Chapter 14: A Harsh Birthing
Interrogator: You killed Kravchenko. You obliterated their base. Mason? Woods and Bowman were both killed. Your entire SOG team, wiped out.
"With Reznov being the exception!" Weiss chimed in.
"Or maybe he isn't, because he's a TRAITOR!" Yang exclaimed.
Interrogator: Only you survived, Mason. You. No one else.
Mason: No, Reznov survived.
Interrogator: Just you, Mason.
"Well were you there? Just like at the mountains with Hudson? You can't be in two places at once, sir," Ruby said bitterly.
Mason: No, no… Reznov is still with me… since Vorkuta.
"Technically you two separated and you two have been separated," Blake pointed out. The game cuts black and it shows Mason in the interrogation room.
Interrogator: After you left Kravchenko's compound in Laos, after your team were killed, you went rogue.
Mason: No! I wasn't rogue! I was continuing the mission!
Interrogator: You went to Rebirth Island, against orders. Why Mason?!
"Because Steiner was there, and they have to kill them," Weiss said. "After that, Kravchenko is on their kill list."
Mason: Argg Steiner was there. We had to kill Steiner.
Interrogator: But Hudson and the CIA were already on their way to get Steiner at Rebirth. Why did you have to go.
"Let's say if Reznov was actually there, because the way you describe, it's all one hallucination. Anyways, because it's sorta personal to him," Blake said.
Mason: Dragovich. Kravchenko. Steiner. They all had to die.
Interrogator: We wanted Steiner alive. Why did you have to kill him?
Mason: Cause the numbers were telling me to! Why don't you fuckin' understand?!
The screen blacked out and a briefing of the "mission" displayed on the screen.
Interrogator: Dragovich's sleeper cells are on US soil. Nova 6 is weaponized.
"This will surely backfire because what if the gas clouds over the atmosphere? The whole world would suffer from it," Weiss said.
Interrogator: They will use it. Moscow has gone dark. We are out of options. A pre-emptive strike on Russia is prepared. The President will authorize. Mason! For the last time! Where is the numbers station?!
"He doesn't know dammit! It's like asking a amnesiac person what's the ABC," Yang exclaimed.
Mason: How many times! … Steiner was at Rebirth Island. We had to kill Steiner.
Interrogator: We? Viktor Reznov?
Mason: We wanted the same thing. The same.
Interrogator: We're losing him again. Aw, God… He's back at Rebirth.
The game cuts white and the sound of a helicopter is roaring loudly.
Transmission # 8-19-1-25-19. Designate: ECHO
We believe Mason is headed for Russian Bio weapons facility at Vozrozhdeniye ("Wow, that's a mouthful," Yang commented.) "Rebirth" Island, USSR
Hudson and Team 2 inserted to assault and extract Steiner.
2230 hours, February 23, 1968
Mason: I arrived at Rebirth Island with REznov. Finally, Steiner was ours.
The game cuts to the perspective of Mason in a cell with Reznov leaning towards the bars. "So have we been caught again?" Ruby wondered.
"Well, we are moving, and the area looks like it's a docking bay, so we must be the special delivery," Weiss said.
"Why is Mason's hand sticking out like that, like he's going to grab something that's gonna pop out of midair?" Yang pointing out Mason's hand just carelessly sticking out.
Reznov: We are Island…. Source of Dragovich's poison. They are preparing to deliver Nova 6.
Yang was going to ask that the interrogator said that the poison was already on the US, but then remembered that this was a flashback.
Mason: Not on my watch.
The crate is lowering down and Russian workers are complaining about something. A group of Russian workers, or soldiers, I don't really know, come near the area of the of Mason and looked around with flashlights.
Mason opened the door, and Reznov muttered an order.
Reznov: Kill him, Mason.
"Why not knock him out? I mean, these don't look like soldiers, just normal workers," Weiss said.
Reznov: Take the hatchet.
"Why would a dock worker need a hatchet?" Ruby wondered.
"I don't know, what if the CIA came to this island guns blazing. These guys probably don't know how to shoot, so they give them conventional weapons to fight back," Blake speculated. Mason quickly grabbed the hatchet and stabbed it on the worker's neck and dragged his body out of sight.
