⁕ One Butcher and Two Surgeons

[Admiral Jack] - "Is he going to live? "

Said Jack as he looked at Dunkel. 

In front of him, separated by an observation window, a massive machine was busy working on Arthur's body. While Arthur's injured body remained suspended in a glass tube full of liquid, tens of thousands of small needles worked on his flesh. Due to the grievous damage inflicted upon Arthur's flesh, each of the needles made sure to guide the growth of his skin to ensure that no scars were left after the healing process. 

[Dunkel] - "He is going to be fine. In fact, he won't even notice any scars. "

Said Dunkel while smiling confidently. 

[Jack] - "The beauty of such technology... To think that when I was a soldier, scars were a guarantee once you get shot, not to mention being flayed alive. "

[Dunkel] - "Ah, but you seem to ignore what kind of sacrifices went into developing such technology. "

Said Dunkel with a cruel smile. 

Although Jack was oblivious to what sacrifice Dunkel was referring to, Dunkel knew perfectly what kind of depraved act went on behind closed doors. She remembered all the human test subjects who were intentionally flayed before being thrown into the machine during its experimental phase. Often, the skinless victims would not survive or would come out scarred beyond recognition as the machine initially struggled to reconstruct its patient's body properly. 

[Dunkel] - "See, admiral, I want to make you a proposition. Please come with me. "

Said Dunkel as she signalled for Jack to follow her. 

The two slowly made their way to the medical centre where wounded soldiers were being treated. 

[Dunkel] - "Technology developed by me and my team of researchers has greatly benefitted the Allied forces under your command. "

Said Dunkel as she approached the bed of a soldier. 

She lifted the soldier's new mechanical arm and showed it to Jack. 

[Dunkel] - "Instead of being crippled for life, men under you can recover within days after receiving life-changing cybernetic limbs. "

However, unbeknownst to everyone in the room, the connection points between the cybernetic arm and the host's nerves were determined by human experimentation. Behind every arm, leg or organ, an untold number of human subjects were dissected by Dunkel and her team so they could prod and test where every nerve was situated and what nerve could do what. 

[Dunkel] - "And see this, admiral. This man was severely burned by a gasoline fire during a combat operation and yet, look at him. "

Said Dunkel as she pointed to a man who appeared to be only resting on a stretcher. 

[Jack] - "Where was the burn? He seems fine to my eyes. "

[Dunkel] - "Exactly, my freud! My machines fixed him up within the span of three weeks. "

Interjected Dunkel. 

In the back of Dunkel's mind, the yells of the men and women who were intentionally set on fire played like a fond memory as she continued talking to Jack. 

[Dunkel] - "And, using state-of-the-art rapid controlled cell growth technology, we were able to take the victim's cells, turn it temporarily into a... eh... fast-growing cells which can regenerate enough flesh to replace the damaged tissue. Although it might sound like cancer, I assure you that it is completely safe 98% of the time. "

Said Dunkel with enthusiasm. 

Memories of dying human test subjects intentionally infected with cancer mutated with accelerated growth and immune system resistance played inside Dunkel's head as she stared at the sleeping patient with an empty look. 

[Jack] - "So you are injecting cancer into my men? "

Said Jack in a shocked voice.

[Dunkel] - "We have mastered one of humanity's worst enemies and used it to our advantage. We are the master and cancer is simply our tool. In the 2% of the cases where cancer does occur, we can easily cure it. Have you thought, admiral, of the 98% of times when your men can live the rest of their lives without a disfigured face? It is a small price to pay if you ask me. "

Said Dunkel in a cold monotone voice as her eyes remained fixed on her patient. 

[Jack] - "Hmm... I see your reasoning. Beggars can't be choosers, right? "

Said Jack as he rubbed his chin, impressed by the lack of scars on the burnt man. 

