Chapter Text
Skyscraper, Simulation Training
Trip slid down the side of the building, pulling the rappelling hook off the roof when his feet were firmly planted in the dirt. He didn't necessarily want to leave Jackal by himself, but he had set up a trap at the stairs for him, so he figured it was time to do better by finding the Caveira who was lurking downstairs. As he circled around to the south side of the map, he passed Ash's body; the partially transparent death marker was still above her head.
Jäger had spawn-peeked, and Ash had tried to rush, resulting in Ash getting headshot and Jäger being pulled from the match. Trip was sure they'd all get a stern talking-to when the simulation round was over. He shook his head, making sure to walk around her body and not over it. Though it was a simulation, it still felt wrong to even step over a body if it wasn't absolutely necessary.
When he had reached the window he was looking for, he punched out the barricade and threw a drone inside, racing around a corner before taking out his phone. His screen showed the hallway between the bedroom and bathroom. He navigated his way through the bathroom first, then turned around and drove through the hallway again to get to the bedroom. Once he had cleared the bedroom as well, he drove out to the lobby, seeing Caveira for a split second before she disappeared behind the stair railing.
”Jackal, Caveira's coming up the house stairs- where I put my trap.” Trip said through his radio, voice hushed as he crept over to the window he had previously opened. He jumped through, landing with a thud.
“Roger.” came Jackal's simple response, and the quiet creak of floorboards above Trip's head told him Jackal was making his way over to have a better shot of the stairs. Once he heard the snap of his trap being activated, he started creeping away. He heard a few shots, then it was silent again.
“Caveira's down. I took a shot, but I'll be fine.” Jackal's voice crackled over the radio.
Trip continued towards the reception room, ducking behind the wall once he got there. Once deciding it was clear, he snuck over to the bar in front of the BBQ room and peered around the corner. He looked just in time to see Valkyrie as she quickly but quietly made her way up the stairs.
“I've got eyes on Valkyrie, she's making her way up the back stairs. I'm going to take her down.” He took out his pistol and made his way over to the stairs, seeing her crouched on the square landing in the middle of the stairs, checking her cameras. He took his time to aim for her head, then took the shot. She crumpled, and the death marker popped up above her head.
Rook heard the shot from the lounge hallway, where he was attempting to take down Jackal. He stopped and pressed his back against the wall, then pulled his radio closer to his lips, quietly speaking into it,
“Was that shot from one of you? Valkyrie, Mute?” The team already deduced that Caveira had been taken out, and with Jäger being removed at the beginning of the simulation, it only left the three of them to defend the objective.
“They got Valkyrie. It's us two versus them four.” Mute muttered back, voice partially muffled by his shuffling, “I could use you back here.”
“Understood. Once I take care of Jackal so he doesn't get me from behind, I'll be back.” Rook knew he had to be careful- and quick. If Jackal got him, Mute would be left to deal with the four left in the team, and if he took too long getting to Jackal, he might be the one having to deal with the three left in the enemy team. He took a deep breath, pulling away from the wall and peering into the office through the doorway. Jackal was analyzing footprints behind the desk, giving Rook the opportunity he needed. He opened fire as Jackal looked up, and his eyes widened as he desperately grabbed onto his radio, trying to shuffle back at the same time.
“Rook’s in the hallway outside of the office, he downed me behind the desk-”
Trip gritted his teeth as he heard the shots- both through the radio and echoing through the building. They had just lost their advantage. He rushed up the stairs, and stopped a few steps from the top, crouching to stay behind the railing. He nodded towards the objective room while looking out the window, seeing Hibana and Thatcher- who had just thrown an EMP grenade at the wall moments before. Hibana pressed the button to detonate her x-kairos, and Thatcher jumped through the window once they went off. He crept under the hole in the wall, shuffling through the rubble to get to the doorway.
He looked around the corner and spotted Mute behind the table, focused on the breach while talking on his radio. He turned to look at the door just as he was shot. Thatcher signaled that Mute was down, and Hibana vaulted through the window on the objective and wasted no time getting out the defuser right when she landed.
“I'll watch these stairs, you go watch the hallway to Taiko,” Thatcher said to Trip, who briskly nodded and ran down the hallway, peering around the corner to set up a tripwire just outside the door to Taiko. When it was in place, he straightened his back and waited to hear his trap either get activated or destroyed.
When the defuser started beeping, he could hear Rook's footsteps as he picked up the pace to get back to the bomb. Only seconds later, a loud snap could be heard, and Trip popped out from around the corner, shooting the French man just enough times to down him. He grinned under his mask and strolled down the hallway to Rook, who was slouched against the doorframe, foot still caught in the trap.
Rook quietly huffed, disappointed that he hadn't even spotted the device. Trip crouched in front of him, a playful glisten in his eyes, watching as Rook weakly pulled at the string of the trap.
“Gotcha~.”