Note: This happens two days after the last chapter and based on the TF2 comic "the Shadow Boxes"
*At a mine in the Badlands*
Ever since the re-hire of this team, Miss Pauling has been overseeing the battles against the robot army and also made sure they didn’t stick around when those three women there can bend peoples mind by mere song arrive in the area. None of them wants to deal with them going all evil again for this time there won’t be any Twilight to save them. So Ignis is currently dealing with the Sirens. Fortunately, that proclaimed alicorn has more than enough firepower to fight the Sirens. Today they are not dealing with those three women but the army of robots Grey keeps throwing at them. That robot army has currently taken over a mine, which is according to Sniper is an Australium mine. So if they do not stop the army, then Grey will get the Australium and resupply himself again, which will spell out decades of battle.
“Okay guys, things have gone really bad lately—“ she notices Medic has a scowl as if she is underestimating the situation but she is not sure why he has that look. “What?” She asks the doctor.
“Oh nothing, only all except me had their class messed up and that’s why we kept losing.” Medic points out dryly to why they had trouble to fend off these stupid machines. Miss Pauling raises a brow, proving that she indeed did not realize how messed up the team was a few days past, not knowing he and Twilight had to correct it and that apparently gave him magic. Medic hasn't been able to do anything magical of the sort, though,
Glancing to the other mercenaries, Miss Pauling notices an almost sheepish look on several of them. Not sure why though, so she decides to brush Medic’s weird remark off and instead returns back to the map showing the badlands. “Anyway, the Administrator expects you to work extra hard now. We can’t let them take the Australium.”
“How much of the stuff is down there?” Scout asks, eyeing Sniper who is the only one able to hear Australium.
“From how loud it is I say about a ton, but quite spread out in the mine. The tune is not high pitched.” Sniper replies and is happy about that fact, saves him from a headache from that eerie tone. And speaking of the mine. “We are stationed too close to the opening. We won’t have much room to defend ourselves if they decide to attack.”
“All the robots are down in the mine.” Engineer points out and ensures Sniper he does not have to worry so much. “I built a sentry at the opening, it should keep them at bay and if they manage to destroy it:” he shows the sharpshooter the device telling about the sentry’s condition. “I will know.” Sniper nods but still does not like Miss Pauling choice of where their base of operation is located and keeps glancing over his shoulders.
Engineer fully understands that feeling. Back in the War Games a certain spy kept stalking him and that made him very paranoid. Good thing Spy is on his side now but he still tenses up when he can’t see the man. Anyway, like Scout, he too would like to know how much Australium is down in the mine. “Any idea where the biggest vein of Australium is down there, Sniper?” Engineer asks, thinking if they know where the robots are most likely to go, he can put a sentry there and clog those darn robots.
Sniper can’t help but chuckle of that question. “Sorry mate, I can hear Australium but I can’t pinpoint it.” He is pretty sure he can’t because he’s not really an Australia. He is no longer really sure who he is anymore other than this team’s sniper. He hasn’t bothered trying to track down his biological father, not even so he can satisfy his sinister side by putting a bullet through his head for abandoning them down in the ruins.
Cleaning her throat, Miss Pauling gets the mercenaries attention again. “Whatever the case, you guys need to clear the mine for robots and stop any cart trying to leave. We can’t let Grey get any Australium.”
“Yes sir!” Soldier salutes and takes the command from here. “Arm up ladies! No trashcan will be in that mine when we are done!” and the team moves out.
Without having anyone to tell them, the mercenaries go to where they know they will be of best use. Sniper finds a spot where he can snipe anything trying to leave the mine.
Spy stand in the shadows, and ready to move at the moment he sees a good opening, not far from him stand Soldier who is making battle plans with Heavy, Medic and Demo.
Somewhat impatiently Scout stands near the opening with Pyro, the firebug is glancing to Engineer who is building a dispenser.
Everyone knows the battle has started the second Soldier shouts: “ATTACK!” and storms into the mine, Heavy and Demo follow and Medic does as well, although keeping his distance so he won’t be hit by stray bullets.
Scout speeds into the mine as well, running past Soldier who throws the mining robots left and right with his rockets. Scout ignores the mining robots and instead empty his scattergun at a demo-bot, jumping away from the bombs it managed to fire. Those bombs took out his robots look alike.
Spy takes out a medic-bot, and cloaks just as the heavy-bot turns around, that robot got its wire melted off from Pyro’s flames.
