Tex, together with Church, Tucker, and Caboose, is standing outside Blue Base.
Tex: As far as I'm concerned, I'm square with you.
Caboose and Tucker simultaneously turn to face Church.
Church: I saved you from a life of imprisonment. How the hell are you square with me?
Tex snorted. "Life of imprisonment? Please. With their security, it would take me 3 minutes tops to get out and bash their skulls in."
Caboose and Tucker simultaneously turn to Tex.
Tex: Because I didn't kill you back at Sidewinder.
Caboose and Tucker turn back to Church.
Church: You know, I don't really see how not killing somebody is the same thing as doing them a favor.
Caboose and Tucker turn to Tex.
Tex: Well, if you don't appreciate it, I could just kill you right now.
Church: No, you can't! I'm already dead, bitch! I guess the joke's on you!
"Note to self: you can only swear at Tex and call her a bitch when you're dead and a ghost." CT said wryly.
Tex rolled her eyes in response. "Sure. You think that." She muttered under her breath.
Caboose: Stop it! Stop fighting. Can't you see that you're tearing us apart? WHAT ABOUT US?
Tex: What about you?
Caboose: We helped you too. And what do we get? Nothing!
Tex: Well yeah, but...
Church: Yeah, but nothin'. He's got a point.
"Wish he didn't." Tex huffed quietly.
Tex: I did help them get the flag back.
Tucker: Yeah, but you were paid to do that. We rescued you as a favor. We could have just let you rot in the Red Army prison, it wouldn't have made any difference to us.
Tex: Fine, I'll stay here as long as it takes to help you guys win this thing. As soon as I have, I'm outta here. What do you need me to do?
Tucker: I have no idea. If you knew how to fix a tank, I would have you do that.
Tex: ...Okay.
Caboose: Wait, you-you know how to fix Sheila? ...I love you.
"Agent Texas, breaking hearts left and right." North teased. Tex snorted and chucked a pillow at him, which he dodged easily, laughing.
Cut to Lopez.
Lopez: Entonces le decía "tu no pesas más, yo peso más." Entonces pusimos nuestros cuerpos sobre la escala y determinamos quién tenía el peso más grande. Después de eso me llamé a mi mismo Lopez La Pesado. [Then I would say "you don't weigh more, I weigh more." So we put our bodies on the scale and determined who had the greatest weight. After that I called myself Lopez the Heavy.]
"That's a horrible name to call yourself. "Lopez the Heavy"? Seriously?" Maine chuckled at Wash's sigh of despair.
"We should call York that." Niner grinned from the otherside of Maine.
"Hey!" York protested. Carolina looked at York with faint amusement while South cackled in the background.
Grif: Man. First he doesn't talk at all, and now we can't get him to shut up. What's he saying?
Simmons: What're you asking me for?
Grif: Well, you know, because you're of, uh, a Latino persuasion.
Simmons: Simmons isn't a Spanish name, you dumbass. I'm Dutch-Irish.
Immediately, Wyoming glowered at Simmons. "Of course he's bloody Irish." He grumbled under his breath.
"Is this a British thing or a you thing?" CT drawled from her spot.
Wyoming just muttered something incomprehensible so Florida took the liberty to answer for his friend. "It's a British thing. It started in the twentieth century but were eventually cool with each other. Until, you know, when they almost started World War 4 but it's getting better." He answered.
Wait, what? Rider asked, startled, but everyone ignored her.
"I almost forgot about their conflict in the twentieth century." Wash said and looked over at Maine when he rumbled something. Wash's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? That's interesting."
"Wash, buddy, I'm getting a little tired of asking you what Maine said." York said flatly.
"Sorry," He apologized sheepishly. "He said that he has Irish blood through his mother."
Wyoming immediately narrowed his eyes at Maine, who growled at him in response. Wash suddenly looked very nervous and scooted away from his friend.
"Is there going to be a problem?" Carolina asked sharply, crossing her arms. She would not have her teammates fight over something so trivial as this and possibly get the rest of them killed. "Well?" She demanded when neither of them responded.
"No." Wyoming said at last. Maine begrudgingly grunted in agreement.
"Good. If this comes up again, I'm benching the both of you and putting you on dish duty for a month." Carolina said sternly, making sure she got her point across.
Both Maine and Wyoming grumbled but didn't argue.
"So, did your red hair come from your Irish heritage?" South asked, a slight smirk gracing her lips.
"South." North sighed while Carolina shot her a withering look.
Fun fact; red hair actually didn't originate in Ireland. While Ireland is most known for having red hair, it actually originated in central Asia. Although google doesn't specify where in central Asia it's from. Stupid google. Rider grumbled that last part to herself.
Carolina looked a little interested but shrugged. "I wouldn't know regardless. We didn't really talk about where my ancestors are from. Besides, I got my red hair from my aunt. According to my mother, it caused quite a scandal. Everyone thought my father cheated on my mother with my aunt." She said, sporting a small smirk of amusement but a faraway look in her eyes.
South grinned. "Welcome to the club." She said while North shook his head behind her. Leave. He mouthed.
Carolina simply raised a brow and turned her attention to the screen
Grif: But I thought-
Simmons: What?
Grif: Eh, never mind.
