CHAPTER 1: Mind Readers

"C'mon, you can't tell me he's not hot..."

"He's handsome I'll admit, and that's an inappropriate way to see your superior, agent." I covered my smirk behind my cup. As I took a glance at one of many Overwatch posters that are posted around the city of the glorious justice fighting team.

"Technically he's a superior for another organization that I'm not affiliated with...so..."

"The FBI is in affiliation with Overwatch, I should know we have meetings with them all the time."

"I mean not directly affiliated. Oh, lucky you, getting to be with the Strike Commander, I bet he's a sight for sore eyes like yours. You've seen every phase of elderly chiefs, supervisors, presidents, commissioners, you name it." My friend, Alex, Agent Hamilton, commented. She was never one to really keep her thoughts and comments to herself.

Frankly, it's gotten her both in and out of trouble and like back then, she always had a point. We were spending some quality time at a café. It was nice to be back in our hometown and to truly blend in with everyone else and not be undercover or have an ulterior motive. Unfortunately, work always has a way of coming back up, like it wasn't going to anyway, it consumed most of our lives. It changed it, it still changes our lives.

I chuckled at her remark. "You got a point there…"

"I mean, they gotta make him the poster boy of Overwatch for a reason…"

I interjected. "Um, it's more than just his looks, as you said, he's the Strike Commander of Overwatch. A very top-rank position."

"And because he's good-looking, and a hell of a lot more appealing than that ape."

"I thought you liked Winston?"

"I love the nerd to death, but he isn't exactly eye candy," Alex stated.

"He's not supposed to be eye candy. Just a statement of sorts that anyone or literally anything can join Overwatch."

"Good point." She took a swift sip of her drink.

"Anyways, enough about work. How're you and Brandon doing?" I inquired.

I expected her sly content smile to fade at the mention of him, but she knew it was my job as her long-time best friend to check.

She sighed, tiredly and defeated. "I…I broke it off with him. He…did not take it well, n-not at all…I gotta replace the damn TV. I swear the man's like TNT."

"I'll get you a new one, consider it a birthday and Christmas present. I'm just glad you finally got him out before it went too far."

Alex licked her lips. "I don't think he's gone…" She looked up at me. "Jo, I-I I just don't know, I mean it was the right thing to do…but I feel like I made it a hell of a lot worse."

"Alex, you had to put your foot down at some point. When was the last time you were able to leave his eyesight and visit me when it didn't have to do with work?"

She bit her lip, pondering on a lost cause. The only time she ever got out of his sight was when she was working. Even then he'd text her constantly. Her head was only about 95 to 98% on a case, and whenever we'd get a domestic violent one, she gets rather emotionally attached. It was all I could do to talk down the boss into giving me a chance to help set her straight before she got suspended or worse.

"Look, I know what I did I should've done a long time ago. I should've put an end to it the first time he…yeah…but even when it's all said and done…you can't honestly believe that he's gone for good. If now he's got every rhyme and reason to show back up."

"No man has a reason to ever put his hands on a woman unless it's in self-defense. Which is what you do if he ever shows his worthless ass at your house again. You've got your own place, a good job…" I reached out my hand to hold hers. "…And a friend that loves you. You can't let him win by controlling your life and thoughts and he's even nowhere in the vicinity…"

She nodded. "You're right, as always, but it'll definitely be awhile before I go back to the dating scene…"

"Which reminds me…when was the last time you went out on a date, Joan?" There was that smirk I know, I love, and I hate…

"Probably back when the term date was still referred to what the month, day, and the year were…" I answered solemnly. Exaggerated, yeah, but it had been about that long it seemed like.

"Nuh-uh, there's no way it's been that long…has it? What was your last boyfriend's name again?" She asked, taking another sip.

"…Nick…"

Nothing could prepare me for the moist onslaught of pre-drunk French vanilla latte that spewed comically out of Alex's mouth.

"Argh, really, Alex? Real mature!" I spat, pun-unintended, as I grabbed a few napkins and wiped off my now stained blue blouse and the table. Thank God, we were the only ones occupying the outside seats.

"Nick?! Nick Dienes from college?! No way, Jo, what the hell!?"

"For the love of God will you keep your voice down!" I snapped, self-conscious now that the people on the inside have heard our ordeal. Hell, maybe some people a few blocks down. I'm just grateful the pedestrian traffic was practically non-existent at this hour.

"It's just…no…no, no, no, no…there's no way. Here let me rephrase the question…the last time you've been on a date?" She attempted.

I gave her a blank, unamused, could care less what the fuck she thought about my romance life, expression.

"Whoa, now I know what they mean when they say; 'if looks can kill'…Jesus, it would be a bloodbath by now." She shrunk down in her seat.

"Damn right. Look, I've worked my ass off to get where I'm at, and I just didn't, I still don't want any distractions, nor do I want the extra drama. Besides, who wants to date someone whose job is to study people and get into the minds of criminals."

"You'd be surprised, and all the more reason you'd be a better judgement of character! You're right, you've worked your ass off to get to where you are. You've earned it. You've earned to have a little fun, a little excitement, and someone special to bring it." She held my hands and tightened her grip as if to tighten or emphasize her point, or both.

"I…I just don't know. I haven't thought about it, for years. I think I'm just better off alone, besides you're a handful all on your own." I teased, trying to weasel out of the conversation.

"Hey, I'm just that one sister that you can't stand, but inevitably love to death in the end! And you are that one stubborn ass, lonely, and in denial older sister that thinks she knows what's good for her, but clearly doesn't." She grinned.

"And you're the little sister that thinks she can read me…"

"What can I say, it's my job..." She leaned back coyly in her chair.

"As it's mine as well…" I replied.

"How the hell do we always get back to talking about work?" She asked.

I couldn't help it, but I laughed out loud. "Because it's who we are…just a couple of…mind readers…"

We looked back at the giant Overwatch poster. As it paused on a moment of power, strength, and glory. Strike Commander Jack Morrison, leading the flock of heroes, each unique and skilled in their own right, straight into battle.

"He's still really hot…"

"Well it is a poster, I'd imagine it doesn't age much when you don't look at it for several minutes."

"I meant in real life, too. Smartass."

I chuckled. "I do agree with ya, though, Alex. He is handsome. Yep, a handsome Jack."

It was Alex's turn to chuckle. "Hey, I like that, Handsome Jack, it's got more of a ring to it than Strike Commander Jack Morrison...and it's less of a mouthful."

"Yeah, like it'll ever be put into play…" I scoffed.

Alex shrugged. "You never know…"