Chapter 7:
Scout has been in the industry for quite awhile and it has been working well for him, that is, until Helen made an announcement that changed everything for every merc.
"A new Scout?" Heavy exclaimed, startled.
"Woah," said Nathan, "I thought that announcement was made a few weeks ago."
"It's not for you, fool," Spy replied as he puffed out some smoke, "apparently, zhe BLU Team has found a Scout of their own."
"Yeah, I'd like to see their precious Scout beat this." Nathan added, referring to himself with a cocky smirk.
"You shouldn't underestimate those who are capable, Scout." Spy said with a raised eyebrow, throwing the burnt cigarette stick into the ashtray along with the rest.
"You said it yourself frenchie," the Bostonian said, rolling his eyes as he smirked at the man, "you've beaten their asses for God knows how many times, can they really be that much of a threat?"
Spy didn't look amused. "When you grow up, maybe you'll get it Scout.". Spy then turned a heel and walked away briskly.
Nathan's brows knitted once more at the Frenchman's comment.
"When you grow up, maybe you'll get it Scout; oh yeah? Eat my dust!" Nathan fired back, doing a little impersonation of the other mercenary as soon as he disappeared a corner.
With a grunt, the young man angrily kicked the wall and sat down beside it.
"What's his deal?"
Engie came to him and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. Del sighed and sat down next to him.
"Son, don't be mad at Spy," he said softly, "he's been through a lot."
Nathan's anger didn't lessen, but his eyebrow raised with curiosity. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"I can't afford to tell much Scout," replied the Engineer sadly, "but Spy is a very secretive man, and he holds them secrets for a reason...just try to bear with the chap, maybe you'll get it one day."
Nathan found it hard to understand Spy from day one. The man would seldom talk about his emotions, his life outside job...as if he had any, Scout once mused. What Engie was trying to ask of him...he found it nearly impossible to do. He couldn't understand Spy at all. Not even one bit. With a heavy sigh, Scout stood up and prepared himself for the next mission, which is about to start in one minute. In the respawn room, Scout found Pyro excitedly dashing out of the place, leaving him with the person he wanted to see the least.
Spy.
As quick as he could, Scout reloaded, checked his equipment and prepared himself without looking at his antagonist. The Frenchman noticed this and tried to look as if he didn't. He adjusted his invisibility watch and headed off, leaving Scout to himself once more.
The young mercenary joined the others outside and saw an unusual and amusing sight.
"What's Frenchie doin' with Sniper's rifle?" he asked Heavy nearby.
"Sniper say he saw a tiny man who looks just like you."
"What!" Nathan exclaimed, "that's impossible!"
He stood beside Spy and waited for his reaction as soon as he pulled away from the scope. His eyes were the first thing Scout noticed. They were moistened, and they held an emotion he never saw on any person ever. He couldn't quite put it, but it was as if he was sad and happy at the same time. Man, even his emotions are hard to comprehend!
"Spy..." Sniper whispered softly as he took his rifle back, "you alright, mate?"
Spy nodded and smiled at the bushman.
Adam's alive.
His smile widened and he clasped his fingers tightly. Scout didn't know what his whole deal was; he sees an enemy newbie-scout and he nearly tears up. He gave up. Understanding Spy was not in his bucket list.
On the battlefield, Scout did his job pretty well, but for some reason, his eyes would divert from his targets to the Frenchman, and this caused him to respawn several times. Worse was, Spy seemed to be doing a better job at keeping his head in the game than him- and he wasn't the one who is delusional at the moment!
With a grunt, he dashed straight out faster than ever. He'll show Spy, he is as grown-up as anyone else in here, he may be new, but he can get things also. At least he isn't the one stalking a newbie ever since the set up period, he isn't the one who-
"Watch it!" Scout yelled out of the blue as he hit someone on the hallway. As if he is being trolled by some cruel, unknown force, Nathan looked up only to find Spy all bloodied and bruised.
"Why are you so hot-headed today Scout?" he asked hoarsely, trying to remove a tint of blood from his suit.
"What happened to you?" the boy exclaimed, almost feeling sorry for the man. Almost.
"Help them guard the base-"
But he stopped short when Scout released a blood-curdling scream, and he stared wide-eyed as his son fell limply onto the cold ground.
"Nathan!" Spy managed to exclaim. He knew Nathan has been killed multiple times already, but now that it happened in front of him, he suddenly felt scared.
He looked at the respawn room and waited. Nothing.
"Where's my son?"
His pondering was disturbed by the sound of someone clearing their throat. From a dark corner of the hall, he heard a familiar chuckle following the previous sound. It was one he despised, a devious and deplorable sound, and one he thought he had dealt with already.
