CHAPTER 61: INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, PART 5
5:27
On June 6, 1944, the United States and its allies enacted a full-scale military operation known as Operation Overlord. It involved sending over 20,000 soldiers onto the beaches of Normandy to attack against the evil empire of Nazi Germany and free Europe from the iron grip of Adolf Hitler. A young man named Philip Shortman was one of those brave soldiers.
Now, here, in the modern day, there is an operation being planned by another set of allies that is not too different from the past event. The grandson of that same soldier, Arnold Shortman, known better as the Green Eye, seeks to avert a war altogther rather than see one be finished.
To do that, there is one specific life he must save:
The life of a baby boy, and he must do it in less than 8 hours.
Resting on the rooftop of the Sunset Arms Boarding Home, the de facto capital of Old Hillwood, the Green Eye began his search, accompanied by the Star of David, Bad Boy, Lars Rodriguez, and Miles Shortman, his father. Placing himself deep in concentration, he tried to extend the reach of his spirit to find the baby Charles to rescue him from the hold of Wolfenstein and the Aryan Nation.
Such a task was once simple, and he could locate this one innocent life with ease. With his powers failing him many times since the Fall of Hillwood, however, that task is much more consuming of time than before, as well as mental energy. Trying as hard as he could, the Green Eye still pushed on to locate the lost soul.
Pushing his mind out into the mental plane once again, he tried to expand his thoughts out to the hearts and minds of every person in Hellwood, trying to find the one soul of Charles Ronaldson wherever he may be on the island. His efforts were not lacking in trial, but instead in capability.
Reaching through to the hearts and minds of those in Hellwood, his own mind was given an assault of pain and suffering in his own senses, feeling the despair and depression that plagued the people of the island. The pain that these people felt had pained him just as they were all pained, making it harder for him to continue his search across the plane.
The collection of pain had become too much to bear, leading him to break his concentration and snap back to his body, making no progress on his search.
"Anything yet?" Miles asked.
"No. Not yet. I just can't break through." Green Eye said.
"Well, would you hurry up? This is taking too long." Lars said.
"Yeah. We're wasting time sitting up here and waiting for your powers to work. We could've just made it into the Aryan Nation by now and beat it out of someone there." Star of David said.
"We're not wasting time, we're saving it. Going in and searching for him blindly would take too much time; time we don't have. If I can pinpoint Charles' exact location, I can lead us there and know our opposition." Green Eye said.
Lars held up the photograph of Wolfenstein and his confederates, naming off the enemy himself.
"We know our enemies: Wolfie, Nazi Bitch, Samurai Jackass, and Big Black Guy. We march in, kill 'em, and get the kid. What's the complicated part here?" Lars asked.
"That's not what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to stop Wolfenstein, not kill him, and save Charles. We're heroes, not killers." Green Eye said.
Annoyed and disappointed with the Green Eye still refusing to change his moral code, the Star of David gave a pained groan.
"Aw, c'mon, Arnold, are you still really refusing to do what needs to be done?" Star of David asked.
"I'm not refusing to do what needs to be done. I'm refusing to do what I don't need to do." Green Eye said.
"Jesus Christ, Arnold. These guys kidnapped a baby to start a goddamn race war. How far are you willing to go until you eventually figure out that you can't reason with these people?"
"He's right, Arnold. Remember what I told you about Grandpa Phil?" Miles asked.
"We don't have to reason with them. We just can't kill them. We need to make peace on the island for everyone, and the only way we can do that is if we put ourselves above the chaos that's ruled here since the Fall. When killing starts, it doesn't stop. We need to make it stop." Green Eye said.
"All the more reason to kill him and his goons. They're not going to be stopped peacefully. You know that."
"If you murder a murderer, does the amount of murderers in the world change?"
The question was asked in rhetorical nature, putting a brief moment of silence in the air in contemplation of the inquiry with all staying quiet.
Except, of course, for Lars.
"Uh... Is that a trick question?" Lars asked.
Still not convinced over the Green Eye's reasoning, the Star of David continued to push his argument, giving his own answer to the question.
