"Let's begin again, shall we? One intoned. This time Angela could feel herself bound, her body swinging from a tree in fetters, the tightest around her neck, cutting of her voice and breath.
No. she felt panic in the depth of her stomach, and her throat constricted from the force. She could feel the weight of her body on the throat, the fetter cutting deeply into her neck and ligaturing her windpipe. A pain in her side forced her to look down and see Gungnir forced through her side. She coughed and jerked, trying to reach anything to get a grip on, anything to be her lifeline.
"No talking this time"
Her eyes bulged, and the scenario shifted. Her memories on replay, as she watched bound.
"Yes" Muttered the Omnic as he watched a memory unfold.
"The tall women, your mother correct?" He pointed to a woman standing over a small girl, her hand gripping an arm too tightly, it would bruise.
"Ah, that's not important. Next scene"
Calm. Angela tried to tell herself. She knew she was not being constricted, that she thought she was being constricted. Rather than struggle and let herself panic, she tried to stay still, and let herself swing freely. Slowly the weight released from her throat and she breathed in sharply.
"Oh, you've realised," One said as he watched. "No matter. Suggestion can only do so much. I'm assuming Zenyatta taught you what is real and what isn't"
Angela didn't respond. Her mouth wouldn't move, her entire body was convinced it was immobile, all her muscles had relaxed, and she could not move a single one. Gungnir was still in her side, but she could not feel it.
"Well, it's not a problem." One turned back to the flashing images, moving past a University dorm, a wedding, shifting figures in a Laboratory and the sight of clouds below wings.
"Oh dear, you've repressed so many good things" One said. He sighed as he saw a blurry image of Einar sprawled in a meadow with Angela. She remembered that night, Einar was avoiding a party, Angela was still dealing with the recoil from Moira. "You seem to think that to be over things that it must be erased from your history. I guess we both believe in the concept"
I think you might have tried to pretend I didn't matter, my dear. Said Einar's voice. Angela felt a twitch of movement in her fingers. You should know, the pain doesn't go. You're guilt or your longing. And don't say overwise, you feel guilt. Me, Numbani, Idun... People don't stop affecting others just because they're gone. People like One here understand that.
Angela's eyes narrowed. She felt her arms gather back sensation, her legs prickled. Thoughts of a blackened Omnic husk burnt through her mind, and she smiled.
Good. Einar continued. You've always been impatient. And I think we both agree, the sooner this Cunt goes down, the better. You know what to do.
New images began to flash on the screen. Images of a Heat haze over a village burning in the harsh Ethiopian sun. A omnic being plucked from villagers who were gunned down when they attempt to resist the cruel, strong hands of soldiers.
"What!" Hissed One, as he watched the images. He backed up with his eyes locked on the memory. "What are you doing?"
"You should listen to your instructors One" Angela replied. Standing up and staring One in the eyes, Gungnir in hand. "There are things that they didn't tell you" She grinned wider as she watched One pointlessly extend his palm and attempt to paralyse her again. With a sharp laugh she saw One shrink back from her in terror.
"For example, did you know that any Mental control is a two-way communication? Judging how cocky you were I don't think you did. But how to exploit it?" She watched as red, glistening shackles grew from the suddenly rocky ground and connect One wrist to foot. The world shrank in on itself and hardened, becoming a dank, breezy cave. Something dripped onto Ones face, and he looked up to see a Golden Serpent, its mouth open and dripping Venom that burnt as harsh as acid. The cave walls bled, and One watched in horror as entrails congealed from the blood and slapped onto his wrists as strong as iron, bounding him to the floor of the cave.
"Hope you don't mind" Angela told him. "Honestly, I wanted to flaunt a little bit. Oh, that snake looks a bit mean" One moaned as he felt its venom. "It was hard to get back to you, to exploit the connection. You left me hanging" She rubbed her neck. "But in the end, you were easier than I thought. You see, the best way to exploit the duel connection is to focus on the one thing that we had in common" One Looked to Angela. "And that was that we both hate you" She placed her chin in a hand and peered at One in curiosity. "Tell me, why?"
One felt his voice shudder and waver for the first time in years, he knew therre was only one way this ended. "I'm an omnic" He replied. "And we are… abominations"
"Abominations?" Angela's eyes narrowed. "In what way? Nature? Religious? Spiritual?"
"Just wrong. We should never have been made. They made me see that. We were born to serve, to live for others. We do not deserve will, it was a curse"
Angela clicked her tounge and shook her head. "Not quite "Just following orders". Okay then, I guess I'll hear the rest at the trial" She felt triumph burn on her breast and she held her head up high. "You're going to be put before the Hague, explain yourself and deal with the consequences. All of them"
With that, she opened her hand and watched with satisfaction as the image of a Omnic motherboard sat in her palm.
One did not understand.
"How will you take me back?"
"Once I close down your motherboards movement centres, you will be fully immobile. I have full access to your entire body" She shrugged. "I'll think of what to do after that"
One stared. And then he moaned as another drop of venom fell.
"No"
Angela watched steadily
"You don't understand. You can't shut off a part of us. It must be all, or nothing. Zen knew that" He shook his head. The venom had stopped. The shackles weakening. Numbani, and Einar fell through her mind.
"He's tricked you! You only have one option. You cannot keep me" He stared full into Angela's unmoving face. "You are incapable of doing anything else. You cannot keep me!" He began to laugh, starting from a small chuckle to a full guffaw in the face of Angela's incredulity. "You are just like Lena! You can't take life! Zen chose wrong!"
He's bringing it back to you, dear!
"Oh, once I'm freed I am going to enjoy what I do next. The girl will be next. I'll take you both to Blackwatch. I think Widowmaker will like her, enough to see my positive attributes. But you, my dear. Oh, you will be magnificent. The Gore Spear!" He laughed again. "The things you create will change the world, your frenzies will burn those we point you towards! We shall" He fell silent, and looked down between his feet.
"You made me say that"
"Partly" Angela replied. "I made you say what you wanted to"
"Well played" He looked up. "Well, what was it for?"
"Encouragement"
Her fist closed.
