Intense Battles(2)

Rodeo, Michelle, Evan, Robert, and Krieg, along with MTF Tau-51, Pi-1, SCP guards, researchers, and the rest of the staff from Site-28, made their way through the underground tunnel networks beneath New York City. They had narrowly escaped from the Reich and Mr. Blackhole, carrying with them the safe-class SCP items from Site-28 to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Although these SCPs were classified as safe, some were still deadly and posed risks to human lives.

As they walked, Rodeo checked his weapons, Casull and Jackal, ensuring they were ready for any potential threats.

"Do you know how to navigate these tunnel networks to find an exit?" Michelle asked the MTF Pi-1 captain, City Slickers.

"To a degree," he responded. "Before joining this MTF team, I used to do a lot of urban exploration in the city, so I'm quite familiar with the tunnels and their layout."

"That's reassuring to hear," Michelle said, sounding relieved.

Robert suddenly raised his hand, signaling for everyone to stop. They listened intently to the numerous footsteps echoing from the surface, causing the ceiling to tremble and dust to drift down.

"Enemy forces might be marching on the surface," Evan observed.

"Seems so," Krieg added.

Determined to keep moving, the group pressed on down the tunnel and entered a new passageway with train tracks. This route could potentially lead them to a subway station and provide an exit from the underground.

"I'll take point. Everyone else, stay behind me," Rodeo said, moving ahead cautiously as the rest followed closely behind him along the tracks.

Suddenly, Krieg came to a stop, prompting everyone else to halt as well.

"What is it, Krieg?" Robert asked.

Krieg's gaze intensified as he strained to listen. "...I hear something."

At that moment, everyone also heard the sound that Kreig was hearing. They all turned around and saw a subway train heading right towards them.

"HUG THE WALLS NOW!" Rodeo shouted and the entire group hugged the walls, just in time as the train thundered past them, narrowly avoiding being struck. The train's speed was intense, and it rushed by so quickly that it left them all momentarily disoriented.

Once it had disappeared down the tracks, Rodeo asked, "Everyone good?"

The group nodded in agreement, a sense of relief washing over them.

"How are the trains still running, and who's driving them?" Michelle asked, sounding perplexed.

"No one," Rodeo answered with a tense tone, "Because it's filled with dark aether zombies."

"How can you tell?" Robert asked.

"As the train passed us, I saw blood stains on the windows and orange glowing eyes staring back at us," Rodeo explained.

"So, it's basically a zombie express now?" Evan remarked.

"Yes, exactly," Rodeo confirmed. "Let's keep moving, but stay cautious for any more trains heading our way."

With a nod, the group continued moving down the tunnel tracks for a few minutes until they saw a light at the end of the tunnel.

"I see light," Evan said, pointing ahead.

"Keep your guns ready people," Rodeo instructed. The group readied their weapons as they approached the end of the tunnel.

Upon exiting the tunnel, they found themselves in a subway station., but what they stumble upon next left a deep impression on them.

"Oh god," Michelle muttered.

In front of the group, the entire place was stained with blood and littered with the bodies of both civilians and MTF soldiers, as well as some members of the NYPD and US Army. It appeared they had attempted to escape or evacuate the station during the attack.

"Check if any of them are still breathing and gather the name tags or badges from the fallen MTF," Sergeant Ramirez ordered one of his men.

The MTF soldier nodded and went to observe the bodies. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that all the victims had been gunned down by bullets and red plasma shots from the Reich soldiers and their robots. None bore the telltale signs of zombie bite wounds.

As Rodeo stared at the massacre before him, he clenched his fists tightly in anger.

"Damn those bastards, just as ruthless as they were in history and in game," Evan said, his voice laced with frustration.

"Didn't even give them a chance," Michelle added, her expression tinged with sorrow.

Just then, Rodeo's attention was drawn to a message scrawled on the wall in blood, saying these words:

THEIR BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS CAT!

In pure rage, Rodeo pulled out the Jackal and let out a ferocious roar as he fired a shot, blasting the wall apart.

"Woah!" The sudden outburst took everyone by surprise.