"It does if you kill more killers. Valiance was crazy and a piece of shit, but he could at least do what you wouldn't. He killed the Jolly Olly Man and wiped out all his cannibals, and what did that give us? No more cannibals. Less bad guys to deal with." Star of David said.
"What Valiance did was wrong, regardless of the victim. And he snapped because of it all. What he did put so much damage on what I've been trying to build up again: Bringing back the civilization we lost. That starts with the beginning of basic law and order, and not rampant vigilante justice, the same standard that we held to ourselves before the Fall." Green Eye said.
"Except we're far past civilization now. There's no chance in building it back at this point. You've seen what people are doing, you know there's no chance."
"Wrong. Civilization's not gone. Everyone's just been building up their own versions of it. Old Hillwood is just the built up on the past. New Mecca and the Aryan Nation built their civilizations on race. God's Country built theirs on religion."
"They didn't build civilization. They built gangs."
"They're not so different at the core. Human beings are drawn to one another to survive; a pack creature. We build up systems and hierarchies to understand our places in those systems, and function as one being together. The difference is where that system leads them to. Valiance was a rogue agent that sought to tear all of it down, like a virus."
"Well, I believed in what he did. That's why I let him go stop the Jolly Olly Man."
Surprised to hear this confession from the Star of David, the Green Eye turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
"You did what?" Green Eye asked.
"He came back for his car and weapons. I only wanted to know if he believed he was doing the right thing. He said yes. So I let him go, and he finished off the Farm." Star of David said.
"And you allowed those people to all die."
"I allowed those cannibals to die. Let's not mince words."
Grabbing the Star of David, the Green Eye quickly dragged him to the edge of the building, hanging him off the ledge of the Sunset Arms with the promise of being dropped straight to the pavement below. Surprised to watch the Green Eye threaten his friend in such a way, Miles, Lars, and even the absent-minded Bad Boy all watched the act with shock and fear.
The Star of David, too, felt the shock and fear, and the absolute most he had ever felt in his life.
"Hey Arnold?! What are you doing?!" Star of David panicked.
"I held Curly above P.S. 118 just like this a year ago. I had his life in my hands just like I have yours. He shot me, and I dropped him. When I saw him hit the ground, I had believed that I had actually killed him. Do you know what drove me that far? He shot Helga straight through the heart. I was scared that he killed her, and I got so full of rage that I wanted to kill him myself. When I saw him fall, and I got back to Helga, I thought she had died right there in my arms. If Curly and Helga had died there, what would that have solved? Nothing. Helga would still be dead, and I would have killed him for nothing. I would have been a murderer myself. No better than him. I had felt like a murderer before I knew I could save Helga. It felt awful. I felt awful. I never want to feel like that again. That's why I refuse to kill anyone. I know what that emotion feels like, and I will never wish that upon anyone, or let anyone make the mistake of feeling that emotion." Green Eye said.
Still carrying the Star of David in his arms, the Green Eye gently set him back onto the rooftop of the building, putting him firmly on solid ground once again. Still wide-eyed and shaken over the threat and speech, he slowly backed away from the man without pain to recuperate himself and contemplate his speech.
Showing some degree of strength from the display, Lars had stepped in with his own argument, coming to the defense of the Star of David.
"Hey, man. I don't know about the Jew, but I don't think you get the place to decide what people can and can't feel. What if one of us just doesn't feel that from killing someone at all?" Lars asked.
"Then you're a monster with no regard for human life. It means you're a bad person." Green Eye said.
"Hmph. Fair enough- Hey, yo, what the fuck is that shit?!"
Lars' panicked reaction brought the attention of everyone on the rooftop straight to the focus of his fear, all meeting with the spectral image of a Green-Eyed Person stepping onto the rooftop. Though Lars reacted to the specter in terror, the rest of those atop the Sunset Arms did not react the same, but instead looked to the image with familiarity and hope, with the Green Eye saying his name of...
"Luz." Green Eye said.
"Hello, Arnold." Luz said.
Surprised to be in the presence of a Green-Eyed Person once again, Miles approached Luz with wonder and awe, with Luz himself smiling back.
