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The evening was dark and cloudy. It was difficult to tell if this was because of the weather or because of the destruction of falling bombs and gunfire. It was 1942 in Berlin. Reinhard Heydrich walked out of the building on PrinzAlbrecht straße, hurrying to get home; not wanting to be caught if there was a bombing. He was tall with blonde hair and icy blue eyes. He had a thin face with a very chiseled nose. He wore a long grey coat over his SS uniform and his general's hat that went along with it. Heydrich stopped into a building, with a sign reading "Salon Kitty". Ahh, The brothel run by the SD. Just checking up on Naujocks before leaving early from Gestapo headquarters.

In the midst of this chaos a portal began to form warping both space and time.
From the swirling black mass out stepped a dark lean figure. The strange gateway closed behind him and he stood looking at his surroundings. He wore a hat and a black SS uniform but it was different from the traditional form in that it was all leather as was the long trench coat he wore over it.
Heydrich then continued on the way back to his home hoping to avoid the bombs that would be soon falling.
"Damn Royal Air Force" Heydrich muttered "I'll be up there some time soon shooting them all down."

Karl Kroenen had returned. He wanted to witness first hand what had happened to his beloved fatherland after his death. He was bound by the forces of Hell to not change any history and it was something that would be very difficult for him to follow through on. He began to walk down the streets. Heydrich, still complaining about the Royal Air Force, started to look around suspiciously at everyone who seemed to pass him, as if they were conspiring against him. It was this same suspiciousness that caused him to be so hard on his underlings. He was more feared than respected and he was beginning to wonder if this was what he had wanted in the first place.
Kroenen ducked his head down. There weren't many people around most had evacuated but he didn't want to be seen. He didn't feel like explaining why he had a metallic green face or why he'd been given a new body upon his return. He tipped his hat and turned his face to the wall of a building as he approached someone. Heydrich noticed the stranger though and got suspicious, his typical personality getting the better of him. He stopped to watch the man walk by, and waited to see where he went. Kroenen did not see who watched him from across the street, and only hoped he'd gone unnoticed. He was too busy hiding his face to notice and continued on. Once he felt that the man was behind him he straightened up and walked off. He hated what was happening to the city. He stopped and stared up at the sky longing.
Heydrich, still following, was curious to what this man was doing. "Maybe he's with the allies.. gah... no.. the uniform." Heydrich's mind started to play tricks on him and made him jump to irrational conclusions, like the risk of Espionage and spies. Heydrich leaned against a wall casually, still watching every move made by the stranger.
Kroenen walked to the open square and looked up at the Gate of Berlin also known as the Brandenburg Gate. The gallant horses were still up there. He sighed.
"If only I could do something." He said softly.
Heydrich heard him speak, and then realized that there was nothing extremely suspicious about him. He then walked up to him to talk. He was getting a bit lonely even though that was more on his good personality, not the one he usually showed in public.
Kroenen's hearing was extremely sensitive. He heard footsteps coming up behind him and he froze. He was standing out in the open. Perhaps this person would just pass by.
Heydrich stopped and then tried not to scare the person off. Many people didn't like Heydrich much, they seemed to know how much power he held in the NSDAP so he started off with a normal good day.
"Berlin is nice... if the RAF would just leave it alone it would be even better." Heydrich started to get in that bad mood of his again.
"gah, the RAF and its bomb runs."
Kroenen didn't budge. The man was just standing there. What was he up to? He was becoming nervous. He didn't like that. If he was an enemy he'd be ready. He felt the blades inside his arms just itching to come out. After some silence, Heydrich let out a sigh, and mumbled. He hated how everyone knew him as some cold ruthless SS general. Then again, looking around, he seemed to wonder what people would do if they noticed him trying to be normal, as they might put it. After all it was this that had gotten him this far. Still, just this once Heydrich thought he would try to not be so intimidating. Kroenen couldn't take it anymore. He was far from intimidated. He was more like a tiger ready to pounce on this man he perceived to be a potential threat. He knew this man was staring at him. He continued to stand with his back to him and spoke to him at last in a not quite normal voice.
"Is there a problem?"
