()||9<黑屏1>0,10黑屏1>BGM_Empty:
()||207<黑屏2>10230:... +Outside the Paradeus plant.
()||:Like a dancer under the moonlight, the beautiful woman treads on the blood-soaked soil, leisurely walking towards her stage. +Her clothes rustle softly, like the vegetation, and the fragrance of the grass is blended with the thick stench of blood and gore. +...She is at her happy place.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Why... Why oh why? +Why do humans keep making the same mistakes, over and over again?
()Stasi Agent||:...
()||:The Stasi agents staring at her with their bloodshot eyes were supposed to be the rear guard, but they now lie scattered across the ground, utterly dead to the last.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Gray's new pet is surprisingly useful.
()||:She licks the blood that stains her fingertips, and then she looks toward the plant, which is already crawling with activity. +The black shadows behind her in the treeline are like wild beasts that have scented blood, eager to pounce on the plant.
NPC-Bramedb(5)Bramedb||:...Dinnertime.
()||:With light, graceful steps, she begins to walk.
()||:...
()||<黑屏1>:
()||AVG_rifle_finalshot_h<黑屏2>395:Bang!
()||:After downing the last white faction soldier, Mona steps on the corpse with the broken neck and looks back at the dumbfounded agents.
SP9(0)Mona||Select:Target silenced, sweep complete. Please check the battlefield, agents.
()Stasi Agent||:...Like, seriously, Boss. +Frau Mona is way stronger than us.
NPC-Keven(0)J||:No kidding, who can possibly compete with a Doll in terms of fighting power?
NPC-Keven(0)J||:Anyway, everyone present? Any injuries?
()Stasi Agent||:We're all here and nobody's hurt. +Frankly speaking, the enemy's resistance is so weak that it's kind of boring.
NPC-Keven(0)J||:The whole place is like a dungeon... But the boss inside the last room is such a joke. +Yeah, I see why you'd find that underwhelming.
SP9(0)Mona||:It's a little too easy.
()||:Counting from the moment they entered the plant, it's taken them half an hour to get here, but only five minutes of that was spent on combat. +These people don't look like a defending garrison left behind to protect a strategic location. They didn't even need the Commander to take care of them. +Things should not have been this easy.
NPC-Keven(0)J||AVG_tele_connect:Frau Silver Fox, I think something's not quite—
NPC-Keven(0)J||BGM_Empty:...Where's RPK-16?
()Stasi Agent||:Huh?
NPC-Keven(5)J||:Where's that Doll dressed all in white who led us here?
()||:The agents look at each other. That unique splash of white in this black-clad team has vanished at some point, and J did not notice this at all.
SP9(0)Mona||:...I don't know either. When did she disappear?
()||BGM_Truth:Mona frowns. She kicks away the corpse by her feet and heads toward the window. Beyond it is a massive, sprawling factory floor. +In the darkness, all she can see are massive machines sleeping quietly. There doesn't seem to be any signs of activity around.
SP9(0)Mona||:She's not outside either.
()||:The clouds of unease grow heavier. J plants one foot on an instrument panel and worriedly pulls out his communicator.
NPC-Keven(0)J||AVG_tele_connect:Frau Silver Fox? Frau Silver Fox? Come in, Frau Silver Fox. +Where are you? Please acknowledge.
()||:... +There is no response at all.
NPC-Keven(0)J||AVG_tele_connect:...Jacques, Bauer, do you copy? Please acknowledge. +What's the situation outside the plant? Do you see the Commander? +Jacques? Bauer?
()||:... +There is no response to the transmission.
NPC-Keven(5)J||:...
()Stasi Agent||:...Maybe there's no signal underground?
SP9(0)Mona||:The equipment we're using shouldn't be affected by such a short distance. +That is, unless someone is deliberately jamming our signals, but I haven't found any traces of that.
NPC-Keven(5)J||:We can save that for later. Right now, we need to withdraw ASAP. +This doesn't feel—
SP9(0)Mona||<震屏3>BGM_Empty:GET DOWN!