Reznov: We are outnumbered Mason. We must not attract attention. Stick to the shadow's - avoid the helicopter's spotlight.
Blake and Reznov quickly hid behind a few crates as a helicopter is flying past them. The two continued until Reznov stopped as a few guards up ahead are patrolling. The announcer on the speaker is saying something in Russian, alienating the team on what's going on in the base.
Reznov: They are beginning to evacuate the facility…
Mason: They know we're here…
Reznov and Mason stopped at the end of a small alley with a guard facing the opposite way. "Is it me, or whenever we're sneaking around in this game, the enemy is always facing one single direction?" Yang asked.
"You're not the only one who noticed," Ruby said. Blake sneaked up on the guard as he turned around, Mason stabbed the guard's arm and finished it up with a jab on the neck. Blake grabbed the gun the guard was carrying, which was labeled AK74u. "It doesn't look that bad… Just feels kinda dated."
"Well this is in the past," Weiss said. Reznov took point, carrying a gun.
"Okay, where did he get the gun?" Blake questioned.
"Probably another guard," Weiss guessed.
Reznov: Good my friend. Follow me. The chopper is coming around again. We must find another hiding place.
Blake and Reznov hid beneath a small shack and the helicopter flew over them. The helicopter moved on as the two continued to sneak into the walked through a catwalk on the side of the island and saw sewage being drained out through the pipes. Blake climbed up the ladder and a guard peeked over it. Blake grabbed the barrel of the gun and threw off the soldier, breaking his back and letting him continue falling to his threw the gun back on the ledge and climbed the ladder. She picked up the shotgun and continued.
Reznov: we are getting close, Mason. We should be able to access Steiner's lab from the roof…
Blake climbed up the ladder and reached the roof. An explosion went off in a area not too far away.
Reznov: They've gone to full alert.
Mason: It's the CIA… They want Steiner alive.
Reznov: Then we must get to him first.
"I understand the revenge quest, but there's literally a good reason why they want him alive!" Blake exclaimed. "Hell, you're the one who gave us the information about Nova 6!"
Reznov: Follow me. We will use the elevator shaft.
Mason and Reznov slid down the rope of the elevator and reached ontop of it. They slowly opened the upper door
Reznov: Shoot! Shoot now!
Beneath them, they're two soldiers and two scientists. Blake shot the soldiers and let the scientists run off. They both got inside the elevator and started fighting through the lab. A few monkeys in cages got shot in the crossfire, which upsetted Ruby.
"Poor monkeys," Ruby muttered, "THEY DID NOTHING WRONG!" Ruby finished with a loud yell.
Blake and Reznov continued to fight through the lab.
Reznov: Be cautious my friend.
Hudson started to speak out of nowhere in the mic.
Hudson: Mason, this is Hudson. We know you're on Rebirth Island. Talk to me Mason.
Mason didn't reply. "Why does Mason still carry the radio when he went rogue? He's disobeying orders, and clearly isn't interested in what others have to say about it," Yang said. Blake continued to what looks like a testing room with a single cell inside it. There was a toxic red symbol above it, implying it's where they test the gas. There was a single enemy in there and Blake just had to end him because he might be a pain to them later. Inside was a small radio device and monkeys inside cages. Blake killed the enemy the cell and walked through the other exit.
"Can you imagine if you freed those monkeys, they would actually help you take down enemies by getting on their faces and clawing it up," Yang chuckled.
"That would be hilarious, but stupid given the tone of the game," Blake couldn't help but nod in reached in a short hallway where the checkpoint is near the only door in it.
Reznov: Let us end this.
Blake opened the door and saw Steiner on the radio contacting someone.
SteineR: Dragovich's men are rounding up everyone on the island. Those no longer essential to his plans are being executed!
"Wow, that's one way to fire someone," Weiss said,
"Yeah, by lining them up against the wall and assembling a firing line," Yang added, "That's pretty messed up…" she muttered after giving a second thought to her previous comment.
Steiner: You must hurry, before they kill me too!
Mason: Friedrich Steiner. This is the end.
Steiner drops the radio.
Steiner: You. ?!
Mason grabbed Steiner and smashed his head on the control panels and threw him onto the chair.
