Chapter Nine

. . .

Boston, 1976.

"Will you marry me?"

"Oh- Yes! Yes I'll marry you!" The ebony haired woman threw herself at her new fiancé and he squeezed her, laughing with her and smelling her hair. He pushed his lips into hers and she held his head in both hands, a look of bliss on her face as she pressed herself to him.

The door suddenly banged open, causing the couple to jump and pull apart slightly, and there stood the former BLU Scout, or just Nate as Spy had come to know him now. He blinked at the pair. Despite being twenty six years old, Nate still possessed the gangly appearance of an adolescent with his freckles and his baseball cap pulled down over his head. He'd grown taller since 68' but remained terribly skinny.

"Uh." seeing his mother's face and the shiny, undoubtedly pricey new ring on her finger he stopped abruptly, as if having spotted the most unexpected sight, even though he'd given his blessing to Spy two days ago. His cheeks coloured an uncharacteristic pink.

"Hey."

"Nate, hon'! Mathieu's proposed! Momma's gettin' married!" she squealed and rushed her youngest son, squeezing him tightly, giggling like a school girl. It was the happiest he'd seen her in years.

"Dat's…" he eyed Spy uncomfortably, looked at his ma's glowing face, then looked back at Spy. "Dat's great ma." He grinned and patted her back sheepishly, which earned him several kisses on the cheek. Then she swung on her heel, "Oh!" she clapped her hands with delight. "I have'ta tell Sandra down the street! Oh that tramp will be so jealous!" she skittered to her new fiancé, kissed him on the cheek and then skittered out to spread the happy news, with a family their size it would take a while to inform them all. Spy and Scout stood embarrassingly quiet like a pair of limp scarecrows as awkwardness filled the void left by the soon-to-be-bride. Eventually, Spy found his voice.

"So … 'ow was baseball?"

"Aright," Nate scratched the back of his neck "a'right…"

"Anything interesting 'appen?"

"Jus' the usual."

"Did you win?"

"Yeah."

"Good…"

"Yeah…"

The silence was killing him. "Thank you for your blessing the other day. Know that I would not 'ave asked, 'ad you not given it."

"Oh man, If I'da known dat I wouldn't have given it." He shot Spy a cheeky smirk but his tone was playful. "Look … m'not good with dis soppy shit … but ya make ma happier than I've seen her in like, forvever, so … do whateva ya want, jus' don't hurt her." His glared. "If y'do, I'll break ya neck."

"You 'ave my word that I will treat her with nothing but love and respect."

"Thanks … Matt."

It was the first time Nate had acknowledged him by his name. That day marked when both men stopped seeing the Scout and the Spy and saw instead, Nathan and Mathieu. Scout had attended the wedding with all his brothers, who all loved Mathieu from the get go – he was the first man to treat their ma as he'd promised he would. Before bride and groom had departed from the celebration to honeymoon (Matt was, naturally, taking his new wife to Paris) Nate had slung his arm around his step-dad and gave him a little pat. His face was flushed from all the booze he'd consumed but Mathieu liked to think that what he'd said next had been sincere.

"Y'know, yer a'right man, fo'get all da times we killed each otha an' dat-we-we're totally cool!" His slurring paired with his Boston accent was hard to understand, but Matt got the jist and returned the gesture, wrapping an arm around Nate's shoulder and giving a fatherly squeeze.

"I'm glad," he smiled "We'll be back in a week, do try not destroying the 'ouse while we're gone, yes?"

"Yeah, yeah," he stumbled back to allow Matt to join his wife in getting into the carriage.

"N'ya shouldn't be smokin' by da way! Ma don't smoke, yer pollutin' her lungs an' dat!" Ah the wisdom of young, drunk people. Matt chuckled and dropped his half smoked cigarette to the ground where it was crushed beneath his heel.

"Then I shall smoke no more."

"Right then! Bye ma," he gave a mock salute "bye da!"

Bye son.

. . .

"Your son?"

"Nathan Fraser."

"Fraser … Oh I see, the BLU Scout?" He snorted "Yes, I was made aware that you'd shacked up with the pest's mother. How Spy-like of you."

"And yet, you made the grave error of not killing me first."