()||:Mona suddenly cries out, and at almost the same moment, everyone's attention is drawn to the flame blossoming in the darkness.
()Stasi Agent||:Stinger missile! Take cover!
()||:With an athletic flying tackle, Mona bears J to the ground— +In that instant, the glint of light shatters the window and engulfs the entire room in flame.
()||<震屏3>Explode:Boom!!!
()||:...
()||<黑屏1>:
()||10227AVG_tinnitus_09<黑屏2>:Whum... +J's brain is racked by an intense, painful ringing in his ears.
()||<黑屏1>:
()||<睁眼>395:His blurred vision slowly returns to normal, but a dark red canopy obscures half of his eyesight.
SP9(1)Mona||:(Pants heavily)
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...Mona?
SP9(1)Mona||:Agent J?! You're awake?!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:What...Happened?
SP9(1)Mona||:Don't speak...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...What?
()||Gunfight:Bangbangbang—
()||<震屏3>Explode:Boom!!!
()||:An explosion suddenly goes off near his ear and J's mind is instantly, forcibly pulled back to reality. +His point of view is very low down. All he can see are a pair of legs. +Someone seems to be dragging his upper body and he is slowly being towed backward.
()Stasi Agent||:Look out!
()||AVG_The_Division_Grenade_Explosion:His subordinate's cry rings out from a high place. The crisp sound of a grenade pin being pulled is followed by an explosion from a distance.
()||:He can see them now. Far away in the tunnel, white faction troops are rushing toward them with weapons ready.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...Tsk.
()||AVG_weapon_reload:As his right hand slowly regains strength, he pulls his pistol out from his waistband. J looks up and kills the white trooper running toward him with one shot.
()||:His body is dragged behind cover. It is then that he realizes that it's Mona who's been dragging him all this time.
SP9(1)Mona||:Can you stand?
NPC-Keven(3)J||:(Groans) ...Yeah, yeah I can. I don't think I'm hurt—
()||:J slowly rises to his feet while leaning against the wall for support. That's when he finally gets a good look at Mona, and he is shocked. +Her face has lost almost all human likeness, with more than half of it being exposed, gleaming metal. +The edges of what little synthetic skin that remains intact are being consumed by smoldering flames that are slowly working their way upward..
SP9(1)Mona||:...I'm sorry.
()||ClothingUp:Mona turns her head away with a rustle, hiding her face.
SP9(1)Mona||:I apologize if I have triggered your uncanny valley effect. +However, our main objective now is to escort you from the plant.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...What happened? I remember... Urgh.
()||:His head hurts so badly it feels like it's splitting open. J smacks and shakes it violently. +He doesn't even know what is going on... They were clearing up the scene of the battle in the main control room, then a missile hit and Mona tackled him to the ground...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:... +Where are the others? Why are you the only ones left?
()Stasi Agent||:...
()||:The two agents in front don't say a word. One of them struggles to reach his fire-blackened fingertips into his tactical vest and works a magazine free.
()Stasi Agent||:You'd better go, boss.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...
()||:J looks at the two men before him. Their helmets are gone, and they have forced smiles on their bloodstained faces.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Andre... You...
()||:One of the men has lost a chunk from his belly and the wound is gushing blood. +He's had emergency first-aid performed on him, but one look at his pale face and J knows that it didn't do much.
()Stasi Agent||:I'll stay behind to accompany him.
()||ClothingUp:The other man rests his gun on the ground and wipes his face.
()Stasi Agent||:Enemy numbers are beyond our expectations. They've already taken the entire plant. +The mission is a failure, but if we can get you out of here, at least it won't be a complete failure.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Don't give me that nonsense!
()||:Infuriated, J is about to lose his temper— +But his subordinate drowns him out with an even louder shout.
()Stasi Agent||:BOSS! +...Just go.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:You...
()Stasi Agent||:Frau Mona, our Boss is in your hands.
