*Russia: Volskaya Industries*
It was supposed to be a daily routine. Many went to work and expected another boring day.
One of the main tasks of the RD Department are to study the effectiveness of every Mech in the field via livefeed, endlessly improving the current models to keep themselves ahead of the competition.
For months, they watched without much complaint, silently going by their work through the week.
But today. Today is different.
An urgent complaint came from them. A complaint so unusual that it was first written off simply as a lag or interference from the snowstorm that is now battering St Petersburg.
When the tests came back, they were confused when it is concluded that there is no lag in their systems nor is the snowstorm affecting their connections.
Everything is working just as it should.
First came denial, there is no reason what they were seeing is more probable than having some sort of glitch in the system.
Demands to check for malware, hacks, and recordings became an hourly request, even going so far to conduct independent audits to investigate if a colleague is playing a joke on them, but each test came back negative, to everyone's frustration.
Katya herself has to intervene to prevent a fight that threatened to break out between the RD and Maintenance Teams, calling for selected members to her office to review the feed herself.
"You sure nothing is wrong with the feed?" Katya asked as she watch with disbelieving eyes.
"We checked and checked, there is nothing wrong with the feed" the Head of Maintenance confirmed.
"This is no possible! There has to be something wrong!" a RD staff whispered.
Katya remained stoic amongst the panicked staff, standing tall as the pillar of the company that she always has been.
Every camera may show a different location but every single one has the same pattern.
They are all not moving, as if someone paused a movie.
"Show me one that overlooks the trenches"
It was not long before someone found it.
"Going on screen"
From this angle, it looked like the Mech is in the middle of a patrol and does not have the entire trench in view.
"Find another" Katya ordered as they observe the current footage.
It looked peaceful in the snowfall, though there is a strange red glow that flooded the screen.
From what they could see, the trenches showed scars from the previous battle, but relatively reinforced. The sandbags are restored, concrete bunkers are rebuilt, and more guns are mounted across the trench.
But it is too peaceful.
"Is it supposed to be this... Empty?" one of them asked.
"Show us the recording from two days ago on the other screen, same time" another instructed.
This time the Mech is marching along the Front, which is alive with activity.
They saw men marching across the trenches, either carrying boxes or replacing shifts. Multiple trucks and jeeps are driven around endlessly like a colony of ants, and in the distance, they could see Mech pilots conducting their daily patrols in the skies.
It is in direct contrast to the current feed where the Front is seemingly abandoned.
"M-maybe they are all taking shelter from the snow?"
"Bring up the weekly schedule for this Mech and average them with five others" Katya demanded.
With a few keystrokes, the schedule was brought up.
Monday Tasks – 100%
Tuesday Tasks – 57% (Due to Battle)
Wednesday Tasks – 100%
Thursday Tasks – 70% (Unknown Error – Investigations Required)
Friday Tasks – 0% (Unknown Error – Applicable for Court Martial)
"If only we could see if anyone is piloting the Mech or remotely control it"
Katya ignored the hidden insult, as it was her expressed instructions to disconnect all Mechs from their control ever since Sombra infiltrated the facilities to protect the identity and mass hacking of all Mechs.
"Oh God..." one whispered.
They looked at him and saw that his face has turned ghostly white.
"What did you find?" Katya asked.
He said nothing as he began to tremble and began hyperventilating.
Snatching the screen away from his hands, his colleague looked and he squinted at the screen for a moment before the color left his face.
"Put it up on screen" Katya demanded, catching his attention.
With trembling hands, he shared the video.
It is a different angle for the Front and, from this side, dread wrapped around them like a cold blanket.
Hundreds, if not thousands of statues and dummies has been set up. Some looked like they are standing as sentries while many looked like they are imitating a march.
But they knew that the RDF uses no such tactics as they try to register the eerie sight.
The elements of the RDF are present but stood still where they are, snow piling up on their bodies and their clothes shifted ever so slightly in the wind.
Some are in the middle of loading up a truck with supplies, another is a pilot who was about to climb into his Mech, and some seemed to be warming up around a barrel where a fire used to be.
They could see from the closest soldiers that they are heavily frost bitten and their pale eyes staring straight ahead.
There was no sign of a struggle. In fact, there was no sign of anything except for a soft red glow.
It was as if they just... Died...
"It's... It's the light! The light killed them!" they hyperventilating staff shouted in panic.
"Be quiet!"
"It's the light! The light!"
"Shut up!"
"QUIET!" Katya shouted, bringing much needed silence back into the room.
"First, we are going to gather as much information as we can and send it to the military immediately" she instructed.
"Second, we need to hire as many pilots as we can to pilot our current Mechs to fortify our facility, if the Null Sector attacks, we need to be ready"
"Third, we need to bring Zarya here as soon as possible"
Everyone ran out of the office to perform their duties, leaving Katya alone in her office.
After locking the door, she looked at the image of the dead army once more and felt her knees grow weak. Quickly sitting on the chair, she threw up in a trash bin and began to cry as she reached her breaking point.
She survived two assassinations that almost took her life, first she gave into blackmail, second she was showered with flesh and blood, and now... Now before her eyes are thousands of corpses as if Death is reminding her that it is nearby.
"Why... Why me..." she thought to herself.
Through her tears she sees the picture of her daughter.
Seeing her smile and blue eyes, Katya felt strength return to her bones.
