A/N: Thanks for the reviews and follows guys! I've uploaded cover art for the story. Full resolution is on my DeviantArt Rexcaliburr.

After bringing the Medibot to his new so-called office Makina returned to Gray, in case he had any work set out for him. Which he did.

"You know, you kept asking me what's in these files," Gray said, waving the two files in his hand. Makina watched on with nothing to say, deciding it was better to just let Gray talk first. "And I kept telling you you'd find out in good time. Well, your patience has paid off and it's time we move beyond the planning stages. We're not quite into execution yet, because there's some scouting around to be done. And that's where you come in."

Makina remained where he was by the door, until Gray stood up and extended the files to him. The robot slowly approached, feeling certain joints strain. He'd have to get that oiled again later. He took the files, hesitating a moment before opening them. Gray sat back down at his seat, sighing.

When he flipped them open, all he got was the battlefield reports and physical examination papers of two mercenaries, one from RED, and one from BLU. There were images of them on the battlefield, paperwork that contained all their information. How Gray had gotten his hands on this he had no idea. "I don't understand."

Gray shook his head, producing a VCR tape from the drawer. He put it into the player that sat on his desk, and after a few moments of whirring, the screen of the tape player lit up and began to roll whatever was recorded onto it.

Makina watched what was apparently the CCTV footage of Decoy, that stupid place some RED mercenary had built under the idea that it would distract the bots from going to their real base. In hindsight it had worked. The entire place was quiet say for a crop of six mercenaries wandering around the area, setting up, preparing for battle. There was a Pyro, a Demoman, a Heavy, a Medic, an Engineer, and a Scout. One thing Makina had noticed was that half of them were REDs and half of them were BLUs.

The tape fast forwarded to when Gray's robots had begun to swarm in. If Makina hadn't been paying attention, he would have missed the Pyro in the corner, his flamethrower suddenly clicking empty. In silent frustration the Pyro shifted his grip on the flamethrower to one hand and raised the other, fire spurting out from seemingly nothing.

Before he had a chance to say anything the tape cut to another point in the battle in which Heavybots were coming in large numbers. Makina swore the mercenaries would have no chance against them, when a shield of pure blue energy generated, the robots fizzling against them when they came into contact with the shield. The source of the energy shield was the BLU Medic.

Everything seemed to fall into place at that moment. "So… you want me to kill them?" Makina asked.

"No. I want you to scout them out for a bit, and when the time is right, we will capture them. Not because I want to cause any harm to them, but I doubt they'd willingly come and talk to me and it's rather important matter that they do."

Makina was pretty convinced that was not the truth that was being told. Nonetheless, he nodded along. Better to just agree to whatever Gray was saying instead of asking questions. He was dismissed to recharge himself. Tomorrow he would make his first trip to go scout out the two mercenaries.

Makina headed back for Medibot's office. The small room had been filled with a recharging station in the corner, some dim lights hung from the ceiling, and a stack of papers the metal Medic had requested for. Soon he would start filling it up with experiments of his own.

The Sniperbot knocked on the door, waiting for Medibot to answer before he entered. "Hey Doc," he said, getting the other bot to stare at him for a moment.

"Herr, vhy do you call me that?" Medibot asked.

Makina paused. Did he not like it? He shrugged. "I don't know. It seems more fitting than just... Medibot."

Medibot remained silent for a moment. "Okay, zhat's fine. Just curious."

Makina would have started telling Medibot about Gray's plans and the two mercenaries if a Scoutbot hadn't stuck his head into the office. "Hey glasses! Got ya that liver ya wanted!" It tossed something squishy at him, Medibot catching it in his smooth, polished hands. He caught the stare Makina was giving him and quickly put the liver into a box.

"Ah, zhank you. You can leave now." The Scoutbot pulled out of the room and disappeared into the hallways once again.

"I shouldn't question, should I?" Makina asked, eyeing the box which Medibot had thrown the liver into.

"Nein. It's just for a project. Anyvay, you wanted to talk to me, I assume?" Medibot asked. Makina nodded.

"Yeah. Gray's been planning something for some time. Something about a Medic and a Pyro from Mann Co. They've got some... supernatural abilities. Whether Gray wants to kill them or wants to do something else I have no idea. But he's sending me to scout them out tomorrow."

Medibot took a little time to process the information. "So.. vhat you are saying?"

"I'm saying that they might be our chance to get out of here."

"Right- vait, vhat?"

"You heard me."

Medibot was dumbfounded. He had no clue why Makina would want to do something as risky as trying to leave Gray Industries, much less get the help of Mann Co mercenaries. From what he had heard in his short time active, Mann Co was dangerous and that was why Gray was attacking. To try and get rid of the threat.

Makina realised that Medibot had not been active enough to realise what was happening. None of the other bots knew. Their internal processors were too stupid to know. Whatever bug was suppressing that stupidity had opened his eyes to Gray's intent. "Listen. Gray isn't the innocent and brave hero here. It might seem like it now but all the bots here have been filled with propaganda and whatever lies Gray is making. Truth is, he's been planning to kill his two brothers - the Mann Brothers - and take over Mann Co. He wants them destroyed."

"But zhey are a threat, are zhey not?" Medibot asked. "Vouldn't anyone van a threat destroyed?"

Makina shook his head, his joints squeaking a little as he did so. "They're not. All they're doing is fighting with each other for the land the Mann Brothers bought. What Gray is doing is attacking them - not for the land, but for the company. He wants control over it."

Medibot stared, unsure of what to say. Was this true? He was still rather skeptical about what Makina had said, but at the same time he could feel that there was some truth to it.

"Vell, I uh- I never thought of it zhat vay. But if you say zhat's vhat it is zhen…" Well he was inclined to believe it, wasn't he? "Maybe you should ah, think it over for a bit, ja? If you're wrong zhen ve are in a lot of trouble. Vait and see what he vants to do first."

He made sense, admittedly. As eager as Makina was to just up and leave as soon as possible he knew that was a recipe of disaster if they were not ready and Medibot was right. "Fine. I still have to scout them out anyway. But the second I confirm my suspicions, we're getting the mercenaries and we're getting out of here."

"Zhat's fine, Herr. But I vill remind you zhat I'm really not keen on zhis."

"Sure, whatever suits you. Just wait for your consciousness to really set in and you'll see it all." The bot turned and got ready to leave. "I'm going to recharge. I'll see ya tomorrow before I go off."

Makina left again for the night, his mind already starting to form plans to escape, with or without Medibot and the mercenaries's help.