"Indeed," Calvin clicked his fingers "a wrong that can be swiftly mended." From a side room, two looming shadows emerged in response to his summons. It was the hubotic Demoman and Soldier, hell they even walked the same as they had as humans. Their steps were heavier, their pace forceful. A sickening smile latched itself onto Calvins features as the emotionless faces of the hubots just stared through Spy. Puppets awaiting their command.

"Now," Calvin began to slowly back away, though it was a leisurely pace, not a cautious one "you can be reunited with your son."

"Your precious dolls won't save you."

Calvins smile faltered and he looked at the hubotic mercenaries with hate in his eyes.

"Kill him."

. . .

He really was getting too old for this. He should be at home with his feet up, a nice brandy and a few screaming test subjects. Medic removed the small sample of nanoids that he'd kept aside for himself from a shelf in his van. He looked at them closely, their luminosity glinting white off his glasses. He'd studied the plans for hours but what he was about to attempt was simply an experiment. He was fond of experiments. He slipped the nanoid flask onto the underside of his medi-gun, twisted it with his thin fingers until a 'click' announced it had attached and then switched it on. The contents began to be vacuumed up and were contained with a low humming noise. Opening the freezer, he switched on his medi-gun which vibrated aggressively and a blast of warm light shot into Pyros half-man, half-mechanical corpse. The sound was deafening and a queer, static atmosphere enveloped the whole van. Medics grin stretched over his face as he struggled to hold his gun steadily pointed at the body. Pyro rose like a mummy, wrapped in filthy bandages as a repulsive rattle began to beat out of his throat in rapid staccato, like rusty machinery being turned on for the first time in years.

"Hallo again," said Medic.

He twitched, he spasmed, he rattled and he moaned but the Pyro slowly rolled back his stiff shoulder blades as he heaved. He shook his head, clearing his misty vision.

"Rrrgght…"

Medic looked at his gun, he didn't have long.

"Come vith me."

Entering the dark base, Medic stood behind Pyro as if ubercharging him – a trail of light seemably attached to the back of Pyros shuffling form - but the effect was different. Rather than glowing red, the Pyro seemed to be emitting a fantastic violet hue that burned bright with energy. He looked like a glowing, radioactive pharaoh as he dragged his feet forward.

Noticing the new arrival, Hu-Sniper fired a bullet straight for him but it rebounded off his violet surface and projectiled itself into the wall loudly. Pyro pointed his pistol up into the air and after a brief shattering noise, the hu-Sniper came clamouring down to the ground with a resounding thud. His hand twitched as if he were human again until the superficial light left his eyes.

"Pyro?" Heavy, who was holding the injured RED Sniper around the waist to support him, blinked at the mummy. Behind Heavy and Sniper was Soldier and Demoman, and all four had a look of sheer confusion. The bandaged man stood like a grotesque statue, utterly silent for the moment aside from his wheezing.

"Hrry Gughrs." He gave them a little wave, his death rattle buzzing in his throat. The bandages that concealed his face muffled his speech much the same way his old mask had.

"This day jus' keeps gettin' bloody weirder… s'that really you Pyro? Are-"

"Ve don't have time to reacquaint ourselves, zhis vay!"

. . .

The hu-Demo punched Spy across the face with such brute force that he stumbled several feet backwards and his teeth banged together, sending pain up his jaw. He wiped his mouth and braced himself, his breath ragged, before dashing forward with new determination. Spy ducked a second punch and sent the Demoman to the ground, swooping his legs out for under him. Soldier was there right away but Spy was quicker and far more agile. He punched soldier again and again, pushing forward persistently and kneeing him in the gut. Hu-Soldier crumbled to his knees before Spy drove his knife right into the back of his head as sparks and blood spurted out. Spy turned panting, Demoman was unmoving on the floor. He turned to face Calvin who had his face in his hands. His shoulders trembled.

Was he weeping?

No, Spy noted. He was laughing.

"Alright boys," he wiped a mock tear of mirth "up y'get." As if they'd not even started the confrontation yet both Soldier and Demo got straight to their feet, unfazed. Calvins joyful tone was replaced with a more sinister one and he looked at them daringly. "Now. Eliminate that Spy."

Blue light blinked behind those cold, inhuman eyes and they both charged at him at once. The last thing the Spy remembered was screaming.

. . .

"That room, there." Said Arleen. She nodded to Scout for the room at the end. "That's where…" She didn't finished, but Scout dreaded her meaning. He was jogging slow enough to be side by side with Arleen, ready to protect her from any unannounced visitors.

