Chapter 4: Belittlement

When our items finally arrived, we began setting up our laptops and other equipment that we brought. We started booting the computers and changing their settings and getting them up to date. Exporting files, updating the systems, checking to make sure all our new equipment was working. I was dying to try out the projector, so many of our old professors would probably kill to have one like it.

"How're you doing over there, Alex?" I asked, setting up my computer on the round table just ahead of the projector.

"Pretty good, all the systems are up and running smoothly. All of our files were exported successfully into each unit. Each computer now withholds the same amount of info as the others, and are already up and successfully running our own original database." She informed me.

I turned to see our database up and running smoothly as ever. We were able to catch so many crooks with it. It was based on the same old system the FBI used but better and faster, it was able to narrow down our searches and it kept great memory of our past searches so it wasn't a burden to check back all the way in the archives of an old dinosaur desktop that would freeze after only 25,000 names or so.

"That's amazing!"

"I can't believe we're still doing this. That this is happening. And we aren't even officially joined technically."

"I know, it's a lot to take in…"

"A lot is an understatement. Try a shit ton to take in…have you gotten the projector working yet?"

"Just about, my mind is reeling over this new tech. So advanced and cooperative." I commented.

"Don't jinx it, we just met it, I'm sure within a year or two we'll manage a love-hate relationship with it as we always do." Alex took a seat next to me at the round table.

Before I knew it I felt the bright light from the projection screen on my back and saw it light up the table.

"Holy shit…wait a minute…is that?"

"Yes."

"No way, you have Mr. B's presentation notes? How? Why? Seriously, why…that's kinda sad sister…"

"What better thing to project from our new projector than the first lesson we ever learned as we began our college life together? And well the year we graduated, he retired and left his lessons to me." I explained.

Alex pushed back a curly strand of her red hair out of her eyes. "Please tell me you're not gonna actually…you know teach…"

"Well, that's what I thought I was going to do, for the longest time. Until you and I found out about the BAU." I mentioned.

We both were silent for a moment as we took a glance in our new surroundings that now had a little bit of our touch to it. As quick as it was to get most of our equipment situated, it was going to take a while before it truly felt like home. Then I glanced back at the pin board of welcome notes, maybe it wouldn't take too long.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

"Oh shit," Alex squeaked in surprise. "Is it time already?"

I looked up at the electric clock. "No, we've still got an hour and thirty minutes…and he told us to head up there."

"Well, he didn't mention someone coming over either…" Alex walked over to answer the door. She looked back at me and noticed the reluctant look on my face. "Well, I'm not gonna be rude, Jo. Besides, this is more their building than ours, yet."

I gulped as she opened the door.

"Oh, uh, hello Commander Morrison."

"Hello there, you must be Ms. Hamilton. This is Gabriel Reyes, Chief Commander of our co-op organization: Blackwatch. We just stopped by to see if you two needed any help."

"Oh, that's real sweet of you two, but I think we got it covered. We were just setting up our equipment now. Would you like to come in and take a look?" I saw her open the door wider, enough for me to see the two men in front of her.

"Oh no, we don't mean to intrude…if you don't need our help..."

"You're not intruding at all Ha-I mean Commander Morrison."

I tried my best to hide my attempt at hiding my chuckling fit behind my laptop screen as I searched through our teacher Mr. Becker's notes for an interesting lesson.

"If you two aren't too busy, feel free…" She stepped aside allowing them room to enter.

Jack looked over to Gabriel, who shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do."

"We'll just have a quick look around and we'll be out of your hair." Jack insisted as they walked in.

Just in time to, for I just stopped on a presentation in facial expressions. Different emotions, over a wide span of races, ethnicities, and ages. Definitely, one of my favorite lessons if I do say so myself.

The two men didn't say anything when they first walked in. Then again, they didn't need to, their emotions said it all. Jack seemed interested, maybe impressed by all the progress we've made in such short time. He glanced around, blue eyes brighten in mild bewilderment. Gabriel, on the other hand, was a borderline not giving a fuck. Dark brown eyes lazily glanced around in a mock attempt of caring.

"Well, I see you two have made yourselves at home here…" Jack commented as he looked back towards me.

"Ms. Purvis, nice to see you again." He greeted me with a smile, walking over to me and offering his hand.

"Nice to see you too, Commander Morrison." I returned the smile and the hand. "So was this what you and Mr. Lacroix were discussing with our boss when I wasn't there?"

He chuckled slightly. "Partially, yes. We made frequent visits to your base for professional assistance on some terrorist activity. During one of our meetings, Lacroix figured why not start our own BAU. So, after months of surveillance and deliberation, here you two are."

"Really? That's it?" Reyes questioned. "What could these two possibly tell us that we didn't already know before? Terrorists are terrorists…people that live off of fear, control, and anarchy."

"While it's easy to assume all terrorists are the same, Mr. Reyes. Many are more complex than that. And we are here to advance our studies in human behavior. To help Overwatch catch not just terrorist but any other sort of threat. To help create a better emotional understanding between human and Omnics. And that's just the beginning." I explained defiantly.

"Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me," Reyes snarled. "What good will that do for us on the battlefield? When we're out fighting the enemy and you two are just here, researching to why they might just be having a bad day?"

"Reyes?! That's no way to-" Jack interjected.

"No, it's quite all right, Commander Morrison. Believe it or not, we get a lot of cynical people like Mr. Reyes all the time." Alex interrupted him. It was true, many people believe what we do is redundant and a useless waste of time and money.

