Six months has passed and nothing. Of course, Kallista wasn't expecting much. She knew that everything would move slow, she was a wanted hacker and was under suspicion.
What else could she do?
Kallista sighed heavily as she laid back into the black sofa looking at the dark gray ceiling of the commons room. Her mind went back to the people that she had been introduced to months ago but supposedly hadn't met everyone yet. Based on the size of the Overwatch she figured that she wasn't going to anytime soon.
A few of the members stuck out to her, one of them being the second in command, Lyudmila Dontsova. From what Kallista quickly picked up that the woman was a hard ass and left no room for jokes. She also noticed the woman didn't talk much and only spoke when she needed to and when she did speak she had an accent, a Russian accent, a slight gap between her front teeth. Kallista assumed that she worked in the military at some point to explain why she was such a hard ass.
What caught Kallista off guard was the slight glimpse of metal as she shook her hand, she also made a note of the woman's metal hand and possibly metal arm, as the woman walked Kallista noticed the woman's stride, it was normal but off slightly for her height. Did she have metal legs too?
Regardless the look that the woman gave her told her to keep her distance, Be seen. Not heard.
Her mind then traveled to the young woman by the name of Natalie Nguyen, the woman had a mischievous glint to her abnormal golden eyes as she watched Kallista be introduced and move around the Blackwatch division. She didn't speak, she just watched her silently.
There was something about the woman that she couldn't put her finger on about the woman but she knew that she would be seeing more of the young woman.
Lastly, her mind went back to the time she had met a young man by the name of Malik Ramos. At the time he was filling in for the former Intel department that had been KIA. She remembered their meeting;
"Ramos," Gabriel started as he entered the room and to the man that winced as he stood. Kallista quietly sized up the man, noticing the wheelchair, his scars, and bandages.
"Sit down. You're supposed to be in Med-Bay," Gabriel sighed.
"I was cleared. Didn't you get the paperwork?" Malik replied confidently and continued to stand.
"Yeah. Sure. Ok, forged documents don't mean that you are cleared Ramos," Gabriel replied bluntly.
"No No No...I wouldn't forge anything Gabi. That hurts," Malik sneered as he turned his attention to the woman next to the man. His dark golden speckled eyes quickly roamed over Kallista as she stood there unamused next to Gabriel.
"So you're the infamous Bastet...you're different than I imagined," Malik commented as he continued to look her from head to toe.
"Oh...I'm sorry to disappoint," Kallista replied sarcastically. Malik chuckled at her remark.
"Much different," Gabriel commented, Kallista shrugged at the man's comment with a smirk.
"Expect the unexpected amigo," Kallista replied as she flipped her hair.
"Hair flip and everything. I just love the sass," Malik commented.
"Don't remind me. From today in she'll be joining you in the intel department until Morrison makes a move," Gabriel began, Malik nodded silently as he listened to Gabriel occasionally glancing down at Kallista.
Silently, Kallista sized up the man, curly dark coarse hair pulled into a bun, golden speckled black eyes, dark mocha like skin, scars. Kallista could see the start of a scar peeking from underneath his shirt starting at the base of her neck.
"Trauma...," Kallista thought to herself as she half listened to their conversation.
"She's not to use a terminal until I say so," Gabriel continued
"A cat without her claws. Poor kitty," Malik replied cheekily.
"Oh thanks. I'll be sure to keep my small ones groomed," Kallista replied, once again Malik chuckled quietly at her response.
"Ok, so she's on house arrest Gabi...that sucks. How is she supposed to do anything?" Malik replied.
"Under careful scrutiny" Gabriel added before pulling out his cell phone.
"Her every move? I mean she probably won't like it if you give me that much access you know," Malik commented as his black eyes flickered back to Kallista.
"Don't get any ideas kid," Kallista replied bored.
"Kid?" Malik laughed
"no prometo nada," Malik laughed before he noticed Gabriel motion towards Kallista. Malik nodded as he and Kallista watched the man promptly exit the office on his cell phone.
"My My My what a busy man that he couldn't even finish my tour," Kallista commented.
"He does that sometimes. But you are right, he is a busy man. He doesn't have time for mediocre introductions," Malik said as he began to study her again.
Kallista scrunched her nose as she looked towards the door crossing her arms, she turned her attention back to the man in front of her.
"You are really cute," Malik commented.
"Thanks," Kallista replied.
Malik smirked as he sat down wincing slightly, rubbing his knees. Kallista quickly glanced over the man again noticing more details about him. His soft jawline, his soft looking facial hair, his stature was thick, strong, slightly burly, but there was something about him that caught her attention.
"You...you were a woman once weren't you?" Kallista asked quietly.
"Yep. But does that matter?" Malik asked. Kallista noticed that he had tensed a bit at the mention of his birth gender.