SP9(1)Mona||:...Understood.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Wait, I never said—
()||Gunfight:Bangbangbang—!! +As they argue, the gunshots start up again. +On the other end of the corridor, the pursuing troops once again lay down suppressive fire on the Stasi agents' cover.
()Stasi Agent||:Verdammt...
()||AVG_The_Division_Grenade:The pale-faced agent pulls the pin on a grenade with his teeth and tosses it out. +Boom!
()Stasi Agent||:Kevin, you stupid bastard, get the hell out of here already! If you don't manage to escape, I swear my ghost will haunt the shit out of you even after I die!
()Stasi Agent||:NOW GO!
()||AVG_The_Division_Machine_Gun_Tower_Shooting:Bangbangbang! +The other agent braces his gun.
SP9(1)Mona||:...Stop standing around.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...
SP9(1)Mona||:Follow me!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Fuck... Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:FUCK!!!
()||:...
()||<黑点1>:
()||<黑点2>395<震屏3>AVG_Punch_Hit:Thump! +Mona encounters a Strelet blocking them at the corner, and she slams it into the wall with a shoulder tackle.
()||AVG_rifle_finalshot_n:Bang! +J gets the range on the Strelet and raises his gun. The white soldier dies from a single shot before it can regain its firing stance.
SP9(1)Mona||:(Pants)
()||AVG_weapon_reload:Mona's magazine is empty. She picks up the white soldier's weapon and readies it. +J stands behind her, holding a pistol and breathing heavily. He looks at the heavily wounded Mona, exhaustion written all over her face.
()||:...Even now, her back throws off sparks every now and then from localized short-circuits. +When she tackled J to the ground back in the control room, she took the brunt of the explosion square on her back.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:I'm done running.
SP9(1)Mona||:...What did you say?
()||:Mona stumbles and looks back at J incredulously.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:They've already surrounded this place, so there's no point even if we leave the plant. +It's wilderness outside, so we won't get very far. +Besides, if they have any brains at all, they'll have people on watch outside.
()||:J looks at the gun he's holding. The blood on it has clotted black. +He is certain that it's not his blood. +It's his comrades' blood.
SP9(1)Mona||:...
()||:Mona takes her communicator off her belt without a word.
SP9(1)Mona||:I'll cover you. Leave this place and find a way to contact Frau Romy—or Agent K, it's up to you. +You need to tell them what happened here and that RPK-16 has turned traitor. Otherwise, more people will fall for it.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...Is that all you have to say?
SP9(1)Mona||:Agent J...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:"I told you so! You idiot! Moron!"+That's what you should be saying! +"It's all your fault! You got all these people killed!" +This is what I deserve!
SP9(1)Mona||:...
()||:Tears stream down J's face, which is stained with blood and soot, making him look even more pathetic.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Yell at me already!
SP9(1)Mona||:...I would like you to take all that energy you're wasting on screaming and shouting and use it to run for your life.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:... +If only one person can get out of this alive, it has to be you.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:I brought them here, so how could I escape when they all died in this place?
SP9(1)Mona||:...
()||<震屏3>AVG_Punch_Hit:Mona suddenly punches J in the gut.
NPC-Keven(3)J0.1||:Oof... Urgh...
()||:The sucker punch takes J completely by surprise. He grabs his belly and looks at Mona in shock.
SP9(1)Mona||:Are you trying to jerk me around?
()||:Mona bends down. Without its coating of artificial skin, her face looks terrifying at this moment.
SP9(1)Mona||:If you die here, then all of this will really have been for nothing. +It's not them you fear. You just can't face the fact that you got them all killed.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...
()||Select:Gazing at the speechless J, Mona tightens her grip around her gun.
SP9(1)Mona||:...So live on, J. Live on until you can avenge them.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...But what about you?
SP9(1)Mona||:I'll cover you.
()||9BGM_EmptyExplode:Half a second after Mona utters those determined words, there is a massive crash near their feet. +An enormous plume of smoke pours in from outside the wall, and a tall figure waltzes into the room.
()||<黑屏1>:
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||<黑屏2>395:How touching, I think I'm about to cry.