Steiner: I know you… Vorkuta! You don't know… What we did to you…
"Hopefully not probing us," Yang joked. Blake blushed as Yang facepalmed. "I swear, your stupid little..." Yang mumbled. Hudson out of nowhere contacts Mason.
Hudson: Mason, talk to me!
Reznov: Your evil has claimed the lives of many good men… (punches Steiner) No longer. (punches Steiner again)
Steiner: Killing me will not stop Nova!
"He does have a point, let the bastard live. We'll put him on the chair later and let you pull the switch," Weiss said.
"Chair?" Ruby questioned.
"Electrical chair."
"Oh, yeah. He deserved it if he's a war criminal," Ruby said," but we're not going to tell him until it's five minutes before it."
Reznov: I do not care about Nova.
A man in a gas mask and a yellow suit appeared behind a glass window right next to Steiner and Reznov.
"Who us that?" Blake wondered.
"Probably the CIA attempting to capture Steiner. I mean, their uniforms do look very different," Weiss pointed out. Reznov grabbed Steiner by the throat as one more man in a gas mask and yellow suit appeared.
Reznov: My name is Viktor Reznov.
The two gas masked men grabbed an object and kept slamming it on the glass.
Steiner: No…
"I mean, you could recognize the beard and voice. Don't act surprised," Ruby said. Reznov pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Steiner.
Reznov: And I will have my revenge.
"Alright, so Reznov is not a traitor! In your face everyone!" Weiss exclaimed. The glass broke and the screen went completely white and cuts back to the interrogation room.
Mason: I swear to God, that's how Steine died. Reznov killed him right in front of me!
"WHAT A COCKBLOCK!" Yang exclaimed, missing the death. The game cuts to a Mason not in first-person perspective, slowly struggling out of the chair.
Interrogator: You're lying Mason. You killed Steiner. We know you did.
The camera zooms in on Mason.
Mason: Reznov got exactly what he wanted. Revenge.
The game cuts back to the first-person perspective with pictures of Reznov appearing on the monitor.
Interrogator: We saw the report MAson. Viktor Reznov did not kill Friedrich Steiner. Hudson saw what happened.
The game cuts to a white screen with black text appearing.
20 minutes earlier
Agents Hudson and Weaver
On the South side of the Island
Transmission #8-5-19-1-25-19. Designate: Alpha
We believe Mason is headed for the Russian Bio weapons facility at Vozrozhdeniye "Rebirth" Island, USSR
Hudson and Weaver inserted to assault and extract Steiner
2200 hours, February 23, 1968
Hudson: Weaver.
Weaver (On radio) : Go ahead Hudson.
Hudson: Mason's still dark. We'll work our way through the research facility and extract Steiner.
Weaver (On Radio): Yankee Squad, we're moving.
Hudson: Alpha Squad, let's roll.
US Marine: Copy that we are on the move.
The game goes through Hudson's perspective and he's currently manning a large turret on a heavily armored vehicle. Yang slowly moaned as drool dropped from her mouth. She's imagining the firepower that baby is holding. Blake began shooting at the enemy, who're already starting to evacuate.
Weaver (On Radio): They've already begun evacuating.
Hudson: Take out those damn RPGs!
Blake quickly eliminated the enemy on top of the rooftop armed with RPG's and the vehicles pressed on. Blake remembered the game telling her that she can use a grenade launcher. SHe used at a car, which blew it up and any enemy around it.
"Damn, imagine if we used tanks way more often so Blake would get a lower chance to get stabbed," Yang chuckled.
"Maybe it'll be easier to defend the kingdom and you don't have to lose an arm," Blake added.
Weaver: Hard right! That leads to the bio-lab.
Blake continued destroying any enemy vehicle in the way towards the bio lab.
Weaver: That's the main drive up the laboratories. Yankee Squad will flank west and meet you there.
Hudson: Understood. Alpha squad, move up!
US Marine: We're moving.
US Marine: Enemy targets, on the balcony.
Blake continued to clear the road of enemies for the marines to press on.
US Marine: (On radi): Hudson, recon reports MI-8's inbound on our position.
Hudson: Understood. Let's move up.
