Chapter 2: How to Climb a Fence
The trip to the Mann facility was roughly a day's time with Douglas behind the wheel. To the stowaway teen, however, the trip felt like years of wasted time. Every time the truck stopped, Johnathon would poke his head out from under his weak cloth cover to observe his surroundings. They would often change dramatically, going from happy and bright greens to dull and grey cities. Johnathon didn't really care about the surroundings, knowing he was going to be leaving them soon anyway. And this was proven each time he would hear the truck start back up with a rugged shake and a loud sputtering engine roar.
The trip as a whole couldn't be considered as all bad. When Doug stopped at a McDonald's, Johnathon could easily put on a hat and disguise himself long enough to get something to eat. Which was all good in Johnathon's book, Mickey D's being his favorite restaurant ever. He barely caught up with Doug revving up his truck, though, as he practically tossed his hamburger across the restaurant to have enough time to jump back in the bed. He sighed in deep relief as he managed to stay hidden, chuckling lightly to himself.
As was depicted before, the trip took almost a day, and Doug soon pulled up to a shabby looking fenced-in area. That was it. A fence that seemed to go on forever. Doug parked the truck, hesitating a bit before turning it off. He tilted his head curiously as he looked at the letter he received, telling him where to go for the job. If it wasn't for a sign hanging from the fence that said 'MANN', Doug would have just as easily drove away. He shrugged and got out of his truck, closing the door slowly as he walked up to the fence. After another couple of moments looking around in the darker light, Doug called out:
"Hello?... Anyone in there?..." He called out, but with no answer. He looked around the long, seemingly never-ending wooden wall, a new found look of confusion in his expression. He walked a bit ways down the fence, looking for a gate opening, or some alternate way in. None could be found. The southern man groaned in frustration as well as shook his head.
"Well, why in 'he Sam Hill would they tell me to show up here, and not at least have a dagnab guide to show me the way in?" He asked in loud and obvious frustration. He was about to get back in his truck, when something caused his frustration to boost even further.
"*gasp!* Dear sweet Jesus! Stuffy as a sonuvabitch in there! Where tha hell are we, tha desert?" He shouted out, breathing very heavily.
He froze, however, realizing what he had just done. He slowly turned his head and chest around to look behind him, now stricken with fear at his mistake. And of course, there just ten feet in front of him, stood a completely bewildered Douglas. After what seemed like beyond ages to the two males, Doug finally managed to choke out the words Johnathon was afraid he would hear.
"What, in the HELL do you think yer doin' here, boy?! Do you have any idea how far from yer home we are? It's been damn near a day's drive, Johnathon!" The furious southern accent boomed angrily. Johnathon was going to try and say something back, but was quickly shut up as Doug was bound to continue his rant. "Not only that, but fer the love of the lord, do you have any idea how yer mom would feel about this? She would be furious! Fer goodness sakes... Get back in the truck, boy." Doug said sternly, moving towards the Grover's seat to get ready for the long drive home. However, Johnathon wasn't going to have it.
"Uh-uh! I ain't goin' back there! Do you have any idea what it was like havin' a motha that only cared if you were out o' tha house? It... Sucked! I didn't hide under a suffocatin' cloth for a whole damn day just ta get back in there and go straight home! It ain't happenin' Mr. D!" The young, rebellious teen retorted with his own light fury and confidence. Doug quickly closed the large gap between the two, in Johnathon's face in an instant. The bit could see the man's teeth grit, and eyeballs red.
"Get... In... The... Truck... Johnathon! NOW!" Doug shouted through his clenched jaw. But before Johnathon could give some more of his own ranting, another voice suddenly startled both of the arguing males.
"My, my. You two seem to have communication issues." The voice called out, not loudly but definantly attention-catching. The thing that really caught both Doug and Johnathon's attention, was the much different accent the voice had. It was obviously male, easily depicted from the tone, but the accent... It sounded like one Doug knew, but... What was it? And where was it coming from? "I bet you two are fazher and son? Vould I be correct?" Doug and Johnathon looked at each other, then all around each other.