SP9(1)Mona||10130:—!!
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:We meet again, cutie.
()||AVG_weapon_reload:Mona pushes J behind herself and raises the gun she's holding, eyeing Bramedb warily as the latter approaches them.
SP9(1)Mona||:Agent J, RUN!!!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:—!!
()||:There is no time to think, J turns and takes off running. +Wham! +He barely makes it a few meters before he hears the sound of Mona's body slamming heavily into the wall.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:(Pants heavily) +Dammit... Dammit dammit dammit!
()||:...He never expected that he would end up like this.
()||<震屏3>Explode:Boom!!!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Hurgh?!
()||AVG_lifttable:A mighty force smashes open the wall in front of him. A massive white Paradeus mech slowly strides out through the gap. Its mechanical eyes gaze coldly at the insignificant human before it.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Where do you think you're going?
()||:...Bramedb has already caught up to him.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:You mon—
()||<震屏3>AVG_Punch_Hit:Just as he raises his gun, J is sent flying through the air.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Now that I get a closer look, you have quite a nice face. +I'm sure you would make an excellent decor piece once I turn you into a taxidermy.
()||:Bramedb peers at J with a playful smile.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...I'm not in the habit of going out with corpses.
()||:Even now, he has no intention of letting her get the last word. +Bramedb does not seem concerned by her prey's final, desperate struggles.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...
()||:His pistol... The barrel is bent. +Grenades? He isn't carrying any... God dammit, is he to be denied even the chance to die a hero's death?
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Am I the comic relief or something...
()||:The strength goes out of his shoulders and J chuckles bitterly... Then he sees a dark shadow suddenly leap up from the other side of the passage.
NPC-Bramedb(4)Bramedb||:—!
()||ClothingUp:Mona's body whirls in mid air, using the centrifugal force to drive the steel rod she's holding through Bramedb's torso.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:—Oh my.
()||AVG_Cut_Watermelon<震屏3>:A controlled white soldier steps in and takes the blow in place of Bramedb. +Bramedb smiles, having negated Mona's attack without so much as moving.
SP9(1)Mona||:...Run...
()||:...Now that her final attack has fallen short, inertia sends Mona rolling across the ground, where she weakly calls out to J.
()||AVG_keyboardtype_sci:Her voice has reverted to its original mechanical tone, and even her parts are crackling ominously. +Bramedb peers at Mona, and a mischievous gleam fills her eyes.
SP9(1)Mona0.1||AVG_whitenoise:—Urgh!! Ahhh!!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:You... What the hell are you doing?! You crazy bitch, what are you doing to Mona?!
()||:As J watches fearfully, Mona's body suddenly jerks and twitches. +Like a puppet being pulled up by its strings, her mutilated body gains strength from parts unknown and stands itself upright.
NPC-Bramedb(5)Bramedb||:I'm giving the two of you a hand~
()||:Bramedb laughs wickedly, like she has found a beloved toy.
SP9(1)Mona||:...
()||:Mona lurches shakily towards J.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Mona...?
SP9(1)Mona||:Agent...J...
()||:Mona's voice trembles, as though she is being whipped in some way.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...Let go of her! What the hell are you trying to do! What do you want from me?!
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Oh, don't get me wrong, pretty boy. +I have no interest in you whatsoever.
()||:Bramedb's hands seem to be manipulating Mona's body with invisible strings. +If Mona is a puppet, then she is the puppeteer.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:I simply want to see the face you'd make when this happens.
SP9(1)Mona||:(Gurgles) Run... RUN!
()||:Mona's body starts spasming again.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Mona!!
SP9(1)Mona||:...
()||AVG_whitenoise:Thick black smoke pours out of the top of Mona's head. She stumbles forward, and J hurriedly dives—and catches her.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:You... You killed her...? You actually... You bitch! You killed her!
()||:J stares at Bramedb in disbelief. He knows very well that a Doll's true life resides in their core.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Is that what you think?
()||:Bramedb looks at J and Mona, and she licks her lips.
