"Deadshot… what do you see?" Wriothesley called over the communication line.
"There's curtains in the way but at least 8 shadows in the room to the East, another 5 in the room to the South." Chevreuse replied. "Let me readjust and see the other windows."
"Copy." Wriothesley stepped out of the armored truck that was their home base. It was parked out of sight while they set up their rescue operation in the mountains. They were at the coordinates left by Marina, exactly 8 hours prior to them entering the main lab.
It was a large house, deep in the mountains of Fontaine. House was a bit of an overstatement, more like a crumbling cabin. Based on the outside, it maybe had three to four rooms per floor. Power had not been connected to the cabin in years. Nature had taken over most of the yard and part of the house. Ivy crawled along one entire side of the house and overtook the chimney. If someone stumbled upon it, they wouldn't dare enter it in fear of it falling over on top of them as they entered. There was only one old logging road to get up there, the armored truck barely fit. A small caravan of ambulances were behind them along with several more police vehicles. The trees barely hid their secrets.
Chevreuse dropped down from the tree she was perched in, running in the dense woods to the otherside. When in position, she used the new feature on her rifle, a grappling hook, to easily climb a new tree.
"This window is open." She reported. "My count is 12 in this room."
"That's quite a few… should I call for backup?" Clorinde asked. She was at the beginning of the logging road, hidden in the dense brush to make sure no one was coming up.
"We have enough resources here. Any signs of life downstairs? Are we clear to breach?" Wriothesley asked.
"All clear Duke." Chevreuse hopped down from the tree and joined Wriothesley at the front door.
The Duke cracked his neck and sighed. He didn't know what he was about to face when entering here, it made him quite worried. Something felt off about all of this. It felt too easy. He knew he could trust his sister but was there a small chance the Doctor was watching them right now?
With a swift kick to the ancient wood, the door slammed off its hinges. Uniformed officers entered first, shouting for everyone to put their hands up and put any weapons down. There wasn't a soul on the first floor; the only sounds were gasps from upstairs. Wriothesley was the first one up the stairs, motioning Chevreuse to follow behind him. He didn't want to enter where victims were kept guns blazing, that would only make the situation worse.
The upstairs had two locked rooms. Being an old cottage, it looked like they were open floor plans. That worked well for the current special force officers. Chevreuse took position at one door, the captain taking the other.
"Everyone get away from the door!" Chevreuse yelled loudly. There was some shuffling heard through the thin wooden door. Wriothesley counted to three before kicking in the first door. The second was forced open immediately after. Chevreuse slung her rifle on her back, both officers entering the rooms hands up.
"It's alright… we are police." Wriothesley said gently. "When was the last time someone came here?" he asked no one in particular.
"Y-yesterday… they come every other day…" A woman stepped up.
"Duke, I got injured!" Chevreuse called. She made a call over coms for medical evacuation.
"Is anyone injured here?" Wriothesley called out, scanning over the room. The woman who stepped up grabbed the captain's hand and pulled him deeper into the room. The victims parted so the officer could be led to the person who needed help the most.
There was a closet, holding the only bed in the room. These women slept on thin blankets on the ground it seemed. There was a small mattress in the closet holding a young girl, maybe a teenager but not much older. She looked feverish, pale and flushed. She hardly stirred at the commotion in the room or the house. The woman explained she had been sick for a few days and the Queen had yet to return with medicine. Wriothesley took his jacket off his shoulders and placed it on top of her, trying to keep her warm until the medical team could take care of her.
He reassured the small group in the room everything would be alright, but he had to go check on the other injured. The medical staff entered the cottage, beginning to help the victims. Wriothesley went over to the other room, easely finding Chevreuse in the corner.
She was holding a girl who had already been experimented on. It looked like it went wrong, her skin covered in burns and lesions. One small cat-like ear was on her head but nothing else. She seemed to have passed out from the pain, her face twisted even when unconscious. Wriothesley led a medical team to her instantly; this victim needed attention now.
One by one medical staff began helping the victims out of the house. Anyone who didn't need to be rushed to the nearest hospital went to police cars to be taken to the hospital a little while later. The ones who needed medical care ASAP were rushed by ambulance to the nearest hospital they could receive treatment at. Soon the cottage was cleared and only Wriothesley's armored truck remained. He confirmed with Clorinde the last police car had made it to the bottom of the path. All victims were saved and off to receive proper care. They had been through enough as it was.
"We'll be done soon Dualist, the house is basically bare. We need photos and that's about it." Wriothesley said. He picked up his jacket and slung it back over his shoulders.
"I'll remain here until you guys are done." Clorinde replied.
Chevreuse was taking photos of the lower level, collecting anything she felt could be used as evidence as well. Wriothesley took some photos upstairs. It was bare in those rooms, not much more than a lonely mattress and blankets in each space. They had access to a bathroom placed between both rooms, but no access downstairs. He assumed Marina was giving them food and water to survive. He couldn't imagine how cold or frightening it was for any of the victims.
