The 99th Platoon – Escape from Batula's Castle
(A/N While the little bit of history that you are very soon going to receive
may seem confusing to you it all happened in earlier years, prior to any
involvement with the military branch. This is a long chapter I won't lie to
you. But it's a lot of single lines, so it only looks like a lot. Enjoy Pyst in
action, I've only edited his text in a grammatical sense, not rewritten it.
It's all Pyst. Enjoy the chapter Lieutenant: you earned it. Readers: Enjoy!)
Chapter 11: Family Portraits
"Glad to see we all made it." Sarge looked around at the Platoon. They weren't
in top shape, but they were still ready to keep on fighting. The sky was a few
shades lighter, as daylight approached closer still…
"Zombie!"
Everyone's heads turned prepared to fight back another onslaught…but
surprisingly they only saw one lone zombie in a dinner suit march towards them.
"What the Hell is going on…" Sarge whispered.
"Sarge!" Twisted exclaimed, "Its wearing FlatFeet's clothes!"
Oreos looked closer still.
"And FlatFeet's glasses!"
"Wot tha?!" ILZ cried out, taking his hat off and scratching his head.
"It…it's…" Deja stammered.
"Yeah, it's me...uuhhh..." FlatFeet moaned. Oreos ran to help him.
"Don't come...any closer...uuhhh...I am a zombie!" FlatFeet
groaned.
"Soldier! What the hell happened to you?" questioned Sarge.
"Those zombies…they took me to Batula…they didn't attack me…he…he controls
them…their every thought with this amulet. He took out the amulet and shone a
light onto me…and here I am," said FlatFeet.
"But I can't stay around you guys...because my zombie instincts might snap,
being around all these...juicy...tender bodies...uuhhh..." FlatFeet drooled
and move closer to Squeaky. Then he recoiled and took two steps back.
"I must leave…huhhh… Find the amulet…and hurry…the process is reversible
till daylight…hurry Sarge…"
With that he turned and hurried back into the castle.
For a while no one spoke.
Sarge shook his head.
"Well…you heard him… Are we in control of the ground floor?"
Chael nodded.
"Pretty much so, we won't have any trouble getting upstairs."
"Ok then. Let's pay the Count a visit."
As they turned to set off towards the mansion Sarge saw Twisted scratching away
at one of the tombstones with his knife. Sarge let the others go ahead and he
paused to see what he was writing…
He smiled and the two made their way after the others.
~~We'r comin 4 F.F~~
~~Plat99n wuz here~~
-=Some time later…=-
"Ok. Oreos go up first and check it out. Radio us if the room's clear…and radio
us if it isn't."
"Sure thing Sarge." Placing a stick of gum in his mouth Oreos made his way up
the stairs chewing loudly.
He kicked the door to the first room he saw open and ran in ready to fire. All
clear. He let his Avenger hang loosely on its strap as he peered at the room he
had entered. It appeared to be a gallery of sorts. Large and small paintings,
of all shapes and sizes hung across the room. Aged faces of Vampires, forgotten
through time and melted into legend, were the main subjects in the paintings.
"It's like a family album," Oreos muttered to no one in particular. Suddenly he
stopped and gazed at a particularly large painting in the centre of the room.
It was a painting of six figures, very dominating in their visage and stance.
The first was the Count. The next two Oreos recognised as Butler and the Whip
Vampire Dark had killed. He looked at the last three.
His jaw dropped open.
It was Sarge, Pyst and Dark.
He moved his hand to his radio when he heard the door behind him swing shut. He
jumped and turned to see Pyst and Dark staring at him.
"Stay away from me!" Oreos yelled. Dark looked at Pyst.
"What are you talking about Oreos?" Pyst asked.
"Get back!" He raised his K7 and pointed it in Pyst's direction.
"Easy now," said Dark raising his hands.
"Easy?! How do you explain that?!" He pointed at the painting.
"Alright…listen Oreos…don't freak out on us…" said Dark quietly.
"Oreos, listen. That's my twin brother, Roger Gores. He used to work as a
Vampire Hunter."
Dark nodded.
"I worked with them. That's an old painting…before we knew that the other three
were…well…you know…"
"I only met them once when Roger brought them home…they were big drinkers…"
"And what's Sarge doing there?" Oreos asked. Dark shrugged.
"I really don't know."
"Maybe there's more to Sarge than he let's on…"
Dark and Oreos looked at Pyst.
"Or maybe not."
Dark continued the story.
"Look, Roger died in a raid a while back. The Count and the other two
double-crossed us. I barely made it out."
They looked at the picture.
"Why the heck is it hanging in the Count's castle?" Oreos asked.
