I woke up at five the next morning, an hour earlier then I needed to. I tried to go back to sleep, but tossed and turned, only to look back at the clock after what seemed like an hour to see only three minutes had passed. Clearly I wouldn't be falling back to sleep. I huffed, and got out of bed. I guess I would just start my run early today.
I threw on my workout clothes, grabbed my ipod, and left the base. Unfortunately, I would miss out on Donuts company this morning. Or maybe I could just run longer, and still meet up with him.
I put my headphones in and selected my running playlist. Then I took off at a jog, planning to run my usual route. Some of the music on here was from red vs blue soundtracks, the first song being "Falling Toward the Sky" Most of there songs were nice to work out to because they were usually background songs to fight scenes. They were made specifically to rise the heart rate of the listener, to make them feel as if they were a part of the fight. Most days, I loved to hear these songs, and to be running in a place where these songs belonged.
Today, I was over Red vs Blue.
Okay, that wasn't true. We were pretty close to the next adventure happening, which would be great, only I wasn't sure what I should and shouldn't change now. What has to happen, to get the team to Chorus. Not that I want to meet Felix, or Locus, but that planet needs them. The residents need them.
Not now though, if these guys showed up the planet would be fucked.
They need the team that forms after everything they've been through. Who am I to stop any of that?
But how can I make it more effective. How can I make it so less people get hurt. That is what I need to figure out. I have done the shittest job so far. I actually got two people killed here on my first day. I mean, Tex and Church needed to "die" but man did I feel guilty about it.
And then there was Tucker.
I royally screwed up that one. He seemed pissed that I lured him out of the base on the premise of sex. I thought he would, I don't know, still try to kiss me once we got to the cave anyway? Or
admit we may have something and then we could talk about trying to see where it goes? I didn't think he would be mad. I didn't think he would turn so icy.
I kept running, and running. Trying to block out the fact that I was still here, with no idea how, and that I've fucked practically everything up.
I didn't end up meeting with Donut, but I did run longer than usual. When I finally went inside I was glad to see I was still the only one up. I quickly walked to my room, my heart rate picking up at the thought of accidentally bumping into Tucker, but I made it safe and sound.
In fact, after I showered, I took my time putting on my armor. I inspected each piece as I put it on, feet up to my head. I heard doors in the hallway open three times while I was doing this, letting me know that my teammates had all gotten up and were eating breakfast.
I got out the notebook I had been writing in. It held all my ideas about what to do, and where the story line would go if I changed this or that. It was mostly a scribbled mess, but it was better than nothing, even if it felt like that I had nothing anyway. I reviewed the last few pages I had wrote. It involved York and how I would stop his death. Then what to do with York after he didn't die. They how to deal with Carolina once she found out York wasn't really dead. It ended with Carolina killing me since it was my idea to fake his death.
Yeah, that sounded about right.
I glanced at my clock, and was surprised to see how much time had passed. I was probably fine to go out of the base and not run into anyone. I hid my notebook in a new spot, it was about time I changed its hiding place anyway, and left my room. I paused at each corner and doorway, making sure I didn't hear anyone, before taking a quick look. Satisfied the coast was clear, I would move onto the next area and repeat, until finally I made it to the outside entrance without running into anyone.
This is where my luck ran out though.
The guys were all standing near the rock we hid behind the other day, right near where I was currently standing, probably talking about how to defeat the Reds.
I think now would be the perfect time to start watch duty.
I quickly walked out, then veered left and went around the back of the base, going up the the top. My heart was beating fast, and I forced myself to take deep, even, breaths.
Once I was sure I wasn't followed and I had calmed down, I started walking the top of the base in a clockwise rotation. I could see a lot from here, and I made sure to check that things had stayed the same since the last time I had this patrol. There was the hole in the wall, still empty. The middle of the canyon had nothing new. To the right of our base was still dirt and rock. The warthog looked like it had moved over at Red Base. It looked like someone moved it to the spot where repairs were usually made, so it was probably Sarge that had moved it. Speaking of, it looked like he was under the jeep now doing something.
