Another chapter! Worked hard on this one. I do mention Pharah's father in this one, and while we still aren't sure if in the Tracer comic the man she is having dinner with is her father, I'm going to write as if he is, until further notice. Things are really going to get exciting after this chapter! And thank you to everyone who leaves me reviews and follows my story! They really make me excited! Now, enjoy!

Chapter 7
Old Soldiers

Egypt reminded McCree of the Arizona desert quite a lot. It was dry, lots of sand and sparse vegetation. All it needed was some cactus and he would have felt right at home. The day was getting late, and McCree knew he had to focus on his mission.
He was sent with Tracer and Pharah to track down Soldier: 76. Tracer had pushed the ship to its limits to make it to Egypt quickly. Pharah had obtained the coordinates and the ship was parked in the outskirts of the town. All three dressed to blend in. Tracer and Pharah opted for cloaks and shawls of tan and brown material. McCree had changed into some more muted colors like them to blend in, and even parted with his favorite hat, feeling it would be too much of an anomaly among the civilian crowd. They followed Pharah, who knew Egypt much better than they ever would.

The trio made it into town and saw the wanted posters for the criminal known as the Shrike. There was commotion too and lots of excited chattering among the residents.

"We're near the Temple of Anubis...seems something big has happened," Pharah said and pointed down a crowded market street. " The coordinates for the compound we're looking for is this way."

They made their way through the crowded market street. Most didn't seem concerned about purchases at that very moment. In the distance, there were wisps of smoke. The residents were gossiping about what was going on at the compound, some having gone to witness it and bring news to their friends.
The three got closer and saw they were coming into the aftermath. There were still dead bodies at the front gates of the compound. They stayed out of the area though, standing among other onlookers that were making a ring around the area. They were not Helix security agents from what Pharah could assess of the clothing they wore. Police and other emergency personnel were arriving on the scene by now, and asking the onlookers to back away from the scene. McCree took a last look at the bodies, before walking away with the other two. The Shrike seemed to be a criminal that operated on their own. So who were these people?

"Hey, Pharah...do you know if your people said the Shrike had followers?" he asked as they walked back down the market street.

"Not to my knowledge. Maybe Shrike was staking this place out himself, but...I don't think he would work with a large, militarized group like that," Pharah said as she looked around, trying to keep an ear out for snippets from the loud chatter around them.

McCree had his suspicions this was a Talon attack, and whoever Shrike was, was being blamed for it. It was an excellent cover to hide under by blaming another known criminal in the area. Something he would have done. He had to wonder what Hakim was hiding in that compound to attract that much attention.

" Well...that situation isn't our objective, so we'll let the local authorities handle it. We still need to figure out if this Soldier: 76 is in the area," he said as he watched some kids run in front of them, playing with an old soccer ball.

" He may have been involved in that situation though. We need to ask around," Tracer said, taking a look back to all the flashing lights and crowd still gathered near the compound.

The trio asked around in the markets but none seemed to have noticed if a white haired man in a blue jacket had been involved. All they could recount was the gunfire and increasing amount of black clad agents showing up trying to breach the compound. Pharah ran into another dead end with an elderly woman selling fruit and was about to walk away. There was a tugging on her cloak and she turned to see the same kids they saw earlier playing with the ball.

"You looking for a guy with white hair, right? Did he wear weird goggles?" the small boy asked.

Pharah knelt down and nodded. "I am. Did you see him?"

The kid nodded. His friends were all chattering too, telling them they saw the man walking away with someone else to the far outskirts. Pharah called for McCree and Tracer to group up with her. They had spread out to try and find out information quicker.
The three let the kids lead them out of the congested streets of the town. There were few buildings in the outskirts, and much wider, barren streets. The kids stopped by a crossroad and pointed to an old building in the distance. It was a few stories tall and appeared to be in disrepair.

" Ali said they went into there after all the fighting at the compound," the little kid said, and looked up to Pharah.

The smaller child with wild, black hair nodded quickly. " Yeah! He was fighting some guy in all black. He looked creepy."

McCree's eyes widened a little and he looked around the area. There was reason to be on edge.

"That right, kid? Where'd that weird guy in black go?"

"Dunno, he just poofed in smoke. Like a ninja or something," he said and shrugged.

