I opened my eyes and quickly closed them again when muted sunlight stung them. I risked another attempt and this time the light was bearable. I ran my eyes over my surroundings. It looked like I was in a bedroom. My body had been haphazardly dumped on unmade sheets. Old magazines and ammunition littered every surrounding surface.
Nothing familiar. I could feel fear spiking my stomach.
I sat up shakily, my head spinning slightly, and I could feel the almost soothing rocking of the room. Was I in some sort of motor home? I attempted to stand up, the dizziness intensifying briefly before fading back, my neck and arm throbbing softly.
Why can't I remember anything?
I looked around and could see a wooden framed mirror on the wall. I took a few steps towards it, my steps shaky at first. I looked into the reflective glass and grimaced as I noticed I was maskless and the bandages around my throat were starting to stain red. I fingered the wrap gingerly and concluded that there were worse things to be dealt with at this time.
Turning my attention to the door, I crept closer, letting my hands search my pockets. No gun, but I still had my butterfly knife, thankfully. I checked my wrist only to find that my watch was missing. Great.
I listened against the door and heard the sound of a radio flittering from behind it. I held my breath and carefully opened the door, my butterfly knife resting unsheathed in my palm. I peeked around the corner to see a makeshift kitchen area and just beyond that the cab at the front of the vehicle. I could see someone in the driver's seat, wearing a tan hat and a red shirt.
Why am I in a RED Sniper's van?
I slipped through the door and crept through the kitchen area, careful of my footsteps. I listened to the sound of a soft country tune drift from the radio as I got to the beginning of the cab. I shot a wary glance at the rear view mirror before jumping forward and holding my blade to the mystery assailant's throat.
The Sniper growled in surprise and stopped the van, causing me to stumble forward and knock the Sniper's hat off. I scrabbled to keep the blade at his throat but he growled again, gripping my wrist and flinging me backwards.
I landed on the floor of the kitchen, my head colliding with the hard flooring with a thud and causing me to see stars. My butterfly knife slid away from my grasp. I tried to scramble across the floor towards it, only to feel a hand grab my leg and yank me away.
I shrieked and tried to kick out at him but soon he overpowered me and had me pinned, his legs trapping mine together and his hands restraining my wrists. I tried to wiggle free but his grip was like iron.
"Well, it looks like sleeping beauty's awake." He stated, his blue eyes alive with malice as he loomed over me.
His face seemed familiar but the memory was just out of my grasp.
"Who the hell are you?!" I fumed, still trying in vain to escape his grasp. He just laughed and pulled my wrists together as he rooted around inside his pockets. I continued to struggle as he finally found what he wanted and slipped a cable tie around my wrists, pulling it tightly. I yelped at the friction of the plastic against my skin and he released me, turning his attention to my legs and doing the same.
"There, that'll keep you out of trouble till I'm ready," the Sniper grunted, walking away from me back to the driver's seat to resume driving.
"Hey! Where are you taking me?" I yelled in frustration, only for him to turn the radio up some more.
This wasn't looking good.
I ran outside to where I had last seen Drake's van, only to find the spot vacant, the tyre treads in the sand faint due to the gusts of wind that swept over the desert. I started to follow the tracks, eager to find Natalie, but suddenly found myself with a face full of sand and a heavy weight on my back.
"Nice to meet ya again, Spook," Ethan commented with fake enthusiasm, the blade of his kukri biting the back of my neck.
"Get off me, you ridiculous bushman! We are running out of time!" I snarled at him, only to be rewarded with more pressure being applied to my neck. I could feel the blade slice my skin.
"Running outta time? For what exactly?" The Sniper mocked me, a grim laugh escaping his lips.
"Natalie is in danger, you imbecile!" I exclaimed, seething with rage at the Sniper's incompetence. "We need to help her!"
The Sniper's blade was removed from my neck but only so the Sniper could flip me onto my back and hold the tip of the large blade over my heart.
"You better start making sense, Spy," Ethan suggested darkly, venom leaking into his voice.
"Are you stupid?!" I taunted, "She is in danger, you buffoon! She was taken by one of my team mates. He was supposed to be helping me keep her safe but instead he has taken her!" I hissed in fury, glaring up at the Sniper, watching how his face drained of colour.
Ethan drew his weapon back slightly and his body relaxed. "Who has her? Why did you let her out of your sight?" He exclaimed suspiciously, his eyes narrowing.
