Fanfiction From the Shadows

[Yun Lee]

From the Shadows
An Overwatch Story

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Part One

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"So how does it feel, knowing you've condemned this world to fire in the fullness of time? That you'll soon become the new Master of Talon and gain the power not only to make your enemies suffer in this life...But the next?"

The wraith known as Reaper could only cock his head, cowl and mask hiding his emotions as the man before him posed a question. A man dressed all in white, but he was anything but pure. The only sounds in the room were the ceiling fan above, and the sound of a body being dragged away to who knew where. A body that only moments ago had been a man: Trevor Ogilvy, superior officer of Talon who had made the grave mistake of trusting Reaper. And now he was dead, the first of many sacrifices made in the name of his ambitions. Yes…everyone who had ever stood in his way…they would be nothing. He couldn't help but laugh.

"It feels great."

"Sir!" The door flew open with no warning, and a Talon operative burst in. Just as he did, the man in white vanished without a trace, as if evaporating into the air like he had never existed in the first place. The operative had not noticed him, nor had he noticed anything else out of place; the body was gone, leaving Reaper the only one in the office. "Um…Reaper, sir, have you seen Mr. Ogilvy?"

"Ogilvy…?" Reaper didn't bother to feign any surprise or innocence. He fixed his gaze on the operative, who shrunk back accordingly. "He's…indisposed at the moment."

"I…I see." The operative cleared his throat, making a split-second decision that would save his life…for now, anyway. "In that case, Ms. O' Deorain has asked for assistance. That…that thing outside-"

"The Cyberdemon."

"Y-Yes. The…Cyberdemon, it…it's out of control! So many men have been slaughtered by it already, a-and we need backup to deal with it! She's been trying to hold it back, but…"

The operative trailed off, shuddering from a sudden and violent chill. From behind him, Reaper returned to tangible form, clouds of smoke dissipating around him.

"We shouldn't keep her waiting. Let's move."

---

"You're late."

She glared at him, but then again, she glared at everyone. There was no real anger in her, just mild irritation. Probably nothing more than annoyance at being unable to run her experiments as soon as she would like.

He put his hands up in the air, trying his best to force a smile and keep an air of humor around them. "Sorry, sorry. You know how those meetings get. Törbjorn loves hearing himself talk."

"Mm." She ignored him, looking over some paper as she pointed to the examination table. It was clear she couldn't care less for his excuses; she really couldn't care less about anything Overwatch-related.

He sighed and took his seat, covering his mouth to cough as he did so. "Ugh...Got anything for that, doc? It's been happening more frequently now..."

"Just more tests," she replied curtly, putting the paper down and walking to him.

"Give me anything you've got. I'm ready."

"Are you now. And I suppose that little bomb from last week has nothing to do with that?"

A pause. "What exactly do you mean?"

"You have the peculiar habit of increasing your desire to participate in my experiments whenever you desire to prove something. Am I wrong to assume that's the case here?"

It was his turn to glare. "So what if it is?! We can't keep letting Talon get away with this! That attack on Blackwatch…you know if we don't do anything, Antonio will walk away with no repercussions!" His nails dug into the cushion on the table. "It's wrong! These cowards hiding in the shadows, doing whatever they want…and we just let them!"

"They just let them." She examined the syringe she just filled, holding it up to the light. "You know if you all adopted my line of thinking, these bombings would never happen. These pretenses of ethics and morality…that killing the enemy-"

"-makes you just as bad as them." He sighed. "Morrison used that line today. Again. Mister All-American Hero. Hmph…no wonder he got that promotion."

"Let him have it. Morrison doesn't understand anything but rules, as do all the others do." She looked at him. "I'm nowhere near a spiritual person, but I think you were put into Blackwatch for a reason. You don't let these so-called rules stop you from doing what's right. Why let them stop you now?"

"………." He was silent, contemplating her words. Finally, he chuckled. "Y'know, Moira…I think this is the most I've ever heard you talk to me. You finally opening up?"

Her response was to insert the syringe. "You're the only person who's ever given himself up to me in the name of science. I suppose I can spare you a few words of advice."

Silence soon fell over them as the tests were to begin. But then…

"Say…how would you feel about a little trip to Venice?"

---

The shadowy organization known as Talon had risen in infamy over the past few years. With the dissolution of Overwatch, their time to move had not been wasted. Organizing attacks around the world, from assassinations of key figures to the destruction of landmarks, Talon had made a name for itself as something to be feared.

But today, in the belly of its Saudi Arabia branch, they were the ones who were afraid.

"Don't let up!" A woman's voice rang out in the arena, but it was next to impossible to hear over the rest of the din: screams, gunfire, and the ungodly shrieks of the Cyberdemon. The monster batted away at the operatives, knocking whoever was unlucky enough to get too close into the walls of the arena. Blood dripped from its jaws, where those with even worse luck had seen up close. There was no sign that this creature was going to be defeated anytime soon, and operatives on standby stood in fear, knowing they would have to face the monstrosity next…as well as their impending doom.

"Keep fighting! Aim for that thing on its chest!" The woman called out again, from a conccealed spot in the shadow of the arena. Her focus on the Cyberdemon kept her from noticing the cloud of black smoke materializing beside her until it took tangible form.

