Mercy Killing
Angela Ziegler pressed the hard tipped pen against the white documents that laid before her. The warm rays of her desk lamp was the only source of light in her office at a secret bunker of an Overwatch Medical and Science building, which laid underneath the city of Los Angeles. It was passed midnight and she was neck deep never-ending notes of her experimental nanotechnology. If she could get the nanobots to work in her favor in her field of medicine, she could (in theory) bring someone back from the brink of death.
Her blond locks swayed when she jerked her head up to her door, hearing a distinct knock. In the deep darkness, she saw a form standing in between the frames. She smiled softly when she saw her trusted nurse.
" ? I am clocking out now…"
"Yes-" Angela began, pushing her reading glasses up slightly. Her head moved to her wall clock, noticing the time. "It is getting late isn't it?"
"Yes Doctor, do you want me to lock up the facility?"
Angela waved her pen at her assistant, motioning to her the answer no. "Do not trouble yourself, I will be here for another hour, leave the keys on the table beside you please."
The nurse took the keys out of her breast pocket, laying the set of grey medal pills down on the cold desk by her door. Angela hope she would not to forget them. She could get wrapped up in work that she becomes absent-minded. She waved her nurse goodbye, who waved back with a polite smile.
"You shouldn't work too hard, Dr. Ziegler, last week you spent all night in this stuffy room." Her nurse poked playfully. The young Doctor leaned back in her chair in a soft chuckle.
"Yes, but you know how it is being a doctor...there is always someone needing your help." Her eyes slowly cast down to her papers. In the back of her mind, there was much to improve in nanotechnology. The responsibility weighed upon her shoulders like a mountain. She was the only one who had the gift in her mind. She just needs to unleash it.
"Good Night, Doctor...I'll see you in the morning hours."
"Good night, be careful out there." And with that, her nurse disappeared into the darkness. Her footsteps echoing in the distance before they became faint until finally, they stopped.
Angela went straight back to work. The pages were scattered across her work desk like snow. The ink of the pen staining the nubs of her index and thumb by how hard her grip was. She was desperate to find the flaw in her nanobots. While she is a doctor, she was also a scientist. With the two combined, she became the top leading medical doctor in her country of Switzerland. Her great works and gift of healing brought the unwanted attention of Overwatch.
At first she was disgusted by their military and probe of violence. In her youth, she lost much. Including her own parents.
Even now, when she thinks about them. Her heart screams in pain and anguish. She pushed them back decided to use her pain and manifest it into healing others.
Becoming a pacifist, brought ridicule when she was in Overwatch. She found peace and compassion could be use instead of weapons. Weapons brought pain. Weapons brought tear. Weapons brought death. And Overwatch was filled with death.
The veil was finally lifted when she found two soldiers, who convinced her to work beside them to accomplish her goal towards peace. They were the only ones who did not mocked her beliefs. They convinced her to continue her work with them and promised she would help many more lives. Her hand moved to her drawer and pulled it out. With a sad gaze, she pulled out a lone picture. On the left was a man who dressed in blue. He had a well-sculpted face with a strong chin, with the most beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair. He was known for his loyalty and intense bravery but behind that military reserve, there was a man who was a practical jokster. A distant and fond memory she had of him was when he switched his commander's bullets with peas. He never did got caught. Her eyes moved across the photo and beside him, was another man, dressed in black. He had such a stern face. A face that made anyone treat him with respect and keep their distance. But behind that stoic face hid a playful and loving creature. She was happy the picture reflected that. She laughed when the memory played in her mind.
"Come on Reyes, stop moving and get in the picture!" Commanded his best friend and comrade, John Morrison. The blonde grabbed the black sleeve of his partner, Gabriel Reyes. He laughed loudly and pushed away his friends hand.
"I want the camera to get my good side!" Gabriel explained, moving his cheekbones to the left and winking at the robotic camera in front of them.
"Better show the camera your backside than."
"Hey!" Gabriel pushed his friend back playfully, almost knocking him over. "I'll kick yours!"
Angela shook her head at the two banter back and forth on who would be on the ground first. The two put up their fists, ready to have a little brawl on the roof of Overwatch Central. She placed her hands on her hips.
"Boys! Come on, are you forgetting the picture?" The two quickly stopped to look at their petite friend who huffed at them haughtily. "I won't see you two for a month when you relocate tomorrow."
John moved his fists down, while Gabriel mirror him. The two glancing at each other and calling a truce. "You're right, we're sorry."
Angela crossed her arms at them and as trained soldiers, they act like rambunctious children. "Sometimes I feel like your mother."
John chuckled when Reyes replied with trigger response. "At least it will give you the reason to spank us, right Jack?" He snorted, elbowing him in his ribs.
Angela gasped at his crude response, her face turned into a bright red as her hands went over her mouth.
"That is not a good joke, Gabriel!" She said wagging her finger at him. Like a real mother would do when disciplining her child, which made the two men laugh.
"Careful Reyes, or else she'll wash your mouth out with soap!" John said with a slap on his friend's back. Gabriel just laughed even harder. Angela stomped her foot at them and crossed her arms.
"I'm starting to regret even asking you two to take the picture with me!" She said turning her back on the two and towards the Swiss alps in the distance. Her words got their attention.
"Aw come on, Angel!" Reyes called out in the frigid breeze. Angel was a nickname he always called her. He found it ironic since she works as a first responder. She didn't turn her head at him. "All right, we'll stop fooling around! Let's take the picture!"
She pulled her long white coat's sleeve as she glanced at him, almost not believing the trickster. He put up three fingers and put his other hand over his heart. "I swear, let's take the picture….before I freeze out here."
She smile sweetly at him and John who nodded swiftly, urging her to come to them. She put her hands down and turned back to them.
"Okay, I'm setting the camera timer...get ready!" She rushed forward to the small robotic instrument and switched on the dial. A soft hummed rang making her run forward in between them and face the camera. "Oh quickly! Smile!" She grabbed each of their arms, hugging them slightly and bringing them closer. John noticed Gabriel holding a hard look and swiftly flicked his forehead.
"What are you doing, you idiot? She said smile!" He said with a grin as Gabriel rubbed his forehead. The timer was now humming in a faster pace, signaling them that the time is almost up.
"Oh you two!" She whined.
Gabriel smirked and leaned his head over to Angela. "Okay fine, how about this?!" And the camera snapped and a flashed of light blinded them.
Her fingers slowly traced over their faces, a soft laugh escaped her lips when she saw Gabriel's face. He had his tongue out in the side and holding up a peace sign. She gave him such a scolding for that face but she loved the picture. She treasured it more than anything.
She owned them her gratitude. They were the real reason for joining Overwatch and creating the nanobots for the greater good.
Her eyes glossed over at the memory as a painful one resurfaced. A year later, she lost both in an explosion at the Swiss Headquarters of Overwatch, where she worked at the time. She was there to watch the fire consume her dear friends.
She set the photo down, pushing the memory aside. "What happened to you two?" She whispered with a tinge of sadness, almost wanting a response from the picture itself.
Click.
Her breath stopped when she heard the ear-piercing sound. She wiped her eyes lightly with her fingers and sniffed.
"U-um Nurse Ilana? I-I was just finishing up!" She called out and slid the photo inside the drawer. Her hand slowly moved to her pistol when she glanced at the clock. "Did you thought I would forget to lock up?"
She took the safety off the pistol and set it close on her lap, out of sight. She stared hard into the dark hallway. Waiting. Her pupils shook when her eyes moved to the desk next to the door. The keys were gone. She noticed it immediately when she heard the click.
The distinct click of a gun.