Epilogue: Ich Hatt'einen Kameraden

Disclaimer: As always recognizable franchises are not owned by me. The Pit and G.I. Joe will have further involvement in future parts of the Apostasy sereis. I intended this fic to introduce my O.C.s (Samantha and Bryce) to the G.I. Joe and later the Misfitverse. At the very end I'll be alluding to yet another '80s cartoon and potential point for crossover.

Nigel: I'd like to point out to RoguefanKC that I'm British, not Australian...So there's no way Brumby is another me. There's only one of me afoot...

---

"Oh no..." Samantha whimpered, almost certain Bryce had gotten himself killed.

Almost a heartbeat or two later Bryce leapt through the window of the ruined house, his AK in one hand, and his Glock in the other, both weapons out of ammunition.

"I thought you were dead." Samantha began, relieved.

Bryce reloaded both his weapons and said, "We're likely to be dead soon if we don't get the hell out of here."

Just then a shower of orbs appeared before them. "You again!" Hyde replied and promptly punched Brumby in the face.

"Alright, I may have deserved that one, mate. Let me make it up to you." Brumby replied, "Find the Chamber of the Traveler and..."

"Great, more vague clues." Hyde snapped.

"Let me give you the bloody directions, mate." Brumby replied.

"Where is this Chamber of the Traveler?" Samantha asked.

"A hidden chamber under Scheherezade's old palace, to the north." Brumby replied.

"Right to where the Heartless are coming from." Bryce replied.

"Nobody said this would be easy, mate." Brumby countered.

"How can we trust you?" Bryce replied.

"Put it this way, mate, do you have any other choice?" Brumby replied.

"Why are you helping us?" Samantha asked.

"Easy, Sheila, I really detest the idea of leaving people behind." Brumby replied, "It never sat well with me..."

"The name's Samantha, not Sheila..." Samantha replied.

"No, Sheila's what we call girls down under." Brumby replied before he orbed away.

"Can we trust 'im?" Hyde asked.

"Put it this way, do we have a choice." Bryce replied, grimly as he searched the floor.

"What are you looking for?" Samantha asked.

"A tunnel, if we can get into the sewer system, maybe we can avoid fighting. My ammo's starting to run low." Bryce replied.

"Here's one." Hyde replied, as they ducked down the tunnel, heading North towards the Chamber of the Traveler.

---

"I don't suppose you know how to activate any of this equipment?" Samantha asked as they peered around the large stone chamber, with numerous strange forms of machinery and four ancient statues.

"Unfortunately no." Bryce replied.

Scheherazade appeared before them just then, "I believe I can help. The statues have machines in them to activate the portal to your dimension."

"Well, complex though it is, at least there aren't any Heartless around. We gave them the slip..." Bryce began.

The sounds of several Heartless coming down the tunnels could be heard. "You spoke a bit too soon mate." Hyde replied.

"We're doing no good by just yammering." Bryce replied, dropping behind cover and engaging the first two Heartless that appeared with a burst of gunfire from his AK-47, "Samantha, go with Scheherazade and start the equipment. We'll hold the Heartless off."

Samantha wordlessly nodded as Bryce fired more rounds, killing several more Heartless. She headed for the first of four large statues, and began to fiddle around with some levers at Scherazade's direction. "Got one."

"Good. Hurry and get the others." Bryce shouted as he reloaded.

"This isn't like warming up my PC back home." Samantha retorted, "There's some tricks to it."

"Hurry up and figure them out." Bryce shouted as he fired the last of a magazine into a NeoShadow that leapt towards him. The creature lay on the ground twitching as Bryce pulled out his Glock and shot it in the head, "I'm almost out of rounds."

"Just buy me some time." Samantha replied.

Hyde twisted the neck of a Soldier Heartless that was about to jump onto Bryce's back and claw him to death and threw the limp corpse into a trio of charging Shadows. Bryce tossed one of two grenades he had left onto the three Shadows.

"Watch your back, Bryce." Hyde replied.

Bryce nodded in reply and fired some more bursts of gunfire, short controlled bursts that killed or crippled Heartless whenever he squeezed the trigger. He flicked the selector switch to single fire, the situation was getting to where full auto might not be the best option. Three magazines left, God, Samantha please figure this technology out...