[Dunkel] - "Using a 3D printer designed to use human flesh, the newly generated tissue is simply placed back on the victim. When he wakes up, it will appear as if nothing has happened. "

Said Dunkel with a devious smile. 

The further Dunkel and Jack walked into the medical facility, the more soldiers who had recovered fully thanks to Dunkel's service began to approach Dunkel to show their appreciation. While Dunkel put up a facade and appeared to shake hands with many soldiers in recovery, Jack observed his surroundings and realized how the recovery wing had changed compared to back in his days.

Instead of being filled with bleeding and mutilated men and women, everyone was being cared for by machines which could often time return them to their previous shape within days. Instead of discharging mutilated soldiers, the medical center now sent everyone back into their position within the military while appearing as good as new. 

[Dunkel] - "Now, let's go to my office, Admiral Jack. "

Once the two were seated on both sides of Dunkel's desk, Jack began to speak. 

[Jack] - "I'm quite impressed, Doctor Dunkel. I don't know what to say but your contribution to me and my men was enormous. I'm convinced, so ask away if you want to make any requests. "

Said Jack in a delighted tone as he laid back on his chair. 

Dunkel leaned forward on her desk and stared at Jack with a predatory look in her eyes.

[Dunkel] - "Is that so? Then, my good freud, I request more test subjects. "

[Jack] - "Monkeys and mice... Right? "

Said Jack as he suddenly sat upright. 

Dunkel silently stared across the desk with an ominous smile while Jack looked away. 

[Jack] - "R... Right? "

Said Jack in a shaken voice. 

[Dunkel] - "I could withdraw all my technologies, so don't play dumb with me. You are a smart man, Jack, I know it. You can stop pretending to care about morals and ethics when you never had any respect for them before. "

Said Dunkel as she began to scribble a few numbers in her notebook. 

Jack pulled at his collar to allow some heat to escape his body. 

[Dunkel] - "Technologies such as my experimental neuro-stimulator, capable of curing PTSD, can be of huge benefit to our men. The fame, the money, the respect and the power we can gain is immeasurable. Also, I'm currently trying to develop a spinal system capable of rivalling Dane's Conagher MK.5. Once that is done, think about having an army full of super soldiers capable of whipping out entire enemy armies while sustaining minimal casualties. An army of KD-series assassin units, instead of the few owned by the empire. "

Said Dunkel in a disarming tone. 

Jack raised his head and stared at Dunkel. The prospect of all the benefits to him and his men was extremely tempting against his limited morals. Dunkel smiled as she saw Jack's expression change from that of fear and uncertainty to that of determination and understanding. 

[Jack] - "My mission is to win this war for the Allied Forces, not to hesitate when it comes to the lives of a few unfortunate souls in a foreign land. They are neither Americans nor Germans, so why should we or anyone care, right? "

Said Jack as he reached his hand toward Dunkel. 

[Dunkel] - "Now you are speaking my language, Jack. "

Said Dunkel as she shook his hand while her other hand wrote a letter for each day of the week. 

[Jack] - "How many test subjects do you require, doctor? "

[Dunkel] - "As many as you can provide. "

Said Dunkel as she crossed the number 20,000 on her notebook before writing 16,000 beside Tuesday. 

Jack pulled a digital notepad out of his pocket and typed a few words into it. 

[Jack] - "I've got a refugee camp in Southern Brazil with 45,000 refugees. Is this satisfactory for your research? "

[Dunkel] - "Rookie numbers, Jack. Don't forget, I've got government funding, so I'm not afraid to expand the scope of our operations. "

Said Dunkel as the number on her book kept diminishing the further she moved down the days in a week. 

[Jack] - "This must be what Hitler was feeling when he was managing those concentration camps of his, right? "

Said Jack in a sarcastic tone. 

When Jack realized that there was not a single hint of a smile on Dunkel's face, he immediately lowered his gaze to his screen. 