"I see daddy already has seen his lost son...wouldn't it be a shame if I take zhe other one as well?"
The Frenchman knew that mocking tone anywhere. He knew exactly who it belonged to. That bastard who took Adam from him 21 years ago, that's who.
Taking the Ambassador out, Spy pointed the barrel of the gun towards the source of the voice.
"Show yourself." Spy whispered angrily as his eyes peeled out for any cloaked figure moving about.
A few moments later, a blue, gaseous effigy emerged itself from the smoke surrounding it, and five feet away from the barrel of the Ambassador stood Blu Spy.
"You said my son was dead." Red Spy added menacingly.
"And like a fool you fell for it." the adversary replied, pulling his gloves down to cover his fingers more comfortably.
"Give me back my son."
"You give mine back."
Spy's face froze with shock. What was this man talking about? He never took anybody's child- and he never knew that Blu Spy actually had one. Why is he accusing him of much things? Is this another charade of his? He hoped so, but the emotions painted on his rival's face said otherwise.
"I never took your son!" Spy angrily said, defending himself.
Blu Spy chuckled menacingly, then turned to him with so much abhorrence in his eyes.
"That's what you think." He huskily whispered.
And with a shot of his black revolver, Red Spy's world went pitch black.
As soon as his eyes opened once more, he quickly shifted his gaze here and there and found Nathan staring awkwardly at him.
"Spy, you look even stressed than usual." Scout said, eyeing him intently.
"Sixty seconds to go."
The two raised their heads to the speaker above and then looked at each other.
"Are you alright, Scout?" Spy asked quietly.
"I should be asking ya that, Frenchie." Nathan replied and joined the man as they dashed out of the door.
No matter how Spy wanted to keep his head in the game, his eyes instinctively kept coming back to Nathan; even when he couldn't catch up any more, he still kept close surveillance on his son.
"...wouldn't it be a shame if I take zhe other one as well?"
The voice kept coming to him, pounding his head in waves of merciless blows.
Nathan was closer to danger than ever before, and worse, the Blu Spy was a devious man, a patient man able to put his plan in smooth motion. If he wanted to kill Nathan, he could do it in a snap of a finger. But why didn't he? And why did he keep Adam alive all those years? Did Adam suffer in their custody? One thing was for sure though:
"I will get my son back."
On the other side of the field:
"Yo Spy," said the Blu Scout, eyeing the man's red counterpart as he steadily carried on pushing the bomb, "that freakin' guy has been staring at me for like minutes now...it's creepin' me out!"
"Oh, just let him," the Frenchman replied simply, blowing out a thin wisp of smoke, "anyway, this will be over soon." He then turned to the other members. "Come on gentlemen! " he called loudly, "keep pushing the cart! 20 seconds!"
The Red Team knew they could do nothing more and ran back inside the base; if they died and did not respawn in time...they die for good.
But Spy stood close, only a glass window protecting him from the incoming massive attack. He just wanted to see Adam before the match ends; before they part once more.
The team managed to push the bomb into a pit hole with ten seconds to scramble away before the weapon explodes. Blu Scout turned buck to run, but he suddenly found his other leg mobilized, and looking down, he found his foot caught in the railing- and it was stuck in there good.
Panicked, he fell on his back and twisted quickly, looking back to find anybody who could help him.
He found a fleeing figure and took his chances.
"SPY!" Adam yelled out in despair as he tried to yank his foot from the metal railing, "Spy, help me out man!"
Blu Spy turned back and nearly gasped as he found Adam right there, dangerously close to death.
"Spy!" Adam yelled once more, his voice ringing with despair, frustration and fear, "A little help here?!"
Blu Spy's vision suddenly shifted, and in Adam's place, he saw a familiar young man crying out to him.
"DAD!" he yelled in pain.
"SPY!" Adam pleaded, "I need you!"
The two voices clashed in his head, and with five seconds remaining, Spy did the unthinkable.
He ran to Adam and took his coat off, placing it on top of their heads.
"What the hell are you doin'?!" Blu Scout asked in confusion as his arms involuntarily wrapped themselves around one of the man's arms.
"I can't get you out of there." Blu Spy said breathlessly, "might as well try to protect you, you clumsy merc."
...3...
"Spy?" Adam said quietly as the man looked down at him.
...2...
"What?" he replied, watching Scout as he drew an unamused face.
...1...
"This sucks on ice."
BOOM!
The bomb gave away a deafening explosion as rain of rubble, dust and debris fell on the two.
"Are you hurt?" Spy asked, covering his nose and mouth with one arm.
Scout hissed as he gripped the immobilized leg.
"I think I got a burn." He whispered and struggled to sit straight.