Blake fought through the streets and crossed the bridge. A helicopter is inbound towards their location.
US Marine: MI-8 dead ahead!
US Marine: Take cover!
US Marine: He's locked on! Move! Move!
The helicopter fired a barrage of missiles at Hudson. The armoured vehicle tried to back up but was knocked over. A bunch of green canisters are thrown into the street. Gas started leaking out them.
US Marine: Nova 8! HAzmat suits, NOW!
Everyone puts on their hazmat suits except one soldier.
US Marine: Shit! Shit! Help! Aaaaccckkkk!
The soldier falls dead and Hudson took out the rifle with a scope.
Hudson: Alpha Squad! We are moving forward! Protect your Hazmat suits! You rupture your suit - you'll be dead in minutes.
US Marine: Spetsnaz!
US Marine: We see 'em.
Blake looked through the scope and it was an infrared one. She saw the enemy highlighted and quickly killed them. Blake decided to take cover, this is a suit after all, not skin. She understands that some might be able to regain health, but clothing, that's not possible, unless it's made of Dust and knowing Earth, they don't have Dust. Blake fought through the street, killing any Soviet soldiers in the way.
US Marine: It's killing us! Get off the street!
Blake entered a building and the whole team followed.
Weaver: Yankee Squad has cleared out the west perimeter. Moving north.
US Marine: Keep moving west! Down that alley!
Blake fought through the alley and continued fighting. The house down the alley exploded. Blake entered the destroyed house and continued pressing on upstairs.
Hudson: We're moving up on the flank. Keep heading north!
Weaver: Understood. We are taking heavy fire from the helicopters.
Hudson: stay with it, we're about half a click south from the lab.
Blake and her team jumped over the small gap and landed onto a balcony of another building
Weaver: Alpha squad, we are taking direct fire from the enemy. Requesting back up, over.
Hudson: Almost there Weaver, hang on!
US Marine: Yankee squad get out of the BTR! We're going to get…
The radio statics, cutting them off.
Hudson: Weaver!
Weaver: We're alive Hudson. But they got us pinned down. They're on our east flank.
Hudson: Got it.
Blake walked down the stairs and exited the building. She fought against the Russians before reaching Weaver. A US marine had a rocket launcher but was shot.
Weaver: Hudson! USe the Strela on the choppers!
"Again, we have to do everything…" Ruby scoffed. Blake grabbed the rocket launcher and fired it at both of the choppers.
Weaver: This way! We're almost at Steiner's lab.
Blake grabbed her rifle and switched out the rocket launcher. She continued to follow Weaver.
Weaver: that's the bio-lab. Looks like they're waiting for us.
Hudson: Move out! Stay low!
Hudson takes off his mask.
"Huh, I guess they do have control over the gas," Weiss said surprised, "For a second I thought the whole island would be clouded in it."
Blake and Weaver fought their way into the bio-lab.
Weaver: Hudson, flank left with me. There is cover!
Blake switched her rifle to a heavy LMG. She used it to fight through the enemy. Weaver and Blake entered the building and proceeded to take the left hallway.
Weaver: In here. This is where Steiner will be. The bio-lab is below us.
Blake and Weaver fought through the hallway and reached a dead end. Weaver opened a door.
Weaver: We need to pass through decontamination.
While being decontaminated, Hudson contacts Mason.
Hudson: Mason, this is Hudson. We know you're on Rebirth Island. Talk to me Mason.
After finishing decontamination, the door opened and Blake continued fighting.
Weaver: Let's find Steiner.
Hudson: MAson, this is Hudson. Are you there?
Blake and Weaver fought through the stairwell and entered a security room.
Hudson: It's Mason…
Weaver: What the Hell is he doing?
The security cams show several pictures of Mason on screen.
Hudson: Killing everyone between him and Steiner.
"Well shit, looks like him and Reznov are doing quicker work. And they only walked in with a hatchet!" Yang exclaimed. They exited the room, and Blake felt something weird. They didn't mention Reznov.
"They didn't mention Reznov…" Blake said.
"What?" Weiss asked puzzled.
"They only saw Mason, not Reznov," Blake realized.
"Holy shit…" Yang muttered.
