This is a sequel to the story 'We're on the Same Team' which detailed the gradual formation of teamwork between the members of the Red team.

Team Fortress 2 and its characters belong to Valve. Most of this stuff remains canon; teams are portrayed in a more realistic manner (or as realistic as you can get with a game like this) while trying to stay true to the personalities of the characters involved. Have fun reading or simply close out of it if you don't.

Cheers.

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It was quiet in the kaboose.

Beneath his feet he could feel the clack and rumble of the train tracks buzzing under that smoothly insulated floor. It came through as a subtle hum and vibration so diminished that he had a hard time believing he wasn't standing still until he lifted his head and examined the slot-windowed door ahead of him. Yea.. that was the back of the train; beyond the bullet-proof glass he could see nothing but miles of track becoming swallowed up in the darkness of night.

Blu team, he knew, was mere feet away.

He stepped up to the door, adjusting his gloves as his tongue pushed the cigarette in his mouth from one side to the other. Blu team was asleep -- he'd just relieved their last guard and counted the routine number of minutes it would take for him to collapse into bed the same way he'd done for the past two nights. Like clockwork, he heard the distant click of a cabin lock, synchronizing it with the turning of the kaboose's door handle. He held its key in one hand, using the other to hold the door as he stepped out onto the back platform and pressed it shut behind him.

Autumn.. He felt its chilly midnight winds caress what little exposed flesh it could find, pale moonlight bringing a haunting glint to his green eyes as he watched the world fade behind the departing train. As smoke whipped away from his face, he bowed his head and tucked the key to the train into his suit jacket. Level 2 access -- second to the best. Rather impressive for a man who had only been a part of Blu team for a little over 65 hours..

His elegant shoes tapped the cold metal platform, his hands curling around the safety rail which swept around the back half of it. He could see the river from here as it curved and twisted in a path jaggedly pursuing the very train upon which he stood. It brought a smile to his face..

"Frère Jacques, frère Jacques.." he murmured as the dark water took a turn closer to the tracks, "Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?"

For the next fifteen minutes nothing happened -- he didn't expect it to. That is, of course, until he pulled his cigarette from his lips and chucked it as hard as he could toward the river. The tiny projectile whipped upward in the wind rolling off of the train and skidded across the surface of the gently-flowing water before beginning to capsize. In the blink of an eye, it left his visual range as train continued onward toward its secret destination.

Then something happened.

A dark shape disrupted the river water just beneath its surface, contracting and lengthening like the beads of oil in a lava lamp as it pushed itself forward with a speed rivaling that of the train. There was no way it would be able to catch up, he knew. But still.. being in sight.. That would be good enough, he thought as he lit a new stick and dragged slowly from it. Its scent filled his lungs and throat, relief hunching him over that safety rail as he exhaled with a confidant smirk.

"Ah, mon Ami.. Let us see zhe coming day together, non? Swim strong.."

Whoever he was talking to certainly wouldn't have heard him. He mumbled with a strange mixture of admiration and bristling anticipation. Soon the train would stop. Soon Blu team would start to deploy. And soon? ..soon he could get some real work done.

Back at the desolate bases, the Reds were still awake.

Many of the Blu prisoners had already been shipped back to HQ. They packed them into the trains like sardines, sending them shoulder to shoulder and keeping their weapons behind for their own use. It took nearly three trips to send them all away, the last train car being held back by a peculiar discussion occurring out of earshot of the other prisoners.

The Medic had his arms folded, his creased face stuck in its usual frown as he listened to everything the Red Sniper was saying to him.

"Besides, it's not like anyone's gonna miss him."

"Ach ja? And just vhat do you plan to do vith him? Give him hugs und kisses und ask him nicely to fight for us? Zhat vhill never work, put him on zhe train or shoot him. Is zhis so hard?"

"Eet would be an interesting endeavor, Doctor. Are you sure you are not the least bit curious to see if it can be done? He will be executed if he fails to comply, of course, no begging from Monsieur Sniper will prevent zhat."

The Medic adjusted his glasses, blue eyes staring down the Red Spy who stood beside the Aussie. After assuring that they weren't pulling some type of prank he resumed frowning, "Fine. Do vhatever you vhant. You two are responsible for his care and he is not vhelcome in my infirmary."

"Promise we'll even potty-train 'im, doc. No worries," the Sniper threw in with a winning smile.

The Medic simply sneered and turned on his heel with his coat swaying behind him as he staked off to send the train on its way.

"Hawhaw.." the Red Spy chuckled, lifting his cigarette to puff gently at it as he watched the Medic depart, "Zuch an upset man.."

"Well? Oy told you he wasn't gonna like the oy'dea."

"So why did you suggest it zhen?" he asked, looking toward the archer who had already started walking up the hall. The Spy simply tagged along.

"I dunno. I guess I don't feel like killin' 'im and I don't feel like lettin' 'im get off scott-free after messin' my face."

"Aw.. Don't worry mon Ami, you're still very pretty~" the Spy assured mockingly.

"Oh come off it."

"I will."

"You would."

Laughter followed the pair as they left the docking station together, night finally pulling its blanket over the Red base and putting those inside to sleep. All except the one or two remaining Sentries and one man.

That man lay flat on his back, glazed eyes staring emptily at the ceiling above them.

He couldn't sleep. How could he?

Shutting his eyes did nothing -- he tried to dream but all he could do was long to open them again and look around the confines of his room. A simple bed, a chair.. An empty dorm with a locked door..

He pushed himself into a seated position, unbuttoning his suit jacket and taking it off as he loosened his tie and stood up. Rubbing at his mouth with one hand, he considered removing the Blu mask skill hiding his face.. no. Despite whatever comforts it would bring him to take it off, it would still leave him feeling unsafe.

Pacing.. Pacing was something he could do.

After passing the door a good fifteen times, he stopped and laid a hand against it. It felt cold through his glove. Cold.. just like the rest of the base. It wasn't so much the creeping fall temperatures as much as it was the hollow feel of the hallways. The knowledge that there would be no rescue. That the Blu team had up and left. It wasn't a confirmed fact -- he'd only heard it covertly from an Engineer who had escorted him to the showers the other day. He was dying to know what was going on, his natural craving for intel driving him to the point of madness as he leaned against the door and pressed his forehead to the metal.

..He needed to get out of here.