"M4, are you sure this is the right way? I'm starting to get some Deja Vu here..." The Commander asked.

"Just trust me, Commander, we're headed the right way, I can feel it." M4 replied.

At her response, the Commander silently glanced back to the rest of the AR Team, M16 and ST AR-15 both reciprocated the Commander's uneasiness as they returned his glance.

M4A1 had taken point, cautiously leading the team through the labyrinthine maze of dark corridors and winding passages through the Reactor Level. She had managed to avoid leading them straight into an enemy patrol, but after considerable time had passed with no elevator or security station in sight, the Commander started feeling as if something was off...

It didn't take much longer for his suspicions to be made tangible. Cautiously moving through the next door, they found themselves staring at the pile of smoldering wreckage that was once Nemhran, still lifelessly crumpled against the pillar she had crashed into.

The team silently stared at the very familiar room for a short while before RO finally broke the silence. "We've gone around in circles..."

M4 let out a humiliated sigh as she shamefully casted her head downwards.

STAR closed her eyes and grumbled softly before she slowly walked up to the team leader and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is as I said...you will always be M4A1...for better or worse..."

The Commander joined her, giving M4 a light pat on her other shoulder. "Good to have you back, Second Lieutenant..."

"You guys..." M4 sighed out.

RO stepped forward. "So, now what?"

"We could try one of the other doors in this room...knowing our luck, there's another elevator or staircase right there..." The Commander surmised.

RO sighed. "We'd...look pretty stupid then..."

"Look stupid?" STAR quipped.

A ding suddenly sounded from an adjacent room - the hallway where the elevator leading up to the 'residence' was located. The team moved to cover and trained their guns on the door, and it didn't take long for the culprit to make themselves known.

The door slid open, and William's hulking form casually strode into the room, greeting the Commander like an old friend. "Commander, so that's where you've-"

BANG

The first shot gave way to a hailstorm of gunfire that rained onto William like a raging torrent. Every member of the team fired until their magazines ran dry, their bolts locking rearward and giving way to a deafening silence. William stood completely unfazed by the hail of bullets, grinning in amusement as the AR Team exchanged unsettled looks.

"No Commander - I'm not going to make it that easy. My high-tech nanomachines have rendered me completely impervious to conventional weaponry!" William smugly declared.

"Nano- are you fucking kidding me?" The Commander snapped in exasperation.

"It is a mere glimpse of the power I hold now, Commander...and the power that can be yours as well."

"I already gave you my answer, I'm not going to bone your sister in front of you, you depraved freak."

"Oh, Commander, I'm afraid that the decision isn't yours to make...You see, these events have been set in motion since the day of your birth."

"Since the day of my- what the hell are you even talking about?"

"It has all been foretold, Commander - You are the destined child, Commander! The chosen one! You are the key to everything, even if you don't know it yet, just as the prophecy states!"

"Destined child? Prophecy?!"

William cackled. "This moment has been long in the making, Commander...We have been watching you for a long time, waiting for the moment when you would finally come home..."

"Home? I was born in America, not in one of your houses of horrors. I think you should check the radiation shielding in your little castle here, Willy. I think your brain's starting to turn to mush."

William gave a devilish grin. "Commander...We have much to talk about. Why don't you and your friends take a seat?" William gestured to a row of folding chairs behind them that had seemingly manifested from thin air.

The Commander sighed. "Jesus Christ..."

The Commander and the AR Team reluctantly made their way to the chairs and sourly took their seats. William made his way to a projector and switched it on, projecting an image of the young Commander onto the wall, and began.

"The year was 2041, and a five-year old Griffin Commander became violently ill after coming into contact with an infected hypodermic needle that lay hidden in the ball-pit of his local Chuck E. Cheese. Little did he or his parents know, that needle had been secretly strategically placed by one of our agents to get him admitted into a hospital staffed with undercover Paradeus operatives, where he was promptly switched out...with a Nyto imposter!"

"What?! Are you fucking senile?! You're saying that I've been a Paradeus sleeper agent since I was five?!" The Commander cried out.

The slide promptly changed to the report detailing the operation.

"That's right, Commander - surely you've suspected as much by now?"

"No...I really haven't..." The Commander deadpanned.

The slide changed once again to a small child in a cap and gown.

