Act 2 Prologue

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Setting:

1978, September

A café in Berlin

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"Iris, I think it's important for you to know this, do you mind giving me a minute?"

"Hum? Hold on, Beato. Let me finish this chapter."

Irisdina snapped a peek at Beatrix from behind the hardcover of her book. She was elegantly holding the open paperback between her pinkie finger and thumb, seemingly absorbed by the plot provided in its text as she slipped on her tea.

"What're you reading?" Sitting across from her best friend, Beatrix had trouble identifying the words painted on the front.

"Nineteen Eighty-Four, the novel by George Orwell, I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Ah, yes. I have always wanted to read it, however my father forbid me from touching it… until recently, that is." Irisdina's eyebrows jumped by a tiny margin, almost too insignificant to notice.

"What is it you want to tell me, Beato?" She slammed the book shut on the mention of Beatrix's father, presumably because it wasn't a topic Iris enjoyed discussing.

"Well, it's about Jürgen and I… we'll be… I suppose disappearing for some time soon."

"…What?" Mild shock replaced most other expressions on Irisdina's feature.

"As you know, Jürgen has been chasing after his dream for longer than we've known each other. Finally, we fathomed together a method of obtaining his vision. This is a very exciting time for us both, and you as well, Iris."

"Wait! What are you two planning on doing!?" Unexpectedly, Irisdina's reaction was not on the pleasant side.

"Following his ambition, we will bring the dawn of a new age for our nation…"

For a long time, Irisdina remained completely silent, her face flawlessly hid away any conceivable emotion she felt. Beatrix only watched for her response, drinking a bit of her own tea to pass the time until her friend spoke again.

"I see… what are you two going to do, exactly?" She wanted the facts this time.

"Well… it's difficult to say here, but with my father's influence, I have decided on joining the Stasi and endorsing Jürgen's promotions within the NVA. I'm sure there'll be obstacles, however it should be nothing we cannot handle."

"The MfS? I thought you did everything you could to avoid ever becoming involved with them. This whole affair is disturbing, Beato." It was slowly coming to Beatrix's attention that maybe revealing her plan to Iris wasn't the best course of action.

"That is still my initial preference, but for Jürgen's sake, I will manage being a part of the secret police. His determination to protect everyone is shared with me, we are both fighting for a better future- for us all."

"And how do you imagine that will happen? They will just leisurely accept your resume? Set up a brand new office for you to work out your papers? Bargain to pardon any misunderstandings that entangle you?" Irisdina wasn't taking Beatrix's update kindly, a little hostile, even.

"Iris, where is this offensive sarcasm coming from? Do you have something you wa—"

"-Of course I have something to say! You're taking the risk of enlisting in the Ministerium too lightly! It's not a game for the two of you, how can you not understand the danger of meddling with the State's security force!"

The flavoured water resting in Beatrix's cup rippled madly as Irisdina muffled her yell to the best of her ability, her effort was worth barely enough since they were cleared of any attention from onlookers. She could tell her best friend was upset for a good reason, but it was too late in their stage of operation to complaint.

"Whatever danger there is, I know I'm prepared to face it. Like I said, everything I do; I do for Jürgen. You don't have to fear for him, Iris."

"I fear for the both of you! You're attempting to control a power you cannot comprehend! It's too dangerous to go against the Party! It's even more reckless to try and seize it from within!"

"So you suggest we remain as puppets and dance to the State's will!? For Jürgen to forever remain as a soldier till his early death!? I will not allow that! I have suffered as another man's tool, I will not let that same fate befallen Jürgen…"

Ruby pupils met the glare of Sapphire eyes head on, neither side broke concentration after their heated argument. Retorting to Irisdina's fierce accusation with the same severe tone, only a heavy silence followed Beatrix's statement.

"…'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing'… do you know who said that?" Calmingly, Beatrix took a sip of her tea again.

"I don't."

"Funny you should say that, that quote has been misattributed for quite some time. I still personally believe it to be Edmund Burke who first mentioned it in some shape or form, but the exact context is lost…"

"Beato! This is nowhere near to what we were talking about!" The angry blonde girl wasn't interested in the origin of a quote.