"H-hello? Who's there?" Doug called out, actually a little scared and confused at hearing the invisible man. Doug's call was easily answered, though, as a tall man in a a blue, full men's suit popped practically out of nowhere in front of him. With a shocked cry, Doug jumped back, fumbling on his feet. The sudden appearance of the man also caused Johnathon to jump back, holding his foot and hands up as if in a karate stance. The cry of fear didnt really help his case though.
"Sorry to 'pop in' unannounced." He replied with a sort of mocking tone. Doug recollected himself, actually a little upset at the suited man now. He stood fully up and fixed his hardhat.
"And just who in the Sam Hill are you?" Doug asked, trying to look as confident as he could. The man seemed unphased, apparently too busy adjusting his tie to listen to Doug's question. However, he gave an answer.
"I need not tell you my name, I only must tell you zat I am very important." The vague response came from the man. This obviously wasn't enough to appease Doug so he scoffed and tried again.
"Alright, and what makes you so important?" Doug asked with a slightly sarcastic curiosity. This time, the well-dressed man didn't respond at all. Doug watched for any sort of way his question would get answered, but soon realized that it wouldn't happen, causing him to shake his head almost angrily. "Look, Ah don't give a rip who ya are, but do you know where the Mann Co. building is?" He asked, hoping the stranger could at least help him in the slightest. This seemed to peek the other man's interest, as he looked up from his suit with raised eyebrows.
"Mann Co.? Vhy, of course! I vork for zhe forementioned establishment." The man's response quickly brightened Doug's mood as the southern man saw a light glimmer of hope.
"Ah, that's great! Can ya tell me where it's at? Like, the direction it's at?" Doug asked. The man pointed over the fence towards the dark, dusty range.
"Ze nearest building is zat vay." Both Doug and Johnathon turned their heads towards the large open area and rose their own eyebrows.
"Uh... Wanna be more specific, suit?" Johnathon asked, his words reminding Doug the boy was even there. To the man, however, the boy's words were worth a light chuckle.
"Just keep valking until you see an unstable looking building. It'll be obvious, pard'ner." Doug knew the last comment was a mock of his own accent, but he didn't really care at this point. He was just glad he got some sort of guidance, and glad to get away from the weirdo that startled him. As he turned towards the fence, and prepared himself to climb over it, the intruding man chuckled some more.
"What's so funny, wacko?" Doug asked, his hand on the fence post and resting there as Doug turned his head to look at the other man. The man smiled an looked at Doug for a good while before responding.
"Do you realize how strange it might look if some random man was jumping the Teufort fence at this time? Granted, it's only 6:00, and some battles can last until vell past midnight, but I figured I vould let you know you might get shot." This definantly peaked the man's interest, both surprised and curious at why he would be shot. The freaking place looked deserted for God's sake! Before Doug could be able to say anything, though, Johnathon spoke for him.
"Eh, whaddya mean, 'shot'?" The boy asked, an eyebrow rose as his mood turned worried.
"Yeah, and what's this Two Fort place?" Doug chimed in, both wondering and hoping it was a place were he could talk to someone who wasn't... Wacko... The suited man gave off another chuckle, before the unbelievable happened. He vanished into thin air! Doug and Johnathon's eyes widened immensely, as they watched the other completely disappear like magic. Doug and Johnathon looked to the other, confused expressions taking over their glances. Before anyone could even stutter, a loud BOOM! was heard in the distance. Just across the desert plains, just past the fence.
"Come on, Mr. D! Lets go see what's up!" Johnathon exclaimed, seemingly about to jump the fence until Doug grabbed a tight hold on the back of his shirt.
"Hey! Didja not just hear that? That was a gunshot, Johnny. Ya ain't goin' over there. Hell, Ah ain't probably goin' over there! Ah'm gonna start the truck back up, drive ya home, explain the mess to yer ma, and call an operator about 'Mann Co.' tomorra." He explained as if practiced. However the teen wasn't having it. Just as Douglas closed his side of the truck, Johnathon was sprinting down the dusty field, already past the fence and high tailing it like none other. Doug, shellshocked, jumped out of his truck and dashed up to the fence, staring at Johnathon run. He glanced back at the truck, the fence, then where Johnathon was turning out of sight. With a sigh, Doug scratched his way over the fence, and booked it as fast as his older form could.
