Reznov's POV
So, we're nearly there. Down in the abyss of hell, I'm with people that I had just met, inside a more advanced elevator, after crawling out of that…frozen cocoon. Everyone has been so kind enough to say their names. One used to be part of Imperial Japan. I remember the debating when we Russians were supposed to help invade Japan, to end their reign. But America said no to Stalin, and dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. I hold my internal thoughts about our Japanese comrade, but he appears to be important to my new younger comrades. As for that other man, Lynch…I do not like him.
Everyone here, Jenny, Lee, Tina, Sue, Holger, Biffy, they appeared to have taken many steps, to get this far into the journey. As for me, my new journey has begun, this is Step one. Finnwich…I have heard many stories, but I have never seen him with my own eyes. What I do know, is that he was long gone, consumed by fire. That was before my last mission in the arctic circle. Ah Dimitri, you didn't deserve to die, I will make sure that I do not allow the same fate to occur among these younglings.
DING!
The first thing I here behind the door, is piano music. The room is quite large, and we appear to be underwater. So, this IS the hell of Coral Grove. A nice old fashioned room, with a large piano orchid, some scientific equipment and-
Is that…a German fascist I see? Me, and this man wearing an African Korps uniform, and the Nazi officer hat. It is a fascist! No mercy were shown to my comrades in Stalingrad, I will not show mercy here! The German is pointing a weapon at me, the MP40 as I would recognize it. I just aim the new weapon that I received, to the Nazi.
"You all made it! And Viktor, please do not harm my associate. He means no harm to any of us!
It came from a man, who looked really old, and had machinery attached to his body.
"Ya, what did I do to you?" The fascist questioned.
"He is a friend Viktor, please." Takeo said.
My comrades were killed by your army's, FASCIST! I can save the rage for later. Everyone seems fond of him.
"Finnwich? THE Amazing Finnwich?" I ask.
"Yes, but the one we really need to keep an eye on is my lovely assistant, who is about to betray us, yet again…"
I see that he was mentioning Lynch, not the German.
"What I was just…oh fooey!"
So, Finnwich presses two keys on the piano, and Lynch gets gassed. Hm, unconventional…
"Mrs. Ping, you must be proud of your son! He is quite exceptional!" Finnwich said.
"Yes, I have said this before, but they are very capable!" I said to Finnwich.
"But now is not the time to take chances! Lee! You must see this!" Finnwich said.
"But Finnwich, where's Nora?" Lee asked.
"We'll get into that in a sec my boy, but first…"
Finnwich signalled for Lee to go over to him. Lee gave his weapon to Biffy, and walked over. He pressed two piano keys, a red shield suddenly surrounded them.
"LET MY SON GO NOW!" Sue demanded
"NEIN! This isn't part of the curriculum!"
Oh, so the Nazi cares? He's has, big weapon, that seems to be drawing electricity out of its end? WHAT IN STALIN'S NAME IS IT? He fired a shot, it looked like electricity, but it merely subsided. The others were trying to shoot with their weapons, but it deflected off of the shield, and it hit Sue. She is now encased in crystal! There is probably nothing we can do for the boy. I reach into my back pocket. Another gun? An M1911 pistol. I immediately point it to the Nazi, who was looking down at himself.
"Kill me if you want, that is if you want everything to go to hell!" He said.
Whatever he is planning, I'll keep him alive, for now. As for Finnwich…
"Sorry for the ruse my boy, but this is so I can make sure that the pyramid, NEVER, OPENS, AGAIN!"
Pyramid? He pushed another key. He was gassing himself, and Ping.
"QUICK! DO SOMETHING! LEE!" Tina shouted.
Biffy was trying to punch the shield, it didn't seem like it was going to work. Suddenly, it felt like everything was moving slow for a brief moment. I still remember my closest friend, Dimitri Petrenko. He deserved a hero's death. Instead of giving his life for the motherland, he died for nothing, like an animal. He should have died in Berlin…I remember also, a conversation with another old friend, Mason…
"Mason my friend, tell me. What is left to believe when you are, betrayed, by your own? All that you are, all that you have done, is buried beneath the lies and the deceit of corrupt men. I will die in this wretched place! The thing that keeps me alive is the thirst for vengeance…"
That was it, this is the end. He doesn't deserve to die. But once again, I find myself helpless, unable to help someone at the brink of their death.
"Why are you doing this?!" Lee asked.
"Because, we are too important to remain in the picture!" Finnwich said.
Why? I need my answers.
Nora's POV
That's what he was going to do? Grandpa, made me hide behind his piano, so he could KILL HIMSELF?! And LEE?! NO! I can't shoot the shield. I look up, there are those grim-reaper looking robots, only these are red. And there's this…thing, who I believe is His Eminence.
"MONSTER PERSON!"
That was Holger! He immediately hid behind a rock, near the monitors. He was wearing some kind of mech suit. I think that's Cassandra's.
"That Maxwell Finnwich! Always up to your dirty little magic tricks!"
