6 Years Later
I walked towards my apartment door and readied my keys to unlock it. It was a Friday afternoon, around 3:50, the apartment complex was quiet only the jingles of the keys can be heard. I opened the door and stepped inside then closed it again locking it along with the deadbolt. I sighed as I dropped my backpack on the living room sofa then sat down. I relaxed for a minute looking around my apartment until my eyes wandered towards the window. It was sunny out, birds chirping, the sound of the city in the background.
It was perfect outside. I turned away and turned towards the TV, I grabbed the remote off the coffee table then hit the power button. I switched to the news channel to see if anything interesting was happening.
"It's a quiet day today for Los Angeles, looks like we'll be seeing this clear weather for most of this week, enjoy the sun out there L.A. Back to you Mike"
"Thank you James, now there has been rumors that the terrorist group, Talon, might be reforming and rebuilding. Now it's not confirmed but another rumor also say that they were the ones responsible for the assassination of the leader of the Shambali, Tekhartha Mondatta"
"I don't know about you Mike but rumors can't always be true"
"Well Jane, rumors could also be true but until then what we've heard is unconfirmed. The real question here though is if Talon really has returned, will Overwatch also return?"
"It se-" Click. I furrowed my brow at the word.. 'Overwatch'.Ever since that incident I never looked at the organization the same again. Not only did they put the accident down as 'Pilot error' but they didn't bother to put the slipstream program to rest, they rebuilt the jet and continued testing. I quit after that. Fortunately about a year later, they were shut down. After the accident, they managed to patch my arms up without needing to amputate them, I was grateful but the metal shards that pierced my chest were too far to do anything about. During the surgery, the shrapnel slowly moved towards my heart, they used a magnet to keep them from going any further but they couldn't perform they surgery correctly without puncturing any of my organs. For now, they placed this... Device in my chest that keeps the shrapnel from moving towards my chest. They called it an Arc reactor or something like that. I didn't bother to hide it from the public considering it just glows through whatever piece of clothing I wear and in L.A., wearing a snow parka or any clothing thick enough to hide it, is basically asking to get a heat stroke.
I looked at my window once again this time focusing on an oddly shaped building. It was the Overwatch museum. It was usually busy during weekends or Fridays because most people and kids did not have school or work or finished school or work. I usually visit looking at the various exhibits but mostly I look at the Slipstream which they made into an exhibit. I usually just stand and look at it thinking of how it all went wrong.
"LENA CUT IT CUT IT!"
I closed my eyes, trying hard to forget the memory. I sighed and decided to visit once more but this time actually look at different exhibits. Maybe look at the new exhibit, the Doomfist Gauntlet. I stood up and because I was still dressed I just grabbed my pistol and keys then headed out the door.
Traffic was surprisingly light, making the usually 20 minute trip to a 10 minute trip. I parked my car and paid the parking meter before heading inside. As I entered the museum I felt the cool air from the vents wash over me. I looked around the massive building. Surprisingly it was empty with the exception of two kids looking at the new exhibit. I approached them, they turned their heads to me. I smiled and nodded.
"So this is the Doomfist Gauntlet?" I waited for a response as I looked at the gauntlet but received none. I looked back down at them, they were just staring at my chest.
"You're like Tracer!" The little one pointed at the reactor while the older boy just continued to stare. I looked at him confusingly.
"Who's Tracer?" The boy let out and exaggerated gasp before going into a un-understandstable rant, I looked at the older one who just smiled and shook his head.
"She used to be an Overwatch agent who could control her own time" I looked back at the gauntlet. Of course, only Overwatch would have that type of person. I'll probably hate her guts anyway.
"Yah yah, she also had a catch phrase, it went like 'Cheers love, the calvaries here'" I let out an amused 'hmph' as the boy excitedly expressed with his hand.
"You sure have a lot of energy. Kinda remind me of someone I know when I was in Overwatch" The boy stopped talking and looked at me along with the older one.
"You're an Overwatch agent!" The boy started to ask a barrage of questions, I laughed at this
"Yea I was a Pilot for them... But I quit before they disbanded though" As the boy stopped talking the older one stepped up
"You're Desmond Riley, aren't you? You're the one that got out of the Slipstream accident" I nodded but before I could reply, a loud bang was heard causing all three of us to look behind me.
A gorilla landed heading towards us but instantly got back up. There was a mist thing guy floating shooting at him. I reach for my gun but before I could touch it, the gorilla jumped in front of us
"Enjoying the Exhibit?" He grinned while grunting as bullets hit him. I looked at the kids... THE KIDS!. I quickly grabbed both of them and dragged them to cover. I quickly looked back, the gorilla was still taking bullets, I needed to help, I looked back at the kids with a stern face.
"Stay Here" They both nodded. I grabbed my pistol, it was an Atlas 45 modified to pack more punch, both the kids looked at it before I tapped the older one. I nodded at him before jumping out of cover and started to shoot the mist guy. He barely dodged the bullet as he turned his attention to me. Giving the gorilla time to recover.
"Come at me bro!" I fired more shots at him as I ran, dodged and did barrel rolls to avoid his bullets. He grunted in annoyance and started chucking mist grenade things. "Well fuck me sideways" I jumped out of the way as they exploded. He was about to start shooting before the gorilla grabbed him and threw him to the floor. I took this chance to reload. I got out of cover and pointed at the mist guy but then I spotted a purple clad girl, with a sniper rifle aimed at the gorilla. I shifted my aim towards her but before I could pull the trigger, another girl appeared next to her, causing the sniper to quickly disperse and rope down to the floor. The other girl then...Teleported? I shook my head and turned my attention to the two boys. I quickly ran to them sliding next to cover.
