Fables #29

Frankenstein's monster lies on a table, the very same from the story! Dr. Weschler, a scientist working for the Reich, was trying to patch the monster up again when Bigby, in werewolf form, lunged from the doorway. He seems to be expected, as the General gloats to himself that he knew the Americans would send him. The Nazi soldiers for at him, but their bullets are no good as the General shouts at them only silver bullets would have any effect. Bigby hops on top of the monster, The General sends the guards for more help, and to search the castle, knowing there must be others around as well. Bigby was just about to tear the monster apart again when its large hand grabbed him by the throat; the monster was already alive.
Down in the cellar, the situation quickly grew dire. Nazi soldiers had already found Dog Company and were firing on them. While the squad had good positions, they were up against overwhelming numbers. Duffy had lobbed a grenade in front of the doorway to try and plug it up, while Alpabet and Zilmer returned fire from the upper floor. But wave after wave kept coming, and the company felt that they could only hold out for a short while.

Back in the tower, a different kind of struggle has occurred; it was Frankenstein's monster versus the wolf man! Both beasts were holding their own against the other. They seemed to be evenly matched in terms of strength. Meanwhile, Sergeant Harp had been making his way back, sticking to the shadows to grab and slit the throats of all unsuspecting patrols. When the remaining guard heard the dying gasp of his comrade he turned to face Sergeant Harp, who shot him through the skull. Downstairs, Dog Company had already lost their medic, Cutter, and Duffy sees Lieutenant Levin het shot right next to him. Despite his best efforts to apply medical aid, the Lieutenant wound up dead in Duffy's arms. All seemed lost until, coming down the stairs, Sergeant Harp began mowing the Nazis down with a machine gun. Unfortunately, last one got a few lucky shots in before Harp finished him off. The Sergeant, bleeding out, barely able to stand, told Staff Sergeant Supinski to get everyone back out through the tunnel. There were only minutes left before the charges would go off, and Harp was going to go find Bigby. The last men of Dog Company knew this was the last time they'd see Sergeant Harp alive.

Bigby had managed to tip out the stitches holding the monster's head on, and defeated the creature by pilling its head clean off. The General congratulated the wolf man on the victory, bringing Bigby's attention to the newly arrived soldiers, armed with silver bullets. Bigby already did what he came here for, so he surrenders with a shrug. After being strapped against a standing medical slab, Bigby's blood is taken by a doctor while the General gloats; the whole mission was a ruse, created by the Nazis, o get Bigby's attention, so he'll come here. Tales of the wolf man had spread throughout Germany, his heroics against the Fuhrer's army had become notorious enough that a plan was hatched for his capture. Now, the General notes, they want to use Bigby's blood to create their own battalion of werewolves. That was the real supe weapon they were preparing, they just needed Bigby as the catalyst. Sergeant Hap appears in the doorway and shoots the Nazi guards. He then takes aim at the doctor, who was holding he container of Bigby's blood, and fires through it, shattering the glass and killing the doctor both. The General is killed just as he pulled his gun out. Harp cuts Bigby loose, then slumps to the floor. He tells Bigby that the whole castle was about to go up in seconds. Understanding that Harp was already done for, Bigby leaves his friend and, after filling a bag, hops out the tower window just as the explosion lights up the brick and mortar.

Private's Duffy, Zilmer, and Alphabet, the final three surviving members of Dog Company, were waiting at the burned-out tavern. They watch as Frankenstein's Castle get destroyed, afraid that there was no one left to show them how to get back to their own lines. Then Bigby appears. Alphabet is hurt pretty bad, and Duffy worries he won't survive long without medical attention. Bigby tells them he can get them back and save their wounded man the walk, but only if they promise on their lives to keep a secret. He then transformed into a big wolf.

As Duffy's journal ends, he writes that they made it back to a brigade medical tent well withing their own lines. While the three of them reported what little they could about the mission, they each kept Bigby's secret for the rest of their lives.

In present day, back at the Fabletown Business Office, Bigby has Bufkin file Duff's journal in the appropriate place among the shelves. He then goes over to a covered bird cage, where Frankenstein's monster, or his head anyway, have been calling home. "Frankie" is content with his dull, quiet life. He tells Bigby how Flycatcher, Blue or Bufkin sometimes read to him.

Bigby goes to visit Duffy's grave, paying his respects to an old war buddy.