Spy looked at his coat and found that the back was thinned down by the heat. The cloth was nearly see through and the man shook his head in dismay.
"Sorry 'bout your coat." Adam said weakly and finally managed to wiggle his foot out.
"I have tons." the man replied and helped him get up.
"Oh, and I'm also gonna put this up front: I twisted my ankle. " added the new mercenary. Blu Spy rolled his eyes and slipped an arm under Scout's to support the boy as they walked back to their base.
"You should be more careful next time." Spy said with a smirk, "you whined like a baby on your first day."
"Go to hell, Spy."
Nearby, Red Spy witnessed his antagonist's suicidal act and how he stuck by Adam. He continued to stare as Blu Spy carried the boy to Medic who, without his medigun, had to tend to Adam by ordinary means. The BLUs got into a vehicle and sped away, leaving a cloud of dust trailing behind them.
A pang of jealousy hit Spy. He couldn't help but think that over the long years, Blu Spy took care of Adam, taught him things, bonded with the boy.
...when it should have been with him...
He was the father...Adam was his own flesh and blood. His hands fisted themselves as anger overtook him. This was torture...his son isn't where he is supposed to be. He isn't with the man he is supposed to be with.
He isn't with his father.
"Spy?" a voice called out, shattering his thoughts.
It was Sniper.
"You alright mate?" he asked, "you look like someone gave you a bloody drubin'."
Spy forced a smile and nodded. "I'm fine, Monsieur," he whispered and took a cigarette out, "I just...need a smoke."
Sniper smiled and let his friend be. "The holidays are in two weeks."
"That quick?" Spy joked as he lit the tip with his lighter, "I...I've never spent zhe holidays with my cheri in a long time...much less my son. I'd like this year to be different."
Sniper watched the thin, wisp-like smoke disappear into oblivion.
"What's your plan, mate?"
He didn't even need to ask. Spy already had an answer.
In two weeks, Scout set off to find his way home. But it wasn't easy. There was a heavy fall of snow, and it stacked up to the length of his knees and rising. His clothing was not enough to keep all the cold out and he was shivering really bad; violently even.
"Fuck..." he whispered, rubbing his hands to warm himself up. His fingers were red from the cold...and they were numb. He has been waiting for hours, but there was no vehicle in sight. There was also no place to shelter himself for the meantime. His ma is counting on him to be there; he can't let her down! Not on the holidays...
As he stared up into the heavens, asking from the bottom of his heart for any kind of help, he failed to notice a car halt beside him, lights blaring, horn honking.
"Scout!" called a familiar voice as the door suddenly swung open. Nathan saw Spy take his winter coat off, putting it over the boy's shoulders. The man then ushered him into his car before grabbing the young man's snow-buried luggage and putting it at the back of his trunk. As soon as Spy got his spot back on the driver's seat, he took another coat behind the chair he was sitting on and wore it in place of the old one.
"Heavy snow, huh?" Spy said, trying to make a conversation as he turned the engine on. But Nathan just shivered in his seat, eyes half closed as he looked at his cold, reddened fingers.
"Warm yourself up..." the Frenchman said quietly as he handed Scout his warm, black gloves. But the boy shook his head and refused. Spy just shrugged his shoulders and left the gloves in a compartment nearby.
Shortly afterwards, the two heard a low, rumbling sound and Scout placed a hand on his stomach before looking at the wide expanse of snow out the window.
"I didn't have lunch." he said before Spy could say anything else.
The shape shifter only nodded in acknowledgement and looked at the young man, whose face was ashen from the cold.
"There's some food there in the coat pocket," Spy informed just as the car's engine roared and traveled on its wheels once more.
Scout fished out a pack of crackers and started eating. It wasn't much...but it did him some good.
"Off to visit your mother?" asked Spy, to which Nathan simply nodded.
"How 'bout you?" the young man asked.
Spy drew a faint smile. "Nowhere...I used to go visit a special person, but things got complicated. I haven't seen her in a long time."
"When was the last time you two celebrated the holidays together? " Scout asked, finally looking at him.
Spy's smile widened, but sadness lingered in it. "22 years ago." he whispered quietly.
Nathan just nodded and wrapped the coat even tighter around himself.
"We will arrive at your house after we travel 17 kilometers." Spy notified and Nathan groaned a little. He didn't like waiting...he didn't like traveling.
The hours passed by and Spy drove ever so steadily, still trying to make sure none of them die. It has been a while since Spy heard his son's voice. It was getting awkwardly quiet, and so Spy hit the gas and drove a bit faster, hoping to excite himself a little bit.
