Fortress of Death
Chapter 07 - Epilogue - We will watch over the ones who live
Comment: No song from the original challenge for the last chapter. Actually this chapter hasn't even been planned. The story should have ended with the helicopter scene from the previous chapter but while writing that I started feeling like writing a few short scenes of the time when everything returned back to normal.
Btw, I mainly know 2Fort from SFM videos. In my own gameplay on that map I couldn't explore too much of it.
Many months later.
"Ten more minutes left on the mission", a bored female voice was heard in between explosions and death screams.
Everything in 2Fort looked as if nothing had ever happened all this time ago, as if the battles had never stopped. Survivors had returned to their old jobs, new mercs to form a second team had been hired. But not everyone did forget. To some the matches were just another war they had to survive.
Scout jumped over the hood of the van a certain someone had parked in the middle of the battlefield as if he wasn't giving a shit if this was allowed or not, dodged the incoming attack. A volley of bullets blasted over his head, hit the metal of the vehicle but without the chance of destroying it. A van on the battlefield became part of the movable scenery and scenery couldn't be damaged.
"Is leetle man afraid to die?" the ubercharged RED Heavy sneered.
Scout was heavily breathing, his heart raced. Yes, he was actually afraid of dying. He exactly knew the respawn worked perfectly as usual but still he hadn't died a single time since the battles started again. And now he was trapped behind the van, so low on health that just one more graze shot would have killed him.
Suddenly he was surrounded by something like a warming breeze, his wounds started healing rapidly.
"Oh gee ... Doc, you don't know how glad I am to see you!"
Medic had found cover behind part of the fence lining the bridge over the water area, his medigun pointed towards Scout.
"Heavy should be here any second", he called out.
That moment a loud shot rang out and the RED Medic whose ubercharge had just worn off fell, a hole between his eyes. Scout didn't know where Sniper had found his hiding place so with a thankful grin he gave a wave to the building in general. A second later the minigun blasts were answered by their side when the BLU Heavy arrived.
"You are late to zhe party", Medic teased. "What took you so long?"
"Had to help Demoman out of trouble", Heavy apologized. But now we are here to give you cover to get inside."
"Los! We only have eight more minutes."
Engineer guarded his sentry - on a balcony behind enemy lines. It was a frequent passing spot for members of both teams. Who cared about standing inside an intel room when he could actively support his team mates with covering fire?
"An Engi out here and all alone? You must be searching for trouble pal", a voice said.
The RED Scout was standing in the entrance to the yard surrounded by the balconies, just outside the sentry's reach.
"I'm never alone, boy. And you can be glad I only kill actual threats not someone who just came here for some mocking."
The Scout only chuckled. "Never alone? You mean the sentry gun? Yeah, I know I can't do much about that but there are a few others who might want their revenge 'cause you caught them off guard the first time. Hey, guys, easy target over here!"
He could barely finish the last sentence when the Demoman of his team already pushed him aside. Their freshly respawned Heavy followed right behind him. Also a RED Soldier ran through one of the doors on the upper floor, launched a rocket towards the sentry gun. But before the projectile could reach its destination it was reflected, hit the ground of the yard and the Soldier ran right into the fire of BLU Pyro who had stormed out of the door behind Engineer. Only a moment later bombs and rockets were flying off the roofs and hailed down on the enemies.
A little smile slipped on Engineer's face.
"I told ya, boy, I'm never alone."
Sniper watched the bridge from up above. Once in a while a RED shortly showed up but Sniper only shot when it would be a sure one-hit-kill or when one of his team mates was in danger. Even though he could fill up his ammo any time he never wasted a single bullet. Where the hell was Scout? He was inside for way too long already. And then he saw him storming out of the base, the briefcase on his back, a RED Pyro right on his heels. Sniper quickly raised the rifle to his shoulders and shot. He saw the Pyro fall and Scout jump into the water but couldn't continue his watch because he sensed something behind him. Quickly he spun around. The RED Spy broke down to the ground before him, revealing the BLU Spy who just backstabbed him.
"What an amateur", Spy said and casually lit another cigarette. "He didn't even notice me when I previously crossed his way up here - disguised as him."
"Thanks for covering my back, mate", Sniper said and turned his attention to the happenings down below again. Scout had already entered their base.
"Scoping on your little boy again?" Spy asked and leaned against the wall right next to Sniper. "Keep taking such good care on him", he silently added. "On the battlefield ... and anytime else."
What the heck? How did he know?
Sniper turned his head but Spy had already disappeared again.
"Victory", it sounded over the battlefield. A few shots were still heard once in a while but fire was seized immediately as soon as the REDs were on their side of the battlefield again. Soldier was just on his way back to the respawn room to regain health and stock up on ammo for the next round that would surely follow after a short break when he found the lonely remaining RED Scout in their base. Cowering in a corner the boy shortly scowled up at him but then averted his gaze again.
"Yeah, I know the drill of the humiliation round", he said. "Just ... just point your freaking gun at my head and shoot. So you can finally get your easy kill points and I don't have to kneel here before you like a helpless child any longer."
For a second Soldier looked down on his gun but then put it away.
"Go", he told the surprised Scout. "I won't shoot at someone who isn't even given the chance to defend himself. We will meet again on the battlefield. There I can have my kill - or you your revenge."
He looked after him when the boy ran off. Hopefully he would make it out alive and not run into someone who showed less mercy for stragglers in the wrong base.
When he entered the respawn room he walked into a little party. Those weren't unusual close to the end of the day when they had fought a couple of matches without a single death. The real party was still about to follow when the Administrator finally decided to call it a day. Smilingly Soldier shook his head.
'Professionals on the battlefield, boys behind the scenes', he thought and caught the bottle Demo tossed him.
The score tables told that they still held a record, not only at winning the most matches but also at the least deaths. This had not happened by chance. They didn't just fight on their own anymore to do their job and get through the day - the events of the past had bound them together, taught them to watch over each other, to fight as a team.