"Really? Even after making a mockery of every aptitude test thrown your way, getting your first PhD before you were even old enough to legally drink?"

"Wait...what are you-"

The slides began cycling through a variety of other escapades.

"Not only your remarkable academic career, but your rapid rise to a decorated Special Forces operative?"

"I passed selection by the skin of my teeth...I nearly ripped my meniscus to shreds in the process, I'm lucky I wasn't outright discharged..."

"And afterwards, you vanished off the face of the known earth in pursuit of your fortune - not only as a Mercenary in Africa and being personally selected by the Sultan of Brunei to be their bodyguard, but as the on-again-off-again paramour of a European princess and the holder of three patents in Great Britain. You may thought yourself clever by faking your death by having a body double overdose on cocaine while piloting a speedboat full of prostitutes, causing it to crash onto a space-shuttle's launchpad and wedging it firmly into the external tanks just as it was launching and sending it into the stratosphere before being jettisoned and sent plummeting to the earth, but you cannot escape destiny, Commander! It didn't take long to find you again once you had resurfaced at Griffin & Kryuger."

"I...don't remember any of this...and it sounds like it would be really hard to forget these things..."

"You cannot fool me with your lies, Commander! Accept who you are! Accept your destiny! Fulfill the prophecy as it was foretold! Fuck my sister in front of me and impregnate her with your seed! Repent - and thou shalt be saved!" William bellowed out dramatically.

"Hold on a second, could- could you go back to that second slide? Yeah, back right there."

William grumbled and set the slide back to the document detailing the operation.

The Commander's eyes narrowed as he confirmed what he had seen earlier. "Yeah, look at that - you spelled my name wrong!"

William's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"Yeah, you know the 'a' goes before the 'e', right? I'm surprised you even found someone who spells it that way...That was who you switched out with an imposter and had been monitoring..."

William felt a cold sweat forming. "B-but...that means...h-how can that be?!"

"So...you're not a Nyto then?" RO broke the silence among the dolls.

"Not unless Nytos can get chronic knee and back pain...I'd feel kind of ripped off if that was the case. Either way, I don't think I'm going to start suddenly doing backflips, shooting energy blasts out of my hands, or making people's heads explode with my voice."

William fell to his knees, grabbing fistfuls of his hair as he began hyperventilating. "All these years...so much time...so much effort...wasted...ruined!"

"Uh...is he...gonna be okay?" M4 asked with concern.

RO lightly shook her head. "I think we've got a big 'nooo' comi-"

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" William screeched out.

"...That works too."

William seethed in rage on his hands and knees. "Do you have...any...IDEA...how much time...how much money has been invested into this?!"

Sensing the situation deteriorating, the Commander stood from his chair and began backing away. "Look...just chalk it up to a learning experience and move on, I'm sure the UN would be happy to write you another blank check, just say you spent it all on a coffee mug or something, that's how the DoD does it..."

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" William cried out. "I'm gonna teach you all a lesson you will never. ever. forget!"

Letting out another cry, William jammed a syringe straight into his jugular.

"Oh come on, another one?!" The Commander cried out.

William's body twitched and spasmed uncontrollably on the ground as he began cackling madly.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

William's laughter was utterly deranged, sending shivers down the teams' spines.

"W-What's happening to him?!" M4 stuttered out as she frantically reached for her mag pouch.

"Hahaha...Get...Get pregnant! GET PREGNANT! GET PREGNANT!" William suddenly cried out with maniacal glee.

"He's turning into a Blue Archive player, RUN!" The Commander yelled.

The fireteam immediately turned tail and bolted towards the one door they hadn't tried, almost slamming into it before it whirred open automatically.

"AHAHAHAHA! GET PREGNANT! GET PREGNANT! GET PREGNANT!" William scampered to his feet and gave chase, his face contorted into an expression of utter lunacy as he ran after them while flailing his arms wildly, his tongue hanging from his mouth.

The team sprinted desperately down the hallway, running as fast as their legs could carry them as the pounding of footsteps behind them gradually grew nearer.

"Look! There's the elevator!" M4 yelled as a set of elevator doors came into view at the end of the hall.

"Damn it, he's gaining!" RO cried out.

"Shut up and keep running!" STAR commanded.

M4 tapped into the elevator controls from afar and opened the doors in the nick of time, the team frantically scampered inside.

