Author's note:
Here's chapter 21! Still can't believe it has been so many already!
Thank you to KeepingThemAtBay for another review! Glad you're enjoying the story. Here's hoping something more will come from the flirting *also wiggles eyebrows*
Thank you to ShiftFrame for another review! Hanzo will come a bit later unfortunately. Villen would not go to meet him without taking Genji with him. When it comes to the Australian duo, I have to be honest, I still have no idea how to properly inlcude them in the story. I'm thinking about it though!
And thank you to Vedahzii for another review! It is tough to decide, isn't it?
I hope you will enjoy the chapter! Have a pleasant read!
The evening fell upon Cairo, as Captain Fareeha Amari was making her way to her apartment, from the stroll through the city. She was wearing a khaki colored, military short-sleeved shirt over a gray tank top, and a pair of jeans. The short sleeves exposed her muscular arms, glimmering slightly with sweat from the Egyptian heat, that just started dying down. Her black hair, mostly let free with the exception of two small braids on each side of her face, was flowing down to her shoulders. Even though she was mostly lost in thought, her brown eyes were scanning the surrounding area, looking for any trouble. Years of training and service allowed her to keep alert at all times. Under her right eye was the black tattoo of the Eye of Horus, symbol of protection.
Fareeha was 'enjoying' the last day of her enforced leave, because she was overworking herself. Again. She scoffed at the thought. She was perfectly happy at work, and the leave only made her restless and bored out of her mind. Her mood wasn't helped by the orders she just received, the cause of her walk to clear her thoughts. The new assignment didn't sit well with her at all, and her mind was still racing with plans on how to get out of it. It wasn't something she thought about ever before, but there was good reason this time.
Fareeha entered the apartment building, lights on the staircase flickering on. She usually prefered taking the stairs, even though there was an elevator available, and today she wasn't in any particular rush to get home. She was prepared to return to work at the moment's notice throughout her leave, so there wasn't any work left to do tonight. She climbed to her floor slower than normally, the thoughts of her newest assignment keeping her mind occupied. She twisted her key lazily, unlocking the door and entered her apartment, closing the door and twisting the lock behind her. Turning on the light in the corridor, she untied her brown military boots and slipped out of them. She made her way to the living room breathing a heavy sigh and stretching.
"I take it your walk wasn't particularly enjoyable." Came a voice in the middle of her stretch, as she reached the doorframe to the living room. Fareeha's body immediately tensed up, her hands instinctively darting down to get her side arm, even though she didn't have it with her. Her body automatically readied itself to strike when her eyes finally made out the source of the voice. A man, standing, hands behind his back, in front of her living room window. He was facing outside, looking through it. The light coming from the outside illuminated his body, showing his ornate, black plate armor.
Fareeha relaxed a little and straightened her posture. "What are you doing here?" She spoke with a distinct accent, keeping her voice calm.
The man didn't turn around but gestured with his right hand, behind him to Fareeha's coffee table. She spotted a datapad lying on top of it. "Talon is planning to attack one of the old Overwatch facilities Helix has under its protection. I have brought you all the information I have on the raid." He said, calm and stoic.
Fareeha moved into the room and started making her way towards the datapad. "Thank you for the intel, but may I remind you I don't appreciate having my home broken into. Again." She sat down on the sofa and picked up the device, skimming through its contents.
"I remember. But I cannot exactly visit you in your office, can I, captain Amari?" He turned from the window to face her.
Fareeha looked up from the datapad and gave him a small smile. "I suppose not." She looked at the text again and sighed. "You know my superiors will ask about this, again. They really dislike not knowing who my informant is."
"I am certain that lack of that knowledge is a small price to pay for that kind of information." The eyes of his helmet remained focused on Fareeha. "And it is not like you actually know my true identity."
Another small smile appeared on Fareeha's face. "And admitting that it's the Hussar himself that is supplying me with intel would be a surefire way to get myself sacked." Her mood soured. "Especially now…"
"I am sure it would not be hard for you to find new employment, captain Amari." The man nodded, ignoring the change. "I suppose I have done what I came for. I wish you luck, captain." He turned and walked slowly towards the door to the corridor.
Fareeha watched him go for a moment considering her options. She felt like she could trust the Hussar, he helped her a few times in the past, and he provided her with an unique opportunity. While he wasn't a way out of her new assignment, he could possibly help alleviate its effects. "Wait." She said, raising her voice slightly to focus his attention. He stopped and turned to face her. "Can I ask you something?"
"You can ask. The real question is, if I will answer." He stated calmly.
