1 . Name: Medic @ 2011-07-22 04:03

Chapter 1

"It's too quiet here..."

The Sniper sat in his favorite spot, his rifle aimed for head-height at the enemy's base. Next to him was a flask of coffee, his radio, a sandwich, a sub-machine gun and his 'secret weapon'. Everyone knew about his secret weapon, but sometimes, he couldn't actually bring himself to say out loud what it was. His radio had been playing the current hit, Want You Gone by Caroline McLain, but he turned it off the second he realized the... Silence...

He'd heard such silence before. Back in the wild outback, he had spent months with only the silence to keep him company. It wasn't really silence, as he could always hear animals in the distance, the crickets chirruping, the birds tweeting, nature singing at him, but that was in the outback. It didn't belong here in this land of metal, mining, work and industry.

He noticed the silence the same time he realized the lack of people. Or, to be precise, the lack of people making any noise. Even that freak, that pyromaniac, made noise. Actually, the mute freak was almost as much as a chatterbox as the Scout, it was just that no one knew what he was saying half the time. Sniper didn't even know if he really was a he. Not that it mattered. What mattered now was that there was NO NOISE WHAT SO EVER. Just... Rustling...

"Sni..."

Sniper spun around, kukri in hand, ready to slice and dice whoever it was. Luckily, he managed to stop himself before slicing the Engineer's arm off.

"Oh. Sorry, mate. I'm just kinda creeped out right now..." Sniper put his kukri back where it belonged. Engineer simply nodded and sat down next to him.

"It's been quiet tonight. I haven't heard a peep from anyone. Since the Scout came back earlier with that nasty injury, ol' Sawbones has been busy. Everyone's been mighty quiet..." Engineer tipped his hat then proceeded to fiddle with the wires hanging from his belt.

"Is the kid going to make it?" Sniper asked. That was proof he spent too much time up here. He didn't know that the Scout had been injured. But he knew full well that he was being watched by his employers, that it was bad for business for RED to get the upper hand.

"I don't know..."

They both fell silent.

"It's really quiet tonight..." the Engineer finally sighed.

"Yeah... Like out in the wild. Only the animals... I never noticed how many animals were around here, though. There is normally so much noise around here, bullets, guns, shouts, rockets, but tonight... It's like the crocs are watching..."

"Right... Er, Sniper, did you see the Soldier and the Pyro go out earlier?"

Sniper paused. 

"Sniper?"

He shushed the Engineer and pointed at the other base. On one of the higher levels, there was a solitary figure. By the shadows he was casting, it was obviously RED's own sniper. But he didn't have his gun in hand. He just seemed to be staggering around, unsure where he was.

"I think he's drunk..." Engineer whispered.

Sniper hissed. "I don't think so. He's bleeding."

After some more staggering around, the other sniper finally came to a halt, before slumping against a wall. The Sniper readied his rifle. Now was an excellent chance to get the upper hand on those annoying RED mercs. But the Engineer blocked his way.

"What are you doing?"

"Before you kill him, look over there!"

It sounded like a shout. Several shouts. And a scream. The Sniper looked into his scope at the other base. There was lots of movement going on in the lower levels. There also seemed to be blood on one of the windows. or was it blood? It was black.

"What's going on over there, Sniper?"

"Shhhh!"

A Spy had joined the RED Sniper on the roof opposite. It was their own Spy, not the BLU one. Even he wasn't stupid enough to enter their base alone. The Spy lent down to look at the Sniper and probably help him to his feet. That was when...

"OH MY GOOD GOD!" The Sniper flew back in shock over what he just saw, knocking over his rifle.

"Tell me that did not happen!" The Engineer shouted rather loudly.

"IT BLOODY DID MATE!"

"SHOOT THEM THEN!"

The Sniper hurriedly picked up his gun and fired, shooting the enemy sniper in the head. Another shot made sure he was dead.

"That did not just happen..." The Engineer rubbed his face, as if trying to remove what he had just seen from his mind.

"It did... That Sniper just... Just... ATE him..."

The pair fell silent and continued to watch the enemy base.

Suddenly, a scream filled the air. But this one was much closer.

"HELP MEEEEE!"

Both the Sniper and the Engineer jumped to their feet.

"That came from..." Sniper hesitated.

"Let's go!"

As fast as they could, they rushed down the stairs, straight to the infirmary, where the Medic was struggling against what seemed like a feral Scout.

"GET HEEM OOFF MEEEEE!" The Medic shouted as the Scout tried to bite at his arms. "PLEEEEAZE!"

The Engineer rushed over and grabbed the Scout's legs, but his constant kicking made him harder to hold on to than an oiled snake.

"Medic! What happened!" The Sniper cried as he readied his gun.

"JUST SHOOT HIM, SNIPER!" The Engineer shouted as he started to lose his grip on the kid-turned-animal.

"I MIGHT HIT THE DOCTOR!"

"JUST DO EEEET!" The Medic screamed as the Scout's teeth inched closer to his arms.

*BAM*

The Scout's body went limp as his blood splattered across the Medic's face.

Time seemed to slow down almost completely. It could have been seconds, minutes or even days. None of them knew. Finally, the Engineer seemed to find the strength to speak.

"What... Just happened?"

The Medic didn't answer.

"Doc? Matey? You alright? Speak to us!" The Sniper got down on his knees and tapped him on the face.

"Mein Gott... The Scout... He died... I went up to tell you all but I could not find you. I told zhe Spy and he came down here while I went to find zhe rest of you... Zhen..." The good doctor started crying.

"It's ok... It's ok, mate..." The Sniper helped him to his feet while the Engineer kept an eye on the body.

"He ate Zhe Spy... And he tried to eat me!" The Medic pointed at a pile of blood and guts on the floor. Sure enough, amongst the remains, there were pieces of torn suit and broken bones.

"Did he bite you, Doc?" The Engineer asked.

"Nein... I was... Very lucky..."

The Sniper threw a glance at the Engineer. "You don't think..."

"I do... We''re gonna have to lock this place up and head to the Resupply room. We can barricade ourselves there for now..." The Engineer grabbed his pistol and as many first aid kits as he could carry, then nodded back at the Sniper.

"Okay, mate, let's go. Medic, you alright to run?"