[Jack] - "I've gathered the data from a few more camps. Well, the total number of lab rats I can provide you with is... 540,000. Can you fit all these people in your laboratory? "

[Dunkel] - "Several facilities are under construction. Send 20,000 to my main facility first and keep the rest in reserve. "

Said Dunkel as she poured a glass of whisky for both herself and Jack. 

Slowly, Dunkel slid a glass toward Jack while keeping the other one in her hands. 

[Dunkel] - "I'm not like Hitler and his goons. People make these associations because I'm German but what they don't realize is the amount of good I bring to the world compared to the Nazi regime. They will learn to appreciate my work when we win this war. To us. "

Said Dunkel as she lifted her glass. 

[Jack] - "To us. "

Said Jack as he clinked his glass against Dunkel's. 

Before Jack left the room after finishing his drink, Dunkel stood up and called to him.

[Dunkel] - "Be careful of your actions, Jack. If anything happens to a tree's root, all the leaves and branches will perish. "

Jack silently nodded before gazing at the notebook on Dunkel's desk. Although what he saw chilled him to the bones, he swallowed his fears and continued his day as if nothing had happened. In Dunkel's notebook, a soulless zero sat at the end of the page below Sunday. 

Meanwhile, a convoy of trucks filled with replacement soldiers appeared at the gates of the other base where Kadyn and her team were stationed. After receiving approval for entry, the trucks rolled past security into the heart of the base. As the row of dismounted soldiers marched toward their barrack, they each saluted their female commanding officer, General Kelly Mayer, as they walked past her. 

She was one of the youngest high-ranking officers in the Allied Forces at only 31 years old. After going through all the formalities, she entered the base and showed a friendly demeanour to all those who crossed her. However, as soon as she turned into an empty bathroom, her expression changed from joyful to cold in an instant. As she looked into the mirror, her reflection showed her irises separating into eight pieces just like Kadyn's eyes. 

During this time, not far from the bathroom in the underground base, Kadyn and CT were chatting over some tea and cake in the cafeteria. 

[Kadyn] - "Don't you worry about it, all is forgiven. It's normal for people to bear doubts about an assassin who suddenly had a change of heart for some unrealistic reasons. "

Said Kadyn as she stirred her tea while pouring milk into it. 

[CT] - "If only I knew sooner that you were such a nice person. You know, Mike was lucky to have you. You are so beautiful, kind and brave. "

[Kadyn] - "Aw, thank you. "

Said Kadyn as she poured a packet of sugar into her cup. 

[CT] - "What are you making there? "

[Kadyn] - "A home-made milk tea. Mike liked doing this, so I'm just following in his footsteps. "

[CT] - "Huh... I've never anyone do this before. "

Said CT before taking a sip of her tea. 

As Kadyn gulped down her tea mixture, she let out a barely visible grimace that CT just so happened to spot. 

[CT] - "Why are you drinking it if you didn't like the taste? "

[Kadyn] - "No, I like it. It's just that... it's quite hot. "

Said Kadyn as she set the cup aside.

It was clearly a lie but CT refrained herself from inquiring more about the issue. 

[Kadyn] - "Now, my favourite part. "

Said Kadyn as she thrillingly picked up a fork while eying her slice of cake. 

[CT] - "Oh, by the way, Kadyn, I think I never told you my real name. "

[Kadyn] - "Hmmm... Nom? "

Said Kadyn with a mouth full of cake. 

[CT] - "Well, I'm Audrey Francois, ex-DGSE agent working for the French Intelligence. "

Said Audrey as she reached her hand toward Kadyn.

[Kadyn] - "Mhm! "

Said Kadyn as she shook Audrey's hand with one of her hands while the other was busy shoving cake into her mouth. 

[Audrey] - "You look so cute like this, haha! "

[Kadyn] - "Mike used to say this too. He often just watches as I go crazy on cakes. "

Said Kadyn as she deposited her fork in her empty plate. 

[Audrey] - "Want a piece of my cake too? "

Said Audrey with a mischievous smile. 

