[THREE MONTHS EARLIER]

Tanya watched Dr. Weber stumble through the chemical storage area, his latest suicide attempt providing perfect cover. As he knocked over containers in his search for death, she carefully documented each "accident." Every failure would hide another piece of preparation.

"Brilliant innovation, Doctor," she said as he tried to explain he'd been seeking poison. "Your hands-on testing approach continues to impress."

But in her mind, she was already calculating. Each modification justified by his clumsiness. Each system redesigned for dual purpose. Not because she wanted to use them - they were meant to be the final option, the last resort if everything else failed.

"Document the improvements," she instructed her staff. "Ensure every change is properly attributed to Dr. Weber's... methodology."

The parallel infrastructure grew piece by piece, hidden behind a screen of bureaucratic efficiency and documented incompetence. Every system capable of instant conversion from peaceful production to something far worse. A contingency she hoped would never be needed.

[PRESENT - THE FARMHOUSE CELLAR]

Copper tang filled her mouth with each breath as Tanya studied the activation codes. Her lungs still burned from chemical exposure, each inhalation a reminder of American weapons and British precision. Around her, the cellar hummed with communication equipment as reports flowed in.

"Initial casualty estimates confirmed," an aide reported. "Fifteen thousand, eight hundred and forty-three dead. The gas... the effects were..."

"I know the effects." Her voice carried winter's patience despite the fire in her chest. "I watched them die."

She touched the activation codes with fingers that trembled slightly - not from fear, but from chemical damage and cold fury. The Weber Protocol had never been meant for this. It was supposed to be the final option, the last desperate measure if the Reich faced total defeat.

But they had brought chemical horror to her front. Had murdered her men with American weapons deployed for pure revenge.

"Patch me through to High Command," she ordered, forcing her voice past damaged tissue. "They need to understand what happens next."

The radio crackled as connections were made. She could imagine the scene in the Reich Chancellery as Weber revealed his unwitting role in her preparations. As they began to understand the true scope of what she'd built behind his documented failures.

"Colonel Tanya reporting," she began, each word carrying the copper taste of justice. "Requesting activation of the Weber Protocol across all industrial sectors."

The silence that followed felt heavy with understanding. They would be seeing the evidence now, realizing how she'd used three months of preparation to create something far worse than mere weapons.

"Colonel," von Kleist's voice held careful control. "The scale of what you're proposing..."

"Is precisely what's required." She didn't bother hiding the contempt in her voice. "They deployed chemical weapons against my position. Murdered fifteen thousand men for revenge. Now they learn what real vengeance means."

Her hands moved across activation sequences developed through months of methodical planning. Each system designed for dual purpose, each facility capable of instant conversion. Not just for weapons production, but for something that would teach them the true meaning of industrial warfare.

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"You built all this as a final contingency," Jürgen's voice carried horror's edge. "A last resort if..."

"If all else failed." She agreed, tasting copper with each word. "If the Reich faced total defeat. If there were no other options left." A bitter laugh that triggered coughing. "But they've changed the rules. Brought chemical warfare back to European soil. Murdered my men for pure revenge."

Her fingers danced across control panels, implementing the protocols she'd hidden behind Weber's countless failures. Each activation sequence another step toward something far worse than mere retaliation.

"The diplomatic implications..." someone began.

"Are irrelevant." She cut them off. "They crossed this line. Deployed weapons that turn blood itself into poison. Now they learn what that really means."

The cellar's communications array hummed as orders flowed out. Every factory, every processing center, every industrial facility beginning their conversion. Systems built for peaceful production transforming into something that would teach their enemies the true cost of their choices.

"Colonel," Weber's voice shook across the radio. "These protocols... the scale of what you've built behind my..."

"Your repeated failures?" She allowed cold satisfaction to color her tone. "Your endless attempts to embrace death? Each one documented, each one hiding another piece of preparation. You served efficiency's purpose perfectly, Doctor. Even in your pathetic incompetence."

She could almost see him flinch at her contempt. Could imagine his horror as he realized how she'd used his every suicide attempt to conceal systematic preparation for something far worse than mere death.

"Initiating Stage One conversion," she reported, forcing the words past burning lungs. "Full implementation across all sectors. Authorization code: Weber's Redemption."

The irony of the name would not be lost on them. Using his documented failures to activate systems that would show their enemies exactly what industrial warfare truly meant.

"Colonel," von Kleist's voice carried strange respect. "The Allies will not expect..."

"They expect tactical retaliation," she agreed. "Chemical weapons deployed against military targets. Instead, they learn what happens when you transform an entire industrial base into a weapon of systematic horror."

Her lungs burned with each breath, copper taste a constant reminder of what they'd done. The Weber Protocol had been meant as a final contingency, a last desperate option. But they'd changed the rules. Had given her justification to use everything she'd prepared.

"Confirmation from Sector Seven," an aide reported. "All facilities beginning conversion. Production systems transforming according to documented protocols."

"Excellent." She allowed herself a small smile despite the pain in her chest. "Let them see exactly what their revenge has awakened. What happens when you give efficiency's servant reason to use everything at her disposal."

The activations continued in careful sequence. Each system she'd built through months of preparation now serving its true purpose. Not just weapons or tactics. Something that would teach them all what industrial warfare really meant when stripped of every moral constraint.

"Colonel," Weber tried one final time. "The scale of what you're implementing..."

"Is exactly what you helped create, Doctor." Her contempt filled the radio channels. "Every failure, every pathetic attempt at death - all serving efficiency's darker purpose. Your name will be remembered, but not for the reasons you wished."

The Weber Protocol continued its implementation while she fought past damaged tissue to issue more commands. Every breath carrying the copper taste of justice. Every activation sequence another step toward teaching them the true meaning of systematic horror.

They had thought chemical weapons would break her position. Had deployed American gas for pure revenge. Now they would learn what real vengeance meant when every industrial process became a weapon of mechanized terror.

The calculations continued in neat columns.

The horror grew with each activation.

And in the farmhouse cellar, Tanya embraced the copper taste of justice while implementing protocols that would show them all what industrial warfare truly meant.

They had given her reason to use what was meant to be the final option.

Now they would learn exactly what that choice had awakened.

Something far worse than mere chemical weapons or tactical response.

Something that would teach them the true meaning of systematic horror when every optimization became a weapon of industrial-scale vengeance.

The Weber Protocol continued its implementation while copper filled her mouth with each breath.

They had wanted revenge.

Now they would learn its true price.

In efficiency's darker purpose made manifest through documented failure and calculated preparation.

The horror grew.

The calculations continued.

And systematic terror found new expression in protocols named for a man too incompetent even to properly die.