I made six loops before I heard someone coming up the ramp. I pulled my gun and aimed at the ramp, only lowering my weapon when I identified Caboose as the newcomer.
"Church told me to tell you that he would like your help fixing Sheila." Caboose said.
I nodded and quickly left Caboose on the top, before realize the faster I left Caboose the sooner I would be in the presence of Tucker.
Honestly I don't know which one I would prefer right now.
I stopped walking, just long enough to get my emotions under complete control, before continuing to the front of the base. Tucker and Church both stood where they had been when I first saw them, pretty much out in the open where anyone could shoot them.
Wh- why?
"Seriously, if we could fix Shelia, we would never have to surrender again." Church explains, again, as I walked up to them. Like all of us didn't already know that. Like we haven't already been working on this for..well, since Shelia blew up with Tex.
"Yeah, you've said that already, Church. Do you think that maybe one of us just didn't understand those past 27 times it was said and now one of us will magically say "Oh, I know how to do that!" I said.
"No, all I'm saying is we need someone who can fix her, Taylor. Nice to see you this morning, by the way."
"I was on patrol...sir."
"Uh huh." Church said.
"Hey Church, if your body is the Red Team's old droid, and droids usually fix stuff, can't you just activate your repair sequence and fix Sheila?" Tucker asked.
"That's….actually a pretty good idea." I said.
"Don't sound so surprised." Tucker said sarcastically. I ignored him, figuring it would be best.
"Huh... Well, yeah it's worth a shot, I guess." Church said after a moment of thinking. He then cleared his throat and told us to stand back. Rolling my eyes, I did as he asked and Tucker did the same.
"Huhrur...! Heeungh...! Hoom...!" Church started making these weird noises. It wasn't like he was playing tennis here.
"Anything?" Tucker asked
"Yeah, it's not as easy as you'd think it would be." Church said.
"Maybe there's a button on you somewhere…" Tucker trailed off, his eyes and mine already looking for the button before his sentence even ended.
"See what you two can find. I'll keep trying from in here…" Church continued to make those stupid noises while Tucker and I moved around him, looking for any random buttons or switches. Switches...
The switch near his crotch!
I coughed, covering my laugh that almost escaped. This stupid switch, that was what was going on now. Oh my god it would cause so many problems for the Reds. Should I really let this happen? I could always stop it pretty easily…
"Hey!" Church suddenly called out, making me jump.
"Found it?" Tucker asked him.
"Nah, no wait. All I found was the time and temperature function. It is currently twenty-six degrees, by the way."
"What? It's not twenty-six degrees out here, that's freezing."
"Celsius, Tucker." Church told him.
"Oh come on, dude, Celsius sucks." Tucker said, kneeling down in front of Church and looking around some more.
"Many people use Celsius, Tucker." I told him as I looked on Church's back.
"Yeah, and those people are wrong. Hey, I found something." I looked over Church to see Tucker standing up. I didn't even realize he had kneeled.
"Oh yeah? You found a button?" Church asked.
"Naw, dude, it's more like a ..switch."
"Well, give it a flip."
"I don't wanna flip it." Tucker practically whined, clearly uncomfortable with the placement of said switch.
"What's the problem?" Church asked, not catching on.
"It's in a weird place." Tucker shifted on his feet.
"Oh you've gotta be kidding me."
"You flip it." Tucker told him,
"These arms aren't that flexible, I can't even reach down there."
"What about Caboose?"
"Oh man, he's so stupid, I don't even know if he knows how to operate a switch."
"I'll flip it." I said, moving to the front.
"What? No." Tucker said, moving to block my path to Church and his crotch. I tilted my head, a bit confused as to why he wouldn't let me do it. He couldn't be...jealous?