[Kadyn] - "Yeah, yours looks great. "

Audrey let out an amused smirk as Kadyn didn't seem to realize what she meant. However, as promised, Audrey used her fork to scoop a piece of her cake before pointing it in Kadyn's direction. 

[Audrey] - "AAAH. "

Without hesitation, Kadyn bit on Audrey's fork and devoured the piece. 

[Audrey] - "You know, you should maybe try to move on. You can't dwell on the past forever. You have a new life now and you should try to live it to the fullest while being held back by what happened. You know, develop new relationships, make new friends and live other adventures. "

As Audrey was talking, Kadyn began to pull Mike's coat closer to her body. 

[Kadyn] - "Audrey... "

[Audrey] - "Back in my days, I also lost some of my close friends in missions. I know how hard it is to cope with the loss of someone dear to you. It's like you can't go on anymore without them but you have to let go or else this mindset becomes a boulder which eventually drags you to dark places you can't escape from. "

[Kadyn] - "Audrey, I'm naive, yes, but I'm not bloody dense. I want to make friends but never would I betray the promise I made to the man who gave his life for me. I'm his lady and will remain so even if he left this world. I hope you can respect this. "

Said Kadyn with a serious look on her face. 

Audrey looked down awkwardly as she didn't expect Kadyn to realize that she was trying to flirt with her. 

[Audrey] - "I'm sorry, Kadyn. I... it's just that it has been kinda difficult for me ever since I lost my girlfriend in battle last year. I promise it won't happen again. "

Said Audrey as she began to shrink in her seat out of embarrassment. 

[Kadyn] - "You don't have to apologize. I'm sure there is someone out there for you. "

Said Kadyn with a reassuring smile. 

[Audrey] - "Yeah, thank you, Kadyn. "

Said Audrey as she gradually regained her composure. 

Audrey looked at the way Kadyn was wrapping herself in Mike's coat. 

[Audrey] - "He means something more to you than simply a lover, doesn't he? "

[Kadyn] - "Half of who I am is thanks to him. We didn't grow up the way normal children should. I was born a killer and he was moulded from childhood into a knight for the empire. We were both just two clumsy pre-programmed robots when we first met but we became human thanks to each other. Mike, for what was accessible to him, stayed loyal to some test subjects like me and paid the ultimate price for it. "

Having now understood what Kadyn and Mike's relationship was like, Audrey accepted wholeheartedly that Kadyn was not hers to take. 

[Audrey] - "I understand. Can we forget what I said and still be friends? "

[Kadyn] - "Of course. Gladly! "

Said Kadyn with a kind smile. 

Suddenly, General Kelly walked past the two on her way toward the power station. As she moved in front of Kadyn, the two exchanged a look which triggered both of their systems. 

[Kadyn] - "Hey, you! "

Yelled Kadyn as she jumped off her seat. 

Kelly immediately began to run before being tackled to the ground by Kadyn. 

[Kelly] - "Get off me, you crazy bitch! "

Said Kelly as she tried to push Kadyn off her. 

[Kadyn] - "What are you doing here? "

Said Kadyn as she extended her wrist blade.

[Audrey] - "Kadyn, what are you doing? "

Yelled Audrey as she ran toward the two. 

[Kelly] - "Guard! Guard, help me! "

Before long, four soldiers abruptly tackled Kadyn to the ground before restraining her with their knees and boots. Kadyn reluctantly allowed herself to be captured since if she kept pushing until she blew Kelly's cover, everyone present in the cafeteria might become collateral casualties from their ensuing fight. 

[Kelly] - "Get this crazy woman court-martialled for assaulting a high-ranking officer! "

[Soldier 1] - "Are you feeling fine, general ma'am? "

Said the soldier while saluting Kelly.

[Kelly] - "I'm fine. Good job to you, marine. You deserve a reward the next time we meet. "

Said Kelly with a smile as she rubbed her hand against the soldier's chest. 