"Hey don' worry or nothing', we got us a real good doctor, he'll save Engie."

"No," she shook her head "what he done to him…"

"Ey, ey, trust me, der's no injury the doc can't fix!" Scout sounded confident, but the stocky Texan woman saw the fear in his eyes.

. . .

"Is he…?" Demoman eyed Pyro.

"Alive? No. He's not human." Medic pushed his glasses up with a finger. "He's an early version of ze hu-bot. Ze reason vhy he vas considered a failure is because he cannot be controlled. He has complete free vill, unlike ze BLU hubots."

Jesus H Christ, could this situation get any stranger?

"Pyro?"

"Yrrgh?"

"They … they got Engie." Demomans eye pleaded. "We dunno how bad, but they got 'em."

His insides were wired and circuited but he'd once been a man. He still had a heart and he still felt for his team. Medic gave him a concerned look to signal that time was almost up and the Pyro began to sprint as fast as his shaky legs could carry him.

. . .

"Hardhat!" Scout crouched down by the unconscious Engineer as his wife held him in her arms. She was too numb to even cry any more as she lovingly stroked his cold cheek. He wasn't breathing. Scout touched his stub and his hands instantly coated in blood, something that should have been normal to the former RED but it only succeeded in paralysing him with terror. "Engie!"

"Scout!" It was Medic, having heard the young mans shriek. Behind him was the rest of the team, except for Spy.

"Doc, ya gotta-" he stopped, eyeing the mummy. "… is, is dat Pyro?!"

"Move, boy." Medic shoved him out of the way and set about compressing the Engineers wounds, not even acknowledging Arleen as he went about his work. Noticing that this man was the doctor, Arleens bottom lip trembled as much as her hands.

"Please sir," she sniffed "please save ma husband."

The old German gave her a brief sympathetic nod, though he made her no promises. The whole team crowded around ashen faced as Medic worked, Sniper swallowed the lump lodged in his throat and Demoman shifted uncomfortably.. God he needed his scrumpy. Pyro stared at Engies pale, limp body. The lips drained of colour, his eyes closed. His right arm was missing below the elbow and dark blood pooled around him. It was the worst state he'd ever seen his old friend in.

"Zere's nothing more I can do," Medic shook his head "If he is going to survive, ve are going to need his gunslinga."

"His … his what?"

"His right arm, Frau Parnell." Arleen didn't ask how this German man knew who she was, but he was trying to save her husband, so it didn't matter.

"That animal took ma husband's arm," she wiped her eye quickly. "I … I don't know where he is now."

"Don't worry," said Scout. "I'll find the basta'd." He was out the room in a second, his nimble legs carrying him like an athlete through the twisting hallway.

"Stay vith him," said Medic to Sniper as he stood. "Pyro, come vith me!"

The Pyros eyes were locked onto Engie. His death rattle was replaced by a low, predatory growl and he tore himself away. He followed behind Scout, quickly overtaking Medic and Soldier as he ran.

"Yer gunna be alright mate, I promise.." Sniper put his hand on Engineers shoulder and squeezed.

The first thing Scout saw was the spray of blood, the only sound seeming to be the gentle tapping of the droplets raining onto the wall. Spy lay pinned to the floor as hubotic Soldier hammered into his face, the hu-Demoman in a broken pile a few feet away. Spy was moaning, barely conscious. Scout was over in a second, leaping onto hu-soldiers back and throttling him from behind with his bat. The former BLU didn't even flinch, he reached behind himself and grabbed Scout by the hair, throwing him away effortlessly. He turned back to Spy and resumed maiming him. Unlike a human who would have switched targets to the newer threat, the hubot continued to batter into Spy as his master had commanded him. Not wasting a second, Scout was over again, on him again. "Come get me ya freakin' … freak!"

Next into the room was Pyro and the human Soldier who made right for his old rival, elbowing Scout away to commence one on one combat with the hubot. Pyro, flanked by Medic who was pointing the medi-gun at him, scanned the room for the gunslinger. Calvin staggered backwards as if he'd just seen a ghost. Technically, that wasn't incorrect.

"What!? How did you…?" he grasped his own chest. "It can't be!"

