This is intended to be a one-shot, something swimming the back of my mind that I've wanted to write. I intend to try to publish more Overwatch stories, be it one-shots or not. If you liked this and you want to see a continuation, please leave comments indicating it. Otherwise, I'll leave it like this. Thank you and enjoy!


"The protests are getting worse," muttered Angela Ziegler, Head of Medical Research for Overwatch. She, and the other members of the recently crippled Overwatch, gathered by the Hub where Athena displayed numerous news reports where protests and even riots break out all around the world calling for the dissolution of Overwatch.

"You're telling me," groaned Ana Amari, resident sharpshooter of Overwatch. Winston bandaged up her arm, the sniper was tough, certainly, but plasma burns stung like a mother.

They had recently got back from London after breaking up a riot in King's Cross. Protesters are beginning to get out of hand, claiming Overwatch was corrupt even suggesting they may have hand in instigating the Omni Crisis. It was all Overwatch could do to prevent violent riots while simultaneously refuting these allegations, but the United Nations are coming down hard on the group.

Angela turned from the screen, the images of the injured burned into her mind. While these allegations were offensive at best the thought of innocent people getting hurt because of these violent rioters was what bothered her the most. "Let me lend a hand, Ana."

She strode to Ana, caduceus in hand, and began to scan her injuries. Her caduceus was a miraculous piece of work, many would acclaim, but for her it was a precise configuration of biomechanical engineering that utilizes nano-machines to fabricate and modify a person's biological makeup.

As Angela began reconstructing and sterilizing Ana's injury , she looked over Overwatch. Membership dwindled due to this schism, this headquarters was nearly filled to the brim with bright-eyed, idealistic heroes eager to protect and serve. Now there were only a handful, Overwatch agents were forced into mandatory retirement, some due to "conflicting loyalties that may arise in the wake of the Omni Crisis" as the UN panel put it.

Good, honest heroes deemed dangerous terrorists and forced to hide away in shame, it burned Angela.

Angela was so lost in her thoughts she barely registered Jack and Gabriel storming in, already in the midst of an argument.

"- don't have time to deal with these politicians, Morrison!" Gabriel growled, slamming his weapon on the table, startling Angela out of her stupor. "We shouldn't have to be sitting in front of these suits, explaining ourselves, we've got our mission and that's that."

Jack Morrison didn't even look at Gabriel and instead went over to Ana, inspecting her injury. "You alright?"

Ana nodded, looking more annoyed than hurt. "Some idiot kid thought it would be funny to fashion a plasma rifle, nearly blew himself up with it."

"Jack," Gabriel said, his patience wearing thin. "Sending any one of our agents to the UN is detrimental to this team, much less sending our strike commander. We need to shift our focus to South America, the Omnics are gathering their forces-"

"Gabe," Jack cut off, turning to face him finally. "Until intelligence reports confirm your… suspicions, we won't mobilize anything. We have to regain the public's trust, it'll look suspicious if we start chasing ghosts."

Gabriel simmered, growling as he glared at Jack and the tension amplified. Angela stood, placing herself between them and faced Gabriel, "Gabe, you must admit that there is nothing indicating an Omnic insurrection, otherwise we would have heard about it."

"Unless, of course, you know something we don't." Jack said.

It felt like the temperature dropped a few dozen degrees. Everyone shuffled nervously, either unwilling or unable to say anything. Among the allegations against Overwatch were suggestions of internal corruption, spies looking to take down Overwatch. No one ever believed these allegations but the thought lingered in the back of their minds.

"Settle down," Winston said, his voice sounding like a clap of thunder though he rarely spoke up. "Tensions are high and we won't get anywhere fighting like this. We are a team, a family-"

"A family?" Gabriel sneered, facing Winston unafraid despite his stature. "We're nothing of the sort, monkey, we're just a bunch of freaks pretending to be something we're not."

"Monkey?" Winston growled, stepping forward.

"Stand down!" Jack ordered, stopping near 300 pound gorilla in his tracks. "As you said, Winston, we won't get anywhere fighting like this… I'll deal with it."

Winston looked like he was going to barrel over Gariel any second now… but complied. Winston and Ana left the control room, leaving Angela, Gabe and Jack.

Gabe looked uncomfortable, no, anxious, as if he's waiting for the right opportunity to start a fight. Angela abhorred unnecessary violence and tolerated combat, but she knew no matter what she said she wouldn't be able to stop Gabe if he wished to start something.

"Gabe," Angela started. "We are dealing with this situation as best we can, dissent will only break us apart further."

"A good leader would be able to keep his rank in line," Gabriel snapped back. "Isn't that right, Morrison?"

Jack bristled at his words but kept his cool. "And I am, which is why I am keeping this conversation between the three of us."

"Keeping secrets?" Gabe snickered derisively, "That isn't like you at all, Boy Scout."

"No," Jack agreed. "But when it comes to the security and welfare of this team, sometimes compromises must be made."

"What do you mean?"

Jack paused for a moment, as if wondering if he should continued. He reached into his pockets and laid out a file on the table. Written in bold were the words BLACKWATCH. Angela opened it and was floored by the information.

