Chapter 15 - The Battle Of Ground Zero Part II

Snowflake awoke in a strange chamber, feeling herself suspended in the air. She felt heavy, the sedative finally wearing off. As her memory returned, she opened her eyes, trying to free her hands. She looked up, however, to see herself tied to the ceiling with what seemed to be some kind of chains.

"What the?" Snowflake called out. "Hey! Where am I?!"

Her voice seemed to echo out, but yet no one could hear her.

"Hello?!" Snowflake called. "Is anyone there?!"

She tried to strain, to pull herself free, but to no avail. She sighed. Wherever she was, she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon.

As Snowflake hung from her restraints, she looked in front of her, seeing a face behind a glass window, smiling at her. The face belonged to a man with short grey hair and wearing a white lab coat. He seemed rather old, but very intelligent as shown from the glasses on his face.

"Ah, you're awake," he said, in a deep British accent. "I had feared I'd drugged you too much. But then again... you were being rather uncooperative."

Snowflake frowned. She knew exactly who this was. "I know you... you did this to me. You injected me with... something and it turned my skin blue!"

"Precisely," the man stated. "But where are my manners, allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr Claude Frollo, head of the Jotun Group. I assume you are now very familiar with my organization."

"Yeah," Snowflake spat. "You attacked me in Snomar, you were running experiments in some bunker and then you started smuggling weapons into Ground Zero! You're a real piece of work."

Frollo laughed. "Please, my dear. you haven't even scratched the surface of it. We are far much more than you realise."

"What do you want with me?" Snowflake argued. "Why did you do this to me... what is it you even did to me?"

Frollo looked at her, smiling. "Oh, I think you already know. I assume back in Ground Zero, you saw the creatures we had created."

"Those monsters..." Snowflake realised. "You did that?!"

Frollo nodded. "Marvellous isn't it. We discovered a way for humans to survive in this harsh cold... and now they are stronger than ever."

"By stronger, you mean turn them into monsters!" Snowflake argued. "Those were innocent people, you sick fuck!"

"Language, my dear," the man chastised her. "No, they are not monsters... not anymore, especially now that we have you."

"What do I have to do with all this?!" Snowflake argued. "Why haven't I become a monster yet?! Is this something you control? Because you better use it to turn those people back or Elsa is gonna come and kick your scrawny ass!"

Frollo looked at her with a devilish smirk. "Because you my dear are the next stage in the evolution of my project. You are going to be the first human to truly become more than meets the eye."

"So... I'm going to turn into a robot?" Snowflake looked confused.

"Allow me to explain," Frollo began. "When you were with us the first time, we injected you with the advanced version of our Rime Serum. This is not the same virus we used to create the monsters in Ground Zero. This virus is far more mature."

"So... if I'm not going to turn into a monster... what am I turning into?"

Frollo smiled. "Something... more."

Snowflake frowned. "You tell me what you did to me right now!"

"I'd prefer to let you find that out for yourself, my dear," he said, turning away. "And as for your friend... well, let's say I've found a use for him."

Snowflake scowled. "You fucking bastard! When I get out of here I'm gonna-" Suddenly she was then zapped by electrodes wrapped in the chains holding her up, delivering a series of volts through her body.

She screamed in pain, feeling every part of her body being lit on fire for a brief second before she went limp.

Frollo sighed. "I do detest the shock treatment, but often times... it can be the most useful." He then left Snowflake unconscious in her chamber, limp and utterly helpless.

xXx

Elsa jumped onto her bike and headed for the barricade separating the quarantine zone from the rest of the city. She smiled. "Eric," she said into her radio, "can you see the Jotun troops?"

"Yeah, why?" Eric replied.

"How strong does their body armour look?"

"Not so tough," Eric remarked. "But there are a lot of them to deal with... and what's Jotun?"

"The organisation they work for," Elsa said. "I'll explain later. Right now, you just focus on holding them back."

"Like we weren't doing that already," Eric quipped before he hung up.

Elsa put down the radio and rode away on her bike, heading for the barricade. She knew this crazy plan of hers was most likely insane, even Snowflake would think it was mad, but Elsa knew she had to save the people of this city to get to her.

Eventually, she came to a stop at the barricade, seeing a soldier on duty. "Soldier!" She called to the man.

The soldier, a young man with scruffy brown hair and a leather jacket, walked over to her, raising an eyebrow. "Lieutenant Walker? I thought you were with the main force."

"I am," Elsa told the man. "Can I borrow your shotgun for a second?"

"Why?"

"I need to go into the Quarantine Zone," Elsa replied. "And if things go to shit, I need some extra protection."

"What?! Ma'am, I'm not questioning your orders, but what the hell are you planning to do in there?" The man exclaimed.