Samantha raced to the second statue, the one closest to the entrance. She could see Bryce aiming and firing rapidly at Heartless advancing into the chamber, together with several Nobodies. Hyde was grappling with a Neoshadow.

Another Neoshadow leapt towards her just then only to be drop kicked by Hyde, who let out a feral roar as he stomped on the creature's neck. The sound of bones crunching could be heard echoing loudly. Hyde threw himself into another fight, with another deranged howl, tackling a third Soldier Heartless, who inflicted several scratches. Bryce put his weapon to the creature's temple and squeezed off one round, killing it instantly.

Samantha, with shaking hands threw the second series of switches as Bryce and Hyde continued to try and hold off the attacking Heartless. The tip of the spear held in the statue's hand began to glow a faint blue shade and a shaft of blue light extended outward towards the center of the room, above the large stone pool. It joined the first shaft of blue light and a glowing translucent sphere began to form. She ran to the third statue, just as Bryce swung his AK, sending the steel backed wooden stock into the side of a Neoshadow's skull.

She ran to the third statue, again throwing the series of switches in a sequence. Samantha saw Hyde lob a loose rock at a cluster of Heartless, crushing several of them, but still the kept coming. So many Heartless and Nobodies lay shot up or broken in several pieces all about the place that their living comrades had to climb over them.

Bryce had his Glock out and was squeezing off shots, accurate head and chest shots that resulted in kills. Down to my last magazine, both weapons, Samantha, for God's sake, hurry...

Samantha raced, faster than she ever ran towards the next statue, again throwing the switches in the proper sequence and the fourth shaft of light joined, and the sphere glowed brightly. However the chamber shook violently, sending debris falling everywhere.

Samantha raced over to Bryce, "I've got it open."

"Good, get through it." Bryce replied, as another tremor hit, "By the look of things it doesn't look like this building's gonna hold out that much longer."

"What about the reports?" Samantha said.

"I'll hold on to them." Bryce replied, "I'll make sure that the right people will know about the threat of the Heartless and Nobodies."

"What about everyone else?" Samantha asked.

"We'll take care of them. Just go through." Bryce replied.

"Will you make sure that people know about the Heartless?" Samantha asked.

"Yes." Bryce replied, "In you go."

"Will I ever see you again?" Samantha asked.

"Probably not." Bryce replied.

"Goodbye." Samantha said, with a sudden flood of emotion as she jumped into the portal and was gone.

"Alright, 'o's next?" Hyde asked.

"You go next, I'll cover you." Bryce replied.

"Bollocks mate, you've got those reports." Hyde replied, "You've got the actual proof that we went through all this."

"I doubt this chamber is going to hold for more than one more jump." Bryce replied, when Samantha had gone through, the chamber shook more violently, causing more debris to rain down.

"In you go!" Hyde shouted, practically shoving Bryce into the portal.

It was just then that another tremor struck and the portal vanished. More Nobodies and Heartless flooded into the chamber. Hyde flexed his hands and muscles, briefly remembering his two traveling companions and all the times they had shared. He had allowed them to return to their world, and now it was time to go out to the great beyond, to atone for the crimes he had committed long before he had met Samantha and Bryce.

"Come on you bastards!" Hyde growled as he picked up a section of bronze piping, "Get what's coming to you..."

Hyde allowed himself to be fully in thrall of his animalistic and violent side as he flung himself straight into the mass of Heartless and Nobodies, fighting with wild abandon, ignoring wounds inflicted and smashing bones and tearing flesh. He was going to die, he was sure, but not without killing as many of the bastards attacking him as he possibly could.

---

"Lightfoot?" Footloose said, as he saw the CIA man heading towards their perimeter, looking seriously knackered and definitely the worst for wear.

"Yeah, it's me." Bryce replied, "Get Chuckles and Falcon over here quick. You guys aren't going to believe this..."

Several hours later: "You're right, Bryce, it's unbelievable." Chuckles replied.

"I hardly believed it happened myself. How long was I missing?" Bryce asked.

"About half a day, which is puzzling." Falcon replied, "According to your watch, you've been gone for three days."

"It had to have been that weird chamber we were in." Bryce replied, "That dimensional travel machine had to have sent me back somewhere near the time I went missing."