"Ja, but if we are to stay here, I want a better gun..." The Medic picked up the Scout's scattergun, then followed the Engineer and the Sniper upstairs.




It seemed to get dark quicker than normal. After boarding up the window and the door, the Sniper stood guard while the Engineer worked on several sentries. The Medic, worn out and rather scared after his close encounter with death, sat quietly on the bench, holding the scattergun as tightly as he could. Both the Engineer and the Sniper would ask if he was ok, and he seemed to be, it was just he was tired. Finally, the Engineer finished the last of his five sentry guns and sat down next to the Medic.

"We'll be ok, doc. Those sentry guns will do the job should anyone get in."

"Ja, I know... It's just..."

The Sniper joined them on the bench. "Don't worry, mate. He was our friend too. I just hope the rest of the team is ok..."The Engineer flashed a worried look at the Sniper, who ignored it and carried on. "We'll pull through. We always do."

"Heh, remember those Meet The Team" videos RED commissioned to scare us... We dealt with that ok, didn't we?" the Engineer smiled.

"And zhat time when I used zhe uber on you and you saved the sentry and we pushed zhe RED team back to zheir base!" The Medic also smiled, but it faded quickly. "I hope zhat we won't die..."

The Sniper nodded his head. "We'll be fine, matey. We'll always be fine... Why don't you get some sleep?"

"Ya mind if I take a nap too, Sniper?" the Engineer asked.

"Sure."

The room fell silent again. It didn't take long for the Engineer to fall asleep, but the Medic had obviously been traumatized. But he too fell asleep in time, leaving the Sniper alone with the silence once more.



That and the banging on the door...


Chapter 2

It was unlike him to hide. Normally he'd be out there, blasting the enemy away with his home-made weapons. But today was different. Today, he saw something that had truly changed him. Boy, was he scared. This wasn't normal. This wasn't in his contract. And to think that he was going home tomorrow. His time would be over.

Ok, he had to move now. Enough was enough.

The ground was covered in what looked like treacle. Certainly didn't smell like treacle though. Not that he could smell much anyway. he had to get up and move away from here. If he stayed, they'd come back. He had to move. He had to do it now.

"Pyro? Pyro! Mon ami, are you ok?" It was the Spy. Good ol' Spy. He may be a complete asshole, almost as bad as RED's Spy, but at least he was smart and didn't sleep with the enemy. He'd know what to do.

"Mmmmmmph mmmmph!" Pyro wanted to say a lot of things, but his mask often stopped him. Actually, his mask always stopped him. But at least the Spy understood.

"I'm alive? I'm amazed you're alive, sneaking into RED's base like that!" The Spy looked tired. More tired than usual. Had he seen what the Pyro had seen? "Je ne sais pas what is going on in that base, but there is this vile liquid everywhere. I was out on my own but when I heard you and the Soldier had gone on some sort of even more secret lesson, I couldn't let you be put in danger by that moron..."

The Pyro sniffed, then wiped the blood from his mask and stood up. "Mmmmph mmmmph mmmmmph mmmmmph mmmmph!"

The Spy stood still for a second, surely translating his words. "I... I saw. I saw his body. They tore him apart like the animals they are! They..." He was hesitating. He was scared. Just like the Pyro was. But he had to fight it. "I believe, gentlemen, that they are much like the undead..."

"MMMPH!" The Pyro didn't believe it. "Mmmmph mmmph!"

"But it is possible, my friend..." The Spy spoke softly. "Anything is possible in this crazy world..."

"Mmmmmph mmmmph mmmmmmmph mmmmmmph mmmmmph?"

"I am not sure. I heard, bless his little soul, the Doctor screaming earlier, as I left our base. I would have hurried back, but I noticed I too was being watched and would surely be attacked if I returned to the base. I did not wish to bring back further trouble. I... I think I might have left him to die..." 

At this point, the Spy fell silent. It was here that the Pyro finally saw the Spy did care about the team.

"Mmmmph. Mmmmmph mmmmmmph mmmph."

"Yes, I do hope he's OK. I would wish myself a horrible death if I were ever to find out that I was the cause of his death. But we must move. I fear we are in danger..."

The Pyro picked up his flamethrower. "Mmmmph mmmmph mmph."

"Of course."


The Sewers were darker than usual. As it was common for both teams of mercs to head through the sewers to get to each other's bases, the sewers had been filled with lights and security cameras, as final attempts to stop this constant battle. They had failed miserably, but in the process they had technically built a nuclear war bunker.

The Spy paused for breath. Sloshing through the water had been tiring. Too tiring. He'd already run from enough today. He couldn't do so any more. And the threats he had seen, the pain and suffering he had witnessed, he couldn't mention them to his dear friend. That poor guy. He had been sitting there in that corner. He'd seen too, but the Pyro was deep in it. All he could do was watch as the three of them tore each other apart.

"Mmmph mmmph."

The Pyro had stopped too, several feet ahead of him. But he hadn't stopped due to fatigue like the Spy had.

"What is it?"

"Mmmphmmmph."

"Pardon?"

"Mmmph. Mmmph."

"Demo Man?"

The Pyro hissed, ordering the Spy to stand against the wall. "Mmmph."

There was a corner up ahead. The Pyro pressed himself against it, making sure his shadow could not be seen. The Spy, unsure what was going on, readied his knife and turned invisible.

There were ripples in the water. And they were getting bigger. He could see the shadow now. He could also see the Pyro tightening his grip on his axe. Standing just ahead of them was the RED Demoman.

But not all of him.

"Mon Dieu..."

It happened too quickly for it to register in the Spy's mind. The blood stained their uniforms, coating their weapons, colouring their faces. The body fell to the ground as if it was made of concrete and bricks instead of flesh and bone. He could feel himself falling back too, the monster's last attempt to escape. And the cold, drunken scream. The scream...


"MMMPH! MMMPH MMMPH MMMMPH!"

Blinking back to consciousness, the Spy realised that he was more tired than he thought. And that background noise reminded him of the current situation.

"What do you mean?"

"Mmmmmmmph!"

"There are more coming?" It was the fear, not the courage that forced the Spy back onto his feet. Or was it? Maybe he was just tired...

"Mmmph."

"We must move. Even with your flamethrower, we have no chance if there are many of them."