"Listen to me, Iris. If we let the status-quo maintain with the Stasi executing anyone and anything that opposes the Party's rule, East Germany will be done for. We have to change, but that change cannot be done in public, you understand? For that role, Jürgen and I have the perfect cover to eventually cripple and replace the corruption of this country."

"Even so! Even if someone must change the way this nation functions, you can't force Jürgen to be the one who bears that responsibility!" In Beatrix's eyes, there was a fundamental misunderstanding for Iris.

"It is not I who suggested Jürgen into anything, he wished to be the one joining MfS, actually. And furthermore, he is a free man, it is not your decision to choose his future."

"Is he not my brother as much as he is your lover!? How come you can stand by him all the time and I can't!? I haven't seen him for almost two years now! And you're telling me he's going away again without an estimate on when he'll be back!?" Her reaction to it all was getting on Beatrix's nerves, had Irisdina still not grown up from her childish self?

"Stop acting so spoiled, Iris. You know why Jürgen is unable to spend time caring for you, both for general reasons and personal ones. You have lived in grandeur until half a year ago, training to become a surface pilot does not equal to understanding true obligation as an individual."

Were her words too harsh for the young trainee? Beatrix honestly couldn't tell. Her friend's deadpan countenance as she stared into her teacup informed Beatrix nothing about her current emotion, so she only assumed that Iris wasn't too detached from reality. It was her own fault, after all, she shouldn't have displeased Jürgen by meeting their mother.

"Oh, look at the time, I have to be on my way now. Sorry for the sudden leave, but here, I brought you this as a present." From the inside of her tiny purse, Beatrix offered a small case to the girl still sitting across from her. It was to her best preference if she could stay a bit longer, but a Stasi meeting for new recruit was taking place regardless of her availability.

"Beato, what is this?" Irisdina fumbled the plastic box around, seeing if she could pinpoint its content.

"Why don't you open it and see?" So she did just that.

"…Mein Gott… Beato, this is beautiful…"

What Irisdina discovered in the box gifted to her by her best friend was none other than a steel cross necklace. The four pointy edges of the ornament were fine filed to a sharp tip with a small gap, along the beams of the crucifix were cuts engraved into the accessory making it appear to be two beams instead of one. Lastly, on the centremost of the rood, a vermillion Ruby was entrenched into the shape of diamond.

"I… err, received a front payment for passing the enlistment test of the Stasi… so I thought this would be a fitting present for you seeing as your birthday is coming up soon, Iris." It was actually a little awkward for Beatrix, she wasn't used to gifting others.

"But Beato… this Ruby must have cost- I can't even imagine its price!"

"Don't worry too much about it, okay? My gift to my first and best friend, it's worth it as long as you treasure it. See it as an apology for mine and Jürgen's absence, if you will. I really must leave now, goodbye, Irisdina." Perceiving herself to be in a haste, Beatrix left a sizable one hundred East German Mark note on her way out.

Act 2 Prologue End

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Act 2-1

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Narration by:

Beatrix Brehme (Tragic sociopathic heroine)

Starring:

Jürgen Bernhard (Never forget)

Heinz Axmann (An age long rival)

Featuring:

Irisdina Bernhard (The other main character)

Setting:

1979, October

An East Berlin central Stasi military base

A blustery October night in East Germany was a quiet night, like all other evenings in the Socialist country. The never-ending echoing of gunshots were shielded from the public's ears, the shallow graves spreading to every inch of the country's soil were no concern to the masses, they slept soundly even when a blood moon hung low above the black horizon.

In one of those buildings, just like any other, people's lives were again coming to an abrupt end.

"Under the suspicion of conspiring against the East Germany Socialist Party, the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit will officially ask you to prove your allegiance to the State." A repulsive voice transmitted to her ears, how that man could be called human was beyond Beatrix's imagination.

Coming out of a world filled with darkness, Beatrix adjusted quickly to the dim lights as the blindfold was removed from her face. She stared out the tinted long window reflecting the image of a perfect red moon, she remembered how it appeared so similar to the scarlet red of her pupils, she remembered how Jürgen always loved that light from her eyes every time their gazes met. But most of all, it was Beatrix he loved, he loved every part of her wonderful self; she too, wouldn't treat him for the world.

