*Egypt: Maximilien's Mansion*
The trio observed the mansion at a distance, laying down on the hot sand to avoid detection.
"Looks like there's a job opening or something" McCree said, observing the line of both humans and Omnics outside of Maximilien's mansion, all dressed in formal wear despite the hot weather, seemingly waiting for the gates to open.
"Or some sort of business meeting" Genji added.
"Either way, some of them are dangerous"
"How can you tell?" McCree said, lighting a cigar, which was promptly knocked away by a pair of binoculars.
"Look at the twins in the middle"
Annoyed, McCree dusted off the sand from the cigar before putting it away and looked.
"There's kinda a lot of people there"
"Can't you spot them McCree? Didn't think losing your arm would take away your precious Deadeye" Genji said smugly.
"Just so you know I have a special bullet just for you" McCree shot back.
"If both of you don't stop arguing, I'm leaving" Ana scolded, snatching the binoculars back.
"But I haven't found 'em yet!" McCree protested.
"Does not matter, you just need to know some of the people down there are dangerous"
"Well, looks like we are not going to break in anytime soon" he said, laying down and adjusted his hat to hide his face from the sun.
"Oh no you don't, you have work to do" Ana said, pushing his hat away with her feet.
"And what would that be?"
"I hear from Jack that you have never met Lacroix after she became who she is today"
"And what does that have to do with this?"
"This could mean that she has never met you as well, therefore we can conclude that Maximilien may not know who you are"
"So?"
"How would you like to become the bodyguard of the most dangerous Omnic in the world?"
"Excuse me?" McCree exclaimed.
"I think that is a great idea" Genji said with a hint of glee.
"Hey now, just because she never seen me don't mean I'm off the hook! Reyes would've said something!"
"I know Gabriel, he isn't the talkative type and he is sleeping back at camp, which leaves Lacroix, who happens to be out of the picture now"
McCree stared at both of them, they could not be serious?
"Look, I know that everyone now is a bit excited, but let's just hold our horses for a minute. I know what danger is alright? I have a 60 million dollar bounty on my head for years now, and this, this just takes the cake"
"It is because of that bounty Maximilien would be more interested to hire you" Ana replied.
"No, I ain't doing this"
"The gates are opening, it is now or never" Genji said, looking down at the crowd entering the mansion.
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Yes! I can think of hundreds that is far better than this!"
"No time, go"
Every fibre of his being wanted to say no, to stay where he is and convince them to think of another plan. But under the stern gaze of his old Captain, he complied by reflex.
"Just so you know, I go down with protest" he said angrily as he dusts off the sand from his clothes.
"Don't worry, Genji and I will be close by"
As he checks his revolver, she handed him a small sticker.
"Put this in your mouth, you can talk to us through this and we will hear everything you say"
Taking the long way around, he made sure that he approached the mansion from a different direction.
"This how Caveman felt when I ordered him around?" he thought, remembering their 'adventures' around America just a few months back.
"Are you sure this is going to work Captain?" Genji asked.
"Well, I am sure he can take care of himself" Ana said confidently, trailing him through her scope.
"Hmm, that was when he had his arm"
"Think about it this way, he was in Blackwatch like you, left when it was exposed, lived the life of an outlaw, and now is planning to be hired by a crime lord"
"Still, he was with Overwatch"
"Was. He didn't even join your efforts in Paris, only Gabriel and Lacroix would know his intentions now, so he should be fine"
McCree reached the gates and joined the last few people at the end of the queue, his eyes scanning for potential dangers.
"Hmm… He seems pretty confident of his security" McCree thought when he could not see any guards or defenses, almost as if he just opened the doors and allowed random people in.
But he knew better. Machine or not, he could almost feel the many eyes watching their every move.
Crossing through the doors, he could not help but let out a loud whistle.
"Well this isn't what I've expected"
Through the doors held open by Omnics, it stretched along a long hallway towards a large hall that is divided into two floors, covered by rich red expensive carpets matching the gold walls. Hanging from above was a massive chandelier that looks about the size of a giraffe and a buffet of exotic food that has been laid out. McCree briefly wondered how much of this is off the profits of
"Excuse me, are you here for business or pleasure?" an Omnic butler asked.
