Author's Note: As part of the remastering, I should note that the fictional universe Dimension Seven compasses has an alternate history, which involves some liberties being taken with regards to history. As such, some historical events depicted in flashbacks are different than what had occurred in real-life.

Chapter 12: The raid and a cold case file

March 17, 1945

Location: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, Empire of Japan

"What the h*ll have you done, Rogers?" Technical Sergeant George Blake bellowed when he rushed into the office down in the bunker, where the firefight had just wounded down.

Sergeant Sam Rogers panted as he stared at his service weapon, which still had smoke emerging from the barrel from the shots he had fired.

"Rogers!" Blake shouted again, prompting the young sergeant to turn towards him.

The hours prior was marked by intense firefighting throughout the fortified bunker, which was where the local Unit 731 detachment of the Imperial Japanese Army was housed.

Before the raid and firefight, intelligence from code-breakers have established that the IJA Surgeon General himself, head of Unit 731, was planning an impromptu visit to the detachment to inspect their latest work.

The Marine Raider task force's orders were clear: Take out the enemy positions and capture Ishii. The timeframe for them to execute the raid was very tight, so the raid had to be meticulously planned out down to the finest detail.

Of course, like all plans, the minute the Raider task force landed, everything that was planned out in advance began falling apart, requiring a great deal of initiative and improvisation from the task force in adapting to the ever-evolving situation.

While most of the defenders were busy fighting off the other American units partaking in the intense Battle of Iwo Jima, the Raider task force still got made and encountered fierce resistance.

During the firefight, it was Sam who managed to break through and went deep into the bunker, where he managed to take down several Japanese troops before confronting Ishii himself in the office.

As Blake was getting through to the office in the bunker, he heard several gunshots, which prompted him to pick up speed.

And that was how Blake found himself in the office with Sam standing over Ishii's body, his gun still smoking from the shots fired earlier.

"What the h*ll have you done?" Blake repeated his question as he gestured towards Ishii's body.

"What needed to be done." Sam replied simply as he nodded towards the opened hidden door nearby, prompting the technical sergeant to frown as he walked towards the door and looked in.

What Blake saw at the other side of the door made his stomach turn. Even though the room was dimmed, he could make out the tools and equipment used for the experimentations.

But what made his stomach turn the most were the subjects of the experimentations. Many of them clearly looked like they have been deliberately infected, and the surgical cuts...well, quite frankly, Blake didn't know what to think. He didn't recognize any drugs that would've been used for anesthesia.

Even with the firefight in the background, for a while the office was unusually still. Eventually, Blake turned towards Sam and asked, "What the h*ll did I just saw?"

"You ask me, Tech Sarge." Sam responded. "A shame that the Surgeon General was reaching for his gun, because after what we just saw, it would be better for those fellas in there that he rot in prison for the rest of his life, completely in isolation."

Blake looked again at the Unit 731 director's lifeless body. His hand was reaching into something, and when he pulled it out, Blake saw it was a pistol.

With a frown, Blake took out the pistol and opened it up, then he showed it to Sam as he said, "The pistol's not loaded, Sergeant."

"Just like yesterday when you shot dead that Manchukuo Imperial Army officer that was 'exchanged' to the IJA during the firefight?" Sam pointed out.

Blake only grunted before he looked towards the main door and said, "The rest of the task force are on their way, and when they see this sicko's corpse here, there are going to be a lot of questions."

"When that happens, I'll have them look into that hidden room." Sam nodded towards the opened hidden door.

"No, no." Blake shook his head. "You don't seem to understand this, do you, Rogers?"

"What's there to understand?" Sam asked.

Blake stepped closer to Sam and lowered his voice. "Of course, all the specifics regarding this mission is highly classified, but let's just say that there are plenty in Washington...who would love to get their hands on the 'research' and what the Surgeon General of the IJA can provide."

Sam took a step backwards and continued his stare at Blake. "As in when we win this war, you're talking about granting this sicko immunity when the war crimes trial comes around, in exchange for this 'research'?"

Blake's silent stare only answered the young sergeant's question, which prompted him to say, "Are you f**king kidding me?"

"I wish." Blake responded.

