Medic's VW left the van and the truck behind as the trio headed in for the meeting. The doctor had not, to Spy's surprise, packed his uniform but something surprisingly formal. Despite the rain and the maniacal grin on his face, he was starting to look the part.

"And you are sure you can stay in character?"

Medic squinted against the rain. "Yes, yes. It is not so hard. Look menacing and let you do most of the talking, be surprised when Frau Spotlight arrives, and maim them all horribly afterwards. This acting thing is not so difficult as you make it sound, Spy."

"Very well." Spy didn't have his disguise kit, his cigarettes, or his tie. There was nothing to occupy his hands except the handle on the ceiling, but Medic took offense every time he reached for it. The more he thought about it, the more Sniper stood out as the least obnoxious driver. He followed road laws, rarely listened to anything objectionable, and never spoke a word to his passengers.

The major drawback there being he did it all in his disgusting van. Engineer was a very close second.

The road was muddy, but somehow Medic was managing to tackle it at 80 kph. Spy gripped the underside of his seat for support. Unsurprisingly, Pyro was enjoying the trip. The firebug bounced up and down in the back seat clapping and cheering. This was all one big deadly game.

Spy was categorizing the million things that could go wrong. It was always best to plan for the worst. Of course, they likely outclassed any of the thugs Hallison had hired. Based on the descriptions provided by the two fledgling mobsters, there were very few men to really be worried about. Louie Hallison was one. Brass Frank Busch was another. They apparently had the most to gain in the revenge department. Both had been part of the original gang that Sniper double-crossed. That put them at the top of Spy's hit list.

"Turn in 'ere. This is where we set up the meeting."

He had been thorough with that pair of miscreants. They gave him the entire layout of the site, including where to go find the prisoners. Both were alive and well for the time being. They could only hope this stayed the case. As long as Hallison toiled under the delusion that there was a happy ending for him in this, the better.

Medic pulled up under an awning, so at the least they could all exit the car out of the rain. Spy got out and began to survey the area. Odds were the headlight shad been spotted. Sooner or later, someone would come for them. Before any of the gang appeared, Pyro shuffled up to his side and tugged on his sleeve.

"Rnngrrh?"

Spy tried to process that. Alas, he was not one of the few that would make sense of the mumbles. "We will be going shortly. It is very important that this goes well. Our teammates are still in danger."

Pyro huffed. "Rnngrrh! Mpph huddah mrph mph mrr!"

He was about to explain that he really, really had no clue what Pyro was saying when two men appeared out of the rain. "We will discuss it later. Right now, you must help us, or we won't make it out alive, much less our teammates."

That, Pyro seemed to understand. Soon, the axe was out and readied. The pair stopped short. It seemed that Pyro struck fear into the hearts of all. Spy took the opportunity to regain command of the situation.

"Gentlemen. We are here to discuss some business with your boss. Kindly direct us to his office, and you may keep your heads on your shoulders."

Now that scared them silly. The one on the left was visibly shaken.

"Right this way, sir. Sirs? Sirs and uh..." He did a quick once over of Pyro. "Sirs. This way."

"Make this quick. I really must get back to my patient before he dies. It would be such a shame to miss the show." Medic had brought his gloves, however, and snapped them for emphasis. Spy fought the urge to roll his eyes. This was working. There was no need to overdo it.

The trio followed their guides around the side of the building and through a haphazard set of walkways designed to keep the sidewalks mostly dry. That was how they arrived at the temporary main office: mostly dry. Pyro's breathing had unnerved their guides, and the men took off for the far door the moment they set foot into the while-walled portable.

One of them knocked. "Boss, they're here." He was trying to play it cool and failing. In the light of the interior, Spy could see the man sweat. Good. Intimidation was half the game. Hopefully, Louie Hallison wouldn't be too cocky to acknowledge the threat of the axe-toting maniac.

Spy was mentally preparing himself. He ran over the plan as he'd outlined it with young Dave and Barry last evening:

"We'll tell him you've got twice as many people in town. Three times as many!" Dave, for one, seemed eager to repent of his actions. Spy had learned they were responsible for the Engineer's abduction in the first place, and had to stop Heavy from trying to murder them afresh. They hadn't hurt him then, as evidenced by the lack of additional injuries on the Engineer. All the blood in the truck belonged to Dave.

"I'll do the talking." Barry interjected. "Louie seems to think I'm more reliable." Spy had the same opinion. Of the pair of them, Barry seemed the most level-headed. Of course, the two young men had embarked on a fool's errand in order to do something noble, but Spy could not comment on the common sense of the desperate.

Dave nodded. "OK, that's a good idea. He doesn't care much about me, so long as I pick up the mail and get the right brand of beer. Barry's the guy who knows drugs."

"Who knows drugs a little bit." Barry corrected. "Didn't go to med school proper, remember? Anyway, he'll find me a touch more credible. I'll tell him whatever you like."