The Duke came down stairs, heavy footsteps shifting on the old stairs. Chevreuse was just finishing up her evidence collection. He looked around the downstairs, it being just as minimal as the upstairs. After all, this place had been abandoned for years most likely until the Doctor repurposed it. It was likely kept bare to keep ties away from whatever evil lurked in its foundations.
"This is no way a human should ever be treated…" Chevreuse mumbled softly. "Are you all done upstairs?"
"Yeah… let's go pick up Rinde and head back to the station… only got a few hours to prepare to go into the mountains." Wriothesley motioned her back to the van. They returned down the logging path, picking up Clorinde on the way. Soon, they arrived back at the police station. They needed to prepare for the final mission.
The station was buzzing, no officer staying stationary for long. It was all hands on deck for this, even the chief was going into the field. Most officers would be stationed a ways out, only the special forces team entering the cave. There would be a team staying at the station to keep communication lines up and open. They would also be able to hear everything said and done over coms live.
Neuvillette, Navia and Sigewinne were waiting in the team's office. Navia had brought dinner up to them, wanting to take care of her partners. They were all nervous… It was the final mission after all. It was also the riskiest mission yet. There had already been close calls on the other missions after all.
"Daddy! Cici! Auntie Chev!" Sigewinne called happily when they entered. Her smile lit up the room. "Via made you sandwiches! I had one too they're super yummy."
"That was very sweet, thank you Navia." Clorinde smiled. She took one from her wife and kissed her forehead softly.
"How long do you guys have?" Navia asked. She pushed sandwiches into Wriothesley and Chevreuse's hands too.
"An hour, maybe less." Wriothesley shrugged. "Are you guys going home or staying here?"
"Staying here to listen." Neuvillette confirmed. "And to be there if we are needed for anything."
"Chief asked us not to go into the field, especially with Winne with us." Navia added.
"Staying here is a good plan. It's the safest place you could be." Wriothesley said. He sat next to Neuvillette and pulled him close. He learned his head against his partner's shoulder and closed his eyes. He always felt safer and calmer around Neuvillette.
"How bad was it?" Neuvillette whispered to his husband.
"25… two may not make it…" Wriothesley replied, quiet enough Sigewinne wouldn't hear. "I have a bad feeling about this mission."
"It's alright. You have the best team in the nation, remember?" Neuvillette kissed his husband's temple.
"Captain." Chevreuse called. "Bad news… we lost contact with the Sumeru team."
"Shit… is it just the coms?" Wriothesley asked.
"GPS too. They had just entered the desert so it could be an anomaly." Chevreuse sighed.
"His team is strong. It is likely just an anomaly." Clorinde reassured.
A knock came from the office door. The chief peaked his head inside a second later. When he entered the office, he leaned against the door so no one could enter.
"We need to set off in 20 minutes." He said. His tone was soft still despite the gravity of the situation. "Navia and Neuvillette, please make yourselves at home with Sigewinne in my office. I have the broadcast pulled up and you can communicate as well. The couch is made up as well in case you want to sleep. This could be a long one."
"I doubt either of us will be sleeping." Navia laughed nervously. "Maybe if Sigewinne needs a nap."
"I want to listen too! I'll wait for Daddy and Cici and aunt Chev to come home!" Sigewinne huffed.
"Thank you for rooting for us, Bun." Wriothesley smiled. He pulled her into a hug. "Keep papa and Via company for us okay? Maybe you can draw a nice picture for when we bring mama home." He kissed her forehead softly. He almost didn't want to let go of her, and didn't want to say goodbye.
They had only had her a week. In that week, Sigewinne had become a member of the family. She fit with them like a puzzle piece, holding all four partners together. By their request, they wanted to be called Cici and Via. To them, mommy or mama was reserved for when they brought Marina home. All four of them loved the sweet girl so much. They all knew deep inside their family of 6 would be everything they ever dreamed of.
The three members remaining behind went to the chief's office after exchanging a final kiss to each other. They weren't foolish, they knew this could be the final mission for all of them. But Wriothesley was confident in his team's abilities… in his own abilities. It was the other unknowns that were causing the captain anxiety.
The special forces team entered the weapons room to get prepared. They were bringing weapons they normally left behind. Smoke bombs, extra bullets, exploding rounds and even grenades were packed in their utility belts. Bullet proof vests were installed under their uniforms. Clorinde and Wriothesley hid knives in their boots and pockets. Chevreuse made sure her grappling hook was in working order. Lastly, they grabbed their new weapons courtesy of the special forces labs. They were a little more basic, but packed an even bigger punch.
The team and all assisting officers loaded into the armored trucks. It was quite the trek into the mountains. The drive was long, anxiety boiling in the Duke's gut. This all felt wrong. He hated the fact his team was going solo with back up a long hike away. He knew he could trust his team. He knew he could trust his sister. But the Doctor was unpredictable and too intelligent. He truly was a villain. Was minimal really the best choice?