The Commander promptly began mashing the close button. "Come on! Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon!"

A maniacal laugh suddenly sounded from outside, followed immediately by a sickly slithering noise.

"Oh my god! Look out!" RO cried.

Hearing M4 let out a scream, STAR instinctively threw herself in front of her. There was a time where she would have given anything to escape this fate - only existing to fall on her sword for someone else. But, even after being freed from her bindings and being given the chance to find her own path as her own person, she refused to abandon her companion - not because of programming, or orders, but because of the promise she made back in Tallinn. She remembered her promise...and she'd carry it out even if it meant giving up her life...

However, as both she and M4 slammed into the cold, metal floor of the elevator, STAR heard the Commander suddenly cry out.

"AH! WHAT THE HEEEELLLLL?!" The Commander screamed as he found himself ensnared by William's elongated tongue, and being pulled towards the elevator doors.

"Commander!" RO cried out as she and the AR team rushed over and grabbed onto him, desperately fighting to pull him back inside.

"OH GOD, WHAT THE FUCK?!" The Commander struggled as he felt the AR Team losing ground.

"Ngh! I-I can't pull him in!" RO desperately cried.

"Keep fighting! Don't give in!" STAR yelled.

"Fifteen...if this keeps up...we're going to tear him in half!" RO hesitantly declared.

"No! I am not letting him take the Commander!" M4 angrily retorted.

"Damn it...what do we do?!" RO whimpered out, sensing her grip starting to fail.

M16 moved forward and spoke up. "Everyone be quiet, there is one thing..."

"Sixteen?" The Commander looked up to the elder AR Team member hopefully as he felt himself being dragged ever closer to the edge of the elevator.

M16 sternly looked the Commander in the eye and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me, Commander: Do not make eye contact, don't let the balls touch, and after he finishes inside you, remember to say 'no homo', you got it?"

The Commander's eyes widened in raw terror as he finished processing what M16 had said. "No! NOOO! DON'T LET HIM TAKE ME!" The Commander cried out as he felt himself slip out of the team's grip. "THIS IS BULLSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiii-"

The Commander's voice faded into the distance as he was pulled out of the elevator, the doors quickly closed behind him and sent the rest of the AR Team on their way without him.

The Commander slid helplessly towards the cackling madman as the tongue continued dragging him inwards. He struggled and squirmed as much as he could, but escaping from his ensnarement proved impossible. As he found himself pulled closer and closer to William, the Commander was forced to use the last trick he had up his sleeve - his final recourse, the one card he had left to play, reserved only for the most dire of emergencies...

"Hey, look over there! Is that Lunasia?!" The Commander suddenly gestured behind William.

"Ah?" William suddenly, and violently retracted his tongue, releasing the Commander in an instant, and quickly turned around. "GET PREGNANT?"

The Commander shuddered as he quickly scrambled to his feet, a layer of slimy saliva coating his body. "Ack! I feel violated..."

With Lunasia nowhere to be found, William turned again to find that the Commander had disappeared from view.

"GET PREGNANT! GET PREGNNAAAANNNNNNTTT!" William screamed out, pounding his fists on the floor at the realization that he had been played for a sucker.

William violently trudged around the room, slamming his fists against the walls and pillars in a fit of uncontained rage. "SEEEEEGGGGGGGSSSS! IMPREGNAAAAAAAAAATEEEEEEEE!"

"I want to go home..." The Commander whimpered out.

The Commander drew out his USP and cocked the hammer. Ten shots...not even close to enough to kill what was lurking, but he'd come this far, there had to be a way out of this...he couldn't let it end here.

A deranged howl suddenly sounded from the other side of the pillar he had been hiding behind, the Commander ducked just in time before the midsection of the pillar was smashed away in a single swipe, narrowly avoiding having his head taken off.

"GET PREGNANT! GET PREGNAAAAANNNNT!" William boomed out.

The Commander quickly scrambled to his feet and took off running. Seeing the red 'locked' indicators on all the doors in the room, the Commander realized he had no choice but to make his stand here. He turned and took aim with his USP and fired a shot at the hulking monstrosity, but it, unsurprisingly, had no visible effect.

"RAAAAHHHHHHHHH SEEEEEEGGGSSSSS!" William cried out and lunged forward in retaliation.

