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The Serpent's Lair, Somehwere on the Germany/Poland Border - 13th of May, 1996
The car ride through the German countryside was uneventful, at this point Marta knew she could escape, albeit the detonation of the C4 round her waist would mean she’d be walking around wounded, but she doubted that Sedova and Ratel would survive the blast, meaning that only the armoured mercenary Hawker would be a problem. As tempted as she was to risk it, the curiosity regarding the employer of three top tier mercenaries was too much to resist, and shortly before arriving at the Germany-Poland border, the minivan pulled into a complex of small buildings built in the Soviet style on the late 1970s. The buildings weren’t the only relics from Germany’s segregated past in the compound, two armoured BTRs sat menacingly next to one building, whilst a team of men dressed in black uniforms levelled an old soviet AA Gun to face the van.
“Interesting little militia you have here.” Marta mused as Natalia brought the vehicle to a stop and Hawker landed on the cracked concrete, the shoulder mounted sidearm concealed in his armour aimed at her head.
“Get out!” Natalia ordered as she slipped out of the van and opened the door nearest Marta. Hesitating for a second, Marta felt Ratel kick her in the back, the impact knocking her onto the floor outside. Getting to her feet she did a quick count in her head of how many guns were pointing at her, judged their calibres and measured it against how thick her hide was before realising that attacking in a blaze of glory was akin to suicide. “Inside now!” Natalia added, as two of the men in black opened a door to one of the bunkers, the electrical lights glowing a dim blue inside the underground structure.
Under guard, Marta headed downstairs, the three mercenaries staying close to her, with Ratel up front, the detonator for the suicide belt clamped in his hands. In this underground labyrinth, Marta’s chances were better since it would maximize the effect of the blast on her opponents. Despite this however, the thought of those AA Guns up top made her reconsider any action, and eventually the four of them reached a room with a long low table in the middle, a chair with arm restraints pulled up against it.
“I assume that’s my seat.” Marta hissed. “I’ll pass thank you.”
“You have no choice.” Natalia stated as Hawker pushed her forwards towards Ratel, the big South African man forcing her into the chair before snapping the cuffs on. With a sneer Hawker slammed her in the back causing Marta to groan in pain, the straps of the suicide belt digging into her chest as she was forced to lean forward into the cuffs. Hissing slightly, she raised her head just in time to see the door open and an old man sitting in a wheelchair enter the interrogation room, his wheezing breath adding an almost sickly air to the chamber.
“Well we meet again She-Drache.” The old man wheezed, as Sedova and a young Asian man dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt moved to flank the old man’s chair. “I have been waiting for this moment for a long time.
“I haven’t.” Marta replied as she placed her hands on the table, the chains round her wrist clanking slightly. “Time has not been kind to you Sao-Wunna AKA the Sinister Snake Charmer,” She added as the man in the chair took a deep breath from the oxygen mask attached to the canister on the back of the wheelchair, “I doubt you could even play your flute, let alone control me with it. So why don’t you release me, before I release myself!”
“I’m afraid my benefactor won’t allow that.” Sao-Wunna wheezed, as he shot a look at Natalia Sedova. “And as you may remember, once you are under the Snake Charmer’s command, you don’t have a choice in the matter.”
“This isn’t Arnhem, and I’m sure as hell not going to make this a repeat performance of that awful night!” Marta snarled, her eyes flashing to the young Asian man as he removed a flute from the pocket of his jeans. “Of course, when I first saw him, I thought I was seeing a ghost. This must be your grandson Sao, but I warn you, if you love him then you will stop this now.”
“Vijay is committed to the cause, he knows the risk She-Drache.” Sao wheezed, as he took another breath before turning his chair round and leaving the chamber. “Natalia, once this is over, once she is in our control come find me, I have many questions for her regarding the location of the Drachenkönig.” He added as Vijay began to play a haunting melody on the flute, the sound filling the air with sweet rhythmic music.
“Nice try, but you don’t have the confidence whilst playing your old man had.” Marta hissed as she closed her eyes to block out the rhythmic swaying of the flute. “And unlike the last time, I have only one thing to concentrate on.” She added, before a sharp stabbing pain bit into her shoulders. Opening her eyes Marta looked up to see the big South African mercenary towering over her, his claws stabbing into her flesh.
“Wrong Dragon, you have two things to concentrate on.” The man sneered as Hawker pushed a television on a cart into the room. “You have the footage our benefactor supplied us?”
“Sure do, get your popcorn ready, because right now we’re showing a rerun called ‘the She-Drache’s betrayal” Hawker sneered as he slotted a battered video tape into the machine. “Now in colour.” He added with a sneer, as the British war-time confidentiality warning appeared on the screen.
