It was a frigid night in the heart of London.
Amélie could tell by all the men, women and even the omnics being rugged up and shuffling fast through the evening. Not that such matters applied to her at all, she had been deliberately engineered to be this way.
It was quiet and peaceful however and she walked the city skylines with ease. The steeples and spires of the high-rises looked elegant against the star spattered canvas above her. Her heels clacked sharply on some of the older style tile pavers, leaving an echo as she passed them by.
Her destination was one of familiarity. She had discovered it the night after one of her finest kills in her career.
Mondatta.
Clack. Clack.
An omnic revolutionary trying to simply bring peace as they saw it to the world. Something about the thought caused her to shudder involuntarily.
Clack. Clack.
The assassinations had always made her question her actions. She couldn't feel the emotions of guilt or even sadness but whatever experimentation that was conducted on her by Talon didn't diminish her intelligence. She understood her actions and the consequences all too well.
Clack. Clack.
She had killed someone… technically many people. In fact, she was made to feel good by their deaths.
Clack. Clack
Their deaths had forever shaped the world as it is today.
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
She had even killed her husband and many of his co-workers in the name of Talon.
Clack. Clack. Clack. Clack.
Amélie had started running now even though her eyes were obstructed by wetness. The tears still came even though she was empty and devoid of self.
Clack…
She flung herself off the edge of the aged balcony and let gravity take hold. Time seemed to slow as she swan dived through the air. She could feel the tears release rapidly from her eyelashes and her arms move weightlessly as if controlled by their own devices. Her eyes gazed open at the deep encroaching blackness coming her way and she took a deep breath.
Her finger dips first felt the glove of wetness before her head crashed through the water of the River Thames. Her body sunk metres into the depths of blackness and Amélie let it take her. She relaxed as she felt the currents pull at her and there was an odd sense of neutral placation washed away with her.
It was a silent world under the water, the only thing that she could hear was the long drawn out heart beat that thudded in her chest. Admittedly, it was what made her good at what she did. The less you need to breathe, the more accurate with a sniper rifle you are. The skill would have also made her a top tier dancer.
No one needs a dancer on the battlefield.
Amélie released her breath in a torrent of bubbles through her nose and waited long enough to feel the physical burn of urgency in her chest.
"You could just stay in the water." An incessant whisper in the back of her mind.
She continued to feel the heaviness of the water above her close in, seemingly as if her decision had already been made. The burn drew deeper and deeper in her chest. Her body so desperately wanting to take a breath.
A thudding splash above her made her draw open her eyes. It was just a swirling pit of blackness and bubbles that took no general shape. She felt an arm roughly grab at her and start pulling tightly. She had no energy to resist and let herself be dragged to the surface.
She couldn't wait that long. Amélie opened her mouth to draw a breath but instead took in a mouth full of water. Obviously feeling the struggle, the grip grew tighter and more urgent as it pulled her through to salvation.
The air made her gasp and the inrush of oxygen caused her to cough up the water unceremoniously. She opened her eyes to see the blurred shape of a figure. Not just any figure in particular but an angel. Amélie blinked a few more times before the realisation of who had saved her became clear and when it did she chuckled.
"You must really like me." She stretched out a hand to cup the soft cheek of the angel.
"You should really take better care of yourself."
The soft and delicate voice of Doctor Angela Ziegler made Amélie smile as she felt the material of the Valkyrie suit rub underneath her as she was lifted to shore.