***

---Santa Prisca---

Doomguy and his ‘squad’ arrive at a security gate that automatically opens, allowing them entry into the heavily guarded compound. The stomps of his power armor echo ominously through the still night, growing louder as he strides across the asphalt. The compound is illuminated by harsh floodlights, casting long shadows and creating an atmosphere of tension. His gaze sweeps over the area, taking in the sight of rigorous military exercises unfolding under the watchful eye of sentries perched in the guard towers.

"Say HUT!" A training instructor bellows, as a formation of recruits drop to the ground for push-ups, their breaths visible in the cool night air. Doomguy, observing the disciplined chaos, bites his upper lip in thought. He has yet to make a concrete plan to uncover proof that Qurac is involved in the illicit funding or arming. One thing is certain, though: he has yet to see any Doom Hunters around. Perhaps they are stationed on another part of the archipelago, hidden from view.

The compound hums with the energy of a military operation in full swing. Vehicles roll by, their engines growling as they transport equipment and personnel to various parts of the facility. The air smells of diesel and sweat, mingling with the crisp ocean breeze that occasionally sweeps through. The recruits, clad in standard-issue fatigues, move in unison, their boots thudding rhythmically on the tarmac.

His musings are interrupted as Ash, his AI companion, speaks through the comms embedded in his power armor. "Sir, it's only a matter of time before they discover the dead body. I've been unable to pinpoint any files in their servers regarding Qurac, but I have discovered a meeting room on the top floor of the compound. It uses various automated security measures, including turrets and laser detectors. I can easily disable them, or since you appear as a friendly in their IFF systems, you could bypass them, but that isn't the issue."

"Then what is the issue?" Doomguy asks, his mind racing with potential scenarios.

"It's the human guards you'll need to bypass," ASH explains.

ASH is the most advanced AI, second only to VEGA, who was lost in the final battle between The Doom Slayer and The Dark Lord. She possesses nearly the same capabilities, able to hack into the most encrypted military coding known to man and shut down a city's power grid within a minute. However, she cannot control the human mind.

"How many guards?" Doomguy inquires. If there are only a few guards inside the building, he can handle them. However, if there are numerous guards on each floor, his mission could be in serious jeopardy.

"Just one guard at the front door," ASH replies.

This revelation prompts Doomguy to reconsider his strategy. If there were multiple guards, he could rely on stealth to take them out one by one. But with only a single guard outside the door, a different approach is needed.

The guard appears young, with an air of inexperience about him. His uniform is slightly wrinkled, and he carries his rifle with a casualness that suggests he doesn’t expect any real threats. Despite this, his eyes are sharp, scanning the area with a keen awareness that belies his youthful appearance. The guard’s presence is a reminder that while technology and brute force are formidable, the human element remains unpredictable and requires careful navigation.

Doomguy observes the surroundings, noting the precision with which the guards move and the high-tech equipment they carry. Each soldier is armed with state-of-the-art weaponry, their armor gleaming under the bright lights of the compound. The place is a fortress, designed to deter any intruder, but Doomguy thrives in such environments. He thrives on challenges, and this mission is no exception.

The compound itself is a maze of concrete buildings and barbed wire. Surveillance cameras are strategically placed to cover every angle, ensuring that no movement goes unnoticed. However, Doomguy knows how to use the system's own complexity against it, exploiting blind spots and using the shadows to his advantage.

If this were a stealth game, he'd hide inside a box and slide across the floor until he got in. But this is reality, and he must use real methods. Opening his eyes again, he walks toward the building where the lone guard stands at attention.

"Look, I can't let you in, even if you scare me with your power armor," the guard says, rubbing one of his eyes with his free hand while keeping the other on his rifle. His demeanor resembles that of a man who has never rested, with baggy eyes, a slumped forward posture, and a croaky voice.

"I'm on guard duty, get the hell out of my way," Doomguy commands, making the guard jolt. Startled, the guard snaps awake and makes a light jog to get away from his 'superior.'

Doomguy turns around, facing the rest of the base, while a bright searchlight from one of the guard towers briefly illuminates him before moving away. As soon as the light passes, Doomguy opens the back of his power armor and slips out, entering the building with all security measures disabled, thanks to ASH's intervention.

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Inside the building, the air is cooler, the harsh fluorescent lights casting a sterile glow over the narrow corridors. The walls are lined with plaques and motivational posters, relics of military decorum meant to inspire the troops. Doomguy pays them no mind, his focus unwavering as he makes his way through the labyrinthine passageways.

The compound's interior is a stark contrast to the organized chaos outside. The hallways are eerily quiet, the silence only broken by the distant hum of machinery and the occasional crackle of a radio. Doomguy moves swiftly, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpeting. He passes by rooms filled with maps, tactical gear, and communication equipment, each a piece of the intricate puzzle that makes up the base’s operations.

