The ceiling of the shed was dusty and covered in cobwebs, any shift in the wood and bits of dirt would fall down on your face, this part of the property exempt from the renovations. Tracy was leaning back into the cot, an old navy blue blanket lying across her lap as her fingers picked at loose strings. Her mind was racing back and forth, trying to figure out what she could possibly do to help her poor teammate. The only thing keeping her from going crazy was the shuffling noises of the Engineer nearby, sitting at his desk. His hands were busy, his skill was obvious as he deftly and smoothly pulled the pencil across the page.
As soon as he began humming a little tune, she began to calm down. It was such a familiar song too, she was sure she heard it on the radio. For a moment, she just closed her eyes, until the image of the Spy on that table materialized in her mind's eye. Tracy sat up, trying to push it from her thoughts. That movement disturbed the Texan from his task, turning to look up at her. He gave her a small, nervous smile, unsure what to say.
"Ah appreciate you keepin' me company, but if it's borin' you don't hafta stick around." He offered kindly as he gestured to the papers, "Ah'm just workin' on the schematics right now, it's gonna be awhile before I can jury-rig somethin' up."
Tracy shook her head, "I don't know what to do right now anyways, basically useless. Besides, I don't mind."
Truthfully, she had felt a little guilty for hanging around the RED Engineer so much. After the dance, and the call with Miss Pauling, she and the BLU had been distanced lately, not just him but her entire team. She felt like she had been betraying them, and that was something she wanted to rectify. And that dance... that kiss... it still completely confused her. Thief and the RED Engineer had never really discussed or mentioned what happened that night. She really enjoyed her time with him, however limited it was. Every time she even thought of the Engineer, she always felt her face go hot and her heart jump. But at the same time, Tracy knew she wasn't really ready for a relationship. Besides Victor, she had dated only a few others, and not for very long. Trying to nurture a relationship with this type of job wasn't exactly the recipe for a healthy love life. Assuming he even felt the same way about her, it could have been some sort of distraction or even just a strange way to tease her, if he actually knew her secret. Also, she WAS dressed as a man most of the time, could he look past that?
Either way she was more than happy for her friendship with the RED Engineer, even if that would be all there was, but the others? Other than the RED Thief, and Tracy didn't know what her deal was, she knew little of the REDs. And to be completely honest, she didn't care either. Perhaps it was presumptuous to condemn the rest, but she genuinely didn't see any opportunity to get to know them.
A little part of her told her the only reason she didn't want to know the others was the possibility they were just like her, just as clueless and scared as she was. She wanted to pretend that the Engineer was the only one immune to their bloody RED path of destruction. That little voice told her she was wrong.
She ignored it.
BLU Engineer smiled, looking away from her bashfully. One of the most likeable things about this Engie was his shyness, his silent genius. He never showed off, hardly ever yelled, and was always concerned for others well being. A few of those things the BLU and RED Engineer shared.
"So this thing will attach him to a body?" Tracy asked after a moment, gesturing to his work. The German doctor and the Texan had discussed the possibilities for the poor man, most of it she couldn't follow.
Setting his pencil down on the desk, he turned his rolling chair in her direction.
"Well, me and the Doc talked about a few different ways we could help 'em." Engineer pulled at his collar, "Some things the Doc has mentioned aren't exactly... humane so Ah think we're probably gonna go with mah ideas."
"We could do something similar to what the REDs did, keep him on a power supply, for a while at least til' Ah can figure somethin' out. I'd rather make something sooner than later, I don't like the idea of him bein' stuck like that. Problem is the Doc hasn't done a complete... analysis." He winced, "Made 'm promise not to go too crazy, but ya know how he is."
Tracy grimaced, nodding understandably.
"One is relatively simple, similar neck attachment that allows him to link his nervous system to a machine he could control. Ah do have some prosthetics, they aren't made t' fit so ah'll need to make some adjustments, but it might be a short term solution. Not exactly mah preferred choice but it's the first thing Ah can think of on such short notice. Mah other idea... well..." He slowed, suddenly unsure of his words.
Scooting to the edge of the bed, she tried to seem as interested as possible, and it wasn't dishonest. She did want to hear his idea, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. Any plan sounded better than what she could come up with.
"It's... somethin' Ah been workin' on for awhile, lil side project ah suppose you'd say." Engineer lifted his hard hat off his head, setting it aside. He was obviously uncomfortable, she could tell he was concerned about what her reaction would be. "If this war ever ended, ah assumed I'd be asked to make somethin' like it."