"Sometimes being too careful," said Medic "blocks progress." The medi-gun beeped, Pyro had ten minutes left. "My gun doez not have a lot of time left kamarad, as soon as it runs out ze Pyro is going to shut off completely. Get the gunslinger!"

"Dah." Heavy scraped his chunky boots on the floor like a bull getting ready to charge. As he ran for Calvin, Pyro came up behind him and snatched the gunslinger. A rusty crackling noise sounded as the human Soldier ripped the head from his hubotic counterpart. He held the head above his own as wires and blood trickled down his sleeve.

"Dominated!" laughed Soldier.

Just moments later, Heavy was doing the same with Calvins.

. . .

"Ve may be too late." Medic had reattached the gunslinger to Engineers arm. If the plans he'd consulted were correct, the hubotic limb should be sending a signal to Engies brain commanding it to jolt his heart and pump more blood around his body. If they were correct.

He lay perfectly still.

"Oh, no … no." Arleen began to weep again as she stroked Roy's head, massaging it lovingly as if trying to give him some of her own life-force. All fell deathly silent.

"C'mon mate…" Sniper removed his hat but as the seconds passed, he lowered his head. Tears began to well up in Scouts eyes as he lifted his hands to his temples. Soldiers whole body shook and his fingers dug into his palms. Demoman turned away, his good eye squeezing shut. Heavy's massive shoulders sank but he still held the unconscious Spy in his arms.

"Toymaker…"

Medic leaned over, his ear above Engineers parted lips.

Wheeze…

"Vas … atmen?"

Wheeze wheeeze…

"… he's breathin'?" Scout wiped his eyes.

"He's … he's alive!"

Engies eyes flickered open and he sucked in a deep breath. "…Arleen…?"

"Roy!" she held onto him, clinging for all she had. He stared at his wife in shock, though his hands reached for her instinctually before his brain registered what the situation was. He whispered her name, barely loud enough to be heard and tears began to leak down his face as he buried his face in his wife's chest, squeezing her. It felt like an eternity had passed since he'd held her. She clutched him and wept hysterically, though she was smiling. "I thought I'd lost you forever."

The team watched, both Heavy and Demoman began to cheer and Scout was 'wooping'. Relief washed over them as Engie turned, a weak smile appearing on his pale features.

"Way to go scare the shit outta us hardhat!"

"Aye, ye had us aw goin' there laddie."

"Sorry," he said "jus' needed a lay down is all." He chuckled but then winced, grasping his stomach. Everywhere hurt. His wife helped him stand and he kept his flesh arm around her, scared to break contact with her. God it was amazing to set eyes on her safe and sound.

"Zat," said Medic "vas too close." His medi-gun beeped loudly and the light trailing from it ceased to meet the figure among Engies friends who he hadn't noticed. The bandaged man stood, all but his eyes were covered and he stared at Engie, nodding slowly to him. Engies heart nearly stopped again.

"… Pyro?" his jaw hung.

"Hrry Enngrrh."

"I am dead."

He shook his head. "Nugh, yhhr fghn."

"It's been a long time," he smiled almost nervously "never thought I'd see you again, son-"

"Engineer," Medic said "Zhe gun is about to die out…"

"But..." He rubbed his head. "... I guess this really is it then, huh?" Arleen rubbed his arm, forcing herself to let go as Engie slowly edged forward on numb legs.

Pyro nodded then extended a bandaged hand. Engie took it, smiling sadly.

"'least now I getta say goodbye. I'mma miss ya pardner." There was a noise within Pyros chest similar to when a television gets switched off, a fading buzz. He lifted his hands and began to remove the bandages covering his face. Everyone braced themselves to see the man that had been behind the mask all those years. He was middle-aged and heavily scared with sunken features, his marked skin pale. His eyes were small and far apart, and royal blue in colour. His dry lips set in a soft smile before he spoke.

"Thanks Engie," He nodded "For everything." Engie opened his mouth to reply but the light faded from Pyros eyes and he crumpled like an empty suit, his face suddenly blank. The old Texan caught him before he hit the ground and then gently lay him down. He stooped to close Pyros eyes, the first and last time he'd seen them.

"You too, ol' friend." He closed his eyes and Arleen placed a hand on his shoulder. "You too." He'd already mourned the loss of the Pyro, but it still didn't take the sting away.

. . .

Last chapter next guys, to be posted soon.