He approaches a spiraling staircase, thinking, "They'd keep a conference room at the top." Positioning himself in the middle of the staircase, he pulls out his super shotgun and fires the meathook, latching onto the railing at the top floor.

He reels himself upward, grabbing the railing and rolling over it to land on his feet. Before him stands a single door, likely leading to the meeting room. Approaching the door, he tries the handle, but it remains locked.

Blowing a raspberry, he takes a small step back and kicks the door down, stepping inside. He finds a conference room with a long table surrounded by chairs. On the table lies a folder with a red stamp reading "CONFIDENTIAL," which immediately catches his attention.

Opening the file, he scans the documents inside and finds a treasure trove of information: personnel records, bank transactions, shell company details, and arms deal quantities. But what stands out is the large print of the Quraci coat of arms on the top right corner.

He slides the folder into his warp pack and continues searching for more evidence. Opening a cupboard, he discovers a cardboard box. Ripping it open, he finds numerous VHS tapes labeled 'CALL' with numbered designations.

"Extrapolating VHS tapes," ASH says, and Doomguy starts hearing the audio from the tapes through his helmet.

"I'm listening," a masculine, Arab, middle-aged voice says in grainy audio. A female voice follows.

"We have a proposition for you, Defense Minister. Both your country and our organizations have a vested interest in seeing the destruction of the United States and their colorful hero lackeys," Talia says in the audio before being cut off by Doomguy's impatient voice, "I've heard enough."

Outside, an Intergang officer approaches the empty power armor set, noting the slightly open door to the administrative building.

"Soldier, do you mind telling me why the door is open?" the officer demands, receiving no response.

"Answer me!" the officer shouts, striking the power armor with a baton, inadvertently opening the back of the suit to reveal it is empty. Realizing someone has infiltrated the building, he grabs his walkie-talkie, alerting the base. "I need soldiers and power armor to secure the administrative building, starting with the top floor," he orders, understanding the strategic importance.

A dozen regular infantry and several power-armored soldiers rush into the building, while the officer remains outside, attempting to contact Talia Al Ghul, Shiva, or the minister of defense. The call goes through, and he hears Talia's voice, demanding an explanation.

"There has been an intruder," the officer begins, but is interrupted by frantic shouts over the comms: "IT'S FUCKING DOOMGUY!!" a soldier screams while firing his weapon.

The base erupts into action, alarms blaring as red lights flash urgently. Soldiers scramble to take positions, their weapons at the ready. Doomguy remains calm amidst the chaos, his mind focused on the mission at hand. His movements are precise, every action calculated for maximum efficiency.

"Get the Doom Hunters here now!" the officer yells, fleeing from the administrative building.

Back on the top floor, Doomguy is a whirlwind of destruction, mowing through soldiers and power-armored foes with his heavy cannon. His precision and ferocity make quick work of anyone who dares oppose him. He had recently tuned the cannon to fire at a blistering nine hundred rounds per minute, ensuring rapid-fire devastation.

The sound of gunfire echoes through the compound, blending with the shouts of soldiers and the clattering of boots on metal floors. Doomguy navigates the chaos with ease. The air is thick with the smell of gunpowder and smoke.

"Sir, any second now, the Doom Hunter knockoffs will arrive," ASH warns, urging Doomguy to make his escape.

"Yeah, and any second now, a nuke will blow up this island chain!" Doomguy retorts, sprinting down the hall.

Reaching the end of the hallway, he doesn't hesitate, smashing through the wall and landing outside on the airbase asphalt. More soldiers open fire, deploying laser weapons, rocket launchers, and air support in a desperate attempt to stop him. Yet, Doomguy's praetor suit deflects the attacks, absorbing the explosions.

"Open a portal to the submarine and get me out of here!" Doomguy demands.

"I can't; they've jammed teleportation," ASH replies, reminding him of the briefing with Amanda Waller about the teleportation jammers.

Scanning the area, Doomguy spots what appears to be as a normalc cellular tower. He pulls out his combat shotgun and fires a sticky grenade, blowing it up to create a distraction and inadvertently disabling the jammers. A portal finally opens.

Leaping through, Doomguy finds himself back inside the mini-submarine he used to infiltrate the island.

---

Now far enough from the impending nuclear blast, Doomguy stands atop his submarine, watching the island chain of Santa Prisca in its final moments.

"Three, two, one," Doomguy counts down. A bright flash envelops the island, transforming into a mushroom cloud. It's a sobering sight—the first use of a nuclear weapon in combat since World War II.

Thousands of lives are erased with the push of a button.

"Bring all of the evidence to me first," Batman says over the comms, his voice solemn and commanding.