"Nope. Just noticing your soft jaw and your facial hair and other things," Kallista replied nonchalantly.
"You have a good eye Bastet," Malik chuckled. She could tell that the man was still tense at her words, but shrugged it off. How he was, was none of her concern.
"I know," Kallista replied as she looked around the room. Some filing cabinets, three terminals, four main servers against the wall in the back of the room.
"Yep, this is the Blackwatch Intel Department. Small and efficient," Malik commented
"Just you right?" Kallista asked
"Yep...just me for now at least...there was some accident or something that happened recently...not really sure...not really my business," Malik replied and leaned back into his chair, smirking.
"Kudos to you baiting me," Kallista commented
"Thanks...your firewalls, coding, and cryptography were definitely unique. I admit I did fall into a few of your traps," Malik commented.
"I've had...time, and experience," Kallista replied.
"Oh. I know Miss MIT," Malik replied.
"So many nicknames...which one are you gonna stick with?" Kallista asked cooly.
"Whichever one fits...or unless Gabi gives you one," Malik replied.
"Gabi hm?" Kallista asked.
"He's kinda like my dad, but not my dad..." Malik trailed off.
"Got daddy problems?" Kallista asked.
"I might," Malik replied.
"Mmhmm..wanna see something cool?" Malik glanced over his shoulder at the woman
"Depends on what it is...and if I will be hanged for looking at it," Kallista asked cautiously.
"I mean if you want Reyes to hang you, go ahead. I heard he has some interesting ways of torturing people but go right ahead and say something...but chances are if you keep your mouth shut you'll be fine," Malik replied nonchalantly. Kallista's icy blue eyes scanned Malik's spotted eyes before smirking.
"What do you have?"
"Hey, Kallista. Gabi wants to see you," Malik interrupted her thoughts as he wheeled into the commons room.
"You're in a wheelchair now?" Kallista commented.
"It happens every so often...I don't know why you're so surprised," Malik shrugged
"...forget that I asked...you think he's gonna let me use a terminal finally?" Kallista asked as she stood from the sofa
"Eh. Probably not...but it's worth a try," Malik replied.
"You have no chill," Kallista commented dryly.
"Yeah, I know. You might get used to it, emphasis on the 'might'," Malik replied smirked.
As she walked down the hall towards the man's office her mind wandered to other people she had met. A young man by the name of Hayden Birro and had a brief encounter with another by the name of Omar Vazquez and a few others. Pushing the thoughts behind her she knocked on the man's door before entering.
"Come in, sit down," Reyes ordered briskly.
"O-oh ok," Kallista said as she moved towards the lone chair in front of his desk. Reyes nodded to Malik as he closed the door, he moved towards his desk chair putting his glasses back on.
"What can I do for you, Reyes?" Kallista asked sarcastically as she crossed her legs.
"I bet you're bored as hell…" Reyes started.
"Oh, you don't say?" Kallista chuckled.
"Cut it out," Reyes retorted.
"Yes sir,"
"Currently you're a civilian...how do you feel about having military training?" Gabriel asked.
"That sounds intense," Kallista started.
"It does but it's not…" Reyes trailed off
"It's a simple military training program very similar to what soldier would go through," Gabriel continued as he looked over papers and quickly glanced at a datapad next to him.
"I'm not a soldier. I'm just a soft and fleshy young woman," Kallista said sarcastically.
Gabriel looked up from the data pads in front of him and took off his glasses as he looked at the woman leaning back into the chair. Kallista's icy blue eyes met his mahogany colored eyes for a moment before a small chuckle came from the man.
"A soft, fleshy woman hm? You may be for now, but after a few weeks, I'm sure you'll tighten up,"Gabriel replied. Kallista pursed her lips together, silently.
"You look so innocent but you have your mind in the gutter. A shame," Gabriel commented as he went back to the data pads. Kallista remained silent as she watched the man continue to shuffle through the data pads, flicking through data and occasionally glancing up at her.
"You underestimate me, Reyes," Kallista replied.
"Do I? Please, go ahead and prove me wrong. Either way, you've been enrolled in it. You start tomorrow. Lyudmila will deliver clothing your room at 2100 hours. This should keep you busy for a few months," Gabriel added as he pushed a datapad to her
"Oh thanks," Kallista replied sarcastically as she took the pad.
"You may be a hacker, but you also have some fighting skill in you. Everyone in Blackwatch is expected to be on the field at some point. I'd rather not have you be a casualty," Gabriel continued.
"Noted," Kallista quipped as she looked over the papers at the man.
"You're dismissed,"
Kallista huffed as she stood, adjusting her black Overwatch issued shirt as she exited the office.
"So modified basics program...to keep you busy he said…" Malik chuckled as he and Kallista moved down the hall.
"Sounds like he wants me to die," Kallista replied as she absentmindedly looked at the papers in her hands.
