The return of the Evil Genius

[WLKRAS]

Author’s Notes: The following story follows up on the original Evil Genius story, which you can find at http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/4496. While it is not necessary to have read the original before you start this, it may help you to identify some of the characters. Game is played on FM12 with latest data update.

I can't remember if I've used the intro below before, I'm sure I had a go at recreating the Evil Genius story before, but I cna't seem to find it, so I might as well use it.

Evil Island of an Indeterminate Location

The sound of gunfire rattled through the evil lair of indeterminate location. S.A.B.R.E. commandos swept through the corridors toward the main control centre where Maximillian von Rindt, Evil Genius by name and profession was bellowing orders.

”Seal off all emergency doors! Activate the traps!” he yelled at his minions.

By his side stood his two evil henchmen, Jubei, the Samurai Sword Master and Red Ivan, a former KGB colonel and heavy weapons specialist. In the control room below, minions were scurrying around, activating traps and sealing off security doors trying to stop the S.A.B.R.E. commandos as they advanced. An explosion shook the facility and the sound of automatic weapons drew closer.

”They’ve broken through, sir. They are outside these doors” a guard shouted from the floor below. At the same time, Red Ivan lifted a phone from the desk as it started ringing.

”Sir, Captain Mozorov reports that the submarine is ready for departure. He is awaiting us in the submarine bay” Ivan said to Max.

Another explosion boomed through the halls.

”Then let us depart. Jubei, activate the self-destruct sequence and then meet us in the submarine bay. We will wait for you, but not long, so make haste” Max spoke to his loyal henchman.

”Yes Sensei” Jubei said, making a bow before rushing into the evil lair’s inner sanctum where the self destruct sequence was triggered.

Red Ivan and a select group of guards accompanied Max to the submarine pen. Just as they left the room through a hidden passage, another explosion sounded and the doors to the control room gave way. A dozen S.A.B.R.E. commandos rushed in, firing their weapons at anything that moved. The few guards who had remained behind returned fire, not knowing that their master was already on his way out. But their resistance was brief and ended quickly when a man in a tuxedo entered. Armed with a silenced pistol rather than a submachine gun, John Steele marched into the control room. His white tuxedo jacket was still in pristine condition, despite all the explosions going off around him.

”The room is secure, Mr Steele” Commander Hawkes told him. “The guards have surrendered and have been taken prisoner. But there’s no sign of their evil paymaster or his henchmen” the commander continued.

”Keep looking, commander. There must be a hidden passage or something similar here. These Evil Geniuses are no fools” Steele replied.

Then, suddenly, a blast sounded from the corridor from which the commandos had come. Sirens started blaring an alarm throughout the control centre. On the big screen, a countdown clock appeared, counting down from five minutes.

”What the devil was that?” Commander Hawkes asked no one in particular. A metallic voice over the PA system gave the answer.

”Self-destruct sequence triggered. T minus five minutes and counting. Self-destruct sequence triggered.”

”Oh Blast” Steele said. ”Everyone out. NOW!” he screamed at the commandos. But when they reached the corridor through which they had come, they saw the source of the latest explosion. The hallway had collapsed and sealed off the way out for Steele and his men.

”Oh, this is just wonderful” Steele said. ”Commander! Find that hidden exit! he screamed. The commandos scattered through the room, patting down walls, pushing random buttons on command consoles and knocking on floor tiles to check for hollow spaces leading to an exit out of the control centre.

”Self-destruct sequence triggered. T minutes four minutes and counting” the PA system announced as the search for an exit continued.

Meanwhile, Jubei had snuck out of the Inner Sanctum and using his wind walking technique, he moved through the hidden exit unseen by the commandos. He quickly reached the submarine bay where Red Ivan and Captain Mozorov were waiting.

”Quickly, we must go now” Mozorov urged the Samurai master. Max motioned them from the conning tower and they hurried into the submarine.

”Captain on the bridge, ahead One-Third” Mozorov announced as he entered the control room.

”Ahead One-Third, aye Captain” the Chief of the Boat responded. Slowly, the ship started moving out of the docks.

”Green across the board, sir, she’s rigged for dive” the Diving Officer announced.

”Take her down, Mr. Ryzkov” came Mozorov’s command.

Quickly the ship began descending. The submarine pen had been designed in such a way that the “Vepr” could sneak out underwater, avoiding detection by nosy tourists or spy satellites. But only a skilled navigator could do the job, as the ship would be perilously close to the bottom of the sea.

”Here! It’s a concealed exit” one of the commandos shouted out loud, pointing his gun through the passage. The PA system blared another warning as everyone ran for the exit.

”Self-destruct sequence triggered. T minus ninety seconds and counting”

There was no need for orders at a time like this, everyone understood that they should get the hell out of there. Steele took the lead as the men ran through the corridor, hoping to get away before the evil base would send itself skywards. Rapidly, they stumbled upon the submarine bay. Commander Hawkes started to mumble a question, but Steele cut him off.

”No time for chit-chat, Commander. Get your men into the water. It looks like we’ll have to swim our way out of here”

”Self-destruct sequence triggered. T minus sixty seconds and counting” the PA system announced.

It was all the encouragement they needed. They ran all the way down the pier, threw themselves into the water and made for the underwater exit.

