Fated Reunion

Time to get to work. The Red Reaper did not stand alone: his men turned when Wilhelm approached, readying their weapons immediately. Flying up from the tower rooftop's edge, Mathilde and Squad Juniper fired an opening round, throwing the Republic's pilots into chaos. Squad Azure arrived next. Bullets whizzed by Wilhelm's head, but he weaved back and forth, striding forward towards his nemesis. With his blade drawn, Wilhelm felt a gnawing curiosity, despite the situation. Then, he sent a communications request to the Red Reaper.

"Gotta admit, I didn't think you'd accept."

“...What do you want to say, boy?” A thick, Russian accent accompanied the Red Reaper’s voice. 

“Just a quick question. Do you remember what you did, in Berlin, ten years ago?”

The Red Reaper said nothing, for a moment. “...I've lived many years more than you. Details grow hazy. All I remember... is that I followed my orders, as you do now.”

Something that couldn't be called a laugh left Wilhelm's mouth, harsh and cold. Then, he readied his sword. “I’m not here because of my orders. I’m here to get even, you piece of shit!”

“...You are welcome to try.” The Red Reaper strolled towards Wilhelm, no weapon in hand. 

“You wanna die that bad? Fine by me!” Wilhelm charged, throwing out a heavy overhead slash that hit nothing but air. The Red Reaper, evading to the side, threw out a light jab, enough to knock Wilhelm to the ground. Scrambling up, Wilhelm tried another wild swing and missed again. Then, the Russian pilot threw out a haymaker. Wilhelm flew backwards, crashing into a wall and dropping his blade to the ground. He struggled to rise. Damn suit... Move already...

“Wil, calm down and fight smarter. Otherwise, you're just asking to lose.” Mathilde’s voice cooled Wilhelm. He picked up his blade, moved away from the wall, and then, simply watched his opponent. The Red Reaper circled around him, all the while.

"Where has your fire gone, boy? Disappointing."

As the man drew ever so closer to Wilhelm, a smile spread across his face.

"Oh, you'll see it, prick."

Then, Wilhelm's shoulder thrusters roared into power. A broad slash arced across the Red Reaper’s legs, moving quick enough that even Wilhelm couldn't see it. His opponent expected this, leaping backwards. But not quick enough: the blade had landed, and the Russian man's movements slowed, ever so slightly. Wilhelm flew forward to take advantage, slashing again and again. With each blow, the Reaper's movements slowed, little by little. As the Red Reaper backed slowly away, towards the edge of the tower's roof, Wilhelm went on the attack.

As his thrust closed in, the Red Reaper suddenly shifted sideways with a newfound burst of speed. Then, a rapid roundhouse kick flew into Wilhelm's side. He fell over the edge, his sword slipping out of his hand to the ground below. He looked at his remaining fuel. Damn, not much left... I can't. He gave up on the blade, flying back up and landing in front of the Red Reaper.

“Do you think you can win, without that?” The Red Reaper asked.

 “I don’t need one to kill you!”

“Oh? Come on, then. Let’s fight like men!” The Red Reaper took the offensive. Again, and again, his strikes flew at Wilhelm’s body with newfound ferocity. Wilhelm batted each one away just barely,  drawing from his recent sparring sessions. He sent quick kicks to the man’s legs, preying on the weakness that he’d inflicted. The Red Reaper's surging speed slowed down again, his assault descending into a less effective flurry. He backed away and cocked his head.

"Impressive, boy. Tell me your name." 

"Huh? Why should I?"

"It's been years since I faced such a challenge. And I want to remember the man who gave it."

...Strange guy. "It's Wilhelm. Wilhelm Frei."

For some reason, Wilhelm felt that the man had smiled.

"So, you spoke honestly. Interesting. Then let me give you mine: Mikhail Volkov."

Huh? What's he- 

"Wil, what's your status?" Mathilde's voice shook Wilhelm from his thoughts.