SP9(1)Mona||:...Agent J.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Mona?!
()||:Mona suddenly raises her head.
SP9(1)Mona||:Argh... AAAAARGHHHH...
()||:She makes a strange noise.
SP9(1)Mona||:Agent J...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:I-I'm here... What... What is it?
()||:Mona seems to have returned to normal for a moment and she takes J's hand in her own. +J stares at her dumbly, not knowing what has happened in the last few seconds.
SP9(1)Mona||:I... I never got the chance to tell you, but... +Actually, since the first time I saw you...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...What are you saying?
()||:Mona's voice suddenly turns shy and timid... +But this only fills J with gut-churning terror...
SP9(1)Mona||:What I mean is that I've always—nghaaah!!
()||AVG_Punch_Hit:Mona suddenly screams, then she hurriedly backpedals until her body crashes into a wall again.
()||AVG_Door_Hit<震屏3>:She bashes her head into the wall, sending debris flying everywhere.
SP9(1)Mona||:She... She's controlling me...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Mona... Mona... No... stop!
SP9(1)Mona||:Agent J... You... You won't leave me alone, will you? +Please... don't leave me alone.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:I won't... I'll never abandon—
()||Rope:Mona suddenly grabs his body.
SP9(1)Mona||:What... What the hell are you saying?! +I told you to run...! Hurry, run...!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...!!
()||:J's eyes widen, but before he can reply, Mona bursts into tears.
SP9(1)Mona||:Don't leave me... Agent J... I can't see... +It's dark here... So dark...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Enough... Enough... That's enough!!!
()||:J wails in despair. Even though Mona is right in front of him, it is Bramedb that he is glaring at with bloodshot eyes. +Mona would never say something like that...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Is this what you want...? You want to see me break? +You're humiliating me... Humiliating Mona... Just for that...
SP9(1)Mona||:(Chokes and gurgles)
NPC-Keven(3)J||:Mona...
SP9(1)Mona||:Aaaaargh!
()||:Bramedb looks at Mona with a bit of surprise.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:To think you could put up so much resistance. You really are something, cutie.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:That's enough... Stop tormenting her... I'm begging you here... +What do you want? What do you want from me?!
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:Hm... Let me think.
()||:Bramedb deliberately draws out her words, so J can savor Mona's painful struggles.
NPC-Bramedb(3)Bramedb||:I've got it! How about this? +I don't want to get my hands dirty, so if you don't mind... Could you please kill yourself? +If you do, I'll let her go.
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...
SP9(1)Mona||:Please... Agent J... It hurts... +Please... Die already...
()||:J looks numbly at Mona.
SP9(1)Mona||:Hurry... Hurry up and... No, no!
()||:Mona grabs her head, and her eyes suddenly flash with a savage glint.
()||AVG_whitenoise:With all the strength she can muster, she tears out her own throat.
SP9(1)Mona||:Don't... Give... Up...
()||:Now that her vocal system has been physically destroyed, she can no longer speak those heart-wrenching words. +Seeing Mona in this state, J smiles sadly.
()||:With a hysterical laugh, he pulls out his knife. +Mona watches him in despair. +Bramedb's grin widens as she follows J's movement.
NPC-Bramedb(5)Bramedb||:Yes, yes, that's it. Let me see it. +Let me see you at your most beautiful—
()||:The knife's edge pricks his neck... Perhaps this is what he deserves for his sins...
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...
()||:Perhaps he should end it all quickly and cleanly—
()||9ExplodeBGM_Empty:—BOOM!!!
NPC-Bramedb(4)Bramedb||:What—?!
NPC-Keven(3)J||:...?!
()||:The sudden explosion makes J jump, causing him to almost stab his own throat. +Another grenade thrown from afar lands at Bramedb's feet and explodes.
SP9(1)Mona||:...
()||:Mona's body collapses limply to the ground. J throws his knife away to pick her up. +Then a blinding light fills his vision, and he hears a familiar voice.
()Commander||Select:...We made it.
()||<黑屏1>: