Team Fortress: Soaked Through

Part Eighteen: Together Again

Sniper's ears were still ringing when he opened his eyes again. His cheeks rubbed against the rough ground, and a quick lick of his dry lips yielded the taste of blood.

   "Dee?" he rasped, trying to see through the darkness. No answer. Sniper tried to push himself up, but his arms were too weak to even lift themselves. Instead, he turned his head to the side.

Demoman was lying next to him, pale but breathing. There was a wide, bloody gash in the side of his forehead.

   "Wait, what?!"

   The slam of a metal door and a herd of footsteps echoed through the room. Light suddenly poured onto Sniper, and he instinctively covered his eyes.

   "That's exactly what I said! After all, we brought her to the top..."

   "...Ludwig's a hard nut to crack, but we did it..."

   "Do we even get insurance?"

   "Find me an agency, Murus! Find me a lawyer..."

"...I mean, they don't even know this brain thingy exists! It's all sci-fi in their heads..."

"Oh, wait a minute - I think he's awake."

"The Australian..."

"...or the black guy?"

"Oh, the Australian. I don't think that Scotsman is getting up any time soon, if ever."

"He was kinda crazy..."

"...not to mention stupid. They say the meek inherit the world, but what do the brainless receive?"

Sniper managed to hold himself up on one elbow, squinting at the hazy silhouettes of the brothers. The only other thing he could make out was the bars of a prison cell and several black squares behind Murus.

"If I 'ad my rifle, I would kill all you drongos with one bullet."

The trio came into focus, and one of them leaned down and grinned at him.

"Ah," he sneered, "so you have woken up from - what do you call it in your native tongue - your siesta?"

   Sniper squeezed on eye shut, aimed, and spit right into the brother's eyes. They cried out and stumbled back.

   "Heh. Headshot," Sniper mumbled, laying his head down again.

   The boy rubbed his eyes, grimacing. "Disgusting. Maybe once that blue German freak is turned..."

   "...we can let him loose! They'll tear him apart!"

   "Do you think we could turn on the screens? Red should be turning Medic now."

   "Ooh, this is gonna be good..."

   "...we have dealt with that horrid team for far too long!"

   The black screens lit up, showing a live feed from some black room; Sniper couldn't focus on who was in it. However, he could guess.

   "Alright, doc, this will only hurt a little."

   "Bitte, I didn't - I vasn't vis zhem! I vas leading zhem to you! Ja, I knew all along!"

   A cold chuckle. "I can give you a bit of credit. After all, you are Medic. But knowing something I hadn't even mentioned? In your state? Please. You got soft, and now you need to pay the price."

   "Vhat are you going to do?! Kill me?! You von't have anyvun to fight for you!"

   The whir of machinery and a pained cry came from the speakers.