Chapter Text
TEAM VANGUARD, RED BASE.
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Cadet wakes up first in a cold sweat, as always. His dreams are never pleasant, always reminding him of what he left behind. The day he ran away from home and didn’t look back, ignoring the calls from his siblings and parents.
That day was rainy and dark. Every time it’s even remotely humid he gets dragged back to that memory. Sprinting in damp, muddy grass and wet clothes. He’s being haunted by his own actions
But it's not rainy or dark, it’s the morning. Around six am, Cadet thinks.
Chemist wakes up second, next to Tank. They aren’t very subtle about their relationship, always being around each other. Nobody comments on it mostly in fear of Chem killing them.
Chemist checks the clock. Seven in the morning, the time people usually get up.
Hunter and Taxidermist wake up fourth and fifth. They both go to the kitchen, Hunter getting a coffee, and Tax making breakfast for everyone. Taxidermist is somehow amazingly good at cooking, which is out of character for him. Chemist theorizes it’s a skill he got from his host body.
Seven twenty. A bit later than when Chem and Tank started getting ready.
Welder always wakes up last, at around seven thirty five. They don’t wake up easily and it’s difficult for them to fall asleep. Terrible combination, but at least they can still function. Kind of.
Today, Tax woke up. As per usual.
… Everyone else is already awake.
No, this is wrong. There’s a specific order in how things should be in the morning. That's what they all do. Only three others are supposed to be awake, not the whole team. It’s only three. That’s how it’s supposed to be.
Cadet, Chemist, Tank, Hunter, Taxidermist, Welder. In that order. But today, it changed. That routine never changes.
Tax gets ready, putting on his assigned uniform (and favourite hat) and walking into the lounge. All the mercs are gathered around the table, discussing something. Taxidermist spots an open envelope on the table, and they never get envelopes. Hell, they don’t get envelopes.
The team goes silent as they see Taxidermist walk in, rubbing his eyes.
“Ah- Tax! Finally woke up, eh?” Chemist says, waving Tax over. He’s grinning like always, but Tax can tell he’s masking something away. Anxiety?
Taxidermist walks over, curious about whatever could've been in the letter. Chemist is holding a paper that appears to have printed text and a photo attached with a paperclip.
“What’s this?” Tax queries.
“Alrighty, I’ll fill you in on that,” Chem claps his hands together, “So, we got a new mission. Cool! Slight issue, we have no idea what the hell we’re 'sposed to be doing.”
Chemist passes the paper to Taxidermist.
“We’re gonna be finding… uhh… What’re they called again…” Chem puts his hand on his chin.
The paper in Tax’s hands says something along the lines of finding and interrogating people. The photo attached seems to show all of them. Taxidermist pauses to look at it. They look like a… Group of friends? They all have features like the Fortress team but different, and they're posed like it was an event to remember specifically in the photo.
Where did the administrator get this?
“The freaks-”
Chemist snaps his fingers, snapping Tax out of it.
“Freaks! We’re finding the Freaks! That’s what they’re called, took me a bit there. Thanks for jogging my memory there, Tank.”
Chem pats Tank on the back, “Anywho, the Administrator says they might have info on why the Respawn Machine’s out of commission-”
“The Respawn Machine isn’t working?” Tax interrupts.
“Yeah, so we gotta track em’ down and ask them a few questions. She doesn’t state whether we should be killing them after or not, so, we’re gonna go with the former. Who wants to kill people?”
The team cheers, excited for action. Welder claps, unable to speak because of their welding helmet.
Taxidermist hums in acknowledgement, his eyes going back to gaze at the photo.
Someone else is in there. They don’t look like any Fortress merc, and they don’t have any weird features. Tax recognizes him.
“... Andy.”