"Still fighting. This bastard's good... And I hate to have to say that."

"Then don't do anything reckless. Hold on, and I'll back you up!"

"Got it!" Wilhelm turned his attention back to his opponent, who had graciously waited for that very moment to charge forward. A hard blow flew towards Wilhelm's chest, then another, and another. Wilhelm cursed his luck. How the hell does this old man keep getting his energy back? He dodged most of them, taking any small opening he had to sweep the Red Reaper's legs, slowing the man down a little more with each hit. Finally, Wilhelm had enough of playing safe.

Screw this. I'm ending this, here and now!

The Reaper's next strike hit nothing but air; Wilhelm grabbed the man's arm, leaned his back into the Red Reaper’s chest, and threw him hard to the ground. Wilhelm wasted no time.  He threw himself down and locked the man in place, crushing Red Reaper's exosuit's leg joints. His foe immobile, Wilhelm walked to the exposed railgun, destroying it with a single blow. Its scraps scattered around the rooftop, and Wilhelm carefully walked back to the Red Reaper.

"I've wasted enough time with you, Volkov. You're done." Wilhelm's right shoulder thruster revved into power once more, ready to power the final blow.

"...You did impress me, Frei. Destroying the railgun... Out of my expectations. The higher-ups won't appreciate my... frivolity, but no matter. The entertainment was worth it."

"Don't worry: they won't get a chance to judge you." Just as he began to throw his arm down, something, or someone, slammed into Wilhelm's cybersuit from behind, throwing him hard into a wall. His limbs locked in place, he strained his head to see who his assailant was.

"Sorry, Wil. You got too close to your goal," Mathilde said.

"What... Huh? How-" Then, a realization. "He... He knew my name. That means... You...?"

"Bullseye," she said flatly. "Just stay down, alright? I don't want to do anything that I'll regret."

"I... I trusted you! And you..." Wilhelm could barely force the words out of his mouth. "You're just a damn traitor! Do you have anything... anything at all to say to me?!"

Only silence. Shit... Wait, things are too chaotic up here. I have to tell them! 

"Mayu! Get Azure Squad and everyone else out of here, now!"

"H-Huh? Wait, what's happening, Wilhelm? Why is Mathilde-" Mayu asked.

"There's no time to explain! Just leave me and report what happened here to the captain, immediately... I'll be just fine, so get going already!"

"I... I don't..."

"That's an order, damn it!"

"...Fine! Just... don't die!" Mayu's exosuit, along with the rest of the Federation's forces, leapt off of the building to the ground below. With Rudolf and the rest down there, they'll be fine.

Wilhelm, meanwhile, sized up the the man within the Red Reaper, who exited his exosuit. Almost as large as his suit, a wry smile fell upon his face. As Mathilde extricated Wilhelm from his cybersuit and restrained him, Volkov stroked his gray beard in thought.

"Mathilde, carry him and I back. With the railgun destroyed, we cannot hold."

"Yes, sir! Er, what about his cybersuit?"

"Have some of the others carry it. A prize for the research team. Maybe the higher ups will go easier on me for the wreckage of a suit that I return to them, eh?"

Wilhelm laughed. "And what about me? You're gonna torture me until I start squealing?"

Volkov looked at him and laughed in return, low and long. "You? You know nothing that Mathilde has not already told us. No, I have a better use for you. Come along, Frei."

Mathilde's iron grip on his limbs told Wilhelm that this was no request. "Fine, do what you want with me. But know something: the moment I get a chance to get justice for Berlin, I'll take it."

"I expect no less," the man replied. "Now, Mathilde. Let's waste no more time."

Then, the group left, both men held tightly within Mathilde's cybersuit arms as she sped eastward in silence. Volkov spoke the entire way, always seeming to find some new topic of interest. Wilhelm tried to ignore the man, but eventually, he gave into his own curiosity.

"Where are we headed, Volkov?"

Volkov merely smiled. "You'll see, boy. You'll see."