The MTF captain of Tau-51 quickly intervened, grabbing Rodeo's arm and forcing him to face him.

"Get it together, soldier!"

To the shock of the group, Rodeo aimed the Jackal at his own face, prompting the Tau-51 MTF team to draw their weapons in response.

"Kid, take it easy!" Kreig called out.

"...You ain't crazy enough to shoot me," the Tau-51 captain said, fixing Rodeo with a steely gaze.

"Shooting you won't be crazy! It might be the best thing I've ever done!" Rodeo replied with cold and unhinged eyes.

"I know you ain't happy with this but in war there will always casualties and we can't save everyone. I can understand the feeling of the dead haunting you for not saving them, believe me I've been there with my own men against SCPs. So put the gun down, Rodeo."

But Rodeo didn't seem to listen to him as purple light suddenly glowed beneath his helmet.

"I'LL RIP YOU APART!" he shouted and prepared to pull the trigger, when...

"RODEO!"

"I know you're upset, but in war, there are always casualties. We can't save everyone," the captain reasoned. "I can understand the feeling of the dead haunting you for not saving them. Believe me, I've been there with my own men against SCPs. But you need to put the gun down, Rodeo."

Rodeo didn't seem to hear him. Instead, purple light began to pulse beneath his helmet.

"I'LL RIP YOU APART!" Rodeo roared, finger tightening on the trigger, when...

"RODEO!"

Everyone's attention shifted as Michelle stepped forward, and immediately removed her helmet to see a scared and worried look plastered all over her face. Rodeo paused, his focus momentarily shifting from the Tau-51 captain to Michelle. His breathing was heavy, and the tension in the air was palpable. The purple light beneath his helmet flickered. And as he came to a realization, Rodeo lowered his gun and leaned against the pillar, trying to regain his composure as he held his head in his hands.

"That... wasn't me," Rodeo murmured, his voice filled with remorse.

"I know," the MTF captain said softly, recognizing the strain Rodeo was under.

Putting her helmet on, Michelle kneels next to him and places her hand on Rodeo's shoulder, offering him comfort

As he watched the scene unfold, the MTF team of Pi-1 sighed and shook his head, acknowledging the complexity of the situation. At that moment, he noticed Sergeant Ramirez approached him, handing over the name tags and badges he'd collected. He pointed toward a set of stairs that likely led them out of the subway station and back to the surface.

"Thanks, Sergeant," the Pi-1 captain said as he placed the badges and tags in his pouch. "Let's move, everyone," he instructed the rest of the group.

"You all go on ahead, me and Rodeo will catch up," Michelle said, looking up at the Pi-1 captain.

The captain nodded and led the rest of the group up the stairs. Michelle stayed with Rodeo, giving him the time he needed to recover.

"You okay?" Michelle asked as she approached him.

"I'm losing it," Rodeo replied with a nervous chuckle. "I'm really losing it."

"No, you're not," Michelle insisted, pulling him into a hug. "That wasn't you."

Rodeo removed his helmet and used the glass visor to examine the dark aether cracks on his face, which glowed more intensely rather than mildly.

"Is the aether... turning you?"

Rodeo put his helmet back on and shook his head. "No, it's just trying to use my frustration and pain to make me turn on the others and break down. I won't let it, not with you and the rest around. Let's keep moving."

"Are you sure?" Michelle pressed in worry.

"One hundred percent."

As Rodeo and Michelle stood up and hurried up the stairs to catch up with the group, they saw everyone gathered at the surface, looking towards something on the horizon.

Seeing Rodeo and Michelle approaching, the Tau-51 MTF captain waved them over. "You two, take a look at this."

Rodeo and Michelle joined the group and followed their gaze, finding a bridge that extended out of the city. It was their chance to leave the city safely, and the bridge wasn't far.

"Where does that bridge lead?" Rodeo asked.

"It heads straight to New Jersey," the captain explained. "We can evacuate the staff across that bridge and have them meet up with the MTF team stationed there. It's mostly secured from what I heard."

Rodeo nodded in agreement, ready to proceed. However, his attention shifted as he saw something moving in the distance, a sense of foreboding washing over him ashe frowned.