The trucks parked and took their position, hidden in the trees along another logging path. Nothing was around them for miles. The last house they saw was a good 10 miles back. It was dark, the sun setting shortly before they arrived. The cover of darkness was an advantage for the team. The three special forces officers stepped out of the vehicle and adjusted their gear. This was it… the final act.
"Alright team." Wriothesley said quietly. "Remember the plan. This is a dead or alive mission for the Doctor. If what Rina said was true, we are going to have to fight hard in there. All restrictions have been lifted. Call for backup the moment you need it. Let's go get Marina."
The girls nodded in agreement and the group set off towards the cave entrance. It was buried deep in the Fontaine mountain side. The main entry was barely more than a hole in the soil. Anyone looking around the forest would have never found it. But it wouldn't stay that way long.
Pulling the plug with his teeth, Wriothesley tossed the active grenade down the entry. Within seconds, debris was flying everywhere. The Doctor would definitely be aware of their presence now. Weapons at the ready, they breached the entry point.
The cave was extensive. The cavern they were in looked like a ransacked storage area. There was lab equipment spread all around. Broken glass littered the floor. Tall scaffolding lined the walls, filled with barrels and boxes. It was quite dark there at first. The only sound was the crunching of debris under the officers' boots and the buzz of power.
Chevreuse looked around the entry cavern. She needed a vantage point to scope out ahead. No one knew what laid ahead of them. Once her target was located she worked quickly, using her grappling hook to climb the tall scaffolding. She would continue down the cave from there, scouting for her team.
Wriothesley and Clorinde made their way through the shadows. Stealth was blown out the window a whole grenade ago but they had no idea when to expect an ambush. Their cover was blown as they peaked into the next area of the cave. Lights flicked on, bathing the room in a sudden fluorescent glow. Chevreuse hit the bottom of the shelf, not willing to give her position away. Wriothesley and Clorinde paused, backs against the cold cave wall and weapons drawn.
"Welcome my dear officers!" A male voice announced. A projection appeared on the wall in front of them, startling the officers. It was the Doctor, his masked face covering the wall. Behind him was Marina, standing quietly. She looked tired, dark circles under her eyes like she hadn't slept in days. Even though it was a projection, Wriothesley felt like their eyes locked. She gave a quick nod.
"You've been a pain in my ass, Captain Wriothesley." Dottore sighed. "Taking my precious research subjects… taking down the network I've worked years on. You don't know who you're messing with." The Doctor began laughing maniacally. "I hope you all have your wills prepared."
"It's been a long time coming, Dottore." Wriothesley called out. "You're wanted, dead or alive for your crimes."
"You're under arrest, and we will be taking Marina with us." Clorinde added. "You had no right to take her all those years ago!"
"I did have a right, and let's be honest, she was better off with me than those horrible parents. Truly they deserved what they got." That was bold talk from a man who did human experimentation. Marina closed her eyes and stepped out of sight. "Now, I wish you the best of luck surviving. I'll meet you in the lab if you do." The projection turned off.
There was a siren sound the second the screen turned black. It was deafening. In the next room, large doors open… three of them to be exact. The inside of the doors were pitch black until Wriothesley noticed movement. One by one, dozen by the dozen, clones of the Doctor poured into what looked like the main chamber of the cave. The team had only been in the entrance. They were so life-like, but moved faster than a human ever could. Was this part of his research?
"Captain, I'm going on the hunt for the power boxes. Can you and Dualist handle the clones?" Chevreuse asked over the coms.
"Yeah we got it. How many clones can you see?" Wriothesley asked.
"A minimum of 100. They're still pouring out. Seems they were prepared. Cover, I'm tossing in a fire round." Chevreuse loaded three fire rounds into her rifle and took aim. Wriothesley and Chevreuse pinned themselves against the cold stone of the entry cavern. Deadshot took aim, firing a round in each one of the doors.
The explosion that went off in each door was deafening. It did take out quite a few clones. Wriothesley peaked the corner and took aim, shooting a clone in the head. They crumpled to the ground.
"Headshots are the way to go." Wriothesley said over the coms. "Deadshot, take out the power panels. Dualist, let's take them down."
The girls replied "Yes sir!" and the mission was a start.
Wriothesley loaded his pistol with a fresh clip. He entered the main cavern, moving along the wall and climbing the stack of boxes nearby to get a higher vantage point and taking aim. One, two, three, four, five… the clones crumpled. But as they went down, more came out of the doors. How many of these things did the Doctor make? He realized some even had weapons when one took aim at him. He was faster however, landing a headshot on the clone.
Chevreuse had set up on a perch in the main cavern. She was in a corner, out of sight thanks to tall boxes. She had sight on two of the three power boxes. However they were lower to the ground than she originally expected. The clones were blocking them, she couldn't get a clear shot. She began taking out clone after clone, but they seemed to be blocking the boxes from her shots. It's almost like they were programmed to hinder her mission. She could toss down a grenade but her comrades were at risk of shrapnel or burns if she did that. Frustrated, she looked for a different angle but no matter where she looked, the clones were everywhere. The Doctor was truly prepared for this final battle. The sheer number of clones he had prepared was disturbing.