"Can you contact the rogue Overwatch agents?" Fareeha decided that the best way to go about it, was to keep things straight and to the point.
"I might be able to." He replied. As most of his answers, it too was evasive.
"Could you warn them?" She pressed.
"About what?"
Fareeha hesitated for a moment. "My squad got assigned to hunting them down. If you warned them they would have the advantage."
She couldn't have known this, but Villen was very aware of the situation. It was the main reason he came to speak to her, and the fact that she told him herself shown that her dedication to her former friends was even greater than that to duty. And that meant a lot, since Villen knew that, even though Fareeha would probably dislike the idea of the assignment, she would still give her best to try and complete it.
"I was not aware manhunts were a responsibility of a security firm." He replied after a moment of silence.
"That's what I said when I called about the assignment. Apparently the UN are impressed with the way Helix kept most of the old Overwatch facilities safe, and thwarted many attacks against them. The contract for this manhunt is apparently very lucrative…" There was a tinge of anger in Fareeha's voice, uncharacteristic for the normally collected soldier. Another sign of how this affected her.
"Ah yes, the UN are desperately trying to prove they made the right decision by disbanding Overwatch." He sighed, looking out the window. "All the while this effort could be spent better." He turned his head back towards Fareeha, who was still watching him, expectantly. "Do not worry, Captain. I shall pass your message along."
Fareeha nodded and visibly relaxed. "Thank you. I'm not sure who exactly is there, but I had friends among some of the agents when I was younger. I would hate to do them any harm." She lowered her gaze to the floor and sighed. "But duty is duty."
"They will probably need all the help they can get. Perhaps, since your assignment does not suit you, it is time to seek new employment?" The knight stated, calmly.
Fareeha looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. "What are you implying?"
"I am implying nothing, Captain Amari. Merely asking you consider the possibility of leaving Helix when the time is right." He kept his sight steady on the woman.
Pharah leaned back on her sofa and crossed her arms. "And when would that be?"
The Hussar chuckled. "I am certain you will know when it comes, Captain." He bowed. "Farewell for now, Fareeha Amari and good luck to you." He turned and left the room, only to lean back a moment later, appearing in the doorframe again. "Oh and be sure to give my report to your superiors as soon as you reach your base tomorrow. You may find a refreshing change of orders may follow." And with that he disappeared from sight again.
Before Fareeha could react she heard her apartment door close behind the knight. She was left alone with her thoughts and absentmindedly picked up the datapad he left, scrolling through it as she pondered his words.
"And so the falcon still watches her young, even though they flew out of the nest long ago." Villen said, feeling a presence nearby. He was standing on a rooftop, looking down at the window, seeing Fareeha, who, having dropped the datapad on the table, was now pacing back and forth in front of. He heard almost silent footsteps behind him and soon enough a figure was standing to his side. A long, hooded, dark blue cloak covered her body, thick, black armor protecting her torso and thighs. Her head watched the window for a few moments, and then turned towards the knight, revealing a black mask, with three dim, cyan stripes arranged in a triangle on its visor, staring back at him. A strange looking rifle was slung over her shoulder.
"You know, it gets really creepy the way you always seem to be in the right place at the right time, not to mention knowing things you shouldn't." She said in a light tone, her voice distorted by the mask, making her sound vaguely robotic.
Villen smiled under his helmet. "I have been told that before. Although recently I heard it adds to my charm."
A chuckle came from the bounty hunter. "Someone must have interesting tastes."
"I suppose that is good for me." He replied simply.
In the silence that followed, the figure looked back at the window. "It has been a long time since I saw her this agitated." She mused. "What did you tell her?"
Villen shrugged and looked back down at the captain. "I merely planted a thought, that perhaps something she thought impossible, was not so."
He saw the triangle on her visor pulse slightly when she looked at the Egyptian captain and then back at him. "There isn't much she considers impossible. There isn't anything that can stop her once she's determined." Villen heard the pride in her voice, even through the distortion.
"Indeed." He looked back at the captain. "Anything but the people she cares for. Or memory of them." He turned his head back to the figure next to him, interlocking the visor of his helmet with hers.
She stood in silence for a few moments. "It was about joining Overwatch, wasn't it?" After receiving a simple nod in response she looked at Fareeha and sighed. "I suppose you knew how I would feel about this. Especially now, that they are outlaws."
"The world needs them, and they need her." The knight replied, keeping his eyes focused on the bounty hunter.
She sighed again. "She would probably have joined anyway, if they didn't disband." Her voice was full of resignation.
