It was New Year's Eve and the mission couldn't be simpler. After multiple attempts of trying to assassinate Gerard, Reaper was refreshed that they were trying something else. Kidnapping his wife and letting him come to them was brilliant. He was actually surprised that they hadn't thought of it before. Amélie was easy prey and as a hostage she was extremely valuable. Reaper alone was given the mission since stealth was all they needed. No need for an entire team to catch a defenseless woman, Reaper had done worse and he had no qualms about what he was tasked with.

Talon was an enemy of Overwatch as was he; and he would do anything to see the wretched organization fall to its knees. They had received word that Mrs. Lacroix had booked a suite for New Year's in Goldstein Towers. Probably celebrating, Reaper imagined, but not for long. He had entered the hotel in wraith form with no one suspecting his prescience.

It was a high end building, dressed with the finest security and décor. Gold finishes around the tables, tasteful flower arrangements, New Year's banners and the like. Champagne flowed like a river between glasses in the lobby with all the fat cats and their upscale escorts laughing and drinking.

It made him want to puke.

Blind fools, all of them careless to the horrors of the world. He sacrificed everything so these clowns could cluster together in packs and overindulge themselves in debauchery. They weren't worth protecting, his heart hardened with regret as he watched them all from the rafters. He was searching for Amélie amongst the slog of human excess. He really just wanted to kill all of them; stomp all their powdered faces into the ground, rip the tacky pearls off their necks, hear them plead for the lives they didn't deserve.

Anger kept swelling up inside of him as he kept trying to look for her, but she was nowhere to be seen. This was odd since this was the only party happening in the hotel. Everyone who was anyone would have been here. He began to suspect that maybe she had retired to her room, but it was almost midnight she should have been at the party. Since he couldn't stand watching the blatant ignorance on display he went with his instincts and floated to the elevator.

She had reserved the top floor suite with a balcony view of the city. He pressed the top button and waited to see if his hunch was right. The elevator dinged and he immediately floated in the apartment suite with upmost stealth. It was a massive room, he darted around everywhere but soon he found her on the balcony.

There she was… the slender woman sitting all alone on New Year's Eve, drinking wine and staring into the night sky. The fireworks were going to appear soon, he decided that would be his moment to strike. He waited around the corner, only two minutes to go. Watching her from afar she seemed as if she was in deep thought.

Her delicate eyebrows furrowed with worry, and she began tapping the table in an impatient manner. Reaper noticed that she looked slightly different than in her picture, she had put on eyeshadow and lipstick making her look more womanly. He knew she was fairly young, 29 but she looked more mature tonight. Even still, Reaper wondered why she wasn't at the party and just sitting outside all by herself. He wasn't complaining, it made his job that much easier but still it was strange.

Suddenly her phone rang and her hand clutched it so fast it was obvious that she had been waiting for it.

"Bonjour?!" she answered breathlessly.

Silence, she was hanging off every word to whoever was speaking to her. Reaper suspected it was someone who had gotten word of Talon's plans and was trying to warn her. Damn it, he thought, I guess I'll have to move in now. He slowly crept out from behind the corner of the door. But before he could make a move-

"but Gerard it is New Year's Eve surely you don't need to work-" and then she was cut off. More silence, from that Reaper knew what the conversation was about. He backed off and kept listening, still wary of the possibility of a warning.

Reaper saw her slender finger circle the rim of her wine glass, steady at first but got slower and slower as the silence dragged on. It was almost hypnotic, watching it spin in circles under the moonlight. It was such a small thing to fixate on, yet Reaper couldn't help but stare.

Finally she stopped and lowered her head "oui I understand mon amour I just... I miss you," her voice trembled.

Reaper felt a twinge of sympathy for the woman. Gerard was a fool for falling in love while working for Overwatch. That line of work mixed with a relationship could only end in disaster. The long hours, the deadly missions, the public attention, it tore apart everything all for the sake of supposed glory. Overwatch would pay; as long as he drew breath he would make them suffer for how they ruined him. Turning his attention back to Amélie, she nodded weakly

"I love you too Gerard, happy New Year's" the call ended.

It was only a few more seconds until the fireworks went off. The countdown was being chanted below throughout the city square, each number preparing Reaper to strike. Amélie crumpled in her chair and her hands buried her face. Reaper saw her shiver but she didn't say a word. Then he heard her crying, quiet at first but it grew louder and louder. Her agony swelled with each second. She began to mutter angrily in French. The words were sharp and bitter, heated with anger that had been steadily boiling for years. She suddenly got up and gripped the railing of the balcony.

"Curse you Overwatch!" she cried out to the heavens. Her tears came rushing down her face ruining her makeup. "You will burn for taking him away from moi again! But I am the idiot for thinking I could have one nuit with him alone… but non… he is too busy for moi," she grabbed her glass and raised it to the sky. "Not even Noel, or mon anniversaire. I can never see him again because of you! So I toast to Gerard, and I pray that he will come back home safely. I pray that we can be together again!" She began guzzling down her glass.

Now was the time.

5. He stepped out from behind the corner. She kept drinking.

4. He grabbed the chloroform rag in his pocket.

3. She tossed her glass out into the abyss.

2. He was right behind her; she was in her own world.

1. The glass shattered below.

He grabbed her by the waist with one arm, the shock hit her immediately but the rag covered her mouth before she could scream. She kicked and flailed but there was nothing she could do. She began to lose consciousness and laid helplessly in Reapers arms. The fireworks were so loud that no one heard a thing. The colours illuminated her face and Reaper could see the fresh tears roll down her cheeks. They weren't from being captured though; they were from being left alone in the dark... because of Overwatch.

That struck a chord with him. As he stared at her face she appeared almost angelic, sleeping peacefully in his arms. He felt angry for her, the same anger that consumed his soul he felt for someone else. His target, his prey, he felt just like her not long ago.

Abandoned...

He wiped away the tears on her face and held her bridal style in his arms. She was a victim of Overwatch just like him; he couldn't help but feel connected to her in a way. That's why he was gentle with her while going back to Talon. She had already suffered enough. To this day Reaper wonders if he still would have carried out the mission had he known the real plan. He never knew what horrors were awaiting her once they got to headquarters.