"Took you long enough," she huffed.

"Ogilvy and I had some business to take care of," Reaper replied, looking at the beast. "I take it your biotics haven't proved very useful."

"They are ALWAYS useful, but something is different in this case. Once this thing is felled, I can examine it." She paused, deciding to tell him more. "When I try to drain its lifeforce, something unusual happens."

"Unusual?"

"It doesn't matter." She replied quickly, watching an operative get crushed by the Cyberdemon's claw with indifference. "I can't figure out what it is until that abomination stops killing our men."

"What's the body count now?"

"Fifty-one."

CRUNCH.

"Fifty-two."

Reaper nodded, taking a pause to look over the slaughter. "The Cyberdemon is powered by that power core on its chest. Take that out, you take out the Cyberdemon."

Moira scoffed. "Would've been useful to know about that thirty casualties ago. I already have them shooting at the core-"

"'Take it out' as in physically rip it out."

"And how exactly do you propose we do that? The closest anyone gets to it is the beast's mandible!"

"I can get to it easy. But I need it weakened if we have a chance." He turned his head to her. "Did your biotic energy have any effect?"

"Did my biotic energy…of course it had an effect! Even on something as otherworldly as that." She seemed offended that he had asked at all. "I presume I'll be needing to keep it busy while you handle the power core?"

His answer was to vanish into smoke again. Moira rolled her eyes, rushing along right behind him. "Clear the area!" she ordered any remaining operatives. "We're going to finish this!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Within seconds, the field was cleared out, leaving the two former Blackwatch agents alone with the Cyberdemon. As the cloud of black pooled around the arena, Moira took her place before the creature.

"You!" As she called out to it, it reared its ugly head in her direction, roaring as it readied to grab at her. The geneticist was ready, however. Vanishing into a shadow of her own, Moira moved to the right, dodging the massive arm, and raised her own.

"Bend to my will, as all others have!" A violet beam shot from Moira's hand, striking the Cyberdemon square in the chest. It shrieked in agony, attempting another swing at her, but it was slower, weaker. She had attempted this before, but it had merely repowered itself…that, and the unusual feeling had started to settle in, so she withdrew. That same feeling was now creeping back into her, combined with the creature's life force.

"Ugh…Reaper!" Her head was pounding, and her vision started blurring. But she couldn't let up! This beast…if it went unchecked, who knew what damage it could do to Talon? To her laboratory?

"…I can't…much longer!" It was getting hard to breathe. Reaper…where are you? You know how to defeat this thing!

"Reaper...hurry...!"

…how do you know how to defeat it?

"Reaper..."

What had you done with Ogilvy?

"Reaper!!"

What have you done to Talon?

"GABRIEL!!!"

…

…

…

Pop!

The smoke surrounding the Cyberdemon turned tangible, and to the floor leapt Reaper, power core in hand. The monster clumsily started for him, but it was all in vain; without the core, it was finished off in just seconds. The Cyberdemon fell to the floor, facedown in the remains of its carnage. It was finally over...but not just for the beast.

Thud.

"Miss O'Deorain!" Operatives rushed to their commanding officer, who had crumpled to a heap on the ground. The first there checked her pulse, giving a brief nod to indicate that yes, she was still alive. Reaper watched silently as they began to move her away, until a voice from behind took his attention.

"A fine mess you've gotten us into, Gabriel." The suave tone couldn't hide the robotic whir of an Omnic voice bank, making the speaker obvious.

"Maximilien." Reaper looked over his shoulder towards the Talon council member, not bothering to give him proper respect as a superior. "You're a long way from Monaco."

"Xiulan called an emergency council meeting just a few hours ago. Something about a…Cyberdemon?" Maximilien surveyed the scene, noticing the creature laying among blood and severed limbs. "...I had been under the impression it was some sort of hacker. Not a-"

"A literal demon?"

"Y-Yes." Maximilien's gaze wandered to the unconscious Moira, and he shook his head. "Poor Moira…it appears she'll be missing the meeting. What a pity; it would be useful for us if she could research that thing."

"We have other scientists. I'll get a team started on it."

Maximilien scoffed. "Will you be attending this meeting, too? Seeing as how you're already giving orders as if you're a council member…"

The wraith turned around, now fully facing the Omnic. "That's because I am."

"W-What? Xiulan never said anything about-"

Reaper pointed to the field, towards a headless body. Its Rolex watch glistened amongst the carnage. "Ogilvy didn't quite make it."

Maximilien was taken aback. "Trevor! But…what? How did he-"

"We can discuss things further at the meeting. We have...many things to discuss." Reaper started for the exit, leaving Maximilien alone to process this all. Once again, his mask hid his expressions, which was honestly for the best; this outcome had put a smile on his face, one that wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Mhm…it really did feel great.

---

End Part One​

 

[Yun Lee]

Part Two

---

Light.

What an unusual thing to wake up to, when for so long you’ve been accustomed to the dark. Yet here, the light was the first thing Moira O’Deorain registered,even with her eyes closed. A light groan sounded from her closed mouth, and she could faintly hear a gasp in response, then footsteps hurrying outside. A steady beeping sounded nearby, the tune of a heart monitor.