"...And how did you see that behind the compound's walls?" McCree asked, tilting his head.

Ali turned around and pointed back at the town. There were a few buildings that were stories high.

"We climbed up to the roofs to look down and see what was going on. The one on the left looks over the compound," Ali explained.

Kids these days. That would have been a good vantage point if they had had a sniper. Kid's lucky to be alive, McCree thought.

"Thanks, kid. Here, take this."

McCree dug around in his pocket and pulled out a decent sum of American money. Fifty dollars was handed over to the children for helping lead them to their targets. All their eyes lit up at the amount of money, and they rushed off, shouting about all the candy and toys they wanted to buy. The fact they mentioned a man in all black who could disappear like smoke confirmed his suspicions Talon was involved.

"...Talon's behind this. We gotta be careful. Reaper may still be around, biding his time to get another crack at that compound," he said and turned to Tracer and Pharah. The three made their way to the building the kids pointed out. They stopped and hid behind a small business building.

"Ok this is how it's gonna go," McCree said, taking a look around the corner at the place. " Tracer, go in and see if you can see them inside. Also, note any windows or doorways on the first floor we can cover. Got it?"

Tracer grinned and saluted him. Then, in a blue flash, she was gone.

Tracer ended up by a window and peeked inside. She ducked down quick when she saw the backs of their two queries. She walked the perimeter of the building, noting there was a back entrance and windows there. She came back to the same window. the glass had a spiderweb of cracks going through it, and in some spots, the glass had fallen away. Tracer cautiously stood and put her ear to one of these holes to hear what they were saying.

"...We ought to head to Russia and gather more intel. We can't trust everything these media outlets are reporting on this new Omnic Crisis. They say it's just a continuation from the first one...that would imply another God program is in effect at their Omnium," Soldier: 76 said as he sat down with Shrike.

" If it is, they aren't reporting it. Russian media is saying it's simply an uprising due to Omnics not having any rights in their country. Similar to what happened in King's Row after the first Crisis, but on a much bigger scale," Shrike said in a womanly voice.

"Didn't they report their Omniums as suddenly operational?" Soldier: 76 asked as he turned to look at Shrike.

"Yes...doesn't mean it is a God program. Omnics could have broke into it and restarted everything to build more battle ready Omnics to help them," she explained.

"...This is why we ought to go there and find out what's really going on. There's a lot more to it. Every country I been to has been reluctant to address the issue. They think Russia can handle it by themselves, like last time. Can't guarantee Omnics in other countries may get the same idea...or if there is an active God program, that it won't spread to other Omniums in other countries," Soldier: 76 said with a sigh.

" There's more corruption in the world too since Overwatch's fall. There's another Omnic Crisis, and there are greedy companies and gangs everywhere preying on their fellow citizens. Did you hear about what happened in a favela in Brazil? My intel says it was done on purpose by the Vishkar Corporation...so they could make a contract..." he said angrily. " There's so much we should be stopping."

"The world doesn't want another Overwatch...it is why they are reluctant. To find a force to help with the war, and stamp out corruption would be another Overwatch. And people are still disappointed with what happened with the first one," Shrike said matter of factly.

Tracer had heard enough. She was gone in the blink of an eye and appearing right beside McCree. Mccree had jumped when she spoke up, cursing under his breath. No matter how long they known each other or on occasion, worked together, he never could get used to her appearing out of nowhere.

"So, what did you see and hear?" he asked.

Tracer explained everything she heard and what she saw. McCree was slightly surprised. The two didn't seem to be a threat to the good of the world; they were a threat to the corruption in it.

"Right then...Pharah, you take the back entrance. Tracer, you stand by either on the roof or side of the building," McCree said as he began to check his pistol.

"And what about you?" Pharah asked with an arched brow.

"Me? I'm goin' to knock on the front door," he said with a grin.

Both of the women stared at him.

"You're crazy," Pharah said flatly.

" Call it what you want, I got a plan. Sounds like they aren't much of a threat to the likes of us. So there's that. But just in case it gets hostile, code phrase is ' reach for the sky'," he said and holstered the loaded pistol. "Or any amount of shouting and gunfire."

Pharah snorted at the phrase but said nothing about it.