"And what about this other person that was with you, the journalist?" Falcon asked.

"Her name was Samantha Grayson." Bryce replied.

"I looked her up on our computer database, it's all right here." Chuckles replied, "Samantha Julia Grayson. Twenty-two years old. Graduated near the top of her class from Great Northern University's Randall School of Journalism, new reporter for the Bay Mirror...Sounds like a classic Lois Lane type..."

Bryce glared at Chuckles.

"I'm gonna start writing that report, Langley's gonna want some questions answered." Bryce replied.

"Get some rest first," Tucker said, "You look like hell, Bryce."

"I'll be fine." Bryce replied.

"Go get some sleep." Tucker replied, "Write that report tomorrow. I'll let Langley know everything you've told us."

Bryce lumbered across the compound towards the small hut where the CIA paramilitaries had taken residence. He checked both his weapons over, stripping them down and cleaning them as he sat on his cot, before reassembling both AK and Glock.

He took off his boots and socks, putting them on a clothes line running through the middle of the room. He thought back on the past three days events, already missing having Samantha and Hyde around. Strange how I bonded with those two after only three days.

Alone in the small hut, Bryce wondered if Hyde had gotten away. Probably not. Hyde had proven to have somewhat controlled his wild, supposedly evil, half. In fact Hyde had grown to be a trusted companion.

"Ich hatt'einen Kameraden." Bryce silently sang to himself, remembering word for word the old German song to commemorate the fallen, "Einen bessern findst du nit. Die Trommel schlug zum Streite, er ging an meiner Seite. In gleichem Schritt und Tritt. In gleichem Schritt und Tritt..."

Fitting song to commemorate Mr. Hyde. Ich Hatt'einen Kameraden, the dirge for the fallen. Bryce thought, In the end you proved yourself, and you saved my life.

"Eine Kugel kam geflogen: Gilt's mir oder gilt es dir? Ihn hat es weggerissen, Er liegt vor meinen Füßen. Al war's ein Stuck von mir. Al war's ein Stuck von mir..." Bryce continued, "Will mir die Hand noch reichen, Derweil ich eben lad. "Kann dir die Hand nicht geben, Bleib du im we'gen Leben, Mein guter Kamerad! Mein guter Kamerad!"

"To a loyal, if somewhat contentious comrade." Bryce reflected. His thoughts turned to Samantha just then. I wonder how Samantha's doing back in San Francisco.

Probably back with her boyfriend, what was his name again, Taylor or Tyler or something like that. Bryce thought. Very likely enjoying her new life, probably gonna go around and get married, pump out the two point five kids and live in a house with the white picket fence. Bryce felt a stab of hurt as he thought of that. Strange how a couple days with the girl caused him to bond with her.

Hell a few years ago she'd have been the sort of girl I'd have put the A-game on for...Well, hey, no use musing on the one that got away...Bryce thought before he fell asleep.

---

"My God Samantha, you look exhausted." Phoebe said.

"I'm not really feeling well..." Samantha replied.

"Where were you?" Phoebe asked.

"I was feeling sick." Samantha replied, "I think I've caught that bug that's been going around. How long was I gone?"

"About half an hour." Phoebe said, touching Samantha's arm.

Phoebe felt that familiar feeling that came with a vision. She could see Samantha together with a large, overmuscled fellow standing over six and a half feet tall and a swarthy fellow wearing a gray sweater, jeans, hiking boots and carrying an AK-47 with some webbing on his shoulders talking to...Cole. He's still alive...

"Come on," Phoebe said, "I'll get you home."

"Thanks." Samantha said, looking wan and tired, "But I've got that fashion show to cover..."

"I'll help you. I'll take some notes and you can write the article from there." Phoebe replied, reluctant to leave Samantha out of her sight.

Shortly after Phoebe had dropped her off at home, Samantha lay in bed, sipping a warm cup of tea. Hard to believe that I befriended those two so quickly. I wonder what Bryce is up to right now? Probably back at that silver mine in Mexico, providing security. He seems like a nice enough guy, but there was something else about him...

There was a knock on the door and Samantha walked over and looked through the spy hole. She forgot her tiredness as she saw Amanda Walker and Lauren Callahan, her former college roommates and best friends. She opened the door and threw her arms around each of them.