He shuffled the blueprints on his desk until he pulled out one, laying the paper gently on his lap. Thief leaned forward to get a better look. It appeared to be a rough draft of some sort of industrial looking helmet, with large sensors on where the temples would be. There was no visor, no practical use on the battlefield that she could see. She didn't understand what the measurements and notes he wrote meant, but she was starting to get the picture.
"It's completely theoretical, and untested." He took a deep breath, reaching the part he dreaded. "The helmet would transfer all memories to one subject, rendering the other permanently dead."
Tracy blinked.
"B-But that's just one option! Could just wipe the memories of the other, if they choose." The southerner smiled nervously, trying to amend what he just said. The smile dropped, "Ah'm sorry, it is pretty unpleasant... ah dunno if it'd even work."
Leaning back slightly, Tracy considered what he just showed her. A helmet that could transfer the memories of one to the other? It sounded like something that would come out of a sci-fi movie, but the Thief had long since accepted that the fantastical and unbelievable could happen here. With men who can jump hundreds of feet in the air with explosives, turn invisible, and bring the dead back to life, she couldn't see any alternative. She had no doubt the Engineer could create it. As for if his idea was morally sound... well, they'd have to ask the Spies their permission, if they got that far.
Shifting forward again, the Thief took his blueprint and smoothed it a bit more, taking a closer look at it. "I think you can do it."
Engineer looked up, the relief blooming on his face. Setting his hardhat back on his head, he allowed her another moment to look at the schematic before setting it back on the desk.
"Thanks, but be patient, it's gonna be a bit of time before ah can even make a prototype." A gloved finger tapped on the paper, "Ah'm an Engineer, not a medical doctor, but even then this is theoretical in both our fields."
"Nothing you guys can't tackle." Tracy reaffirmed, noting the slight hesitation in his voice. Just in case she was making him uncomfortable she added, "I'm not distracting you am I?"
"Naw, yer fine." The skin around his goggles crinkled up as he smiled, "Actually, it's kinda nice to have someone t' keep me company even if they don't say nothin'. You and Pyro are the only two. But if ya wanna head back, Ah won't hold it against yah. It is pretty late."
He was right, it was nearing three in the morning, and she had done nothing but worry and sit feeling useless the entire time. Tracy could feel the temptation of sleep calling her like a siren song, weight pulling her eyelids lower, but she was more than experienced in fighting it off if she wanted to. She had always had a hard time falling to sleep, even when she was exhausted.
"Don't worry, if I fall asleep just wake me up." She replied, yawning despite herself. Engineer gave her one more smile before turning back to the desk, returning his focus to the task at hand. Tracy moved her gaze, trying to find something to keep her attention. Noting a magazine lying on the floor, she picked it up, recognizing the name on the cover. Saxton Hale's own comic books, she hadn't really considered it but she did recognize them from the grocery store checkout lines.
She barely had time to flip through the pages, last thing she remembered was a blanket being thrown over her.
She awoke, disoriented, not recognizing her surroundings. For a brief moment she was terrified, that she had been taken by the REDs in retaliation for taking her team's Spy back. Tracy caught her breath the moment she recognized the color of the walls, and the sleeping Texan. Engineer was still sitting in that same chair, head leaning against his shoulder, a small line of drool connected to his lower lip. His feet were propped up against the cot, arms crossed across his chest. He was still wearing his goggles, helmet tipped forward blocking the light overhead from getting into his eyes.
Sitting up, Tracy caught sight of the time, she had slept the entire night in the Engineer's bed. She noted the blanket had been pulled over and tucked around her, and unintentionally breathed in. Pushing the blanket away, she couldn't help but feel like a pervert for enjoying his scent, spicy yet smooth as if it were melting under her tongue. It didn't feel right to her, like she was taking advantage of him in her own strange way.
Trying her best to not make any noise, she stood up and cringed when the wooden floor squealed in protest. For just a moment she thought he hadn't heard her, but a moment later and the Engineer woke up, a small groan leaving his lips. His neck cracked as he pulled himself out of his unnatural position, rubbing his shoulders as he winced.
"Ah hell," Engie grumbled as he wiped his mouth, stretching out his limbs. She heard the pops of aching joints releasing their tension, the sound temptation enough for her to crack her own fingers. Looking up at her, he gave her timid grin. "Er, how'd ya sleep? Ah woulda woke ya up, but I figured ya needed the rest after that mission."