According to these files, the United Nations initiated a program titled Blackwatch to carry out top-secret missions. This covert operation completed a dozen of wet work assignments including espionage, assassination, kidnapping… torture!

"How…" Angela muttered as she read along. "How could this happen? Blackwatch operated out of Overwatch? How could we not know?"

"That's what I'm here to find out," Jack answered, maintaining his unblinking eye contact with Gabe. "You don't seem very surprised by this, Gabe…"

Gabriel shrugged, appearing indifferent. "It doesn't surprise me that the United Nations would establish a black ops division. Peacekeepers, ha!"

"Where did you get this information from?" Angela asked.

"Secretary Adawe," Jack answered. "She's under investigation now but she managed to do a little digging."

"Perhaps it's a set-up," Gabriel suggested. "She's one of those suits, after all."

"Perhaps… Or she knows she's next on Blackwatch's list and is calling for help," Jack said. "But Blackwatch will know what we have learned and try to stop us… won't they, Gabriel?"

This time it was Angela who barrel towards Jack. She stood in front of him, despite having to look up at him, she glared daggers, pointing her finger at his chest. "Jack! You cannot make these allegations without any form of proof, Gabe may be… rough around the edges, but that hardly makes him a traitor."

For a moment, Jack's eyes softened and Angela could see that he hated this just as much as she did. She understood that he wouldn't make an accusation like this without being 120% sure, not to his best friend.

"How long have you known?"

Angela's blood ran cold. Her chest got tight and it got harder to breathe. She turned and saw Gabriel with a sinister grin on his face. It didn't look like him, Gabriel, her Gabriel. It looked like someone put a mask on, one that looks vaguely like him but that smile was… evil.

"Twelve hours, give or take," Jack solemnly answered, as if he hated being right. "But I wasn't sure. I couldn't be sure. Gabe-"

"You're going to drive this unit into the ground," Gabriel growled, pulling out his shotgun and pointing it at them. "These people, these agents. Powerful soldiers, we could run this world but instead we sit back, listening to people with their heads so far up their own asses if they coughed they would tickle their colons."

"Put the gun down-"

"But no! We have to follow a blind hick, fighting for people who hardly deserve it. So you know what, I think I'm going to enjoy this, Strike-Commander. Die!"

As usual, Jack was faster than Angela. He stepped between her and the shotgun, kicked the table at Gabriel and took the shotgun blast point-blank perfectly shielding her. The impact slammed Jack into Angela and she went spilling to the floor.

Her ears rang, her vision went blurring. Damn, she didn't shield her head from the fall. Her thoughts came in sluggishly and discordant. Possible concussion. Jack? Shotgun blast. Is he okay? Gabriel. Gabriel. Traitor.

"On your feet!" Jack ordered, hoisting Angela up. The ringing subsided. The pain ebbed. But her confusion back apparent when Jack frantically pulled Angela to a crouching position behind a console. "Contact left side!"

Explosions shook the base. Angela grappled for her caducus and began scanning Jack. Minor injuries, it looks as though his armor absorbed most of the blast as he is only left with moderate bruising but there looked to be some internal bleeding.

She began healing him and instantly his breathing began less labored. "How many?" she asked.

"Unknown," Jack grumbled. "Gabriel escaped, that slimy, dirtbag-"

"You knew?" Angela demanded, she got close to Jack's face, nose-to nose, glaring at him her eyes red. "Why didn't you say anything earlier? Why did you dismiss the others?"

She said more but it turned into a creative string of Swiss-German expletives, only half of which Jack understood.

"Contact right!" Jack barked. "Ange, I know you have questions but right now we have contacts! Move!"

Jack pushed Angela behind her and stood, firing his rifle towards a group of soldiers. Angela snapped into action. Her staff charged, while she didn't enjoy using her staff offensively, sometimes compromises must be made. A blast of energy shot from her staff, colliding into a group of soldiers and exploding, scattering the men about.

"Who are they?" Angela said, charging another shot.

"Blackwatch!" Jack answered, firing a few more shots taking down a few dozen soldiers. "We need to get out of here!"

"Brace yourself!" Angela's wings activated and she took off, carrying Jack. She grunted with exertion, he was much heavier than he looked. Jack continued to fire as she flew toward the ceiling, she needed to get out of here… But the others…

"We need to find the others!" Angela shouted.

Jack touched his communicator then went back to shooting. "Winston, Ana, Genji, anyone report!"

A few moments later Jack grimaced. "Communications array is down!"

Pain exploded in her shoulder and with a yelp, she began falling out of the sky. The pain was so intense she wasn't able to control her descent. The world became chaotic as she fell down, miraculously none of the Blackwatch agents were able to hit her.

Jack rolled to his feet and caught Angela before she would crash into the ground. He ran, top speed, towards cover.

"Ange, get out of here," Jack told her, keeping an eye out for the enemy. "Find the others and leave."

"No," Angela told him firmly, gritting her teeth as the pain in her shoulder magnified from mild discomfort to burning pain. "You can't do this by yourself, Jack."

"They need you more," Jack replied. "I'll get out of this, I intend to bury Blackwatch."