Their love was eternal, but the flesh still separated men between life and death. And the touch on her skin right now was cold, the icy touch of death.

"Unterleutnant Beatrix Brehme, will you accept the great honour of executing a traitor to our country and proving your loyalty at once?" She had a clear and distinct answer, only in her mind, that is.

"…" If glare could kill, Beatrix would have sent Hauptmann Heinz Axmann to the deepest level of hell.

"Oh my… Comrade Unterleutnant, should I take that death stare as an act of defiance? I don't think the conspirator here would appreciate you being sentenced to death along with him."

There obviously was only one man Axmann could be referring to; she knew all too clearly whose life was about to come to an end by her own hands, that was the truth forcefully slammed into her reality, a fact she couldn't avoid no matter what effort she devoted to changing the future.

How Beatrix wished she could remain still with those blindfolds on, to fool herself into becoming ignorant to the world's cruelty, to society's injustice. Or perhaps if the hands of clock could revert her world back in time, giving her a brand new redemption to mend her terrible mistakes.

However there was no miracle in her universe, the one who gave her the only one was kneeling by her very feet.

"Well… I don't get a greeting, Love?"

"…Jürgen…!" Murmuring her partner's name was all she could do.

"Yeah, this's a bit awkward, I'll admit. Haven't seen you in give or take three months, Bea. How have you been?"

"Ahh…"

How was he doing this? How could Jürgen start a casual conversation with his wrists tied together by handcuffs? Beatrix was more than appalled by his lack of concern for oneself, this was almost doubtlessly the last night of his unfairly short life.

"Answer the traitor, Unterleutnant Brehme, you should give him at least a peace of mind." Axmann ordered her in a condescending tone, there was little Beatrix could do to decline, nor did she want to.

"I… I was fine, Dear… m-my work is proceeding nicely too… t-the Ministerium offered me a d-deal of sorts, actually. The Werwolf unit my father asked you to energize a while back… I-I'm thinking I'll get that started- maybe…" Beatrix never realized how difficult it was to speak while holding back a sea of tears in her eye sockets.

"That's great! Herr. Brehme wanted it to be a Battalion, if I remember correctly. I'm quite proud of you for rising through the ranks so quickly, what will you be? A Major if the Battalion is created?"

"…Y-yeah…" The nerves around her mouth strained to form a smile, that pain too, was delivered to her brain in full.

"Hahaha, good news indeed. So what do the Stasi want you to do in exchange?"

"-JÜRGEN! Please… NO!" Beatrix physically couldn't withhold her scream as the young war hero laughed away.

"Hihihi… you two are a joy to watch, I can say that much." Off to the side, Axmann himself found the chat hilarious, the polar opposite of Beatrix's opinion.

"Awww, and you ruined it instantly, Comrade Axmann. What a shame." Jürgen spoke with a mocking attitude to earn the Captain's anger.

"Because I had enough of this drama, I'm more interested in its eventual climax, as it should be."

Exiting the shadows, the despicable Stasi officer tapped his toes on the pavement to announce his own advance. A couple of steps later, Beatrix's face was inches away from the man known and feared as the Ministry's Brown Beast. A sadistic grin ripped across Axmann's face while he studied both Jürgen and her in conceit.

Beatrix tried her best to stare back at Jürgen's mortal enemy, but the fear and horror crawling away her heart turned her determination into mush. She had grown wonderfully over the almost full year after her enlistment in the Stasi, but if the brunette ever had one fatal weakness, that was her love for East Germany's ace pilot.

"Oberleutnant Jürgen Bernhard, you have been accused and adjudicated for the crime of conspiracy, attempted sabotage, treason against the East Germany Socialist Party. Additionally, we have also discovered your relationship with many of the criminals responsible for the Moonlit Night Incident. These are your registered crimes, do you care to differ?"

A red notebook was Axmann's tool of accusation when he read a list of wrongdoings connected to Jürgen, calling out on the Stasi's blatant nonsense was Beatrix's first reaction, but her inference here would only endanger the pair further.