"And a fine greeting to you, Miles Shortman. It's been awhile." Luz said.
"Uh... I'm sorry, have we met?" Miles asked.
"Not in person... not before now. But you have felt my presence. Your years in San Lorenzo, saved from your encounters with La Sombra, guided through the inferno of the Volcán Terriblé."
"So it was you specifically all those years?"
"Well, even with my peoples' knowledge, you don't think they did it without a little help, did you?"
The two shared a hearty laugh with one another, like old friends reminiscing on older days together.
"But, really, I never got a chance to thank you. You took great care of Arnold for the past few years and helped him be the strong man he is today. Thank you very much for that, on behalf of myself and Stella." Miles said.
"You are welcome, old friend. And I thank you as well for gifting this world with Arnold. It has been an honor and a pleasure guiding him to his place here and now. Speaking of which, I have come to aide him in his endeavor now." Luz said.
Stepping towards Arnold, Luz addressed his inability to reach out and find Charles, placing a hand on his shoulder to offer his assistance.
"You have a child to search for and rescue, do you not, Arnold?" Luz asked.
"Yes, I do." Green Eye said.
"Then come. We must find him before it becomes too late for you and him."
Seating himself down on the rooftop, Luz joined him, both sitting down cross-legged and across from one another.
"Take my hands. I will make my energy yours for this search." Luz said.
Taking Luz's hands as asked, the two put their minds and hearts together as one, both searching out across the mental plane in search for Charles Ronaldson. Connected at the souls, the teacher and student enter and pass through the hearts of men and women all throughout Hellwood in search of their target.
Overwhelmed by the pain and suffering of the many lost souls in Hellwood, the Green Eye felt his body reactively cringe in pain at the intake of negative emotions, but he was not alone in this process. Having Luz with him to fend off the pain that plagued his mind, the two pushed on through.
Luz... It hurts. It hurts so much to feel like this. Green Eye said.
I know, child, but you must hold on. The life of Charles is dependent on you. I am here with you, Arnold. Luz said.
Encouraged and pushed on by Luz, allowing him the chance to fulfill his purpose as a teacher and guide, the two continued to spread their minds through the island, in search for the missing baby Charles Ronaldson. Continuing to touch soul after soul, they never ceased their search for him until he was found.
The souls they search for are all the same in emotional state, each one suffering more or less throughout Hellwood, but this only makes narrowing down the baby all the simpler to achieve. Searching out for a young, innocent soul untouched by the troubles or confusion of the real wrold, they carry on the search.
And the search is soon over.
Reaching a towering complex once known as Toran Apartments, the two find the baby Charles Ronaldson under watch from 3 armed gunmen. The infant slept on the floor in a state of distress from his parents being absent, and the only comfort being the hard floor of the apartment with his captors not even bothering to give a baby of a lesser race a suitable sleeping ground.
This, however, changed with the arms of Nippon gently setting the baby in a bed; a large but much-better suited resting place for Charles. With the remainder of the squad of Nazi bastards behind him; Wolfenstein, She-Wolf, and Ape, the rest only laughed at his show of mercy towards the baby.
"What's the point of your endless sympathy for niggers and their litters? The tar baby's nothing but a bargaining chip for taking down New Mecca, or going to war with those niggers once and for all." Wolfenstein said.
"The child is innocent in this endeavor. I don't want to harm him. I just want to harm the others. Would you not even grant an infant a suitable place to sleep?" Nippon said.
"No point when we're gonna kill it anyway. Anyways, I'm going out for a snack. You all stay here."
The connection of the minds had come to a stop, with the Green Eye and Luz coming back to the present moment of Sunset Arms. Having the information he required, the two stood back up, with the Green Eye immediately reaching for his staff and slinging it over his back.
"Did you find him?" Star of David asked.
"Toran Apartments. He's being held on the 14th floor, room 88. Wolfenstein's there, and so are his friends." Green Eye said.
"Sweet. Let's hit it, then. White Boy, let's hit it." Lars said.