Clorinde knew what she needed to do to take down as many clones as possible. With her trusted sword in her hand, she ran quickly through the crowd of clones, taking them out one by one by her blade. The clones had no blood, only mechanical sparks when they fell. As they crumpled to the floor, it made it hard to move around swiftly. She needed a wider area. She noticed on the side of the main cavern was a storage area. Being quick on her feet, she ran to the new open area. When inside, she realized the room only had a few boxes along the wall. It was perfect. She whistled loudly, getting the attention of a large hoard of the replicas. It split them between the two officers and opened a gap for Chevreuse.
Chevreuse used the opportunity to take down one of the three power boxes. She showered the box with bullets until sparks flew. One box down, two to go. Unfortunately, those were across the cavern by Wriothesley who was having a harder time with the hoard.
Wriothesley was standing on top of the boxes, landing his shot every time he fired. But the clones were learning quickly, climbing on the boxes he was using to gain the high ground. He growled, frustrated at losing his advantage. Holstering his pistol, he shrugged his shoulders up and slammed them down. The movement activated his new gauntlets. He jumped down from his lost sanctuary and slammed his fist into the first clone he saw. There was a burst of cold air, the cryo abilities of his gauntlets short circuiting the clone as he followed through the punch. Brute force seemed to do the same as a headshot. The clones seemed sensitive to the icy impact.
They took on the challenge until the crumpled, sparking gears of the clones covered the ground. But there was no end in sight. At the rate they were going, they would burn through their energy before they even made a dent in these numbers.
Huge thumps were heard in the cave. The floor shook. Dust and small rocks fell from the ceiling. Something massive was coming. The officers looked around, trying to figure out what this noise was. It wasn't from the open doors the clones finally stopped coming out of. The lab was on an upper floor above those doors, it seemed to be from there but not quite.
"Duke, there's a door next to the lab entrance. It seems like a false wall. I see a huge heat signature coming." Chevreuse said over coms. No one got a chance to reply.
The false door was shattered by a huge monster. None of the officers had ever seen such a creature. It was over 8 feet tall. It was dark and muscular, wearing a skull-like mask. It had a crude wooden bat in its hand. It looked like an ancient beast. The animalistic growl that escaped the monster would have made even the most hardened soldier feel weak in the knees.
"There's no way… that's a Mitachurl… I thought they were creatures of legend." Chevreuse's voice was shaky. She instantly fired an exploding round into the chest of the massive beast. It didn't even slow it down. The creature didn't even acknowledge the fact it was shot.
"Well I guess he got his hands on some unique DNA." Wriothesley grit his teeth. "I need both of you guys to take the clones. I'm going to lure the big boy into the entry cavern."
"Duke thats suicide." Clorinde said, concern laced in her voice.
"You know I can take him. It's the best option we have right now." Wriothesley ran to where the monster was eyeing to jump down. He whistled loudly and waved his hands. The Mitachurl's head looked down slowly before it jumped down in front of the Duke, shattering the stone below where its feet landed.
"Come get me big boy…" Wriothesley mumbled, a small smirk curling on his face.
The captain ran to the other cavern. It was empty besides a few corpses of clones. Chevreuse executed the clones that tried to follow. The girls still had their work cut out for them. There were so many clones still. They were blocking the power boxes. They were learning to fight back with Clorinde. They had even landed a few blows on the dualist. They were outnumbered and outgunned it seemed.
The monster and Wriothesley circled each other, sizing up their competitor. The size alone intimated the captain but it didn't show on his face. He had taken on harder opponents…larger opponents than himself. He had training to take this on. He set up a fighting stance, pulling his elbows to his sides and bringing his fists up. His feet slid apart, widening his stance. The monster brought his bat up and swung it at Wriothesley. It was blocked by the new, more durable gauntlets. He had to admit, the monster packed quite the blow. His arms could barely keep the blow blocked, shaking and threatening to give out.
He used the momentum to escape the blow, letting the bat destroy the rock floor as he slid to the side. The Duke circled around, throwing a flurry of punches at the back of the monster's knee and watched the behemoth fall. A blow to the back followed then to the back of the neck. Cold bursts of cryo filled the room, frost covering the monster's backside. When Wriothesley moved to the monster's front to add more blows, he made a mistake.
The monster hardly felt those punches. A normal man would have landed in the hospital from one of Wriothesley's punches with his weapon. But this was genetic manipulation of an ancient beast that shouldn't even exist. The thing was a massive brute.
The Mitachurl grabbed the duke's fist before he could land the punch and threw him clear across the cave. Some boxes against the wall broke his throw but he still hit the stone wall of the cave. Bones cracked. The skin on his back broke open into bleeding wounds from the rigid cave rock. Wriothesley coughed up blood as he lost the last bit of air his lungs held. He fell to his knees, gasping for air. Pain radiated through his entire body.
'Move… you need to move…you need to fight…' Wriothesley thought. He could hardly breathe though. The wind was completely knocked out of him from that throw. His vision was slightly blurry. He barely heard the com in his ear… he couldn't register who was even speaking, let alone what was said.
