Before anything, I just wanted to say that this is my first story. I've always wanted to write my own stories after reading countless amazing fanfictions. By no means is my writing perfect, so feel free to write reviews or criticism. I'd be more than happy to take them into consideration. Introductions being done, enjoy chapter one of Death's Blossom.
The cover picture used was from pin/471892867188000858/
~Atlas
"You sure this is it?"
"Of course I'm sure. Ana said that this was where we could find the doctor."
I looked over at Jack Morrison, who was looking back and forth from his holopad to the old, worn-down building in front of them. The two of us had been partners since our days in the soldier enhancement program.
To be honest, the guy didn't look all that impressive when we first met. I figured he was just gonna be another overconfident asshole who wanted to be the hero of the new world. I wasn't a hundred percent wrong.
You could tell just by looking at him that he wanted to be something bigger, that he wanted to be the difference that would make the world a better place. You have to respect that in a man.
There's too many people out there in the world too scared to make the tough choices. Too afraid to fight back against the people that hurt us. That's why Jack and I hit it off so well. And with the Overwatch task force behind us, I could tell that the two of us were going to make history.
Yet, here we are. Our first mission and we're already lost.
While he normally hid his thoughts behind a shroud of confidence, even I could tell that Jack didn't trust the building. So much for "Of course".
"Ana, huh? Isn't that a little informal for someone you just met?"
Jack snapped out of his confusion as he leaned his head towards me and grinned,
"Yeah, but hey. If we're going to be working together, it helps to be comfortable with each other. Besides, I don't really want to get on her bad side. I've heard some scary stuff about her shot with the rifle." The blonde man said, shuddering.
He looked up at the building one more time before walking up to the doors.
"Anyways, we may as well check. Can you imagine how much of a difference this doctor could make if she joined us in Overwatch?" He said as his eyes lit up with excitement.
I sighed. The man was too innocent for his own good. You'd think a soldier, of all people, would know how harsh the world really is. Still, he's right. Searching an old building is better than wandering around Switzerland, hoping to get lucky. I followed up the steps after him,
"Have you even thought about the idea that maybe she won't want to join Overwatch? Not everyone is as upbeat as you are about fighting in a war."
He looked at me like I said something that had never crossed his mind before. Why am I not surprised?
I deadpanned, "Of course not. Let's just get this over with. From what I hear, she's not a big fan of our work."
Jack pushed the doors open, and I could still see the hope in his eyes.
"She'll help us. I know she will. She has to."
The soldier walked up to an elderly woman who was sitting on a couch with a dog. She was small and looked like she was weak enough to be blown away by a gust of wind.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Sorry to bother you, but you wouldn't happen to know where we could find a Ms. Angela Ziegler, would you?"
The woman turned her attention from her dog as she looked up at us.
"You know the doctor? You know the angel?"
Jack and I looked at each other, unsure with how to continue the conversation.
"The angel?" We both asked simultaneously.
The old woman closed her eyes and nodded her head as if it was the most obvious thing the world. She opened her eyes and leaned in, like she was telling a story to her grandchildren.
"Yes, that's exactly what she is. An angel. So much of us had begun to lose hope when the attacks happened. We thought that no one would come to help us. Then, it was as if God had answered our prayers. He showed mercy to the injured, and sent a beautiful angel to save us from the pain."
Jack spoke up, clearly intrigued with the story. "And the angel- she's here? Right now?"
The woman's eyes grew wide as she nodded her head again. "Yes, she's upstairs working on more of her patients. Are you friends of hers?"
Jack looked back at me before responding to the woman, "Yes. Well, we're hoping that's the case."
The old woman looked confused, but before she could ask anything else, Jack and I quickly moved upstairs where the woman had mentioned earlier.
We searched every room, until we came to one with several people lying on the ground. They weren't dead, but they were hurt. Badly. A majority of them seemed patched up, for the most part, and asleep. There were a few younger looking nurses walking around, helping whoever they could. I reached out and pulled one from the crowd.
"Hey. You know where we can find an Angela Ziegler?"
I might have picked the wrong guy to ask, cause this kid looked scared out of his mind. He shook as if he was looking at the devil. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but I couldn't make out a word that he was saying.
"Uh-uh-um, I'm-I'm-I'm s-sorry. I don't-I-I can't-I have to-to get to-to-to w-work. Th- there-"
Jack put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a concerned look. "Gabe, maybe we should ask someone else. It looks like you're scaring him."