The Pyro nodded and headed back the way they came. Down in the sewers, there was no sense of direction. They had obviously taken a wrong turn somewhere. But the shadows were taunting them, and he suddenly stopped again.

"There are more that way, aren't there?"


He didn't say anything. They were surrounded. There was no where to hide. Or was there?

"Look!" The Spy pointed at a door on the ceiling leading upwards, possibly an escape tunnel of some sort. "We can escape through there! But... But it's too high!"

The shadows were getting closer.

"Mmmph mmmmph mmmmmph mmmphmmmph mmmmph!"

The Spy nodded, then climbed onto the Pyro's back. There was a bolt holding the door shut and he needed to get it open. It didn't take long, and once he did it, he climbed up the ladder.

"Come on, Pyro! You can reach!"

There was a long pause. The Pyro just looked at him.

"Come on!"

Why wasn't he coming? He looked closer at his ally.

"Non..."

The Pyro looked down at his arm, then back up at the Spy. "Mmmph."

"We can save you! There is hope! There is time!" Were those tears coming from his eyes?

He said nothing as he closed the hatch. "Mmmph. Mmmmph mmmmph mmmmph."

"NO! I WON'T LEAVE YOU!" The Spy raced back down the ladder, bashing his feet against the door. But it was no use. It only opened one way.

Suddenly, he heard a voice. A voice no longer hidden by a mask.

"Save yourself. I am no longer safe. Leave." Then the voice was muffled once more.



He could hear the fighting even up there at the top of the ladder, back at the surface. But that was hours ago. Now, the sun was spouting its first beams of light, scattering the clouds with its warmth. The area was bloody and grey, but the rays of light made everything seem better.

Finally, the Spy got up.


"Come on, my friend," the Spy whispered. "It's time to save our friends..."


"Mmmph!" the Pyro smiled as they walked away.

Chapter 3

The banging had calmed down, but now it had come back with a vengeance. There was definitely something out there. Two somethings. Or more.

The Sniper had been listening all night. Sleep had been difficult. It wasn't that he was tired like the others, it was...

"Come on, mate. Admit it. You're scared. You're scared stiff."

"We all are."

His friends had finally woken up. The Engineer seemed rather perky, but the Medic looked pretty awful. "Did ya sleep, Sniper?"

"Nah. The banging... It kept me awake... You?"

"Like an angel. But why didn't you wake us up?"

"Didn't want to distract you, mate."

The Medic was being rather quiet. He was obviously reliving the events from the previous night. Not even his dreams offered any refuge.

"So, we gonna open the door?" the Engineer asked. "It is day outside. We'll be safer. And able to see."

The banging quickened up, then suddenly fell silent.

"There is something out there..."

They too fell silent.

"Well, someone iz going to have to shoot it." the Medic sighed. "But what if it iz a friend?"

"They would have called for us..." the Sniper glanced at the door then back at the Medic. "If it was one of our friends, they would have called us. As would an enemy Spy, attempting to kill us..."

"Whatever it is, Sniper, don't shoot it in the head. Shoot it in the f..."


"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!"

The bullet went straight through the thin metal door, passing through the Spy's leg and finally ending its short life in the wall opposite.

"EEEEEEEE!" the Medic screamed as he cowered in the corner, absolutely terrified, before stumbling over and picking up the Scout's scattergun. "YOU ARE DEAD! I SAW YOU DIE! YOU GOT EATEN! YOU DIED!" 

"ARRRGH! What was that for? I thought we were on your side!" the Spy groaned as the Engineer wrapped the wound the best he could. "And why is the doctor screaming? And... DON'T POINT THAT AT ME!"

The Medic pushed his friends aside as he pointed the gun at the Spy's head.

"You died. I saw you. You were eaten alive. The Scout ate you. YOU. ARE. NOT. OUR. SPY."

Everyone stared at the Medic. He was serious. This guy couldn't even fire a shotgun, and now he was pointing one at the Spy's head.

"Don't do it, Sawbones..."

"I will...."

The Spy looked at his nice new wound, courtesy of the friendly fire, and sighed. "Doctor, it is me. I went out after the Pyro and the Soldier to inform them of what happened to the Scout. I was in the Sewers down below when I heard your cries of help, but I knew I was being watched so I decided not to return, in case I brought back more trouble..."

"So the Spy that got eaten was the RED Spy?" the Engineer asked.

"Heh, the irony..." the Sniper sniggered.

"Mmmph. Mmmmph mmmphmmmph mmmmph mmmmphmmmmph mmmmph, mmmmph mmmmmph mmmph."

Everyone glanced at the Pyro, then stared at the floor.

"He said that he and the Soldier discovered that RED have been hiring more spies recently, bumping their team up to 16 members..." the Spy explained. "According to what he told me on the way back here, RED now has two Medics, an extra three Soldiers, another Scout and 2 more Spies."

"That would explain how we saw that Spy ge... LOOK OUT!"

The Sniper pushed the Pyro to one side as a red blur leaped at the Medic, tearing at his uniform.

"NOT AGAIN!" the Engineer exclaimed as he shoved the monster off his friend, throwing whatever it was against the wall. The Pyro jumped in and air-blasted the creature against the ceiling, before setting it on fire. Finally, two shots from the Spy's revolver put it out of its misery.



He was breathing, but only just. The wounds weren't too deep, but they were long. And wide. It had ripped straight through his clothes, even through the tough plastic armor that he wore. His legs were fine but his left arm was badly ripped. They didn't know if he'd recover. He'd been injured before, but not like this...

"Medic?"

His eyes flickered open. Was he awake? He wasn't sure. he certainly didn't want to wake up.

"Come on, doc. We need to get out of here..."

They were still in the resupply room? It felt like he had been out cold for days.

"We know you have some sort of... Well, ability... You can heal from this, right?"

Who was talking to him? He felt like he did that night in October 1959, after he drunk a few too many beers. He'd woken up in a ditch somewhere near Berlin and had to walk back home. But at least that night had been fun, this was painful, to say the very least. There was no beer here. He did have a feeling that he was flying, though.


"What are you doing, Pyro? Put him down! You can't carry him and fight at the same time!" the Engineer shouted as yet another torn apart RED monster ran into their hail of bullets.

"MMMMPH MMMMMMMPH MMMMPH!" the Pyro somehow shouted as he threw the unconscious doctor onto his shoulders. "MMMMPH!"