He managed to stand up but fell to a knee instantly. His lungs hurt. His body ached in ways he hadn't felt before. The monster was approaching him. Wriothesley pulled the large blade from his boot and threw it at the monster approaching. It landed in its shoulder, blood oozing out. This… was a flesh and blood monster. Not like the mechanical clones. The thought crossed the Duke's mind… was this actually an experiment victim?
The thought couldn't take root in his mind. The monster was once again in front of him. It glared down at him, breathing heavily. Was this it? Wriothesley didn't even have the energy to hold his arm up to block the blow. He closed his eyes, bracing for the final impact.
"It was an honor team." Wriothesley said into the coms. "I love you guys." The screaming over the coms didn't register. All he wanted was to say goodbye… that wasn't too much to ask. The monster raised its weapon above its head and swung it down at the Duke, ready to claim the captain's life. Wriothesley felt the air move as the bat moved closer and closer to his head. His eyes drifted shut as he bid his life farewell.
There was no final blow. Only the sound of the bat landing on something metal and a foul scream from the monster. Wriothesley's eyes shot open. He couldn't believe the scene unfolding in front of him.
"Don't tell me you gave up captain." A voice joked.
"Looks like we all made it in the nick of time." Another voice said.
Male. The voices were male. Familiar… Wriothesley knew those voices well. Friends… back up…
His mind started to clear up when he felt Alhaitham haul him up from his knees. In front of him, Cyno was staring the beast down. It was missing an arm. Blood covered the sword Alhaitham had in his hand. Back up had finally arrived, and at the perfect time at that.
"Boy am I glad to see you guys." Wriothesley chuckled. "I thought that was my final fight."
"If you caused that..." Alhaitham motioned his head to the place Wriothesley landed from the throw. Shattered boxes and rock littered the floor in that space. "Then it almost was. Can you keep going?"
"Yeah I'm good." Wriothesley checked his gauntlets over. "But the girls need back up… like now, we need to take this beast down fast."
"Don't worry about them." Cyno said. He looked over his shoulder. "I told you, I brought the finest soldiers Sumeru had to offer."
"Can you two keep him distracted while I do the finishing blow?" Alhaitham asked.
"Go for the back, i'll go to the front." Cyno said. Wriothesley made his way quickly to the back of the monster. It felt like his body was on autopilot. The adrenaline kept his body moving strong. The pain was tolerable at this moment. After all, he had a mission to complete.
Cyno wasted no time, swinging his spear at the distressed monster. The spear landed in its remaining arm, only cutting a few inches into the skin. The beast growled and screamed, thrashing around to throw off the general. Wriothesley threw 3 punches into the back of each leg. The cryo dusted the beast's skin again but this time he fell to his knees. The Duke used his brute strength to unleash a barrage of punches into the monster's back.
The Mitachurl fell forward onto the ground. Alhaitham took the opportunity to put the monster out of its misery, thrusting his sword between its eyes. The skull mask cracked but remained on its face. The beast stopped moving, crossing over to the other side. They had won the fight against the ancient monster.
Wriothesley fell to his knees panting, the other two rushing to his side. He waved them off, telling them he just needed to catch his breath. He felt blood slide down back. There were broken bones throughout his body. But the fight wasn't done… he had a mission to complete. A few seconds to recuperate is all he needed.
Across the cavern, Clorinde was fighting a majority of the clones. The sheer number of them was what was causing her the most trouble. They had learned her fighting style, likely programmed from the Doctor. They had learned to fight back against her. She had small cuts along her arms and legs. Her collar bone was definitely broken from a sudden attack. She was running low on ammunition, relying mostly on her sword now. The electro she once had in her weapon was gone, the lab unable to replicate the tech in such little time. The final straw for her was when her captain- no her partner- said goodbye over the coms. She couldn't lose her best friend. Not like this. Not when they were this close to saving Marina.
Tears flowed freely from her eyes. Her body was giving up. She was backed into the corner of the room. She was blindly swinging her sword to take out the clones. Chevreuse couldn't even cover her anymore. She was too far back into the storage area. All she wanted was to say goodbye to her best friend and partner. She was preparing to do as Wriothesley did, say goodbye over the coms but help had arrived.
"Clorinde hit the ground, NOW." A familiar voice yelled. She couldn't pin it at that moment but she obeyed. Clorinde instantly laid her whole body flat against the ground. She felt some clones grab on her but it was cut off by the sound of metal hitting the robotic clones. There was a huge thud behind the Dualist.
She felt two presences join her in the corner. Clorinde looked up and smiled softly. Dehya was pulling her claymore from the wall and standing defensively in front of the fallen officer. The other was Candace, her shield taking a beating from a few clones trying to breach their protective barrier.
"You've done well." Candace smiled down at her. "Can you still fight?"
"Yeah, I'm good now that backup has arrived." Clorinde stood up, accepting a helping hand from Dehya. "Did… is Wriothesley alright?"