Taking Bad Boy from his content resting place of sitting on the ground where he did naught but mutter nonsense to himself, Lars escorted him along as the rest of the team prepared to depart. Stopping to share one last hug with his father, the Green Eye bid him goodbye before embarking to the fight.
"Be safe out there, Arnold. And please remember what I said." Miles said.
Not wishing to start the conversation back up, the Green Eye simply gave a nod and departed.
Heading down the roof through his room and down the hallways of the Sunset Arms, the team continued their departure for Toran Apartments, being given a view of the many patients within that came for help and healing. The primary caregiver of said patients, Stella Shortman, stepped out of one room, with Helga resting behind it.
"Hey Arnold. Are you heading out?" Stella asked.
"Yes. We found the baby, and we're going to rescue him." Green Eye said.
Cutting into the conversation, Lars took a gaze at Stella, noting her more middle-aged curves and streak of gray hair.
"Damn. This is your mother? You didn't say you had a cougar in the zoo. You and the husband looking for a middleman?" Lars asked.
"Harold, please hit him for me." Green Eye said.
Obliging with the request with a smile on his face, the Star of David landed a heavy blow to Lars' face, leading him to a nosebleed.
"Ow...! That hurt, man! I was just paying a compliment!" Lars moaned.
"How about we save the compliments for outside?" Star of David asked.
Grabbing Lars by the shirt, the Star of David escorted him and Bad Boy out of the Sunset Arms, allowing the Green Eye and his mother to speak in peace.
"Is Helga doing better?" Green Eye asked.
"She's fine, the cramps just aren't going away yet. I offered her some painkillers, but she declined on behalf of the patients. She said she didn't want to take them away from someone who might need them more." Stella said.
"It's sweet of her to do that, but I'd feel much better if she'd just take an aspirin and feel better, especially when our child's at stake."
"The... the baby'll be just fine, sweetie. Trust me, there's no one who want to see you two be parents more than me, and I'd do everything I could to make that happen. I really would."
"I know. You do a great job taking care of everyone, mom. I appreciate that, and I'm glad I have you as a mother in my life."
"Oh, you're too sweet, Arnold. C'mere."
Walking into his mother's arms, the Green Eye let himself sink into them, feeling the warmth of Stella's body cushioning his. In this hug, he feels a sense of peace from touching this body that he felt when he was but an amalgamation of cells inside it; surrounded by a supplier of warmth and peace, not concerned or caring over anything else nor having any need to.
But he has grown much since that beginning of his life, having made his way to adulthood and achieving greater powers and responsibilities to shoulder. Exiting the hug with his mother, the Green Eye bid his final temporary goodbyes to his mother, moving on to save the baby Charles and avert the feared race war.
"I love you, mom. You and dad both." Green Eye said.
"We love you, too, Arnold. Please be safe. For us, and for Helga." Stella said.
"I will."
Going to join his teammates outside, the Green Eye began his final departure for his mission, staving off fear of whether or not he would return.
Watching him leave at last, ensuring he was gone, Stella stepped back inside the room she had previously departed from, securely closing the door behind her. With her in the room, dressing herself in leather and fishnets, topping her head with a wig with long hair, was Helga Pataki, preparing to aid the Green Eye on his mission.
Stretching up to ready herself, she instinctively groaned and held her side, inflicting pain on herself from the previous wound.
"Are you sure you're even in any shape to go in that condition? Most people would need a few days' rest after a wound like that, and you're lucky it didn't cause you any problems." Stella said.
"I'll be fine. I've had to deal with worse. It doesn't matter, anyways. I have to help him. Arnold can't do this on his own." Helga said.
"You still can't keep up this lie forever, and I can't keep covering for you. I still can't believe you even talked me into this in the first place. Why can't you just come clean with my son?"
"I've never been good at telling the truth. It took me years just to fess up that I even liked him. I guess old habits just die hard."
"This is not healthy, Helga."
"I can deal with a little boo-boo on my stomach."
"That's not what I mean. Miles and I may have made some mistakes in our marriage, but we at least never did anything like this to each other. Kept secrets like this. I'm sure that he'll eventually forgive you... but are you prepared to deal with what it could mean for you both from then on out? Are you sure you'll survive together?"