Wiping off her tears, she steadied herself once more and brought up a Mech Blueprint. After studying it for a moment, a spark of inspiration clicked in her mind.
"Bring up a construction crew now, we have work to do" she called through her wristband.
*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*
Everyone who received the call came back as soon as they are able. The first to return is Reinhardt, then Torbjorn, Brigitte, and finally McCree.
Morrison, Winston, Angela, Genji, and Mei waited for them in the Meeting Room, their eyes fixated on the Null Sector Army, represented by red lines, assembled outside the City of Perm projected before them.
When McCree took his seat, Morrison wasted no time.
"Here is the situation, the Null Sector is about to launch a worldwide invasion and most likely they will liaise with the Gwishin -"
"Wait, where is Lena?" Brigitte asked.
"Yes, we cannot start without her!" Reinhardt added.
"I have decided that it is more advantageous that she remains in England" Morrison responded.
Everyone looked at him with confusion. Why would he exclude her from this?
He noticed their confusion and decided to settle this first.
"Athena, show them"
A footage from a gossip channel played before them and someone posted a video of a woman zipping through the buildings and a man levitating behind her.
"Who is that?" Angela asked, pointing to the man behind the woman.
"It's him, the man who controls gravity" Genji answered, causing everyone to look at him.
"How are you so sure?" she asked.
"Look at his right arm, he is causing two objects to float"
Sure enough, the man in the video is 'holding' something in the air.
"Where is he?" Genji said.
"And who is this purty lady?" McCree interjected, zooming to the blue skinned woman, whistling when he admires her 'assets'.
"Amélie Guillard" Morrison said, wiping the smirk off McCree's face instantly.
"Wait... You mean... That's Lacroix's..."
"Yes"
"You're telling me she shot Amari?"
"Yes"
McCree sat back in silence as he processes the information.
"They are both seen in London yesterday, presumably they are looking for something or someone there, so Agent Oxton is to remain in London until further notice"
"Permission to join her" Genji requested.
"No, every one of you are needed elsewhere"
Changing the hologram back to the world map, he drew their next plan of action.
"We do not have the strength to assist in the main fighting, so we strike at their most sensitive operations"
Genji and McCree will go to Egypt to liaise with a contact that Morrison has arranged to take down the suspected financial foundation of the Null Sector.
Reinhardt, Torbjorn, and Angela will go to the city of Perm to shut down major Null Sector Facilities to cripple its military might.
Morrison, Winston, Brigitte and Mei will remain in Spain to standby as the final strike against the Null Sector or reserves to assist where they are needed.
"What about the countries closest to Russia? Wouldn't they be attacked?" Winston asked.
"Korea's MEKA forces should be sufficient and I have faith in the American forces, for the rest … Hopefully the United Nations will take action" Morrison said.
"How come I get to stay back in the base while the rest goes out to fight?" Brigitte asked.
"You will be in the field soon, I can promise you that" Morrison replied, almost sorrowfully.
"Why not now?" she shot back.
"Because I do not know where the enemy will strike next, once they do, you will be waiting for them"
"Do not worry Brigitte, you will have your glory" Reinhardt added as he pats her shoulder.
Looking downcast, she silently nodded.
"Looks like we are going on a mission again partner" McCree laughed.
"Let us hope your aim is better than before" Genji sighed.
*Southern India: Vishkar Corporation*
Sanjay paced nervously in his office.
A message from Talon states that someone will come to visit him to discuss something important and he is to ensure his schedule is free for the entire week.
"Why would they come to visit? Maximilien was supposed to discuss everything"
Unless...
"No... He wouldn't rat me out, we've always been good friends" he thought to himself.
The phone rang, making him jump.
"Yes?"
"Open the door" a voice growled.
Sanjay gasped in fear. He knows this voice.
Why would HE come?
"Give me a second!"
He slammed the phone down and ran to the corner where he hid his personal Hard Light Armor.
"That will not be necessary"
Sanjay froze, the voice is coming from inside the room now.
"D-D-Do you want a drink Mr Ogundimu?" Sanjay asked fearfully as he stood up slowly.
"No, I merely wish to congratulate you on behalf of Talon for your efforts to destroy the RDF"
"O-oh... Thank you" Sanjay said, relieved.
"But… There is a slight problem"
"W-what?"
He turned around and was shocked to find that it is a Talon Assassin holding up a hologram of Ogundimu back in his office.
"I received a report from a Council Member that you are trying to walk away with an enormous amount of wealth?"
"Tell me who this man is and I'll-"
"Do you deny it?"
Sanjay grasp for words as the Assassin walked closer to him, slowly unsheathing a knife from his vambraces.
"I-I deny it! Tell me who it is and I'll defend myself!"
"With what? Petty words? No... Though you have been with us, you have not evolved, you needlessly hold yourself back"
At those words the Assassin threw a knife at Sanjay's heart but it was deflected by his armor, causing him to yell in fear.
"Wait! Wait!" he screamed, holding out his hands.
But the Assassin threw another knife at him, this time at his stomach but was met with similar results.
"I have been useful, haven't I? I removed the RDF! I killed an entire army without firing a shot! Surely that means I evolved somehow right?" he begged, tripping over his own feet and crawling to the corner.
The Assassin stopped for a moment as he waits for the kill order.
Ogundimu stared at the fallen man and gave a disappointing sigh.
"To think Talon have to use you... Kill him"
Before Sanjay could say anything else, a knife flew into his mouth, silencing him forever.