Tracy was reminded again how much RED and BLU Engineer were alike. Really, how different were the mercs to each other? She felt very unnerved with her doppelganger, but she couldn't help but feel something inside her that was familiar. It also concerned her why the clones would start acting differently to each other, obviously they would be experiencing different sides of the war, but it seemed like there was a split amongst them. The differences were so slight, but they felt so different due to their labels.
"Good morning," She gave him a small smile, "Next time just wake me up, I don't wanna take up your space."
"It's no problem." He stated kindly, pulling himself out of his chair. On his desk was a semi-finished sketch of the helmet, lead and pencil erasings littering the the paper. "Wanna go get some breakfast?"
Nodding, Tracy followed the Engineer as he opened the shed door. The sun was just rising over the horizon, the dead trees surrounding the territory casting shadows against the packed dirt. A breeze blew through her hair, cool, promising more rain to come, followed by the quiet cries of birds in the distance. Clouds in the sky were light for now, but they were moving quickly. You could describe the area as desolate when matches were off, with how quiet it was. Bullet casings littered the dirt as they walked towards base. Engineer unlocked the kitchen door, holding it as she walked through.
Very few were awake this early. The Pyro was shuffling about in front of the stove, the hiss and pop of grease greeting their ears. Tracy could smell bacon, her eyes wandering to a plate stacked tall with pancakes. Her stomach growled, realizing the only thing she ate last night was that banana bread. Pyro turned in their direction and gave them a cheerful muffled greeting, gesturing to the food before them. She smiled gratefully in response, grabbing a plate to stack on the delicious breakfast. The Engineer did the same, very few pancakes but a lot of bacon. Sitting down at the dining table, the two dug into a delicious meal. While they didn't have many provisions, their resident pyromaniac did their best to make what they had edible. Grabbing a bottle of syrup, she squirted a small puddle on her pancakes and dug in.
She offered the syrup to the Texan, who declined. "Ah'm not much of'a sweet tooth, that bread last night was enough for me." He proceeded to slather butter atop his flapjacks, adding a small pinch of salt. Tracy shrugged, continuing to stuff her face.
Halfway through the meal their team finally started trickling in. The Soldier was the first, having been awake before the sun had rose. To their surprise, he clapped the Pyro on the back and genuinely thanked him for the meal. The masked person clapped with joy, giving the larger man a hug. Soldier simply gave them a half hug before sitting down at the table, plate in hand. Across the table the Engineer gave him a thankful nod, a smile on his lips. Tracy couldn't help but smile too, he could be hard headed but deep down in there, Soldier cared.
Medic and Heavy were next, each taking different portion sizes. Heavy's plate was well, heavy, stacked twelve high dripping syrup down into the plate. Medic was very conservative, two pancakes and two slices of bacon. Sniper came soon after, carrying his #1 Sniper mug to the coffee maker, one of the rare times he wasn't wearing his sunglasses. Deep purple bags were under his eyes, making the scar under his left cheek stand out all the more.
"You alright?" Engineer asked as the Australian passed him to sit down. Besides the coffee, he only took a handful of bacon strips.
"Watched out the window just in case one of those buggers caught wind of whot happened." He stated, scratching the back of his neck. "Couldn't sleep anyway..."
Engineer nodded in response, going back to his food. Tracy thought that it was actually kind of sweet he took the time. While they were supposed to watch out for each other, it felt a bit different when they weren't on the job. Feeling her eyes on him, the Sniper looked up at her. She gave him a little smile, tilting her head slightly, silently communicating her thanks. The bushman gave her a subtle nod, turning back to his coffee.
Scout and Demoman were next, Scout being the first, stumbling and rubbing his eyes. He looked like he usually did in the morning, a mess. Hair sticking out everywhere, a line of drool having dried on his chin. Demo was green in the face, bottle of aspirin and whiskey in hand, no matter how much alcohol tolerance the man had he always felt sick in the morning. The Bostonian piled on the pancakes, his only complaint they weren't blueberry. The Scotsman winced at the younger man's voice, grabbing a single strip of bacon.
Tracy was just about done with her meal when the final member joined them. Spy stepped into the room, the agitation from the night prior having tempered slightly. It appeared he was just about to speak, when a whistling noise was heard behind them. Tracy turned to see the Pyro taking a kettle off the stove, pouring a cup of hot water into a cup. Setting a teabag into the cup, the Pyro weave around their team mates and gave it to the Spy.
The Frenchman cocked his brow at the pyromaniac, his expression losing some of its venom, until he finally thanked them in his native language. Sitting down at the end of the table, the Spy cleared his throat.
"I have received a call from our benefactors zhis morning." This got everyone's attention, "Our services shall not be needed till next week."