Placing on her mask, Helga put herself in the guise of Baise-Moi, but speaking out her last sentence in her normal voice instead of her faux French accent.
"I've always been one to keep secrets. I'll make it all work out." Helga said.
2:09
Keeping themselves positioned outside the Toran Apartments building for the past half-hour, the Hillwood Heroes maintain a sharp and unfaltering observation on the target, watching the ins and outs of the building and all threats that lay within and outside of it. With many enemies to handle before their rescue mission, and a very precious life to protect in the mission, there was no room for error or failure.
The Green Eye kept a strict watch over the building, observing all events unfolding with a pair of binoculars. Having little to do and less to contribute, Lars and Bad Boy took to sharing a joint of marijuana; Bad Boy being regulated to a functional team member and Lars simply wanting to get high.
The Star of David, conversely, took to a more personal and more emotionally involving task. With a pen in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, he began writing out his letter to 'Big' Patty once again. Having made numerous tries already, he still holds onto the notion that this will be just the right letter to send, but his own sense of logic tells him that this may or may not be the case.
Nonetheless, he continued on writing his letter, hoping he would at last find the right words. As he wrote his letter, poor thoughts began surrounding his head once again, feeling his inner fear of not being sufficient as a human being for 'Big' Patty. The words that he puts onto the paper carried over those thoughts.
For the past few weeks, carrying out kill missions for Valiance, sparring with the Green Eye on morals and leadership, and other such wrongs, he cannot help but feel that these problems stem from his own inabilities to be the right person. Each stroke of his pen communicated that sense of failure, letting out word after word of insecurities and inferior thoughts that plagued his mind and heart, clouding it from the positive emotions that were and could be.
Writing down his final thoughts on the paper, he looked upon the letter, reading it back in full as it would be read by his intended audience. The message that was conveyed on the paper brought him no pleasure to read, but only in that it gave him a dark reflection of what he saw within himself.
A large piece of him wished not to choose this as his desired letter and final draft, but the majority of his thoughts and willpower sought to make it so. Being stuck on the island with no apparent escape, and about to fight heavily armed Nazis, the same people that wished to see his extinct, it seemed that he would not have a chance to send this letter regardless of what happened.
Stashing it in a pocket of his uniform, the Star of David stepped up to the Green Eye, sharing the observation duties to gain awareness of the situation.
"So, how's it looking, Arnold?" Star of David asked.
"Not good. There's armed guards surrounding the entrance and back, and there doesn't seem to be any set routines for changing guards." Green Eye said.
"Can't you just read one of them to get an understanding of what's going on?"
"I already used up a lot of energy with Luz trying just to find this place. I need the rest if I need to fight, which I might."
"No shit, you might. We're dealing with Nazis here, Nazis that are all armed to the teeth and ready to kill."
"Shh. One second."
The Green Eye turned his binoculars back to the enemy ahead, watching what the guards outside were doing at this moment.
From the view he was given, the guards outside consisted of Wolfenstein, She-Wolf, and a select few of others playing a card game, with Ape standing aside and idle and Nippon nowhere to be found. Aside from the selection of guards passing the time, there were two more tending to a group of black slaves working over a fireplace and cooking pot, making some food.
One slave grabbed a knife and fought back against one of the two guards watching them, but was put down with a punch to the gut and kick to the face, putting him to his hands and knees. Taking out a handgun, the guard pulled up the slave's head and put his gun against it.
Though faint, the last words of the slave could be heard.
"Fuck you, whitey!" The slave shouted.
"Fuck you, nigger." The guard responded.
Pulling the trigger to the gun, the guard killed the disobedient slave in front of the others. Not wishing to join their friend, the remaining slaves resumed their work.
Disgusted with the murder he had seen, the Green Eye lowered his binoculars, placing them away in exchange for his staff. Watching an innocent man being gunned down so easy without conscience, he feared that worse would befall the baby Charles Ronaldson, and could no longer wait.