"I'm here to sign up as a gun for the boss" he replied, causing the Omnic to flinch a little at his crude choice of words.
"Right this way sir" it said.
Leading him to the lower floor, he realized that it is this floor where most of the guests are armed. He even saw one with a rocket launcher.
"Please make yourself at home, Maximilien will be with you shortly"
"Thank you kindly" McCree said, plopping himself on a nearby couch and place a boot on it.
"Is there… Anything else I can assist you with?"
"Nah I think I'm good, thanks a bunch, lightbulb" he said, pulling out his flask and waited until the angered Omnic walked away.
"I'm in, looks like we're waiting for him to greet us" he whispered before taking a swing.
"Copy that" he heard her reply.
He repressed a shudder at the reply, she did not warn him about the vibration it'll cause.
"Anything else to report?"
"Nah, though I think I see your twins" he said, spotting the only pair in the room. The only way to tell them apart is that one of them is wearing glasses.
"Careful, especially the one with the eyepiece" Ana warned.
Before he could reply, the chandelier dimmed and the room became surprisingly dark. Silence followed and everyone watched as Maximilien walked out to greet his guests.
"My dear beloved guests, I am so glad that you can take the time to…"
"Blah blah blah" McCree yawned, drinking again from his flask.
"Quiet, I want to hear what he has to say" Genji said.
"Suit yourself"
As expected, it was nothing more than a political mumbo jumbo thank you very much and I do you favors speech.
"Charming" he commented when the speech is finally over.
He waited until Maximilien finished talking to the businessmen before he made his way towards him.
"Stop" a hulking guard said, holding up its arm against McCree.
"Hey now, don't be like that, I'm just looking for work!"
Maximilien turned around and studied him curiously.
"You seem to have an interesting method to introduce yourself Mr…?"
"Name's McCree, you may have heard of me?"
"Ah yes, the outlaw with the 60 million bounty" he said after a short pause.
"That's the one! So like I was saying-"
"Such a paltry sum if I dare say so" Maximilien finished with a laugh.
"Paltry? I think you got some screws loose in there bub"
He could hear Ana and Genji groaning but he ignored them, staring into Maximilien's eyes with such cockiness that some bystanders stopped to watch.
For a while Maximilien said nothing before finally, he chuckled.
"You are a funny one… You said you are looking for work correct?"
"That's why I'm here"
Still chuckling, Maximilien nodded the bodyguard next to him and motioned McCree to come closer.
"Here, please wait until I speak to every delegate here then I will give you a call" he said, handing over a card.
"Thank you kindly" McCree said, accepting the card gratefully.
As he watch them walk away, he looked down and saw that even he could appreciate the design on the card. When he looked up, he saw that he had attracted quite a crowd, even some are pushing each other to look at the card in his hand.
"What did he give you?" Genji asked.
"Now this is a purty looking card" he said, flipping it around.
"What's on it?"
"Looks like it's showtime in an hour, I should grab some grub" he said loudly, putting the card away and pushed past the crowd.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
McCree said nothing, going over to the table and ordered himself a burger.
"What show?"
"Common, I said I want a burger, not this lil sandwich" he complained, handing back the burger to the chef.
"McCree! What show? I think this thing is broken"
"Don't you know how to cook a burger? Common let me show you" he said, jumping to the back and pushed the chef away.
Ignoring its protest, he grabbed a fistful of mince and began mixing them.
"McCree? What's going on?" now Ana's turn to ask.
Slapping the slab of meat onto the grill, the sound of sizzling beef fills the table.
"Max has an opening for three guards, looks like he wants to see what we can do" he said quickly, hiding his face with his hat while looking down.
"Good, earn his trust and we can try to find an opportunity to take him down"
"You sure you can't just run in here and kill him now?" McCree asked, flipping the patty and threw in some onions, rekindling the loud sizzle.
"No, he must have many escape routes and we only have one chance. We only have one chance and I do not plan to waste it"
Sighing, McCree threw in some cheese and fried the buns.