Elsa smiled. "I'm going to rally some troops."

The man sighed and reluctantly gave Elsa his gun. "Just be careful. The creatures seem in a calm mood today, but they could turn angry at any time."

Elsa nodded. "Thank you, soldier."

The man opened up the barricade for Elsa and the blonde walked into the zone, taking a deep breath. She saw various groups of the creatures all shambling around mindlessly. If they were going to help her, Elsa would need to be very convincing.

She cocked her shotgun and shot it into the air, firing a warning shot.

All the zombies stood on end from the sound of the shot, all turning to face Elsa and scowling.

Elsa smirked. "Glad I got your attention," she said. "I know you can't understand me, but I'm not here to harm you."

The zombies looked at her, rather confused.

"There is a grave threat attacking this city," Elsa said. "A group of people want to take you and hurt you really bad, but if we work together, we can stop them and you can all be saved."

The zombies kept giving Elsa blank stares.

"Please, just help me!" Elsa insisted. "We are lacking in forces, but you with your strength could turn the tide of this fight."

The creatures growled, moving towards Elsa slowly. One of them suddenly shouted, calling agreement to Elsa's cry, in a voice that almost sounded human.

"We... help."

Elsa smiled. "Good work. Now, follow my lead and I'll show you where you guys and girls can do the most damage."

Elsa started to slowly walk out of the barricade and one by one, her icy followers began to walk behind her in single file.

As they walked out together, the man Elsa had spoken to at the gate couldn't believe his eyes. "My god..." He said his jaw dropped. "I've really got to ask for a pay rise."

xXx

Back in the city, Eric and Maui stood side by side, firing their guns at the advancing Jotun soldiers.

"Shit! They just keep coming!" Eric exclaimed.

"Well, if we're gonna go down, let's take these bastards with us!" Maui replied.

Eric sighed, trying his best to hold back the soldiers. "I really wish Elsa was here right now!"

"Where did she go anyway?" Maui inquired. "I thought she was going to call Hans to evacuate the civilians?"

"Plans change, sir!" Eric retorted, shooting a soldier in the head. He clicked his trigger again, finding no bullets. "Crap, out of ammo!"

"Well, that's just dandy!" Maui remarked.

Suddenly, the two of them heard a loud, howling sound coming from behind them. They turned around, seeing a horde of the ice monsters lurch from a corner, heading straight towards them.

"Shit!" Eric exclaimed. "Now we've got them to deal with!"

"Hold on, son," Maui said, looking at the crowd closely. " I don't think we will."

Leading the charge, on her motorcycle, with a stern look on her face, was Elsa. She held up her gun, pointing at the attacking soldiers. "Those are the ones who threaten you! Take them out!"

The Zombies roared at Elsa's command, immediately charging towards the troopers with fury and anguish, not wanting to see their home go down like this.

The Soldiers tried to fight back, but the creatures then overwhelmed them, each one tearing the soldier's limb from limb.

Eric stared on at the carnage in front of him, eyes wide with shock. "Woah... did not see that coming."

Elsa smiled, walking to his side. "I think we'll have no problem holding them back now," she stated, as the Zombies continued to back up the remaining militia troops.

"Yeah, but there's still that carrier vehicle," Maui stated. "That's still outside the city and there could be a lot more troops in there."

"Then that's where we're striking next," Elsa stated, holding a rifle over her shoulder. "Eric, Maui, get as many troops together as you can. We're going to lead a full assault on that carrier."

Eric saluted Elsa. "Yes, Ma'am!"

Soon, there was a massive group of snowcats racing out from the gates to Ground Zero, the Zombie hoard that Elsa had unleashed working to clear out the rest of the troops. Elsa knew that the creatures would obey her, and knew they would keep the city safe.

Maui sat in the driver's chair of the Snowcat, peering out of the window at the carrier vehicle ahead.

"So... Hans is dead, huh?" Maui remarked. "I never liked him anyway."

Elsa sighed. "There shouldn't be any more killing, not after today."

Maui then pulled down his radio. "All units! Prepare to attack!"

Elsa closed her eyes, holding her pistol in her hand. Storming this carrier would be the final thing that would bring her to Snowflake and to hopefully save her beloved. "I'm ready."

The attack began, with the Snowcats driving up the long ramp leading into the hangar. There were dozens of Jotun troops there, all opening fire with laser rifles, being led by a commander wearing bronze armour.

"Don't them pass!" He ordered before firing a rocket launcher at one of the Cats.

Elsa jumped out of her cat with Eric and the two led the forward charge, pushing forward through the hangar. It was a fierce, pitched battle, but soon, Elsa and the others had the enemy on the defensive.