"After everything they've done to those victims in there, we're essentially going to give that monster a slap in the wrist?" Sam continued as he gestured towards the hidden room. "And for what?"

"Trust me, Rogers. You don't wanna know." Blake said.

"So then, what the h*ll is this even all about?" Sam asked. "That we're only fighting against each other for the sake of finding better ways to kill each other?"

"It's in our nature, Rogers." Blake said simply, which prompted Sam to scoff and shake his head.

"I'm going to try to make this right." Sam said as he gestured towards the hidden room and added, "For them."

"You could." Blake said. "But if you confront those that made the decision to approve this mission and you care about your career progression, you will be wishing you didn't, which is why you will not be taking the fall for the failure of the mission."

Sam blinked as Blake continued, "Because when the rest of the task force and the military police arrives, you will be telling them that I was the one that shot the IJA Surgeon General dead."

"You cannot be serious, Blake-" Sam said, only for the technical sergeant to cut him off.

"I am, Rogers." Blake said. "And you are going to tell them that the bastard was reaching for his gun when we confronted him on the extent of the experiments, and there was a scuffle and a shot rang out and when everything cleared, he was shot dead."

"I cannot lie like that, Blake." Sam protested. "If what you are suggesting about those that ultimately made the decision for this mission is true, then I cannot in good conscious-"

"It's not a request, Sergeant." Blake barked. "It's an order."

Sam was going to further protest, but the firm look on Blake's face and approaching footsteps down the hallway from the main door prompted him to make a quick decision.

Eventually, he reluctantly nodded.

"Aye, aye, Technical Sergeant." Sam said reluctantly. "But what are you going to do when they have you take the fall?"

"You leave me to worry about that, Rogers." Blake responded as the footsteps got closer.

October 23, 1968

(Third Person)

"After everything that has happened, I really cannot help but wonder what led to Benson spilling the beans and tell us everything he knew about the Werewolf." Fred was saying to Velma as they sat together to wait for their parents to pick them up at the hospital. "Especially when we consider what he had done."

"Yes, that is a very good question." Velma agreed. "Of course, after what he said about the Werewolf and admitting that it was a matter of when the feds get to him, it's got me thinking that he must have one h*ll of an insurance policy if he was willing to risk his neck to testify against Daggett."

"As an ex-cop, he's got to be smart enough to have a contingency plan in place in case he fell out of favour with his bosses." Fred nodded. "And this latest Werewolf attack breaks the pattern of having witnesses disappear. Instead, it outright attacked Benson-"

"In that first attempt, he did try to snatch Benson, but as an ex-cop, he has the training and the build to fight back." Velma pointed out.

"True, which forced the Werewolf to change its attack patterns when ordered to finish Benson off." Fred said. "And all of that happened shortly before Daggett was to make his campaign announcement at the hospital."

"Clearly, Daggett must be rattled by Benson successfully fighting back." Velma said. "After all, the Werewolf wasted no effort getting to Benson to finish him off."

"The prospect of Benson talking to the feds and potentially testifying against them must've rattled their cage." Fred said. "Which means whatever it is that Benson had for an insurance policy, it must be the key to all of this Werewolf business."

"Possibly as blackmail material or compiled as evidence for him to testify to at the grand jury." Velma nodded.

Seeing the gears turning in Velma's head, Fred asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Velma?"

When she saw the look on the blonde's face, Velma's mouth hung open.

"Jinkies, Fred." Velma spoke. "Are you suggesting that we break into Benson's house?"

"Yeah, I know its unorthodox." Fred raised his hands in a calming gesture. "But after everything that has unfolded in the Werewolf case, I can't help but think that Benson's death had something to with whatever turmoil that's occurring within the conspiracy he was involved in."

"And you're saying that Benson's apartment holds the key to the answer regarding what is going really on in all of this mess." Velma frowned. "First, we got called out by Shaggy's father for 'playing detective', and now you're suggesting that we conduct a breaking and entering into a murder victim's apartment?"

"Well, I'm sure that Shaggy's father isn't going to willingly let us access the victim's apartment after yesterday." Fred said. "Not to mention that we can't take any chances in the potential to lose crucial evidence to this case with the pace the current investigation is conducted by the police, which in turn allows Benson's bosses to get the evidence first."