"I guess I'll play along for now then" he said, tipping his hat towards some ladies looking at him.
"Make sure you get hired, you are our only ticket to Max now"
"Roger that Cap"
Reaching over to the vegetables, he dressed his burger and looked at it proudly.
Between the crispy buns is a big juicy, medium style patty smothered in cheese, accompanied with crunchy lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions, and a pickle. To add some extra flavors, he threw in a dash of mustard and mayonnaise.
"Now that. That's a burger" he said, showing it to the annoyed chef before taking a large bite out of it.
Wolfing down the rest of the burger, McCree lay down on a sofa and waited for the hour to pass, which crawled by. He did notice that the crowd grew smaller and smaller as people began to leave.
Soon, only the heavily armed people and Omnics stayed behind, observing one another as they wait.
"Excuse me, Mr McCree?"
He looked up and saw it was the butler from earlier.
"What can I do ya for?"
"I was told that you received an invitation from Master Maximilien?"
Pulling it out, he flick it towards the Omnic, who manage to catch it smoothly.
"Fast" McCree thought.
"Everything is in order, shall we?"
"Lead the way"
He could feel every eye staring at him as he walks past them.
"I take it that the invitation ain't for everyone?"
"No, you are the only one who received it"
"Well, ain't I the lucky one" McCree said, placing his hand near his revolver at all times.
*Outskirts of Algeciras*
The mercenaries exited their shuttles in unison, their weapons hungry for action as they scanned their surroundings as the sound of an unseen battle flooded their ears.
They fanned out in a disciplined manner as the shuttles leave, their squad leaders quickly marking their rendezvous point as they disappear into the forests.
Unlike before, they brought heavy weapons specifically designed to fight the Null Sector. Cold cannons, electrical and plasma rifles, crack grenades, automatic turret discs and more.
Used correctly, these men can easily take on multiple opponents with apparent ease. Now its full strength will meet an army.
Even the medics have a new tool, a barrier launcher that could project a temporary shield similar to Brigitte's, and a new Biotic Gas Grenades, though that is only useful for fighting in enclosed environments.
At first, they moved with caution, but it soon became apparent that the battle is constantly moving further away from them with each passing moment.
When they reach the first rendezvous point, an impressive sight met their eyes.
Scattered across a field, a few Behemoths and squads of Nulltroopers lay broken, their bodies still smoking.
"Are there elements of the Spanish Army in the area?" one of the Sergeants asked.
The others shook their heads, each have personally studied the maps with their own squads in case they are killed before they reach their objectives, ensuring that everyone will know where to go, and the Spanish Army is well out of this particular part of the forest.
"The Commander did this?" one wondered out loud.
No one answered, partly because the answer is obvious, but also because they do not like the idea that a mere man can be this much more powerful than they could ever be, even if he is the 'perfect' soldier.
The further in they march, the more destruction they saw. Groups upon groups of machines lay destroyed on the ground, the vegetation around them absolutely obliterated by plasma repeaters.
The most eerie part is that there is no evidence of their attackers. It was as if they were spooked by a ghost and fired at all directions before they were destroyed.
On and on, the destruction stretched far and beyond their expectations, humbling each man who is confident in his abilities.
However, the battle continues to frustrate them as it seemingly moves away from them, as if it does not want them to join the fight.
It was then they receive a new rendezvous point. A small canyon just a few kilometers away from their location. It also came with a message.
"Hurry"
Doubling their pace, they ran quickly to the point and realize that it is a perfect ambush position, which they quickly set up.
With clear sights to the narrow passageway into the canyon, they waited.
And waited.
Then finally, the ground shook and gunfire grew steadily louder towards their location.
It was then Morrison sprinted into view, his appearance itself bought the respect of the mercenaries who saw him.
Covered in soot, the only visible part of Morrison are his iconic red visors, which now gave an even more menacing look and his jacket is now filled with holes.
But his posture remained strong and committed, thrusting a hand into the air, he quickly signals each group scattered around the area, shocking them that he could spot them so easily.
Positioning himself in the middle of the canyon, he slapped in a new cartridge and threw a Biotic Field onto the ground.
