Mann Co. HQ
Gray Mann looks up from the papers on his desk as the three men enter his office.
They are dressed in black, half their face is covered. One of them is a hulk and muscle-packed. They look anything but harmless. They are exactly those men Gray Mann had hired and which he had expected impatiently.
He leans back in his chair and lays an arm around his daughter Olivia, who sits on his left thigh. He noticed her skeptical gaze.
The three men are standing with their arms behind their backs in front of Mann's desk.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I have already expected you."
"In your letter you mentioned that you have an order for us."
Gray Mann smiles at the hulk. "Immediately to proceed to business, hm? I like that."
The old man opens a desk drawer and takes out an envelope from there. He opens it and draws out three photos. He threw it to them at the other end of the desk. They take it into their hands and look at the three men who are depicted on the photos.
"In the Badlands there is a mercenary unit with 9 men. These three belong to it. This is the Sniper, the Medic and the Spy. They form the Support Class. These mercenaries bring troubled upon me since a long time. I just don't get rid of them. Mostly I owe this to the support class. If these three men can no longer support the team, it will certainly not be a problem to put the remaining mercenaries away."
"Especially these are to be killed?"
"No, no. This time it's not a contract kill. Bring them to me. I still have some bills with them, which I would like to regulate personally."
"They are just old men…"
"Don't underestimate them. They don't seem so, but they are agile and very intelligent. Especially the Medic. But the Spy is particularly dangerous because he has an apparatus called the "Invisibility Watch", which makes him invisible for a certain time. Moreover, he uses a Disguise Kit, which allows him to turn into any mercenary of the team. So don't be fooled."
"When we do the work, this guy will have no time to do any action at all."
"Very well."
"What does payment look like?"
"Of course. This order is very important, so money doesn't matter. $ 200,000 for each of you."
"Why don't we just kill the entire team?"
"For a simple reason. They die, and are recalled to life just after a few seconds. They are almost immortal and only I know how to break through this circle. But the Support Class has to disappear."
"Get it."
"At the back of the photos, I have written down the coordinates of the mercenary team. Don't disappoint me."
The men stow the photos away and leave the office.
"Well, my dear, what do you think of them?"
"I don't know… We can only hope that they will not mess it. Do contract killers know how to kidnap someone anyway? Not that they forget that in the zeal of the fight."
"Hahaha! I have a good feeling. After all, I finally decided for them. I can feel it. This time I can destroy these disgusting mercenaries and pursue my plans. Of course everything would be considerably easier if my stupid brothers had not had their childish feud. But that cannot be changed anymore."
"When I finally grow up I want to be like you."
Olivia puts her arms around her father.
"I'm sure you will" he says, stroking her head. "All this will be yours later, and I know you will not disappoint me. You are my only ally."
Badlands, 31 December 1968, 23: 59h
"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"
"Happy new year, mates!"
Before the entrance of the base Demoman ignites his self-made rocket. It has the size of a mini zeppelin, which makes it seem as if it was too difficult to take off when the fuse burned down. But finally it starts. First cumbersome, and then it climbs ever faster into the air, where it ultimately explodes in a tremendous burst of light that seems to fill the entire night sky.
The colorful sparks float slowly through the air towards the ground.
The other 8 Mercs clapped enthusiastically in the hands.
"Had never thought that that would really working. Well done, Demo."
"Well, as far as explosions are concerned, I am the expert."
"Let us clink glasses as long as the sky is still colorful."
They all lift their champagne glasses.
"Prosit und Hurra! I wish you all a fantastic new year!"
"A Happy New Year, guys! Let us this year also to give the Blus and Gray Mann's robot army a kick in the arse!"
„Yeeeehaaw!"
They all take a big sip from their glass.
"Hahh… Dat is good."
"Yeah! We should drink champagne more often."
"Oh, no, that would destroy the peculiarity of the champagne."
"Spy's right."
"Oh stop it, Demo. You're only love the other brew. Just like Scout."
"Bonk is the best. Basta!"
"I like to admit that" answers Demo.
"Brr… Let us go in, Heavy. It's cold outside."
"Da, Doktor."
"I also have enough of fireworks today." Spy is retreating back in the base.
"I go to bed. Good night, mates." Sniper climbed into his van, which he had parked just a few meters before the base entrance.
Engineer, Soldier, Scout, Pyro and Demo remain outside.
"How about a round of chess if you're not tired, Heavy?"
"I had be glad to. But sometimes I ask myself why Doctor wants to play with me. Heavy is always losing."
Medic puts an arm around his friend.
"Don't worry. Today is New Year's Eve. The day when new resolutions are made for the next year. And your resolution for this year is that you defeat me in chess. I will help you."
"…how Doktor does that mean? Want Doktor let Heavy win?"
"Was? Ahaha! No, no. Of course not. I mean, I'll teach you a few tips and tricks and explain you exactly the rules again."
"Thank you, Doktor."
"You're welcome, Heavy."
Heavy sighs.
"What's wrong?"
"I miss the snow."
"Oh? I actually thought you were glad not to have snow around you. I mean, where you come from a snowy country."