"Jack-"

"This isn't about me or you. This is about Overwatch. A group of individuals who saved the world. Overwatch is… gone, there's no hope for it. Unless people like you are out there, fighting the good fight."

Angela frowned, looking at the ground her eyes welled up, but she wouldn't allow herself the respite of a breakdown. Instead she turned her caduceus to herself, patched herself up and stood. "Understood, sir."

Jack nodded, resolute and stood, prepared to charge. "Jack." Angela said, stopping him in his tracks. "Come back to us after this."

The soldier paused. Hesitant in his response. But nodded, reloaded his weapon and for the first time since his start in Overwatch told a lie, "Of course, ma'am."

Jack ran out, providing covering fire as Angela ran the opposite direction. He fired, full blast for ten good seconds and his gun clicked empty. Checking his magazine he realized he was completely out. Jack bashed his rifle against a Blackwatch agent's head, denting his helmet and the man crumpled to the ground.

No ammo. No other weapon. Jack needed to keep this close and personal. Utilizing his superhuman speed, Jack closed the distance between him and three other agents. With a single blow he quickly disarmed them, they retaliated but Jack was easily able to stop them, break their wrists and knock them out cold.

The last soldier brandished a knife and lunged. Grabbing the knife-hand, Jack turned the weapon back to the soldier, stabbing through his body armor. He screamed under the pain, one more thrust and he fell silent.

These men weren't green, hardly. They were trained, precise and professional. It didn't take Jack long to realize that some of these men were former Overwatch agents. The thought of killing his former teammates made a lump of molten lava form in his throat.

"You did a good job dispatching them," chuckled Gabriel. Jack turned around and faced the traitor. He stood, flanked by a few dozen Blackwatch agents. Armed with his signature weapons, Gabriel lazily pointed the shotguns at Jack. "Efficient."

"Tactical necessity," Jack argued, but it didn't feel like a good enough reason to kill these men. He sounded like a commander who rationalized the "necessity" of civilian bombings and collateral damage.

No it was different. These men were traitors. Mercenaries.

"No need to bullshit me, Jack," Gabriel sneered. "It's just us two! You don't have to pretend to be the boy scout everyone thinks you are."

Jack didn't answer, instead he tried to calculate how long ago Angela left to gather the others. Five minutes, perhaps? Was that enough time?

"Why, Gabe?" Jack asked. "Why are you doing this? You fought with us, taken bullets for us, you can't tell me a man who would fight and die for us would do something like this so easily. What was it, huh? A bigger paycheck? A promotion?"

As quick as thought, Gabriel lashed out, his fist colliding in Jack's face and sending him flying against the back wall. Jack's mind swam as pain set in, Gabriel had always been fast but that was unheard of.

"Get off your high horse, pendejo!" Gabriel snarled. "You still think you're the righteous soldier, the hero. You're nothing but a hired gun, sent by men in suits to do their dirty work."

"What does that make you then?" Jack asked, standing, ignoring the burning pain in his mouth from that punch. "Not a soldier, soldiers wouldn't abandon their men. Good men. No, you're a snake-"

"Shut up."

"A slimey, creature hiding. Not good enough to fight without your lackeys, you're a snake in the grass, pouncing on someone's unsuspecting back-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

Gabriel raised his gun and fired. Jack took his chance. He ducked, barely avoiding the shotgun's wide cone of fire and charged Gabriel. A powerful palm strike against his chin caused Gabriel to stagger, stunned, he didn't have a chance to stop Jack as he disarmed him and kicked him clean across the room.

The Blackwatch agents were quick to react, raising their weapons they turned and fired at Jack. Ducking, Jack rolled to one side and assumed a firing stance and blasted the agents away. He turned, weapon raised, to Gabriel and caught a gutful of lead for his trouble.

The shotgun blasted Jack away and he crumbled against the wall. Jack felt his stomach, sticky and wet, the sight of his blood made him nauseous.

"In the end, it'll always end like this," Gabriel said, pointing his gun directly in Jack's face.

Jack struggled to remain conscious. A Blackwatch agent ran into the room, saluted Gabriel and nervously reported, "Sir, the base is completely empty!"

"What?!" Gabriel snapped though he remained fixed on Jack, even injured there was still a lot the Strike-Commander could do if left unchecked. "Did you check the underground passages like I told you?"

"Yes!" the soldier reported. "It's been cleared out!"

"How?!" Realization creased Gabriel's face. "McCree?"

Jack chuckled bitterly, his voice hoarse. "He told me everything, apparently he didn't take to your secret organization as you'd hope Gabe."

Gabriel smacked the side of Jack's face with his shotgun. "No matter. After I'm through here, I'll hunt down each and every one of your precious Overwatch agents. I'll be sure to send them your regards."

"You won't win," Jack said, his body shaking from pain, his mind unfocused. "It's simply not in your nature. You don't have the drive, not like them. They'll stop you, Gabriel. They always will."

"Spare me your theatrics. You've lost, accept it."

"Fine, fine." Jack grinned. "But here's another reason you won't win. This."

Jack Morrison pulled out a tiny, palm-sized detonator from his pocket. Before anyone could react, he thumbed the button and the Overwatch base shook.