So...she had been comatose, then? Hmph. What a nuisance. She wasn’t sure whether it was her biotic experiments or her superior intelligence at work (perhaps it was a combination of the two), but her mind was racing back to life as if she had never been asleep at all. She could only hope her body would respond in kind. Moira had no idea how long she had been out of commission for, but no doubt this had cost her precious research time. For all she knew, that Cyberdemon was long gone, decomposing. Did it even decompose? Well, the opportunity to find out may have slipped right through her comatose fingers. How annoying.

Her eyes remained closed for now. She didn’t want to open her eyes, see the light just yet. Far too bright. Besides, she had enough on her mind as it was. Reyes...what had he done? She had asked herself that before losing consciousness, and wasn’t fully able to ponder it. It was no secret that he was the one who introduced that Cyberdemon monstrosity to Talon, and it was no secret that all of the inner council, herself included, voted against it. Killing their own men, wasting countless resources, and being impossible to control...that thing was a threat. And in all honesty, introducing such an abomination could be considered an act of treason.

But why had Reyes done such a thing? Moira had never observed any treachery from him...unless he still had ties to Overwatch that he was unable to sever. Morrison and Amari were still alive, after all. And Reyes had always seemed a sort of family man...his behavior around that McCree boy reeked of father and son dynamics. But a father wouldn’t make his own son face off against such a monstrosity abomination...and wasn’t it both Morrison and McCree who faced off against the Cyberdemon in Saudi Arabia? What were Reyes’ motives here? Could it be that he was influenced by...no, she would wait on a hypothesis until she had all the information she needed. But for now…

Taking a deep breath, Moira opened her eyes.

It was time to wake up.

---

“Well then. I think if we have no further business, that wraps up our meeting?”

The voice of the Italian businessman echoed easily throughout the stone room, with only four bodies offering any resistance to reverberation. Four men sat at the outermost points of the oval table, no one daring to get any closer to each other. The tension in this meeting could be felt even more than the echo, but the man taking charge of the meeting seemed in a very good mood in spite of it. Or, possibly, even because of it. The man at the front of the room gathered his papers, smiling at the three others around him.

“Now, let’s go ahead and conclude this-”

“Er, pardon me, Vialli.” To Vialli’s right, soft and slightly robotic voice piped up, a metal hand raised slightly in the air.

Vialli’s smile didn’t waver, but it did seem to twitch ever so slightly. “Yes, Maximilien?”

“Weren’t we going to vote on my proposal from last meeting?”

A scoff from the man opposite Vialli caused the Omnic to flinch. A skull like mask turned to face Maximilien, once again failing to betray the expression its wearer bore. “Seems to me like a waste of time,” Reaper said. “None of us have changed our minds…” His head now turned to the fourth man, opposite Maximilien. “...Or have we?”

All eyes were on Sanjay Korpal now. While Reaper’s inflection made it clear it was a threat, there was still the faintest glimmer of defiance in the Vishkar executive’s eyes...even if his slight trembling gave away the fear he also felt. He coughed weakly, as if it would buy him time, before feebly replying, “...We haven’t.”

“Hmph.” Reaper turned back to Vialli, done with Sanjay. “Another tie. Unfortunate.”

Vialli sighed. “Indeed. Well, maybe next week we may finally make our decision on that front. That is when Moira is slated to return, right?”

If she’s still alive by then.

Though unspoken, it was obvious those six words were all automatically thought by the four council members. So many of their number had died these past months, leaving only the four men for the last three weeks. Nearly every motion ended a unanimous agreement, save for one, as those still remaining had learned that going against Reaper seemed to be the fatal mistake that every single late operative had made. Though, really, only two of the three sided with him in the name of self-preservation; Vialli was more than happy to welcome Reaper when he saw the dollar signs in their future. As for Sanjay and Maximilien, the only way to even have a future at all was to stay on Reaper’s good side. But even today, as this matter was tabled yet again, they could feel a definite strain on the wraith’s patience.

But still, a certain Omnic persisted. As the two allies began speaking to each other, Maximilien made his move. “Ah, Sanjay...if I may have a word?”

Though Maximilien spoke calmly and carefully, the Vishkar official jumped slightly as he was addressed. “Y-Yes.” He attempted to regain his composure, smoothing his hair with his hand. “What is it?”

Taking the briefest glance at the other two, Maximilien lowered his voice. “Thank you.”

Sanjay spoke in a hushed voice as well, taking the hint. “For what?”

“For not giving up on this measure. I know that the clock is ticking, but-”

“But we need to hold out until Moira is ready to attend a meeting. Is that what you were going to say?” The usually composed Sanjay was now frantic, his temper spilling out under the stress of their situation. “Because you’ve said it literally every time we’ve voted, and she’s yet to show her face. Meanwhile, everyone around us is dropping like flies, and I’m starting to wonder if one of us will be next! You saw how agitated Reyes was when you brought up the damn vote. It’s only a matter of time before he decides to turn 2-2 into 2-1!”

The Omnic nodded, trying his best not to let Sanjay’s words panic him. “Believe me when I say that I understand what is at stake here. But...don’t you think it’s wrong? Don’t you find something unusual about all of this?”