"Just wondering where you're from. I'm... " Heydrich hesitated to tell who he really was. "Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of the Gestapo, and the SD," Heydrich finally admitted, wondering why he'd never seen this person in Berlin before.
"Herr Heydrich?" Kroenen said with his voice turning to a respectful tone. It couldn't be. This could not be happening! How could he let him see him like this? He knew he was waiting for an answer so he softly said.
"I am from Cologne".
"I see. What brings you here? It's probably not such a great time.. the RAF and all that... pah. They'll ruin the city." Heydrich said, looking at the Brandenburg gate fondly.
"I'm here...to help." Kroenen said as he struggled to make his voice sound normal. He still kept his back to him. All he wanted now was just to talk to him and converse which such a famous historical figure but he couldn't. Not in this form.

Heydrich started to wonder again about this new person he was speaking to. Why wouldn't he turn around? Something was a bit odd, now that he thought about it. He began to speak again.
"Can I see you. I mean…perhaps I have seen you around?" Heydrich asked. "I can't be as bad as people say I am." He joked a bit.
"No sir. I do not think you are." Kroenen turned slightly, but still not all the way. When he turned he stood in the shadow of one of the pillars making it even harder to see him in his black clothes. Heydrich seemed to squint a bit trying to see, but couldn't seem to make out his true appearance.
"Hmm.. I don't believe we've met. Can I get your name?" Heydrich asked.
Kroenen fidgeted. He was persistent, as he should be. How would he explain this?
"Obersturmbannführer Karl Kroenen." He said but this time was not able to cover up that slight hint of artificialness in his voice. Heydrich seemed to grin a bit, not really noticing anything too strange.
"Well then. Good to meet you Herr Kroenen." Heydrich said calmly, which was a bit new for him, since usually around this time there would be some low ranking SD member who was being incompetent or fearful, and Heydrich would address him by either first name or just last. But Kroenen did not react this way and this pleased Heydrich. Heydrich usually didn't like the idea of escorts with him all the time, and when he did go on walks, he would try to be discreet about who he was. But Heydrich trusted Kroenen, though he couldn't really explain why.
Kroenen turned a little more and if could have smiled he would have.
"And it is an honor to meet you, Sir." Kroenen said and gave him a heil. Perhaps he would be fine if he just stayed in the shadows. Heydrich returned the salute, and grinned at what Kroenen said.
"So what are you planning on doing to try to stop the destruction of Berlin. I find this quite interesting. I feel I need to join the Luftwaffe. There's a rule in the SS about not sparing lives to help the fatherland. So I joined the Luftwaffe." Heydrich explained. "I hope there are no questions of the Kriegsmarine." Heydrich thought back on his days in the Reichsmarine after WWI. Kroenen chuckled.
"Indeed I am familiar with that SS rule. I do believe victory lies in German air superiority." He so wanted to join the war again, but he knew he could not. He turned his head to look at a near by statue and that's when it happened. A ray of moonlight struck Kroenen's eye and reflected back at Heydrich. Heydrich tilted his head slightly, pondering what had just happened. He then looked closer, and realized something didn't seem to be right. Heydrich was speechless, and confused. Like times had suddenly changed. This made Kroenen very uneasy. He knew something had gone wrong. He took a step back not noticing his eyes were beginning to glow red with his unease.
Heydrich, being as intrepid as possible, stayed calm, despite the eerie glow he saw from Kroenen's eyes. Once again the understanding side of Heydrich seemed to emerge, and he looked understanding instead of cynical.
"What happened?" Heydrich asked simply, still somewhat confused at the time period. He'd never seen anything like this. Kroenen's mind raced. He was surprised Heydrich hadn't either run off in terror or attacked him. That was always the reaction he had gotten. He couldn't tell him the truth, but he had to say something. He wouldn't understand what a robot...a cyborg was anyway. At last it came to him.
"An accident." Is all he said.
Heydrich thought then of what to say. He thought that asking more would be rude, thinking about if someone wanted him to discuss his dismissal out of the Reichsmarine. Thinking this way was unlike him, and it felt odd, but knowing that no one actually knew he was here, he continued to hide most of the Nazi side of himself.
