Apologies that the title is incorrect - stupid FFN doesn't allow enough characters for the full title: For Whom The Bell Tolls. It Tolls For Thee

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE "I'm doing this for you."

Characters: Paul Metcalfe/Captain Scarlet, Scott Tracy/Captain Cobalt, Adam Svenson/Captain Blue, Gordon Tracy/Captain Xanthic, Conrad Turner/Captain Black

Warnings: Mentions of previous MCD, Body Possession, Mercy Killing, MCD

Scott's sacrifice affected them all in different ways.

Without being able to tell the world what had happened to their brother, John and Virgil struggled through working for International Rescue and their father. But neither one had their heart in it anymore. They were just going through the motions, both aware that each day they stayed with Jeff was a day away from their remaining brothers.

Adam found himself more and more in Gordon's company, both seeking and giving comfort to the younger man. Colonel White, after a lengthy explanation of what had happened to the four Captains, had granted the three remaining ones a long leave, and Adam had accompanied Gordon back to the house in New Haven where Alan was holed up.

They'd invited Paul, but he'd politely rebuffed them. Just as he'd rebuffed all efforts by Juniper and Orchid to reach him.

Even Dianne hadn't been able to get through to him, and she was at a loss. She knew that he was spiralling but it wasn't the same as before, he wasn't responding to anyone like he had after the deaths of Brown and himself.

Scott's death had affected Paul in a way no one else's death had, and Dianne, Adam…even Fawn and Colonel White seemed to have no way of reaching him.

…

It was six months to the day before the Mysterons got back in touch.

Charles Gray was loathe to put Paul back out there, but Colonel White knew that Captain Scarlet was their best bet.

Scarlet welcomed the opportunity to work, to get back at the bastards that had taken his friend's life. He threw himself into the task of deciphering the riddle and pursuing Black until he could finally kill him.

Finally they had a location!

Blue, Ochre and Magenta couldn't hold Scarlet back as he rushed ahead into the warehouse. He might not have to worry about being killed, but the other three had no such assurance and so crept into the building a bit more carefully.

'It's over, Black! Come out with your hands up!'

Scarlet's roared command echoed around the building and the Captains rushed to get into a position to help. Fortunately there were crates dotted around and they spread out to keep Black pinned in the corner.

Gunshots rang out from both sides. There was no clear angle, so after a couple of volleys Scarlet gestured for them to cease fire.

'There's no way out of here, Black. Your mission has failed.'

Laughter rang out from the corner. It was low and cruel.

But it was familiar.

They lowered their weapons in surprise, and Scarlet came out into the open, gun held loosely in one hand, disbelief clear on his face. His lip curled in hatred and he snarled the next words.

'Show yourself! Coward! Come out here where I can see you!'

The room was silent…and then slow and deliberate footsteps sounded. The Mysteron agent came out into the light, shocking them all. Scarlet swallowed.

'I'm here. You want me, you got me.'

It was the voice of his friend, only it wasn't. There was no warmth in it, it was almost robotic. Scarlet winced – had he sounded like that to Blue? He risked a glance at his usual partner. Blue was in just as much shock as he was.

'Scott? Scott – what are you doing?'

But "Scott" didn't respond. Scarlet realised his mistake – he was still in uniform! Just like Conrad didn't respond to his name either…

'Stand down, Captain Cobalt. That's an order.'

'I have a mission to accomplish.'

'I said stand down, Captain. Don't force me to shoot you!'

'You can try, Earthman, but you cannot succeed.'

'Cobalt – please don't force me do this...I'm doing this for your own good!'

Blue, Ochre and Magenta watched, transfixed. It was like time slowed down completely as Cobalt raised his gun but Scarlet – Scarlet was quicker.

'Bang.'

'Bang.'

It was Cobalt that clutched his chest and collapsed in a heap, but Scarlet hadn't gotten off lightly, he also fell to the ground, hand on his hip.

The sound of two bodies hitting the floor made time speed up, and within seconds Blue, Ochre and Magenta had secured the scene, called in reinforcements and a medijet and had both Scarlet and Cobalt covered.

Blue sighed as he closed Cobalt's eyes. Scarlet's bullet had been true, straight through the heart. He pulled a sheet off a crate and covered the body before turning to look at Scarlet.

The look of pain in Scarlet's eyes…it was sheer pain. The man hadn't gotten over Scott's death in the time loop and now…now he'd had to kill Scott all over again. Blue just knew that that was going through his head.

They rode the medijet back to Cloudbase in silence. Scott's body wasn't in with them, but it might as well have been.

The mission may be over but there was still the fallout to come, and as soon as Fawn had bandaged his leg Paul shot through to where he knew Scott's body would be. Adam tried to stop him but Paul was having none of it. It was the first time Paul deliberately shrugged Adam off.

But he paused at the doorway…

He'd been unable to stop Scott killing himself in the time loop.

He'd been the one to kill him.

Paul simply had no way to process this. it wasn't the same as what happened to Brown, to the others who had died in the line of duty.

This was Scott. This was his brother-in-arms. This was the man he trusted to give him the Mercy cut even though it went against everything Scott held dear…and who'd asked him to repay the favour should that worst happen to him.

Well, it had happened to him.

And Paul had fulfilled his promise.

But at what cost?