Konig: You sure the others do this too? 😳 Krueger: Yeah buddy, trust me alright? 😈

Ref + bonus:

The mission is simple. Clear the mansion of all hostiles and gather any intel they can find. Intel, rumor has it, on Victor Zakhaev.

Krueger watches Nikto carefully. He sees the tension in his shoulders, the restlessness of his fingers, the wide, unblinking stare of his cold, blue eyes. He knows anything that has to do with Zakhaev makes Nikto antsy but also imbued with a fury shocking to anyone who doesn't know the usually controlled man well enough.

They clear the manor with brutal, excessive force. Krueger feels his blood rushing every time Nikto uses his fists to pummel an enemy to death, unrestrained and animalistic. Down a long corridor, they split to search the rooms for intel.

Krueger enters a somewhat boring looking office. There are scattered papers on the desk, written in Russian. He decides to scoop them up. He tucks them into his vest for now. Then turns his attention to the tv across from the desk. There's a cupboard next to it. He pries the door open slowly with the edge of his knife.

Inside is a stack of video tapes, all labeled in Russian. Except one. Just a series of numbers. It takes Krueger a moment to recognize them.

The numbers from Nikto's dog tags.

Krueger slides a curious finger over the edge of the tape. Then he plucks it out from the others, holding it in his hands and contemplating his next move. He hears movement outside the office and makes the split decision to pocket the tape.

“Found intel,” Krueger tells Nikto as he enters, “All in Russian.”

Nikto knows Krueger can't read Russian as well as he speaks it so he doesn't ask. Instead he holds a hand out and Krueger pulls the papers from his vest, passing them over. Nikto looks at them for a moment before tucking them into his own vest.

“Videotapes too,” Krueger continues, nodding toward the cabinet.

Nikto makes an interested noise before approaching. He runs his fingers down the tapes, reading them. A grim look settles into his eyes.

“We'll take them all.”

Krueger doesn't argue. Doesn't mention the secret in his pocket either. Just follows Nikto as they finish the mission.

Because the intel is all in Russian, Krueger is not reviewing it. Sure he speaks Russian well enough but there's much to be decoded and read over. Not that he's complaining. While the others are busy, Krueger tucks himself away in a secluded office on base.

He plugs the small tv and eagerly pushes the tape inside. He's burning with curiosity. Why would the tape have Nikto's dog tag numbers on it? Surely not a coincidence.

Krueger intends to find out.

The screen flickers to life and Krueger immediately knows what he's looking at. 

On screen is a young man, black hair, tied to a chair. Arms pulled behind his back and legs tied to each separate leg of the chair, spreading them. His blue eyes practically glow with fury. His face is smooth save for a bruise on his forehead but Krueger would recognize those ice blue eyes anywhere.

Nikto.