"True." Velma nodded thoughtfully. "Though I still don't like this."

"Yes, I know." Fred said. "However, compared to failing to stop a killer from remaining on the loose on the streets, having a B and E on our conscious is a slap on the wrist by comparison, especially when we're reaching a crucial break that can get us to the bottom of the case."

"Which is exactly why I'm in." Velma said.

"Well, I know that you don't want whatever it is that we're going to do to end up tarnishing your chances in-" Fred said, only to stop himself when he registered Velma's last remark and backtracked, "Sorry, what did you just say?"

"I just said that I'm in." Velma said. "After coming this far into the case, only to get shut out as we were approaching the crucial lead, I'm not about to sit around and do nothing while the city's still in danger with a killer on the loose."

Fred immediately placed his hands on Velma's shoulders and smiled.

"Perfect." The blonde said. "Do you think you could do this with me?"

"Of course." Velma nodded. "In fact, how about we do this now before s**t hits the fan?"

"For sure." Fred nodded.

Meanwhile, over at the Coolsville Central building, Sam wasted no time returning to the office as the three-person task force spent the rest of the afternoon chasing through whatever leads they had on the Benson case.

As usual, though, the only conclusive lead they had were the wolf claws found on the nightstand beside Benson's hospital bed.

Seated in his office, Sam was reviewing the preliminary crime scene report submitted to him by the trio, though the scowl on his face was very much evident as he read through the details while listening to the conversation from the squad room.

"Are you willing to bet that the claws we've found at the scene is gonna match all those other f**king claws from the previous scene, Beau?" Claphammer can be heard remarking.

"No, not at all, Walt." Neville scoffed. "I'm sure it's a foregone conclusion even without the forensic analysis."

"You can say that again." Claphammer agreed before slamming his file drawer shut. "What a f**king waste of our time."

The detective slammed the drawer shut rather hard, as it produced a very loud "Bang!" as it completely shut, the anger and annoyance inside him very much evident.

"Hey, hey, cool your jets, Walt." Chan stood up from his seat and raised his hand in a calming gesture, and Neville and Claphammer turned towards him. "There's no need to be all doom and gloom about the progress in the case."

"Oh yeah?" Claphammer asked, visibly annoyed. "What makes you say that, Charlie?"

"After everything we've gone through for this case and still no leads, maybe it's time we should reconsider our investigative strategy." Chan offered.

Claphammer and Neville glanced at each other, then the latter asked, "We're listening, Chan."

"So everything we've went through so far, it's usually a repeat of the same thing." Chan pointed out before turning towards the blackboard, grabbed a piece of chalk and began writing.

"Most of the victims..." Chan said as he began writing on the chalkboard, "...were abducted from their rooms, save for the latest victim, who was torn up on his hospital bed after initially surviving an attack while on a hike at the park..."

Taking a brief break from the writing, Chan exhaled before he resumed writing and continued, "Wolf claws were found at where they were grabbed, and so far, everything we've seen would suggest that the killer targeted its victims at random."

"Right." Neville folded his arms.

"Right, so..." Chan continued writing on the chalkboard. "What if we've been doing this all wrong? What if there's something out there that we didn't see that connects the victims?"

"You think those kids were onto something?" Claphammer asked.

"I'm saying it's a possibility." Chan nodded as he turned towards the duo.

As the trio continued with their conversation, Sam was starting to feel like he's had enough for the day before he put down the report he was reading and took off his reading glasses.

The lieutenant then exhaled and picked up his suit jacket before stepping out of his office just as Chan was saying, "Maybe we should ask those kids over and have them compare notes with us."

Claphammer and Neville were both nodded when Sam added in, "I've got a better idea, gentlemen."

When the trio turned towards him, Sam said, "What about we ask them to mind their own business and stop snooping at where their noses don't belong?"

"Sheez, Lieutenant." Chan said. "You don't need to spoil the-"

"Those kids should've known better about the dangers on what they've done, because if it weren't for them, the latest victim would still be alive, and-" Sam growled, only to be cut off by Claphammer.