Tracer and Pharah sneaked over to the building and took their points. They communicated to McCree they were in position. McCree rolled his shoulders and made his way down the street. He was not concerned about walking up and knocking on the old door of the building. If Soldier: 76 was really Jack, which he was becoming more and more convinced of, McCree didn't fear retaliation from encountering them. He was more worried whether or not they were being watched and leading Talon to them.

McCree gave the weathered door a few, loud knocks. Silence. There was another round of knocks. What happened next was so quick, even McCree was taken off guard.

The door was yanked open and before McCree could step back, a strong fist had grabbed the front of his clothing and pulled him in. There was enough strength behind the pull it nearly took McCree off his feet. The next second, the door was slammed shut, and McCree found himself pinned against it. He looked into the glowing red of the visor Soldier: 76 wore, who had his face mere inches from his.

"...Hell do you want?" came a gruff voice.

McCree recognized the voice. It sounded older, more worn, but the accent, the notes of it were the same.

" To recruit you," he said simply. " Been hearing about you in the news, and we could use someone like you."

Soldier: 76 lowered McCree to his feet, the fist wound into the clothing beginning to slacken.

"Recruit? For what?" the older man asked suspiciously.

"...Overwatch has been recalled. And we need heroes. So this is me representin' them, and coming to you to ask for your guidance..." McCree said, trailing off. "...Commander."

Soldier: 76 let McCree go quickly, as if his hand had been burned. Shrike was standing up and approaching slowly, staring at McCree as well. McCree now got a look at Shrike's face. It was older, and there were more lines...but there was a familiar tattoo under the one good eye the woman had that gave her identity away.

"...You got to be kidding me," he said in mild shock. Everyone had once thought she was dead.

" How the hell did they drag you out of the desert, McCree?" Jack asked.

" Well, Talon attacked a hypertrain and were fixing to put the blame on me. Had heard about the museum incident, and figured I'd leave the States and find out exactly what Winston and Tracer were up to," he said with a shrug. "I also got that recall, but didn't immediately respond. Had to think about it before I decided to."

"How the hell did you get a recall? You left before Overwatch fell," Jack asked.

" Well, way I see it, Overwatch and Blackwatch never deleted files on current and former operatives. And I kept my old communication device as a sort of memento," he said with a chuckle. "I'm sure the recall went out to anyone who had served, I'm guessin'. But enough about me, you two have explaining to do. Starting with how both of you are still alive."

McCree's expression was stoic. Jack Morrison and Ana Amari were supposed to be dead. Yet, both of them stood before him.

" I'd like to hear an explanation, and I don't like to be kept waiting," McCree said softly.

" I won't have you talking to me like that, McCree!You don't give orders to me!" Jack said suddenly out of agitation.

" Now, now. Don't get too angry. This building is surrounded," McCree said with a sly smile. His fingers were moving toward his gun.

" Surrounded? By who?" Jack scoffed.

" Reach for the sky, and you'll find out," he said clearly.

Jack was about to say something. There was a loud banging at the back door. The window behind them was shattered and an odd light streaked across the room. Jack turned to see another woman with darker skin coming in. There was a glint of metal armor under the cloak and shawl she wore. When Jack turned back around, Tracer was standing next to McCree.

"Hn."

Ana had turned to see Pharah standing there. McCree didn't have to reveal who Shrike was; Pharah recognized the face behind its new wrinkles and eyepatch. Ana wore an expression of surprise as well; she was not expecting to come face to face with her daughter. The last she knew about her daughter, she was still serving in Helix security here in Egypt.

"Mother?" she whispered in disbelief.

Ana nodded solemnly. " Fareeha...you've grown so much."

McCree saw the rage building in Pharah's features. The way her eye ticked, the frown lines contorting as her lips twitched.

"You're supposed to be dead! Why...how..." Pharah stuttered, then growled. " how are you still ALIVE!? Did you...you ABANDONED me?!"

The other three sensed danger. Tracer darted over to Pharah, taking hold of her wrist.

"Calm down, love! We don't know who's hearing outside!" she reminded Pharah.

McCree took a glance to the windows when Tracer said that. Talon operatives could still be around and he didn't want to get bunkered down in the derelict building.

" If you two are willing, come with us. We can sort things out later," he said sharply.

