After Doom 2016

>During a rare moment of quiet, free from the endless trumpeting and sound of bullets flying, Max finds the time to sleep. On awakening, he finds himself in the Chief's office- or a damn good replica. Seated across from him, in his bosses' chair, is an almost glaringly average man wearing the finest dress clothes that Max had ever seen.

>"Are you done sizing me up, or can we get down to business?" the man asks, motioning slightly to the chair across from him. Max lowers himself down slowly, the chair protesting slightly under the weight of his armor. It's been ten years since he last heard that voice.

>"What the fuck was that?" Max blurts out before he can catch himself.

>"A test. Throw you into the pool, see if you'll sink or swim, that sort of thing. You're alive," the Benefactor replies, leaning back, "which means you passed."

>"What do you mean, 'a test'? Christ, that was the most hellish thing I've ever been through!"

>"Mmm. Literally, too," a smug grin spreading over the Benefactor's face. The smile is gone in an instant though, as he leans back forward. "But enough banter. I've got a job for you, Max. See, things have been boring for me recently, which is a problem. For me, mostly, but I've decided that it's going to be your problem as well, should you choose to carry that burden."

>"And if I refuse?"

>"Ah, I send you back to your home with your things. You never hear from me again..."

>"I pick that one!" Max says slamming his fist on the table which, miraculously, doesn't break.

>"...and when you die, your armor and weapons are discovered, reverse engineered, mass produced, and used to fight the next few wars which eventually leads to your Earth being destroyed in a conflict that makes the second World War look like a minor spat."

>Max looks away for a moment, processing what he just heard. "On second thought, what was this offer that you had for me?"

>The Benefactor smiles once more. "Nothing much, I assure you. I merely send you on a journey of sorts. Think of it like a vacation, only instead of relaxing on a beach you'll be visiting alien worlds and dimensions for around ten years. Survive, I send you to a new world. Die, and you go back home. Of course, you can back out at any time, either by saying so during one of these little chats or by dying. Though I'm told that one is more pleasant than the other. In exchange, whenever you enter a new world I'll grant you boons; memories, allies, weapons, skills, power beyond your wildest dreams, that sort of thing. As with what you've gathered during your stay on Mars, you'll be allowed to keep those things, even if you fail."

>"Alright. I'll do this... thing for you. But only until I'm sure that returning home won't fuck everything up."

>"That's what I like to hear. I'll be sending you along shortly, but before you go I have one question: what did you think of that marine that you fought alongside?"

>"He was the best damn partner I've ever had," Max replied, without hesitation.

>The Benefactor grinned widely, like he had just opened a present.