"Yes he's fine… Alhaitham and Cyno are with him now." Candace confirmed. "We have back up placed among your team."
"Madam Faruzan! Kaveh!" Dehya called into a walkie talkie she had. "Send in Mehrak!"
"Already on it, youngsters!" A chipper female voice replied through the walkie.
"We will make a path in the main cavern first." Kaveh added.
"What is that…?" Clorinde asked curiously.
"Madam Faruzan is a professor in the Akademia. She made a robot with Kaveh that's used to transport ancient artifacts and large structural supplies. We brought it with us to carve a path through the clones." Dehya explained. It was genius, the Fontainians had not thought of anything like that.
Dehya sung her claymore and took out half a dozen clones in one slice. It encouraged the Dualist to continue her battle. The three separated, working fast to take out the remaining clones. They had stopped pouring into the room some time ago. The battle seemed to finally have an end.
Chevreuse was scoping out the second power box. The clones had finally left. Before she could fire at her target, she heard the sound of air whooshing fast. She located the sound's origin to be below her sniper perch. Three arrows hit the power box. The sparks from the short circuit caused the arrows to catch fire. Two of three power boxes were down. One to go.
It didn't take long for her back up to scale the large shelf that her perch was set up on. She smiled at the familiar face and new face.
"Hey there, Tighnari." Chevreuse smirked. "Who's your friend?"
"Ah right you two haven't met yet." His ears perked up, tail swishing behind him. "This is Collei, a forest ranger and my dear trainee. She offered help when Cyno came to the ranger station."
"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances." The green haired girl smiled softly.
"Where's the last power box? Cyno sent us to help you take them down." Tighnari asked.
"Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate it quite yet. We had its position but it wasn't there. I'm assuming the sub detection units were slightly off. Best guess is along with southern wall. It has to be close." Chevreuse sighed. The wall in question was stacked tall with storage boxes. It was the same high ground Wriothesley had used earlier, now littered with the remaining gears of the clones.
"Let me go behind the boxes." Collei perked up. "I'm small enough to squeeze back there without getting caught."
Her mentor nodded, giving her permission to take on the dangerous task. Chevreuse would watch her through the scope anyway. The petite girl climbed back down the scaffolding. The clones were too distracted from the fight in the storage area to notice her. It was narrow but Collei slid behind the boxes along the southern wall. Behind the boxes, she noticed a small panel in the rock that didn't belong. Chevreuse was correct, the power box was on the wall, just way lower than the others and blocked by the boxes.
Collei used her walkie talkie to tell Tighnari her finding. She was instructed to evacuate the boxed area. Once the area was cleared, Chevreuse loaded a fire round and took aim at the boxes. The second the shot hit its mark, the boxes were set on fire. The heat of the flames made the power box short circuit.
The cavern went dark. The clones dropped. Small lanterns lit up around the cave acting as emergency lighting. Marina was right, the power boxes were the key. The team fighting the clones were grateful for the sudden drop of their enemies, taking the chance to catch their breath. All teams needed a moment before the final area: the lab. Mehrak was busy carving a path to the stairs that would lead them to the lab.
The Duke had caught his breath at last. He stood up when the lights went out. The first phase of the mission was complete. He and his Sumeru back up joined Chevreuse and her team in the main cavern at the stairs. It didn't take long for Clorinde's team to join them. The group of 9 soldiers had gathered for the final, yet most challenging step: Face the Doctor and take him down for good.
At the top of the stairs was a large door to the lab. With the power down, the door was more of a barricade. Wriothesley stood in front of the team. One punch to the lock, then two, then three. A dozen hits later, the lock broke off the mechanism. A swift kick and the door was breached.
The lab was dark, only a few lamps like the main cavern. There were large tubes that were floor to ceiling filled with a viscous liquid of a mulitude of colors. Test tubes and paper littered the desks and floors. Computers were every few feet throughout the room. The lab looked well lived in, like the mad scientist spent many hours tinkering in there. In the center sat the Doctor with the Queen standing behind him.
The officers filed into the room, ready to fight. Clorinde and Chevreuse had their guns pointed directly at the snickering man in the chair. Dehya and Candace stood strong, eyes locked with the first head of Cerberus. Alhaitham and Cyno stood behind the captain in the front of the group. Tighnari stood behind the sniper, growling with his ears flat on his head. Collei's bow was trained on the same man who did this to her beloved mentor.
"I had no doubts you'd make it." The Doctor grinned. "What a show you put on! Oh my dearest Duke, you were so close to being a puddle on the cave floor! You got thrown like a literal rag doll! And watching this sweet little sniper struggle just because of some boxes and clones was the best comedy of the year! I did feel a little pity on the Dualist however… so many clones for one poor girl to take on…" He stood from his chair clapping. "It was simply breathtaking! I do hope I get to see the encore!"
"You're under arrest, Dottore." Wriothesley stood strong, not waived by the taunts this man was giving.
"Ah yes about that…" Dottore chuckled. "I think I would rather not go to prison. There isn't enough availability of equipment to continue my research. There's so much more to learn about genetic mutations."