Raising her eyebrows, Tracy took this in as the others whooped in celebration. This had been the first time since she had been forced to join that they'd had a week off. It was usually three or four days at the most, a full seven days?
"So I expect all of you to be back here early Saturday morning." He finished, taking the bag of tea out of his cup. He sipped at the bitter liquid, but said nothing about the flavor.
Tapping her finger to her lips, she began to pick at the dead skin. She was gonna be stuck here for a whole week, and with the little she could gather from the rest of her team's conversations, they would be out of town. The thought of being alone there terrified her, the image of Victor sneaking in during the middle of the night plastered in her minds eye. As much of a loner she had been back in her small town, she absolutely despised being alone. Her paranoia would ramp up to absurd levels, making her question every creak and groan around her. Now that she knew those noises could hold very real danger, it terrified her all the more.
"Oh, and you." The sound of the Spy's voice cut through her train of thought, "You're not going to be left alone. Someone is going to need to keep an eye on you."
"Huh?"
He snorted. "You may have been successful at your mission, but you are still technically BLU's prisoner." He looked up from his cup of tea, "You didn't think you'd be set loose early, now did you?"
She opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. Yeah, she kinda forgot about that. If he hadn't mentioned it and if she had been left alone, she might have just stayed there with little complaint. That worried her. Was she brain-washed or something? She shouldn't feel so much comradery with people who were also keeping her hostage, even if they were being incredibly kind to her. She shrugged, rubbing the back of her head.
"Someone is going to need to take you with them, or stay here." The Frenchman continued, "I will be out of town, so I am afraid I cannot babysit you."
Tracy looked about the room, unsure of who to ask. She really didn't want to be a burden to anyone, especially when this was one of their very few breaks.
"Oi can't take 'em, gonna go check on m' parents. Hopefully they've gotten over my career choices by now..." Sniper grumbled, flipping through a newspaper with one hand as he raised his coffee mug to his lips.
Heavy shifted next to the Medic, half-way finished with his meal. "I am going home to Russia, little man would not survive trip." He said this with such conviction no one could doubt him. She knew little of Russia, but she knew the territory was lethal to those not experienced to it, not to mention the wild animals that hunted the frozen tundra.
"Me too," Demoman spoke up, nursing his bottle of whiskey like a life support. "Me ma's a real pain in me arse when I'm home, but I'll take any chance to check on her." She couldn't help go "awwww," unintentionally encouraging the other mercs to laugh. He rolled his eyes at the others and returned to gulping at his beverage.
"Well," The Texan's soft voice broke through the laughter, "Ah do have some property not far from here, bout' an hours drive. Ah got the majority of m' tools there, so it'd be best place to start makin' progress on the machines. I don't see any reason why you couldn't come along. It'd be best if the doc came too, with..." He nervous glanced at the Spy, "our friend, so we can help him as quickly as possible."
The atmosphere of the room became uncomfortable once they mentioned the beheaded Spy. Tracy had sort of forgotten about it until then, sleep always had the way of making her forget. Medic perked up at his name, and nodded.
"I was planning to stay, but I do not see vhy I couldn't join you. I will need to bring some supplies, of course..." The German purred, a small smirk on his lips.
Engineer cringed, "This is the only damn time Ah'm gonna let you do this again. And NO dead bodies this time around, I could never get the smell outta the damn thing."
"Oh, don't be such a baby. Bleach gets nearly every smell out." He waved the Engineer's concerns away, taking a gulp of his own coffee. "But I acquiesce, no bodies."
The Engineer sighed in relief, until the Medic murmured under his breath, "I'll simply have to get fresh, local specimens."
Giving the doctor an stern glare, the Texan turned back to Tracy. "Does that sound alright with ya?"
It wasn't like she had much choice in the matter, but she somewhat appreciated that they were trying think of her comfort. She also didn't want to make any trouble for the others, but if he was willing to offer she would take it, it just so happened she quite enjoyed the Engineer's company. Tracy nodded, "Sounds great. Where is it, if I can ask?"
"Conagher Ranch, been in mah family for generations." He answered cheerfully, glad someone was taking interest in his family. "It's where my grandfather and dad taught me everything they knew. If we got a shot to help..." Engineer glanced at the Spy, "... our friend, it'll be there."
Tracy nodded and turned back to the table, finishing her meal. By the time she was finished, most of her team had gone their separate ways, getting ready for their week break. The only person left at the table was Heavy, wiping the last bit of pancake around the plate full of syrup. Deciding now was as good time as any, she got up and walked upstairs into her and Pyro's shared room. Grabbing her old suitcase, she began packing the few clothes and trinkets she could fit inside, wondering where her masked roommate ran off to.