"That's Tracer!" The little boy peeked over and yelled causing the four who were fighting to shift their attention to us.
fuck me sideways
I gasped and quickly grabbed both of them as a sniper bullet hit near them
"SHHHHHHHH!" I quickly fired back causing her to back away. The other girl teleported and got the attention off of us. I sat back into cover. I looked around trying to find a way out. They were fighting right next to the entrance. I then looked at the Slipstream. It had laser cannons, so they couldn't have unarmed it. Unless they took the cannons off, but none the less it'll make a good hiding place. I looked at the kids and grinned.
"Ever flown a jet?"
"C'mon Winston!" Tracer was currently behind cover waiting for her Chronic Accelerator to recharge while encouraging her friend to fight harder. She was then brought back to cover when a bullet bounced near her
"vous avez termine" She quickly changed cover as more bullets began to rain down. As she ran, her Accelerator glowed indicating it was charged up
"Yes!"
Winston struggled as the mist guy threw grenade after grenade then shot after shot at him. A grenade blast knocked him back causing his glasses to fly away. The mist guy walked towards him but stopped, he looked down to see Winston's glasses. He grunted then crushed it with his boots.
Winston roared in anger and charged him and in response readied his guns.
"So... You know me, how about I know you?" I sat in the pilot seat looking at the dials and buttons while the kids sat in the copilot's seat. The older brother leaned of over and watched the battle going outside the jet.
"I'm Brian, my little brother's Jonas"(I don't know the name of the younger kid) Jonas leaned on the other side of the seat and watched me as I flicked dials and pressed buttons
"Hey, mister, what are you doing?" Brian turned his attention to me and away from the battle.
"I'm recalibrating the plane. I'm trying to get engines to work but it seems that they disabled it somehow" I continued to look over the manifest Engineers left just in case they needed the plane again. Brian leaned over.
"Have you tried holding the on switch, most vehicles these days are hold-to-activate" I looked at the power before trying his suggestion. After holding it for 3 seconds the soft whirring of the engine started. I bumped my fist with him in thanks. They removed the missiles and front cannons but knowing Overwatch, they would never leave a technology advanced fighter jet without any defenses, they didn't change the interface by much only added a couple buttons. I looked at a button labeled ballistic cannon and pressed. Instantly two twin miniguns rose from a hidden compartment under the cockpit.
"How'd you guys like to be heroes?" They brothers grinned at each other then nodded to me. I switch the flight mode to Vertical Flight and slowly rose the plane from the pad it was on.
"Winston!" Tracer was again back in cover, her Accelerator slightly damaged and uncharged. She yelled at her friend in worry as the mist guy, knocked Winston around. "C'mon Winston, git up!" She was suddenly kicked out of cover by the sniper.
"It's over, Tracer" The sniper raised her barrel at Tracer but before she could pull the trigger, the area arround the sniper was shredded as a barrage of bullets fire at her. Barely dodging any the sniper turned her attention to the source and instantly widened her eyes at the sight of a jet threateningly whirring two miniguns at her. The guns came to life once again causing the sniper to retreat. The mist guy pointed his shotgun at the jet and fire but it didn't even dent it. The jet turned towards him and fired it's guns.
"Shit!" He flew up to the sniper who was fleeing via grappling hook. They ran as more bullets rained behind them
The brothers cheered as they attackers fled from them, cheering.
"YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT RUN!"I yelled and laughed as I fire the guns once again up at them. We stopped our celebration and turned the attention towards the two heroes below us
"How's bout we meet the people we saved?" They looked at me, smiled and nodded. I landed the jet and opened the canopy. Jonas instantly ran up to the two Overwatch agents.
"Hey, slow down!" Brian hopped off the jet and speed-walked toward them. I shut the engines down and jumped out, closing the canopy afterward. As I approached them I pulled out my pistol and reloaded it then holstered it once more before turning my attention to their conversation, I approached the gorilla, who smiled at me.
"You alright? You took a lot of hits there" He laughed and nodded
"Nothing, I can't handle. My name's Winston, and thanks for saving our butts out there" He held out his...Hand... I awkwardly shook it as I was bigger than my hand.
"Call me Des" We both turned our attention to the brothers chatting with Tracer, who had her back to us
"You know, the world could use more heroes" Wait... That accent. It couldn't be. "So which one of ya little heroes flew the Slipstream?" Jonas pointed at me
"HIM! He's The Legendary Desmond Riley! Look He Even Has A Chest Thingy Like You!" He yelled. Tracer suddenly froze and turned to me...
"Desmond?" I looked at her a realization slowly hit me
"Impossible" I whispered "You're dead... You disappeared!" Tracer took off her goggles and slowly walked toward me for a hug. In response, I backed up. My head was getting dizzy. It's like one part of my mind believes it's her and the other doesn't. It confused me. For the last 2 years, the event had haunted me over and over and this year I was able to finally move on after countless hours of therapy but seeing her back... Is like... Is like... I don't know! I'm too confused!
Tracer frowned slightly hurt that I, her best friend, just rejected her. "I-it's me! Des, it's Lena! Your pilot! Your best friend!" She once again approached me but once again I back up, I saw the brothers were shocked along with Winston but right now I was seeing my past. I was seeing a ghost. My mind continued to swirl until I couldn't take it anymore and It shut down. I fell back and the world began to grow dark.