"Blackmail."

Chapter 3

"Checkpoint and Spy's discovery."

The sound of a roaring engine filled the jungle, as a small army helicopter prepared to land on the green filled ground.

The side door opened and a skinny man in a green west and soldier trousers leaned out the flying monster. His hand gripping the insides to prevent himself from falling down, a small smile tugging on the edges of his mouth.

Sniper took in a deep breath of the amazon air as the wind from the wings pulled at his shorty cut hair, trying to take away the man's cowboy hat.

Man, it's good to be back. The Australian thought, gazing upon the multitude of various trees and plants before him as the helicopter slowly landed.

It has been years since he last visited the Amazon jungle but, unlike all the other forests touched by man, this one didn't change. And with it its rules, which is what made visiting it all the more thrilling.

The area was dangerous if you don't know your way around. Heck, even a man who has walked the jungle through and through could get eaten or lost at any moment.

Though the Amazon jungle may be stern and demands utmost respect and discipline, it's never a bad mother to those it views as her children. There was always plenty of food for insect, animal and human alike, as well as enough places to use for shelter for all those in favor.

And, frankly, Sniper was one of those precious few people that were not born in the jungle and yet was regarded by the large entity, as one of her own.

Once the flying vessel landed steadily on the ground the Sniper swiftly gathered his belongings and mentally prepared for his reunion with the dangerous jungle, as he jumped out of the helicopter.

Taking in the fresh, clean air the sharpshooter smiled at the onslaught of old memories that flooded his mind, reminding him of all the animals he managed to add to his trophy collection of teeth and claws. Some of those wild beasts actually took a chunk of him to hell with them, as proved by the numerous scars of claw and teeth-marks that decorated the Australian's lean but muscular frame. Smiling he placed the bag he brought with him on the ground and for a solid minute, just enjoyed the feeling of being back where he belonged.

His hard-earned heightened senses were filled with the sound of animals roaring their greetings and the sweet smells of the blossoming flowers, immediately making him feel at home.

Sniper's feeling of welcome was interrupted by the pilot of the helicopter that came out of the flying machine to give him details for the mission.

"I expect the boss already informed you of your general purpose here…"The sharpshooter nodded answering the man's question, keeping his eyes on the landscape before him and his back turned to his speaker. "Good. I'll jump right into business then." The RED heard the pilot's hand rustle around a pocket for a solid minute before the man pulled something out and Sniper would have turned around to check what it was, if he didn't already have an idea of what it could be.

"This pen-drive-" Bingo. "-Contains the list of targets the boss wants you to shoot down." He already guessed that, next. More sounds of rustling…some other toys, perhaps? "This visor-" Visor? What 'visor'? There was nothing about no visor. "-Will show you what number you should shoot first." Numbers…that all they ever were to him, numbers on a growing list of bodies. In his early years as a beginning assassin, he was told to think of his targets as just that, targets. They were not to be thought of as humans with families and loved ones. His old instructor told him that train of thought was adapted to make the shooting easier, his years of experience told him it was created to keep him and his fellow mercenaries from losing their sanities.

"Once you plug the pend-drive into this headgear you are to wear it at all times, understood?" The man, he decided to call him 'Larry' for the brief time that they get to spend in each other's company, said holding the black visor out to him.

Sniper nodded and silently took the devise from 'Larry's' hand, before looking at it from every angle.

It looked like something he once saw a comic character wear. The visor was heavy in his hands curtesy of the metal it was made of, colorful vires went in and out of its frame, connecting the thing to the batteries at the back. The glass he was supposed to look through was red in color and probably reacted to heat signals, not allowing him to see anything but his target's silhouette and the exact distance between them.

The thing was big enough to fit effortlessly on his head and cover his eyes and ears.

He wondered if it was even remotely comfortable since he was expected to be wearing it at all times, after a minute he concluded his wonderings with a definite 'hell no!'.

The Aussie snorted.

There was no way he was taking a bath with this misshaped toaster on his head, it might short-circuit and fry his brain or something equally deadly.

"If you have no questions that will be all then." 'Larry's' voice made Sniper look towards him, the pilot was already inside the chopper's cockpit. "The boss will contact you via your visor when your mission will officially begin." He then smiled a bit sadly. "I wish you a happy hunt, Sniper." He then nodded and promptly closed the doors to his helicopter.

A few minutes later 'Larry' was flying towards the sunset, leaving the RED alone with his jungle.

Sniper watched him disappear in the sunlight before turning his gaze towards the tree line, it's about time he found a safe place to store his stuff in, a 'Snipers Nest' as Scout would call it. The sun will be down soon and the Amazon Jungle becomes a living death trap during the night, even for ones as acquainted with it as Sniper.

With that though in mind he gathered his things, along with the dreaded visor, and began hacking his way into the heart of the jungle with his trusty, and freshly sharpened, kukri.

The BLU Spy was standing in one of the Sniper Nests smoking a cigarette, waiting for his RED counterpart who requested a private meeting with him behind the Administrator's back.

"I hope you realize what I'm risking by meeting up with you here, Spy." He said dropping his smoke to the ground at the sound of the other entering the room.

"You'd risk a lot more if you hadn't come." The RED man said walking over, steel eyes blazing. "I have discovered something I believe you and your team would like to know."

"Oh?" The BLU inquired raising an eyebrow, in response his counterpart threw a rather large folder at him, one which he caught without much problems.

"I'm sure you are aware that my Sniper was sent away on 'vacation' the other day." The RED Spy stated looking out the window.

"His absence has been noticed, yes." BLU answered looking the creamy folder over, it had a large red 'CONFIDENTIAL' stamp on it. "Though I fail to see how that has anything to do with this-"

"Open the folder." The order in the RED Spy's voice was unmistakable and, for a minute, BLU considered not doing what he was told, just to spite his counterpart. But ultimately he did what RED ordered him to, if only to see what was behind the 'CONFIDENTAL' stamp.

Once that action was completed…BLU Spy's eyes widened.

It was a list of names.

And not just any names…

But names that were specifically cataloged to certain members of each team.

Katherine De'Marie- BLU Spy

Violet Mundy- RED Sniper

Irene Conagher- RED Engineer

And so forth, all the way to the last page.

It was a list filled with their entire families and loved ones.

BLU Spy looked up at RED's broad back, eyes wide and fearful.

"You see now why I wanted to meet you." The red wearing Spook said, voice low. The BLU was too stunned to even nod, why was this happening? They did nothing to deserve such harsh punishment!

"I believe it is time we put our differences behind and work together to save our loved ones." His counterpart continued through gritted teeth.

"Because if we don't get to Sniper in time he is going to slaughter them all like pigs."

JA108: Sorry for the long wait! Hope this chappy makes up for it!