Now it was Sanjay’s turn to glance at the others, voice hushing into a hiss. “Of course I do, Max! Everyone else is dead, Reyes keeps bringing in all these weird new things to our laboratories that keep killing off scientists…”

“Even weirder than those! I can’t help but think that there’s something more to all of this. Some sort of...I do not know, a hidden...hidden a-agenda that-”

“Having a nice chat, gentlemen?”

The two froze in a cold fear, the raspy voice of Reaper cutting through their conversation like a knife.Maximilien was the first to respond, calming his nerves for the time being. “Er...yes. We are. Simply discussing Moira’s health, you see.”

“...I see.” Reaper slowly turned his head to the Omnic. “And how is she doing? I haven’t had the chance to check up on her.”

“Ah...she is in good health, from last I’ve heard. Two days awake and already she’s back to normal."

“Oh. Good.” He stared at Maximilien for what felt like an eternity, then turned to Sanjay. “Let’s talk.”

“O-Of course.” Sanjay quickly got to his feet, giving Maximilien a rushed nod before leaving the room with Reyes and Vialli. Now alone, the Omnic took out his phone.

“Hello? Yes, it’s me...I need a ticket to Oasis. When? ...Today.”

---
“Today? Oh, please, you cannot be serious.”

“I am dead serious.” He slammed his hands down on the table, contrasting the calm fury in his voice. “Whatever you have ready, give it to me. Now.”

She looked up from her notebook, more concerned for the damage done to her table than for him. “Gabriel, this is asinine. You can’t come barging in here expecting me to just give you-”

“Overwatch is back.”

She raised her eyebrows. “I beg your pardon?”

“Overwatch. Is. Back.” He bowed his head, and she could sense an angry shame radiating from him.

“...I assume that the Numbani mission didn’t go quite as planned?”

Silence.

“I thought you extracted all that data from Gibraltar and took care of them.”

“Not everyone. The ape was still alive when I left.”

The corner of her lips curled into the tiniest smile. “And let me guess...he intercepted you in Numbani?”

A pause, then… “...Tracer was with him.”

“You mean the timeline anomaly? Oh, good. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on her. That chronal accelerator, too...and with Winston still around-”

He stared at her, dumbfounded. “Are you serious? We aren’t taking any prisoners. We kill them on sight.”

“Right, because that’s clearly worked wonders for you.” She went back to her notebook. “As it is, I don’t have anything new ready for you. I need more time-”

“I don’t have time!” Now he pounded his fist down.

“I’ll thank you not to take your frustrations out on my lab.”

“Well where am I supposed to take them out?!”

“I suppose you can start with those Overwatch operatives you were so determined to eliminate all by yourself. Something tells me you aren't clinging to any sentimentality at this point.”

He kept his gaze on her. “You’re awfully calm about this.”

“Because it’s not nearly the problem you think it is,” she replied, closing her notebook and facing him. “This is still something entirely new. Amari and Morrison are still dead, we’ve disposed of who knows how many others. It's just the ape and the girl so far, is it not? Our technology is still superior, our numbers are significantly greater...they can be taken care of without a second thought.”

“You’re wrong to underestimate them. Lacroix and I were outmatched out there. We couldn'tr even get the gauntlet-”

“Gabriel...I’m starting to wonder if your anger is less from the situation, and more from the hurt pride from losing.” And she went right back to her notebook.

“......”

“Well?”

“.........”

“Am I wrong?”

Silence.

She looked up. “Gabri-”

He was gone. She sighed. What a piece of work he was.

---

“Where IS it?!”

As Maximilien walked into the small Oasis lab, he would be greeted to a bit of a mess. Items were strewn about, shelves were half empty, with contents in a disarray. And one Irish scientist was on the ground, rifling frantically through her cabinets.

“Ah...Moira?” the Omnic peeked over to his associate. “Are you all right?”

“Wha-oh, Maximilien.” She glanced at him for only a moment, before turning back to her search. “I’m fine. Yourself?”

“All right, I suppose. Do you need help…?”

Moira waved her hand. “No, no. I just need to find this...disk of mine…”

“I see.” Maximilien drummed his fingers on the desk he leaned on. “I am glad you are in good health now. We were all quite worried for you these past months.”

“There was nothing to worry about,” Moira replied, not looking up as she moved to another cabinet. “My experiments have provided me with a far better recovery time than most humans. It would take more than something like that to keep me down permanently.”

“Indeed.” There was a brief pause. “And what was "that," exactly?”

Moira momentarily paused her search, blanketing the room in total silence. “...I am unsure, to tell the truth. Whatever life force I absorbed from that thing was completely toxic. I’m not surprised by that, given its genetic structure, but…” She trailed off, as if realizing something. “Maximilien. Do you think you could acquire the lab results of that Cyberdemon for me? Maybe if I can get my hands on it, I could-”

“I-I’m sorry, Moira, but...that would be impossible.” The Omnic couldn’t look at her. “There was an...incident while you were unconscious. Gabriel had called for a team to research it, but three days later they had all been killed and the research destroyed. He accused Xiulan of the act, who in turn accused him, and the entire thing ended in-”

“...Her death.” Moira was able to guess without much thought. She took a moment, then began to continue her search. “What was it? An assassination? A suicide?”

“A car accident, actually. Her driver suddenly swerved and drove off a cliff. It seemed as though he was trying to avoid something on the road, perhaps a small animal, but we don’t know for sure. I personally think it was a bit too convenient to be an accident, but…”

“Have there been any other deaths?” Moira asked. She already knew the answer, though.