After they disentangled themselves from each other, Amanda said, "We have a surprise for you..."

"Oh, what's that?" Samantha replied.

"Oh he's a senior at GNU, the star quarterback, eyes of blue, great smile, wavy blonde hair..." Amanda said with a smile.

Tyler McManaway walked around the corner right then and Samantha practically flung herself into his arms. After a brief kiss, Tyler said, "Happy to see me?"

"Very much..." Samantha replied.

---

"It seems too incredulous to be true." Flint said as he perused the document coming from the Mexico Area of Operations called the Lightfoot Report.

"What do we know about Mr. Lightfoot?" Hawk asked.

"He's currently a member of the CIA's Special Activities Division. Before that he was a company commander with the First Infantry Division, after a short tour with the US Navy as a surface warfare officer." Flint replied.

"He doesn't sound like the type to make false claims." Duke replied, "Which is why I'm surprised that the Jugglers dismissed his report...There was too much evidence to support his claim, and not just the Secret Ansem Reports which the CIA promptly classified. Not to mention the fact that almost all of his ammunition had been expended. And that his watch was three days ahead."

"Which is why I'm not surprised that the Jugglers dismissed his report. Especially considering that Eddington recommended that Lightfoot be dismissed from the CIA." Hawk replied, "And that his signature was on the form that vetoed this report. It seems like their trying to bury him under a mound of bullshit and bureaucracy to keep the truth from coming out."

"So what about this other witness, Samantha Grayson?" Flint asked.

"She's back in San Francisco, we're trying to see if we have any operatives there who can make contact with her." Duke replied, "If the CIA doesn't first."

"This is yet another paranormal occurrence that's come about since we first discovered the Heartless." Flint replied.

"Recently the Chest of Demons has gone missing as well." Duke added, "Our listening post in Tibet recorded sightings of black hooded figures coming into the temple of Vincent Van Ghoul."

"Looks like the old Mystery Group is about to be active, yet again." Flint replied, "Chasing 13 of the most terrifying ghosts around the world."

"Just what we need, a bunch of meddling kids and a couple Great Danes running around chasing ghosts." Duke replied.

"They're a good bit older than the bunch of meddling kids they were, Duke." Flint replied.

"Either way, another group that needs watching." Duke replied, "Looks like the Intel folks are gonna be busy with this one..."

---

"We have the Chest of Demons, but there is a snag. A Nobody cannot open it. Only a human can." Vexen said as he spoke to Eddington and several assembled villains.

"That can be arranged." Eddington began.

"No, that is not your part of the fight, Eddington. There are human enemies you must face. Threats to our cause..." Vexen replied.

"We've already suppressed the Lightfoot Report." Eddington replied peevishly.

"We're not talking about the Lightfoot Report, but I appreciate your prompt action to the matter." Vexen replied.

"Then what are you referring to. Certainly not the mutants." Stryker replied, "My FOH teams are dispatching any that we find, despite the intervention of the X-men, Misfits, and Incredibles."

"I refer to the witches. Not just the Charmed Ones, but witches in general pose a threat to your quest. Eliminate them, and the way will be cleared." Vexen replied.

"It will be difficult." another voice sounded, "But not impossible."

An dark haired man in his forties walked into the room. "The name is Agent Jackman. The Charmed Ones and I have had our encounters and I am familiar with the ways of hunting witches. The Purity Faction will be more than happy to assist and moreover provide no trace of your involvement in our operations."

"That's all well and good, but what do you stand to gain?" Eddington asked.

"Why revenge against the Charmed Ones. What better way to hurt the most powerful of witches than to cull the numbers of other witches, force them to chase down bands of witch hunters..." Jackman replied, with a predatory grin.

---

Finish...

In case you missed the last reference in Chapter Four, Bryce is half German and half Native American (Arapaho specifically).

Also here's a rough translation to what Bryce was singing:

In battle he was my comrade,
None better I have had.
The drum called us to fight,
He always on my right,
: In step, through good and bad. :

A bullet it flew towards us,
For him or meant for me?
His life from mine it tore,At my feet a piece of gore,
: As if a part of me. :

His hand reached up to hold mine.
I must re-load my gun.
"My friend, I cannot ease your pain,
In life eternal we'll meet again,
: And walk once more as one." :