A hoard of soldier and scout-bots arrive from the deeper section of the mine. The team inside the mine got most of the soldier-bots but several of the scout-bots got past them. However, they did not get as far as both Engineer and Sniper took them out at the mine entrance. Both tense up when they heard the spy-bots have arrived. Sniper ended up getting killed as he couldn’t fight the small hoard attacking him at once. Engineer lost his dispenser to the two spy-bots attacking him, he got one of them but like with Sniper, he got overrun as well and one of the spy-bots shoot him in the head.
A hoard of Pyro-bots arrived and sat both Heavy and Soldier on fire, Heavy backed away and desperately searched for something to remove the agonizing sense of his flesh getting burned.
Soldier didn’t back out, too caught up in the fight to notice. “You can’t burn me cus I’m already on fire!” He tore them apart with his trusting shovel. Then he suddenly realized the fire is not because he’s on a killing spree but because he is literarily on fire and he howls in pain.
Fortunately for him, Medic is nearby although the doctor did for a moment consider letting him die for his stupidity. "Dummkopf." Medic rolls his eyes and starts healing Soldier.
The doctor got hit by one of a Demo-bot bombs and he would’ve been in big trouble, but right there, a bluish aura around his body and his wounds heal almost instantly.
Heavy gives Medic a surprised look and by the looks of it, the doctor is quite startled by this too. A wave of bombs snap both out from the startled stupor and return back to the fight.
Hours went, they fought hoard after hoard and although they all died at some point. Medic only twice thanks to his now self-healing ability. Not that dying was something to be feared for these men, more of a nuisance as they will return ten minutes later.
When the last robot finally fell to their weapons and the mine free from them, the exhausted team can finally head back to base.
Unlike when they fought in the War Games, none of them live in the base anymore. Instead, they all changed to more casual clothing and take a teleporter to where they currently live.
It’s a nice change for a lot of them, a lot better to head for a more peaceful place and recharge to the next battle instead of being stuck at the place.
Sometimes they do all stay at the base a few more hours before going home, mostly to enjoy each other's company along with a good drink and food. Strengthen the bond they had shaped during their years of fighting together, didn't matter if the Administrator disapproved. Some of them does not have anyone else but the people they fight alongside with and need these small parties in order to stay sane.
*A couple of weeks later*
Miss Pauling is quite relieved that the team is starting to communicate better. There are still a lot of shouting at one another and the occasional brawls but the deaths between them has vastly decreased, and they can focus on the robots instead of petty disagreements as they often dealt with during the Gravel war. That’s a plus in her book, more so when she cannot play peacekeeper as she is more occupied in doing her job as their supervisor in this new way of fighting a war. It’s harder compared to when she simply checked up on them in the Gravel war. Sure she only has nine people to deal with but it has become rather clear that these nine does not trust her. Only follows her command because that’s what they are hired to do.
Miss Pauling is used to mercenaries distrusting her, but never a whole team and she feels like walking on glass around them. But she will simply be happy as long they do what she tells them. “You have done an amazing job protecting the mine, but now we are dealing with another problem.” She folds out the map onto the table, showing the reports she got in on where the robots are. Which is pretty much everywhere, Grey sure knows how to mass produce his army. “Our enemy has reclaimed several important places and although you guys are very good at what you do, you can’t be everywhere— well you can if there was more of you…” She notices the dark stares from several of the mercenaries and quickly drops that still very sensitive topic. “With the only nine of you, we can’t fight all fronts.” She groans annoyed by how this battle is going .“I would kill to know where their leader is by now… makes everything so much easier.”
“Ten of the robot platoons will attack the white house exactly thirteen hundred hours tomorrow. Leaving only three platoons to protect the mummy.” Soldier explains adding to the baffled staring Demo. “We will never see it coming.”
At first, Miss Pauling did not really listen to Soldier. “Uh huh, come on think, where would someone like Grey be— wait what?” Miss Pauling blinks, realizing what their crazy patriotic had said. “Soldier, how do you know all of that?” She asks baffled.
Soldier grins proudly of what he succeed last night. “The robots told me! When I infiltrated their secret robot base last night!”
“You- You infiltrated their…” Miss Pauling slowly repeats, Soldier is many things but smart is not one of them. So having him to find a secret base and get such valuable Intel is hard to beleive. “And where is that base?”
“In the hippi forest!”