Just before Kelly left the scene, she snuck a mocking smirk in Kadyn's direction. 

[Kadyn] - "Damn it... curse me and my stupid impulsivity. "

Whispered Kadyn to herself on the ground. 

[Soldier 2] - "Come on, lady, we'll take good care of you once you're in your cell. "

[Audrey] - "Hey, let her go! There must be a reason for what she did! "

Said Audrey as she pulled at the soldier's arm. 

[Soldier 2] - "Yo get her too. I think we can have some double fun. "

Before Audrey could react, a third soldier pulled her arms behind her and tied them using his belt. 

[Soldier 3] - "Agreed. Admiral Jack turns a blind eye to these kinds of stuff anyway, haha! "

The four soldiers began to escort Kadyn and Audrey toward the detainment block. 

[Soldier 4] - "Ya lucky dog, looks like ya gained favour from General Kelly despite this being a group effort. Ya should go ask her if she can take all four of us at the same time. "

[Soldier 1] - "Nah, that piece of ass is mine, I ain't sharing. "

[Soldier 3] - "Whatever, ya can have Kelly. We'll be playing with these two beauties without ya. "

While the men were busy conversing, Audrey turned her head toward Kadyn.

[Audrey] - "What was the big idea back there? "

Whispered Audrey.

[Kadyn] - "She's a KD-series infiltrator unit. I can see it in her eyes. "

Whispered Kadyn.

[Audrey] - "She's one of your kind? "

[Kadyn] - "Yes and no. What's important is that we must stop her before she gets what she came for. "

[Audrey] - "Ok, I trust you. Do you have an escape plan? "

As soon as Audrey finished her sentence, Kadyn's wrist blade sliced through her restraints alongside her captor's fingers. Before any of the men could even react, Kadyn entered acceleration and gave an elbow strike to each of the four soldiers' heads. From Audrey's perspective, all four men simply collapsed without a reason. 

[Kadyn] - "If soldiers start getting in her way, she won't hesitate to paint the walls red with blood. We must not sound the alarm and deal with her in a secluded area. "

Said Kadyn as she untied Audrey's hands. 

[Audrey] - "What is she after? "

[Kadyn] - "Either Rear-Admiral Esteban or some important Allied intel. Either way, you need to stay out of sight when we encounter her. As you've seen here, she, just like me, can turn you into a corpse before you even know you're dead. "

[Audrey] - "I'm sure she went that way. "

Said Audrey as she pointed toward the path to the power station. 

[Kadyn] - "Power station? There is nothing of importance there. If she wanted to kill someone or steal something, she should be going opposite the power station where the bloody command centre and data access ports are situated. "

Said Kadyn as she began to rush in that direction.

[Audrey] - "Well, obviously, cutting the power off would make her mission easier... "

Said Audrey as she followed Kadyn.

[Kadyn] - "No, she does not need to do that! There must be another reason! "

Interrupted Kadyn as her concern grew.

From Kadyn's experience, the only time where she needed to cut the power off on a mission was when...

Flashes of guns in the dark and screams of helpless victims echoed inside Kadyn's mind. A chilling realization hit Kadyn as she quickened her pace.

[Kadyn] - "We need to stop her now or this place is going to be a bloody graveyard in the morning! "

Yelled Kadyn as she prepared herself to enter acceleration. 

Meanwhile, in the power station, Kelly tired her blonde hair in a bun before extending her wrist blade. As she raised her blade, her irises suddenly turned purple.

[Kelly] - "Is everything ready on your side, KD-556? "

Said Kelly in a cold voice.

Outside of the base, a girl with a similar face to Kadyn slowly stepped out of the guard post with blood splattered all over her body. 

[KD-556] - "In position. You may proceed with our mission. "

[Kelly] - "Understood. "

Said Kelly before her irises gained a crimson-red glow. 

To be continued...