I apologize in advance for this chapter being longer than the others, but there's a reason for it.
Chapter 12: Gullywash
As a new dawn illuminated the eastern sky, the remaining Mercenaries had managed to escape Double Cross and were now resting near a mountain stream. While some mourned over the loss of Gerald more than others, they were all thinking about him. For a while, they had assumed that with his guidance, they would make it in one piece to the Moving Fortress. But now, they weren't so sure.
"I still can't believe he's gone," Freddie muttered.
"He did it to save our lives, lad," Aonghus said reassuringly. "So let's make his spirit proud that his sacrifice wasn't in vain."
"But where do we go?" asked Matthias. "Without Gerald, we're completely lost!"
"The Sniper's right," responded Gavin. "Gerald seemed to know the best way to get to the Moving Fortress undetected."
"Then we'll have to come up with a new path," Aonghus replied and scanned the area around them. "If we go around the mountains, we'll eventually reach a river that will take us into the canyons west of here, and then from there—
A sudden series of laughs came from Benjamin, causing everyone to look at him.
"I know what your plan is," Benjamin said. "You're trying to take us to Gullywash, where that old 'witch' lives."
"What's he talking about?" asked Steve.
"He's referring to the Administrator, son," replied Gavin. "I heard she kept the war between RED and BLU going for the sole purpose of making money, and even blackmailed mercenaries to keep them in line."
"But she also happens to be business partners with Saxton Hale, mate," Matthias noted. "So she can't be entirely bad."
"I know she was well-acquainted with Gerald in the past," Aonghus said, scratching his head. "So I figure that she might be able to help us."
"That doesn't satisfy me in the least!" replied Benjamin. "Now I think we should head south along this mountain-range for Bigrock! I know we'll all be safer there!"
"If we go to Bigrock, we'll be exposed to the enemy," Aonghus said sternly.
"Yeah, and that's the last thing we want, considering the circumstances!" added Matthias.
"Secrecy is our main objective, lad, or have you forgotten already?" asked Aonghus, glaring past the shadow of Benjamin's army helmet.
"No, I have not." Benjamin said, meeting Aonghus' gaze.
"Good, then let's head for Gullywash," Aonghus said, and immediately grabbed his Eyelander sword and pack.
###
Over the next few days, the eight Mercenaries traveled along the base of the mountains, heading southward. Then when they came to the southernmost mountain, they found a good-sized river that ran down the mountain's western side and into the canyons that lay in the distance. Following the river by night to avoid the heat, and resting in the shade of the trees by day, they eventually came to the mouth of the canyons. They were about to rest, when suddenly they were approached by a group of Snipers wearing purple uniforms with yellow umbrella symbols on their shirts instead of the RED or BLU logo, and had Sniper Rifles aimed directly at their heads.
"I thought Snipers stopped wielding guns long ago," Gavin said, poised to grab his Jag Wrench.
"Most of us have given up the use of Sniper Rifles since the Machine Wars, but the Gullywash ones haven't," Matthias said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Might want to take your hand away from your wrench, mate. One sudden movement and you're dead."
The others followed Matthias' example, and so Gavin did the same.
"We heard that the nine Mercenaries of the Bomb set out from Mountain Lab a month ago," said the leader of the Gullywash Snipers, who wore a purple hood and bandana to cover his head and face. "But I see only eight of you. Where is Gerald the Red?"
"That is a matter we would like to discuss with the Administrator," Aonghus said boldly.
"If it helps, we're friends of Gerald," added Freddie, and immediately regretted his decision when the leader's eyes turned on him.
"And since when did Gerald become friends with Scouts?" the leader asked, then his eyes fell on Gavin. "Let alone Engineers?"
"I don't like your tone, boy," Gavin said, glaring up at the leader. "You have something against my Class?"
"Snipers and Engineers used to get along during the two wars, but ever since then, they've haven't been on good terms," replied the leader, looking now at Matthias. "So I find it surprising to see an Engineer and a Sniper on the same team together."
"If you've got a problem with my friend, then go to hell, wanka!" shouted Matthias.
This statement surprised everyone, especially Gavin, who now looked at Matthias with a mix of confusion and admiration.
"I have nothing against your friend. I was merely stating an observation," said the leader, backing away. "We'll take all of you to the Administrator, but on the condition that you give us your weapons and allow us to blindfold you. Nothing personal, mates, just to insure that the path to Gullywash is kept secret."
"They did this to me the last time I came, so no need to worry," Aonghus said, and gave one of the Gullywash Snipers his Eyelander sword.
