SURPRISE!

He didn’t know how, but they were.

Respawn had never been painful. Sure, it was nerve wracking the first time, and almost all mercenaries who popped back into existence were quick to throw up. All had an existential crisis or two coming to realize that death was indeed a thing they would face. More than once, they would face it, and more than once would they have to physically push it from mind if they wanted to keep any semblance of sanity.

The difference this time was, the man that suddenly came to consciousness inside RED’s corpse freezer knew he shouldn’t be there. Knew Respawn had been turned off, knew he’d been fired. Knew exactly what had happened that led up to his ultimate demise.

Knew who was behind it too.

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

“If I was gonna waste him, do you think I’d tell the dead guy? Fuck you, Tone.”

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

Wow, that’s a lot of bile. Maybe Luther was more put off by all this unpleasantness than he let on… or maybe he really is a Brutal now. Either way, he’s not done talking. “But this… fucking… animal doesn’t want to control himself. He wants to be a piece of shit. He wants to do whatever the fuck he wants, and if somebody tells him not to, he acts like it’s their fault when he fucking acts out.” Luther steps further away. Grabs the shotgun.

“I gave you more chances than you deserved, Antoine. I fuckin’ looked the other way when I shouldn’t have and I paid the cost. All you had to do was stay in fucking line and none of this would have happened.” The bolt’s pulled back, locking open and letting a shell rise upwards enough that when he pulls the trigger, it’ll slide right into the chamber and discharge.

But the only thing he can think of is if Sniper’s next. Granted, he’s not done anything else, not nearly what Antoine had done. Not had any other marks on record other than friendship with a BLU. Would they still go after him if they dealt with the main problem mercenary? Signs pointed to no, but... Would he go above and beyond with this too? Maybe he wasn’t. Maybe this was bare minimum, and Toni really was as garbage as Luther said.

“Guess I wasn’t... as sneaky as I thought.”

The cameras around bases were old, he had technology that far surpassed the average man, and still he got caught. When he’d been younger, he’d been better without all that tech. It had made him lazy, made him sloppy. The worst thing a spy could do was get caught and kept alive, but at least Luther wasn’t trying to extract information. He was just as ready as Antoine was to get it over with.

Although...

“Though, for the record. That RED isn’t... as smart as you’d think.”

Sniper had a lot to lose. Toni didn’t.

“With your... problem mercenary out of the picture.. I doubt he’ll cause problems.”

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

“You know what, Ton’? If you weren’t so fucking stupid I’d respect that. It takes some serious fuckin’ nerve to be staring into your own grave and still be acting like a shitty little kid who never learned the consequences of his fuckin’ actions.” He steps back over, giving him a self-satisfied look before driving a knee into Toni’s gut. “Somewhere in France there’s a Mrs. Beurecard who has fuckin’ failed as a mother, you know that?”

Cursing in french through struggled breaths, feet scrabble to stop the swinging lest he throw up right then and there. 

“Fine -- you want a fucking medal?”

He can’t help it, the whole situation is frustrating. Luther had always boasted about not dragging things out, shoot first and forget the questions. But this far in, with no way or choice to defend himself, Toni had to be honest. He was ready for it to be over with. He can’t breathe, but forces out words anyway.

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

It’s not quite a smile Luther’s wearing as he lays into Toni. Sure, the corners of his mouth curl up a little when a particularly solid blow lands, but it’s not like he’s grinning like it’s his birthday or anything… even if he kinda feels like it is. This has been such a long time coming he was beginning to wonder if Admin were even going to let it happen at all.

A small part of him wonders if Sniper’s going to get fired as well, or if there’s anything he could do about that. He’s fairly certain he’s not getting out of this, not with a man like Luther on his case. Maybe if it had been Pauling before her accident, he might’ve been able to convince her to report him dead and flee the country. Hell, any of the other administration might’ve been susceptible to deceit. But not him.

Wheezing still, wondering just how far he could push the Admin. Are they going to get to business? Blood is dribbling down his face, from his nose, pooling in large angry bruises beneath his shirt. He hopes he’s stained Luther’s clothes with any of it that got loose.

“Go to hell, Murphy.”

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

Oh. Oh, that’s way worse. This isn’t a semi-routine rivalry with a Medic at all. Even if he weren’t throwing a jab at a seven-foot death machine, the force applied by a swing coming up from the floor without actually standing leaves a lot to be desired. Luther pulls his head back, out of the way of the punch, and responds in kind - fist colliding with Toni’s head and Toni’s head colliding with the floor.

Not enough to knock him out again, though. He needs to be awake for this. Now that Luther knows he’s up, he works quicker, unzipping the bag enough to pull the Spy out and getting his hands cuffed together. It’s almost insulting how easily he lifts Toni’s weight, the chains clinking and rasping against the hook the Pyro dangles him from.

Chains clinking, being manhandled into a standing position. Tiptoes barely brushing the floor. Guess he finally found the pasture they brought the lame horses to.

Fuck it's cold.

The answer is clear as day, however. But Toni's been a pain in Luther's ass since nearly day one. If this isn't just another warning like Luther said he'd never get, there's only one other explaination.

One eye squinting shut to try and cut down on how many Luthers there were in his vision, Antoine spits a wad of blood to the floor.

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

Another door - different door. The swishing sound of one of the medbay autodoors, as far as he’s aware. Then… the distinct noise of the rubber seal of the corpse freezer.

Luther shuts the door behind him. Locks it. Turns towards the many hooks meant for keeping bags just like this one off the floor while the bodies inside are in stasis, then drops it onto the freezing tiles anyway. There’s a pause as he considers it… Toni might still be out, or he might be awake and waiting for an opportunity to lash out and try to make his escape as soon as Luther unzips it.

Best to be sure.

Toni felt his heart rate spike, biting his tongue till it bled to keep quiet as the treatment turns brutal. He’s sure they heard his strangled choke of air, sure they know he’s awake by now. Sure they can hear him struggling to breathe through a broken nose and possibly broken ribs. The scrapes and bruises he’s sure to have in an hour don’t matter, all that matters is finding out just what the hell is going on.

Eight seconds later, Luther’s shaking out his hand with a self-satisfied expression as Toni’s nose starts leaking blood onto the floor. He was hoping it’d be easy, but this easy? That has to be divine providence or something.

No telling how long the guy’s going to be out, though, so he shouldn’t mess around. The body bag’s unzipped and laid out on the floor of the ex-Spy’s room, and with a little finagling, he fits Toni into it and zips it up.

He hadn’t even really seen what had happened, just remembered setting down his book from a knock at the door.

Though, from the involuntary tears in his eyes and wetness he could only assume was blood, they’d attempted to get him to swallow his damn nose.

“It IS solvable.”

“How many problems are there? I have six bullets and then you are on your own.”

❛  i need only one needle to solve this problem.  ❜