"What's the point, Axmann? Let's get on with it." As for Jürgen, he was way too uncaring about his own wellbeing, much to Beatrix's dread.

"In conclusion, the Stasi have decided you to be unsuited for political indoctrination. Instead, your execution will be overseen by me and carried out immediately."

"What a bloody surprise." Jürgen's lofty smirk didn't help Beatrix in keeping him alive.

"This reminds me, Unterleutnant Brehme; while I will not deny how the Stasi doesn't often divulge its evidence in accusing citizens as enemy of the State, I do actually have a valid testimony against Jürgen Bernhard for his crimes. Do you wish to know more?"

"Axmann! That's unnecessa—"

"-What!? Someone…! But no! That's-…!" Her almost fatal slip of tongue was caught at the last second as Beatrix was overwhelmed by the concept of being informed.

"Impossible, you say? Perhaps so. Even with our near flawless surveillance, it was difficult to follow Jürgen Bernhard's every move. I highly suspect that was how he escaped the Moonlit Night purge as well. Nevertheless, none of this matters with solid proof from my informant."

"Then who!? Who is it!? Who turned on him!?" Deep down, Beatrix already had a glimpse of the repugnant truth, but she wanted to reject her doubt until the last second. Because if it was any other man breathing on this planet, she swore to make it a living hell for Jürgen's betrayer.

"Irisdina Bernhard." The cold reality struck harder than any fabrication, there was always merely one other person who knew.

"No! No, no, no-NO! You lie! It's a LIE!" Only a feeble denial was stopping her from breaking down in tears.

"Bea… it's okay, you don't have reject what you know to be fact. I never predicted for my sister to turn against me, but life always finds a way to surprise, I suppose. Now that the past is behind, I will tell you to beware of Iris, constantly keep your eyes open for anything you don't expect."

"But… bu-but why!? None of this makes sense! She's your sister! Why would she sell you out like that!?"

"I don't know… and I'm not sure whether I want to." Jürgen shook his head. There existed no logic in any of Irisdina's actions, Beatrix stood baffled and heartbroken by her best friend's behaviour.

"Even I was surprised when she came to inform on Comrade Oberleutnant. Albeit she didn't foresee for his punishment to be death, or else she wouldn't have revealed so much so willingly." Axmann charmed in arrogantly to brag, shifting her blame in the process.

"Then you deceived her! It was all you, Axmann!"

"Ridiculous, how can one trap a prey delivering itself to the nest? I'll confess I told Irisdina nothing of the consequences for informing on Oberleutnant Bernhard, but it was still her own decision to seek my assistance." Straight up refuting Beatrix's claim, the Stasi Officer was apparently earnest to his words.

"No…! No way…! Iris wouldn't- …she wouldn't betray us like that!" Beatrix still unashamedly refused what she knew to be the irrefutable certainty.

"It's okay, Bea… everything will be okay." Jürgen's empty words brought little to no reassurance.

"It truly is time now, Beatrix Brehme, someone has to die today and I don't want to keep Valkyries of Valhalla waiting." The very core of that ideal was insulted the moment Axmann spoke of their belief.

Implying himself as more superior, Axmann drew the pistol holstered to his waist; an all-steel Walther PPK-L with an aluminum alloy frame. He ejected the seven-round magazine with the click of a button and twirled the chambered gun forward for two full loops before altering to a counter-clockwise spin.

"Comrade Brehme, execute this traitor immediately." The handgun given to her was lighter than any firearm Beatrix ever had the pleasure- or displeasure of wielding, yet that only applied to its physical weight.

In her hands, the young girl held responsibly weighting to a thousand tons. His dream, his desire for a better tomorrow and his will to protect those he deemed essential all ended in a prejudicial failure. How ruthless was the universe to play the pair of lovers like fools until their Shakespearean finale, what had she done in her past life to deserve such tragedy?

"What's the matter, Comrade Brehme? Shoot this criminal now, or do you prefer to share the same fate as your partner instead?" Limited to two simple choices, Beatrix could either die or kill, nothing more.

"Wa-wait… please…! I-I know you w-want me, Hauptmann Axmann… I-I-I do whatever you ask… anything! So p-please-! At least not right now! Please- I beg of you! Just don't do this—!"