The Commander swiftly dove out of the way as the monster crashed into the wall, knocking itself to the floor and disorienting it greatly. He quickly moved to create distance between himself and it, running back to the other end of the room, and was in the middle of contemplating what to do next when a voice from the walkway above caught his attention.

"Commander, up here!" A mature, accented voice called out to him.

The Commander turned to find a scarred woman in a black robe looking down on him from above. "Ange?..."

Ange nodded in response.

"Privyet, Komandir! Fancy seeing you here, no?" A black Nyto called out from next to her, her eyes having a distinct violet hue to them.

"We're here too, Commander!" M4A1 called as she appeared at Ange's side.

Ange turned to AK-12 and appeared to gesture to the floor besides her before turning back to the Commander. "Here, use this!"

"Hey, wait, what the hell are you doing?!" Another familiar voice cried out, its source instantly revealed as AK-12 lifted a dark-haired, legless doll over her head that was clinging to a large rocket launcher.

"Twelve, put her down!" A green-eyed, white-haired doll angrily ran up to AK-12's side.

"As you Command, Lady Gager." AK-12 jovially remarked before hurling Architect over the railing.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Architect screamed before hitting the floor beside the Commander with a thud, still clutching her launcher tightly.

"There you are, Commander! She might not have any legs, but I'm sure you can still find her quite handy!" AK-12 called out as Gager's expression soured even more.

"That's it, asshole!" Gager yelled out before jumping 12 in an instant, the two scuffling wildly as Ange and the AR Team rushed to break them apart.

While this was happening, the Commander quickly pried the launcher out of Architect's hand.

"GET. PREGNANT! GET. PREGNANT!" William roared out as he began encroaching on the Commander.

The Commander trained the launcher onto William, the guidance system beeping as it began acquiring its target. "Sorry Willy - today, you're the one who's gonna get fucked!"

The tone sounded, and the Commander squeezed the trigger.

Flames and smoke spewed from the back of the tube as the payload ignited, separating from the launcher and gracefully soaring towards its target at high speed. William could only watch helplessly as the warhead zoomed towards him, locked on a collision course with his center of mass.

The payload slammed straight into his chest, detonating on impact and giving way to a spectacular fireball, as well as a deafening blast that roared loud enough to shake the room. William was launched backwards by the shockwave at incredible speed, slamming straight into the door behind him and shearing it from its mountings as if it was made of cardboard. Unabated by the impact, William's body continued flying backwards like a ragdoll, straight into the observation window overlooking the reactor chamber. The reinforced glass shattered on contact, doing nothing to slow the careening scientist as he was hurtled straight towards the reactor. He watched in horror as the large, pulsating reactor grew nearer and nearer, the air rushing by him as he helplessly flew towards it. Time appeared to slow down, cruelly forcing him to take in every frame of his encroaching demise.

William slammed straight into the core, sticking to it like a bug against a windshield and screaming out in agony as currents surged through his body. Blue arcs flashed and sparked across his entire form as he violently twitched and spasmed, his tormented screams turning into incomprehensible garbles and gurgles as he seized helplessly, blue light began to engulf him inside and out as every nerve in his body burned with indescribable anguish. Intense blue light beamed out of every orifice as he let out one final agonized howl, intense enough to feel his soul leaving his physical form as he felt his body being ripped apart at a molecular level. The light consumed his body, his atoms were freed from their bindings one by one as he dissipated into the air, his screams echoed through the chamber for the last time before fading into nothing. When the light faded, not even ashes remained.


With a soft ding, the elevator doors slid open, and the AR Team rushed outside and down the corridor, Ange, AK-12, and Gager following close behind.

"Commander!" M4 cried out as she rushed up to the Commander's side, quickly checking him for injuries and letting out a sigh of relief at the lack thereof.

"It's over...we got him..." The Commander finally spoke, gazing at the demolished doorway William had been sent flying towards.

M4 nodded, letting out a long exhale.

AK-12 walked up besides them, looking at the wreckage. "He went into the reactor chamber? Damn...I hope that didn't break anything impo-"

BOOM

A blinding blue light engulfed the reactor core, a massive shockwave following afterwards. Monitors and panels surrounding the core began overloading and shorting, warning indicators flashed, and sirens and alarms began blaring as arcs of energy wildly flared all around the core.