"I'll leave it at that then. You would probably rather not discuss it anyway; I have a secret of my own I'd rather not discuss," Heydrich explained in a normal tone, again thinking of the Reichsmarine.
Just as he said that an opening formed in the clouds above allowing the moonlight to shine through causing the shadows to vanish. The light shone on Kroenen's face and he now had nowhere to hide. It was a green face and entirely made of metal. His eyes were round lenses usually dark like shades. There were five indentions in his chin. His hands too were clearly artificial. Heydrich thought for a while. After seeing the true Kroenen, he wanted to know what exactly happened.
"Ill tell about the damned Reichsmarine if I have to. I must know." He was a bit confused, but finally asked. "How. Now I must know." Heydrich was probably going to be confused for a while. He'd never seen anything so different. Kroenen placed his hand on his face. He hated this. He was supposed to return but not like this. It was time to tell his story, the one that had entered his mind. Perhaps he'd believe it, perhaps not but there was no doubted he'd NOT believe the truth.
"I...I worked at a concentration camp. I performed several experiments." He laughed a little remembering the horrific things he had done. "I made a mistake when I was mixing several chemicals one day and they went all over me. I almost died. This mask, this...helmet keeps me alive. I have to wear all this for the rest of my life. You can see why I try to hide my face as much as possible."
Heydrich believed the story, and now understood.
"Bah.. those camps." He began to say something about them, but stopped "I see. I'm probably the first to have asked." Heydrich trailed off, and a small moment of silence seemed to follow. The wind blew around, then suddenly Heydrich returned to more of his normal self. "Still, good to meet you. Not every day someone talks to me with true respect." He said hoping to break some tension.
"Likewise. I hate how others turn from me now in horror." He hoped Heydrich wouldn't look into his background and find out he was speaking to a dead man.
"I have gotten myself a name, apparently. The Hangman. Ha, sounds so welcoming, right? And then there's Himmler. Somewhat crazy, I still can't help but think his reincarnation theory or however he put it is true. Then if I start going around talking about reincarnation, I'll be just as bad as the Reichsfuhrer." Heydrich laughed more at Himmler his favorite person to spy and eavesdrop on. Kroenen laughed a little.
"I wouldn't say he's crazy. I think it does happen." Kroenen knew it was so. He had witnessed it first hand in Hell and he himself was proof of that. Heydrich pondered the idea of checking Kroenen's background, but figured Himmler had already done so. Himmler was a bit strict with backgrounds of SS members. They had to be traced back at least a few generations.
"Perhaps you could drop by 56-58 am Grossen Wannsee."
Kroenen cocked his head but then nodded.
"Yes I could."

Heydrich removed his hat again, and quickly ran his hand through his hair.
"That hat's getting quite annoying...anyway... After this war I plan on living in that house at Wannsee lake. I wonder though; If I were really to reincarnate after death. Would they even know? I do wonder what the future will bring. Hopefully some kind of victory." Heydrich said, a little sarcastically on the last part of the sentence. "I was only about 10 when WWI started, and 14 when it ended... ah, what chaos when the depression struck." Heydrich trailed off again, and stared at the sky thinking about shooting down an RAF bomber. Kroenen held his head. He knew what the future held for his country but he had to play his part.
"Yes a victory there can be no other way for the most powerful nation in the world. It is beautiful out there. Well I'll make sure that you..." Kroenen stopped. He had to be careful. He'd almost said that he'd make sure Heydrich would come back. He'd gotten too used to speaking to those in the underworld. "I'll make sure that...I visit you after our glorious victory in you home." He said correcting himself.

The two walked together down the streets of Berlin. The night was darker than normal because of the heavy cloud cover. The roar of the planes above became louder. Heydrich started to become fidgety in a sense. Those planes made him somewhat uneasy that he was not up there in his Messerschmitt shooting them down. He incessantly looked up at the sky to see if there were bombs dropping at all. His unease was not without reason. Kroenen sensed it and knew this was not a good night to be out. His keen hearing picked up the slightest sound that no human ear ever could. He could not see the planes but knew exactly where they were. Then there came another sound. He knew exactly what it was. He did not think he just acted.