Donut: ...I'm from Iowa.
Grif and Simmons: Nobody cares!
Cut to Tucker and Caboose sneaking up behind Sheila.
Church: Okay, take it easy guys. When I was over at the Red Base, I saw that they've already got their jeep fixed. So whatever you do, don't let 'em see us before we get Sheila back online.
Caboose: Okay, okay. Even if we get Sheila fixed, how are we going to turn her over? I mean it's not as if we could just lift-
In the background, Tex flips Sheila back over.
York whistled impressively. "Damn Tex. Do you bench press tanks in your spare time?"
Tex just smirked.
Caboose: Oh. She is a very strong lady.
Church: I'm the one that's the least visible, so I'm gonna head up here to higher ground. I'll keep an eye on the Red Base. If I see anything, I'll let you know.
Caboose: Great, I'll come with you!
Church: That kinda defeats the purpose, Caboose.
Caboose: Okay. What if I'm really... (softer) really... (whispering) quiet?
Church: Do you even understand what the term "visibility" means?
Caboose: Ah hah hah, uhh.... good one, Church.
Church: Seriously. You don't know what it means, do you?
Caboose: Uh, no...
Church: Caboose, just stay here, man, and try not to swallow your tongue or anything like that.
"This is just bringing me back to when Wash just joined the team. Ah, the good ol' days." York grinned.
"Didn't he almost get you killed on nine separate occasions?" CT asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes, remembering each of those incidents like it was yesterday.
Wash shot her a betrayed look while York waved her comment away. "I lived didn't I? And now I got nine different occasions that I can remind Wash of. It all worked out."
Tucker: Just watch the Red Base, and tell us if you see any movement.
Tucker runs up to Tex who is welding on the tank.
Tucker: So, I suppose if you're helping us, you're not as mean as I thought.
Tex: (stops to face Tucker) I wouldn't say I'm mean, I just get hired to do mean things.
Tucker: Yeah, but you like it.
Tex: Well, I think it's important to enjoy what you do.
"Facts. Finally, someone who gets it." South grinned. Tex rolled her eyes but didn't argue.
You two being friends scares me. Rider comments.
South and Tex exchanged matching smirks.
"One of these days, we should team up. See how much shit we can break." South said, mischievously.
"Perhaps we should." Tex responded, a roguish gleam in her eyes.
That wasn't an invitation! Rider yelped.
Tucker: So let's say I payed you to kill Caboose. (looks at Caboose) You would still do it, right? Even though you're supposed to be helping us?
Tex: Is this a hypothetical discussion, or should we start talking numbers?
"Tex!" Florida looked absolutely appalled. "We don't kill anyone we don't have to. Especially for money." He chided.
Tex gave him an unimpressed look. "We literally kill people and break crap for a paycheck. Or did you forget that we took down a whole skyscraper in the middle of a highly populated city last mission?"
"That may be true but I don't think that you should kill that strapping young man for money." Florida put his hands and gave her a look.
Tex scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."
Tucker: Yeah, I don't wanna talk about this any more.
Church is up on the ledge where he was killed.
Church: Hey, Tucker!
Tucker: What?!
Church: What the hell is my body still doing up here?
"Probably because your team consists of a stupid asshole and a stupid idiot." Niner rolled her eyes. To be fair, that's basically what she dealt with on a daily basis.
Tucker: That's part of being dead, Church. Your body doesn't really move around much any more. Maybe you haven't fully grasped the concept yet.
Church: Alright, well let me rephrase that then: Why in the hell haven't you buried my body yet?
Tucker: Buried? With what? All we have are pistols and rifles. What do you want me to do, shoot you a grave?
Burn him. Rider commented.
"Burn him with what?" Wyoming asked snidely.
Well they have a tank, so they have fuel. So take off his armor because they might need spare parts and douse him with the gas and light him on fire. Viking funeral it. Or better yet, paint his armor red and hang him somewhere. Send a message to the reds. Rider said, speaking as if she was talking about the weather.
Many of the Freelancers stared at her (technically her screen) with expression's ranging from interesting (goddammit Florida) to mildly disturbed (calm down North, you've probably done worse).
York eyed Rider. "Not sure if I should be worried that a teenager is talking about doing that so casually or not."
Rider just laughed. I've watched a lot of crime and murder shows. Pair that up with all of the doctor shows that I've seen, and I can probably kill someone and never be convicted.
"Y'know, you're just proving my point."
Silence peasant.
"I'm no-"
Shh.
"Bu-"
Shhhh.
Church: Well then how about shipping me back home? You know, let the loved ones pay a little respect.
Tucker: Well Church, here's your girlfriend. Tex, as one of Church's loved ones, would you like to pay your respects?
Tex turns around and starts working on the tank again.
CT pointed at Tex. "That's cold." She said, suppressing a half smile. Although, knowing Tex, CT wasn't really surprised.
"Since when have I ever said anything nice?"
"Fair point."
Tucker: That was a stirring eulogy. Rest in peace, good buddy!
Fade to black
》¤¤《
Hey y'all! I'm going to leave to go to drivers ed to take my midterm so wish me luck!
That's all for now! Adios and don't forget to leave a comment and give a kuddos/vote! Love y'all!
Posted: September 25, 2022