the-original-sineater asked: For Febuwhump. DAY 27: left for dead. Captain Scarlet: Paul leaves Adam Svenson for dead.
Characters: Paul Metcalfe/Captain Scarlet, Adam Svenson/Captain Blue
Warnings: Gunshots, Mention of blood, Implied MCD
Paul hated missions like this.
They had been caught by surprise, Spectrum Intelligence for once lacking in details.
Like the building that they had been sent into crawling with thugs. Crawling was an apt title, Paul thought as he crouched on one side of the open doorway, waiting for an opportunity to move.
Adam, on the other side, watched him carefully, waiting for the signal to go.
It was supposed to have been a simple fact-finding mission. Find out what was going on in the old, abandoned warehouse. Strange sounds at night had alerted Intelligence. Odd deliveries and spotty shielding had raised suspicions, but no one had managed to get anything concrete.
He poke his head out the doorway a fraction and immediately ducked back in.
There was no spray of bullets which gave him hope that their last volley had not been wasted. He signalled to Adam and got a nod in return and began to count down silently.
Three.
Two.
One.
Scarlet dove out the door and Blue followed, but a hail of bullets parted them as Paul dove one way and Adam the other. He tried to turn to follow Adam but the bullets kept going, and while Paul may well be technically bullet-proof he couldn't afford to die yet. Not while Adam and he were separated.
A bullet whizzed past his ear and Paul was up and running. If he continued on this path he should, in theory, meet Adam at the other end of the building, so he kept on running.
It was only later, looking back, that Paul realised he was being corralled.
The end of the hallway opened into a large space, and as Paul burst through one door he saw Adam do likewise on his side. Paul made a beeline for his friend.
But he was too late.
Paul watched in horror as a bullet struck Adam in the chest, spinning him around so that he was now facing Paul. The bloom of red on his chest and the look of surprise on his friend's face seared into his memory.
And the gunfire stopped. Sound ceased as Paul got to Adam. His friend's eyes were closed and he wasn't breathing. He felt for the carotid pulse…and there was nothing.
Paul hadn't been there.
It was his job to die. For them.
He hadn't been there to protect his best friend and Adam was gone.
A howl worked its way up from the pit of his stomach, forcing his head back as he screamed. With a last tender touch to Adam's cheek Paul grabbed both their guns and set off.
He'd kill each and every one of them.
It didn't take too long to find the remaining thugs in the building, but there were less than Scarlet anticipated. He leant against the doorframe for a moment before sighing deeply and heading back to where he'd left Adam.
It was time to take Adam home.
But when Paul got there the room was empty.
Paul froze in shock. Of all the things that could possibly happen this wasn't even on his radar. How…why…what the hell could anyone want with Adam's body.
Where Adam had fallen was a small tablet. Paul approached it but didn't pick it up. His proximity must have triggered something as the screen lit up.
'I believe you are missing someone.'
'What do you want?'
The camera panned and Paul's legs gave way.
'I can't believe you left your colleague for dead.'
Adam was sat, bound to a chair and gagged.
Clearly alive.
How had Paul got it so wrong?