The man stepped around the back of the chair, a finger running along its back rest. From there he stepped towards Marina, his footing suddenly going from casual to malice fueled. He grabbed her and pulled Marina close, a hand snaking around her waist possessively. She didn't flinch, she didn't tense, simply letting the man coil around her like a snake. What none of them expected was what Dottore did next.
Another hand wrapped around her throat, a blade pressed against it. She was pressed tightly against him, her back to his chest. Her eyes widened at the sudden display, but her body language remained calm.
"Dottore what are you-" Marina began to say but was cut off.
"I always wondered when I would have all three heads of Cerberus in the same room." The Doctor grinned at the two others across from him. "So tell me… which one of you three gave away my location? Who took my dear child away from this lab? Which one of you two corrupted my dearest Queen?"
"Get your filthy hands off her!" Dehya growled. When she tried to lunge forward to attack but Candace blocked her.
"You knew about us all along?" Candace asked.
"Not the whole time… but I had a good idea. Your identities were confirmed when my dear Marina took off in the middle of the night into the desert to have our child." Dottore sighed.
"If you knew, why didn't you act sooner?" Marina asked.
"I didn't feel a need. The fact of the matter is this… even if it's the 10 of you against just me, I'd still win." The laugh from the Doctor made Wriothesley's skin crawl.
Chevreuse did not hesitate. The mission was dead or alive after all. She took aim and shot the Doctor the moment her target became clear. The bullet hit its mark, clearing through his forehead. The man recoiled but never fell. The grin on his face made him look like a monster. There was no way a person could survive that shot, it was a fatal hit. Unless…
"You perfected the genetic manipulation to make you immortal didn't you?" Wriothesley glared.
"It's incredible what you can do with the DNA of deceased dragons. I found it when I found the DNA I used on Sigewinne." Dottore pressed the knife closer to Marina's throat. "How is my dear child? I have a hypothesis that she's in your care."
"Don't act like you know her." Clorinde was the one who stepped forward this time. "You were never a father to that sweet little one. Marina was her only caregiver. Marina was the one who made Sigewinne so special, not your experiments."
"Oh I hit a delicate spot on this one." Dottore smirked. "Is it because she reminds you of your best friend? Is it making you jumpy that I am the only thing between you having your first crush again or having to prepare a funeral for her?"
Marina mouthed something to the crowd while Dottore was distracted. Her hand slipped into the lab coat she was wearing. He didn't seem to notice, too busy mocking the Dualist. The other heads of Cerberus froze as they realized what she was mouthing to them.
'Let me end this…'
It happened swiftly. Marina was ready to fight and put her life on the line like the others who risked it all to save her. Inside her pocket, she uncapped a syringe filled with a syrupy light green liquid. Quicker than Dottore could comprehend, she had moved the needle from her pocket and pierced his thigh with it. He barely had time to press the knife to her when she hit the plunger on the syringe. The green liquid entered him and the man crumpled to the ground, screaming in agony.
Marina twirled around, smirking down at the Doctor. She roughly grabbed him by the face so he would look her in the eye. "You always thought my personal research was nothing… little did you know I was researching the way to end you. A way to correct your lifetime work… alas I couldn't…" She sighed but tightened her grip. "But I could easily find a way to euthanize you… that research project wasn't challenging. Goodbye Dottore."
She threw him aside. The villain was curling into himself in pain. His body was rejecting the DNA it was manipulated with. His organs were shutting down. The Queen had done it… her research was complete.
Marina turned around and faced the crowd. Her smile was true, one she probably hadn't worn on her face in years. Dehya and Candace ran to her and pulled her into an embrace. She hugged them tight, thanking them for always working alongside her, for fighting to bring her back home.
They didn't hold each other for long. Marina had two reunions she had been waiting for. When the two desert dwellers let go of her, she calmly approached Clorinde and brushed a stray hair behind her ear.
"I missed you so much, Clorinde." She whispered softly. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."
Clorinde didn't say anything, simply pulling Marina into a suffocating hug. The Dualist was sobbing, overwhelmed by the emotions of seeing her childhood friend once again. The person she dedicated a majority of her adult life to was finally in her arms. They could be a family. Their group of four would grow to a family of six with her and Sigewinne. They would be so happy.
When Clorinde finally let go, Marina stepped in front of Wriothesley. He seemed out of it, like he did not believe his eyes. His sister, his family, and his best friend was standing before him again. But this time, she wasn't running away. She wouldn't run away from him ever again.
"I…" Marina chuckled softly. "I have so much I want to tell you. So much to say but my mind is completely blank right now. All I can think to say is how much I missed you Wrio."
Wriothesley pulled her into a tight hug. Her arms wrapped gently around him, knowing he had severe injuries. She laid her head on his chest and listened to him battle the urge to cry.
"I've waited so many years for this." Wriothesley choked down a sob. "Marina I'm so glad… you're alive and you're still you."
