AN: Hello, potential readers! Sad to say, this fic isn't going to be updated very often, if at all. I've mostly lost interest and started writing other stuff. I may come back to it from time-to-time, though.


Chapter 13: Snap Decision


Shane shakes his head and clambers to his feet. He quickly assesses the situation: the Reds are approaching rapidly with Brenda leading the pack. Evans is gone. Shane's rocket launcher is on the ground next to him, but it isn't loaded. He needs to get to cover ASAP. He takes a grenade from his belt, pulls the pin, and tosses it at the opposing team. While the Reds disperse, Shane withdraws into the trees and grabs the sniper rifle off his back. This will be a true testament to his proficiency as a leader; holding off an enemy invasion while his teammates are nowhere to be found. Such a feat will show that he can be relied on in battle, unlike that idiot Evans.

Brenda runs across the front of the Blue base and fires her pistol at Shane, aiming low so as not to immediately kill him… and to potentially shoot his dick off. The blue soldier ducks down behind a tree and peers around the other side. Tackle has taken up position on the side of the base, cutting off an escape in that direction. Shane could run away toward Red base, but what kind of leader would he be then? Meanwhile, Reid sits in a red folding chair on the sidelines (did he bring that with him?), observing the fight with a pair of binoculars. It doesn't look like he's going to participate, which is completely fine with Shane.

"Come on out and play!" Brenda yells, pausing to reload. The blue soldier takes this opportunity to lob a flashbang into the open. It detonates and Brenda's vision instantly goes white.

"Oh, crap…" Ears ringing, she looks around frantically, but can't see a thing. Next to the base, Tackle screams in pain and hurriedly retreats, clutching the sides of his helmet. That's surprising - Shane didn't think the flashbang was close enough to have affected him, but it's certainly a welcome turn of events. Shane holds up his sniper rifle and peers through the scope.

"Brenda!" Reid calls out from his seat. "Evasive maneuvers!"

She blindly dives forward and rolls into a crouching position, a shot whizzing past her head. As her vision starts to return, it fades from white to red when she sees that Shane has abandoned his cover and is running to face her in close quarters. Brenda rises to meet him, letting her pistol fall to the ground; this is personal.

Shane puts away his sniper rifle and as he gets closer, draws a large knife. Brenda produces a knife of her own and gets into a battle stance, radiating confidence. She is a ninja: she was born for this.

Her opponent lunges forward and Brenda sidesteps the stab. She slices downward, but Shane is quick to block it with his own blade. He kicks her legs out from under her and she falls onto her back. As Shane moves in, Brenda kicks up and catches him in the chin, causing him to stumble back. She scrambles to her feet and registers an important detail; Shane isn't close enough for her to capitalize before he recovers, so instead of charging, Brenda flips her knife upside down and swiftly throws it. Shane raises his arms protectively, but not before the blade has stuck itself in his chest.

Shane gasps and falls to his knees. He pulls the knife out of himself as Brenda comes closer and feebly swings it at her, but she dodges and delivers a brutal kick to the face that knocks his helmet off. The mousey-looking face underneath is filled with pain, anger, and possibly fear as he watches Brenda approach. Standing before Shane, she slaps him with enough force to turn him around.

"This is it, you asshole," Brenda says, grabbing his head with both hands. "Payback's a bitch, and I am not!" With a vicious jerk and a sickening snap, Shane's body falls limply to the ground. Brenda immediately screams in agony and follows suit.

From his chair, Reid winces and sets down his binoculars. "Damn, she must have forgotten that her arm was broken. Nice one-liner, though."

Reid surveys the area. Tackle is running around in circles with his hands on his head, yelling mindlessly. Brenda is in a heap on the ground, also yelling mindlessly. Finally, Shane is presumably dead after a neck-snap that shouldn't have been physically possible. The crimson soldier sighs; of course he's left to clean up the aftermath. He should have stayed back at the base… wait, Rapid is at the base. On second thought, Reid doesn't mind his present situation.

Brenda shakily climbs to her feet. "Reid!" she calls out.

"Yeah?"

"My arm is broken!"

"I know, you dumbass! I put it in a fucking brace!"

She stumbles over to Reid and sees Tackle. "Oh my God! We have to get Tackle out of here! Come on, we're going back!"

Reid stares at her, dumbfounded. "Back to Red base? We're about to win!"

"Who cares? Tackle is hurt!"

She puts her good arm around the sergeant and hurriedly retreats. With a frustrated sigh, Reid picks up his folding chair and follows them. It's no wonder they never accomplish anything in this war, they always run away when they're on the cusp of victory.

A short time after the Reds had retreated, Wilson runs up to the Blue base with the Red flag in his hands. He comes to a stop and takes in the scene; there are blast marks on the ground, bullet holes in the walls, and a blue soldier lying dead in front of him. Indeed, it was evident that Wilson had triggered an exciting turn of events. Everything had worked out quite well, in fact. The death of Shane allows for what Evans would likely refer to as a 'return to the status quo', and of course, Wilson has obtained the Red flag. He isn't sure what exactly this entails, but it must be a good thing. Why else would it be their primary objective?

For the second time today, Wilson shakes his head as he looks down at an unresponsive rookie. Truly, Shane had been an insane individual. Only a lunatic would want to lead this godforsaken team.