"We don't know that, Lieutenant." Claphammer quickly said. "Charlie's right. Those kids are probably on to something, and that something should be-"

"That's what you all think." Sam snapped. "However, I wouldn't put too much stock on what they have to say, especially when one of them is a Blake!"

Detecting the anger in the lieutenant's voice, Chan glanced towards Claphammer and Neville before he asked, "What is it that Mr. George Blake did that pissed you off so badly, sir?"

Sam glared at him briefly before he lowered his voice and said, "Let's just say that there were casualties from the way he was running his business and that he should have faced the consequences."

"Even though you've been ordering us to leave Pistol alone and not touch him?" Claphammer now folded his arms, prompting Chan to turn towards him.

Sam only glared at Claphammer, then without another word, he closed and locked his office door before heading out, during which Chan prompted, "Where are you going, Lieutenant?"

"I'm done for the day." Sam replied without stopping. "Time to head home."

Claphammer and Neville both turned towards Chan briefly before they, too, grabbed their belongings from their cubicle.

"You may be onto something with your theory, Charlie." Neville said as he put on his suit jacket. "However, both Claphammer and I have engagements to attend to tonight, so we have to go now."

Chan nodded, though just as Claphammer and Neville were stepping out of the squad room, he thought of something and stopped them.

"Before you guys go, can you show me where they keep the cold case files?" Chan asked.

A short while later, Chan was at the cold case archives at the basement of the building, where he approached the lone clerk at the desk.

"Can I help you?" The clerk asked.

"Yes." Chan nodded. "I was wondering if you can pull a file for me."

"Of course." The clerk nodded. "Name?"

Chan reached into his suit pocket and pulled out his badge and wallet. "Chan. Detective Charles Chan of Central Division."

"And what files would you like to check out, Detective?" The clerk asked.

"The Crown Murders of '52." Chan replied.

The clerk paused as she consulted a list on the desk, flipping through some pages in the process, then she looked up at Chan.

"I'm sorry, Detective." The clerk said apologetically. "But I don't have your name on the list of people authorized to check out cold case files."

"What?" Chan asked. "Can you check again?"

The clerk nodded and double-checked the list, then she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but your name isn't on the list." She said. "I haven't received any documentation pertaining to you getting authorization to check out cold case files."

"Are you f**king serious?" Chan scoffed. "I've been here for more than a week, I'm pretty sure I've already filled out the forms on my first day, yet I'm still not authorized to check out cold case files?!"

"The department's must still be processing the forms, Detective." The clerk shrugged apologetically. "You know how slow they can be."

Chan sighed as he turned around briefly as she added, "Maybe try again tomorrow, Detective. I might receive the authorization forms by then."

Chan nodded as he made his way towards the door, then he stopped and turned around as he thought of something.

"Actually, the files aren't for me." Chan said. "They're actually for my supervisor Lieutenant Sam Rogers. He's gone for the day, though before he left, he explicitly asked that I checked out that file from here and leave it on his desk so he could take a read at them first thing tomorrow morning."

The clerk only stared at him as Chan continued, "He wasn't in a good mood when he left, and I'm sure he would have a fit if he doesn't see the file on his desk tomorrow morning and he would storm down here to get it himself."

Then, looking at the clerk in the eye, Chan said, "Might as well save us both the trouble by letting me sign those files out under his name."

The clerk sighed, then she nodded and tapped her finger on the sign-out sheet. "Just put his name on the sheet here."

"Of course." Chan nodded as he proceeded to write down Sam's name on the sheet.

A short while later, Chan walked out of the records room with a stack of files in hand.

The clerk watched him leave before taking the sign out sheet on the desk and reached over to the telephone and dialed a number.

She drummed her fingers as she waited for the party at the other end to answer, during which she briefly glanced at the time on her wristwatch.

Eventually, the party at the other end answered, and she said, "Hey, this is Mary Jane from police records."

After a brief pause, Mary Jane continued, "I'm sure you'd like to know that someone's been digging into the old case files again."

A brief pause went by before she nodded, "You know which ones."

After another pause, the clerk said, "Yeah. It's Lieutenant Sam Rogers."

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