“...there are only four of us left. Five, counting you, and six, counting-”

“Ha!” Noticing a glimmer in the back of the cabinet, Moira picked up a small plastic bag with a disk inside. “I knew it’d be in...here…”

There was a...note inside? And the disk was missing the label she’d written on it. What was the meaning of this?

Maximilien cautiously approached. “Er...Moira?”

Opening the bag, she plucked up the note and began reading it.

Hey there, Boss!

If you’re reading this, than you finally woke up from your coma. Congrats! I know you’re the only one who’d find where I put this thing, so I don’t need to mince my words or anything.

Anyway, by the time you read this, I’m out of this world. Literally. Did you know there are billions of other universes out there? I sure didn’t, until our buddy Gabe decided to mess with some really black magic. It’s what got Amelie out, too. Myself, I’ve got a lead to follow, but this world of ours stinks of death.

Let me guess...Max is already there filling you in, huh? I don’t know how many council members will be axed by then, but at this moment they’re dropping like flies. Something changed in Gabe. I don’t know what, but he’s nowhere near the guy he used to be. And this disk should shed a light on that. Consider this my parting gift to you. Maybe you can use it to get him out, or bring back the old Gabe, if he’s not too far gone.

Well, thanks for listening. I hope trusting you with this will change something. As much as I want the old Gabe back...I’m not sure. He may be too far gone.

You friend,

Sombra

P.S. As payment for my services, I took the old disk here. Starlight Defender Michiko sounds like a collector’s item, and I could use the cash. Trust me, you won’t even miss it when you see what’s on here.

“Damn her…that was a collector’s item!”

“Er...Moira?”

“N-Nothing.” Moira quickly crumpled up the paper. Instead, she turned her attention to the disk. She remembered her last thoughts before falling into her coma. What had Gabriel done, indeed. And with her out of commission for so long...what else had he gotten away with? “Close the windows, make sure we’re cut off in here.”

“Uh..” The Omnic was lost, but the severity in Moira’s tone made it clear that it was not to be questioned. So, Maximilien did as instructed, with Moira getting her laptop ready. When they were sure that they were completely cut off, Moira inserted the disk and let it play out on her screen.

It was a pristine office, tidy and organized, where two men seemed to be gathered around a desk. On one end sat a stranger: a pale man in a formal white suit. And at the other side of the desk, sitting there with coffee in a shot glass was…

“Ogilvy!” Usually unsurprised by anything, Moira gasped, seeing the late operative there. Her stomach churned. Already she had a good idea where this video was going to lead, but to be sure…

“Moira...the timestamp!” Maximilien spoke in a hushed whisper, pointing to the top left corner of the screen. July 27, 4:56 PM. The day and time of the Cyberdemon attack. “This took place right before the attack on the old Saudi Arabia branch! But hadn’t Gabriel said Trevor was fighting as well?”

“Hush!” Ogilvy had begun talking onscreen.

“...inclined to believe that these....Creatures aren't as powerful as you led us to believe. These Overwatch agents are yet alive and now, they have knowledge of our Cell. We'll have to move all over again."

The stranger began to talk. "Of course not. With sufficient dakka and superbly skilled fighters, anyone can take down these creatures. Its their purpose, their only reason for living. But they are strong and the fact it lasted so long against people whom I'm given to understand have thus far, sent your agents flying every time? Well, I think that speaks volumes for itself. And this is merely one." The man stood, walking over to the window and looking down below. Even in the video, the sound of violence and bloodshed could be made out. "Imagine an army of them? Able to appear anywhere, anyplace vis-a-vis areas of intense suffering and death. The perfect shock troops for the new world you hope to bring about. Its a package deal we've sold off to many with your similar vision."

“An army of those things?” Maximilien was aghast. “But we were barely able to defeat one without losing a significant number of our own men!”

Moira steadied her breath, letting the man’s words sink in. “...I doubt what side the victims come from matters. This new world...he’s got our mission completely distorted!”

Ogilvy seemed to agree, as he now pointed furiously at the window.

"That is carnage. If we cannot control it, then what good is bringing them at all? Talon will have its day, but in light of what I have seen? I cannot in good faith, move forward with this....Absurdity."

At that moment, an elevator door opened, and in walked Reaper. That was it. Moira knew already exactly how this was going to turn out. Oh God, Gabriel…

"Also, in light of what I have seen as well? I'm afraid I believe Talon and your shareholders cannot do business. At all. Reaper."

“Ogilvy, you fool…” Moira closed her eyes anticipating what would come next.

"We are many things, Talon....But we are not stupid. Any deal with you will have hidden costs and in the end, we will pay dearly for all we have dealt with you. Reaper, kill him."

Silence.

"That is an order Reaper! Kill!"

"You heard the man Mr. Reaper."

Here it comes…

“Kill.”

BANG!

A cry of horror sounded out from the Omnic, as Ogilvy no doubt met a grisly end onscreen. The surveillance footage cut out then and there, leaving the screen black. Moira opened her eyes and shut the laptop, working to keep levelheaded for once. Dear God...it was worse than she had ever imagined. And now this man was in their council…

“...Maximilien.” Her voice was hoarse, an attempt to stay on task even with all this dread. “I need to know. Tell me..tell me everything.”

