Epilogue: How We Were Here

A few days later...

On the roof of Blue Base, Rhode and Caboose kept their eyes peeled for any sign of attacking Reds. Rhode had had time in the past few days to fully digest that Carolina was dead and he was in a bit of a bad mood. He decided to stay at Blood Gulch, knowing there was nowhere else to go. But Church was in an even worse condition. He hadn't come out of his barracks since the battle ended. But for now, Rhode and Caboose were just standing around.

For a while they were silent then Caboose turned to his friend and spoke, "Hey, Rhode?"

"Yeah, Caboose?" Rhode replied.

"Ya ever wonder why we're here?" Caboose asked.

"You know, Caboose, I used to not care," Rhode sighed, "I just went along with orders and hoped that everything would work out for me. But after all that's happened, you know what I've learned? It's not about hating the guy on the other side because someone told you to. I mean, you should hate someone because they're a jerk, or a pervert, or a snob, or they're lazy, or arrogant, or an idiot, or a know-it-all. Those are reasons to dislike somebody. You don't hate a person because someone told you to. You have to learn to despise people on a personal level, not because they're Red or because they're Blue, but because you know them, and you see them every single day and you can't stand them because they are a complete and total freaking douchebag."

He was referring to the Insurrectionists he had fought and killed. He thought about how they had lives too and probably had families back home. He was also referring to his life and how he used to blindly follow the Director's orders. Caboose stared at him in silence, his puzzled expression hidden behind his visor.

"I meant, why are we up here in the sun, when we could be standing down there in the shade?" He pointed to the shadow behind the base.

"Oh," Rhode muttered, "Yeah okay, let's go stand in the shade."

XXX

Meanwhile, on a cliff overlooking the base, Grif and Simmons were spying on the Blues. Grif was watching the scene through the scope of his sniper rifle while Simmons stood nearby.

"What are they doing?" Simmons asked for the first time since they'd arrived five minutes ago.

Grif lowered the rifle and turned round, "What?"

"I said what are they doing now?"

"I don't know man, talking," Grif replied with a shrug, "That's all these guys ever do, they just stand around and talk."

Simmons was silent for a moment as he stared at the Blues, "What're they talking about?"

Grif glowered at his teammate, "You know what? I hate you."

"Yeah, I hate you too, buddy," Simmons replied with a smile.

Just then the voice of doom, also known as their Sergeant, rang out from the Red Base, "Hey ladies, get down here! I built a new vehicle from some old Warthog parts we had laying around!"

"It's an ATV!" Donut added with a giggle, "It's awesome!"

"Front 'n' center on the double!" Sarge ordered, "We need help naming this thing... and nothin' stupid this time!"

"I get to name this one," Simmons cried as he and Grif ran back to base.

"Why?" Grif asked.

"Because you named the last one!"

Grif then smiled, "Hey Simmons, one last thing..."

"What?"

"Shotgun!"

"CRAP!" Simmons' voice echoed across the canyon known only as Blood Gulch where, like it or leave it, for better or worse, through trials and tribulations, the Reds and Blues would always be there... at least until the next season.

XXX

There you have it guys! Rhode's time in Blood Gulch is nearly up. On to Reconstruction! Till next time guys!