"Excellent." Spy pulled out his cigarette case. "You may start by telling him how I was not pleased to find you had only brought me one of my men. We may have to... dirty you up a bit to sell this."

Dave responded with a grin. He turned and socked Barry in the jaw.

"What the heck, man!" Barry recovered and slugged Dave in the gut.

"Oof- easy, man! Just... doing what he suggested."

Spy's lip twitched, but he pushed down the laughter. These two were very much like Scout. Amicable, stupid, and quick to action. But, between them, Spy had confidence they could get a job done.

"That can wait until after we have outlined the rest of the plan." Spy gestured with his cigarette. "You will tell your boss that I am coming with my boss, and we expect to be given what is ours. At that point, we will arrange for him to meet with the dealer. This will never happen. Louie will likely bring out Scout- the younger hostage- and try to bargain. You will need to stay with the other one if you do not wish to be shot, stabbed, or torn limb from limb."

"He'll be in the storm cellar." Barry said. "That's where Louie's been keeping them. We'll wait in there and watch him while you do... whatever it is y'all are doing above ground."

"Excellent." Spy tossed his cigarette on the ground and crushed it underfoot. "And where is this storm cellar?"

Everything was running smoothly so far. Soon, they would meet up with Hallison and Scout, and the boy's mother would be put at ease. Then, they could kill everyone here and go home. After a few more desperate knocks, the door at the far end of the portable opened. Out stepped the man that could only be Louie Hallison. Spy involuntarily clenched his fists. This man had utterly ruined his vacation plans, distressed his rasion d'etre, and deprived him the pleasure of a nice evening out.

Behind him, another figure as massive as Heavy exited. Spy froze. His eye tracked the newcomer with growing frustration. The man was dragging with him a hatless, bloodied Sniper. Not Scout. Sniper.

"We meet at last!" Hallison spread his arms wide. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Louie, head of this operation, and this is Brass Frank. He's my enforcer."

"Indeed?" Spy straightened up and put on his most pompous of airs. "And does Brass Frank know 'ow much time he is wasting with that…" He gestured towards Sniper. "...Australian reject? I sincerely hope you 'ave been torturing him for fun and not for information. It is unwise to waste good torture on fools."

Sniper managed to look both relieved and insulted. Spy looked him over and was hardly surprised at what he found. The bushman looked like someone had dragged him behind a truck for several miles, given him a shower, and then beat him senseless. He was more disheveled than usual. Clearly, Louie's men had a high enough opinion of him to seek information this way. Sniper seemed to have sold his importance well.

"Oh it was fun, believe you me." Louie maintained his grin. "I've got a bone to pick with Mundy here. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Spy returned the smile. "So long as he can survey the guns, we have no issue with the condition of the rest of him. But, his young companion..." His expression darkened. "I have already experienced the dealer's wrath. I have no desire to do it again."

Louie spread his hands in a hospitable gesture that managed to look more threatening than welcoming. "The kid's fine, and I'm happy to accommodate him. My boys told me how sore you were that I didn't deliver everything last night, but what can I say? The kid's an insurance policy. I know you know there's no deal without him. Why else would I have kept him around?"

Spy didn't like where this was headed, but Louie continued. "What I'd like is a deal. This is my turf you fellas are moving in on. I think it's reasonable to expect a finder's fee."

"A finder's fee?" Medic spoke up from the back. Spy let his surprise show on his face. He stepped out of the way in deference to his 'superior'. Medic moved forward with purpose. Pyro was right on his heels. "You..." he started chuckling, "...you think you deserve compensation for interrupting my vacation with this? Ooh, hoo hoo, that's rich! I should have you incinerated!"

Pyro started edging forward, but Medic held up a hand. "Patience, Mien Freund. You may have some kindling yet. Now, as I was saying," his eyes roved the mobsters in front of him, "you have disrupted my weekend. This has already put me in a bad mood, but if you are threatening to ruin my business operations, you have another thing coming."

The timing could not have been better if Spy had a hand on the plunger himself. Just as Medic finished speaking, there was a loud booming from outside. It was no flash of lightning. Spy could see the red tinge of flame reflecting off the window pane. Excellent.

That explosion was another cue. Right on time, the door burst inward. She had been expecting to see her son among the men in the room. There was no longer a need to fake the fury on her face.

"You idiot!" She crossed the room at a heavy march, looking to the men in the room like death itself ready to pluck out their souls. So distracted were they by her drenched wrath, Spy himself barely noticed Heavy enter with a pair of unconscious (or dead) mobsters. His attention was focused on the man in the hot seat. Spotlight reared back her arm and slapped Medic full across the face. The whole room chilled.

Spy's jaw dropped. He could not believe what he was seeing. The situation was already charged, but this was quite a deviation from the plan. What on earth was she doing!? Either she knew something he didn't, which was highly unlikely, or she was going off book. The latter option could get them all killed. But, so stark was the anger on her face that Spy dared not interrupt. He'd rather she killed Medic than him.

