Chapter 12 - The Deadly Motel.
As the van spluttered to a stop, the group of six emerged from the hot van as the star studded sky watched from above. So far, they had only encountered one group of people who directed them towards the just off the highway where a single old man refused to leave his livelihood. The group entered the dingy motel that was just off the highway. I was the last to enter the lobby, the smell of mothballs and dust everywhere. An old man sat at the front desk, his salt coloured hair was sticking up wildly and he had a shotgun propped up beside him. The red and tan colour scheme of the musty room was old fashioned. Sniper walked ahead, slamming a few bills onto the table. "Two rooms please, mate." The man grumbled, counting us. He passed over two keys which Engineer swooped up before leading everyone back outside. "Here ya go, Py. You and Amber can go to one room."
"Thanks Engie. You can call me Katie if you want. I don't really know what to go by right now other than my real name." I replied, taking the small keychain with the silver key attached.
"Alrighty, night ladies!" He shouted, walking after Scout, Sniper and Demo. Amber followed me as I opened the door that was labeled with the same number as the one on the keychain. The door creaked as it opened, the room pitch black and a terrible smell wafting from somewhere. Ignoring the rotting smell, we carried our gear and small amount of clothing and sat down on the large double bed. We took off our shoes, also ignoring the bolted up bathroom door that refused to open. After sitting back down on the bed, the diary on my lap again did I strike up a conversation with Amber.
"Hey Amber?"
"What?" She said, looking up from her own book.
"What do you think is behind that door?" I questioned, pointing to the bolted door in the corner.
"I dunno. Wanna break the lock and see?" She responded, a cheeky grin on her face. I picked up my axe from the floor, aiming before swinging forward with a hefty blow against the rusted lock. It cluttered down, landing on the ground with a thump. I opened the door with a creak, the dark room becoming lit as the light from the table light shone through. The overwhelming smell of rot permeated the air, flies buzzing around. I looked in horror and disgust at the dead body in front of me. Amber bolted her spot, rushing towards the room next door where the boys were. They all ran in, their weapons raised and completely ready for any kind of fight.
"Amber said you two discovered a body!" Scout shouted on arrival, appearing last.
"Move outta the way." Sniper snarled, pushing forward and looking at the corpse. "Bloody hell… it's the manger of this place!"
"Then who gave us our rooms?" Demoman asked, standing in the doorway. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head.
"The Spy robot look-a-likes.." I mumble, freezing in my place. Amber looks at me with wide eyes and so does Scout.
"H-He followed u-us!" Scout shuttered, clearly becoming panicked.
"Who?! Who followed us?!" Engineer asked, gripping into the young man.
"Vhy I did!" A voice from outside said. Everyone turned and looked outside at once, going silent. Medic was standing outside, arms crossed and a smirk across his face. The ground rumbled as a group of blue metal tanks appeared behind him, halting to a stop across the parking lot. Slowly, I watch as Amber picks up her weapons, motioning from everyone else to do so. I grab my medi-gun slinging it across my back, holding the nozzle towards Demo. The group walks forward, Amber taking the lead. Engineer walks forward, shotgun raised.
"I'd back away if I were you. You traitorous snake." Engineer spat, glaring at the german. Medic walked backwards as a massive army of robots appeared behind him. With a grin he raised a hand, a remote in the palm of his hand. He pressed it, laughing. The robots moved forward, shooting, throwing explosives and flames towards the small group.
"Go Demo!" I shout, flicking a switch on my medi-gun, activating the uber. We charge forward wiping out robots with explosives. I heard the sound of a decloak behind me and I swung my uber saw behind me, hitting a Spybot in the neck as oil spilled out onto the rust coloured ground. My uber flicked out as Demo blew a group of Pyrobots across the parking lot. I heard the sound of a sentry bleeping as Engineer hit it with his wrench and it shot at the robots in front of it. Sniper shot from far behind, getting head shot after head shot. Scout and Amber worked together to drive the robots with body shots and flames. I ducked as I dodged a melee attack from a Scoutbot, Amber lighting it on fire moments later. Suddenly, a large bomb like figure emerged, running towards Engineer's sentry and exploding, causing everyone behind me to tumble and fly away from the explosion. I ran forward but felt something hit me in the back of my leg. I tumbled to the ground, my medi-gun falling off in the process, tearing the connection between myself and Demo. Demoman flew backwards as he was air blasted into the air and slammed into a nearby building. I crawled towards my medi-gun but my hand was stopped by a thick leather shoe. I looked up, seeing Medic's smiling face. In an act of fear, my powers serged, lighting the area around me on fire. Yet as soon as my power came, it left as I watched my friends and family broken and cowering against a large brick wall, robots surrounding them whilst their weapons lay a meter away. With a sticking twist, he pulled away the uber saw in my other hand and held me down against my will. My wings thrashed around as he held my hands behind my back.
"Let go off me you bloody bastard!" I shouted. I attempted to struggle against his hold but with a insane laugh he swung the saw towards my back. I screamed in sheer pain as I felt the weapon hit against the bone of my wing. He continued until my wings hung loosely by thin strips of skin and blood was spurting out. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me through the dirt, dumping me beside the others. Through pain filled tears I watched as he stood in front of us, a broken group of six on the verge of death. Scout moved forward, his leg bent horribly and arm clearly broken. I leant against him, waiting for the inevitable.
"Join me." Medic spoke, his smile still plastered across his face. Everyone was too scared to speak with the fear of death looming above them. "Join me or die." Dawn appeared in the distance, the street lamps surrounding the area flickering off. Amber stood up slowly, earning a few confused looks. She was gripping onto her arm, most likely covering a bullet wound. Her head wound had reopened and dried blood caked her forehead.
"As if any of us are joining you, you sick psycho." Amber stated, walking forward confidently until she was face to face with Medic. She was at equal high to the man. I silently prayed, even though I wasn't religious, that Amber wouldn't fuck up. Medic's expression changed to a puzzled one before a slightly amused one.
"Lang nicht gesehen, Ambellina. I see you haven't changed." Medic snarled, looking at Amber. Amber pulled back, Medic smiling in satisfaction.
"Oh shut it. I don't go by that name anymore. Lasst sie leben, Hans, sie sind keine Bedrohung für deinen oder deinen sogenannten Chef. Nimm mich stattdessen. Lassen Sie sie in Ruhe!" Amber hissed, the last part in fluent german. I never knew that she knew german. I thought, the pain in my back still intense. Medic scoffed, turning his back on Amber for a moment. He turned back around before speaking.
"I see you still have that impulsive and informal personality. We have a deal." Medic held out a hand with a smirk.
"Amber! Don't do it!" I shout, hastily getting up before falling back down with Scout and Sniper catching me as I fall to avoid harming myself any more. I look at her, my eyes beginning to well. I lean against my knees as she silently lipsinked something. Two words. 'I'm sorry.' She took the man's outstretched hand before the robots swarmed around the pair, blocking them from view as they all shuffled back into the tanks and driving off into the distance. I leant down, crying into the palms of my hands. My healing factor had kicked in and stopped the blood from pouring out of my back. My wings hung loosely, limp and unable to move anymore. I had lost more than my wings. I had lost my best friend who had lied to me.