"What's wrong, don't want me flipping another man's switch?" I half joked, trying to lighten the mood between us, but I think I just made it worse. He tilted his head down away from me, his body seeming to tense even more, but he didn't move out of my way.
"Relax, Tucker, it's not like I'm giving him a handjob. It's just a switch, yeah?"
Tucker still didn't say anything, still blocking my path, still not looking at me.
"Jesus, the sexual tension between you too is ridiculous, it's so thick I could punch at it. Tucker, just let her flip the damn switch since you won't." Church said.
Tucker reluctantly moved out of the way, allowing me to kneel in front of Church. I had a pretty good view of the switch, which was on his left thigh right next to his crotch. Like as close as Sarge could have possibly put it.
I also had a very nice view of some robotic Lopez crotch, which technically I guess was Church's crotch right now. Not one to pass up such an opportunity, I did the first thing that came to mind.
"Oh wow, you have such a big switch Church." I said as seductively as I could, but I couldn't keep it going, my amusement taking over causing me to laugh. Church choked, then started laughing too. Tucker did not find it as funny.
"Alright, that's it, I'll do it." Tucker said, grabbing my arm and pulling me up. He moved himself so he was between me and Church, and still didn't let go of my arm. I shook away his hand, and punched his arm as hard as I could, causing him to stumble back.
"Ow, man what was that for." He asked me, grabbing his arm where I had punched it.
"Tucker, Let's get one thing straight here. I am not your girlfriend. Even if I was, you have no right to tell me what to do, or pull me like that. Now, either grow a pair and flip your friends switch, or stand back and let me do it." I growled. He held his hands up and backed up a step towards Church.
"Alright, alright, I will do it." He said, getting down in front of Church where I just was. I crossed my arms and watched, too pissed to find this funny anymore. Who does he think he is, the fucking jackass, rejecting me and then acting like I was in the wrong when I make a harmless joke.
When Tucker hesitated to flip the switch, even after all that, Church attempted to cox him a bit more.
"C'm-Tucker, come on. We'll laugh about it later. I'll buy you dinner."
Tucker sighed and just went for it. Only, nothing happened and he stood back up. "It won't move, it's stuck."
"Did you try wiggling it?" Church asked.
"No way, I'm not wiggling your dongle." Tucker said.
"Oh, stop being a baby. Just wiggle it." Church told him. Again, Tucker knelt in front of his friend, hesitating to reach out.
"... So, you from around here, baby?" Church asked. Tucker scrambled back, stumbling as he stood up.
"Okay look, if you want me to do this, you can't talk-"
I quickly knelt down and flicked the switch before I died from old age.
"There. It's done. Anything on your end Church?" I said, ignoring Tucker as he threw up his hands, clearly pissed too. Good, let him be pissed.
" Nope. Nothin'... That's kinda weird. Do you hear something beeping?"
"What?" Tucker, Caboose, and I all said at the same time. Only, I wasn't expecting him. Where did he even come from? The longer O'Malley stayed in Caboose's head, the more stealthy he became. Seriously, he is getting really good at sneaking up on people. I was wearing myself out most days just trying to make sure I knew where he was at all times.
"There, you hear that?"
I strained my ears, and very, very faintly heard the beeping noise coming from extremely far away. The beeping that I think should be coming from the warthog.
"Is it like a screaming, high pitched whistling noise followed by a series of random clicks?" Tucker asked.
"No, it's just like this constant "beep beep beep" "noise." Church slowly explained.
"Oh. Then no, I don't hear anything."
"Do you eh, wait - do you actually hear a series of whistling noises followed by some random clicks?" Church asked.
"No, I was just tryin' to be helpful." Tucker said.
"Yeah, well, you're failing." Church told him.
"All I hear is that voice, you know, telling us to kill all of our friends before they have a chance to kill us." Caboose added in.