"Nah. He thinks you're a cute cheeky little thing. He said you also have a nice ass on you too...and I happen to agree," Malik replied nonchalantly as he wheeled his chair down the hall
"Dios mio Malik. Deja de bromear," Kallista said nervously and shoved Malik.
"no es broma! You're terrible! Pushing a disabled. How dare you I'm in a wheelchair," Malik laughed
"Te odio…" Kallista frowned causing the man to howl in laughter.
There was a soft knock on Kallista's door, rolling onto her stomach she looked at the blue numbers on the clock.
"2100 exactly," Kallista said as she went to open the door.
"Kaines," Lyudmila greeted the woman.
"Dontsova," Kallista replied back in the same manner.
"May I?" Lyudmila asked.
"Sure," Kallista said as she stepped aside letting the woman enter. Lyudmila quietly entered the room and moved towards the empty desk, she placed a small bag onto the desk.
"My clothes right?" Kallista asked.
"Yes," the woman replied as she turned to face her.
Every night for the past four months Malik escorted Kallista to her room, did a quick half-hearted sweep and left. It was the first time that Lyudmila had come to check up on her.
"Natalie convinced Reyes to get you different clothes...she's taken a liking to you," Lyudmila said as she looked at the woman across from her.
"That's good I suppose?" Kallista asked unsure.
"It is. It'll give Reyes and myself more incentive to let you do more instead of being bored out of your mind and half-heartedly reading military manuals," Lyudmila chuckled.
"Touche," Kallista replied.
"To be straightforward...I didn't think that Blackwatch would capture you...Bastet," Lyudmila trailed off.
"Excuse me?" Kallista asked confused.
"I am...an ex-member of SPETSNAZ...I think that says enough no?" Lyudmila chuckled.
"Ah. SPETSNAZ...I'm glad I didn't run into anyone from Russia," Kallista replied nervously.
"You were fine for the most part...We knew of Bastet but wasn't assigned to 'deal' with you. But I've heard stories about your skills," Lyudmila said as she moved towards the door.
"Oh…"
"Anyway, stay out of trouble and you're good in my book," Lyudmila said as she opened the door and looked back at Kallista.
"Right. Tell Natalie, thank you," Kallista said.
"Of course. Have a good night and good luck on your basics program," Lyudmila said softly and exited the room closing the door behind her.
"Thanks...goodnight..."
Three months into the basics program there was an emergency within the training simulation chamber in the Overwatch Division that caused Gabriel to drop everything he had and rush over to the training center. Outside of the simulation chamber, he saw one of his agents and medical staff surrounding a bloodied Kallista.
"What the fuck happened here Spiros?" Reyes barked.
"I dunno...omega theé mou," Mikael muttered in his native language as he looked at Kallista's blood on his hands.
"Spiros-"
"I was watching her during her training sim and she collapsed to her knees, blood just started pouring from her nose, mouth," Mikael replied as he and Reyes followed the medical staff to the Med Bay.
Within minutes Kallista was examined, in her system was an unauthorized drug that had been administered at the beginning of the program, a drug very similar to the one that he and Morrison had been subjected to during the SEP days.
The same drug that gave him chronic migraines, and occasional bouts of insomnia, he thought that the program had been completely trashed because of the success rate and the after effects it left its participants either dead or dysfunctional in someway.
He and Morrison were lucky, they were the normal ones.
That same day the program had been shut down and all the personnel fired. Gabriel was thankful that she recovered quickly, albeit quicker than she should have but there were no symptoms in sight.
A few weeks later she was completely cleared to return to basic training methods, Gabriel invited her to join him on his own personal workout regimen instead of the joint workout with everyone else. He wanted to make sure that she didn't show any signs of the drug in her system.
He knew the drug was permanent, She didn't.
It was early morning, the sun had yet to peek over the horizon, suffering from a bout of insomnia he pulled Kallista out for his morning run that consisted of a six-mile run, on the fourth mile Kallista stopped and hunched over.
"Ok..haah...ooook…," Kallista panted as she hunched over to catch her breath.
"What's the matter, girl?" Gabriel asked his chest slightly heaving as he looked back at the panting woman.
"I..haah..need to...huff...catch my breath," Kallista panted.
"Get your ass in gear girl. We still have two miles back to HQ," Gabriel barked causing Kallista to glare at the man.
"Pendejo," Kallista muttered as she wiped the sweat from her brow and used him as support
"Keep it up with that mouth of yours and I'll make it six," Reyes retorted.
"Aah nooo…" Kallista whined as she used him as support.
"How else are you going to keep that girlish figure of yours that you flaunt if you keep sitting on your ass drinking those damn energy drinks?" Reyes goaded. Kallista gave the man a weak shove, using him to give her slight push to run.