“Gentlemen, I have died more times today than I like to admit and probably just as many when we’re going to defend a hat factory tomorrow.” Spy says and without asking for permission, he leaves. “I am going home.”
His own son agrees with him on that one. “You said it, good night Miss Pauling.” and the speedster leaves as well.
Soldier is appalled that his own team did not believe him. “But I did infiltrate the robot base! Come on people, why would I lie?! We’re all Americans here!”
“I’m not~” Pyro sing-song cheerfully, quite happy she can take off the mask without having to worry on the other’s reaction. “I’m a Mexican.” and starts pointing at those not from this country either. “Heavy’s Russian, Medic German, Sniper is Australian, Spy’s France and Demo is from Scotland. We’re from all over the world!” She laughs. If she noticed the tension coming from some of the others or not or just didn’t give a darn, no one from the team would ever know.
She smiles still cheerfully to Soldier who looks as if someone just punched him in the gut. “Isn’t that cool?”
“Whaat?! You are all foreign?!” Soldier cries horrified of first been told that now. “But- but how can you be like the eagle raised Grey?! Are you from Europe too?!”
This is getting stupid, now he says Grey has been raised by eagles, what’s next? That Grey is, in reality, a pony? “Heh, eagles. Yeah, right mate.” Sniper smirks somewhat amused how ridicules that man’s logic can get at times.
Engineer grins at Sniper’s reply before he pulls Pyro over to the portal leading to his farm before she ends up breaking Solly further. For that, not even he can repair. “Alright, enough fun for you today.” Pyro giggles and follows him. “kay~” She sing-song.
Letting out a sigh, Medic correct his glasses and remarks calmly up to Heavy. “Alas, brain scooping to remove memory only works that many times.” and leaves for he honestly is not in the mood to do a procedure on that man at the moment. Maybe tomorrow if Soldier starts to insult his country again.
Chuckling of his remark, Heavy follows. “That explains why Soldier keeps forgetting we are from.”
The only one feeling just a bit sorry for the team's patriotic is Demo, he claps the dumbfounded Soldier on the shoulder but did not correct the others as he does think it’s best for Solly to know that not all foreigners are bad. But since he is the only one who stuck around, Miss Pauling reveals that Soldier’s crazy words might not have been so crazy as everyone thought.
“Okay. The Administrator knows about the eagles. I know about the eagles. Soldier how do you know about that?”
“Wait, so Grey was raised by eagles?” Demo asks dumbfounded. Miss Pauling nods and after a moment, Demo nods in acceptance. “Didn’t see that coming.” and empty his scrumpy bottle. After have reclaimed a new one, Demo asks Soldier now his talk about infiltrating the enemy might hold a nice whiskey bottle of truth. “I take the robots told you that.“
“Yes!” Soldier replies in his usual zealous, do forget about it for a moment for as he has, in his eyes a very important question. “Are you a foreign Tavish?”
Might as well be honest, he always feels so bad that he has to keep lying to his friend. “Ay.”
“Oh right, Scotland but you’re not going to topple down America, right?” Soldier asks, for he really would like to keep Tavish as his friend. As long he does not want to harm America… well, he guesses he can deal with him being foreign.
Demo can’t help but smile at this question, he puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Nah, I like America just as it is.” That eases Soldier and Demo is glad they no longer are pinned against one another.
He turns to Miss Pauling when she butts in their small buddy moment, commanding Soldier to show her where this secret base is.
Glad that both Demo won’t ruin America- proving he is a true friend, and Miss Pauling is asking how he got inside the base. Soldier trots over to his locker. “You need to brace yourself for what I am about to show you.”
“I’m braced, let’s see it Soldier.” Miss Pauling replies a bit impatience, she glances to Demo who is watching Soldier calmly, does get a face of great amusement while she has to resist the urge to facepalm when Soldier’s ‘brilliant’ disguise proves to be his not very well made robot costume he at times has on at Halloween.
Soldier moves as he has seen his robots look alike does, speaking like they do although there is no way for him to imitate the voicebox of a robot. “Beep boop! I am a robot!” Miss Pauling stares at him with a large frown, he does not realize that she has that face because of how stupid this is, he mistakes it for her being scared stiff because she does not recognize him “Miss Pauling?” He lifts up the cardboard box having two plastic cups and metal a coat hanger taped onto it. “Don’t be scared, I’m not actually a rob—“
“Leave it on.” Miss Pauling tells him, thinking that if she can handle been turned into a pony, deal with this bunch of maniacs and two wizards, then the possibility this stupid trick might work is more than possible. “In fact, tape together another one. I’m coming with you.”
