Camp Delta
Egypt
Amélie sat in the Orca as it flew through the skies, considering what she was about to do. It had been roughly two-and-a-half hours since she departed from Watchpoint: Gibraltar to southern Egypt. She recalled her meeting with Winston before she left.
"Amélie," Winston said. "I made you a new visor. I think you'll prefer it to your old one."
Winston took out a new visor that was blue, and had a singular lens as opposed to multiple spider-like ones. Amélie was handed the technology, which she examined with curiosity. She preferred this visor over the old one, that was for sure.
"Not bad, I think I'll be using this from now on."
"It has all the same functions as the previous one, but doesn't look like a spider's head. I know you don't associate yourself with spiders anymore."
"I was afraid of spiders when I was a child. I probably still am."
There was something else Winston had for her. He reached out from under the table, and took out a sniper rifle. This one had a different look to it from her Widow's Kiss. As an Overwatch sniper, she would now use a black rifle with blue and orange marks, complete with the Overwatch symbol on the left side. The scope was also blue.
"This is the sniper rifle you'll be using from here on." Winston said. "Better than a Widow's Kiss, I'll say."
"Thank you."
Amélie was handed the sniper, she examined it and aimed at the wall to see how well it fared.
"I can work with this."
She thought it was a little funny. Guns are guns, and it's not like this sniper will be any more harmless to the enemy than a Widow's Kiss. For obvious reasons however, she didn't want to wield a weapon with that name. Amélie put on her new visor, it was good fit.
"I am ready to complete my mission."
"Yeah, just don't get caught."
Amélie saluted Winston before departing. She felt some pride in herself, as for the first time she got to be an agent of Overwatch. If the circumstances were different, it would've been a dream come true.
The Orca parked itself in the desert, activating its camouflage function to ensure it wouldn't be detected. She wasn't far from Camp Delta, just enough that she wouldn't be seen. It was evening, Amélie decided to wait until the sun completely set before traversing the lands. It would be cooler outside, and she would be harder to detect.
Several hours passed. She passed the time by watching a movie. Just the simple pleasures in life that she had been denied during her time as Widowmaker, was enjoyable here. After the movie was finished, Amélie prepared herself for what the task at hand.
Her visor equipped, and her sniper loaded, Amélie exited the Orca. Roughly a half hour went by until Camp Delta came into view. The area was large, as it spread wide enough for vehicles to drive through it. Amélie reached into her jacket pocket, and pulled a suppressor, which she equipped to her rifle.
I'll have to be silent if I need this.
Suddenly a truck drove by. Thinking quickly, Amélie hid behind a bush to avoid detection. It was a big truck that towered over anything it would stand by, made for delivering cargo. When the truck passed by her, she knew this would be a great way to infiltrate the camp. She silently grappled to the inside with her hook.
A little cramped in here, but it'll work.
Amélie activated her Infra-Sight to see what was outside. The visor counted the number of men at the camp, roughly thirty. She knew she had to be careful about, as even someone as dangerous as her couldn't take on thirty trained Talon agents all by herself.
The truck checked out at the entrance, and then continued through the base. This was her cue to leave. She quietly exited the back of the truck when no one else was around, and began sneaking through the base, mindful of anyone around.
My Infra-Sight cannot find the prisoners. They're underground, just like I was when they captured me.
Amélie was crouched, careful to hide behind whatever was available to avoid detection. She saw a guard coming her way, this was the time to get some information. The guard unassumingly moved forward until he was at just the right spot. Amélie grabbed him, covering his mouth before he got the chance to scream. She took a knife from out of her jacket, and put it against his neck.
"Scream, and you die."
The guard was allowed to speak. He struggled with the words until Amélie asked the question.
"The others. Where are they keeping them?"
"Augh… They're downstairs in the main building up front. Good luck getting through, you'll be caught real quick!"
"Not if I can help it."
Amélie choked the guard until he passed out, then quietly placed his body behind a bush to avoid detection. The main building was a large, stone complex that was on the furthermost part of the camp. It made sense to keep the ones like her underneath.
She made sure to be silent as she grappled up to the nearest building. Her visor gave her the ability to see everything she needed. From building to building she moved from one to the other in a quick fashion, until she was near the facility. Amélie blended in with the shadows, avoiding any sources of light while she made it through to the door.
It was unlocked. She silently opened it, and gently closed it. She could see through the walls that the Talon guards were on break, and taking naps. That made her job much easier. Amélie was careful going down the stairs, and eventually she arrived at the door to the underground laboratory.