"You're not the only one with a nice ass pendejo!" Kallista shouted as she jogged ahead. Gabriel shook his head chuckling as he jogged after her.
The day continued uneventfully, mission planning, report reviews, intel debriefing. The usual. Gabriel sighed heavily as an unlit cigarette hung loosely from his lips. He sat on the roof of Overwatch HQ watching the sunset, it was a way of decompressing from all of the administration order he had to deal with when he was not on a mission.
There were days where he felt the heavy weight of Blackwatch and Overwatch on his shoulders, sometimes it was a burden and sometimes he felt older than what he actually was. He kept his head high and dealt with was thrown at him, he had to. He didn't have anything else, it was all that he had and was too stubborn to give up. Reyes glanced at towards the footsteps that were approaching him.
"How is she doing?" Morrison asked as he walked over to the man and sat down. Even after the tension between the two men, they always tolerated each other as they sat together watching the sunset.
"She's doing better than I expected," Gabriel replied.
"That's good to hear. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to check in much but I'm glad she's doing better," Morrison commented.
"Same. I still don't get how they replicated that drug..." Gabriel trailed off
"Likewise. All the medical staff and R&D personnel have been questioned and replaced. We can't have something like the SEP come up again," Morrison replied.
Gabriel nodded in silence lighting the cigarette that hung from his lips.
"Also...is there anything I should know about in terms of what she told us?" Morrison asked.
"I haven't given her access to any type of computer. I wanna make sure I can trust her," Gabriel replied.
"She's been here for almost a year...I can see your concern, but we're going to have to move fast on this Gabe if what she told us is true. We can't let is slip from our hands," Morrison started.
Gabriel grunted in response, there were hints of tension in the silence that fell between the two men. They didn't know whether they should trust the woman or not. They didn't know what that would do to the integrity of Overwatch if no one trusted Overwatch what good were they?
"Anything else?" Morrison asked with a crooked grin on his lips. Gabriel quickly glanced at the man and back to the sun setting over the horizon.
"What's your game, Morrison?" Gabriel glanced at his colleague next to him, he was smirking.
"I dunno...Ana and Jesse told me you were being really protective of Kallista...you know...just curious," Morrison started as he tried to keep himself from chuckling.
"Jesus Christ. Out of all of the people, you listen to you listen to them," Gabriel sighed heavily.
The man suddenly broke into laughter next to the man, his deep laugh reverberating off the cement walls surrounding the rooftop. Gabriel groaned in annoyance as he tapped his cigarette from the ash that had accumulated.
"Oh c'mon we all can see it," Morrison said in between his laughs. Reyes rolled his eyes as he took a hit from his cigarette.
"Come off of it Jack. She's one of my agents' Nothing more or less. You know the rules" Gabriel replied.
"Mmmhm...I'm just saying...giving her looks when she's not looking or just checking her out in her training clothes, that says a lot Gabe," Jack said as he calmed down from his laughing fit.
"What looks are you- you know what nevermind. You're not dragging me into this," Gabriel replied as he turned his attention back to the sunset, he brushed off the attempt to pin him to having a crush on the woman.
He didn't have time for that.
"Well anyway...I'm glad she's acclimated well...Ana seems to be smitten with her," Jack started.
"The others seem perfectly fine with her. Malik loves her, Mikael treats her like a sister and Natalie loves her," Gabriel replied and chuckled.
"I see... How is Natalie by the way?" Jack asked. It took Gabriel a moment before he answered.
"Natalie is doing well...why do you ask?" He asked as he glanced at the man next to him.
"Just curious…," Morrison trailed off
"Right…" Gabriel replied as he focused back on his cigarette. He knew what was going on.
There was silence between the two men as they watched the sun set. Gabriel glanced over at Jack, the man was watching the sun set oblivious to the man looking at him. There was a forlorn smile on the man's lips as he looked ahead, a sign that he was reminiscing about the old days passed.
Jack Morrison, by the book, straight and clean cut, he was also one of those guys that brought up the old good days when they were together and reminisce. Himself, Reinhardt, Jack, and Ana. The good days before the Omnic Crisis.
He admitted to himself that he missed those days.
"It's been awhile since we were able to do this...I kinda miss doing this with you," Jack commented.
"Mm...yeah," Gabriel grunted softly.
"All of this peacekeeping and being on the front lines of the media is tiring...but I know in the end it's all worth it," Jack sighed heavily.
He remained silent and blew out cigarette smoke. In the back of his mind, he knew that he was supposed to be in the limelight. He knew that he deserved it. He took another hit of his cigarette trying to keep himself from seething in anger, slowly cigarette smoke escaped from between his lips as he exhaled.
"Don't complain about it. Others would gladly take your place if they had the option," Gabriel commented bitterly.
"I...know," Jack replied quietly.
He knew that Jack knew. Of course, he did, everyone did.