Tears were pouring down the sides of Beatrix's cheeks like a salty waterfall, she felt her legs trembling uncontrollably to the beating rhythm of her humiliated heart. At her rope's end, the desperate girl was willing to discard all her pride in exchange for the man she loved.

"Bea, stop this. You don't need to lower yourself to this man, this sort of deed hurts me deeply." Jürgen's sincere warning put a stop to Beatrix's crying.

"Hoh? You're that determined to die, Comrade Bernhard?"

"And you, Axmann. You should really give that sadistic hobby of yours a rest, ever tried to find some joy in life?" Again, the blonde man's self-confidence was as reckless as it was source-less.

"Are you really that eager to step into the afterlife, Jürgen?!" Somehow, his poise did get under the skin of this Stasi Captain.

"Alright, Axmann, untie me for a bit. I have one last thing to do."

"…What?" Genuine astonishment surfaced on the red-haired man's face.

"Do you really want to watch me die like this? On my knees with my hands snarled, unable to act out one last performance or speak out my last words? That wouldn't be fun for you, would it?"

"And you think you can entertain me? You? A man minutes away from his death?"

"Allow me to attempt."

By one miracle or another, Axmann was seriously seeing value in letting Jürgen off his knees. Beatrix couldn't come close to comprehending what type of relationship these two shared during his time away, but it was clear that the profile she learned from her father wasn't fitting Heinz Axmann's image.

"…Okay. I look forward to whatever you wish to do, think of it as my final farewell present.

"How much appreciated, Comrade."

"Someone release this man." And just like that, one of the many soldiers pretending to be a statue stepped out and cut apart the ropes chaining Jürgen from one wrist to another.

Jürgen rose up to his feet, snapping his neck and flexing his muscles. Being confined to such an uncomfortable position for so long must have been tiring to say the least, however watching the quick hops this man was doing to get his body active made anyone observing reconsider.

"Jürgen…!"

"Bea, sorry for pulling you into all this trouble. Here." As Jürgen's warm arms reached around Beatrix and pulled her into a tight embrace, the Stasi 2nd Lieutenant experienced her first euphoric moment in months. If only they could remain like this, forever connected to each other.

"Don't go! Don't leave me behind, Jürgen!"

"I'm sorry, love. You know that's not how it works." Why must he remind her once more? Why couldn't they catch a break in-between ages of suffering?

"Then… at least… let me be toget—"

"Shhh- shh…that will defeat the purpose of everything I've done, where I must go is a place you cannot visit. It's a place we all must eventually travel to, but everyman have to await their turn." Listening to Jürgen's metaphor destabilized Beatrix's emotions further, fresh tears never seemed to run dry from her eyes.

"Jürgen…! This isn't fair! You've done everything in your power to help this country! To save this country's people! Is this your reward!? For fighting for humanity's victory!?" At this point, Beatrix paid no attention to the careful use of her phrases, Axmann's taste wasn't so awful as to ruin his own fun by pressing against her as well.

"Sometimes, we're repaid in the most unimaginable way possible."

"Still! That's jus—" Suddenly, Jürgen leaned in close, inches away from Beatrix's earlobes.

"-Sometimes, we must reward ourselves."

What he whispered to her; what Axmann definitely couldn't hear standing over there; what Beatrix barely caught on the edge of her auricle- it was a sentence with its meaning was coated in mystery.

"You don't mea—"

"-Bernhard, as much as I love witnessing the tragic goodbye of any pair of lovers, you're running down my patience." Rudely interrupted by Axmann, she was forced to back down from reaching his answer.

"Right, right, Comrade. Now onto the main event."

Finally letting go of Beatrix, Jürgen was cautiously reaching into his chest pocket, fishing for whatever item he sought after. This potentially dangerous action raised the alarm of not just Axmann alone, many of the guards grew tense instantly and aimed their rifles.

"Gentlemen! No need for concern, you've searched me beforehand and know what objects I am currently carrying." Jürgen went out of his way to reassure the soldiers surrounding them both.