"Robert, find a bus and bring it here. Take Krieg and Evan with you for the Site-28 staff's protection," Rodeo ordered, his voice firm, "Me and Michelle will stay put."

"But-"

"Just do as I say!" Rodeo cut him off, his tone leaving no room for argument.

With no other option but to follow his orders, Robert and the rest of the group headed to the bus they had found, quickly getting it running and making their way to the bridge, leaving Rodeo and Michelle behind.

"Why didn't we leave with them?" Michelle asked, her gaze fixed on the bus as it disappeared in the distance.

Rodeo kept his eyes on the surroundings, his expression cold and focused. "Because we have something approaching us, and we can't let it harm the Site-28 staff."

"Who?" Michelle asked in curiosity.

As though to answer her question, a loud bang echoed through the area, causing the ground to tremble beneath their feet. Rodeo and Michelle turned their attention to the source of the sound, and what they saw left them stunned.

A figure towering over the rest of the vehicles was steadily approaching them. Rodeo had caught a glimpse of it earlier, but now the threat was clear and undeniable.

"Ohhh... now I get it," Michelle muttered, the realization sinking in.

The tall figure stopped around fifteen feet away from them, standing menacingly as its formidable presence left no doubt about its intent.

This giant is a mech-like robot with a tank for a head.

[IMAGES]

"It's a tank and a mech."

The next moment, the hatch on the tank head of the mech opened up and out of it came Irene Engel herself. Rodeo and Michelle stood their ground as her piercing gaze locked onto Rodeo with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

"Well, well, well, so this is the one who gave the Forsaken this much trouble," Irene mused, her voice dripping with malice. "A little kitten and..." Her eyes flicked to Michelle, her expression turning to one of puzzled contempt. "Whoever she is," she said, dismissing her with an insulting sneer.

"Shut it, bitch-gel!" Michelle snapped back.

"Nice effort for an insult," Irene feigned mock disappointment, rolling her eyes, "But I give it a 2 out of 10"

"What do you want, Engel?" Rodeo demanded, keeping his voice steady.

Irene's wicked grin deepened. "First, to test drive this new war machine we've built. And second, to end your lives or capture you both and put your heads on display as trophies. Or perhaps we'll make you endure the finest torture we can muster, consider it our specialty." She relished the thought, her gaze gleaming with sadistic intent.

"No wonder you guys and yourself are the worst kind of psychopaths in history and in any video game!" Michelle spat.

Irene's laughter echoed across the open area. "Me? A psychopath? I'm actually pretty fine, and I happen to have six kids! How can one like me be deemed a psychopath?"

"Because you enjoy the suffering of those who oppose your Reich, and you can't get over your vendetta with BJ for killing your husband," Rodeo replied.

For the first time, Irene Engel's expression shifted to a cold frown, "How do you know that?" she demanded, her voice laced with a tinge of genuine surprise.

Rodeo smiled, "I know everything about you and your universe," he replied, his tone even. "You and your husband deserved every bit of it. When the dust settles and BJ returns, the Third Reich will be nothing but ashes in history, and you will be nothing but a foul memory, spit upon from your grave."

Irene stood there in silence, her head lowering slightly as if absorbing the gravity of his words. When she raised her head, her eyes held a glacial fury that threatened to freeze the world. Beneath that icy gaze was a boiling rage, a demon lurking wanting nothing but to tear the souls of the two standing before her.

Her voice was calm but deadly as she said, "It's time... we fight."

As she retreated into the mech and closed the hatch with a resounding clang, the mech's engine roared to life, and with a grinding noise, a fifteen-foot-long weapon, a hybrid of chainsaw and sword, emerged from the machine's back. The chainsword revved up, its teeth moving around the blade like a traditional chainsaw, promising a fast and brutal end on the two figures below it.

Seeing this, Rodeo and Michelle exchanged a look, nodding at each other as they readied their weapons and assumed a battle stance.

Through the speakers of the mech, Engel's voice echoed through the area as she declared.

[I'll show you the power of the unstoppable Reich!]