"Nathan, where-"
But as he turned to him, he found the young man sleeping comfortably, arms wrapped around himself as he tried to stay as warm as he could. The Frenchman smiled. This was the second time Nathan fell asleep in his car; not that he minds but...this incident is becoming more frequent every time Nathan hitches a ride in his car. They still have 6 kilometers to go, and Spy couldn't wait to see his cheri once more since they last saw each other at the hospital 11 years ago.
Finally, Spy made it to his destination and found a familiar figure shoveling snow in her front yard. The Frenchman looked at Scout once more time, and when he was sure that the boy was still asleep, he got off the car and went stealthily behind her, wrapping his covered arms around her waist. The woman gave a gasp of surprise and alarm, but once she looked into the old, masked face of her lover, she gave out a laugh that synchronized with the man's warm chuckle.
"You came!" she exclaimed happily as she dropped her shovel to the slush, white ground.
"I wouldn't want to miss one more holiday with you, mon amour." he replied and held her closer. They looked into each other's eyes and Spy leaned in even closer with a dreamy smile. "Kiss me."
His cheri laughed softly as Spy eagerly brought his face closer to hers. "Be patient." she said, "You're such a tease."
In the car, Nathan yawned and finally woke up as he found himself curled up in a ball. The cold really got to him. He looked beside him. Spy wasn't there. He looked at the back seats. Still wasn't there.
"Where's Spy?" he asked himself and continued searching, that is, until his gaze caught a scene that made him gasp out loud. The light of hope dimmed in his heart, and in it was disgust and hatred. "No fuckin' way!" he hissed and hurriedly opened the door, getting out of the vehicle, nearly tripping on his way out.
"Spy!" he yelled angrily and ran to him, pushing the man away with an unusually strong force for a person his age, "Get away from my ma!"
"Nathan-" the woman managed to say as she helped Spy up from the snow that he fell on.
"Get away from him ma!" the young man warned desperately, "he-he's evil! How dare he kiss ya!"
"Nathan, dear," his mother said as she went up to him, placing both hands on son's shoulders, "it's alright."
"W-what?!" stammered the lad, hoping he didn't hear his ma right. "What do you mean it's alright, ma?"
"Spy and I...have been together for years now." the woman revealed, holding the mercenary's hand to form a perfect fist.
"N-no!" Nathan exclaimed, "Since when? How'd this happen?"
"Nathan, honey-"
"Are you giving up on dad?!"
The young man stared at them with tears in his eyes, and without warning, he dashed into his house and slammed the door in front of them.
Nathan went straight to his room and sat on his bed, trying to get his bearings. His ma...Spy...together?
Who does that freakin' guy think he is? His ma's new suitor? The guy who thinks he could replace his dad before he could even show up? Where was his dad- why isn't he here to defend his place in this family, why isn't he there when he needs him the most?
"All you left me is this stupid hat!" Nathan cried out, gripping the accessory tightly in his fist before angrily throwing it as far away as possible. As soon as the cap hit the ground, he breathed heavily and eyed it as the room suddenly became gloomier, darker...empty. The cap sat there motionless; sending a chill down Nathan's spine, enough for the boy to realize what he did was defined with rage. What had he done?
Quickly, Nathan picked up the cap and looked at it sadly.
"I'm sorry dad..." he whispered and sat back down on the bed. "I...I just don't know what to do anymore...".
Once more, he laid down and curled himself into a ball, clutching the cap close to his chest as he drifted to an uneasy sleep. He couldn't tell if he was tired of the journey, or if he was tired of his life, or with what just happened awhile ago. He was just tired...maybe of everything.
The door creaked and a long shadow stretched itself to the entire length of the boy's room.
It was no more than Spy. He came to check on Scout, worried of his reaction awhile ago. The boy didn't come down ever since. If only explaining things to him were that simple...unfortunately, it wasn't.
"Scout?"
No answer. The mercenary sighed as he caught the young man sleeping, knees on his chest, arms folded. It looked as if he was trying to protect something; hold on to something. Spy bent down and sat beside his sleeping form and found the young man's cap nestled firmly in his hands. He never let go of his dad...he never stopped believing that one day, he'll return. Spy promised him ten years ago that his dad will come for him...
He just hopes Nathan could wait a little longer and understand that he never meant to lie or leave him behind.
Spy swept his son's hair and sighed as he fully saw how vulnerable Nathan looked like this; his current state of mind made it all the more pitiful.
Throughout life, he had so much regrets, but the biggest one he had was that his responsibilities as a top-secret mercenary prevented him from being with the woman he loved and watching their infant grow up. He knew he hasn't been the best father, but he wanted him to know that he will always be there from now on.
"Daddy's here Nathan," he whispered "I promised."