Smokestink.

Blood-hot panic flooded Medic's veins.

"Go on, docteur," said the spider to the fly. "Squeal."

Medic, however, made a perfectly conscious decision not to squeal. Having sparred with RED's spy before, he knew better. Back then the sneak had breached BLU's defenses in search of their Intel, and it was only later that Medic learned this same master of stealth had systematically and single-handedly ghosted all but two of his comrades. Back then, despite the presence of a sentry gun, he'd decorated a door with Engineer's brain matter; he'd also buried a knife in Sniper's back and, as if to illustrate a point, left it there. True, the RED spy had assumed Medic's own ID in a terrifying display, and Scout's too (it was under this guise that he got to Soldier and Heavy), but it was Sniper's demise that really had him scared. Sniper, the most guarded and careful man Medic had ever encountered, who saw you long before you saw him...dead.

Now Medic was cornered. He took a breath to steady himself.
"Vhat do you vant?"

"Pour m'écouter," said the spy. "To listen to me very carefully and do exactly as I tell you."

Through the ceiling, Medic could still hear them; his friends and allies.
"And…if I refuse?"

At once he regretted it as the spy pushed more firmly against his throat.

"My dear doctor," he said. "Do you know just why we were issued an emergency ceasefire?"

Medic did not. No one did. Ceasefires were never explained and questions were discouraged.

"It is because Respawn has failed. We were not told - though it makes no sense - but a good spy always knows."

Respawn…had failed?

"You seem surprised, doctor. Your own spy did not tell you? Perhaps he does not know. It wouldn't surprise me. In any case, I think now you understand the situation here."

Medic swallowed. This was serious. The spy's words could very well be hearsay, but…

"Doctor? You do understand, don't you?"

There wasn't any time. After a moment he simply replied, "Ja."

"Excellent!" said the RED spy withdrawing his knife. "A man as smart as you would, of course. Now, put down that violin and turn around."

Medic obeyed and found himself at gunpoint. As much as he wanted to, he didn't wipe the sweat from his hands.

"We are leaving this place now. You will turn off the lights, you will lock the doors, you will remain silent, and you will stay where I can see you."

It was with those few commands that the hope Medic had of his team seeking his whereabouts at some point during the night was gone. He always turned off the lights, he always locked the doors, and, evidently, he was always being watched. Anyone who came looking for him now would assume him to be asleep…as always.

No one would come. No one would even check. Nothing strange about the songbird's singing, after all.

RED's spy gestured toward the door. "Shall we?"