"We'll have you know, Mr. Reyes. What we do is very imperative to any case, for you see when you go in with a full understanding of who or what you're up against. You have the upper hand in battle, you know their weaknesses, their strengths, what drives them, and what kills them. And we've been out on the field, we've taken down; serial killers, rapists, terrorists, and arsonists. I was the best sniper for my team back at the BAU and Ms. Hamilton is one sharp shooter herself."

"But we try to use those tactics as a final resort," Alex added. "We want to try and help more than anything, especially in certain sensitive cases."

I nodded in agreement. "We can defend ourselves out in the field, granted it isn't going to be the same here, but Ms. Hamilton and I are more than willing to train with you, to better our tactics."

"How do we know if you two are accurate though? I've heard how you profilers work, just give out a vague somewhat specific description of a culprit and then what? It's just a giant guessing game!" Reyes argued.

I looked over to Alex who smirked and gave me an affirmative nod. She stood up from her seat and began walking over to me.

"I'm so sorry, ladies. Reyes has a tendency to speak his mind, inconsiderately…" Jack said, in a mixed combination of annoyed and frantic.

"Huh, something we have in common. Although I'd like to think I'm more considerate and amusing when I do it…" Alex smirked.

Reyes' eyes widened for a second, only for his brows to furrow and scrunch back together in an annoyed manner.

"If you have the time, Mr. Reyes, would you like to play our so called-guessing game?" I challenged.

Looking back on it, I probably shouldn't of, I wasn't being considerate of my first impressions on both Reyes or Morrison. Honestly, at the time I just didn't give a damn, at that time, I did want to leave one impression.

Don't underestimate us.

"Uh, um, that won't be necessary, Ms. Purvis. Really, we'll just be leaving." Jack was trying so hard to keep the peace. He was trying to be courteous and he wanted to try and rekindle whatever relationship he and Reyes had.

The tension between the two was obvious, especially with how easy Reyes brushed Jack off. Not giving two shits what he had to say.

"I appreciate your attempt to keep the peace, Mr. Morrison. But I think you and I both know that Mr. Reyes is rather incapable of keeping the peace. He much rather prefers leaving with the upper hand, don't you Mr. Reyes?"

Alex chimed in. "Indeed. Most men tend to go for smaller scale victories in arguments and low priority issues in compensation for losing a higher prioritized goal of theirs. Which is also why Mr. Reyes tends to disagree or intentionally thinks of an alternative opinion. Basically, if he doesn't get his way then there's no way."

Gabriel's expression hardened with every word Alex said. His brows couldn't have scrunched closer together, it almost looked like one giant black fuzzy caterpillar above his eyes. His small annoyed frown turned into a downright grimace. He tightened his crossed arms as if to block out what we were saying.

"You carry around a cold, harsh, don't give a damn about anything demeanor to try and make yourself distant from others. You used to be open, friendly, and actually gave a damn. But something happened that you didn't see fit. It made you turn your back on anyone you did give a shit about." I added.

For once, Gabriel's brows split apart and his eyes widened for a second again, but for a brief second. He slowly shook his head and snarled, failing to try and keep his cool, or his "don't give a damn about anything" attitude.

"All right," He snarled. "That's enough…"

"Is it? You sure it's not too vague for you?" Alex asked mockingly.

"I think that's enough, Alex. And for the record, there's no such thing as "profilers" it's just a term derived from the media to put a name to who we are based on what we do," I concluded. Alex walked back to the row of computers to occupy herself until they left.

"Well, it was nice seeing you again Commander Morrison, I apologize for taking up so much of your time. And nice meeting you Mr. Reyes. Hope you two have a great day, and we'll hopefully see you two tonight at our orientation?"

"Y-Yes, Ms. Purvis we will…" Jack stumbled to find words for a normal conversation closer and not a condescending verbal banter between his teammate and me.

Reyes seemed to loosen up a little, even a sly smirked appeared on his face for a millisecond. As he turned away from us and made his way to the door. Although, not without looking back at us he said, "we'll see you two there! Maybe you two could be useful for something…"

Author's Note: Hey guys! Looney here! Thanks so much for the follows and favorite already! I really appreciate it! I just wanted to give a little disclaimer about this chapter. One, bare in mind this takes place a couple of years before shit starts hitting the fan, but how I plan to show Reyes start to sorta distance himself a bit.

What Joan and Alex said priorly is not exactly how I, personally, see him as a character. I see him as a character that was once good and had his heart in the right place, but he got overshadowed and was given the short stick so to speak. If anything, I see that he went through the same phase as Jack did when he became Soldier: 76. Except Reyes' was sooner, he had a different trigger, and his affiliation changed entirely. They both come to terms that no matter how much good that you do, you either don't get the recognition as you thought you deserved (Reyes) or that the public will turn their back on you despite what blood, sweat, and tears you may have put into it (Morrison). It's just that Morrison still remains good in terms of doing what he sees right, and in no expense of an innocent person. And Reyes...doesn't care who gets caught in the crossfire.

Just a little disclaimer, since I was having a rather tough time trying to characterize Reyes, before he became Reaper. Since this story is all about the build-up to the disbandment of Overwatch and my take on several huge events. By no means will everything be 100% accurate, but I will try my best. I'm still learning the lore as I go. So I apologize if Reyes or Morrison seem out of character. This part was sorta on a whim, but I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story nonetheless. :D

~LooneyJRM