Once she was finished, she peered inside the closet in case she forgot anything. Inside she found the red hoodie she bought the day they arrived at Harvest, price tag still attached to the fabric. Taking it out, she considered just stuffing it inside her suitcase. It was getting kind of chilly outside, and technically it was a cease fire right? There was no need to attack each other. Pulling the hoodie over her black tank top, she caught sight of her reflection in the window.
It felt wrong.
She pulled it off, deciding instead to tie it around her waist.
That was better. It wasn't that cold anyways.
Grabbing her suitcase, Tracy walked outside her room and downstairs, taking a look at the base one last time. She wasn't sure if she would be coming back, and while it was rather small property she always preferred the cozy atmosphere over the cold totalitarian basements they had been living in before. Passing by the Sniper and Scout, Tracy walked outside where the Engineer's truck was waiting, a few supplies already loaded into the back. Most of the Texan's toolboxes were loaded in, the Medic was having him help load a heart monitor named 'Cardioscan 2000'.
"Herr Thief, could you be a dear-" He huffed as they pulled the machine from the ground, despite its size it was quite heavy. "I have a small bag of tools in my office, be useful and get it would you?"
Tracy rolled her eyes but did as she was told, dropping her briefcase next to the truck and made her way into Respawn, passing down into the infirmary. He had cleaned the place before he started packing, to her surprise. The Medic was a messy man, his method was order in chaos, although she thought it was madness. Stepping into his office, she immediately spotted the bag on his desk. Tracy grabbed it, turning to leave the room.
{BRRRRRIIIING! BRRRRRIIIING!}
She stopped in tracks, turning towards the noise. A phone sat on the Medic's desk, the receiver vibrating with each ring. She considering running up to get the Medic, perhaps it was a call for him? But it could be important, something from Miss Pauling...
Tracy's curiosity won out.
Slowly, she picked up the phone and put it to her ear, hesitant to hear what was on the other end.
"Miss Richardson."
Anxiety ran through her arms, pinpricks of fear causing hair to stand on end. She had heard this voice nearly every day on the battlefield, it was unmistakable.
"I would have contacted you much sooner, but you have an annoyingly common habit of making friends with your team."
"I do not have much time, your teammates are busy with their own frivolities. Miss Pauling has made quite the mistake, it seems."
"It is of none of your concern now. What I am about to task you with is of the utmost importance and secrecy. And it just so happens your friendship with your team might actually be useful."
"I gave your Engineer's grandfather a very important document, and I have need of it once again. You are to retrieve it by any means possible, by the end of this week."
"The consequences for failure will not only be the end of your many lives, but someone you find particularly dear..."
Tracy focused on breathing, in through her nose and out through her mouth. Blood was rushing to her head.
"Your mother is a very interesting woman, Tracy Richardson."
Tracy panicked, "OKAY! Okay, I'll do it."
"Do not fail me."
Tracy stepped out of Respawn, bag in hand. She was trying to school her face back into the relax disposition she had earlier. Her mind was racing, her pounding in her chest.
"Ah, Diebin, there you are."
Turning towards the truck, the Engineer and Medic were waiting inside. The genuine smile on the Engineer's face cut through her, the guilt only serving to make her feel worse.
"Here you are doc." She held the bag up. He gestured for her to throw it in the back. Grabbing her own suitcase, she stacked the luggage in the back of the truck beside the others and walked towards the front. The Medic scooted into the middle of seat, giving her room to sit down.
"Ooh, this is exciting. I've never been to a barn before!" The German piped, grinning as the Engineer stuck the key in the ignition.
"Err, we've been to plenty barns before..." The southerner gave him a strange look.
"I mean one with real animals." The other man waved away his confusion condescendingly.
Just as the Engineer started the vehicle, there was a tap at the window. Everyone turned to see who it was, jumping at the sight of Pyro. They gave a small wave, pointing to the back of the truck.
"Ah guess 'e wants to come along." The Texan shrugged before nodding to the pyromaniac. Pyro gave a cheerful "Huddah!" before climbing in, setting down their own suitcase.
"Welp, I guess this is it." Tracy said, a small tremble in her voice. The truck began to pull away from the base, rocking back and forth on the uneven dirt road.
"Eeyup."
"Don't vorry dear, ve'll be back to killing in no time!"
Tracy winced, turning to the window, watching the world fly by.