While still obviously tense about his outward display, the infantrymen one by one lowered the iron sights of their AK-74s. Jürgen shot a swift glance around the room, making sure his life wasn't threatened in the immediate future from armed men who were too happy to rip apart his body with lead.

"Now, Bea… I know this's a bit awkward and all- with you having to… yeah, it's a bit weird… —but! I think this'll add a slight something to our dramatic value, and you've always known how much I love that… ahaha…" Cringing his sentence up through his throat, Jürgen stifled his nervous self as to not give Beatrix another reason to sob.

"Jürgen…!" Call his name; she could do nothing but that.

Finally, Jürgen opened his shaky palms to reveal a small black box no bigger than the fire button on a TSF control stick; its size and shape paired with the unmistakable crack right across the middle left very little up for the imagination.

"No… y-you can't… you can't do this to me!"

"Bea, please… at least allow me to fulfill one of my wishes."

By those words, one more stream of endless weeping overwhelmed Beatrix's already scattered sentiment. All of a sudden, her entire body weight became unbearable by the feeble limbs she scarcely stood on to that point. The girl fell forward slightly before digging her long nails into Jürgen's shirt to support, burying her face in his chest and howling a silent scream.

"I won't ask you that question, Bea. Because I already know the answer you'll never fail to deliver. So instead, let me get right to the good bit. I think you'll like this part, albeit not as dreamy as I would have preferred."

She felt her own weak fingers being taken by his caring touch, paying no attention to the pistol gripped in her palm. There was a bit of pressure sliding onto her ring finger of the left hand, a special digit for a special jewellery.

Faintly reflecting what limited light was available through the curtains, a shade of fire glimmered dimly on the third phalanx of Beatrix's finger. A dazzling red diamond embedded ring like what she had never seen before was clinging around her flesh, its brilliant beauty called for another wave of sadness to fortify her fluctuating mood.

The awed girl stood frozen, unmoving, and similar to the Berlin Wall itself. Beatrix studied her ornament over many times, wishing for her fabricated dream of bliss to never end.

"Marry me… and carry on what we started, my Love. If it's you, I know you can do what I yet cannot accomplish."

"But that's—! NO! I can't do it without you! …You're my everything, Jürgen! Don't- please don't leave me alone again! I don't want to go back! I don't want to lose you!" Her vermilion orbs lit by terror were met with a tender gaze of blue.

"It's okay, it's okay, Bea. You can find friends, companions to help you along that journey even if we can't walk it together. I've taught you many things, princess, but what's most important is what I cannot teach; and that's how to be a real person. Fortunately, you already know, don't you?"

"Still…! Without you… I'm nothing! I can't achieve all those heroic dreams you set out! We're two of the same, Jürgen!" Her time together with Jürgen, that was the most precious moments of her otherwise poor life.

"Time… will leave me behind, I can't stop that fate. So you must carry forward the seed we planted as one, to fulfill its growth."

"JÜRGEN…!"

"Doubtlessly what you must face ahead of you is an atrocious path; perhaps it will turn you into an atrocious person, making you commit deeds man cannot speak about. Nonetheless, remember me as your ally, never once judging you and never will forget you. That way, my spirit will live on, my dream for a better tomorrow will continue."

"And so, hopefully you can still see hope; people's hope, people's future. You can choose what that will be; in my place, you can be a saint, a devil, a saviour, a martyr. But if you can do what I did for you for others who are like you… then that'll be most wonderful, yes?"

"Please Bea, all I ever wanted to do… after all this time, is to protect you. I want to protect you…"

Jürgen leaned in close, again rubbing his cheeks on her own; what she thought initially was a sorrowful display of love was proven wrong when he bit her ears just on the very edge.

"Assume nothing, doubt everything; trust no one… not even yourself. Also, don't forget to smile, always smile." When he first said it, Beatrix thought of it as nothing more than a lame joke; when he repeated himself a year later, that was when Beatrix re-evaluated its definition.

Minutes passed in disturbing silence, quenching the traces of any noise as a room of half a dozen men awaited to see Jürgen Bernhard's end, one of which was most antedating his death. For Beatrix, she was given minimum amount of time to resolve a dilemma lasting decades, but she did clench her own answer, her only answer.