I rolled my eyes. I wasn't getting anywhere with this babbling brook. I let go of him and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Look, kid. Relax. I'm not gonna bite you, okay? All I want to know is where I can find a doctor named Angela Zie-"
"Ziegler?"
I looked over my shoulder to see a woman with light blonde hair, looking up at me. She had pale white skin and wore a lab coat with a blue sweater and a pencil skirt underneath. I would have thought that she looked pretty cute if she wasn't glaring a hole through me.
"That would me, and I would appreciate it if you didn't harass my assistants. Who are volunteers might I add. I do not believe that they decided to help me in order to be met with a brute who is unable to communicate through words instead of force."
As the assistant shakingly runs off to tend to the patients, I stood there in shock. Did this bitch just call me a brute? What the hell is up her? I scowled, and started to walk towards her, getting ready to go all out, when Jack jumped in front of me before I could say anything.
"I'm so sorry about that. My friend just happens to have an intimidating appearance. My name is Jack Morrison, and that's Gabriel Reyes. We're members of the Overwatch task force, and we were hoping to-"
"I know who you are. And I know what Overwatch is. I refuse to take part in any organization that uses violence to solve their problems," She snaps, "and before you can say anything else, the answer is no. I will not offer any of my knowledge, much less my assistance to a belligerent group such as Overwatch."
Jack flinched as this woman spit venom, attacking everything he believed in. I can see him try to recover as he reaches out and gently lays his hand on her arm.
"Please Angela, if you'll just hear us out-"
"Don't touch me," She snatches her arm away from Jack's grasp. "and you will refer to me as Doctor until I say otherwise."
Ooh, so much for the ol' Morrison Charm. It wasn't often you'd see Jack talk to a girl, and fail to convince them to cooperate. Alright, times up. It's my turn now.
"Listen," I sighed, as I brushed past Morrison and stepped up in front of the doctor, "We're not here to pick a fight. You don't like the way we do things, we got it."
"Then you know-"
"But, if you would just shut up for a second and listen, you'd hear how that could change."
This time, the doctor was the one shocked into silence.
"Believe it or not, we don't want to go out there and fight. So many people get caught and injured in battle. There were a lot of close friends of mine who became casualties in war. You don't know how much it kills me to see the strongest men I've ever known give up as they let themselves die to escape from the pain.
I'm tired of seeing good people die. I'm tired of watching the innocent try to run, only to see them killed. That's why we need you. We've seen the work that you can do. You've taken men who were on the brink of death and gave them a second chance. You've taken people who were considered lost causes, and let them fight back.
If you don't understand the difference that you're making, look around. You've helped all these people from dying. You've given them hope, when they've had none. They see you as an angel, 'cause of how you've saved them. All we're asking- my friend and I- all we're asking is that you let us help you."
The doctor blinks twice. "How could you ever help me?"
"By giving you the opportunity you need to save more people. I can tell just by looking at you. You're worn out, tired. You're doing all that you can to help these people, but you can't do it by yourself. Even with all these assistants, you're still carrying most of the work.
If you let us help you, we can give you a workplace. Big enough to hold whatever materials and machines you need, and with enough financial backing to do as much research as you want. You'll be given the resources and the medical staff you need to progress your research as much as necessary."
Her brows knit together before she swallows and asks the final question, "So, what you're asking is-"
At this point, Jack had recovered enough to take charge again. He stepped forward and reached a hand out to the doctor.
"Will you join us, as a member of Overwatch?"
Her eyes dart back and forth from me to Jack. She closed her eyes and sighed before looking back at the patients lined up across the floor.
"But- but what about the injured here. I won't leave them to suffer again." She looked back at us, and for the first time this entire visit, I saw something. I saw helplessness. I saw a cry for help. So, I swallowed and took a deep breath.
"We will personally station forces here to protect these citizens. I promise, nothing will happen to them. I'll even request to have a professional medical squad sent to finish up what you've started here."
"So," Jack and I both looked at each other and nodded before he pulled out a badge with the Overwatch insignia engraved onto it. She looked at it with wide eyes before looking back at us, holding her breath, waiting for the words that would forever bind our fates together.
"Are you with us?"
And that was it! That was the first chapter of Death's Blossom. As you can see, the writing is a little off at points, but I promise it'll get better over time. I'll try to be releasing chapters as often as possible, but school is starting soon, so I may not have as much time as I do now. So, I'm going to try to push as many chapters as I can out while I still have the time. Don't forget to leave reviews so I can know how I'm doing, and thanks for reading!