Stepping out of his cover for but a second, the Star of David pulled him back in, stopping his teammate from making any rash decisions.
"Hey, wait, man, what are you doing?" Star of David asked.
"They just killed one of their slaves. If we don't hurry, Charles could be next, and that means war across Hillwood." Green Eye said.
"We can't just go into this half-cocked. We need a plan."
"There's no time, we need to act now!"
"Hey Arnold! I want to stop these guys as bad as you do, but we only have one shot at this, and, if we're not careful, the baby could be killed and we did all this for nothing. Is that what you want?"
Giving a frustrated sigh, the Green Eye seated himself back down, thinking over a plan as quickly as he could.
"Okay. So there's plenty of guards up front, plus Wolfenstein and his teammates, but no sign of the samurai. He must be inside watching the baby. That means there can't be many people inside besides him and a few others. That means we need to get past Wolfenstein and his cronies... or through them." Green Eye said.
"Yeah, right. How do you suppose we go through them? They've got guns and muscle, what do we have? A horny moron and a burnout. That's not enough to work with." Star of David said.
Overhearing his mention over the conversation, Lars became invested in the debate, having a contribution of his own.
"Hey, wait, I got an idea." Lars said.
The Green Eye and Star of David did not seem to notice his interjection; the two too focused on the topic of getting inside the building.
"We've got enough to work with when you've got me. I can handle all the ground troops, you can each take on Wolfenstein and his lieutenants each." Green Eye said.
"But how bad are you gonna get messed up before we even get inside? Your healing powers aren't 100% percent, we can't just chance it on something like that." Star of David said.
"I said I got an idea." Lars said.
"We're running short on time, even right now. If we don't take a chance at all, there won't be anything to take a chance for." Green Eye said.
"Even if I went by that logic, which I don't that still leaves the samurai and whoever else you say might be inside. There could easily be dozens of people throughout the whole building, who's to say it's not jam-packed with bad guys?" Star of David asked.
"Guys! I said I have an idea." Lars said.
"Then we fight our way through that, too. We have to do whatever we can to save Charles. Is a baby's life not worth fighting for?" Green Eye asked.
"We're not robots, Arnold. Even if I gave you that we could beat everyone outside, we'd be beat to hell trying just to do that. How long do you think we'd last with a whole building of enemies?" Star of David asked.
"I have an idea! Do you want in that place or not?!" Lars asked.
"It doesn't matter. We have to at least try. Like I said, there's a baby boy inside there that needs our help, and a race war that will cost many lives is hanging on that life. If that means we have to give it our all, then we'll have to do that." Green Eye said.
"We're not soldiers going to die for your war, Arnold. We're still human beings with lives and feelings! Even if we were, you still don't think far enough ahead. Assuming we get through Wolfenstein and his cronies, assuming we make it inside, assuming we fight off who's in there, what's to say they won't hold the baby hostage with a gun to his head? They'll have us by the balls. Then what? What the hell are we supposed to do?" Star of David asked.
Annoyed by the two not listening to him, Lars elevated his voice to gain the attention of both parties, finally gaining their focus.
"HEY! ASSHOLES! I HAVE AN IDEA!" Lars shouted.
Finally gaining the attention of the Green Eye and Star of David, both looking towards him at last, Lars gave a smile before sharing his plan.
"I'm buddy-buddy with Wolfie... kinda. He's not gonna shoot me. But me going up there in front of a bunch of psychos who hate brown people? That's gonna cause some confusion, and they might even start shooting each other. Boom. Problem solved." Lars said.
"Assuming I was even for that, what happens if they don't? What's to stop them from just shooting you?" Green Eye asked.
"I can survive anything, even being shot. Besides, not only will they not shoot me, but I can just talk with 'em for a while, distract them while the rest of you guys sneak in."
"But how long could you distract them for?" Star of David asked.
"You know me, I can talk on and on and on. I can easily keep 'em occupied. Besides, you gotta do something, and this is as good a plan as any. Whaddya got to lose?"
Contemplating Lars' suggestion, the Green Eye and Star of David looked at each other; their locking eyes seeming to mutually agree on the plan.