Pharah simmered down but she refused to acknowledge her mother. Pharah stormed out with Tracer following behind. Ana seemed remorseful about what Pharah said and remained silent as the rest of them left to get to the ship.

It was no better once they boarded. In fact, the situation exploded once they were airborne. Pharah was demanding Ana why she pretended to be dead for so long, and left the others to help raise her and find her father. She essentially abandoned her team and her own daughter. Ana tried to make a rebuttal each time but was cut off, Pharah claiming there was no excuse for her to not have found a way back. McCree had wanted to talk to Jack about his own disappearance, but for now, both men were keeping an eye on the women. The last thing they needed was for both of them to come to blows while they were thousands of feet in the air above the Mediterranian Sea.

The few hours it took to get back to Gibraltar were the most tense situation McCree ever experienced. Jack had finally had enough of the mother and daughter feud, and demanded they stop. No amount of pleading for Pharah to understand why Ana did what she did was working. Jack told Pharah to go sit down and calm down; there was plenty of time to discuss what happened when emotions weren't so raw.

Tracer landed the ship carefully in front of the research lab. Night had fallen during their trip, and only a faint glow of red and pink rested on the horizon. Winston and Angela were waiting on the top steps. Pharah was the first off once the door lowered, and she didn't appear happy. She was striding off down the path towards the hangar without a word. Angela saw Soldier: 76 coming off the ship. It meant that the mission was successful...but she did not recognize the second person with him. Tracer and McCree was following up behind. Soldier: 76 seemed to pause at the bottom step once he saw the blonde doctor.

McCree had brushed past and came to Angela's side. Angela looked up to him. There was a weary, almost apologizing gaze in his dark eyes. He leaned in to her ear.

" It's Jack Morrison, doctor..." he said and looked to Winston, who had heard what he said. Both of them looked down to the white haired man walking up the steps.

"And ...and the other?" Angela choked out, her throat feeling suddenly dry.

"...Miss Ana Amari," McCree said and looked to the two.

Jack and Ana stood before the three. Tracer was behind them, and could see the rapid change of emotions fleeting through Angela's features.

"Is...is it true?...You're Jack Morrison?" Angela asked as she took a step closer.

Jack looked down at her. He couldn't help but notice how after all these years, she didn't seem to change.

"Yes. It's me, Dr. Ziegler," he said softly.

There was silence for a moment. McCree could feel the boiling anger radiating off Angela...but no one else seemed to sense it. It was quick than his eyes could process. There was a flash of movement and Angela had pulled Jack's red visor off. Her other hand had flown up quick and with all her strength, had slapped him hard across the face. There was such force behind it, Jack stumbled back and nearly fell down the steps behind him. Ana had caught him in time.

" How COULD you?! How could you let EVERYONE think you were DEAD?! And you!" Angela shouted and turned on Ana.

Winston had lunged out and grabbed Angela's arm, holding her back from charging at Ana. No one was expecting Angela to lose her composure.

"I searched the rubble endlessly for you, Jack! I looked EVERYWHERE! And all this time I was to believe that I failed to find you and save you!"

"Angela!" Winston shouted and pulled her back. "Angela, calm down! It's not your fault, you tried! Come on, you're better than this," Winston said as he held her back. She was still fighting him to have a go at the two.

Angela frowned as she finally gave in and stood there, glaring at the two.

"Let me go," she growled and ripped her wrist from Winston's hold. She fixed her lab coat as she glared at the two. "I have nothing to say to either of you."

Angela turned on her heel and headed into the research lab and up the stairs to her own. The five watched her go.

"I'm...I'm going to go and get the ship to the hangar," Tracer said sadly and headed back to the ship.

Winston gave a heavy sigh and looked down.

"Well. I would say it is nice to see you two again, if it were under different circumstances. I'm...surprised you both are alive," he said solemnly. " But you two have a lot of explaining to do."

"We know. McCree said the same thing," Jack said with an irritated tone.

McCree shook his head and looked to the three. "I'm going to go to the quarters soon...round everyone up. We'll all meet in the meeting room under the launch pad in about an hour. So...think about what you two will be fixing to say to the rest."

"The rest?" Ana said curiously.

"Yeah. Reinhardt's here, so is Genji and Torbjörn," McCree said as he put his favorite hat back on. "One hour."

