Chapter Text
- Turn down this damn noise, Scout, we’ve all had enough!
- No way man, that’s my favorite song!
- Scout. Please, have mercy.
- Mercy is for the weak, old man!
- Hudda hudda hu! - Pyro sounded far from being pleased.
- … yea, what Pyro said! - Demoman nodded. - Play some of me’ tunes, will ye’.
- No way, I’m not gonna listen to bagpipes for the next hour!
- Some country music would be nice… - Engineer yawned. He didn’t feel the best in this kind of weather. Nor did I. I didn’t even mind that rock’n’roll band Scout was playing, as long as it would be the only noise that disturbed our ride. But it wouldn’t be a real field trip without some kids arguing, am I right?
- … Maybe some viol--- - started Medic, but Soldier cut him off.
- I have an idea! - he rose from his seat on the floor and began to step over us. He managed to kick half of us during his quest to change the music.
- Hey, no, wait for a se--- HEY, HEY! - Scout squeaked as he was thrown to the back of the car, right into Spy’s arms. - … Hello there.
- Oh please - the man dropped him on the floor. Soon after Scout came his CDs. Heavy was as calm as a millpond, he was happy enough not being dragged into this meaningless fight.
- Now we can make our own music! - Soldier exclaimed happily.
- Good idea, actually. - Engineer was visibly happy with this outcome. - So what would you wanna si---
Before he could finish, Soldier started singing the national anthem. Well… the word “singing” may be an over-exaggeration. Scout smiled widely.
- Now you wish it was American Breed playing, huh?
- Sniper is such a lucky man - Medic brought his hands to his temples and pretended that he didn’t hear these patriotic screams from the front seat. But our singer got distracted quickly and we were spared the pleasure to listen to him any longer.
- Looks like we’ll live - I poked him lightly in the arm. - Don’t be such a drama queen, it could’ve always been Demo singing.
- Yea! … HEY! - the Scotsman pointed a bottle of beer at me. - Careful what ye’ say, lad!
- Or what, you’ll start your drunk ballad? - Engineer laughed and had to avoid being hit by the bottle thrown in his direction.
- Gentlemen, please! Behave yourselves. - Spy became a little irritated with them. I guess the closeness hit all his nerves.
The road was inevitably long, so we had no choice but to sit it through. After a while, everyone calmed down and started minding their own business. I took a book out of my bag, one I’ve gotten in a local store. I’ve searched for the marked page and opened it, right at the beginning of chapter 7. The rest of the ride was relatively calm. In the meantime, the rain lightened and then vanished completely as we approached the “Welcome to Teufort!” sign.
Sniper was already on the station, drinking something out of a thermos. He stood leaned back, on the left side of his van, observing as we were parking the car. The train was already there, almost ready to go. I glanced at the three sealed, metal wagons, clearly the ones we had to protect from potential danger.
- What do you think about all of it, doc? - Engineer patted Medic on the back. The german shrugged lightly.
- The sooner we get to the new base, the better. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to have a safe trip.
- And if not, we have so many weapons we can crush anyone and ANYTHING! - Soldier appeared out of nowhere and pulled Engi close, patting him on the helmet. Which he was not very happy about.
- Oi, are you all gonna stand here all day? We have to load everything to the cars. - Sniper opened his van and took out a bag with his belongings, gesturing at us to come closer and do the same. We left most things in his van since there was limited place in the cars.
- Well, that’s a tough one - I looked at the loaded vehicle.
- Don’t worry lad, we got it! - Demo ran somewhere, grabbing Scout by his shirt on his way. Despite the loud protests of the little guy. Heavy went after them, just so they “wouldn’t get lost”, and there they were, a few minutes later, pushing a platform that was perfect for transporting the van on. So far, everything was going smoothly.
I turned my eyes towards the locomotive. It was standing proudly before all the cars, cool and unmoving. I stepped closer to the gigantic machine, carefully avoiding the puddles of rain left by the storm.
It wasn’t special in any way, just a plain, black, metal thing, that was supposed to take us from one place to another. As I was studying this thing with my eyes, I realized something. There had to be someone to operate this machine, otherwise, we would have to do it ourselves… and I doubt any of my friends can do that.
I looked around and didn’t see any potential driver. Hell, I didn’t see anyone aside from my team, it was like the town went completely empty. So I did the only rational thing I could and I climbed up to the locomotive, to see if there was anyone already inside.
The cabin doors were locked and I couldn’t see anything through the tinted glass. I tried knocking on it, but it didn’t work either.
- What are you doing? - Medic’s voice surprised me for the second time this day. I turned back, still standing on the ladder and holding onto a metal pipe.
- I’m just checking if we have someone to operate this thing. And it seems like we don’t.
- Well, isn’t that just fantastisch. - he rubbed his nasal bridge slowly. He always slipped into german when he was irritated. Or excited. Either way, it was always something I liked about him. Of course, now I just managed to hear some of his murmurs, in which he was cursing the company out, but the times when he was so happy that he switched back to his national language were like poetry to me. I could listen to him for hours, trying to decode what he’s actually saying. And that’s just the one positive thing from many I could tell about him.
- Tactic? Hey, are you alright? - the man pulled me out of my thoughts, and I shook my head lightly to wake up from my daydream.
- Yeah, I’m okay. - I jumped off the ladder and stretched. - But we have to get inside this beast befo---
The locomotive made a sound. It whistled loudly, so unexpectedly that I jumped in my place. I turned towards it and immediately looked into the cabin window, yet I still saw nothing.
- … I think we may have a machinist after all. - He put his hands on his hips and looked in the same direction as me. - He just may not be a talker.
- That’s probably some Mann C.O. top-secret bullshit - Sniper joined us, offering each of us a cigarette. - I wouldn’t worry, they have everything planned.
I lit up mine and took a big puff.
- I know you like to have everything under control - the Australian poked me with his elbow lightly. - But this time there’s nothing you can do.
The whistle made a sound the second time, twice.
- I think it’s time to go, or they will leave without us. - Medic turned and we followed. Scout was already making a scene by waving at us with a white hanky and wiping imaginary tears from his cheeks. And Pyro accompanied him.
- Come on, we don’t have all day! - Spy emerged from another window and waved at us to hurry. - You have two minutes!
And so we jumped in the car, just in time. The moment we stepped in, the doors closed and the train started.
- See? Eeeeverything planned - Sniper winked at me and stood next to the opened window to finish his smoke. Medic and I did the same, as we watched Teufort becoming smaller and smaller with every second.
- Does this count as a “fresh start”? - Medic asked, without turning his eyes away from the disappearing city.
- Well, the air is going to be a lot better than here, so… - I joked a bit dry, but he still smiled a little.
- I thought leaving Teufort would be… after our contracts ended, you know? That this was our last stop. - Sniper took off his hat, so it wouldn’t be taken by the wind.
- We still have a few years left... but I get what you mean. It really felt like the finish line - the doctor threw his cigarette end away and stepped away from the window. - I will check on the rest.
- I’ll go with you. Soldier still has my bag and I’m worried about it - I smiled and followed him to the other car.
We opened the doors to the second car meant for us, after crossing through the connector between the wagons. And I almost got hit in the head by a flying baseball.
- … Oh, sweet lord…