Reznov wasn't pointing the gun at Richtofen, but now at him. Takeo had his katana out. Lee and Jenny were staring at His Eminence actually freed Lee! OH MY GOD! Then he sealed off the piano. The electricity is barely touching my chest. I just gotta move slowly, out of it, and don't get electrocuted. I was still listening to the conversations.
"LEE!" Tina said.
"Wow, that was almost too close!" Lee said.
"You're telling me! UH! Ok, that's it! NO MORE ALMOST!"
As soon as I get out, there they are. Lee and Tina are finally kissing. I don't think anyone sees me yet. I just had to try. I raised the rifle, and pointed it at the head of one of the hazmats. I fired a shot, THEN THEY NOTICE ME! Takeo now goes on ahead, and slices a hazmat in half.
"Nora?!" Tina gasped.
"BY THE POWER OF ROBOT SPAGHETTI!"
Holger uses the suits shooters, to shoot them. The robots block the shots, then sealed everyone of us in some kind of shield. Well, everyone except Lee, who His Eminence walked up to.
"Now that that's settled, you have something that I want!"
"NO PING! TAKEO SAY NO!" Takeo yelled.
LEE N-! Oh, you did it anyway. You gave him the key, and couldn't listen to him.
"Finally, it's all coming together!"
He turns on the monitor on the wall, showing Mr. Wurst shooting a crystallizer.
"Mr. Wurst, is the pyramid ready?"
"Your Eminence, we have a wee bit of a dilemma, but-"
I see a man, with an 1940'S American USMC uniform. Oh yeah! I forgot about Dempsey! He punches Wurst, then points a crystallizer at him.
"Welcome to awesome-vill, POPULATION: ME!"
He fires. He's sounds pretty selfish, but I guess he's caught in the moment. I see some other people. There's Cyrus, rocking his guitar, and Cam.
"Hey Cam! I'm still alive!" I said.
"Oh hey! Nora! Was up? Oh, evil lizard bro caught you all! But, like, on the plus side, we got it all under control here bro!"
"Do you really?!"
The evil lizard then summons some blue tazelwurms, to attack Cam.
"What else did I miss?" Reznov asked.
Everyone sort of took a look at him, in slight awkwardness. Then, I see Richtofen, who's suddenly free from his shield. He's holding a box-like device.
"NOTHING IS SUPERIOR TO MY HACKING SKILLS!"
That's a hacker? He pulls up the Wunderwaffe DG-2, and fires. Some of the robots went down, in a shocking display.
"Keep the change ya filthy animal!" Richtofen said.
His Eminence growled at Richtofen.
"Oh, and looking for this?!"
He held up this device, that looked like some sort of golden rod. His Eminence seemed to growl even more. What could that device be?
Then, I see something, something familiar, come up on the screen. Is that Red Taz, attacking the blue tazelwurms? I'd want to meet him again.
"THAT VILE RED TAZELWURM! He's the one who ruined the plans in the first place!" Eminence said.
He walked over to Finnwich.
"Maybe, it's because he doesn't like your plans!" Finnwich said.
Tell him Grampa! SAY IT HOW IT IS!
"What do you know about it, old man?!"
"I know what I read on the wall! All that time ago, when you were locked in! It was those so-called vile creatures who decides when the pyramid was truly to be opened again!"
The blue and red tazelwurms?
"IMPOSSIBLE! I decide! And I decide-!"
Finnwich knocked the cane out of his hands, and told Lee to go for it. I see some of the robots starting to get back up. HOW? They just shocked with A LOT of volts! Reboot? They were shot down again, there was crystal fire coming out of the elevator. Kimmie and Cassandra, with crystallizers.
"Uh, thanks?" Lee said.
"Don't mention it!" Kimmie said.
She went over to Biffy.
"What are you doing here, and why are you wearing a forcefield?"
"LIKE THIS WAS A CHOICE!"
She looked over to Reznov.
"And who did you guys invite?" Kimmie asked.
"Hmph, no one recognizes what I did in Berlin!" Reznov scolded.
"I DO!" I shouted.
"Anyway…"
Kimmie looked at me, she was kind of surprised, but there was no time for talking. She tried to shoot the forcefield off of Biffy, but the beam reflected back to her.
"Nice rescue…" He said.
Cassandra walked up to His Eminence, and Finnwich.
"Well, well, I'm not sure which one of you I like the least!" She said.
"Holger pick scary monster fellow!" Holger said.
"Thanks, I wasn't asking! And, are you wearing my outfit?"
Holger sort of giggled at her statement. Then she looked at Reznov.
"So, the Hero of Berlin graces us with his presence! Haven't you have tired for battle?"
"Vile woman! I'd rather die, for the sake of the greater good, then for nothing!" Reznov shouted.
"Yeah, that's nice."
She turned back to Eminence and Finnwich.
"I believe you have something that is now mine! I appreciate you looking after it!"
Giant Lizard boy was getting mad! There was Lee's key.