The Sniper headshotted his third scout that day, then chopped someone's head off with his kukri. "If we can get to my camper van, we can get out of here!"

"I am not going in that mud-encrusted van of a house of yours, Sniper..." The Spy groaned as he limped across the room to get some more ammo.

"There's no time for that bullshit, Spy!" the Engineer shouted as he mixed repairing his sentry with pumping the enemy full of lead. "Pyro! Let me finish this sentry and take the doctor! You can push the monsters back while we head downstairs! Spy, Sniper, cover the front, Pyro, you take the back!"

The newly built sentry fired a rocket at the swarm of red-clothed beasts, as the Engineer pocketed his pistol and his wrench and took the Medic off the Pyro's hands.


"We're almost there!" the Sniper shouted as he fumbled around in his pocket for the keys. "It's unlocked! Throw the doc in the back and Pyro come in the front with m....OOOFF!"!

Dirt and bullets flew into the air as the Sniper landed on the ground with a thump. The Spy helped him up as the Engineer and the Pyro rushed ahead. The Sentry guns that the Engineer had placed as they ran had done the trick, distracting the creatures for a moment while they gained some ground. But now the last of the sentries had been destroyed.

"MMMPH!" the Pyro yelled as several remaining monsters followed them, gaining speed on the injured Spy.

Suddenly, the ground exploded behind the Sniper and the Spy. In the distance there was a lone RED Soldier, standing on top of the BLU stronghold. The three zombies were now smoldering piles of dust.

"You are honorable enemies! It has been a pleasure fighting against you! Save yourselves, our work is done here!"


As the five survivors drove off, all they could do was watch as their enemy-turned-friend was torn apart by his own team.



Chapter 4

"Are we there yet?"

The answer the Spy received wasn't one he liked. Sitting in the back of a camper van driving along a hot, dusty road in the midday sun with no air-conditioning and a bleeding body next to him certainly wasn't how he had planned to spend his break. He wasn't sure where they were going. Hell, he didn't even know if the driver had a valid license. And he certainly didn't feel up to sitting next to the dying doctor any more.

"Can I please switch places with someone? The smell of rotten blood is getting to me."

The Engineer tutted. "That coming from a back-stabbing murderer? I think y'all can stay where you are."

"So where are we going?" the Spy asked.

No one answered. That was the third time they'd done that. The Spy was convinced now that none of them knew. Such laborers don't deserve vehicles. They had no food, no medical instruments or first aid kits, no maps or sense of direction and no plan to speak of. The only reason they were still alive was because of the Pyro and that stray Soldier. Speaking of which, what happened to their own soldier?

"Er, Pyro?"

"Mmmmph?"

"Er, never mind. It is of no importance..." Now wasn't the time to ask. "Sniper, are we..."



The van swerved to avoid whatever it was in the road, then skidded to a halt on the dirt. At the side of the road was another vehicle, which seemed to have a flat tire.

"Fuck..." the Sniper cursed as he switched off the engine. "I think I hit something... You guys alright back there?"

The Spy rolled his eyes, while the Engineer simply nodded and checked on the still-unconscious Medic.

"Mmmmph! Mmmmmph mmmmph! the Pyro exclaimed.

"Yeah... Tell you what, Spy, you come out with me and we can check on this other vehicle and see if we hit anything. Engineer, see if there is anything wrong with the car, and Pyro..."

"Mmmph mmmph mmph."

"Yes, stay here with the doctor."


The Sniper walked over to the parked vehicle while the Spy looked at whatever they ran over. It looked like a human body, but it was covered in that black, treacle-like substance that all the zombies were spitting out. He knew full well not to touch, and simply shot the creature in the head, to make sure it was definitely dead. The Spy then rejoined the Sniper by the vehicle. Under the bonnet was a tall man with glasses and dark hair, who had noticed the van nearly hit the corpse but thought little else of it. He clearly hadn't shaved in a few days. In the car was a pregnant woman.

"G'day mate... You need some help here?" the Sniper asked. "Looks like you over-heated..."

"Er, yes, hello. We have over-heated, I am just waiting for the engine to cool down..." the man replied. "Since this... Illness has spread, we decided to go into hiding..."

"You need some water?" the Sniper glanced at the Spy, signalling him to grab one of the bottles of water he kept behind his seat. The Spy scowled and walked off.

"Thank you, sir. I see that you are not from here. What would an Australian like you be doing so far away from home?"

The Sniper leaned on the car next to the man. "A job's a job. I get paid plenty to do mine, even if it means being away from the homeland." He glanced at the woman sleeping in the car. "Nice lady you have there. Congratulations..."

The man sniffed. "Yes. She is a beauty. I love her dearly. But..." The man's voice dropped to a whisper. "She's sick..."

"I... I'm sorry to hear that..."

"Me too..." The Spy returned with the water. "We would help, but our only medical knowledge comes from our good doctor friend, who is currently unconscious in the back of our van. Those monsters nearly killed him..."

The man took the water and bowed his head. "I am a doctor too... Did they claw at him or did they bite him? From what I have seen, if they are clawed, they either bleed to death or simply die from shock. If they get bitten..."

The two mercenaries looked at each other. "No..."

"I have seen it. It happens within minutes..."

The Spy rolled his eyes. "Medic got attacked hours ago. He should be ok..."

"Do you want me to check on him?" the man asked.

The Sniper smiled. "Sure. While we're at it, we'll get Engy to work on your car. He'll have it fixed in no time."


"Wo bin ich?"

"Mmmmmmmph mmmmph mmmph?"

The man glanced at the Spy. "What did they say?"

"The Medic asked where he was. Pyro asked what did the Medic just say."

"Okay... Well, he seems ok... It is best that he rests and stays as still as possible..."

"MMmph mmmh mmmmph mmmmph?"

Another awkward look.

"He said 'But will he be ok?'"

"Hopefully. With plenty of rest and time, he should be ok. Whether he will recover from the mental shock, I don't know."

The Spy stared at his feet. "I am sure he will. He has seen some rather... Nasty things..."

"Just one thing, though... May I take a sample of your doctor's healing liquid device? It... It may help me..."

The Pyro nodded his head and rummaged in one of the cupboards for a jar, while the Spy silently opened up the Medic's backpack and took out some liquid. He then placed it in the jar the Pyro found and handed it to the man.

