Twice
Emily liked to think she was helping. Her small hands held up a sign and oblivious to the surrounding situation, she waved it excitedly.
Her father had her on his shoulders, as he shouted loudly. Her mother, by his side, did the same. The city square was very loud, but Emily didn't mind. Her seven year old ears were elevated enough that the noise didn't annihilate her hearing.
Her parents told her the omnics were just as human as anyone. Emily didn't really know what that meant, but she had a few omnic friends from school. They were nice, and played with her.
So what everyone else saw as a protest, Emily saw as a party. She giggled as she waved her sign about, nearly working up a sweat.
Something louder than the yelling caught Emily's attention. It reminded her of summer fireworks, except louder.
People who hadn't been a part of the party started running into the crowd. Emily cheered. The more the merrier!
More explosions came. People screamed in terror.
Emily's smile dropped.
Her father plucked her from atop his shoulders and held Emily close. The family of three hurriedly navigated the crowd, seeking any form of shelter.
"Robot fuckers!" shouted one of the attackers. He threw a flaming bottle at a woman and an omnic holding hands. Emily tucked her head away, frightened of the fire.
The man turned to see them. In his other hand, he held a crowbar. Raising it over his head, he charged at Emily's family.
Her mother cried out. Emily's father turned around to shield her.
But nothing came.
Emily heard a shout of rage. Squirming in her father's arms, she looked over his shoulder. In the middle of where the rally had been, a titanic man stood, protecting the people with a shield of light. He was the biggest man Emily had ever seen.
But in front of her, the man with the crowbar was down on the ground. A man clad in blue had subdued him. Their savior looked towards Emily's family. His blonde hair was messed up and scuffs ran rampant on his gear, but he looked no less powerful than Emily would have expected from a hero.
"This is no place for a child," he said with a frown. He pointed behind them, "Go and get to cover. Overwatch is in control here now."
Emily's father needed no further encouragement. He and his wife began to run.
"Mommy? Who was that?" Emily asked, managing to poke through her fear with her voice.
Breathless, she replied, "A hero. Strike Commander Jack Morrison."
"Come on, love. Stop taking so long!"
Emily laughed into the cellphone. "I'm teaching you patience. It's good for you."
Lena's sigh couldn't have been more dramatic. "Bollocks. Surely you don't want me to be lonely."
The redhead stepped into the bank. Her voice lowered upon entering the monetary sanctuary. "I just got into the bank. Give me fifteen minutes, and I'll be back."
"What if I told you my parents weren't home?"
"Lena, you're twenty six. That line doesn't work anymore."
"Emily, why won't you play along?"
"Lena, I'll be home soon." Emily passed her withdrawal slip to the omnic worker. She smiled, and the omnic nodded back with approving hum.
Emily waited patiently for the omnic workers to get her cash. Lena rambled on, telling Emily she was taking too long. The redhead resisted rolling her eyes, if only because Lena wouldn't see it.
"Thank you," Emily said as she accepted the cash.
"Have a stellar day, ma'am," the serene omnic bowed as he spoke.
He beckoned the next person forward. Emily began to walk away as she assured Lena she was indeed on her way.
The bellowing gunshot had Emily drop her phone.
It smashed on the ground, separating into several pieces. Then the screams ignited.
Three men in now had guns in their hands. The omnic who had assisted Emily lay behind the counter, lifeless.
"On the ground!" shouted the one who had shot.
The few humans in the lobby leapt to the floor as the omnic workers slowly sunk in tandem. The trio of terrorists wildly pointed their guns to and fro.
Emily slid towards the wall, trying to get as far away from the assailants as possible.
"Stay still, bitch!" the loud one yelled. The other two were behind the counter, gathering up as much money as they could find.
She froze, but the wall was to her back. Her quick breaths lessened as her back leaned against the wall. Some semblance of relief, at least.
The loud one of the three continued raising a racket, shouting bluster at the top of his lungs. The second one, who looked a bit like a weasel, continued gathering all the money while the third had gone to the doors.
"We triggered the alarm. There's police out there."
The loud one laughed, "Tell them if they try and storm the place, we'll start killing…starting with the fucking robots."
The omnics in the building receded into themselves further, as if to make smaller targets of themselves.
Emily's fists clenched, and she shook with rage. Maybe she could let them just take her as a hostage? Lena no doubt would be on her way soon. Emily knew her girlfriend could save her, so maybe getting everyone else out was the smartest idea?
Her thought process was culled by the air vent being taken off the wall behind her.
An incoherent grumbling that was distinctly American tumbled out of the vent. Emily had no idea how the man had fit into the ventilation shaft in the first place.
"Sorry to alarm," his ground out. It ached of grit, wear and exhaustion. His blue jacket had seen better days, as had his hoary hair. The nicest looking thing about the patchwork man was his rifle, which still looked taken care of.
"Where are the Talon agents?" he asked. Emily blinked, and ran the voice through her mind again. Something about it calmed her.
"Do I know you?" she found herself asking.
"Is that really the most important thing to be asking?" he grunted, almost sounding annoyed. "Stay here in cover. I am in control of the situation now."
"Wait…Morrison?"
The man froze.
"You saved me when I was a child. You're a hero." The latter sentence was said in awe.
"That's not who I am anymore," he said, trying to convince himself more than Emily.
Emily smiled. "Well, you are still a hero to me. There's three of them, one is behind the counter. The others are by the doors and with the hostages."
"Who are you talking to?" shouted the loud one. He saw the new arrival.
Jack Morrison stood up and plugged the man with a few shots of his pulse rifle. He swiveled on the spot, and delivered the same to the man by the doors. Both Talon agents fell to the ground, either dead or well on their way.
The weasel-like man behind the counter shot Morrison in the shoulder, but the old soldier barely blinked. With a single bullet, he hit the criminal in the forehead.
"Target neutralized." Morrison glanced at all three of the fallen terrorists. None of them moved. His hand moved to his shoulder and massaged the wound.
"You're hurt," Emily said, standing up.
Morrison shrugged. "I'm not as young as I used to be. Tell them Soldier 76 was here to clean up this mess."
And without any other words, Morrison walked off deeper into the bank towards the back exit doors.
To say Lena had been worried would have been an understatement. By the time she'd rushed down to the bank, suited up and ready for war, the situation was resolved.
That didn't stop the brunette from hugging Emily's arm in a death grip all the way back to their apartment. The paramedics had said she needed to wait to be examined, but Lena's protective glare halted them right in their tracks.
"Tell me what happened so I know who to kill," Lena growled, sitting down on one side of their couch. Emily took the other.
"It was Talon, but everyone who attacked is dead."
"How? I know you're my superhero, love, but I don't think you could take down Talon agents alone."
Emily bit her lips. "Do you know a Soldier 76?"
Lena's face flashed from serious to confused. "Jack, you mean? Jack Morrison was there?"
"He saved me, and everyone in that building." She realized her hands were shaking. The whole reality of the situation was catching up to her.
The ruthless brutality of how Morrison had killed those men…it made her shiver.
"Okay, enough talking about this. We're going to see Angela," Lena ordered, wrapping an arm around Emily.
"No, just…let's do something distracting. Something to get my mind off this," Emily shuddered. "I'm fine, really."
Lena fixed her with a look that said, 'Sure you are,' but she didn't press the issue. She would, but not today.
"I do want to get in contact with Morrison, if you can arrange that," Emily asked.
"Sure, want to thank him or something, love?"
"Heroes deserve to be thanked."
Author Notes: I'm very pleased with how this one worked out. Gotta give my main some love, my boi Soldier 76!