The team cried out nervously as the shockwave shook the ground, they fought to regain their balance as they wildly stumbled around.

"The Self Destruct Sequence has been activated. Repeat - The Self Destruct Sequence has been activated. This sequence may not be aborted. All employees, please scream and run around in circles." The automated PA system blared out.

The rumbles finally ceasing, the group found their balance.

"Ngh! Well that's just great, now what? We'll be cooked in seconds if we leave the base like this..." Ange asked.

The Commander turned to the AR Team. "Alright team, any ideas?...Anybody?...Come on, speak up, anything, as far as I'm concerned right now, there are no dumb ideas."

RO stepped forward. "Commander, the transport trucks Paradeus use utilize closed-respiratory systems and should protect against Level 4 Biohazards, if we can find one of these trucks, we should be able to evacuate you and Ange safely!"

"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard! This base is floating a hundred meters in the air, they don't have a fucking hot-wheels ramp that we can drive a truck down without pancaking the drivetrain!"

AK-12 suddenly cleared her throat assertively. "That's not...entirely accurate..."


It didn't take long for them to reach the vehicle bay. Having been undercover and able to move about the base without arousing suspicion for weeks, AK-12 had a clear understanding of the base's layout.

12 pointed to a large blast door at the end of the bay. "This bay connects to a Class-Seven service corridor that will lead us straight to the emergency evacuation ramp, if we move now, we can make it!"

The Commander nodded before turning back to the truck, where STAR was laying underneath. "Star, talk to me!"

"Oh, they really didn't want anybody going for a joyride without permission...got some nasty pieces of work rigged up to this thing..." Star called back.

"Shit, can you defuse them?"

"Already done. Truck's clean now, we're good to go."

The Commander nodded and turned back to the rest of the team. "Mount up."

RO moved to the driver's side door, but as she reached it, STAR promptly stepped in front of her. "I'm driving."

RO raised a brow. "Huh? But I-"

"We're on borrowed time, RO. This is a job for the champion of the Griffin Unlimited Grand Prix!" STAR pridefully declared.

"Uh...O-okay..." RO hesitantly backed off and moved to join the Commander in the cargo bed.

The group clambered into the back of the truck, RO led the Commander to a seat while M4 moved Ange to hers, M16 and SOP-II moved in behind, followed by Gager tossing Architect inside and climbing up behind her. AK-12 jumped into the passenger seat alongside STAR and frantically pulled out a sheet of pace notes.

"Wait...we're letting AR-15 drive?" M16 asked.

Sensing something off, Ange spoke up. "...Should...I be worried?"

The Commander shook his head reassuringly. "That girl's heart might be electric, but she's got gasoline in her veins. She'll get us out of here in time."

"Just keep her away from the NOS." SOP-II chimed in.

"I heard that!" STAR called from the cockpit.

The Commander turned to RO. "How's the headcount?"

"All present and accounted for, Commander."

"Alright, hit it, Star!"

STAR threw the truck into gear. "Everyone grab a rail if you can - there's not much of a road where we're going!"

The truck lurched forward and began speeding towards the exit, the passengers swayed in place as they reached for something to hold onto.

"Here's hoping she doesn't total us!" M16 remarked.

"This is supposed to be an evacuation route, how dangerous could it-" RO was cut off by AK-12's voice frantically calling from the cockpit.

"Right five into left four long! Keep right over crest, left three tightens!"

RO's grip tightened on the bar as the truck aggressively lurched and swayed. "Right...Paradeus..."

"Caution! Left four tightens three, don't cut! DON'T CUT!"

An unsettling grinding noise from the left side of the truck reverberated through the bed.

"Fifteen, please listen to the calls!" 12 scolded frantically.

The team grabbed on for dear life as the ride began getting progressively more and more bumpy.

"Aaahhh Fifteen, what are you doing?! You are breaking the truck!"

RO quietly took her breathing mask off and gently fitted it over the Commander's noise and mouth, the sight causing Ange's expression to get progressively more unsettled. She turned to M4 in search of a mask of her own, the doll sensed the looming question and lightly shook her head.

"Why...why is there only one doll with a gas mask?" Ange finally asked.

