Chapter 7: Rescue Ranger
The group of fighters finally arrived back in Teufort. Not long later everyone began searching high and low for Engineer. And after an entire day they had found no sign of the Texan.
"We've looked everywhere for 'im!" Scout shouted after collapsing in a chair, exhausted from running at top speed all day, "Where the hell is he?"
"This search is starting to become pointless! I say we find a new engineer!" Soldier shouted.
"You need your Engie if we're going to have a chance against the robots. We are just managing against those things, but those waves are only going to get bigger." Savannah stated to the patriot.
Soldier glared at her from under his helmet. A full blown argument would have happened between the two if Catie hadn't spoken up.
"Hartlieb? Are you okay?" Catie asked looking to the pink robot.
"N-n-nooo-o… AHH-" Hartlieb was sparking and twitching. He fell down as a particularly violent jolt rocked his frame. Savannah pushed pass Soldier to check on the little robot.
"Magnet!" she yelled, to which Dream responded by running into Engineers abandon workshop, returning with a big magnet seconds later. Savannah waved the magnet near Hartlieb's head, which shut him off.
"I think I can fix him" Savannah said almost out of breath from the scare.
"You know how to fix robots?" Demoman asked.
"A little. My dad sowed me how to fix cars and computers and stuff. Same concept so it shouldn't be hard." She then started to work on Hartlieb, bringing him into the abandon workshop, starting by opening a hatch she found on the back of his head. As she worked, she noticed a strange device inside the little Medic-bot's possessor.
"What is this?" She asked pointing to it.
Everyone looked to the device then their expressions changed from one of curiosity to one of horror. It was a transmitter.
"Has Gray been watching our every move through this?" Ms. Pauling asked coming up by Savannah to get a good look.
"He must have been..." Spy said, stepping on a used cigarette to put it out, "Why else would he leave the robot alone without any protection."
"We should have destroyed it when we have the chance!" Soldier shouted.
"Wait!" Stella said, "Maybe we could use this to our advantage."
"How?" Demoman asked.
"We can trace the signal." Stella explained looking towards the tank that held a wave of robots. The mercenaries looked to where Stella was looking and flinched at seeing the tank. It was just too dangerous to step into that hell hole.
"Stella might actually have a point." Dream said, "Grey knows that we need Engie if we're going to have a chance at his army of robots."
"And who better to fix up his destroyed robots than someone who has knowledge of robotics?" Spy finally realized.
The mercs shrunk at this fact; but they swallowed their fear and agreed to help. After some thinking and tossing ideas around they came up with an almost fool-proof plan. Savannah was tasked with explaining to Hartlieb parts of it, as to not let Grey in.
"Are you sure this will work Miss Savannah?" Hartlieb asked.
"Don't worry Hartlieb; me and Catie will be with you." She said in a comforting voice
"Okay." Hartlieb replied, beginning to follow them.
"Are you sure dis will work?" Scout whispered to Stella before they left.
"Don't worry, he doesn't know about our plan B." Stella whispered back, and then looked to Spy, "You have that spare invisiwatch?"
Spy held up the cloaking device and smiled.
"It's right here cher." He said, putting it around her wrist.
"It's the Cloak and Dagger right?"
"Yes, as long as you stand still the cloak will not drain."
"Thank you"
Stella then looked to the other mercenaries and nodded.
"Me and Spy will be back as soon as possible." She explained, "Until then, fight off as many robots as you can and don't do anything stupid."
"That'll be hard for Soldier to do." Dream said. The other mercs chuckled at the fact that Soldier was always reckless when it came to fighting on the battle field.
Stella and Spy found their way to Gray's tank and saw the girls and Hartlieb trying to get in.
"We don't know what yer up to you little piece of scrap metal!" One of the Scout bots said pushing him down. "But thanks for the free prisoners!"
The girls then pretended like the plan was going to pieces, and were led to the cell that held Engie.
"We got some room mates for ya hard hat." The Scout bots said. They were then thrown in and the door was locked behind them, the key being place on a hook just out of their reach.
"At least we know where the key is." Catie said looking over to Savannah.
"I wouldn't bother tryin' to get it," Engie said, giving the girls a piece of his loaf of bread that he was given earlier that day. "They've made sure that it's completely out of reach."
The girls ate the bread that they were given then sat down next to Engineer.
"Don't worry Dell; we're not the ones who will be getting that key." Savannah said confidently.
"Yeah, our friends are going to help us out Mr. Conagher." Catie added.
"Hold on, how do y'all know my name?" Engineer asked.