"Remind me what the plan is?" Eric inquired.

"We're going to take the bridge," Elsa stated, shooting her pistol. "Once we have control, we'll have won this fight... and then we can get to Snowflake."

"Why are you so concerned about her right now?" Eric asked.

"Because I know she's in danger, Eric," Elsa reminded him. "I won't let her be the experiment of these Jotun bastards any longer!"

The commander of the troopers then ran towards a nearby elevator, escaping to the bridge of the carrier.

"He's getting away!" Maui shouted.

"Like hell, he isn't!" Elsa scowled. She grabbed Eric's arm and the two rushed through the gunfire to the elevator, taking the lift up to the bridge of the massive carrier.

The door soon opened and Elsa and Eric walked out, their rifles at the ready.

The commander had removed his helmet, currently working on a console. He saw Eric and Elsa standing before him, pointing his pistol at them. "Back off," he sternly told them. "Otherwise your friends down in the hangar will get a mouthful of toxic gas."

Eric scowled. "No, you don't!" He then lunged towards the commander and then a shot was fired from his gun.

Elsa's eyes widened in horror. "Eric!"

Eric then looked down at his stomach, seeing a blaster shot had gone through his combat vest and he was bleeding out. "Oh... fuck."

As Elsa saw her friend collapse onto the floor, she felt weak in the knees. She then screamed as she turned her pistol on the commander, firing a few shots into his chest.

The commander was thrown back from Elsa's attack, dying in an instant as a bullet landed in his head.

Elsa then sat at Eric's side, cradling him in her arms. "Eric! Eric!"

Eric coughed, blood coming from his lower lip. "Elsa... I... I'm sorry."

"No, we're getting you out of this!" Elsa argued. "You've been through worse right? Come on, remember that big ugly guy who broke your leg? Or that guy who got your arm?"

"Elsa..." Eric sighed. "This wound's too deep... I won't make it."

"You're gonna make it, fuck it!" Elsa swore. "Come on! I can't let Ariel's kids be without a father!"

Eric coughed a bit. "Elsa...I...I need you to do something for me, okay?" He took off his wedding ring and placed it in the palm of Elsa's hand. "Give this...to Ariel. Tell her...tell her that I'll wait for her on the other side. And...tell Melody to be strong, and take care of Rosa."

Elsa's eyes filled with tears. "You can't die, Eric..."

Eric smirked. "Tell my family...that I...I love them..." With that, his eyes slowly closed, his body going limp as life finally left him.

Elsa sobbed, holding the body of her fallen friend. "Eric..." She gulped. "Thank you, my friend." She hugged him tightly. "I will not forget you."

At that moment, Maui and a few troops arrived on the bridge. "We cleared the hangar, Elsa." He then looked down, seeing Eric's body. "Oh god... Is he?"

Elsa turned and nodded. "Yeah... he's gone, Maui."

Maui sighed. "Damn... he was a good soldier."

At that moment, Elsa saw a light flare from behind her. She turned around and saw something being projected in front of her from the console the enemy commander had been working on.

It was a hologram, in the shape of a human face with grey hair and blue eyes.

"So... we finally meet, Elsa Walker," he said in a cold British voice. "My name is Dr Frollo."

Elsa scowled. "You're the one in the white coat aren't you," she sternly said. "The one Snowflake was scared of."

"Yes, you might be right there," he chuckled.

Elsa growled. "Enough playing games, old man. Where's my girlfriend?!"

"She's safe," Frollo replied. "If you wish to see her, you must come to the coordinates I am about to give you. Come alone and unarmed."

"Why should I?" Elsa argued.

"Because if you don't," the doctor told her. "I'll inject her with enough Rime serum to do permanent damage to her body and... you don't want to see what happens when someone suffers an overdose of my serum. The clock is ticking, Elsa."

The hologram then faded and Maui walked to a computer console, seeing a readout on a holographic screen. "These are the coordinates, Elsa... it's a trap, you know that."

"I know," Elsa said. "But Eric didn't just die so Snowflake and I could be apart forever. I have to go Maui." She looked out of the window. "I have to do this for the woman I love. I'm going to end all of this, once and for all."

xXx

Author's note: Oh shit... Eric's dead... he's really dead guys. No seriously, he's dead. He died a heroic death, giving his life so his friends may live... but Elsa has other things to worry about right now, like her girlfriend currently being the hostage of good ol Claude Frollo. I chose him mainly because of the actor doing his voice, Tony Jay, did loads of amazing voices for cartoon villains back in the day, so here's to you Mr Jay, a tribute if you will of one of your best characters shining as the great antagonist of my fanfic.

I'll be posting the actual finale at the end of the week, so stay tuned for that. I'll see ya'll then.