"Heydrich! GET DOWN!!" He threw himself at him lifting him off his feet just as a fair sized bomb hurtled down toward them. The two flew through the air from Kroenen's lunge. Heydrich was quite dazed as to what had happened, but when he realized he could have been killed he was thankful and speechless.
"Damn RAF." Heydrich mumbled; he couldn't think of what else to say. Kroenen lifted himself off of him after having shielded him from the debris impact from the bomb. "Indeed." He wanted to do something. He wanted to use his powers but that was against the rules. He looked down and Heydrich and pulled him up.
"Are you alright?"
He was a bit shaken, but still okay, and alive.
"Yes. I'm alright." he said a bit shakily. He looked at where the bomb had landed, and became speechless again.
"I've got to get you out of here." Kroenen said as he heard more coming. He grabbed Heydrich by the arm and began to run with him. Thoughts of revenge entered Heyrich's mind.
"Where can we go?" Heydrich asked never before having been caught out in a raid.
Kroenen stopped looked around a second then shoved Heydrich into a concrete building and shut the door on him before he could even say anything else. He reached under his coat and pulled out two machine guns. He ran back into the street went up to a low building and leaped up onto the roof running along it. He was fast and agile leaping from building to building like a gazelle. His coat would flare out around him as he'd occasionally summersault to some of the rooftops.
Heydrich wondered what to do while waiting for the raid to be over. It'd be stupid to try to get to the airbase he thought hearing the raid going full force. Heydrich then turned his thoughts to Kroenen. He wondered what the hell was really going on out there, and why they'd not just hid until the raid was over. Did he make a run for the airbase? Heydrich began to wonder.
Kroenen ran over the rooftops looking up angered. There was a break in the clouds and he could see the planes now. He sensed their aura knowing which would make history. He growled to himself. Those he could not touch, but the ones that went un-noticed by time he would now target. He leaped to a higher building pulled out his guns and began to fire. His weapons weren't the ordinary ones of the time. These had Hell's own blessing bestowed on them and when he let loose his fury the sky lit up with their wrath.
Heydrich went to a small window and tried his best to see what was happening outside. He saw the sky light up. Was it Kroenen? He couldn't tell if there were any German planes fighting off the bombers or not. Kroenen fired round upon round of orange energy into the sky. The first few missed but the others found their mark. A thick beam went through a wing, another trough a tail. Engines roared as the crippled planes tumbled to the ground. Kroenen screamed out excited as he watched at least five of them fall like flaming meteors. Their impact shook the ground all around. Heydrich watched the planes fall to the ground.
"What I would do to be out there shooting those damn planes out of the sky too." Heydrich thought. Kroenen leaped down from the roof and made his way back to the building where he had left Heydrich. He burst through the door breathing hard.
"There's a gap now we must go."
Heydrich quickly nodded and followed. He started to wonder about where Kroenen came from. Were there really German fighters out there? From history Kroenen knew an area of the city that would never get hit and they would be able to escape. This raid would not last long. He led him there.
"We should...be safe...here." He said out of breath. "Are you alright, sir?"
Heydrich leaned against the wall.
"Yes I'm doing alright. I was thinking of making a stupid decision and running to the base." He was going to bring up the question of the German fighters, but decided to hold off on it for now. Kroenen found a stone bench and sat down.
"That would not have been wise." Slowly he removed his hat and placed it on his lap. His head glistened as it was smooth polished green metal. His round eyes were very obvious now. Heydrich stared for a few seconds, still somewhat dwelling on the planes; but then looked around as not to seem like an annoyance. He didn't know what to say again. Heydrich finally decided to ask about the German planes.
"How many of our planes were out there. Were you in one?" Heydrich asked, somehow knowing he couldn't have been in one. He returned too quickly to have been in a plane, and Heydrich saw no German fighters crash. Kroenen had to say something. He couldn't tell him he'd taken them all out by himself. Little did he realize he was setting himself up for a fall.
"There were seven, perhaps ten. I couldn't really see though all those blasted clouds"
Heydrich nodded
"I found it a bit crazy that you went out there though. You could have gotten killed by one of those bombs, same as if I had gone to the air base." Heydrich said then taking off the heavy trench coat he was wearing, and placing it down.