The girls then, once again explained their situation, explaining that they were from another plane of existence where he was just a game character. The also whispered their plan to him, saying that Spy and Stella were going to be saving them.
"Much obliged ladies, I've been here since Gray fired all of us and I've been waiting to get out of here for so long." Engineer said, shaking both girls' hands.
"Well then, I guess we came at the right time." Stella's whispered voice was heard as she decloaked, with the key in her hand.
"Stella!" The girls quietly shouted and hugged her as she opened the door.
Spy uncloaked next to the group of girls and greeted Engineer as he walked out of the cell.
"Yes, while this is a heartwarming reunion." he said brushing off a bit of dust his suit, "We should be leaving before Gray notices that there's an escape attempt in the process."
"Oh it's far too late for that." Came Gray's voice from down the hallway. Everyone turned around to face the man, who was being followed by a group of robots.
"We all know how important Mr. Conagher is to your success in stopping me. And thanks to that bumbling Soldier, I was able to hear about all about your plan." He taunted.
"If we get out of here, I'm going to kill Soll'." Engineer said sighing.
The girls proceeded to transform into their battle forms and aimed at the robots.
"You can fight all you want, but I've made sure that you'll never escape here." Gray said laughing. A group of giant robots could be heard coming down the hall, there footsteps echoing all around.
The sound sent a shiver down the present merc's spine. They were out numbered and where about to give up and go inside the already open cell, when another, much smaller sound was herd.
"Where are the intruders daddy!? I'll take care of them!" Olivia shouted as she tried to push her way through.
Stella panicked and took sights at the little girl. She hesitated for a fraction of as second before shooting Olivia in the shoulder, causing her to scream out in pain.
"Olivia!" Gray shouted as he ran to his daughter.
Within the confusion, Spy happened to spot a way out. Apparently Gray hadn't checked every opening that there was and was foolish enough to leave an air vent open that led to outside. The five quickly crawled into the small space and started to head for day light.
Minuets later they made it outside and ran back to the others, with Engie immediately running of to his workshop and grabbing his gear and building what was needed. The other mercs saw this and cheered for the Texan and his work. In no time at all, the wave of robots crumbled to mere piles of scrap metal.
"Welcome back to team Engineer!" Heavy said, patting him on the back.
"Yeah, nice hustle out there hard hat!" Scout complemented, panting a bit from running and jumping so much.
"It is good to know that you are safe with the rest of us." Medic exclaimed.
The sound of clapping could be heard right behind them. Ms. Pauling had a smile on her face as she walked up to them.
"It's good to see that everyone is finally here." She said, walking up to Engineer, "Are you okay Dell?"
"I'm fine Ms. Pauling, thanks to the help of Spy and these nice girls here." He replied, gesturing to his saviors.
"Oh please Engineer, I was nothing at all." Spy said waving him off and lighting a new cigarette.
"Yeah, it's no big deal." Catie added, "You're just as important to the team as any one else."
As everyone began conversing and walking towards the base, Spy walked up to Stella with a serious expression.
"Stella may I ask you something?" He asked.
"What is it?" Stella asked.
"I know you were just trying to help when we were on the verge of capture, but did you have to shoot that little girl in the shoulder?"
The other mercenaries gasped and asked her why she would stoop to such a low as shooting a defenseless child in the shoulder.
"I panicked, okay! The robots were going to attack us and we didn't have much time!" She replied, "Come on I'm sure one of you guys would have done the same thing."
They all awkwardly shuffled off and avoided the topic for the rest of the night, making Stella feel like a horrible person for having done something so horrible to a child. She decided to push the idea out of her mind and went to her phone to look at some pictures of Sniper to comfort her.
(((((LINEBREAK)))))
Grey's main base
The Medic-bots were doing their best to heal the injured Olivia, her tears running down her cheek as she held her father's hand.
"It really hurts Daddy..." She said wiping her tears away.
"I know Olivia, I know." Gray replied softly, petting her hand. "But don't worry about that horrible girl; I have the Mecha Engineers working on something that'll take care of her, her little friends, and those mercenaries!"
"Should we prepare for the next wave tomorrow?" the Sniper-bot that was standing at the door asked.
There was a silence, followed by Gray chuckling to himself.
"No, in fact, dismiss the orders for an attack tomorrow." He said.
"B-but sir! You told us to-" The Soldier-bot started to say.
"I know I ordered you to keep attacking those mercenaries, but now I'm ordering you to cease all attacks!" Gray shouted in anger, "I want this next attack to come as a surprise to those damned fools."