Reaper was not going to win. This perverted new world of his would die before it could ever live.

And Moira would be its undoing.

---

End Part Two​

 

[Yun Lee]

Part Three

Typically, Moira O’Deorain was not one to show emotion. If the situation brought her under enough duress, then yes. Her usual dryness would crack, and she would give a rare glimpse of emotional outburst. Right at this particular moment, however, she was under a different kind of stress, one caused by an emotion she rarely ever felt: fear. Her already pale skin pastier than before, her brow beaded with sweat, her hands shaking as she brought her cup to her lips...Moira had been shaken to her very core. Sitting at her lab desk, Moira set down the tea, staring past it into the empty space. Maximilien tilted his head sympathetically, folding his hands together as he gave her time to process all he’d just told her.

She really couldn't believe what she had just been told. This man...it wasn't the same Gabriel she knew from Blackwatch. He had become so deeply corrupted, so far gone, that he was now completely unrecognizable. And the atrocities he'd masterminded...it was sickening, even for her ear.

Finally, she spoke.“...my God.” She turned her head to look at the Omnic. “And you mean to tell me he's gottten away with all this?”

Maximilien nodded. “When someone has otherworldly monstrosities on their side, you suddenly find yourself with many friends.”

Moira shook her head. “And many enemies...unless you’ve slaughtered them all.”

“Slaughter, torture, experimentation...Gabriel has been treating us all like toys in his own little sandbox. In his eyes, we are all his to play with, and his to break. And I have the feeling it may have to do with his...associates.”

At that, Moira straightened up, fear turning into determination to snuff this out before it got worse. “These associates of his...you’ve alluded to them before. Do you happen to know anything about them?”

Maximilien sighed. “Not as much as I’d like to, I’m afraid. As I’ve said before, anyone who had been researching the monsters he’d brought in were slaughtered. All the new ‘scientists’ are people Gabriel brought in himself. They won’t give me anything to work with.” He paused a moment, then added, “The only other person who might know more is Vialli, but…”

Moira snorted. “Unless you’re willing to give up your casino, he’s going to stay on whatever side lines his pockets.” She drummed her fingers on the table, brow furrowed in thought. “That leaves us with Sanjay, then. And you mean to tell me he’s still on our side?”

“...for now.” Maximilien sounded unsure. “At the last meeting, he was at his limit. And Gabriel wanted to talk to him afterwards, too...if we are to fix this, we need him on our side. Then we can pass the vote, and it will all go away.”

“I do hope your confidence about that holds water,” Moira said dryly, but there was a bit of weight in her tone too. If anything could save this organization, this world, then it was him. And everyone knew it.

“So...does this mean our first order of business is getting Sanjay completely on our side?” Maximilien asked.

"Third order of business," Moira replied. "First and foremost, I need DNA from something Reaper has brought in. I'm sure you can procure it somehow."

"It may be a bit more challenging than before...but I do enjoy a good challenge." Maximilien tilted his head. "And the second order of business?"

Moira stood up. "Booking a flight to France. I believe I know one place where there may be a lead."

---

A monument to history and time, Château Guillard engulfed the entire island it was built on, with nothing left of the original earth but a few rock deposits here and there. Having stood for centuries, it held up well, even after centuries of abandonment, and had been in the process of renovation under Widowmaker. Unfortunately, she had seemingly vanished into thin air like Sombra, but with any luck, this château would hold not only the Guillard family history, but the truth of what made Widowmaker vanish, too.

Moira turned from the building as the whir of a motorboat grew closer. Sure enough, a small boat and three figures appeared on the horizon, arriving at the château in a matter of minutes. Maximilien was the first off, stepping out to greet Moira. “I hope we were not too late in our coming here,” he said.

“Not at all.” Hands behind her back, Moira turned to the next arrival with a polite nod. “Hello again, Sanjay. It’s been a while.”

“Too long, Moira.” Though his tone was as formal and unattached as always, the Vishkar executive’s voice held the tiniest bit of relief within it. He stepped off the boat, joining Maximilien. “I’m glad to see the recovery went well. Truth be told, it seemed at times you wouldn’t recover, and not nearly so quickly.”

Moira gave a wry smirk. “Indeed. Though not even dark arts could hinder my biotics…” She trailed off, looking over the two men at the boat. The third person remained seated, the driver. Even in the sunny weather, he remained dressed all in black, a bowler hat on the bald, pale head. He sat hunched over, brim obscuring his face.

Maximilien noticed what Moira had been distracted by. “Ahem. Perhaps we should venture indoors? We did not come here to merely sight see.” The three moved on into the château, Sanjay giving one last nervous look over his shoulder. The driver remained unmoving.

---

Within the château, signs of decay and neglect were less evident, though the paint cans left scattered around may have been why. “It appears Lacroix had been in the middle of renovation,” Moira observed, swiping her finger along the side of a bookshelf. As she looked at the dust on her fingertip, she sneered. “Clearly it didn’t stick.”