"Do not think it a failure on your part. To protect and help those in need is a noble goal. She has the potential to achieve great things, that is something to be proud of." Villen placed his right hand on her shoulder, as she looked down at Fareeha's window. "She is strong and capable, and keeping her sheltered would only cause her more harm."
Heaving another sigh she stepped away from the edge of the roof. "Maybe you're right. I just can't help it…"
Villen approached her again. "It is only natural, to try and protect the ones close to us. But it is their life, and their choice. You may give advice, show the bad sides of the matter, but ultimately it is out of your hands. Sometimes you just have to deal with the choice they make, and support them through it. And be there when they need you."
The bounty hunter laughed bitterly. "And I couldn't even do that."
The knight placed a hand on her shoulder again, turning her to face him. "It is not too late. You should tell her."
She shook her head and lowered it. "No, it is too late. I've waited too long. If I came back now, she would only hate me."
"You cannot know this. I am not claiming it would be easy, or that she will just welcome you back right away. But she deserves to know, deserves the chance to spend time with you again, the chance to make things better between you. You both deserve it." Villen noticed the woman's hand going into her pocket, and heard a faint rustling of paper. He locked his helmet's visor with hers. "I would advise doing so in person. A letter could only make matters worse."
"Do you really think she could forgive me? For leaving her for all those years? Leaving her to grieve after a mother she never really lost?" There was a tinge of desperation in her voice, a need for hope.
"Family ties are strong. It will no doubt require effort on your part, but yes, I do believe she will forgive. I am almost certain of it, in fact." Villen replied, warmly.
"And what makes you so sure?"
Villen took a step back. "I too have lost someone in the past. And I know, I would give a lot to be able to see her again, to get a chance to spend some more time with her. She will be angry, she may push you away at first. But keep trying a few more times, show her you want to get her back. If that does not work, leave her a way to contact you. She will come around eventually, I am certain of it. Patience and persistence will be your best allies in this battle." He turned and started walking away, twisting his head and upper torso to look behind him at the bounty hunter. "Think on it, you did it to escape the life of battle, yet you came back to it. There is no reason to keeping her away from you. And it is not only her help, the others could use. Farewell, and good luck to you. Know that you have an ally in me, whatever you decide." And with that he jumped down from the roof into an alleyway, leaving the woman alone, to think.
She stared at him for a moment as they sat in silence. "I'm half expecting you to know what I'm going to say."
Villen chuckled. "I am not omniscient, you know."
"You do seem to know an awful lot, though." Angela said with a smile, slightly narrowing her eyes and pointing her finger at him.
"Yes, I have been told it can be, unsettling or 'creepy', in the past."
"Oh I wouldn't say that, I think it's rather intriguing, it adds to the mystery. Not to mention your enigmatic charm." She said, and Villen could swear she could see a slight red discoloration in her skin even through the hologram. He cursed it silently in his mind, because he could feel himself blushing as well.
After looking at her speechless for a few moments, a state of being almost completely new to him, and yet recently more and more common, he cleared his throat. "Well, that is something I did not think I would ever hear."
"Lone rider, ma'am. Approaching on a motorcycle from the mainland." A soldier reported through the comms.
"Detain him at the gate. I will be right there." Tirel ordered, and upon receiving confirmation switched the channel. "Inferno meet me in the garage in two. Grab a gun just in case."
"Understood." The deep voice came back through.
Ten minutes later they arrived at the gate in a military jeep. The compound encompassed the entirety of Gibraltar, since people were evacuated long ago, in the midst of the Omnic Crisis. Because of that, to get to the main gate quickly, Tirel and Caesar had to take a car. They stopped near the gate, noticing the pulled over chopper and a silhouette of a cowboy sitting on it, the guards at the gate ready to point their weapons at him at a moment's notice.
Tirel got out of the car, and Caesar did as well, following closely behind her. The burly man towered over her, even though she wasn't exactly short. He was dressed in a white tank top and camo trousers, as Tirel didn't give him enough time to change. In his hand, supported on his shoulder was a massive railgun, a weapon of almost vehicle grade that not many others would be able to lift, let alone operate effectively.
Tirel was in the same uniform she arrived in, as she found it fitting her representative and administrative role. She was armed only with her sidearm however, leaving the sabre in the base. She approached the gate with a datapad in her hand and after exchanging a couple of salutes, was let out and approached the cowboy.
He was smoking a cigar, leaning on the hovering bike, head tilted towards the ground. As the pair approached he turned to look at them. Tirel glanced between him and the datapad she was holding a couple of times. Then she looked him straight in the eye. "I didn't expect you so soon. Come with me." She ordered, in a tone that didn't allow any negotiation and without waiting for an answer, she turned and marched back in. The threatening figure of Caesar made the cowboy just scoff and push of the bike to follow her, the muscular heavy weapons specialist taking the rear.