So afta what felt like hours o' runnin', I finally come across this big, old-lookin' building. Well, it seemed more like a big shack than an actual building, but I digress. I would have run up and searched tha place, but there was ANOTHER fence, just outside! Tha damn thing was barbwired, and like, ten feet tall! Not only that, but I got this weird feeling that if I touched it, I would get shocked, and I didn't want that happening. Just as I was about ta turn around, Mr. D grabbed hold o' me and let me have it. Let's just say, I ain't never seen that man that mad...
"Johnathon Michael Hulbert! Do you realize how stupid you are, jumping over that fence and runnin' all the way down here just so you can get killed? Do you know how upset yer ma probably is? She's probably furious!"
"Or she's asleep! Lying around on her fat ass and waiting to wake up so she can do some more lying around on her fat ass!" Johnathon quickly retorted, with just as much anger in his voice. The boy's words took Douglas by surprise, as he had to think a minute before saying anything back.
"Boy... Ah oughtta-"
"Ay! Who in tha bloody 'ell is screamin' out 'ere? Tryin ta get some bloody drinkin' done ya half-wits!" A very obvious accent shouted out, followed suit by a loud burp. Johnathon and Douglas looked towards the voice, which came from the otherside of the fence, then back to each other. Doug sighed frustratedly.
"Alright, lets find a way in and talk ta whoever that was. Ah need this job..." He finished in an already regretful mumble. The two males both crouch just slightly and half-crawl down the large fence, soon coming at a heavily padlocked gate. Doug looked closer at the lock, and rose an eyebrow.
"Geez, they reall don't wan' anyone in here, huh Mr. D?" Johnathon said with a light chuckle, but only caused Doug to look towards Johnathon with disdain. The boy shrugged sheepishly as Doug turned back around. He fiddled with the lock a bit more before actually giving a good look past the looming barrier. He glanced around and saw a man, possibly the one that yelled, sleeping in a tipped-back chair, a wide brim hat over his forehead. Doug took this opportunity to try and find an actual way in...
"Hey! You over there! Hey! Wake up, we need some help!" Doug shouted over the fence as loud as he could for the sleeping man. Johnathon added his own loud 'Hey,' and this last noise managed to stir the sleeping beauty. The recent wake up call seemed to startle the man, as he pulled out a gun similar looking to a small submachine gun. It took a few moments before Doug realized he was about to get shot up.
"Oh Lord!" Doug rushed to the side, pushing Johnathon along with him. Johnathon, shellshocked that he was being shot at, widened his eyes and ran. He sprinted ahead of Doug at light speed, bouncing around and over obstacles. The shooting eventually couldn't even reach him, but he kept running. He came up on a box, definantly in his way. He quickly thought, jumping on the box and over the tall fence that was such a pain to him.
When he landed on the other side, he turned back to look at it, gasping for air as he settled into a break period. He quickly glanced his head around, looking for any sign of the mysterious shooter from earlier. There was none. He deeply inhaled, and deeply exhaled before leaning back on a wooden wall that creaked on contact. He stood, breathing heavily for a few seconds. Suddenly, he heard a voice a bit aways from him that gave him the biggest jolt in his life.
"Thanks for standin' still, wanka!" A boom was heard, and his eyes only saw blackness...
Hey, it's been a while, I know, but here it is. Chapter2. I figure I should say that, yes, I've been rather lazy lately, but I promise not to do that anymore. I just have to watch a TF2 SFM and I suddenly have the motivation to write more. Also, I have to apologize to my RPers I the forum, because I've decided to make the story my own thing, meaning the characters and everything else is no longer based on the forum. I'm sorry, but this way is just ten times easier and I have more freedon to write what I want. Again, I'm sorry, and to those if you who don't care, don't worry, I will continue the story. It may take a while, but more chapters will come out. Thanks for having me:)