"A Sniper on my team called Drake. I've known him since I joined this team. I thought I could trust him. The only reason I let her out of my sight was to not raise suspicions about my absence. I even locked my door." I explained, watching how the Sniper looming over me retracted his weapon completely, placing the weapon back into its sheath.
"You better be telling me the truth, mate, otherwise I'll gouge your eyes out with that fancy knife of yours," Ethan warned me, his face deadpan.
"I am. This is not a time to lie." I assured him, carefully getting to my feet and dusting the sand from my clothing. Once I was sure I had rid myself of most of the sand, I turned to see Ethan looking at me expectantly.
"Come on then, where'd you think she is?" The Sniper inquired, looking around at the desert surrounding the two bases.
"Before you jumped me," I began, only letting some of my distaste at my treatment leak into my voice, "I was following the tracks of the Sniper's van. I think that'll be where he has her right now." I explained, gesturing to the barely visible tread marks that illustrated the sand.
"You sure they're from his van and not any of the others?" Ethan asked, eyeing the tracks with uncertainty painted on his features.
"I'm positive, come on. Time is short. Let's work together and get her back." I insisted, waiting for the Sniper to react before he began to follow me and we both set off, following the deteriorating tracks illuminated by the rising moon, to where I hoped Natalie would be.
I growled in frustration, my bound hands making things difficult for me. I'd managed to become seated and was slowly squirming my way towards my knife, careful to keep my eyes on the Sniper, in case he noticed what I was up to. I was so close now and with the rhythmic bumping of the van I was sometimes being knocked away from my prize, and other times my bailsong slid closer to me.
Come on. Come on! I prayed internally as yet again my knife slipped across the floor towards me. It was so close now, my fingers just centimetres away. I reached forward again, my fingers brushing the handle as the van slammed to a halt, my blade finally falling into my grasp. Quickly I flicked it closed and shoved it down my sleeve before the Sniper got out of his seat and was once again towering above me.
"Come on then darling, we're here." He stated sweetly, the twisted smile on his face tainting his comforting words. I glowered at him stubbornly, refusing to co-operate. Not that it mattered as he grabbed my bound wrists and flung me over his shoulder, not even caring to mind as he left the van, my head slamming into the doorway.
I swore loudly on impact and kicked out at him, hoping to cause some damage and distract him as I carefully eased my blade into my waiting hands. The Sniper slapped my bottom roughly and held my leg to his chest, to cease my attempt to free from his hold, but I grinned to myself as I cut the tie binding my wrists, and buried my butterfly knife into his back just like I did in battle.
The Sniper let loose a cry of pain before falling forward, taking me with him. My head took another blow as I hit the ground, the Sniper's lifeless body falling on top of me. My head throbbed and protested as I forced myself to get up, shoving the man's body off me and using my blade to slice through the binds on my ankles.
Once I was free I carefully stood up, ignoring the pain in my head as I looked around the desert trying to see my way back, knowing that soon the Sniper's body would be picked up by respawn and then he'd be back in no time. I checked the sand around the van and soon found the tyre treads which could only lead back to the base.
I sheathed my knife and began to trek back to the base.
The Spy and I had been walking for a while in silence, neither one of us really wanting to talk while Nat's safety hung in the balance. The pain in my chest intensified like steel clamps constricting my heart as I though of Natalie being hurt. I fought to rid my mind of images of her lying broken boned in a pool of blood, her face showing her terror or his pain.
I flinched involuntarily.
"Ethan, I see someone up ahead!" the Spy exclaimed, pointing ahead where I could just make out a figure making it's way towards us. The moon shone brightly but it was still hard to make out who it was. The Spy too seemed to be having trouble till suddenly he gasped. "Oui! I think its her!" He cried and began to run forward towards the figure.
My heart squeezed again as I took off after him, swiftly catching up to the Spy. As we drew closer the figure began to wave and yell inaudibly. I could see the figure more clearly now and my heart leaped for joy when I saw Natalie making her way towards us.
The Spy got to her first and instantly wrapped his arms around her, babbling soothing words to her in French.
"Luc, I'm fine, stop your fussing," I heard her tease weakly, seeming to understand whatever he was saying.
"Natalie..." I uttered softly, causing her to pull away from the Spy and stare at me and I could see the worry in her eyes.
"Ethan-" she began before I pulled her towards me, crushing her into a hug and letting my fingers curl into her sand-matted hair.
"Oh god, I was so worried," I breathed, feeling tears prickling at my eyes as relief flooded my body as I felt her alive in my arms. I pulled back enough to see her face and see her eyes sparkling with tears.
"I- I'm so sorry Ethan!" she blurted out as she clung to me.
