Wolf's Lair, Königsberg, East Prussia – 20 July 1944

Jan and Andreas ran through the dimly lit hallways and reached Caspar just as he was taking cover inside a room. Down the hallway, three soldiers were shooting at him. Jan and Caspar shot back at them, forcing them into cover and allowing Jan to reach Caspar's side.

"What's the situation?" he asked Caspar as Andreas kept the pressure.

"Hitler's escaping down that hallway! We need to get through these bastards, or he'll escape."

Jan leaned out and scanned the situation in front of him. The three soldiers were each inside a room, hiding behind the doors just like the three Assassins. Two on Jan and Caspar's side and one on Andreas', who was still shooting to keep up the pressure. Just as Jan finished his scanning, Andreas was forced to take cover as he reloaded, and the situation reversed as the three soldiers started shooting at both sides of the hallway.

"We have no time," Jan declared. "We have to go on the offensive. When they start reloading, on my call we all go out and start shooting. Make sure your clips are full."

Caspar and Andreas nodded before reloading their weapons. The shots were still coming, and Jan was biding his time. Then he heard the characteristic click of the rifles as they ran out of bullets.

"Now!" he shouted.

All at once, the three Assassins came out of cover and started shooting as they advanced down the hallway. One soldier was killed immediately as he was reloading, while the other two quickly ducked into cover. The Assassins continued their advance, quickly covering the distance between them and the soldiers. They kept firing, making sure the soldiers could not come out. When they were close enough, the Assassins took out the soldiers with their blades, making quick work of them.

They sped through the hallway. The closer they got to the door, the louder the sound of gunshots. Jan's guess was confirmed when they burst out of the door, as almost a dozen Assassins came out of the forest and were shooting at the surviving, disoriented soldiers in the compound. Elisabeth's team had come.

Caspar and Andreas immediately took cover and began shooting. Jan stood at the threshold of the doorway for a few moments, scanning the scene through the bullets and the smoke. A group of soldiers dressed differently from the rest was rushing through the battlefield towards a waiting car. In the midst of it, Jan could just make out his target.

"He's escaping!" he shouted to Casper and Andreas. He didn't wait for them as he jumped over the railing and ran straight towards Hitler. As he ran, he aimed his gun straight at them, hitting a few soldiers in the back.

When the soldiers realised what was happening, four of them turned back and began shooting at him. The bullets whizzled past him, grazing his arms and cheek, but he barely felt the pain as the adrenaline rushed through him.

He reached them and, to get past, engaged his blades. He avoided the close-range shot the soldier closest to him attempted and came in swinging from below with his blades aimed directly at his neck. He buried it deep and with all his force pulled it out as violently as possible. He pushed the dying soldier away, shifting his focus to the next soldier. He pushed the soldier's rifle out of the way and stabbed him deep in the stomach, twisting his blade and causing the soldier to cry out in pain. He pulled out his blade and pushed him down too, before pivoting quickly and taking out his handgun. He shot the next soldier point blank in the forehead, sending him falling backwards with a hole in his head.

But he was distracted, and the final soldier hit him in the cheek with the butt of his rifle. He fell to the ground, his vision blurry and the side of his head hurting like hell. Instinctively, he rolled away just in time to avoid another hit. The distance between them was just enough for him to recover, and he was soon back on his feet. The soldier shot at him, but Jan easily dodged the bullet. He then rushed at him, trying to get his blade to go straight into the soldier's stomach. But the soldier sidestepped, and instead he crashed into him, sending them both tumbling into the dirt.

Jan recovered first. As he lifted his head up, kneeling on the ground, he saw with despair that the car had just started moving away. He raised his gun to shoot at it, but the soldier had recovered and pulled his hand up, sending his shot flying into the sky. The soldier was now trying to choke him, and Jan clawed at him, but he couldn't get his blades close enough to the soldier's face. Finally, Jan pulled out all his strength and bent over forwards, sending the soldier over his head and falling onto the ground. The force of the blow forced the soldier to let go of Jan's neck, and he took this chance to plunge his hidden blade into the side of the soldier's neck.