“Why go through the trouble of renovating if you have no intention of staying for the long term?” Maximilien pondered aloud. “It makes Amelie’s sudden departure rather...unusual. Almost as if she hadn’t planned on-”

“Neither of you are very good at this, do you know that?” The two turned to Sanjay as he spoke up. He glared at the both of them, breathing starting to get a bit more frantic. “As if this isn’t obvious. I expected this type of silly game from Maximilien when he offered me the trip out, but you, Moira...just what is it the two of you are trying to do here?”

"You were correct Maximilien, he is at his limit." Moira closed her eyes, letting out a curt sigh, before fixing Sanjay with a serious look. “Sanjay, Maximilien’s told me everything that I missed while comatose. Talon is in a miserable state now that Reaper has-”

“Shh! Shush!” Sanjay raised his hands, looking wildly around the room. “Are you insane? You can’t just go saying his name like that! He could’ve bugged this place...”

"I've been staying here a good few days, Sanjay. This place was left untouched."

Maximilien stode forward, placing a sympathetic hand on Sanjay’s shoulder. “What you are feeling is evidence enough of how out of hand this all has gotten. This fear for your own life...when was the last time you had a meal that you could enjoy without fear of it being poisoned? When have you last been able to sleep without worrying you may not wake up? Sanjay...what we are dealing with here is not what Talon is all about. You know that. We know that.”

“The reason we brought you here today is to try to convince you to join us in stopping this madness before it brings about the end of the world as we know it. Talon’s mission has always been about the improvement of mankind, but recently it seems as if we are more geared towards destruction than reconstruction. You cannot have one without the other.”

Sanjay was silent a moment, then sighed, moving from Maximilien. “Look, I...I do agree with you. Vialli and Reaper...they’re selfish. All they want is what they want. I know this, and believe me, I hate it, but… but for God’s sake! Have you seen those disgusting monsters Reaper keeps bringing in? Moira, you know above any of us what that Cyberdemon was capable of.”

“Indeed I do. It was capable of reckless behavior and an inability to be controlled by anyone but its master. It was capable of slaughtering dozens of our own men, indiscriminate in doing so. Sanjay, let me ask you this: do you think a man who has brought in a monstrosity that has killed a large number of Talon’s own forces has the best interests of Talon at heart?”

“Of course not! But it’s not as if we can just stop him!”

“That is where you’re wrong, my friend.” Maximilien spoke up as he stood beside Moira. “You are familiar with the one motion we’ve yet to pass, yes?”

“Well yes, of course, but…” It clicked. “You don’t mean to tell me…”

Moira nodded. “Indeed. I shall be voting with Maximilien when the next meeting comes around. And if we just had one more on our side...we could reach majority and get it passed.”

Sanjay was silent a moment, deeply considering this. “How do we know it will pass even with all three of us?”

“Because if it doesn’t, we have the right to sever ties with dissenters. Reaper seemed to have forgotten that rule of ours, most likely due to the fact that he has only ever gotten his way.”

“I…” Sanjay tried to find more words, but was at a bit of a loss. Moira and Maximilien looked at each other, then began walking further into the château. “Where are you going?”

“If you’ve yet to finalize your decision, I would like for you to see something,” Moira called over her shoulder. He stayed in place for the time being, giving Moira and Maximilien some time alone to converse. “This is going better than I thought.”

“Well, Sanjay has always been my closest ally while you were gone... though recently I think the stress and fear is starting to get to him. It was already difficult enough getting him to agree to this.”

“To coming here? I admit I was apprehensive, myself. Upon arrival I immediately searched high and low for any signs of interference...but it appears Reaper never knew about this place.”

Maximilien gave a low chuckle. “...until now.”

“Wait!” The two turned just in time to see Sanjay arrive, having hurriedly followed them to the tiny study. “What is it you have to show me?”

Moira took a seat at the desk where Widowmaker’s computer sat collecting dust. “I arrived here a few days ago in order to investigate what happened to Lacroix. As mentioned earlier it was highly unusual for her to just up and vanish while in the middle of renovating this building. And what I found was...interesting, to say the least.” She turned on the computer screen, where a logo displayed itself.

Sanjay narrowed his eyes to read the title. “...The Office for Defense of Multiversal Assets? What the Hell is this?”

“I did a bit more digging, and it appears they reached out to Lacroix in order to get her assistance in dealing with...something. I’ve no idea why she was chosen, but apparently it related to both her and Reaper. All I could find had already been substantially redacted. But if this is a legitimate operation, that proves my theory correct that Reaper has been colluding with those of other worlds not of our own.”

“That...no. That’s insane!” Sanjay shook his head. “A Multiverse? That...it’s preposterous!”

“Sanjay, when was the last time you’d heard of a Cyberdemon wreaking havoc? Our world does not provide such beasts, but one out there does. And there’s a chance we may be able to fight back and undo whatever damage Reaper has done to Talon.”

“There’s a bit more.” Moira inserted a disk into the computer, and a familiar scene popped up, of Ogilvy, Reaper, and the stranger in white. “Sombra left this for me in my lab. It seems Reaper had destroyed all footage of this incident save for this.”

