Chapter 7: Under Gorge

Into the BLU Base the company entered and immediately made preparations to start a fire. Unfortunately, most of the wood was wet so the Engineers were forced to bundle up in the wool blankets Saxton had given them instead. While Bobbie started sneezing from the cold, Gerald made himself useful by giving the Engineers renewed energy with his Medi-Gun.

"Thanks, Doc," Finley said gladly.

"We definitely owe you one," Kinley responded.

"No need to thank me," Gerald said embarrassingly. "I'm just doing my job."

"So all we have to do is cross this bridge in order to enter the RED Base," Theron said looking at a concrete bridge that ran from the second floor of the BLU Base to the RED one with a Control Point in the middle.

"Yes, but I would advice against it given the intensity of the storm," Gerald responded as thunder shook the building.

But what caught Theron's attention more was a flickering light that emanated from inside the RED Base. He observed it for a few moments, and then leapt down from the stairs.

"Something bothering you, Theron?" Daran asked.

"Ah, it's nothing," Theron said shaking his head. "Thought I saw a light in the RED Base, but maybe I'm seeing things."

"Kinley and I could keep watch tonight just in case," Finley said.

"No, boys, you need rest," Theron insisted. "We all do."

"Then I'll stand guard," Gerald offered. "I'm a very light sleeper and will let you know if there's trouble afoot."

"Appreciate it, Doc," Theron nodded.

###

Several hours later, Bobbie woke up from a nightmare and saw that not only was Gerald asleep but the supplies Saxton had provided were now gone from the corner they were placed at earlier. He then heard footsteps and glanced toward the stairs that led to the concrete bridge. There, several figures that looked like Engineers were carrying the extra sacks of food, blankets, kitchenware, and firewood that made up Saxton's supplies.

"Hey!" Bobbie shouted, reaching for his bat. "We got thieves over here!"

Immediately, the Engineers and Gerald woke up just as the mysterious figures were crossing the concrete bridge. With Bobbie running further ahead, the company crossed the bridge which was slick and wet from the rain. A few Engineers slipped, but they did not fall as they all made their way into the RED Base. Inside, it was too dark to see so Gerald used his Staff of Freedom to illuminate the place. What they found were several people that looked like Engineers who had robotic eyes, arms, and feet surrounding them wielding Jag Wrenches and Short Circuits.

"Cyborgs!" Theron snapped. "I should've known!"

Then without warning, the Cyborgs attacked. Though the Engineers tried their best to fend them off, the Cyborgs with the Short Circuit hands managed to shock them with bolts of electricity. As for Bobbie, he tried to swing his bat at a Cyborg who retaliated by hitting it with a Jag Wrench which caused the bat to break. Gerald, on the other hand, raised the Staff of Freedom and shouted, "Barpo invisium!" which caused him to seemingly vanish. Then once all the Engineers were knocked out including Bobbie, the Cyborgs bound their hands and feet with metal coils before dragging them further into the Base.

###

By the time Bobbie and the Engineers woke up, they were lying next to some crates in a dark room with several robotic eyes looking at them. Without saying a word, the Cyborgs dragged Bobbie and the others through a series of dark corridors until they got into what looked like a Control Room which contained a round wooden table and several chairs that looked old and dusty. At the head of this table stood a man who was slightly taller than the other Cyborgs only because his head was replaced by a television set that had a pixelated face on it and there was a control panel strapped to his body containing three buttons.

"Well, well, well," the Cyborg with the television set head chuckled. "What have we got here?"

"A group of Engineers and a Scout," said one of the Cyborgs who had a Short Circuit hand. "We found them lounging inside the BLU Base across the bridge."

"Was there anyone else with them?" the Cyborg with the television head asked.

"Uh, no," the Cyborg with the Short Circuit hand said nervously.

"Liar!" The Cyborg with the television head then pressed a button on his chest which caused the Cyborg with the Short Circuit hand to electrocute himself with it. "The next one who lies to me is a dead man!"

Another Cyborg gulped and said, "They had a Medic with them, Mister Beep Man."

"A Medic?" The Cyborg with the television head's face turned from surprised to concerned. "Did you capture him as well?"

"We weren't able to, sir," said a third Cyborg whose hand was mechanical.

The Cyborg known as Beep Man pressed the same button again which caused the third Cyborg's mechanical hand to choke him until he passed out.

"Search the premises!" Beep Man ordered. "The Medic may be working for someone who wants to overthrow us, and these Engineers are going to tell us who it is."

"He's working for me," Theron said, causing Beep Man look at him.

"And why is that?" Beep Man asked.

"I needed him to guide us to Snowycoast," Theron answered. "We're visiting some relatives of ours over there."

"Then how do you explain this?" the second Cyborg said stepping forward with the Southern Hospitality wrench in his hands.

Seeing it, Beep Man's face became angry. "The Southern Hospitality Wrench! Kill 'em all!"

There was a sudden flash of lightning, and the Cyborgs were knocked down to the floor. In the middle of the room stood Gerald and he was brandishing the Amputator Saw. Afraid of it, the Cyborgs backed away including Beep Man as Gerald approached the Engineers and Bobbie. With one swipe each, Gerald was able to cut the metal coils which allowed them to get up and run from the room.

To be continued…