Winston said he would be there and headed back in to see if Angela was okay. McCree stood with Jack and Ana for a moment.

"...There's something else I want to address," he said and turned to Jack.

" What's that?" Jack said.

" We found you because some local kids saw you two leaving that compound to that building. There was something else they said too that piqued my interest. That was Talon trying to get into that compound. I drew that conclusion because they said they saw a shadowy, black cloaked man there that you fought, Jack," McCree explained then paused.

" Reaper works for Talon. I know this because of a mission the others were on in Spain. They stopped Talon agents...and Reaper was with them. That Talon attack on the hypertrain I told you about, their tactics were very similar if not the same as Blackwatch's..." he explained further. Dark eyes then stared right into that red visor Jack had put back on his face.

"Reaper is Reyes. Isn't he?"

The two didn't say anything. McCree noted Ana had looked down and was distressed.

"It is...I saw his face, McCree. He...he is not..." she said hoarsely. "He's not the Reyes we used to know. I don't know what he is anymore."

McCree dug around for a metal tin in his pocket. He took a cigar out of it then lit it with a lighter. He stayed silent as he tried to let his mind process what Ana said. It was fine to theorize Reaper was Gabriel Reyes. It was perfectly acceptable to ponder the connections. That was only tolerable because there was no concrete proof of it for it to be fact. Now that it was fact, McCree felt a heaviness he could not quite explain.

"...We do not tell Dr. Ziegler. No matter what. She will not be able to handle that information," he said suddenly.

" Understood. So...what happened in Spain with Reaper?" Jack asked, curious what the group had been up to.

McCree took a long drag from his cigar and exhaled slowly.

"He tried to kill her."

McCree had gone to inform the others to meet in the meeting room. Within the hour, everyone had shown up. Jack and Ana stood at the head of the table while everyone settled into their seats. There were some curious faces from the rumors they heard, and some stony faces as well. McCree was leaning back in his seat with his feet on the table. Jack wanted to say something but refrained for now. It was more important to have everyone understand why he never came back to them.

Jack began to explain his story. He had survived and got away. While there was no body and the UN was suspicious about his survival, they ended up declaring him dead to the world anyway. Jack went under the radar as Overwatch was officially disbanded under the Petras Act. He knew coming back and announcing his survival meant he would be arrested for what happened in headquarters. Jack couldn't do that. There was more to do, a war to still fight, and it would do no good turning himself in when everyone he had trusted turned their backs on him. He had planned on coming to Gibraltar one point, but the tip he received about Ana took priority and was why he chose to head to Egypt first.

Ana read her reasons from an old letter she wrote. She had meant to send the letter to Fareeha one day, but never did and kept it close to herself. The frigid attitude Fareeha had over the situation softened slightly when her mother read it out loud.

The others seemed to overcome their shock and anger to welcome Jack and Ana back. Reinhardt had gotten up to go hug Ana tightly and not let her go. The only ones who seemed upset still were Angela and Fareeha. Angela had given a curt good night to them and left without another word. Fareeha was still angry, still believing that her mother had abandoned her. She headed to the practice range, wanting to take some of the pent up energy out of her.
Winston talked to Jack, wanting him and Ana to lead the team once more. Jack seemed reluctant but agreed at Winston's insistence.

The night grew later and one by one they all got to bed in the crew quarters. Winston slept in his lab, working late into the night on some projects. The beds in the crew quarters didn't exactly support his size anyway. Finally around two in the morning, the lights went out in the research lab. The sleeping occupants of the base had no way of foreseeing the coming chaotic hour that was about to take place.

High atop the communication tower overlooking the research lab stood a black cloaked figure with a white mask. Reaper had been biding his time until everyone on the island would have gone to sleep. Winston's labs were the last to have its lights go out.

"Sombra. Are you in position?" he asked.

"Of course I am. In the server room," she said as she looked at her bright nails.

"Good. Did you find the back up generators for the base?" he asked next.

"Yup," she said with a hint of exasperation.

"And is it disconnected?" he said and looked in the direction where the server room would be.

"Yes. All of them are," she said and rolled her eyes now. Did he really not trust her to do as instructed?

"Good. Cut the main power now. I'm going in."

The lights atop the tower and the varying buildings suddenly went out, and on the dark horizon, two armed transport ships were making their way to the island.