A few seconds passed and the Null Sector walked right into the trap.
Seemingly without thought or a miscalculation, the Omnics marched in and concentrated their fire at Morrison, who fought back with incredible skill, narrowly dodging so many shots that it looked like it was scripted.
More and more marched in and the men looked on anxiously, their fingers on the trigger, ready to fire the moment Morrison gives the signal.
Finally, the main target appeared.
Though not strictly a Titan class war machine, it is still a sizeable opponent. Striding into the battle on three legs, it unleashed its payload at its target.
Morrison barely escaped the explosion and fired back. The men watched on, all weapons trained at the massive target.
"Common… Give the signal…" one Sergeant growled in the coms.
Luring it deeper, Morrison frustrated its systems by denying it the kill.
Firing the third salvo of rockets, it finally caught up with the Commander, exploding at his feet and he disappeared in a cloud of dust.
"Fire!"
The canyon exploded in a brilliant shower of lights. In the chaos, the Omnics looked around confusingly as they tried to assess the situation, but no mass produced processor could make a conclusion in time before it shattered into pieces.
The heaviest weapons however were concentrated at the war machine, its barriers just able to save it from immediate destruction. To its credit it did aim its weapons at one of the groups, before a freezing beam froze its joints, leading to its downfall.
Afterwards it was like shooting fish in a barrel as the area is wiped clean from sentient machines as the men destroyed them with a passion.
However, it is not over as the Null Sector continued to pour into the canyon. Without the element of surprise, the men took great care not to expose themselves too quickly to the enemy.
"Medics! Get down there and find the Commander!"
Sliding down the slopes, they launch their barriers and looked around, desperate and fearful to find the body, but they could not.
"This is Commander Morrison, Hammer and Anvil"
With little time to ponder how he survived, the men reposition themselves quickly, forming a wall of guns against the attackers, holding them in place.
"Anvil formed Commander, ready for the Hammer, do you need coordinates?"
"No need, I've got them in my sights"
Because the Omnics have little to no morale, his objective is simple. First establish a distraction. Second, search and destroy.
Charging from the rear, Morrison activated his Tactical Visor and ran into the Null Sector lines, his Pulse Rifle growing hotter by the minute as it ceaselessly fires.
The firefight only lasted about half and hour with no casualties for Overwatch, though most of the credit is given to Morrison, as his presence prevented the Omnics from fighting efficiently.
"Fall in, here!" he ordered, to which his soldiers responded immediately.
"Another battalion is coming this way and we are going to turn it to scrap"
They looked at him in awe. Each of them are, at the very least, so sweaty that their clothes are glued to their skin. Morrison isn't even out of breath.
"Any questions?"
"Don't you need to rest sir? Get yourself checked out?" one of the medics said.
"I'm just getting started. Move out"
"If I may sir, shouldn't we reinforce this location and wait for them to come to us?"
"They know there is an ambush here now, we take the fight to them" he said curtly.
"Very good sir, when should we expect them?"
Just as the words leave his mouth, heavy marching trembled the ground again.
"All of you have a minute, at my signal, we attack"
The Null Sector marched on confidently. The Skirmishers and artillery barrage have bombarded the canyon into a flatland, there is no possible way that any humans would even think of putting up any resistance.
Almost without warning, the leading Behemoth and the rear guard exploded into a shower of metal.
"Attack!"
Morrison led the charge straight into the middle of the Omnics, slicing the battalion into two. A quick but brutal close range combat assumed, so close that the Skirmishers merely floated over the battle, trying to find targets, making them easy targets for snipers.
It did not take them long before the battalion itself is nothing more than a smoking heap.
Again and again they struck the Null Sector, each attack more creative than the last. Combine that with their advance weaponry and training, victory was almost guaranteed every time.
But Morrison knew that they were only delaying the inevitable, as long as they are receiving funding from Maximilien or if they set up solar generators in Africa, they will never stop coming.
Doubling his attempts to destroy all Null Sector presence from Algericas quickly, he became a weapon of war, fully utilizing every perfected skill and tactics he possessed, desperate to buy time for others to find out where in the world the Talon base is.