Upon the end of the recording, Sanjay had paled. “He...he wants to…”

“To take over Talon and destroy our world, yes.” Moira sighed. “I couldn’t believe it at first, myself. But Gabriel...he’s always been ambitious. After the incident in Numbani’s museum, this man must have approached him and taken advantage of his wounded pride. Reaper has been deeply corrupted, past the point of anything we can do. If we fail to fight back now, then-”

A sudden noise startled all three, and they looked behind them where a figure stood in the doorway. The eerie boatman stood silently, eyes fixed on the trio. But now with its head lifted, the eyes were clearly...nonexistant.

“SCREEEEEEE!!!!” The monster gave a sudden cry as it lunged for the desk. Sanjay and Maximilien rushed out of the way, Moira staying in place.

“Moira!” Sanjay screamed. The scientist stood, but did not move otherwise, save to raise her hand. Dark energy flew forth towards the beast, stopping it in place. “What are you doing?! That put you into your co...ma…”

The beast fell to the ground, writhing in agony and squealing as Moira walked forward, still draining it. In a matter of moments the creature stopped convulsing, lying prostrate on the floor. Dead. Moira idly shook her hand and looked to the others. “I spent my time here upgrading my biotic abilities,” she explained. “Maximilien was able to procure a sample of otherworldly DNA from within Reaper’s research team, which now allows me to treat them as I would a human.”

“Y-You…” Sanjay gripped the banister he leaned on. “Did you...know that thing was a monster? Even as we rode here?”

“It was an educated assumption,” Moira replied.

From his own place by a bookshelf, Maximilien adjusted his tie. “I made sure Reaper was aware of our planning a trip here. We had assumed he would try and get rid of all three of us, and it appears we were correct.”

“The next meeting is very soon, Sanjay. We need to stop Reaper, and there’s only one person capable of doing so. Can we trust you to vote with us?”

Sanjay was silent a moment, staring down at the monster. Finally, he looked up at Moira and gave his answer.

---

The Helix security facility was easy enough to maneuver. All you had to do was follow the sound of gnashing teeth and dying screams. Moira winced as the noises echoed in the halls. How utterly barbaric...both she and Reaper had the physical capabilities to handle this quietly. But he was determined to let his little demonic pets do the dirty work and turn this into a bloodbath.

Was it some sort of stress reliever for him? Most likely. Moira had to admit, it had been nothing short of cathartic to see Sanjay vote alongside them at the meeting, then to see Reaper get up and storm out. But it had really only been a minor joy in an otherwise grueling process. In the next meeting Reaper caused a row and demanded that he be in charge of the operation, but had to settle for going alongside Moira. And she wasn’t about to let him go on ahead and pull anything fast on them, either.

“I hope you’re happy.”

Moira raised an eyebrow as Reaper spoke to her, the first time he’d done so since the Cyberdemon fight, really. “Oh, believe me,” she replied dryly. “I’m practically walking on air.”

“You have no idea what you’re doing,” the wraith continued. “This is going to ruin everything.” He moved a bit ahead, as Moira stopped walking a moment.

“For Talon...or for you?”

He turned on his heel, gun aimed right at Moira’s head. She was not at all surprised, no; she had anticipated he might do something of this nature. But she did feel...something. What was it...ah, yes. The feeling of watching an old ally turn his back on you for his own ambition and bloodlust. The feeling of knowing someone who once looked out for you now would kill you the second he was given the opportunity.

This was the feeling known as disappointment.

“Oh come now, Gabriel. Put the gun away.” There was no fear in her voice. There was no reason to be afraid anymore. “There’s no time for such nonsense.”

He didn’t seem satisfied with her reaction. “I could kill you right now,” he snarled. “Then go on and finish him off, too.”

“You could, yes. But we both know you won’t.”

“And tell me. Why is that?”

“Because of this.” A flick of her wrist, and Reaper was on the ground. His already pained breath became even more agonized as he dropped the gun and instead held at his throat. “You’re too proud, Gabriel. You always have been. You could have just finished me off right then and there, but you hesitated to let me know you could do it. You joined these Shareholders for no one but yourself, because the loss at Numbani wounded your pride so much you'd do anything to mend it.” She picked up the gun he had dropped, and collected his other for good measure with her free hand, leaning down to say one last thing. “Try anything like that again, and know I will not hesitate to kill you. Though don’t be surprised if I’m beaten to it.”

And with that, she let him go, moving forward into the facility as he coughed and gasped for air. The bodies of Helix guards lay strewn about, disgusting and bloody, but she really couldn’t care less. There was only one thing on her mind, and it was further in.

Bam. Bam. Bam.

Up ahead, a rhythmic banging echoed in the now eerily silent facility. Moira spared a glance over her shoulder, but Reaper was gone. Hm. Come to think of it, his little monsters were called off, too. Perhaps he retreated to nurse his wounded pride? Who knew?

Bam. Bam. Bam.

Aha. There was the source, just up ahead. Moira stopped, waiting quietly. Any second now, and this nightmare would be over.

Bam.

Talon would finally be saved.

Bam.

And nothing would ever get in their way.

Bam.

Not even the Multiverse.

BOOM!

A few feet ahead, the wall gave way, a chunk of it flying into the hallway with enough force to leave a dent in the opposite wall. From the debris stepped forth a man, larger than life itself, even when dressed in a prison uniform. The key to saving Talon...and starting their advancement into a whole new world. As Moira looked at him, she couldn’t help but smile.

Victory was theirs.

And it was only just the beginning.

---

The End.
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