"Kalina spent this quarter's budget on an Evo five and a fleet of GT40s." The Commander deadpanned the answer.

Ange leaned her head into her hands and grumbled loudly.

"Double caution jump! DOUBLE CAUTION JUMP! DAMN IT, SLOW DOWN!" AK-12 cried out as the team felt the truck catching air, the impact of the landing nearly throwing them from their seats. "Aaaahhh! This isn't a NASCAR, you Yankee redneck bitch!"

The truck continued to swerve and sway through the winding passage as the team held on for dear life, 12's frantic yelling continued as STAR drove like a madwoman.

"Damn it, Fifteen! Think of your friends!" 12 pleaded.

"I don't have friends...I've got family!" 15 declared as she pinned the throttle.

12's eyes shot wide open as she let out a horrified whimper. "I'm sorry Ange...we were so close..."

The base began rumbling and shaking beneath the speeding truck as blasts reverberated through the halls - they were almost out of time.

The daylight at the end of the tunnel came into view, and STAR raced towards it at top speed. "This is it, grab onto something!"

"Caution! Keep middle over jump-maybe into one-hundred downhill!" 12 cried out as the truck accelerated into the daylight.

The truck flew down the ramp at breakneck speed as the Commander felt as if his stomach was being pushed up into his ribcage. The truck didn't make it far down the ramp before a wall of fire burst out of the tunnel they had exited. Explosions and arcs of electricity began bursting from every inch of the base, a blue hue slowly began emanating through the cracks and ports of the floating fortress. The truck zoomed off the ramp and into the dirt, the suspension rocking and swaying over the rough terrain as STAR continued unabated, dead set on getting as much distance between them and the base as she could.

More blasts burst from the base's exterior, arcs of energy shot up into the sky like a storm of lightning, the light grew more and more intense until it had completely engulfed the towering behemoth of a structure.

RO watched the scene unfold from a monitor that was fixed inside the bed of the truck. "Here it comes..."

The Commander nodded. "It's time for this to end..."

A massive burst of energy blasted the base apart, a deafening rumble shook the earth as a massive blue fireball engulfed the structure. Debris was flung in every direction as a powerful shockwave pulsed from ground zero, kicking up rocks and dust as it raged towards the vehicle. The team clung to the handles as the truck was rocked violently, nearly careening out of control as it was pushed forward by the powerful wave.

After the rumbling stopped, the team looked back to the monitor to see the Avernus engulfed in blue fire and plummeting to the earth, slowly cambering to the side as it descended. Another rumble rocked the bed as the superfortress slammed into the ground with incredible force, and the raging inferno soon disappeared in a massive cloud of dust.

M4 leaned her head back and exhaled heavily after watching the flaming wreckage disappear from sight. "It's over..."

"William is, at least..." The Commander mused.

Ange gave an acknowledging nod. "Right...Griffin's nothing if not tenacious, I don't doubt that William's death isn't more than a setback to him. A large one, but still just a setback in the end..."

"I have someone in place monitoring the situation, we'll lay low, get our bearings, see what she digs up, and we'll act accordingly..." The Commander nodded before slowly moving from his chair and making his way towards the cabin.

Hearing the Commander move behind her, STAR spoke up. "We're almost to the edge of the black-zone."

"Get in touch with Eagle Team as soon as you can and tell them we're inbound using enemy transport. I'd hate to come this far just to get lit up by our own guys." The Commander ordered.

STAR nodded. "I'm on it, Commander."


It was only a few more minutes before the truck rolled up to the small reconnaissance vehicle inconspicuously parked in a group of ruins near the edge of the black-zone.

As the team dismounted, a one-eyed doll with a prosthetic arm moved out of concealment to greet them.

"RO...you made it. I'll be honest, I was starting to have my doubts...Wait, Commander?!" UMP-45 uttered in surprise as the Commander and Ange emerged from the truck. "When did you get here?...How did you get here?"

The Commander scratched the back of his neck. "It's a long story and you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"That sounds like something I'd be telling you..." 45 shook her head.

As this was happening, Eagle Team stepped out of their hiding place.

"Commander, when am I going to get a real mission? I'm sick of having to play spotter for the bakery girl here." 1911 gestured to M110, who was now contemplating adding a 'special ingredient' to the blonde's next meal.