"This is taking too long!"
Cassandra froze His Eminence, and took the key.
"The pyramid must not be opened!" Finnwich said.
"The creatures of hell will be unleashed upon the earth!" Takeo said.
"Duh, like I already don't know that! Hello?" Cassandra said.
Like mother, like daughter.
"You're going to do something good?" Lee asked.
"I SINCERILY DOUBT THAT FACT PING!" Reznov shouted.
Cassandra pointed a finger at Reznov.
"You, shut up!"
She looked back at Lee.
"And you! I wasn't but, it hit me. Open the pyramid carefully, don't wake the sleeping lizard beauty's! Loot what's there! Steal their technology, make a fortune!"
OH MY GOD! THIS WOMAN'S INSANE!
"We already have a fortune!"
At least Kimmie realises it.
"You can never have too much fortune!"
Biffy asked Kimmie if she got the memo of her mom being evil. She agreed. Insane level: OVER 9000!
"I don't know who I like better, the Fuhrer himself, or YOU!"
Ok, Reznov is trying to compare Hitler to Cassandra? Maybe. He got to greedy, he got it carried away, it was working, but he failed. And in the end, the only one that left to his demise, was himself. Cassandra didn't kill millions of people, yet. If she releases those creatures, she'll be the one responsible.
"KIMBERLY!"
Cassandra unfroze Kimmie.
"For goodness sake boy! Twist it twice to the left, and press the button."
Finnwich was trying to help out Lee, to get the cane to work. Lee released the shields.
"YOU ARE THE MOST TROUBLESOME KID EVER!"
Ok, now's my time to say something.
"AND YOU ARE THE MOST EVIL WOMAN EVER!" I yelled.
She tried to dis-regard me, and continued to fight Lee. They were both shooting each other. Then Kimmie, used her last bit of ammo in her crystallizer to freeze Cassandra.
"My mom totally needs therapy! I get it!"
Lee started to release the shields off of everybody. Sue was freed from the crystal.
"Uh, guys? GUYS! Little help!"
Right, forgot about Cam. Cam's running away from the tazelwurms and robots, while Dempsey was using his gun like a club.
"Call them off!" Reznov said.
"Allow me!" Finnwich said.
Lee released the shield, covering the piano.
"Plug me in Nora!"
He threw me a cable for the plug, and I connected it. He played the song, and the robots and tazelwurms all shut down.
"How does a song possess such power?" Reznov asked.
"Oh, it's not just any song, comrade, it's the first song ever!" Finnwich said.
"Oh, the happy ending!"
Holger was making me look at the screen. There were couples of students, taking some celebration hugs. Finnwich re-awakened Lynch. Cam and Brandy were kissing.
Everyone in the room, but Richtofen, Takeo, and Reznov, gathered around, all satisfied, and happy. Lee was with Tina, and Biffy was with Kimmie. Well, almost everyone. Reznov didn't seem too happy. I actually saw him, switch to his pistol crystallizer, unfreezing the arm of the grim-reaper hazmat, and ripped off the arm. I put down my rifle, and went and joined the group, while Reznov went into the elevator. I guess he's not joining the group hug? Neither Takeo or Richtofen? And Holger..he wasn't with anyone. Then he looked at Jenny.
"Ok, but this one time! But not on the lips!"
Jenny was getting ready to embrace Holger, but he hugged Lee's mom instead. Lee came over, to hug his mom. I just have to say, that was a close call.
"Your father has a lot to explain when we get home! And, I love you too!"
She let go of Lee, and asked me to hug her. Ok…
"Thank you for being such a good sister!" She said.
"Thank you Mrs. Ping, it's been a great honor!"
"GROUP HUG! And for saving the Nora's!" Holger yelled.
We all embraced, but Biffy was trying to back out of it.
"Ok, it's getting to icky and cuddly so-"
I pulled Biffy back into it.
"You're secretly such an affection hog! You big lug!" Kimmie said.
Reznov's POV
I needed some personal time. That was a lot to take in. A lot has changed ever since my youth. I was merely wandering around Coral Grove. I needed the arm to get past those, electronic shielded doors. I made my way, into the prison section. I was still on P1. I went down this hallway, nothing but the silence of a battlefield that had gone dark. So, I see some people look up at me. There was this one, who looked fairly similar to of Jenny. Must be a relative. I have to keep moving. Something to find, so I can realize why I'm here.
"REZNOV! IS THAT YOU?!"
MASON?! I look over to this cell. It's this older man. Not the Alex Mason I knew, but I know it's him. He's wearing some camouflage clothing.
"HA HA HA! MASON!"
I immediately charged at his cell, and opened the door.
"Are you real?" He asked.
"OF COURSE MY FRIEND!"
We gave each other a hug, a brother hug if I may say.
"So, is it over?" Mason asks.
"No, I think whatever happened, it's only beginning my friend. BUT, I have one question for you."
"What is it Reznov?"
"What is Step two?"