Jan stood up and watched as the car left the compound and started its journey away from the base. But at that moment, the revving engine of another car came from behind him. Instinctively, Jan dodged the car as it came. It stopped in front of him and revealed Elisabeth in the driver's seat. It was one of those open-aired, four-wheeled Kübelwagen.

"Get in!" she shouted as she opened the passenger door.

Jan wasted no time and hopped into the passenger's seat. Elisabeth stepped on the gas as the battle between the Assassins and the garrison raged around them.

"They won't be able to hold the soldiers for long," Jan said to her.

She made no reply, focusing her entire mind on rushing through the forest road. Soon, Hitler's car appeared in front of them. It was slightly slower than theirs, and they were gaining. Jan stood up in his seat and aimed his gun at the car. He started shooting, aiming at the wheels to try and make it crash. It was difficult to shoot while the wind was rushing against him. The car being unstable certainly didn't help. A soldier popped out of the window and began shooting at Jan, forcing him to duck and go back into his seat.

"I can't get a shot," he told Elisabeth as they ducked.

One bullet hit the front windshield but missed Elisabeth by a few centimetres.

"Can you get closer?" he asked.

"I think so. What are you going to do?"

"You'll see."

The soldier kept shooting back at them. Elisabeth went left and right, avoiding the shots. But they were slowly gaining. The shots were getting more accurate the closer they got. But the same could be said for Jan. He leaned out of the car and shot at the soldier. He couldn't kill him, but he managed to shoot him in the shoulder. The soldier winced in pain and retreated into the car.

"Step on it, Elisabeth!"

Elisabeth practically kicked the pedal and sent the car rushing forward until it was right next to Hitler's car. Jan looked inside the car. In front, the two soldiers were looking at him. In the back, one was grasping at his shoulder while Hitler's eyes widened when he saw the Assassins. Jan took out his gun, aimed it straight at the driver, and shot. The shot hit the driver straight in the face, sending blood splattering over the front windshield and onto the soldier in the passenger seat. The driver's head fell onto the steering wheel.

"They're crashing!" Jan shouted at Elisabeth, smiling excitedly.

His smile faded when the car, out of control and the steering wheel hit by the dead soldier, rammed into their own car. Hitler's car hit their car's rear side and sent the car spiraling out of control. Elisabeth tried to take control of the car, but there was nothing she could do. Jan held on for dear life until the car finally settled, its rear end crashing into a tree. They were now facing the road, and on the other side Hitler's car had met a similar end. Its front was busted, almost cut in half by a tree. Smoke was coming out of its engine.

Jan and Elisabeth got out of the car and approached them cautiously, guns held up and ready to shoot. But they were unprepared for the two soldiers on the side of the car facing them suddenly coming out, guns blazing. The hail of bullets forced them to run back and take cover behind the trees. They couldn't do anything for some time as the soldiers kept the pressure on them. One of them would keep firing while the other reloaded.

"Go, go!" one of them shouted.

"We can't let them get away!" Jan shouted to Elisabeth, who nodded back at him.

When a short lull came up, they wasted no time and came out shooting. This took the soldier who remained behind by surprise, forcing him to take cover. Jan and Elisabeth moved forward like this. Jan kept the pressure as Elisabeth reloaded, and vice versa. Jan looked through the smoke and foliage. He saw Hitler escaping with the other soldier deeper into the forest, behind the totaled car.

"He's escaping!" Jan shouted.

At this, the remaining soldier fired several shots at the Assassins, forcing them to stop and duck. He used that chance to escape, going deeper into the forest and following Hitler. Once the shots stopped coming, the two of them were about to run into the forest when the sound of another car came from down the road. It was another Kübelwagen. Elisabeth squinted her eyes to see who they were.