Reluctantly, the others did the same and gave up their weapons. Then when it came to the blindfolding, Gavin was the most reluctant, until Matthias convinced him otherwise. Soon, the eight Mercenaries were roughly led by the Gullywash Snipers on a path that ran next to the river, over steep cliffs, and then eventually through a long tunnel. At the tunnel's end, the blindfolds were taken off, and the Mercenaries' weapons were returned to them. Then the eight were led through Gullywash, which consisted of a series of tall buildings built into the cliffs that surrounded the area, while a large courtyard with a bridge on it was fenced on all sides by smaller buildings and walls. It was through one of these walls that the Mercenaries were taken to, and once they were in the courtyard, they saw a figure standing on the control point in the middle of the bridge.
"Friends of Gerald the Red are here to see you, Administrator," said the leader of the Gullywash Snipers, bowing low.
The figure, who was a skinny woman with a large bob of black hair wearing a purple dress and matching heeled shoes, waved her freehand dismissively. In response, the leader bowed again and left the eight Mercenaries alone with the Administrator. Once the footsteps of the leader died out, there was silence. Aonghus was about to speak, but then the Administrator spoke first.
"So, you are friends of Gerald," the Administrator said, turning to face the Mercenaries. She looked to be in her late forties to mid-fifties, with a single patch of white hair on top of her wide brow. "I find that disappointing."
She flicked the cigarette she was smoking away and jumped down from the control point. To everyone's surprise, she was able to land well despite wearing heeled shoes. Then, she looked at every single Mercenary in the eye.
When she came to Aonghus, she asked, "I remember you. Gerald brought you here once, so why isn't he here with you?"
"Gerald is dead, ma'am," Aonghus said, looking down.
"Dead?" The Administrator's eyebrows rose. "How did he die?"
"We were originally heading for Coldfront, but a storm we believe was conjured by Merasmus forced us to turn back. So we attempted to go through Double Cross instead, but there we found a lot of dead Engineers, which we soon found out were slain by Cyborgs living there, and then the Bread Monster appeared. So we made our way across the Train Bridge, but Gerald stayed and caused the Bridge to collapse. At first, only the Bread Monster fell, but then it took him down as well."
"How unfortunate," the Administrator replied, and took out another cigarette. "He was one of the best Medics I knew, but he always did reckless things whenever his 'friends' were in trouble."
"Don't you talk about Gerald like that!" shouted Freddie. "He did what he thought was right!"
This caught the Administrator off-guard, and looked at Freddie sternly. Her eyes were as black as coal stones, causing Freddie to feel intimidated. Then she walked up to him, lit her new cigarette, and blew smoke into his face, causing him to cough.
"So, you're the Bomb Carrier," the Administrator said nonchalantly. When Freddie seemed surprised, she explained, "Your left hand is inside your pocket."
Freddie looked down, and indeed his left hand was inside the left pocket of his trousers, which he placed the bomb in after he and the others left the cold mountains.
"There is no need to be ashamed of it," continued the Administrator. "But if you interrupt me again, I'll reveal every secret you hold dear to everyone present. Is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Freddie said, looking down.
Satisfied, the Administrator turned to the others. "I will let you stay till your wounds heal, but you must promise to never speak of what happens at this place to anyone who I'm not acquainted with."
"We swear, ma'am!" everyone said.
"Good. Your sleeping quarters are in the RED base."
Then with that, the Administrator walked away, leaving the Mercenaries dumbfounded.
###
"Whew, that woman is stone-cold." Gavin said a few days later as the others were getting ready for bed. "I hope I never have to meet her again after all this is over."
"I agree. She's not very pleasant to be around," replied Matthias. "And yet, you can't help but admire her for maintaining the technologies of the past for this long."
"Yeah, I went to one of her storerooms which had weapons in it and you won't believe how powerful a Rocket Launcher is compared to an everyday Shotgun!" said Benjamin. "Unfortunately, I got caught using it, but I would love to own one of those."
"She probably won't give you one even if you begged and pleaded," Aonghus responded.
"Yeah, yeah." Benjamin was about to go to sleep when he saw a troupe of several Snipers pass by their sleeping quarters, led by the Administrator. "What the hell are they doing?"
"I reckon it's a funeral procession," Matthias answered. "They keep whispering 'Gerald' under their breaths."
"But isn't it kind of odd that the Administrator's leading the procession, considering what she said about Gerald when we first arrived?" said Freddie.
"I wouldn't think too much about it, boy," Gavin said, patting Freddie on the shoulder. "Now let's get some shut-eye."
A few minutes later, everyone was asleep as the moon rose over the cliffs, bathing the red sandstone rock in blue light. The only one who wasn't asleep was Freddie. He had too many things on his mind, and so he decided to wander around Gullywash. When a Sniper blocked his path, he used his unnatural speed to run past them. Eventually, he came to a control panel above the main capture point at the BLU base. Unfortunately, the Administrator was there, staring at one of the computers, and then she looked at him.