Amélie felt a trickle of sweat.
Here I am sneaking back into the place that transformed me into the killing machine I am today. This does not feel good. But no turning back now.
She opened the door, trying her best not to make any noise. The door, which was old, made a few creaking sounds. It was uncomfortable, to say the least. She slipped through as soon as there was enough room for her to fit. Her heart started beating faster than normal, which felt fast to her even if slow to a regular person, and the feeling of nervousness and dread dawned over her.
Voices were heard in the distance. They were terrified voices of captured civilians, begging to be let go. Her eyes widened. Just as they thought, it was just like what they did to her. She gripped her fist. Never again. Amélie crouched, doing her best to silence her movement as she made it closer to them.
"Don't act like that." A male voice said. "You have all been selected as part of a wonderful program. One that will free you from your boring old lives, and give you all a much more meaningful new one."
That voice. It was Dr. Graves, Talon's head scientist. He led the operations involving her torture and brainwashing into Widowmaker. She could recall those days, when he would subject her to extreme abuse, with him constantly telling her that she was worthless, that she was nothing more than a thing to be used.
The process thoroughly broke her, and that allowed for them to insert their programming into her mind. Hearing him again like this only fueled her anger, and her regret for not being a stronger person.
The test subjects captured were crying in terror. The kind of terror that she knew, and realized what was happening. The Nightmare Toxin. It was a special drug he used to force hallucinations onto people, just like her. It took Amélie's entire strength not to barge in and attack upfront. She knew she had to be very careful about this.
"I'm glad I can explore this terror with the rest of you." Dr. Graves said. "Don't worry, you'll be loyal to us in time."
The group of civilians shook in terror, reliving their worst nightmares. Amélie remembered being subjected to that when they captured her. Now she wanted her revenge. She snuck over to his office, and awaited his arrival.
Soon enough, he arrived. Dr. Graves whistled as he walked into his private office, none the wiser of what awaited him. He turned on the lights, and gasped when he saw Amélie.
"Remember me?!"
"Widowmaker?!"
Amélie grabbed him by the throat, barely giving him enough to breathe.
"Do not ever call me that again."
She slammed him against the wall, holding him up with little effort. Amélie could see why he would target someone like her, as he only preys on the weak. But she isn't weak anymore.
"How many have you captured for this program?"
"Augh… thirteen."
That was enough for her to slam him against the wall again. Never did she want the fate that befell her to happen to anyone else, and he captured seven people for that to happen. Then he started to smile, practically grinning psychotically.
"Oh, I remember you so well." Dr. Graves said. "You exceeded all expectations. I just wanted to have you kill Gérard, and then you precede to kill all of our enemies. Great work, by the way."
"Shut up."
"Does the truth hurt?" Dr. Graves said. "Do you really believe we 'made' you feel the thrill of taking a life? No, it was what you desired the whole time. Wouldn't you say you would rather live your life doing what you loved, rather than being some dancer wife of an Overwatch agent for him to show off to everyone?"
"Do not speak of Gérard that way."
"I hope you realize that it was nothing personal, what we did to you to get Gérard. Sometimes, you just got to do what you got to do. We saw a chance to strike where he didn't expect, and we took it. I'd say everyone was a winner here. We got rid of an enemy, and you got a new, much more fulfilling life out of it."
Amélie gripped tighter. She was about ready to snap his neck, and it would take restraint on her part not to. The smile grew even wider, much to her confusion.
"Why are you telling me this? What's so funny to you?"
"I just think it's funny that, for all your so-called power, you've let a non-combatant like me get the better of you."
"I have you right where I want you. Release the prisoners, and surrender to Overwatch, or I will kill you."
"It's funny how a few words can provide a good enough distraction, even for the best of assassins."
She didn't get the chance to react. Dr. Graves, was able to take out his Sleeping Gas he hid inside of his sleeve, and rendered Amélie incapacitated. It was like she couldn't take control of her body. She fell to the floor, and all she could see was his smile before her eyes shut.
"Damn you…"
He laughed. Soon enough, he would have his most valuable prize back into Talon's clutches.
"What luck that you came back to us? It's almost like you wanted it to happen." Dr. Graves said. "This time, I'll be sure to work out the kinks so you'll be ours forever."
Amélie fell to the ground. Dr. Graves called in his men to have her carried to their chamber, and handcuffed to a chair. The council will be so happy that he got their weapon back so easily. He laughed, kicking back in his chair feeling the pride of his job well done.
To be continued.