"Heavy loves snow. Since childhood. Must not always be snow, but for Christmas and New Year's Eve that would be nice."
"Well, my friend, unfortunately there is no such a thing in the desert. But you're right. That would be really very nice. I have no seen snow for years. If our job comes to an end here, would you show me Russia?"
"Really? You want to see Russia?"
"Yes. I have never been in Russia and it would be nice to meet your family. Mother and three sisters, right? What do you think of that?"
"Da, Doktor!"
"When is the Wedding?"
The two turn to the voice. With a cigarette in his mouth, Spy stands leaning against the wall.
"Didn't you want to go to sleep?"
"No. I just said I got enough of the fireworks. I hate this noise."
"That's your thing. But don't eavesdrop the conversations of others."
"But Docteur, we are here in the corridor, a public place. I can stay here and cannot do anything for it that you and Fat Man are full-throatedly flirting."
Heavy makes a threatening step towards the French but Medic stops him.
"Okay, we get it. You don't have a good mood. Do us a favor and make yourself invisible, ja?"
And Spy actually does him the favor. Now the two can only hope that he is really gone…
"Hey, kid. You surely still want to have exploded with me firecrackers, right?"
Demo rigs up more rockets. Scout jumps around him.
"Yes! Yes, of course! But…please, please, please!"
"What please, please, please?"
"Can I light it?"
"Sure, lad. Here." Demo lent him the lighter. All that remains are normal rockets, also construed by Demoman. That's why there must have a huge boom behind these, for sure.
Soldier, Pyro and Engineer watched as Scout bends down to the bottle in which the rocket is and lights the fuse.
"Take a step back!" commands Demo.
He has to grab Scout of the neck collar to pull him on the legs as he doesn't react. Thereby the boy's foot pushes against the bottle. While it's falling, the bottle turns and the bottle hole aims at Soldier, as the rocket starts. It flight straight at him, aiming at his head. This is much too fast for the veteran, to realize what happens. The rocket bounces off his helmet, is guided in Engineer's direction, also bounces off his helmet and shoots through the window of Snipers Van, where it ultimately explodes. The colorful fire rages inside the Van. Under the whole noise of the fireworks, the angry (painful?) cry of Sniper can only be heard very indistinctly.
Pyro enjoys the event noticeably, while the other four flee into the base.
Three days later:
Archimedes sits on his owner's desk, watching him giving Heavy the last injection. The "New Year's Vaccination", as he says. Even Archimedes got one.
Heavy rubs his strong arm.
"Did that hurt, Heavy?"
"A little bit…"
"I'm sorry. Would you like a lollipop?"
Medic takes a lollipop from the lolly glass and gives it Heavy.
"Thank you, Doktor!"
The Russian leaves the infirmary happily. He was the last patient today.
Medic sits down at his desk and strokes his finger over Archimedes' head.
"What a day. But you know, Archimedes, they are less squeamish at injections than during prostate examinations."
The white dove is cooing in agreement.
The doctor sighs. "I still can't believe that another year is up. We both are old geezers, aren't we?"
"Coo~"
"To another wonderful year with you, my babies." Medic takes Archimedes on his hand and leads him to his lips. "Give Papa a kiss."
Archimedes gently presses his beak tips against the soft lips of his owner. He hadn't kissed him for a long time.
Archimedes is happy.
A knocking at the window above the desk makes them both look up. On the other side of the slice are the redbreast Robin and Demos Ara The Birdman of Aberdeen.
"Oh, you're friends are here." Medic opens the window and places Archimedes on the window board. "Then go play. Papa has much to do anyway."
"Coo~"
"I love you too."
Medic changes the room and the birds are alone.
"Pffff! Ahahahaha!"
Archimedes turns to the Ara. "What's so funny?"
"I love you Papa" the Ara is mimic him. "And then this cute kiss."
"So what? I just love my daddy. And therefore it's quite natural when I give him a kiss. This is still better than talking to his owner constantly after the mouth."
"This is my nature. I'm a parrot bird."
"Privet, Arkhimeda."
"Guten Tag, Robin. As I hear, you are diligently studying the mother tongue of your human friend."
"Da! It's a nice language. I have always wanted to have a Russian owner."
"I think, however, Heavy doesn't sees himself as your owner."
"Yes, but that's okay. It's okay if we were only friends…"
Archimedes laid his wing around the redbreast. "Hey, even if you are the only bird who don't have an owner, you belong to us. Isn't that right, Aberdeen?"
"Of course the little one is one of us. This will never change."
"By the way, what is Sir Hootsalot doing? Since the Van of Sniper has burnt, I have not seen him."
"He's pissed off. Just like his owner. I mean, he has always been in a bad mood, but it has become even worse since the fireworks."
"Compatriot is trying to talk to him" says Robin.
"Now? Is this stupid eagle still not clear that Sir Hootsalot is an owl and needs his rest during the day? I would also be in a bad mood."
"I think he knows that. But he doesn't care."
"Yes, of course. This fits to him. All right then. Let us fly to them."