The Commander turned to 1911. "Well...William and his Elites are dead, and the Avernus has gone up in flames...Things might be slow around the office for a good while..."

"Wait, hold on, you guys took out William and the Avernus?" 45 interjected.

The Commander shook his head as he recalled the absurdity and lunacy of the events that had transpired. "They took themselves out...we were just the catalyst...and lucky enough to escape with our lives"

"Still, what do you mean things are going to be slow? We just took out one of the world's most wanted terrorists and his private army. We're going to be swimming in contracts!" M110 chimed in.

The Commander shook his head again. "It's not that simple, the German Military and the UN had contracts with Galatea, not to mention Willy's pops being a politician...In all likelihood, this whole deal's going to get covered up."

"So...nobody will know what you've done here?...That's some bullshit..." STAR remarked.

The Commander only shrugged. "If I wanted to have books written about me, I would have joined the SEALs...I'm more irked about you guys."

"We're only dolls, Commander...We knew that we weren't going to get any recognition for this." RO spoke up.

The Commander nodded as he faced the entire group. "Right...you all knew from the beginning that there weren't going to be any medals, award ceremonies, or parades in your honor waiting for you at the end of this...but, I want you all to know - you deserve all of that and more...Thank you, for everything."

"Hey, what the hell is that?!" M110 suddenly called out, pointing towards a figure manifesting through the fog.

"You...ruined...EVERYTHING!" A shrill, vengeful voice shrieked out as the figure grew clearer.

A shivering sense of dread filled the Commander as he recognized the distinct figure - and the ring of floating knives encircling it. "Oh shit...Everyone, get to cover!"

The team desperately scrambled behind whatever they could as Narciss encroached upon them...All of the team except for one...

"Wha-1911! What the hell's she doing?!" M110 cried out.

"1911, no! You can't take that thing head on! Pull back, now!" The Commander frantically ordered.

1911 continued to stand her ground, undeterred by the lamentations of her teammates as she faced the smoldering, emaciated cyborg head on.

"Oh...a brave one, are we? Or maybe you're just too stupid to understand what you've stepped into..." Narciss cackled arrogantly. "Alright...go on! Take the first shot, I dare you! Witness the storm you're about to unleash upon you and your friends!"

1911 appeared to be completely unfazed by the Nyto's words as she calmly raised her pistol, trained her sights on the Nyto's head, and pulled the trigger.

BANG

A shot rang out, and the projectile nailed Narciss square in the right-shoulder. Instead of tanking the hit and destroying the supposedly low-spec T-Doll on the spot, however, Narciss' eyes suddenly shot wide open...and then she exploded, bursting into a shower of blood and entrails as chunks of flesh were sent flying in every direction, splatting against the ground and walls with a sickly squelch.

1911 flicked the safety back on and dexterously spun the gun by the trigger guard before shoving it back in the holster as the Commander slowly emerged from cover, still finding himself ducking reflexively from the shower of blood.

"H-How..." Was all the Commander could utter in total bewilderment.

"Three World Wars, sonny!" 1911 answered pridefully. "No infernal devil can stand up to God's caliber!"

"Wait, so you're saying I could have ended that bitch at any time?" 45 interjected.

"With all the plastic in that thing? Not a chance, girly, only real American steel can bring out the true potential." 1911 spat.

"Psh, whatever." 45 scoffed.

Meanwhile, the Commander continued to stare at the puddle of blood that marked where Narciss had been standing not a moment ago. "So that's that, then...Paradeus is finished..."

Ange nodded. "All in a day's...well...How long was I even in there?...What time even is it right now?"

"Miller time, Ange, that's what time it is...Come on, let's go find the nearest watering hole."

"Sounds good to me." M16 affirmed.

"Psh, fine, but we're having a real drink, not your American pisswater..." Ange asserted.

With that, the teams slowly filed back to their vehicles and drove off into the distance, leaving the foggy wasteland and the burning heap of radioactive scrap encased in it behind them...


A/N: And that's the finale of this heap of incomprehensible nonsense. All I can say is that I hope you were at the very least entertained.

Stay tuned for the Bonus Chapter!


Note: Solo Wing Enterprises LLC is not responsible for any wrinkles gained by cringing at this story.

No Strelets, Nytos, or people named 'William' were harmed in the making of this story.