"Maybe it's a reminder of how the Count and his two Vampires managed to defeat
three hunters…"
*You're wrong there brother…*
They spun round and saw what could've been Pyst, save for the red eyes and pale
complexion.
"The hell? I thought you were…"
"Dead? Oh no, brother. I was recruited."
"Well, glad you're doing alright for yourself."
"What? Don't you care that your dear brother is now a slave to the Count?"
"Not really. To tell the truth, I never liked you anyway."
"YOU SON OF A-"
"Now, now. Mom was a great Squirrel."
Roger dived on Pyst, Pyst kicked him off.
"Dark! Oreos! Get outta here! This is a family matter…"
Oreos and Dark left the room. Pyst charged Roger. He jumped and kicked Pyst in
the face. Pyst rolled to the side and tackled Roger to the ground. He raised
his fist and began pummelling his brother's face.
Oreos and Dark ran back to the Platoon. Suddenly they heard a deep, menacing
laugh behind them.
"You." Sarge spat.
"Rico…" the Count glided in behind Dark and Oreos. They moved to attack but
Sarge signalled for them to back down. They came back to the main unit as Sarge
walked up the steps to Batula.
"I am glad to see you're still here Rico. It vould be a shame for someone like
you to be…lost."
"I thought you had changed Batula…I thought you had learned."
"Yes. You didn't recognize me from ze letter?"
"No. Sorry to tell you this but you've grown old. I didn't even recognize you
up close."
"You too aren't any younger Rico."
Silence.
"Ve could've gone so far Rico…you and I…ve could've ruled ze country!"
The rest of the Platoon looked on in awe at this peculiar reunion. Apparently
Sarge not only knew Batula from a long time ago…but they had fought together.
"You're little friend over zere asked, Rico, vhy I have a painting vith all my
former adversaries…"
"What's the answer?"
The Count suddenly grasped Sarge by his collar and drew a cruel dagger from
inside his robes.
"Keep your friends close…but your enemies much closer!"
He brought the dagger down…
*ka-TING*
Dark and Stealth's blades blocked Batula's attack. The Count roared and in a
flash of green light all three of them had vanished…
"Spread out! Find him! And don't forget the amulet!"
No one had time to question Sarge's order, or ask about his history with the
Count. They had to move fast.
Pyst and Roger kept fighting, moving through the upper halls of the manor.
Roger punched Pyst in the jaw, Pyst responding with a blow to the kidneys.
"You're pretty good Rick!"
"Think they let us sit on asses in the army?"
Roger jumped in the air and nailed Pyst with a flip kick.
"Apparently they do!"
Pyst jumped to his feet and charged Roger. He slammed into him, and the two of
them rolled into the central room of the manor.
The Grinder Room.
Pyst looked around but he couldn't find Roger anywhere. He took a step closer
to the grinder and looked down. The Grinder itself was on the floor beneath
him, the floor he was on being nothing more than a rim around the room.
"Looking for me?!"
Pyst whipped around, Roger hitting him in squarely in the face. Pyst stumbled
backwards onto a wooden beam suspended over the grinder. Pyst barely managed to
steady himself. Roger began to make his way towards him. Pyst slowly backed up.
"You never did have good balance, did you brother?"
"No, it's true."
Roger crept all the more closer and Pyst kept backing up along the beam.
"I imagine just one little push would make you fall."
"Maybe..."
Roger stepped closer. Pyst drew his pistol and fired a single shot. Roger
laughed at him.
"Trying to shoot me? Don't you know that bullets can't kill Vampires?"
"Who says I was aiming at you?" said Pyst smiling.
Roger turned. Pyst had shot through the brittle wood that was keeping the beam
up. Roger looked at Pyst and growled. Pyst pointed his gun at the last support.
"I shoot this, we fall."
"Then we both die!"
"So? You know I'm crazy! You know I'll do it!"
Roger began to sweat. Pyst readied his 9mm.
"Goodbye..."
"WAIT!"
"What? You want last words?"
"No," Roger pulled a remote out of his pocket, smiling. "If you shoot that
support, I push this button, and blow your stupid buddies to kingdom come!"
"With a button?"
"I rigged this place with C-4 you dumb ****!"
Pyst glared at Roger, Roger glared back. Pyst grinned evilly.
"You're bluffing!"
"What?"
"Your full of it!"
"No! I'm serious! I'll blow this whole ******* place up!"
"If there's one thing I know well about you Roger..." Pyst tightened his grip
on the trigger, "...is that you always bluff!"
Pyst pulled the trigger. The support shattered, the beam breaking in two.
The two Squirrels fell as the Grinder powered up…
