No Turning Back

Chapter Thirty-Four: Deceived No More

Dempsey was the first to ascend the stairs before being met with a large imposing makeshift door. It appeared to have been made out of sheet metal which was reinforced with steel building rods. The door itself sat atop the middle floor as it looked down the stairs - ready to deter any potential visitors. 

Dempsey frowned upon seeing it and looked around at Takeo. He was sure that this door had not previously been there. In response, Takeo simply shrugged it off as they continued up the stairs. With each step, Dempsey could feel himself becoming more and more agitated. It was so ridiculous for him to think that this Richtofen could be even worse than the one he had come to loathe so dearly.

Both men stood at the door like two schoolboys outside the headmaster's office. It was clear no one wanted to volunteer to knock. Dempsey tried to signal for Takeo to do so before having the task relegated back to him. But after a silent war comprised solely of glares - Dempsey conceeded to Takeo. But, before Dempsey could even rap his knuckles on the door - a voice called out.

"I zhought I distinctly remembered telling jou lot not to dishturb me..." Richtofen hissed from the other side.

Dempsey felt a shiver run down his spine whenever Richtofen did creepy things like that. How on earth did he know they were even there? It seemed like Richtofen always had eyes in the back of his head. Or some kind of supernatural sixth sense! 

"VHAT IS IT JOU VANT?!" Richtofen snapped impatiently at Dempsey's lack of response.

"Uh, we just wanna know what our orders are. Maybe we could come in?" Dempsey cringed to himself as he tried to maintain his friendly demeanour.

"Nein! Jour only orders are to leave me be!" Richtofen shouted angrily. 

"Richtofen, we need your leadership more than ever. We must press on with the task at hand!" Takeo tried to reason.

"Oh! Takeo! I didn't know jou vere zhere!" Richtofen sang cheerfully.

"Hm, very vell! I suppose I should call a meeting before ve begin tomorrow!" Richtofen announced.

Dempsey looked around at Takeo with a look of suspicion. He was always able to gently nudge Richtofen's behaviour by appealing to his ego. But the marine always found it crazy how Takeo could even try to reason with someone like Richtofen.

The two then quickly moved back down the stairs to make way for Richtofen's appearance. The large steel door grinded hard against the rough floor as the obnoxious screeching jarred on everyone's ears. As it swung towards the room; Richtofen emerged as his towering presence was accentuated even more by the steep incline of the stairs he stood at the top of.

Then, with each step, the weighted boots of Richtofen's spacesuit thudded against the floor. Dempsey and Takeo quickly continued to shuffle backwards out of the way and retreat towards the fire pit as Richtofen lumbered menacingly behind. Nikolai had been leisurely reclining by the fire before he jumped to attention when he saw the others. The others then joined him around the camp fire as Richfofen deliberately towered over them.

"Jou all sheem to be completely incompetent as jou have not made zhe progress I vas exshpecting!" Richtofen began.

"But no matter! Now zhat I am here ve shall finally press forward! I already have a plan as to how ve vill supply Dr Gersch zhe power source he requires", Richtofen continued.

"But how?" Takeo gasped.

"Oh Takeo, it is very shimple. But I have been busy vith mein own... 'vork' shall ve shay -- before I arrived here. Zhat is zhe only reason vhy ve are vaiting until tomorrow to shtart", Richtofen explained.