"I wish you and your wife well..."

Suddenly there was a shout from outside.


"WHAT THE HELL?"

The zombie crawled across the ground, screaming like a wounded animal. In its mouth was the arm of its last victim before it lost its legs. Behind it were several other zombies, attracted to its cries, all missing various limbs. Any one of them would have been no threat, but with a sleeping woman in the car behind them, the pair of them were unsure what to do.

"Dagnabit nag dabit nabit!" the Engineer shouted as his eyes darted around for a weapon of some sort. "Where the hell did they come from?"

The Sniper joined the Engineer in their search for weapons, and grabbed the first thing he found, a tin of old oil. The Engineer frantically searched his pockets until he found the next best thing, a match. But before they could make their home-made grenade, the Sniper's van appeared to have a mind of it's own.

"Sorry, Sniper, I had to borrow your pathetic camper van! I must say, the new paint does look lovely!" the Spy shouted from the driver's seat as the man opened the passenger's door.

"Thank you for the assistance. We would have died out here if it wasn't for you, Mr..."

"...Mundy..." the Sniper replied as he walked over to the van and opened a compartment on the side of the van. He then picked out one of his SMGs and handed it to the man. "Take this with you. You're gonna need all the help you can get..."

The good doctor smiled and took the gun. "I would say no, as I am against guns, but in times like this..."

"We understand..." the Spy nodded his head.

"Ok, the car's ready. Ya should have enough ta get you where you need to be." the Engineer wiped his hands on the Spy's back then placed his wrench back in his utility belt. "So, what can we call you, doctor..."

"...Freeman... You can call me Dr Freeman..." the man said as he climbed into his car and started the engine. "Good luck, my friends!"


"Good luck to you too!" the mercs waved as the car slowly disappeared into the sunset.


Chapter 5

Time seems to run quicker when you don' want it to.


"I can't believe it's dark already..."

The headlights barely illuminated the road ahead, creating two beams of light that were almost afraid to touch the surface. Sniper was still driving. He didn't want anyone else at the seat after what happened earlier. He'd recently had his van repainted as well. That didn't stop him from letting the Spy sit next to him. Maybe he was just worried that he would throw up, as there weren't many windows in the back.

"How ya doing up there?" The Engineer's voice seemed more shrill than usual. Sniper liked the Engineer, he wasn't a complete asshole like the Spy, nor was he a mute like the Pyro, nor was he creepy and German like the Medic. He wasn't sure what was worse, him thinking the Medic was creepy, or the Medic thinking he was creepy.

"We're ok, laborer... How is the doctor?" Sniper also hated how stuck up his own ass the Spy was. Why did he call everyone that? Maybe it was just jealousy. The Engineer had 3 more PHDs than he did.

"Eh... I dunno. He's still breathing, but that's as far as I can tell. All I can say is that I'm amazed he's still alive..."

"You do realise that.."

"Hey, mates, we're coming up to a gas station on the left. I think we ought to get some supplies and stretch our legs..." the Sniper interrupted, just to make sure the Spy stopped talking.


There were no lights on in the station. The sign said that it was open, but something must have happened. The only other vehicles were a minibus and a small truck. Both were empty.

"Should we go in?" The Spy was visibly shaking. "It looks like a trap."

The Sniper rolled his eyes. "I need to fill up the tank. You guys go inside. I'll stay here and keep an eye on the Medic. Spy, stop being a coward."

"You try not being a coward in this situation, Sniper." the Spy retorted.

With his friends entering the shop, the Sniper thought about lighting a cigarette, then remembered where he was and decided against it and simply started to fill up the van. It was a bit of a guzzler, but it certainly got the job done. V8 engine, 356 horse power, 4 wheel drive. Space for three people to live in. Working kitchen and bathroom. Fridge and freezer. The works. It was almost like his baby.

The Sniper spat at the ground. No way in a million years did he want to be like that pathetic obese moron. What happened to him anyway? And what happened to the Demo Man and the Soldier? He knew the Soldier was with the Pyro when they left the base, but none of them had had the strength to ask the Pyro what happened. The Demo Man had been very quiet lately. Maybe he'd been told to stop drinking. Speaking of drinking, apart from the odd beer, did the Medic drink? And what about the Pyro?

"Oh shit. I just sent the Pyro into a gas station..."


"You use that flame thrower here, Pyro, and I will personally kill you, got it?" the Spy threatened the mute as he glanced at the propane tanks in the back of the shop. 

"Mmmmphhpmmmphhhhrrrawwwwwr!"

"What was that, Pyro?"

"Er, Spy, that wasn't the Pyro..." The Engineer started stepping backwards as slowly as possible. "There is someone in that closet. 

"Mmmph..."

"Okay, you win Pyro... Get your flamethrower ready. I'll open the door..." The Spy tiptoed over, his invisibility watch primed. He opened the door and...


"So, Medic, how you feeling?" The Sniper asked for the third time. The Medic wasn't awake, but maybe he could hear him. But all the Sniper could think about was what the Spy was going to say before he interrupted him earlier. If the doctor's condition didn't improve...

He could not think like that. He couldn't...

Wait, what was that on the Medic's neck?

"No..."


"MMMPH!"

"It's the RED Medic! What the hell is he doing here?" the Spy exclaimed as his eyes frantically searched the terrified man up and down for some sort of weapon or trick or something.

"Mmmph mmmmph mmmmph!" the Pyro said as he untied the enemy Medic. 

"Danke... The Heavy, he brought me here... But then they bit him! Then he tied me up and hid me here in case he turned into a zombie!"

The Engineer scratched his head. "Your Heavy Weapons Guy cares about you that much?"

"Er, ja. But we need to get out of here!"

"Why?" the Engineer asked just as he realised that he had just asked a stupid question and that the wall behind them was moving.



"Medic? Please, wake up..."

"I... Do not want to..."

"You were... You know..."



There, standing in front of them, was a zombified Heavy Weapons Guy.

"FIRE! RUN! DO SOMETHING!" the RED Medic shouted as he grabbed what looked like a knife off the floor and legged it around the corner.

"Good idea..." the Engineer replied as he used the last of his metal to build a mini sentry gun, before being flung into a wall.