"Jürgen… I think… you should ask me again." Beatrix's head tilted down, shielding her expression from anyone spotting.

"Which question? That question?"

"Yes, that question." Her voice now diffused the tiniest tone of tranquility, a quality Axmann failed to notice.

"Well, can't back down now, can I?"

"You don't really have a choice." Creeping into her tone was an increase in pitch, sounding more mature and just a little playful.

"Then can I just borrow that real quick?"

"~Ufufufu… of course." So Beatrix lent Jürgen her ring for the time being as the young man fumbled with it, collecting his nerves and preparing his heart.

"Beatrix Brehme, willst du mich heiraten? (will you marry me?)" On one knee, Jürgen officially asked her the question that mattered.

"Ja, das werde ich. (Yes, I will.)" And Beatrix answered while again putting on the only ring she will ever wear.

Jürgen leaned in one last time, connecting their lips.

The next second, a gunshot was heard.

Beatrix inhaled sharply on reflex, her eyes unwillingly followed the trail of thin smoke rising through the air until it was traced back to its foundation, the PPK-L she held on the entire time. However, on top of it were Jürgen's hand instead of hers, his thumb plugged firmly into the space between the trigger and the trigger guard.

Jürgen Bernhard shot himself, he was dead.

After that, Beatrix wasn't too sure what happened. She lost touch with reality for quite some time, appearing no different than an excellent mannequin as Jürgen bled out from the wound inflicted on his chest.

"Well… can't say I expected that." Coming back to her senses eventually, Axmann had walked over to inspect the almost peaceful corpse lying by her feet.

The Stasi officer was light in his steps, observing the floor to evade the tiny bits of blood splatter from Jürgen's wound. Once he reached Beatrix, he took back the handgun of a murderer and loaded the remaining seven bullets back through the magazine.

"Wait… what do you think you are you doing, Axmann?" Stunning the self-arrogant soldier for the shortest flash, Beatrix spoke grave words in a manner she never thought was possible of her.

"Making sure the dead stays dead." He replied as the hammer of the Walther was cocked back.

"Don't you dare touch him!" A thunderous boom; Beatrix's yell exploded outwards, once more hailing Axmann in his tracks.

"Would you prefer to personally take care of this issue then, Beatrix Brehme?" However, the Brown Beast was not a man to back down from a challenge he had confidence in.

The grip of his Walther PPK-L was once more facing Beatrix, implying for her to conclude the final part of a standard Stasi execution. The girl stared blankly at the handgun for a while, but turned away after around thirty seconds.

Beatrix curved back to the body of Jürgen, her face lacking any expression. Then she stomped him; repeatedly over the head.

"Scheiße… Scheiße…! SCHEIßE! (Shit.)"

The motion itself was rather simple, exercising the muscles in her quadriceps Beatrix was able to bring her foot up and down for a constant duration. As for why she chose this method to confirm her lover's death, the deranged girl wasn't too sure herself.

The heel of her boot smashed mercilessly against Jürgen's temple, making his cold body flinch every time in the process. Beatrix's face twisted by a slight amount in all the colours of emotions ranging from rage to grief. Her sanity had been gradually deteriorating under the pressure of East Germany for many years, now it had finally snapped.

In due course, Beatrix stopped. The accumulated pool of flesh plasma splashed across the tiled floor, creating a not-so-artistic painting in red. She breathed jaggedly, spending her stamina in such an activity wasn't the exercise she desired.

Jürgen had died, she told herself exactly that. She was the one who killed him, not Irisdina, not Axmann; it was her who done the deed, and it was she who will carry on his will through a river of blood drained from their countrymen.

"Ahaaa… I think he's dead, Comrade Axmann."

"So it would seem, welcome to the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit, Comrade Major… Beatrix Brehme."

Act 2 End

—

Author's note

This is an AU of the SM story, I always kinda hoped Jürgen would be alive in Martyr; didn't happen, so this fic is an alternative universe thing.

I had to cut some time away from the canon timeline, sorry about that. Yes, Beatrix spent seven years in total with the Stasi according to source, but if everything is the same as canon then WTF am I doing writing this story? So the time might be different but the characters are the same, I did my research, I promise.