"What about my bike? I ain't about to leave her out there like that." He said in his gruff voice with a thick accent when they passed through the gate.
Tirel turned to him and narrowed her eyes, only to look to a soldier standing at attention next to her a moment later. "Sergeant, have one of your men take the bike to the garage."
"Yes ma'am!" The sergeant saluted and marched off towards one of his soldiers.
"And don't scratch it! If something happens to her, I will come back for you." The cowboy yelled after the soldier, and turned back to Tirel with a smug smirk. He took another puff from his cigar.
Tirel didn't give him any reaction, only turned and headed back for the car. "Get in" She ordered when they reached it.
The cowboy took another drag from his cigar. "Listen, I'm always up for a ride with a beautiful woman but…" He lowered his voice and leaned forward slightly. "Maybe we could lose the big guy, and get some time to ourselves?" He pointed at the stoic figure of Caesar behind him.
Tirel leaned forward as well. "Get in the car McCree. Contrary to what you might think, I have better things to do than being your welcoming committee." And with that she climbed into the driver's seat and started the jeep.
"Beautiful and with such character." McCree growled turning back to Caesar. "What do you think, partner, by the end of the week?" The smug smile returned to his face, but the other man just stared at him stoically, not betraying any emotions. "Right, not very talkative, are you?" He sighed and got into the passenger seat in front. Caesar climbed into the open back seat, the suspension dipping slightly under his weight. As soon as they started moving, McCree turned to Tirel. "So beautiful, where are we going? I'm sure there are many beautiful places around here we could spend an afternoon in."
"I'm taking you to see Winston, you can talk to him about joining up." She said, ignoring most of what he said. "I was asked by Lord Hussar to pick you up at the gate."
"Lord Hussar? Is that what that spooky, medieval guy is called?" McCree asked. He didn't notice that Tirel's hand gripped the steering wheel ever so slightly tighter at that.
"Mind your words about him." Caesar's calm voice boomed from the back seat. "The man commands much respect and we will not tolerate anyone speaking ill of him."
McCree lifted up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Alright, alright, easy big guy. Then is that the name of that very nice, armored gentleman that visited me recently?"
"Yes." Tirel stated. "And that visit is the reason I am picking you from the gate right now."
"You mean that I wasn't shot on sight for trespassing?"
"No, Lord Hussar would like to know, if you will mention that visit, as a reason you are here." She replied calmly.
"So the others don't know?" McCree let surprise show on his face. "I thought he was there on their behalf."
"Technically he was." After receiving a skeptical look from the cowboy, Tirel sighed and continued. "You chose to go into hiding, and so the members of Overwatch that have reactivated, would have respected your decision. And that's besides the fact that they didn't know where you were."
"Yeah, about that. How did you find me?" McCree narrowed his eyes at the captain.
Tirel shrugged. "We have our ways. The point is, Lord Hussar is giving you the option, whether or not to mention it."
"And does he have any particular preference?" McCree said, taking another drag from his cigar, the ash from the end falling onto the jeep's floor.
"He doesn't. Both options suit him just fine. The option is for you to… perhaps give a better impression on your friends, if you so wished." Tirel responded.
McCree examined her for a moment. "So your Lord is perfectly comfortable with lying to others?"
"You will find that he won't have to. Technically it was you who decided to come back, you were not forced or ordered, just given a reminder and opportunity. And you should know that Lord Hussar excels at keeping secrets. So you won't have to worry about that. I was told to pass your decision on, so that he will be prepared for your next meeting."
"I see." McCree turned his head forward, taking a long drag from his cigar. "So that Lord of yours, he's not here?"
"No." Tirel replied shortly.
"Well then, that gives me time to think about it, doesn't it?" He said, smugly.
"Just don't take to long." She shrugged.
They arrived shortly after at the door to the garage, to find an unexpected welcome in a shape of Lena, who, of course, found out about the commotion at the gate and now was almost jumping in place with excitement. As soon as McCree placed a foot out of the car she blinked next to him, looking up at him wide eyed. "Jesse?! What are you doing here?! I haven't expected you! Where have you been? It's good to see you again! What's been happening?" An excited string of questions and statements poured out of the bubbly woman.
McCree put up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Woah, woah, calm down, little lady!"
Tracer stopped for just a moment, only to take a deep breath. "What are you doing here, Jesse?"
"I uh-" He rubbed his neck and glanced at Tirel, who was now standing a few steps behind Tracer. "I just figured you guys could use some help, is all."