"Merde. I knew this was a bad idea..."

The Pyro leapt out of the way of the Heavy's second punch, landing next to the Engineer. Like the hero he was, he then helped the Engineer to his feet while the Spy distracted the zombie for a moment.

"Is it me, or is he FASTER than normal?" The Spy only just dodged a fifth swing before colliding with the corner of a table. The Heavy then took the opportunity to grab the Spy and throw him at the Engineer and the Pyro.

The Zombie Heavy spun around, then dug something out of the rubbish behind him.

"MMMMMMMMPH!"

"HE HAS A MINIGUN!"

"HE'S GONNA KI..."



"Boom. Headshot."

The Heavy collapsed on the ground, his brains coating the three hapless mercs.

"Sniper!" the Spy rushed over and hugged the Sniper, then deeply regretted it.

The RED Medic stood next to the Sniper. "That was actually a good shot..."

"Mmmph... Mmmmph mmmph mmmph mmmmph?"

"Yeah, what about our Medic?" the Engineer asked as he packed away his sentry.

The Sniper looked at his feet, a tear dripping off his cheek.




All the Medic could do was watch as his friends drove away, leaving him alone in the darkness.

Chapter 6

"Okay, I think w'all need some rest..."


The Engineer yawned as the Sniper paced up and down his van, trying to work out sleeping arrangements. Yet again, the Spy had done something to piss him off. A hug? Seriously? What the fuck was he thinking? Is that Spy fucking gay or something? WHY THE FUCK WAS ALL THIS HAPPENING?

"Mmmmmmph, mmmph mmmmph?"

Snapping open his eyes, the Sniper realised that he had pulled out some of his hair in anger. And he had obviously said something out loud for all to hear.

"Er, what did I say?" he asked, his fists still shaking.

"You screamed if I was gay and why was all this happening..." the Spy shook his head and tutted. "If you feel you cannot take the pressure of being the boss around here, I'm sure one of us could take over..."

What? Boss? The Sniper wasn't a boss, was he? Was he bossing them around?

"Well, you have been insisting on most of our decisions, but you haven't led us astray so far..." The Engineer put a hand on the Sniper's shoulder. "You're upset about the Medic, aren't you?"

The Sniper stared at the floor, tears welling up in his eyes again. And he wasn't the only one. There was a tear in the Engineer's eyes too. And he was positive that the Pyro had been crying earlier. And the Spy? He was just hiding it. Grown men. Mercenaries. Crying.

Everyone else had gone silent too.

"Ahem. Er, my sworn enemies-turned-friends? If you so desire, I can be on look out while you all rest. That is the very least I owe you for, er, saving my life earlier..." the RED Medic offered.

The Pyro gave the Sniper a funny look. "Mmmph mmmmph mmmmph..."

"I think he's clean." the Engineer sighed. "If he were to harm us, he would have done so already. And he knows full well that on his own, he's useless..."

"Much like your own medic... ARGH!"

The Sniper punched the other Medic, then stormed off outside and lit a cigarette. The Engineer and the Pyro joined him. The RED Medic rubbed his face and glanced at the Spy, then followed suit.


"I apologise for that remark..." the RED Medic explained. "It has not been a good few days for me. RED bringing in more members. Us originals being sent on suicide runs. These new companies sprouting like weeds. The... Zombies... I hope you understand..."

None of them said anything at first. After a few moments, the Sniper coughed, then spoke.

"You have nothing to apologise for, mate. You're just following all that RED bullocks about insulting the enemy and all that. It was our decision to leave him there. He would have turned eventually. He would have killed all of us had we not left him there. My reaction to hit you was... Unjustified..."

"Okay, if y'all cleared that mess up, who wants a cigarette?" the Engineer pulled a packet out of his pocket, alongside his single match, just as the Spy joined them. The Pyro refused, but the RED Medic and the Spy both took one. The Spy eyed the doctor as he lit up and took a deep puff.

"Didn't think you smoked, doctor..." the Spy sighed as he exhaled.

"Er... A habit I picked up off our own Spy..."



With no Heavy around to make everyone sandwiches, all the group had to eat were a few cookies and a vast amount of gummy bears that the Sniper had stashed away for 'emergencies'. It didn't take long for them to start falling asleep.



"I don't belieeeve that actually worked..."

The accent faded away. The disguise disappeared. He was himself once more.

"Those imbeciles. They are just a walking banquet. The only reason they are still here is because of dumb luck. As for me? I knew all this would happen. I saw the signs. I read a newspaper, unlike these illiterate fools. It was nothing to convince the Heavy to come with me. Both as a body guard and a meat shield. I had this all planned out."

The RED Spy pulled the knife out of his pocket. It had been his knife all along. They were just too stupid to notice him picking it up earlier. Now all he had to do was silently kill the others, dump them outside and drive off.

"And even better, these BLU morons will never suspect a thing... Just to kill this Sniper and..."



The knife entered quickly but messily. Blood dribbled down onto the floor, soaking into the old, worn carpet. More liquid oozed from his mouth, trickling down his chin and staining his clothes. Picking throwing the body over his shoulder, he silently slid the door open. In the dead of night, he dug a shallow grave, then threw the body inside.

Then there was silence.




"So, the RED Medic was actually the Spy?" The Engineer was struggling to take it all in. "It... It doesn't sound right! He risked his entire team!"

"Mmmmph mmmmph mmmmph mmmmph?"

The Sniper nodded at the Pyro. "Yeah, how did you know he was a Spy?"

The Spy smiled proudly. "When he took the cigarette. Both RED and BLU only accept non-smoking Medics, as to maximize the amount of time they can spend healing. Costs less in the long run."

"But I know our Medic drank!" the Engineer exclaimed.

"Yes, but that isn't nearly as damaging as smoking..."

Everyone nodded in agreement.



"So, what now?" the Sniper asked as he helped himself to some coffee.

The Pyro shrugged. "Mmmmph mmmmph mmmmmmph. Mmmmph mmmmmmph mmmmmph mmmmph!"

"An army base?" the Spy asked. "They wouldn't let me in..."

"Mmmmph mmmmph mmmphmmmph mmmmph mmmphmmmphmmmph..."

"Yeah," the Engineer continued. "These are indeed extreme circumstances. We're trained mercs. We can help them. And they'll offer us protection. Or at least food, shelter and ammo. Or SOMETHING at least..."