Steele reached the exit first. He waited, counting the commandos as they disappeared under water, heading for the exit. Another explosion rocked through the submarine bay, sending all sorts of debris into the water. John continued his count and found that he was one person short. Commander Hawkes was missing. Sticking his head under water, John noticed Hawkes trapped on the seafloor beneath a section of steel catwalk, that had come down with the explosion. Steele didn’t hesitate and dove down to the bottom. He saw Hawkes struggling with the catwalk, trying to get it off him. When Hawkes saw John, he began pointing towards the exit, trying to make clear that Steele should leave him. But John wouldn’t have any of it. He planted his feet on the sea floor and used his fingers to count to three. Together they tried to lift the catwalk, but it wouldn’t give way. More pointing and signalling with hands followed as both men desperately tried to communicate without being able to speak. They tried to lift the catwalk again and this time, it gave way just enough for Hawkes to slide from underneath it. They rushed up to the surface for air.

”For ****s sake, John, you had to get out of here. This place is about to blow” Hawkes fumed when they broke through the surface. Before John could reply, the PA system continued it’s count.

T-minus ten… nine… eight… the metallic voice announced.

”No time for this Hawkes, breathe and dive!” John shouted before disappearing beneath the surface. Hawkes quickly followed him below and through the exit.

In the empty control room the metallic voice finished it’s countdown.

”Two… One…”

A gigantic explosion followed as the control centre was engulfed in flames. The explosions quickly scattered through the compound, causing the hallways to collapse. It seemed like the entire mountain was coming down. The submarine pen gave way too, the explosion causing the hidden exit to collapse just as Hawkes and Steele cleared it and made for the surface on the other side.

”Up periscope!” ordered Mozorov as they heard the loud rumble even below the water.

Slowly, the periscope rose through the command deck. It was just below the surface when Mozorov ordered to halt it. Glancing between the waves, Mozorov saw that the top of the great mountain that once stood on the island had crumbled. As he watched, he saw people emerging from the hotel and heading for the beach. They probably all thought about a volcanic eruption or something, but Mozorov and his crew knew better. Then, just as he was about the order the periscope to be lowered, he saw more people appearing on the beach. But these guys came from the water and not from the hotel. Mozorov muttered a curse under his breath and then ordered the periscope to be lowered.

”The mountain has collapsed, the base is destroyed” Mozorov told those around him. ”But it appears that most of the troops that assaulted us are still alive” he continued sourly.

”Unlucky” Max observed casually. ”But my master plan shall be continued. I will not rest before all the world trembles before our footballing might. MUHAHAHAHAHA”

On the beach, Commander Hawkes noted how crisply clean John Steele’s tuxedo still was. It didn’t even appear to be wet, despite their oceanic adventure.

”Well sir, that base won’t be causing us anymore trouble” Hawkes observed.

”The base itself might not, but I’m quite sure we haven’t heard the last of it’s former occupants” Steele said, staring out to sea.

[WLKRAS]

Several years have passed since the self-destruction of the evil base in Indonesia. Max and his evil henchmen are desperately looking for a new place to set up an evil base. He travels to various European countries, but he cannot find a suitable place for his next base. The Alps are too touristy and will attract too much attention, so Italy, France Germany, Austria and Switzerland are all ruled out. Despite Red Ivan’s well meant advice, Eastern Europe is also ruled out, due to the lack of structural development. ”There is nothing there to steal” Max commented. Holland is ruled out for being as flat as a pancake and Belgium is not to Max’ liking either. Spain and Portugal’s huge debt means that Max does not think there enough to steal there either. Anywhere in Great Britain would surely be too dangerous as S.A.B.R.E. would surely be onto them in a flash. Then, a newspaper article caught his eye.

Secret Norwegian submarine base on the market for £11m (but you will need your own sub)

James Bond had better be on high alert as the perfect hide out for a megalomaniac villain intent on world domination has emerged. The British secret agent's foes have become well known for their dramatic lairs, which have included Blofeld’s hollowed out volcano in You Only Live Twice. Now a huge high-tech underground submarine base with its own dock and tunnel system has come on the market.

Any Bond villain could house an army in the far flung Norwegian hideaway before launching an evil quest. The submarine base is available for just £11.2million and the underwater hideaway also includes 13,500 square metres of above ground buildings. Construction of the Olavsvern Naval Base, just outside the city of Tromso, took more than thirty years, with construction starting in 1964 and not finishing until after 1994.

Max laughed heartily at the idea. Surely no one would actually expect a proper Evil Genius like himself to buy the base. Of course, he was sufficiently wealthy that £11m was but a drop in the ocean. He already had an idea for his cover story. While a hotel might’ve worked on a tropical island in Indonesia, it wasn’t likely to work in cold Norway. But a marine research laboratory would be ideal for a former NATO submarine base. But he would still need a football club to bring the world under his spell. With the proposed evil base only a few miles outside Tromso, the obvious choice was the local Norwegian Premier League team Tromso Idrettslag. A meeting between Max, Red Ivan and the board of the club was plenty sufficient to convince them to join Max’ evil scheme. Red Ivan folding Tromso’s current manager into a neat square might have had something to do with that. It also freed the way for Max to suggest someone to be the next manager. Someone sufficiently evil that they would need little convincing to join him as another henchman. Preferably an Englishman, so that any S.A.B.R.E. suspicion could be diverted away from the club. Unfortunately, Steve McClaren was already contracted to another club, so a different evil Brit had to be found. After scouring the countryside, he found the perfect man.

Stuart McFrost.

McFrost was actually Scottish and while that might not completely throw S.A.B.R.E. off his trail, it was sufficient that no questions were asked. With McFrost successfully installed as the new manager at Tromso, and the former submarine base purchased and outfitted as a research lab, Max and his henchmen were ready to get started on their evil plans once more.