll have told them. I wait because those are my orders, regardless of my death."

"Enough Scorpion. You don't know that, and we don't know that our country has abandoned us. I mean...we aren't even part of this war! This is a European war, it's not an American issue."

Smoke looked up, "I do not believe it will stay that way."

"Why do you say that?" Sub Zero asked.

"Czechoslovakia, where I was born, was invaded and taken by the Nazis two years ago, they broke the treaty and it led to this. They will invade all of Europe if they get the chance. And, who's to say, they won't conquer Britain, France and the Soviet Union?"

Reptile piped up, "The Union's too big, even I know that. They'll be all killed."

"The Russian's are weak." Scorpion said calmly, "They own nothing, they are not free. They have been sent to die. Stalin even had his petty alliance with Hitler."

"Until Germany invaded them..." Smoke mused.

Sparks of life crackled on their radio, a gift from an English captain they had met.

"Mortals? Are you there?"

Scorpion grabbed the receiver, "We're here Colonel."

"Thank God, there's been a lot of suspicion surrounding us, I'm sorry we had to make you sweat it out."

"It's fine," Scorpion lied, "What do you need us to do?"

"We heard from French intelligence that there is a German officer holed up in the church a half mile up town, bring him back to where you're staying and interrogate him. He might be able to tell you the quickest way out of here."

"Over and out sir," Scorpion put down the receiver, "Reptile, move, you're doing this."

Reptile wanted to say something but didn't want to anger the team any more. "Yes." He muttered.

Creeping into the town, Reptile camouflaged himself once more. It was a peculiar feeling for him, he got a heightened sense of adrenaline from being out if the open but being invisible. This is what he thought helped him win in battle, this rush he felt. Through the overcast he could see the blue in the sky, it was unknowing to the war beneath. Reaching the church, he could see two soldiers guarding either side of the doors. He sneaked to the right side of soldier covering the left door and uncloaked, hissing violently at the parallel trooper, frightened, the soldier fired wildly in Reptile's direction, missing the cold blooded one and hitting his fellow fighter multiple times as Reptile disappeared from sight. Appearing behind the scared man, Reptile grabbed the soldiers chin with his right hand and forehead with his left, snapping his neck and twisting his head a third the wrong way. A spray of blood hit his face, he felt tempted, his tongue roamed. He felt his taste for it ever growing.

Entering the church uncloaked he stormed towards the startled officer, he was short but skeletal, his round glasses clung to the tip of his nose as he shook. Picking up a Mauser he could feel Reptile's glare piercing his soul. He wanted to shoot but he couldn't, fear froze him as this man in leaf green clothing, a black hood and emerald mask strode towards him, his eyes bare, they wouldn't blink, they just watched. Clasping his hands around the pistol he warned Reptile away in English.

"Ssss-top! I will shoot!"

"No you won't," Reptile growled, punching the officer hard in the cheek, a hard stomp connecting with the German's nose shortly after. He was bleeding and broken but Reptile wasn't done just yet.

"Stand up."

Reptile watched almost pitifully as the middle aged man crawled to his feet.

"Good." Reptile said, before biting into his shoulder.

Sub Zero moulded icicles in his hands, they weren't very large but they could kill if thrown hard enough. He placed each new creation in a small collection near Smoke.

"Reptile's been an awfully long time Sub Zero, what do you suppose he's doing?" Smoke asked.

"I'm sure he'll be back," the cold one replied.

Scorpion was looking out of the window and said, "He's probably killed him."

A knock on the door was met by Scorpion drawing his spear, opening the door and backing up so the knocker could not see him. "It's me," came Reptile's voice.

"We were wondering where you had got to. Take him through."

The officer was forced to sit down as Sub Zero froze his hands behind the back of the chair.

"What are you doing? That's freezing! Mein Gott!"

"I hope so," Sub Zero laughed.

Scorpion knelt so his eyes could meet the German's. He felt the flames rise behind him as his eyes changed to the now familiar pale yellow.

Shocked, the officer wanted to escape with his life, "What are you...people!"

"We're mortal, don't you worry about that." Scorpion said menacingly. "Tell us what your leaders expect from this war."

"I don't know a thing! I was sent to this town simply to keep an eye on the civilians here."

"Wrong." Scorpion drew his arm that was home to his spear and dug it through the fleshy thigh of the officer, his screams disturbed Smoke who looked uncomfortable.

"Tell me."

"An Aryan..." he drew long breaths, "An Aryan agenda...triumph of the will..."

"What are you talking about?"

His breaths became shallower, "We are the master race...the ones who must conquer the lesser peoples...that is one...of the reasons..."

"What else?" Scorpion didn't stop staring at him.

"One race...one belief..."

"I said..." Scorpion grew angrier, "...what else?"

"A better world...one race...one belief..."

"You test my patience." Scorpion stood and booted him in the chest, the chair collapsed and he fell backwards, Sub Zero lifted it back up.

"What are you intentions with the United States?"

"Hitler was to offer you a chance...to join him..."

Scorpion cracked his knuckles, "You are boring me. We are not part of this war."

"Exactly...you are our back up plan..."

Sub Zero walked around to face the man, "The US would never join such a foul regime."

"Blue...faced...masked man...you look like you have some...yellow in you...you worthless dog..." he laughed, seemingly delirious from pain. Sub Zero cracked the man in the face, punching him senseless before Scorpion tried to ease him, Smoke watched on and Reptile climbed up the walls. Scorpion had Sub Zero's arms locked.

Flailing, Sub Zero cried out, "Let...me...go!"

Scorpion spoke in hushed tones, "Beating him until he looks like a crushed orange will not help us Sub Zero, he is nothing but then again, we are all nothing in this war and this world." He let go. Sub Zero pushed Scorpion and shouted, "You're no leader!" The creator walked out of the room, Scorpion nodded towards Smoke to follow him.

"Reptile." Scorpion started, "Why is there a large chunk missing from our guests shoulder?"

Smoke grabbed Sub Zero, saying, "Listen, don't let him get you down. That man is nothing..."

Sub Zero cut him off, "As are we all, apparently."

Smoke sighed, "Scorpion was just trying to stick to the mission."

"He could have let me get a few more punches in."

The grey one laughed, "Look, Brian..."

"Call me Bi-Han if anything. I don't want to give the German satisfaction of knowing I hide my own name twice over because of my heritage and because we don't exist according to our own government."

"Bi-Han...you know your brother and I good friends no? Well, I still consider you a friend regardless of the circumstances. I made him a promise to keep you safe no matter what the situation."

Sub Zero chuckled and shook his head playfully, "You know too much about me, I'll have to kill you."

They both had a laugh, Smoke took charge of the conversation, "We'll both see Kain soon enough."

"That's true, I hope. Let's go back upstairs."

A burnt smell exuded from the room, once inside, Sub Zero and Smoke saw the charred corpse of the German officer. Scorpion's flames dying down in his hands.

"They plan on doing much more than taking Europe."

Static played on the radio, an incoming transmission from Stryker was quickly answered by Reptile, "Yes, sir?"

"Reptile, have you got the information you required?"

He looked at Scorpion for confirmation to which a silent nod told him what he needed to know, "Yes, colonel."

"Excellent, we shall extract you from the area as soon as possible. I shall speak with you about what those plans are in due course."

"Thank you sir."

The radio went dead to which Sub Zero said, "Looks like we're going home!"

"Not with the information he gave us," Scorpion said prophetically as he pointed a finger at the toasted man.

With that, hidden smiles turned back into hidden frowns.

A.N. Thank you for all the kind reviews and feedback so far, I am looking to create quite a tale and I have a lot of ideas for this story.