In Need of Assistance? (TF2)

Thirty-Five: You Animal

        The train rumbles as we round the edge of the mountain, the horn blaring as we go through a dark tunnel to cut inside the landform. Train car lights keep the car illuminated as the sun gets blocked out. I glance to my side, Sniper's head leaned against the frosty window, an aviator hat keeping his ears warm. Heavy sits across from us. He looks mad when he sleeps, his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth pressed into a frown. Sniper sits up and taps his hands lightly on the table.

"Second contract, Luv," he says. "From the hot beaches in Florida to the frigid tundra of Central Siberia in Russia. Cold?"

"Just a bit right now, but I know it's worse out there," I shiver, trying to shrink into my coat as much as possible. He smiles at me.

"Thanks for coming, Luv."

"Happy to be here." It's quiet for a few moments. "I'm sorry, you really don't look twenty-eight."

"Why does everyone bloody say that?" He sighs.

"Is true," Heavy whispers.

I sit up and adjust my coat collar. "I constantly have to remind myself that you're younger than me by four years, not older by seven."

"It can't be that bad can it, Freddie?" He complains.

"You look thirty-eight, minimum," I reinforce. "The lack of sunglasses highlights that. Moving on... Heavy."

"Да?"

"How much longer?"

"Hmm," he hesitates and takes a deep breath. He opens his eyes and glances out of the window. "An hour. Thirty minutes left on train and then it is thirty-minute hike through valley to get to village."

"And the entire village is in on it?" I ask. He nods and watches a man walk by before continuing.

"There is no police in Путоранский. If there is, they already know about it and do not stop it. Stupid babies have nothing better to do in mountains so they make animals hurt animals instead of finding something else to do."

"Dogfighting isn't that hard to clean up," Sniper says. "Just kill the main wanker calling the shots and everyone runs like chickens without heads."

"What happens to the dogs and the people betting on them?"

"Dunno," Sniper shrugs. "Usually don't care. It's none of our bizzo afterward. We just kill whoever we're told to kill and leave. Our main concern is not getting caught. Yeah, those other pikers were hurtin' dogs that did nothing, but we're the ones who shot and killed people. We're a bit higher on the priority list, Luv."

"Lady who made call will meet us at station. I will talk to her about details. Then we will set off for village. This should not take long."

"Guess we should rest up until then," I suggest. "Plane ride over was no joke."

Heavy stretches his arms and yawns. He takes a pair of glasses out of a case from his pocket. "I will catch up on reading. I found book from series that Heavy has not read in long time."

My phone starts to ring in my purse, so I fish it out and answer it. "Fredrickson."

"You should start answerin' with 'Accomplice,'" Engie starts. "Gets you more used to using it."

"I don't think Miss Pauling would like that too much, Engie," I differ.

Heavy sits up and taps the table. "Tell Engineer Heavy said 'happy birthday.'"