"Mmmph!"

The Sniper poured a coffee for everyone else. "As we're on this subject on what to do next... Do I boss you guys around?"

Everyone smiled. "Of course not," the Spy grinned. "We have all been making decisions. It's just your decisions have been the best so far. I mean, if it wasn't for you, we'd all be splats on an obese, RED man's face..."

The Pyro laughed nervously. The Engineer simply continued smiling and carried on explaining the plan.

"So, we're not far off now. Pyro, I think you'll have to remove your mask before they let us enter. Same to you too, Spy. The army can be a little cautions, but they are generally open to employees of the BIG companies..."

The Sniper jumped into the driver's seat, while the Engineer sat next to him with the map. The Spy, who was now starting to enjoy the pleasures of the Sniper's camper van, happily sat in the back next to the Pyro.

"Speaking of which, Engineer, is there anything like that near here?" the Sniper asked.

"Hang on, let me check the map... Ah, yes. We'll have to drive past it to get to the army base."

"What's it called?" the Spy scratched his head.


"Aperture Science..."

Chapter 7

"Get back here! What on earth are you doing?"


The bodies littered the ground like autumn leaves. Some were missing limbs, others organs and parts of their faces. Others still had been ripped in half. But all that meant nothing. These bodies weren't quite dead.

"Spy! Get back here!" the Sniper hissed as he followed his friend through the scope of his rifle. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

The Spy ignored him and tiptoed to the most broken body, holding his revolver and an old-fashioned watch.

"SPY!" the Engineer shouted, triggering a series of groans amongst the bodies.

Finally, the Spy was close enough. He bashed the creature on the head. Without warning, five of the zombies all rose up and lunged at him.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"




A single van raced down the road, kicking up dust in the midday sun.

The Sniper was furious. "What the fuck were you doing? You could have gotten yourself killed! We've already lost the Medic! I... We can't lose you too!"

The Spy bowed his head. "I apologize, but I had to test something out. You see, this watch is a special watch..."

"Mmmmph mmmmmph mmmmmmph mmmph!"

"Yes, it is an invisibility watch, but it's a special one, It's based on damage. What it does is when I am attacked, it creates a shield in front of me. This shield creates a dead copy of myself which falls to the floor, making anyone thing they've killed me, while I can sneak away and strike again..."

The Engineer tutted. "We know that already. But why did you have to risk yourself? We could have tested this far more easily at the darn army base!"

"I was curious. Ok? I'm sorry, I won't do it again... Hey, isn't that where that science company's supposed to be?" The Spy pointed out of the window to where a small, concrete building was. The Engineer gazed at the map and nodded his head.

"It's not that big... Maybe we can get some medical supplies though..." the Sniper suggested.

"Mmmmph mmmmmph mmmmmph mmmmphmmmmph...."

"Or that..."



As they approached the door, they noticed several bodies on the floor. Dead, eaten ones. Not zombie ones. The Spy shot them all anyway, just to be on the safe side. The building comprised of a reception and a single elevator. The decor was cold and metallic, as if they had sucked all the life out of the place. Behind the front desk was a young woman, cowering in fear.

"You ok, ma'am?" the Sniper asked.

"Thereareothersdownthere..."

"Mmmph mmmph mmmph..."

The woman glared at the group of men, then screamed and collapsed. On her neck was a large bite wound. Without saying a word, the Pyro drew his shotgun and fired a shot into the woman's head. The others stared at him, but he simply shrugged. They all knew that he was right in doing so.

The elevator opened up as they got closer. It was only then that they noticed the fire escape stairs behind it. Looking at how far down the elevator went, they decided not to risk it in case the power went.



"Level 5a..." the Spy read the signs as they walked. Both him and the Pyro were puffing and panting. Smoking all day wasn't good for him. And that suit was must have been boiling.

Suddenly, someone ran past them, screaming for help. It seemed as though the 20 flights of stairs they had just ran up had no effect on them.

"That's not good..." the Spy wheezed.

"Mmmph!" the Pyro puffed as he got out his flamethrower.

"What is it?"

The stairs ahead split in two. One path led to the left, and was made unique by the zombie chewing someone's leg on the floor, and one path led to the right, made unique by being covered in pools of blood.

"Okay, what now?" the Sniper asked.

"We split up. We see if there is anyone who needs saving and meet back here in 20 minutes." The Engineer was rather blunt. "Spy, come with me, as I do actually have a working watch in my belt. Pyro, go with Sniper. If you find anyone, come back here and wait for the others. If we get into trouble, well..."

"Mmmmph."

"Yeah, scream..."



It was REALLY dark down there. If it wasn't for the torch on the end if the Pyro's flamethrower, they would have been completely blind.

"Er, Pyro, can you hear that?"

The Pyro looked behind him and nodded. There was some sort of sound behind them, like high heels on marble. The Pyro turned around, just as something heavy whacked him in the face.



"Aha! A first aid box!" the Engineer smiled as he emptied the entire contents into the large pocket of his dungarees. The Spy snatched a few paracetamol and put them in his inside pocket, next to his cigarettes.

"You never know when you might need some of those..." he smiled.

But the Engineer wasn't paying attention. He was too busy looking at the glowing object in the corner.



"Oh god! I'm sorry! I thought he was a zombie!" the woman cried as she collapsed on the floor in a puddle of tears.

"That's ok..." the Sniper comforted her. "He's taken worse hits than that... Are you ok?"

"Yeah... My boss managed to escape via an escape elevator to the surface... But the one I was in got stuck!"

The Sniper wasn't really paying attention. "Er... Ok..." He stroked her hair briefly, then stood up. In the corner was a trolley, on which he put the unconscious Pyro on, then started pushing him back the way they came.

The woman got up too and gazed at the Sniper... "Thank you... Thank you..."

"So, what's a beautiful woman like you doing in a dump like this anyway?"

"Well... Long story..."

"I didn't catch your name... You can call me Sniper..."

"My name's Caroline..."



"That is a cool gun..." the Spy spat with envy as the Engineer carried it back up the stairs. "I want to use it."

"Don't worry, we'll get a chance... We'd better hurry up... By the time we''ve got back, knowing what you're like with stairs, Sniper and Pyro will think we're dead..." the Engineer smiled as he stroked the gun. "Wait, what was that?"