"What? You have nothing to be sorry for! H-How did you even escape!?" I asked, confused at why on earth she would be apologising. She sniffed and I wiped away her tears using my sleeve.
"I-I lied to you about who I was..." She hiccuped and I shook my head deviantly.
"That doesn't matter! I'm just glad you're safe!" I assured her, hugging her again as the Spy came closer.
"Ma cherie, how did you get away?" He asked her softly, the use of 'ma cherie' making me frown. Natalie looked up at the Spy.
"He didn't take my knife away. My ambassador was gone, as was my watch, but the knife still sat in my pocket." She explained, "When he tied me up and carried me outside, I cut my restraints and stabbed him in the back... Oh god, He'll have gotten through respawn by now!" she gasped, looking between the Spy and me.
"You're safe now, don't worry now. Let's get you to the doc," I hugged her before looking over at the Spy. "Our doc," I specified. He shook his head, looking how a child would when they had done something wrong.
"My Medic removed her chip and replaced it with the one for my team," He explained, looking guiltily at me.
Natalie looked up at him her face, shocked.
"When did that happen? Why?" she asked, emotions flashing in her eyes.
"When I took you from the BLU base, I wanted to keep you safe with me... So I asked the Medic to swap your chip so you'd be connected to RED spawn."
"Luc! You shouldn't have done that without asking me first!" Nat exclaimed, looking hurt. "I'm happy on BLU and you shouldn't have done that without my permission!" The Spy – Luc – looked down at this point, his shoulders slumped. "I know and I apologise. Once you're healthy, I'll get him to replace your original chip."
I glared at him, wanting very much to hit him for doing such a thing. However, when I thought about it, judging from how they were together and the photograph, they were close. So if I had lost Natalie in his shoes, would I have done the same to get her back?
"Come on now," I said, guiding Natalie back the way we came. "Let's get you patched up."
I remained vigilant as we entered the base, making sure that we all didn't cross any of the RED team members, especially Drake, as we made our way to the medical bay – which was hard, even though it was night, especially as the Scouts insisted on always running around the place like children hyped up on sugar.
We made it to the bay without being caught and I listened for the sound of anyone else being in the bay other than the Medic himself. I heard nothing, so I opened the door and helped Ethan get Natalie inside. William look very relieved to see her, though became wary when catching sight of Ethan.
"Relax William, the BLU Sniper means us not harm. He only wishes for Natalie to improve in health," I assured him, and he relaxed visibly and turned his attention to his patient.
"Come now, let me sort out your injuries," He fussed as he took Natalie away from Ethan, giving her reassuring smiles as he took her to his examination table and fetched his medigun.
"I was very worried about you, Luc. I heard from Herr Engineer that the respawn had a brief shut down this evening. I'm quite glad to see you unharmed." He commented as he got Natalie to tell him of her injuries.
"Respawn went down?" She asked as William examined the wound on her neck.
"Ja, it happens from time to time. I think that's why you have this unhealed cut here. I was grateful to see that you were not killed, Luc. Thankfully not you too Natalie, especially with having no chip right now," He explained as he replaced the bandage on her throat.
"Hold up. I though you said she had a RED chip." Ethan frowned, his eyes narrowing at me.
"I thought she had!" I explained. "William, I thought you performed the procedure?" I looked at the doctor in confusion. William nodded, deeming Natalie fit of health.
"I did the procedure, however she had had the beta blockers removed. Having two big procedures would have killed her!" he pointed out, looking at me like I was mad.
Before I could say a word, I felt a fist slam into my face and I fell to the floor.
"You mean to say you didn't check and Natalie could have died for real out there?!" Ethan yelled as he stood over me, eyes blazing. My cheek burned and I could taste the tang of blood in my mouth.
"I assumed he'd done the whole thing!" I shouted back, looking from him to Natalie.
"It's okay, it was just a mistake," Natalie smiled, her voice tired. "I'm alive, so what does it matter now?" She had a point and I couldn't help but feel my love for her grow, because even after everything she'd been through, she could still smile. Ethan walked away from me to her side and mumbled his apology. She just smiled and squeezed his hand, the sight making my heart ache.
"Well, I think you two should go back to the BLU base. I'm sure your Medic can perform the procedure and have your chip replaced," he declared, suddenly gesturing to Natalie and Ethan, "And you should escort them till they are back in BLU territory." He gave me a look that left me no place to argue.
I gave a sigh, bid the doctor goodnight and guided Natalie and Ethan back to their base.