So, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that my writer's block has official been cured (for now). The bad news, though, is that my editor will be in Thailand for a few months, so I currently have no editor...
Anyway, I hope this chapter goes well and that you enjoy it!
Once again, it was raining at the Sawmill base. Despite the fact, the two teams of nine were still expected to fight each other through the rain and mud. Yet, though conditions were poor, most of the RED team didn't mind the rain.
"I honestly don't see vhy ve have to go out in zhe rain. It's just going to be one big mess out zhere. I'll probably get stuck in zhe mud and my medigun von't vork, and my coat vill be filthy, and Archimedes vill be filthy, and..."
"Doktor, is not big deal. Do not complain," Heavy said as he retrieved a belt of minigun ammo and slung it over his body like a pageant sash.
Medic hefted the medigun onto his back, "It is a big deal, Heavy. Some of us prefer to look professional. Vouldn't you agree, Herr Spy?"
Spy didn't respond from his place leaned against the windowsill.
"Ahem, I said; vouldn't you agree zhat it is unprofessional to go out and become filthy in zhis mud and rain?"
Spy's eyes flicked briefly in Medic's direction, but he remained silent. He was too busy mulling over the previous night to involve himself in whatever Heavy and Medic were going on about. Besides, he wasn't all that put together today anyway. When the sleeping dart had finally worn off, he'd barely had enough time to change into a clean uniform and grab a glass of water before pushing the flyaway hairs beneath his mask and running to the supply room to wait for the day's battle to start. Since he'd had a moment of peace, he'd taken to staring out into the rain partly to consider the man's offer, and partly to keep anyone from remarking on his unshaven face.
"Alrighty fellas," Engineer said as he strode to the center of the room, "Let's stop arguin about the rain and get ready to fight in it."
Medic gave a groaning sigh and moved to his starting position beside Heavy.
Engineer glanced over to Spy and considered telling him to ready up, but decided against it.
The voice of the Administrator came over the intercom, "Mission begins in ten seconds."
The mood in the room shifted as everyone prepared to rush into battle.
"Yo Spy, you gonna join us, or just keep havin a midlife crisis?"
Spy turned slightly to Scout, "Worry about yourself, Scout, or you might trip over your own feet from concentrating too hard."
Scout muttered something under his breath about scraggly old men and prepared himself for battle.
"Five, four, three, two, one! Mission begins."
At the call of the Administrator, eight mercenaries rushed onto the battlefield with cries of war. Spy lagged behind and waited a few minutes to pull himself away from the window to join the battle.
Once outside the resupply room, Spy ran up onto the roof of the RED base to assess the situation. Medic and Heavy were engaged in heated combat with the BLU Soldier and Scout in the middle saw building. Down below, Pyro swept the area for any sign of the BLU team. Off to the right on the RED balcony, Sniper was crouched low with his rifle poised to shoot anything that ran down the hill. Spy took another careful scan of the area to look for one thing in particular.
Soon, he spotted it. Creeping along the edge of the building was a patch where the rain failed to hit the ground and instead revealed an invisible, spy shaped absence.
Spy averted his eyes from the patch, but kept it in his peripheral vision as he moved to the roof of the lower shed. He saw the cloaked spy dart under the covered walkway beneath him. In response, Spy moved onto his toes and crept to the edge of the walkway cover. There, he leapt down and felt the enemy spy crash into him.
Instantly, Spy lashed out and grabbed his shorter BLU double by the neck. The BLU gasped and dropped his cloak before hissing a very faint 'dammit'. Then, he moved his arms up to grab his assailant, but the RED reacted first and jabbed him just below the sternum to cause his hands to fly down to rub the injured area.
"What do you want?" He spat.
Spy casually dropped him and brushed his hand off on his soaked pants leg, "I simply wish to know if you've received any sort of unexpected visitor recently."
The BLU rubbed his neck, "That's none of your business."
"Oh but I think it is my business, Monsieur Picaro."
He recoiled slightly, "That was you?"
"No. I would not waste my time visiting your base to send a few messages."
The BLU Spy stood still for several minutes before attempting to throw a punch at the RED. With a faint sigh, Spy grabbed the blue suited arm and twisted it behind its owner's back.
"Stop acting like a child. If you wish to kill me, do it correctly. Allow me to demonstrate."
The RED Spy drew a revolver and delivered a single clean shot to his double's temple.
He almost pitied the BLU as he watched the limp body crumple to the ground. If he had been given the same offer, then there was no way for him to succeed. He was far too young and inexperienced, especially in the spy field. He missed a great deal in his observations, and always had to fight the urge to act impulsively as opposed to acting with calculation.
The RED Spy sighed. Though he knew his counter would fail, he hoped that, at the very least, the young man would learn something over the course of the week.
"I'm taking the rest of the day off," Spy announced as he strode from the BLU respawn.
Medic glanced up from refilling the formula of his medigun backpack, "Really? On what grounds?"
Spy walked close to Medic and whispered in his ear, "Well I feel as though I'm experiencing a, disturbance, in my lower abdomen region and I'm afraid I-"
Medic pushed him away, "No, I don't want to hear it, just go. I'll put you in for sick leave."
Spy smiled, "Thank you doctor."
Quickly, he exited the battle area and entered the living area of the BLU base. He picked up the secured phone line from the common area wall and dialed an ever familiar number.
"Ciao, Serafino."
A low growl resonated from the other end of the line, "What do you want Philippe?"
Spy twirled the phone cord between his fingers, "Is that really how you're going to greet your brother when he gives you a friendly call?"
"Hah, you only ever call if you want something Frenchman"
Spy clucked his tongue disapprovingly, "Tu sais Papa préfère que nous parlons en français."
"Don't speak to me in that damned foreign tongue, Philippe! I can feel mama rolling in her grave."
"Please, she was the one who liked the move to France."
"Enough," Serafino boomed, "tell me why the hell you've called or I'll send someone over to rip your spine out your stomach."
Spy sighed, "Fine. I called because I need advice."
Serafino's tone lightened, "Finally come to learn from your big brother, eh? Well, what sort of advice do you need?"
"I have an enemy I need to eliminate. Well, he's more of an old friend of mine, really."
"Yes...and why is this a problem? You're perfectly capable of eliminating one man."
"Do you remember Christmas ten years ago?"
Serafino paused for several moments, "He's Dufort, isn't he?"
"Yes."
Serafino chuckled, "You can kiss your mission success goodbye then."
Philippe groaned, "I thought you were going to help me."
"Relax, I am. Look, you're not going to beat him in traditional combat. That much is a given. To beat him, you'll have to find some way to break him and throw him off guard. Get personal, be impulsive, anything that will give him a moment of hesitation and allow you to gain an advantage. Fight dirty if you have to Philippe. You're a Picaro, show that French bastard that you are not a man to be messed with. If you want to win more than him, then you will, understand?"
Spy nodded, then realized the gesture couldn't be seen through the phone, "Yes, I understand."
"Good. To help you out, I'll express mail you a very delicate file that'll help you even the playing field."
Spy's face contorted to a twisted grin, "Thank you Serafino."
"Anytime, Philippe. Arrivederci."
"Ciao," Spy said as he replaced the phone on the receiver.
Whistling softly to himself, Spy returned to his room to have a long nap before Serafino's package arrived.