**
Arnhem, Netherlands - 25th of September 1944
The members of the German Whermarct cursed as the rounds from the machine gun nest mounted in the square bounced off the man dressed in the uniform of a US marine as he charged the guns, his brutal punches levelling the shop front that the fortification was based in. While most of the defenders had been stunned by the blow, the one or two who had kept their wits about them fired a few desperate shots before their super-human opponent pacified them with a few swift punches.
“Commander behind you!” A female Canadian accented voice called, her words sounding over the rumble of an approaching tank group. Ducking out of the shop front the soldier saw four Panzer IVs converging on the square, their guns trained on him. As one they fired, only for their shells to collide with a glowing shield of swirling green light. Seconds later the light dissipated, streaking into the nearest tank and causing it to spark with lightening before exploding. “Frank can you get the others?” The woman asked as she landed in the square next to the Commander, her blue dress fluttering under an imaginary wind that tossed her raven hair.
“On it.” Another voice stated as a purple jet flew low overhead, a pair of canisters fragmenting off and detonating on two of the remaining Panzers leaving one tank in the square. Readying to fire again, a jet of black flame streaked in from above, the fire dancing across the vehicles armoured hull as dark skinned woman dressed in khaki trousers and a leather bra across her chest landed on the tank. Gentley she stroked the vehicle’s gun, her touch melting the barrel until it fell with a clunk onto the chassis at her feet.
“Nice work Drakaina.” The Commander stated as he walked over to the stricken vehicle. “You have ten seconds to come out with your hands up!” He bellowed up at the tank, before climbing up onto the roof of the vehicle as the command hatch rattled slightly before exploding open as a barbed booted foot swung out and kicked the Commander off his perch. Emerging from the tank came a German soldier dressed in a green uniform, the trousers and jacket arms covered in steel plating, a pair of radio operator headphones slotted over his ears.
“Guten Tag Herr Steel, we are so glad you came here.” The German solider stated as he sprung off the tank and landed on Commander Steel’s chest with enough force to embed the man into the street. “And you brought Miss North and the She Drache with you, how fortuitous!”
“Killer Kricket!” North hissed as she flung a beam of gleaming light at the man, only for him to leap over the projectile before landing on all fours on the floor before springing off and tackling Drakaina to the floor. “I assume the rest of the Reich-Schutz are around here as well!” She added, as Drakaina pushed her attacker off of her, the pair of them springing to their feet, both of them poised ready to strike.
“I’d worry more about the filthy Oriental!” Kricket spat, as a half-track with a mounted radio dish rumbled into the square followed by a German platoon. As soon as the vehicle came to a halt, a flute sounded, the notes seemingly floating in the air with an almost mystical quality. “And I’d certainly worry about the traitor.” Kricket added as Drakaina shuddered, almost as if the music was a heavy weight pressing down on her, her skin becoming covered in black scales, bat like wings forming up and down her arms as raptorial talons sprouted from her nails. Turning to her allies she looked at them with bloodshot eyes tainted black, a sadistic look on her face as twin jets of black flame lanced out of her nostrils towards where North and Steel were standing.
**
The Dragon's Nest, Ten Miles outside of Furth, Bavaria - 13th of May, 1996
Karl picked the semi-automatic rifle up off the work bench in the basement of his home, one steely blue eye fixed on the pair of Mossad assassins chained to the back wall. Checking the firing pin, he put the weapon down and slipped an ammo belt, weighed down with vials of black liquid and twin holsters loaded with a pair of old Browning Pistols, round his waist.
“You can’t keep us here, my sister is injured!” One of the assassins screeched as she tried to pull the chains off of the secure fixing.
“She shot herself in the knee, I’ve dressed the wound and removed the bullet so she won’t die from an infection although I wouldn’t recommend her walking around on it.” Karl replied as he slung a SMG over his shoulder. Turning for the door he hesitated
“Just like a Nazi to leave two Jews chained in his basement!” The assassin hissed at Karl, pure hatred dripping from her voice. “This entire country and its people should be burnt from the face of the earth!!” With a snarl Karl turned and stormed over to her, his eyes showing a level of intenseness that caused the woman to shake with fear slightly.
“Three things, number one, that talk is what caused the war that you so bitterly use as a façade to punish people.” Karl hissed as he pulled the chain out of the hook on the roof. “Two, if you know anything about me and Marta you’d know we fought against the Third Reich in the war, something that makes us anything but Nazis. And thirdly…” He snarled, as he snapped the chains off her hands, the sheer force of the action breaking the woman’s hands, “thirdly don’t ever let me see you again or I will kill you. Do me a favour, do your people a favour, drop this toxic vendetta, revenge is a weed that strangles everything good, cut it down before it takes you and your sister too.” He added, as he turned to walk away, the pair of women staring daggers into his back. “I’ve got far better things to do then deal with you right now.”
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