"I will fully admit I've had to do things to survive that would suggest otherwise but it's me." Marina smiled up at her brother. "You have Sigewinne correct? She's alright?"
"Yes, she's safe. She's with our other partners, probably listening in right now." Wriothesley tapped the ear piece. They had an open line of communication, everyone at the police station heard the entire mission. Every word. Every grunt. Every bullet.
"I'm so relieved. Winne, if you can hear this, mama loves you and will see you soon." Marina sighed in relief. She pulled away slightly to examine her brother. "I can't wait to meet your husband and Clorinde's wife. They both seem so lovely from what I've been able to see. I've only been able to watch from afar so much unfortunately."
"As much as I don't want to interrupt." Cyno began. "We should clear out, get everyone medical attention and go back home."
"Good idea." Chevreuse let her rifle rest, returning to her back. She pulled the handcuffs from the back pouch of her dress and approached the Doctor who was still writhing in pain on the floor, refusing to die. Deadshot didn't know if that was normal for the drug that was injected in him but didn't care. She slapped the cuffs on the man, pausing shortly after the second one latched. She cursed and kicked him aside. The rifle was back in her hand quickly. She fell to one knee, eyes locked in her scope as she hunted the dark corners of the room.
"What's wrong?" Clorinde stepped beside her.
"There are no fingerprints." Chevreuse said deadpan. The whole room knew what that meant; it was a clone. An eerie silence fell in the room.
Wriothesley pulled Marina to him protectively, pulling his pistol from its holster. Every warrior in the room was on high alert. It was too dark to see throughout the lab. Was this part of the plan all along? How did he switch himself out without the Queen noticing?
Right before Wriothesley set off on this mission, he knew in his gut something would go wrong. He didn't know what, just something. They had faced challenge after challenge to get here. He had completed trial after trial. Hardship after hardship. Somehow, deep down, he knew. It's like his anxiety could predict his future. He felt the same thing when he was bait and the same thing in Sumeru.
In the back corner of the lab, a rush of sound broke through the silence. Water surging and glass breaking. One of the huge cylinders of liquid broke open, its contents all over the floor. Chevreuse set her scope on the corner. She saw a shape emerge from the darkness, approaching rapidly. Before she could warn anyone the shot went off. Chevreuse fired hers seconds after.
The Doctor had set up an elaborate ruse. He was hidden in the dark corner of the room, letting his clone play the role of him. Even the Queen forgot how close the cloning technology could replicate things. He was dedicated to the decet, staying curled in the tube since she had returned from the safe house the previous day. He knew everything.
Both bullets hit their marks. Chevreuse had successfully taken down the Doctor, her bullet clearing his chest and severing his heart. The dragon DNA had been a lie by the clone, a good one at that. The Doctor's work would go unfinished.
The bullet the Doctor had fired had hit its mark. It entered the back of Marina's head and exited through her forehead into Wriothesley's chest. It nailed the spot where the bullet proof vest was weak and penetrated. Both crumbled to the ground.
"WRIOTHESLEY! MARINA!" Clorinde screamed. It was a primal yell, one that set everyone into high gear.
Cyno didn't fully know the coms were open when he made his call over the walkie talkie. He had left one with the police chief even though Kaveh and Faruzan were with him. He didn't know that Navia, Neuvillette and Sigewinne were listening in miles away.
"Chief, I need medical aid here NOW. Candace, start field surgery so we can move him." Cyno said into the walkie talkie. "The Doctor is down, confirming the deceased momentarily. The Queen… is deceased. The Duke will be too if we don't move quickly!"
The two remaining members of Cerberus rushed to the fallen siblings. It pained Dehya to pull her deceased beloved from the final embrace of her dear brother. Candace pulled the first aid kit out of the bag Dehya was carrying. She would do everything in her power to save the Duke. Tighnari sat beside her, helping clear clothing and keep the bleeding wound clean enough that she could pull the bullet out and stitch the wound enough to be moved to hospital for emergency surgery.
Back at the police office, there wasn't a sound. Every officer in the bullpen was silent. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. In the chief's office however, there were only tears. Neuvillette and Navia held Sigewinne as they sobbed. They had experienced every emotion from this mission but this was the heaviest. Sigewinne lost her mom. They may lose their partner, the man who kept the family whole.
Wriothesley had no idea how he had saved each member of his family. He felt that they had saved him after he was released from jail but it was the opposite. In that moment, all Neuvillette and Navia wanted to do was tell the dark haired man how much he meant to all of them… how much they needed him.
The grief was overwhelming. How would any of them recover from this? Who would be the glue to keep them all together? Who would be the smile that made even the worst day better? Who would hold each of them close and tell them they were perfect like he had?
"He's strong… he'll make it… there's no way he would leave us like this." A voice came over the coms. It was Clorinde, practically whispering. It was a message meant for her partners at home base. They hadn't thought about it. Clorinde was in the field… she watched as her childhood friends were shot. She was watching all of this unfold in real time. "He's alive, guys. We'll bring him home. Operation: DOCTOR is officially complete."