Demo can’t help but laugh at where this is going. “I’m coming too.” He walks over to the pile of empty boxes Soldier has used for his ‘disguise’. “Might get a good story out from it.” Pretty sure his mother can do without him a few more hours.
After having made two more robot disguises and Miss Pauling reports this possible attack tomorrow to their boss before she and Demo follow Soldier to this secret base.
Helen is, of course, reluctant to take anything coming from Soldier seriously but in case this is indeed legit, she commands Ignis to Washington, he’s not happy her ordering him around but does do what she told him. He too realized they can’t lose the current president, less so when that man is pretty much the only one stubborn enough to stand his ground of not to start another war.
*A week later. In the Gila Forest*
Watching the last four battles between his robots and that retard team of more or less immortal mercenaries, most of them ending with them his robots getting decimated but he did at least get some Australium, so he’s no longer in danger running out, so that’s one victory. He could still destroy the respawn machine, but it’s only a matter of time before he gets past the alpha machine's lockdown. Thanks to the Sirens turning their Engineer into his slave for a time made him able to keep the mercenaries from respawning when he is in the area, saves him a lot of trouble even though he still has no ability to properly get rid of those men. But that issue he can think about later, now to the security leak he has been dealing with this past week. “Status report.” He commands the head of a scout-bot, the only one still functional after the attack of a military base.
“*beepboop* the humans were waiting for us at the last four attack. Somehow they knew. *bopbeepboop* we would advice delaying the secret attack on the respawn site at Teufort through the secret tunnels going under the town.” The head replies.
“Hm, would you.” Grey muses calmly even though he is far from it. Passing his daughter who is tearing apart the doll with the knife he gave her as birthday present, he asks this head of a scout-bot. “And- just so I’m clear- you suspect these security leaks are due to some unknown “tactical mastermind” in their ranks… and not, for instance, because you mention our secret attack plans at every opportunity?!”
“*beepboop* affirmative.” The head replies.
Another robot, this one a Pyro-bot shows a picture of the man the scout-bot is sure is this ‘mastermind’
“We believe this is the mastermind *beepboop*”
Grey is far from impressed, for the picture show probably the stupidest of the mercenaries, the one with the class name of Soldier. Grey would’ve taken this security leak issue better if the intruder had been the spy, at least there he has a contingency plan. But nooo the leak proves to from an idiot. “You are imbeciles.” Grey tells his robot army, but he guesses the reason for that is his own fault. “But I blame myself because I made you.”
“ALL HAIL THE MAKER!” The robots cry in unison, like anything else, they do not understand when the right moment to use this line, so they spew it out rather randomly.
“Ahh, the ‘hailing’ circuit. Yes, all hail me.” Grey tells the robots and must admit it was a moment of weakness on his part, a stroke over his ego of having an army hailing him like a certain leader who is unfortunately dead now. Pity, he liked Hilter and his vision to the world, but he can’t cry over spilled milk. “But this time I restained this weakness of mine and replaced all that rote worshipping circuitry with raw computational power.” He turns to the Engie-bot there like the others were stupid once, which made them put sentry guns on spots where they would be completely useless but now. “May I represent the now smartest mecha of the army!— you may hail now.” The robots hail him and Grey turns on the upgraded Engineer robot, commanding it. “Find the intruders!”
The Engie-bots leave the stage and start searching, a small platoon of the other robots follow. Near one of the intel rooms, a engie-bot scanners spot humanoid figures not out of metal and shouts. “Humans!” Which makes the small platoon run towards the poorly robot dressed humans.
Unaware they have been spotted, Soldier whispers while picking his nose. “Ohh boy, I hate to be those humans right now.”
Demo might be drunk half the time but even he can see they are in trouble. “Times to run!”
Miss Pauling nods and with a stack of intel of future attacks in hand, she swiftly follows the two mercenaries. Somehow they manage to get out from the base and when driving off in her car. Miss Pauling says. “I’m surprised this worked for that long.” But now Grey has built himself a smart robot, so she doubts that anyone but Spy can get inside this base. But knowing Grey, this base won’t be around for long. Man is egotistical but he is not an idiot. However, this short mission did prove that sometimes it needs an idiot to thwart a genius and Miss Pauling is not sure how to react on that small fact.