That. That right there was the type of shit that was the scariest part of O'Malley taking over. Caboose being influence by O'Malley. Sure, O'Malley takes over, and we are all screwed. But Church could potentially fix it, if it all went to hell too soon. But Caboose listening to his new 'friend'. What would I tell him, 'don't listen to the voice in your head?' then I would have O'Malley gunning for me as the first person to kill.
Tucker and I shared a look, before both of us seemed to realized we were both pissed at each other, so we both looked back towards Caboose. This was going downhill, fast. I hope Tex shows up soon. Maybe we could talk over a solution besides firing live ammo inside the poor kid's head.
Ha. Tex. Talking.
When the three of us just kept staring at Caboose, he finally realized something was wrong,
"Wait, you guys don't hear that?"
"Oh man, I can't take this any more. Tucker, you're gonna have to do something, man, this beeping is going to drive me crazy." Church complained, bringing us back to the problem at hand right now, the beeping.
"Well, what do you want me to do?"
"I don't know, man. Flip it back?"
"Oh. No way."
"Taylor?" Church turned to me.
"Once wasn't enough?" I replied back.
"Caboose?"
"Okay!" Caboose said happily.
"Do you know what you just agreed to do?" I asked him.
"Er...No."
"It's simple. All you have to do is kneel down, and flip the switch." Church explained.
"Oh. I can do that." Caboose got down and stared at Church way too long. I looked over Church's shoulder for a moment, expecting to see the boring canyon that was always there, only to be greeted with the sight of Red Team's warthog driving around the canyon by itself.
"I see a switch down here. It's not very big." Caboose said.
"Oh yeah, that's it. Just flip it." Tucker told him.
"Wait, stop." Church practically yelled before Caboose even moved his hand. I glanced over to see that the warthog had stopped itself. Tucker seemed to not notice it, and Church wasn't facing that way. Caboose was too busy focusing on his switch 101 class from Church to pay attention to anything else.
"Alright. Here's a full tutorial then. The switch is pointed in one direction, just turn it around so that it's pointed in the other direction."
When Church said turn around, the warthog did do just that. The was vehicle now faced the red base, ready for its instructions. This was followed by the sound of something breaking, followed by Caboose's "Oops. It broke itself."
"UGH!" Church complained. The warthog, though, didn't shut down. Caboose broke it while it was still transmitting instructions. The reds were in for a nasty surprise today.
"Tucker, get down there and see about fixing this."
Caboose stood up and moved out of the way, letting Tucker get a good look at Church's crotch. This view wasn't actually that bad, now that I was less pissed off. I tilted my head and crossed my arms, taking a half a step back, allowing myself to take in the view.
The fanfics one could write from this alone.
"Okay, I see two wires down here. One's green, the other one's red." Tucker informed Church.
"What about the blue one?"
"That's your thumb, idiot." Tucker told him.
"Come on, just grab whichever one goes to the switch, and yank it out." Church said.
"Eh, I can't tell which one goes over there."
"Then just yank 'em both."
"Church, if we pick the wrong one you could explode." Caboose told him, completely serious. He actually had a point, not that anyone else knew of the bomb inside his stomach. Since no one actually died from it, I figured it was best to just leave it where it was for now. I mean, we could explode trying to remove it.
"I don't care, look, just follow the red one." Church told us.
Caboose and I both kneeled down now, trying to get a better look. I was actually trying to help, I had no idea if Caboose was following any of this.
"Okay, I see what's going on here. The red one goes close to the switch, and the green one goes.. eugh, someplace else." Tucker said.
"Fine, just pull it. Take out the red one."
Tucker started counting down, getting ready to pull the wire. I quickly scanned the red wire, and saw it actually connected someplace...else. But wasn't that where the green one was supposed to go?
Following the green wire I saw that was the one that lead to the button.
"Tucker wait that wire -"
This small electrically sound coming from the wire being pulled was what cut me off.
"Oh god, yes! Finally! Some freakin' peace and quiet! I thought that was gonna drive me nuts! ...Hey. Why can't I move my legs?"
"goes to his legs." I finished.