"Verdammt, reinforcements," Elisabeth spat.

She turned around and pushed Jan towards the soldier running into the forest. Jan hesitated, resisting her push.

"Go! I'll handle the reinforcements. You get the bastard!"

Jan still hesitated, looking alternately at Elisabeth, the reinforcements, and the soldiers disappearing into the forest. But with that characteristic intensity of hers, Elisabeth looked into Jan's eyes and, like fire howling at him, shouted for him to move. As soon as he started moving, Elisabeth took cover and shot at the car coming down the road. The car stopped, and they disembarked, using the car and nearby trees as cover.

But Jan had diverted his full attention to the forest. The foliage was thick. Trees and branches made it harder for him to see the receding backs of the soldier. But he was faster. Not because he was much stronger than him. But something was pushing him. This was going to be the end. With this, all would end. And that expectation was making him nervous but was pushing adrenaline throughout his bloodstream.

In no time, he had caught up to the soldier. He realised this, and he would stop once in a while to turn around and shoot. But the Assassin was far too quick for him. He darted from rock to tree, cover to cover. The soldier was becoming more frantic as he closed the distance. He shot at him, but the bullet hit a tree squarely in the middle of its trunk. From behind it, Jan came out, like a tiger pouncing on its prey. He jumped into the air, his two blades engaged and ready to reach their target.

And in a single moment, it ended. Jan fell onto the soldier, his blades finding their mark on their neck. Without looking down, he pulled the blades out and kept running. Neither Hitler nor the soldier guarding him were to be seen, but the trail of jarring red, crimson blood on greenery led his path. He wasted no time, moving through the undergrowth like a predator stalking its prey.

It eventually led to a clearing where Hitler and the soldier were moving. They weren't running but were heaving. Jan took out his gun and moved forward, but he broke a fallen branch with his foot. The noise prompted Hitler and the soldier to look back. The soldier shouted for his leader to keep moving as he himself took cover behind a rock. He opened fire on Jan, forcing Jan to duck for cover behind a tree. He couldn't rush forward like before. There were no trees between the edge of the clearing where he was and where the soldier was taking cover.

But he couldn't let this chance slip. As the shooting continued, bullets hitting tree trunks and leaves around him, he steeled himself. He reloaded the half-empty cartridge. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath. He waited until the soldier was forced to reload.

And then he made a run for it.

He closed the distance as much as he could. All the while, he used both hands to shoot his gun at the soldier to try and hit him. The soldier was forced to take cover behind the rock. Jan had only eight rounds before he had to reload. He had to keep up the pressure, but at the same time not to waste his entire cartridge before he could reach the soldier. He shot at intervals he hoped were enough.

But it wasn't enough. In between his shots, the soldier managed to get out of cover and shoot him. The bullet went straight through his left shoulder. There was a sharp pain for a moment, but the adrenaline in his body didn't allow him to feel much pain. It pushed him further, and before he knew it, he was in front of the rock, jumping over it, and landing on the soldier. His blade went through the bottom of the soldier's mouth. He quickly took it out and ran after Hitler, who was limping.

It didn't take long before he reached him. He shot him in the other leg and forced him to a crawl. Except, he didn't crawl. He lay on the ground, propping himself up with his arm as he grabbed at the wound in his thigh. And he looked at Jan, who came towards him with cold, steely eyes.

"No more running," Jan said as he approached him, gun trained on him.

He knelt down in front of him, and took his gun away, throwing it onto the ground. And then he put the barrel of his gun on Hitler's forehead.

"Everything you've done has led to this moment," Jan said to him. "How does it feel? Dying alone in a forest so far from home? Do you regret your actions now?"

Hitler said nothing and looked straight into his eyes.

"Say something!" he shouted at him, digging the barrel deeper into his forehead.

But he said nothing.

"Fine. Have it your way. No last words for you. Not that anyone would remember it."

He put his finger on the trigger.

"Hold it right there, you scum!"