"Uh, sorry, ma'am," Freddie apologized. "I couldn't sleep."
But just as he was about to leave, the Administrator got out of her seat, and said, "Before you go, Freddie Billows, I want to show you something."
Freddie looked at her, then at the computer she was waving her hand towards. Out of curiosity, he stepped closer to it, staring at the keypad and then at the blank screen before him. He had never seen this kind of complex machinery at Harvest, let alone 2Fort.
"You've probably never seen of these before," the Administrator said, almost as if she read his mind. "If you ask it a question, it'll come up with the most logical answer."
Surprised, Freddie turned to the Administrator. "Can I ask it any question?"
"Yes. Any question." The Administrator replied.
For a moment, Freddie thought about his question, and then he typed, 'What are the chances that four Scouts, a Demoman, a Sniper, an Engineer, and a Soldier will make it to the Moving Fortress?'.
Clicks and whirs accompanied flashing lights as the computer typed out the answer. It said, 'The chances of making it to the Moving Fortress when the party consists of four Scouts, a Demoman, a Sniper, an Engineer, and a Soldier are five to one'.
Looking at the numbers, Freddie was disheartened, but he then typed, 'What are the chances that four Scouts, a Demoman, a Sniper, an Engineer, and a Soldier will make it out of the Moving Fortress?'
More clicks and whirs followed, but at higher rates than before. Then after several minutes, the computer responded, 'The chances of making it out of the Moving Fortress…is zero'.
Shocked, Freddie typed out the next question slowly. 'What will happen if the One Bomb isn't destroyed?'
The answer came from the computer much slower than the previous answers, but it said, 'The Robots will invade Coal Town, destroy Bigrock, and gradually make their way northeast, destroying any areas that resist them while enslaving others'.
'What will happen to Harvest if the One Bomb isn't destroyed?' Freddie typed, though he didn't know if he was going to like the answer.
In response, the computer said, 'The Robots will burn the crops, turn the barns into factories, and force the residents to operate them as slaves'.
Then suddenly, the computer screen became pitch-black, and when it turned back on, a horrendous eyeball was staring back at Freddie. It was dark-brown and red around retinal fibers, but instead of a pupil, it had the face of a creepy old man. Freddie backed away from the computer as the creepy old man laughed, while the Administrator took out a Pistol from her dress-pocket and fired at the screen. This caused the computer to explode as sparks flew from the monitor and fell onto the concrete floor. While the rest of the control panel fizzled and died, the Administrator lit a cigarette.
"Judging by the appearance of the Monoculous, I'm guessing that you asked the computer what would happen if you failed," the Administrator said, and looked at Freddie.
"Uh, yeah, but I didn't mean for that…thing to appear," Freddie said, trying to sound calm.
"The Monoculous is attracted to the one who holds the One Bomb, because it is possessed by Gray Mann's spirit," the Administrator explained. "And that person is you, Freddie Billows."
"So…as long as I carry this bomb, that eyeball will follow me?" Without thinking, Freddie took the One Bomb out of his trouser pocket, and held it. "Will I be putting my friends in danger?"
"Friends? There's no such thing when you're dealing with mercenaries. They were hired to protect the bomb, and kill anyone who tries to take it. Nothing more."
"How do you know that? We've been through a lot together over the past few weeks," Freddie responded.
"True, but sharing the same experiences doesn't mean you know them well as people. Each of them might be plotting to take the One Bomb for themselves as we speak. So if I were you, I wouldn't trust any of them, or give it to someone more fitting."
"Like you?" Freddie uncurled the hand that held the One Bomb, and thrust it out. "If you want this bomb so badly, then take it."
"Interesting. I never knew a mercenary that would prefer a peaceful solution over constant suffering." The Administrator walked towards Freddie, holding her hand out. "But you realize that if I had the bomb, I could blow up the world, or possibly threaten powerful individuals into following my demands. I'd be the world's greatest dictator, spying on each individual with my advanced surveillance technology, and killing anyone who stands in my way with the best mercenaries money could buy! Oh, the thought of it all thrills me!"
As Freddie was about to back away, the Administrator suddenly reclined from touching the bomb, and looked outside the glass window of the control panel. For a long time, she didn't say anything as Freddie put the bomb away. Then just as Freddie was about to speak, the Administrator walked past him and stopped at the door.
"I suppose I should thank you, Freddie Billows," the Administrator said, letting the little stub that was left of her cigarette fall to the floor. "Now that I know my desire for material gain has vanished, I shall return to England, and live what's left of my life there until the Australium Saxton Hale generously provided for my artificial body runs out."
End of Chapter 12