The Sniper buttoned up his shirt as Caroline fixed her hair. They were running a bit late, and somehow they had to push the Pyro up quite a few stairs.

Suddenly, they heard screaming.

"What is that?" Caroline panicked as she grabbed on to the Sniper.

"That was my friends... I think they've found trouble..."



The Spy and the Engineer screamed as they were chased down the stairs by a hoard of zombies.

"USE THE GUN!"

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO!" the Engineer shouted as he fumbled around with the dials.



"Mmmph?"

"Ah, you're awake. Sorry, Caroline hit you with a shovel."

"Sorry..."

"Mmmmmph mmmmph mmmph..." The Pyro smiled underneath his mask.

"Yeah... That darn Soldier..." The Sniper pointed at the distance. He could see the others coming. "You mind covering us so we can escape, Pyro? Caroline says that there is an emergency elevator that way..."

The Pyro smiled. As the Engineer and the Spy rushed past, he ignited his flamethrower, sending a tower of fire racing towards the hoard of zombies. Within seconds, most of them had either exploded or run away.

"Come on! This way!" Carolin shouted as they ran off into the shadows.



The trip to the surface was long and boring. But something had changed. The Spy saw it in the Sniper's eyes. Him and Caroline...


"So, Caroline, are you coming with us?" the Engineer asked as they walked back to the van.

"Yes, please stay with us..." the Sniper almost begged.

"Unfortunately, I have places to be..."

"But you have no car!" the Sniper butted in.

"I do..." Caroline smiled as she fished some keys out of her bag and pressed a button.

Out of nowhere, a car appeared, using similar technology that the Spy used for his watches.



"I love that woman..." the Sniper sighed as they parted ways once more.
"

Chapter 8

"Fuck."


There was smoke pouring from the engine. And that wasn't normal.

"FUCK! FUCK FUCK FUCK!" the Sniper cursed he hit the brakes, smoke seeping into the van, choking their throats and blackening their lungs. "I FUCKING FILLED THE TANK WITH WATER EARLIER!"

"Mmmmph mmmmph mmmmph mmmph..." the Pyro suggested as he opened the rear door and jumped out. "Mmmmph mmmmmph mmmmmph mmmmph!"

"Huh?" the Engineer gasped as he choked on the smoke and followed his team mate.

"He said..." the Spy coughed. "He's the only one with a gas mask..."

The Sniper continued to curse as he the the Spy followed, leaving the doors open as to ventilate the vehicle. He then kicked the front tire, which suddenly deflated. "FUUUUUCK!"



"Have you got any threes?"

"Mmmph mmmph."

The Spy sighed as he yet again took a card from the pile. Everything he asked, the Pyro didn't. In fact, he was doubting whether the Pyro knew how to play cards. They were only playing Go Fish, due to some of the cards being missing. They'd been waiting for hours. The sun was setting and the Spy knew they had little time to be messing around. The Sniper wasn't helping matters with his constant swearing. So much for being polite.

"Any luck, mon amis?" the Spy asked as he snapped at the Pyro for trying to look at his cards.

"Nope, sorry, Spy, but we're not doing so well."

"Fucking piece of junk..." the Sniper continued to curse. "12 FUCKING YEARS I HAVE THIS THING, AND NOW, DURING A FUCKING ZOMBIE CRISIS, IT FUCKING BREAKS DOWN!" Once again, the Sniper kicked the van, this time hurting his foot.

"Speaking of feet, Spy, how is your leg?" the Engineer sighed as he helped the Sniper up.

"Not great, thanks to our rather pathetic Sniper over there... If that idiot hadn't mistaken me for a zombie two days ago, I'd be in a much better mood."

The Spy eyed the Sniper, who almost seemed to growl back. "And you couldn't just knock on the door and say it was you and the Pyro, could you?"

"How could we have known you were zombies too? Me and Pyro had to fight all the zombies you guys simply ran away from!"

"At least I didn't scare the Medic shitless!"

"At least I didn't make the decision to leave him to die..."



The Sniper fell silent, then punched the Spy in the face and walked off. The Engineer helped the Spy to his feet while the Pyro chased after the Sniper.



"Mmmmph mmmmph mmmph." he said sternly.

"Go away."

The Pyro sighed, then took his mask off. 



"What did ya do that for?" the Engineer snapped. "We need ta stick together! We can't be all arguing!"

The Spy rubbed his face. "He deserves it. All he's done is lead us to one mistake after the other."

"I thought we're all over this earlier. What has he done to irritate you so?"



"Sniper."

"Pyro."

"Did she break your heart?"

"No, the Medic broke my heart when we left him behind. He didn't say a word. He just nodded and accepted his fate. Caroline... She just made it worse..."

"You wish she could have stayed with us. The Spy is angry that you..."

"I know. I could hear you two discussing it. How did he work it out?"

"The Spy is far smarter than we all think. Even though we know he is smart, he actually fools us into thinking that he has a limit. His intelligence is on par with the Engineer. Also, he saw that your flies were undone..."

The Sniper looked down and realized the Pyro was right. What he did with Caroline was wrong. Completely and utterly wrong. After readjusting his trousers, he walked back to the van. The Pyro put his mask back on and followed.



"I don't know why those two things irritate me so..."

"But you'da have done the same in his place. I know you would. That's the sort'a guy you are." The Engineer got up and returned to fixing the van. "He's only human. You're only human. And for'll we know, we're the only humans left..."

"Engineer... Guys..." The Spy stuttered as he saw the Sniper and the Pyro appear. "I'm sorry. I have been cruel to you all. Unnecessarily cruel. And behind my cruelty, I had forgotten the most important part about all of us. We're only natural..."

The Sniper held his hand out, waiting for the Spy to shake his hand. "I understand, Spy, and I apologize too. We've never seen eye to eye, and now is the worst time for our already shaky trust to break. I am sorry I didn't tell you guys about the Medic's bite wound. I'm sorry I drove you guys all the way out here only for my car to break down..."

"...That wasn't your fault..." the Engineer interrupted.

"I know..." the Sniper nodded. "I'm... I'm just sorry... Sorry for everything..."

"I am too..." the Spy grabbed the Sniper's hand.

"Just don't ever hug me again..."