The voice came from behind. Jan turned his head around.

A group of soldiers – three of them – were standing not too far from the edge of the clearing. They were bloodied, but so was Elisabeth who was being forced to her knees between them. She had bruises and cuts on her face, and her lip was bleeding. Her hands were tied behind her back, and they held her up by her hair. The pain was evident on her face.

"Wouldn't want your girlfriend to die, would you?" said the soldier holding her up as he put the barrel of his gun to the side of her head.

Jan grimaced. "You bastards…"

"Don't listen to him, Jan! Kill him!"

"Go ahead," the soldier said. "Do it. I dare you."

"Do it!" Elisabeth shouted through gritted teeth.

Flames were burning inside Jan. This close, he thought. We were this close! He looked at Hitler, who was now grinning despite the gun to his head, and then at Elisabeth. He kept doing it.

"What'll it be?!" shouted the soldier as he dug the barrel deeper into her head.

"Forget about me, Jan! Kill him!" Elisabeth shouted, but one of the soldiers hit her head with the back of his rifle to shut her up.

"Fine!" Jan said. "Get up!" he shouted at Hitler as he dragged him up.

He held Hitler by the arm while keeping the barrel of his gun to his head.

"Release her," Jan said to them.

"Fat chance. You first."

"How can I trust you?"

"You can't."

The two soldiers laughed.

"But do you really have that luxury?"

Jan grimaced.

"I'll move towards you with this bastard. When I let him walk towards you, you'll let her walk. Or else."

The soldier thought for a moment.

"Fine," he said.

Jan forced Hitler, whose legs were bleeding, to move forward. They moved slowly, nearing the edge of the crossing. Jan stopped about seven paces from the soldiers.

"I'm letting him go," he announced.

The soldier nodded and forced Elisabeth to stand up. She was delirious from the hit from the rifle and could barely stand.

"You're lucky, you bastard. But we'll get you next time," Jan said as he pushed Hitler towards the soldiers.

"There won't be a next time… Assassin," he said back in reply.

The soldiers pushed Elisabeth forward, who wobbled like she was going to fall at any moment. One soldier kept his rifle on Jan, while another kept his on Elisabeth. They walked slowly. Elisabeth could just make out Hitler passing by her with blood streaking down her face.

"No…," she muttered.

The hostages each reached their respective targets at about the same time. Jan quickly embraced her and checked her wounds. Nothing major, he thought. She'll recover.

"Look, she really is his girlfriend!" taunted the soldier.

"Then die together."

They started opening fire. Jan quickly took Elisabeth into his arms and ran back. He felt bullets whizzle past, some grazing him. But in the adrenaline of the moment, he didn't feel the pain. He quickly took cover behind the rock the soldier guarding Hitler had been using as cover. His body was still there.

The shooting continued for a while, but then there was a pause.

"Nice try, Assassins," shouted Hitler. "But you have only exposed yourselves. Even now, your friends must be doing something in Berlin right? Well, you'll see what happens."

Jan took out his gun and leaned out of cover, trying to shoot them. But they were shooting at him before he could, and he was forced to retreat back into cover. The shots slowly became less accurate and eventually stopped. Jan wanted to chase after them, but Elisabeth was in no condition to do so. With the adrenaline gone, he started to feel the pain in his sides and shoulders. But he paid no attention to his own pain, instead taking Elisabeth's head into his hands.

"Elisabeth, are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" she muttered. "Why didn't you kill him? I would've gladly died for the Brotherhood…" she said, still half-delirious.

Jan sighed a breath of relief and held onto Elisabeth tightly. He bent down and held back his tears, filled with worry.

"I can't lose you. I can't lose any more people."

Hello to those who are still reading this! If there are such people, I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this very imperfect piece of work ^^

But disclaimer, of course this whole thing with Hitler was fictional. The bomb failed to assassinate him in real life, but there was no shootout or anything afterwards. I took a bit of artistic liberty with this.