"Maybe they only caught Mason, not Reznov," Ruby guessed.
"Unlikely," Blake said.
"Then what is he then? A figment of our imagination?" Weiss wondered.
"That would explain a lot actually, 'cause remember that one marine dude turning around wondering what the fuck we're doing?" Yang wondered.
"Or the time about five minutes ago where Steiner didn't recognize Reznov right away?" Ruby added, "Well that did happened about 20 years ago in-game, so it does make sense. And we never really did get to see Reznov's face in the early days."
The team went silent as Blake pressed on. Now they're just too confused to actually think straight. Blake was already lost to the game, so she just continued going through the empty. A patrol of Spetsnaz soldiers passing by.
Weaver: Hudson, where are they going? They didn't see us.
"Probably to Mason," Weiss said. Blake attack the soldiers and fought through the lab. Hudson and Weaver heard static on the radio.
Hudson: It's Steiner - he's trying to contact us. Steiner, what's the situation? Steiner! What's the situation?
Steiner: Dragovich's men are rounding up everyone on the island… Those no longer essential to his plans are being executed! You must hurry, before they kill me too!
Blake and Weaver entered a room where they're separated by Steiner who's in his safe room They both run towards the window, seeing Mason doing the same exact thing Reznov did.
Hudson: Mason!
Weaver: We have to stop him NOW!
Weaver shot the glass, but it didn't break.
Hudson: Damn! It's bulletproof! Mason What are you doing! We need him alive! Stand down. Stand down, Mason!
"He's already insane, lost his sanity.." Weiss muttered. Weaver and Hudson lifted a bundle of containers and kept ramming it at the window.
Mason: My name is Viktor Reznov. And I will have my revenge!
They broke the window and Mason shot Steiner as they entered. He shot Weaver in the leg and takes down Mason, holding down the hand with the gun. He lets go of the gun and Mason punches him again. Hudson used the handle of the pistol to knock out Mason. Weaver slowly recovers. A US Marine checks Steiner's body.
US Marine: He's dead.
Weaver: What about Reznov, the defector? We need to find him.
Hudson: We won't. He was never here. I didn't believe till I saw it with my own eyes...What did they do to you in Vorkuta, Mason?
Weaver: With Steiner dead, Mason's our only link to the numbers broadcasts.
Hudson: We need to bring him back.
Weaver: Let's way. It will take us to the dock. (Goes on radio) This is Weaver… We are on our way.
US Pilot: Copy that. We are taking the docks now.
A US Marine picks up Mason and carries him on his back. The screen faded to blackness.
Hudson: What the hell did they do to you Mason?
"Well, that was a fucking twist!" Yang exclaimed.
Author's Note:
Whoo! Two more chapters till the finale! I'm going to include zombies, but maybe that's going to be as a bonus way after I finish the fic.
Anyways, I'm going to post some Q&A here. I have no idea if I'm going to do this every week, but I will. Questions in reviews would be posted here, and if you PM me, make sure you set the subject under Q&A and for what fanfic you're asking in mind.
Q: "Are you going to have them play (insert game)" - from everyone
No. But the fics I will have them play a game is already posted on my profile. NO MORE REQUESTS! Though a Black Ops sequel might be coming up,
Q: "Perhaps some of us readers can do a collab? Maybe that'll help take the pressure off of you having to write everything yourself?" - RLG
Yes, I'm willing to take in some ideas. I'll even credit you. Though if I forget, which most likely will. PM me and I will take a look at it and edit it in. I'm terrible...
Q: They suck? Have them play Black ops on Master!?. -EllieGmanlovesHalo
First of all, no offense, but there's like three punctuations. So I have no idea if this is a demand, question or a regular sentence. Don't believe? Check out the review, I literally copied and pasted it here. But you're asking why it's not on Master, or hardened because there is no master difficulty, it's because it's sorta based on my own experience in Black Ops, or whatever youtuber I'm watching doing the mission.
Anyways, that's all folks. I might be doing a cartoon react fic for the RWBYs so vote! It's between Justice League: Unlimited and Star Wars: the Clone Wars. Note, I'm not sure if I am going to do a fic on those two cartoons, but if I do, let me know which one you want.