"I know, but I wanted to do something. Unfortunately there wasn't much I could do." He looked up at Heydrich. His voice seemed to come from his throat. The 'mask' he wore had no mouth.
"All I could think of was to protect my superior officer."
Heydrich nodded.
"I see. Seems again that SS rule is brought up again. Did you by any chance see what made the sky light up?" Heydrich asked being persistent. He always seemed to do this when he missed something to get the full report. Kroenen cocked his head.
"It could have been lightning. I've seen lightning happen with enough explosions."
Heydrich looked up at all of the clouds.
"True. Perhaps next time I'll be up there shooting them down." Heydrich said somewhat fantasizing about it.
"You'll get your chance I am sure." Kroenen placed his hat back on. He realized he'd let his face show for far too long. Heydrich picked up his coat again, and checked a watch. It was late.
"I should start home now. I imagine Lina must be worried with all the bombing." Heydrich started wondering again about Kroenen's accident, and questions were bothering him.
"I'll see you to your house then. I wouldn't want anything to happen on your way there." The two agreed and made their way out. As they walked along Heydrich decided to ask his questions.
"Where were you when the accident happened?" Heydrich asked.
"Huh?" The question took him by surprise. "I was working at one of the concentration camps. Like I said I was concocting some new chemical in the lab and made a mistake in my measurements. It exploded and went all over me. Heydrich began to get a glare-like look on his face at the mention of one of those camps. He didn't like them despite his reputation of being cold and ruthless.
"I see." Heydrich said trying to control his opinion of the concentration camps.
Kroenen stared at him blankly. He could show no emotion in his face.
"Yes and now I'm stuck like this for life." He said it with slight anger in his tone and it was real. He was really stuck like this and it was something he'd been fooled into by the dark ones. He was not pleased so his emotions were indeed real. Heydrich started to wonder again this time about what he actually did at the camp.
"What did you do at that camp?" he said saying camp as if it were such a disgusting thing. Heydrich felt a bit awkward asking like he was suddenly changing subjects too fast, but Heydrich realized he was making Kroenen become somewhat angry. Kroenen stared at him a moment. His tone eased a little.
"I was in charge of the entire complex and it was also my mission to rid us of those lesser beings. Unlike most other officers I joined my men in the torture chambers." Kroenen said it with pride in voice. Heydrich stopped for a minute and thoughts of one Gestapo interrogation ran through his head making him feel a bit ill. He never should have asked and he knew what was coming, but continued to listen anyway. Kroenen was sent back on a trip through memory lane.
"Ah yes. The inmates would come through. I enjoyed dealing with the ones that dared to fight back. They were the most fun. I never cared for the gas chambers it made things much too easy there was no fun in that. I'd have my men hold one of them against the wall while I'd place rusty hooks in through their toenails. Sometimes I'd do it straight through their big toes and then string them up. I would then take a fire poker and slowly draw whatever I pleased on their skin. Their screams would echo through the halls. Oh there was the time when I wanted to study digestion so I cut off just enough skin and muscle to reveal the stomach and intestines. I'd make sure to keep him alive and then I would feed him."
Heydrich then made his opinion known. He gave the coldest stare he had ever done. He had had enough of the tortures and started to feel ill again. Heydrich spoke again in an icy tone
"That will be all, please!" he said still maintaining the face he had on so he could hide how sick he felt. Kroenen was surprised by this. He really was having fun remembering what he used to do. He didn't even get to the story where he'd literally skinned someone alive just to watch them run around in their muscles and to see how they worked. His eyes began to glow red. It happened and many times he did not even realize it.
"Very well then. It does take a certain...type to work these things."
Heydrich was silent for a while, and regained his normal expression.
"Well," Heydrich said, "This is my house. Perhaps we'll meet again tomorrow? I work at Number 8 PrinzAlbrecht Straße; Gestapo headquarters." Before going in the door, he turned around to speak again. "Thank you for saving me," Heydrich said.
Kroenen nodded almost in a bow.
"It is my duty to defend you Sir. I shall see you there." Kroenen lifted his hand in a heil.
Heydrich returned the salute, still grateful, then went inside, closing the door quietly, so he wouldn't awaken Lina.

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