Goodbyes, subchapter three: The Final Farewell.
Saanvi had gathered all the mercenaries in the medibay after a melancholy dinner. Everyone knew what was coming, no one knew what to say. As the teleporter spun to life, Saanvu turned to the nearest male. It was the male engineer, hovering over her shoulder.
" Destroy this after we've gone. Burn the notes, melt the pieces, and above all never do this again. It's caused enough trouble." The engineer nodded.
" It's been an honor working with you." Saanvi gave him a hug, then turned to the rest of the assembled crowd.
" Who wants to go first?"
There was silence, and then Chloe and the female sniper stepped forward.
" Personally I can't wait to get out of here." Chloe quipped, and gave a rueful smile. She turned to the male scout behind her. " Stay out of trouble." She punched him in the shoulder, and then grabbed the female sniper's hand. They proceed forward, the female sniper nodding to her male counterpart as she went.
" On the count of three?" She asked.
" THREE!" Chloe yelled, and they leaped into the teleporter's maw. They vanished instantaneously. Then came a scream of " AMERICA!" From the back of the crowd, and the female soldier charged through the assembled crowd and dove in herself. She too vanished from sight.
" Who's next" Saanvi turned.
" Hey um, not to be a party pooper, but the demo's aren't here." The male scout called.
" I sent Aoife through earlier." Saanvi's gut twinged with the lie, but it was all she could think of. " She wanted a private goodbye with Tavish." Scout nodded. Saanvi couldn't tell if he believed her or not, but he wasn't challengin it.
" Who's -mhm" Her voice broke in the middle of the sentence. " Next."
" I sink," the heavy ventured, " that it's just you and the pyro."
Saanvi ran through a checklist in her mind. Dead, Dead, Dead, already went through, ran off… He was right. Before she could respond there was a muffled noise from the back as the pyros bumped gas masks, and what she hoped was the one from her team shuffled to the front of the medibay. As they approached her, she could smell charred sewage reeking from their suit.
" After you." Saanvi squeaked out, gesturing ahead. The pyro fixed her with a strange gaze, it's mask's red eyes burrowing into her flesh, but it proceeded and flung itself into the teleporter. Saanvi felt the hairs on the back of her neck settle down after they had left.
" It looks like you are se only one left mademoiselle." The spy uttered quietly. Saanvi turned around. She faced the remaining male team, the scout, spy, sniper, engineer, pyro, heavy, and soldier. Miss Pauling was still sedated.
" I'm just going to say a few words." She said, inhaling quickly and exhaling to clear her head.
" A week ago I never would have believed all of this is possible. And even when it did happen I hated it. I hated most of you to be honest. But now… with all that has happened… I am glad to call you my friends. We've been to hell and back, even though some of us had to be left behind. I'm not one for pretty words, but I will always remember you for the rest of my life."
She waved a goodbye, and then leaped into the teleporter. She heard a whooshing, felt a lurch in her stomach, and then she was gone.
All who were leaving had left the universe.