"I thought you said you had this covered!" Both hands were now balled in fists at her side. She looked every bit the murderous arms dealer she was supposed to be, even soaked head to toe. "You said he'd do this job for you, and then we'd let him take a spin at my family business! But no! You can't do anything right can you? If it's not ordering mercs around or pullin' ribs like teeth, you're utterly worthless!"

Everyone in the room had their feet glued to the floor. Nobody was going anywhere; all were frozen in the Spotlight's glare.

Medic was the first to recover his power of speech. "I... don't- Everything was going to plan." It was a weak recovery, but Spotlight was working it like a pro.

"According to plan?" She screeched. "So letting some moron drive our boy on a job and letting him get picked up with these hacks was all a part of your plan?"

Spy was going to have to pick his jaw up off the floor sometime, but he couldn't bring himself to move. Our boy? What on earth was she doing?

"I..." Medic stumbled. "He... It should have worked! Do not blame me! Blame the Sniper and these..." He gestured uselessly. "He was meant to arrive to you just as we arranged."

"Should've never left him with you!" Spotlight took a step away from Medic and threw her hands in the air. "My boy could've been in the big leagues by now, but here he is, stuck in Dumpsville, Texas with a bunch of rodeo clowns!" She whirled on Louie. "And you! You better bring him out right now, or a couple dead men and a wrecked building are gonna be the least of your problems, pal!"

Nobody in the room moved. Nobody breathed.

"Holy dooley."

Sniper's awestruck exclamation seemed to break the spell. Louie stayed right where he was, but addressed the pair of dangerous people in front of him. "Please, ma'am, sir, there's no need to get riled up. We're happy to accommodate you, and the Chateau de Sable."

They froze, the three of them and Heavy near the door. The what?

Medic snorted. He quickly put a hand up to his face, but it was hard to hide the ear-splitting grin. Spy, who was equal parts amused and alarmed, quickly cut in. "So, you've determined our identity at last-" Medic was having a harder time keeping it together.

Spy pushed past him. "Then you must know what it means. Chateau de Sable-" Medic guffawed. "-The House of Burial. I assure you, trifling with us was a mistake, one you can plainly-"

There was no salvaging this. Medic burst out laughing, doubled over. Now, all eyes were on him. He was laughing so hard he could scarcely breathe, hiccups punctuating the few breaths he managed to take. Spy felt a cold sweat overtake him. This was it. They were done.

"Chateau de-" Medic wheezed. "-Oh, you are kidding me! Ha, that is what we are called? Chateau de Sable!" He broke down again. His three companions and Sniper could only watch in horror.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Louie was quickly turning red. He snatched Sniper from Frank's grip by the collar. "Why's he laughing? What's it mean?"

Medic hooted and rested his hands on his knees. Tears were streaming down his face. "Chateau de Sable-" he choked out, "-is sand castle, you... you- Ah ha ha!"

Spy knew a failed con when he saw one. They'd just been uncloaked in the enemy base. Time for Plan B.

"Pyro," he addressed the firebug. "Do try not to kill Sniper, but these are the men that took our friend the Engineer."

The shriek that burst from the mask was enough to give Medic pause, if only for a moment. Heavy had come to his side and was helping to hold him up while he held his aching sides. He moved the crying doctor out of the way. There was a fire axe coming through.

"Huddah hrrn mrr Rnngrrh!"

Spy rushed over to Spotlight's side and pulled her towards the door. He took out his revolver and fired at the men coming through. Apparently, the noise had been enough to alert them. That, or whatever Soldier was doing was destructive enough for them to seek shelter with their boss.

Heavy followed them towards the exit with Medic slung under one arm. The doctor was in better control of his mirth, but not in the right frame of mind to have anticipated a quick exit.

"I was interested to see where you were going with that!" Spy yelled over the wind. "It sounded like quite an extraordinary story."

"I'll tell you the rest sometime!" They ducked under the awning, which was no longer a help against this strong a gale. The sky was green and bits of hail were sprinkled across the grass. "Dangerous man, dangerous woman, plenty of intrigue... Where's Jeremy? You said he'd be in there!"

Spy turned back and found Pyro exiting with a bloodied axe in one hand, and Sniper draped over the other shoulder. That was that. Now, they had to locate Scout and contend with any leftover mobsters.

"The storm cellar! If Soldier is done laying waste to the main building, he will meet us there." Spy thought he could find the way based on Barry and Dave's descriptions. But, it was becoming harder and harder to see.

"This way!" Spy pulled her down the path. Heavy, Medic, and Pyro caught up with them quickly. It seemed like they were in the clear until a high, steady wail echoed across the complex.

"Is that the wind?" Medic yelled from under Heavy's arm

"No." Spotlight paled. "I know what that is."

Spy recognized it too. "Run!"