*Russia: Volskaya Industries*
Katya could not help but smile as her staff read off the charts on the projector, each equally excited to present unbelievable results.
Surpassing their quotas, even decades long targets, their results skyrocketed off the charts. Never before have the factory churned out so many mechs since they bought over all their competition, never before do they have so many buyers, private or not, local or abroad, demanded so much from them.
All because of a little propaganda.
Broadcasted across the country, the Executioner's rampage has rekindled the fighting spirit of the exhausted population in Russia.
Played again and again everywhere is the hero Zarya, who fought on despite the tragic loss of her legs to protect the lands of Russia. For them.
Combining state of the art technology and her ferocity, they watch as she singlehandedly held the line and even strike fear into the unfeeling machines, cutting down thousands of Omnics.
Pictures that were edited to capture the fearsome spirit of a warrior in her sweat covered face, it filled every available site it could fill, soon everyone, young and old, knows about her struggle against the enemy.
However, the propaganda ends in a risky way. It always ends in a somewhat tragic way. Regardless of her struggles, the Omnics will keep coming.
Alone she could only hold, but will never be victorious. More people are needed to help her. More people are needed to bring victory for their hero. More are needed to join the fight.
Even the viral "Third Omnic Crisis" reports are swiftly brushed aside as the Russian Army found itself filled with new recruits, the majority signing up to become a Mech pilot.
Soon the skies are filled with drills and training despite the promises that they will only use the airspace over the airports, who are more than happy to "rent" it out since they were shut down by the wars.
Even overseas there is high demand for their products, South Korea being the only exception. Those who can afford it desperately bought as much as their reserves could manage, especially the United Nations, who desperately needed an upgrade.
All because of a little propaganda.
With newfound wealth and popularity, they bought over other companies with the pretense of joining ventures or by the 'encouragements' of the Russian military, only to carve them into the Volskaya machine, those who resisted found themselves bought out or fired.
Now the only manufacturer of Mechs in the entirety of Russia, Volskaya Industries was revolutionized.
Katya could not have been happier.
Before she is known as Russia's most powerful woman.
Now she is the world's most powerful woman.
"… and we are looking at a minimum, 300% growth for the next 8 years" the presenter concluded, earning a small applause from the attendees.
"Excellent, I thank you all for what you had done" Katya said as she stood up.
"But, I do not believe that we have reached the plateau that Volskaya deserves"
Surprised eyes looked at each other as she continued.
"It is true that we have reached unseen heights, but I want to be as mighty as the very Svyatogors itself. I want everyone to fear the very mention of Volskaya when they speak"
The table said nothing, trying to figure if they've misheard or she misspoke. Did she mean the company or herself?
"Our next step is to break into the Korean market, what is the status of buying the production and trade rights there?"
"We have met… Heavy resistance to our offers. They say that they prefer to maintain their current models and does not require any external assistance"
"Unacceptable!" Katya shouted, shocking everyone with the sudden change in emotions.
"I want those rights on my table by next week, each day we delay means millions lost, do you understand?!"
"Y-yes Madam Volskaya, forgive me I-"
"I want results, not apologies" she snarled, shutting the man up.
"Listen to me, all of you… We are no longer a single company… We are a collection of hundreds of companies… Each day is millions made or loss, we should never, ever, make a loss, understand?"
She dismissing the table once she sees they nodded, she sat behind her desk and looked at the reports again, reading and re-reading her net profits, which are in the tens of millions.
"More…" a voice in her head said "We can still make more…"
Looking at the expenses, she notice an item listed that made her blood boil.
"I thought I told you that we do not have the budget for charity work anymore?" she asked her secretary whom she called to the office.
"I… I am sorry but I thought-"
"Let me ask you again, did I not tell you that we have used up our budget for charity work?"
"But… Volskaya have supported this charity since the beginning… Since we have earned so much I thought-"
"So you are making the financial decisions now?" Katya asked angrily.
"It was only a thousand dollars… They were begging and-"
"The budget was 800 dollars per year, no exception"
"But-"
"You do not realize that thousand could've earned us millions? Hmm? Did you seriously not realize that?"
The secretary said nothing, merely hanging her head in disbelief and shame.
Katya was about to continue her tirade when her bracelet shook, a call from one of the departments.
"Saved by the bell" she commented as she dismissed her secretary with a wave before answering.
"What?"
"Comrade Zarya is on the line, she brings news from the front, shall I connect?"
Katya blinked. It took her a moment to remember who he is talking about.
"Put her on"
Soon the sound of heavy breathing and muffled metals grinding fill her ear.
"Katya… Finally…" Zarya panted.
"What's going on? What happened?"
"I destroyed the last jammer in the city… I need help"
A loud clang and gunfire took over the call, as if she is fighting something large.
"The Executioner is damaged and I'm running low on ammo, I need an extraction"
Katya froze at those words.
The invincible Executioner is damaged?
"Damaged how?"
"A Titan clip me real good…. I need to extract now!"
Her mind race at those words, it will be bad PR if the public finds out that their best creation can't handle a few Omnics.
"I'll try to see if I can find something to pick you up tomorrow…"
"I need to extract now! Weren't you listening?!" Zarya shouted.
'Are you sure you cannot hold out for another day?" she asked tentatively.
"What are you talking about?! Get me out of here!"
Another string of gunfire.
"This is bad' Katya thought to herself, she needs more time for her team to think of a story to spin this around.
"Alright, I will send someone over to get you" she lied.
"Finally!"
The call was cut off and a steady beep of her coordinates blinked in front of her.
Cursing she threw her bracelet across the room and paced angrily.
Why now? Of all the times she could get herself in trouble, why now?
"Should've gotten a better pilot" she seethed under her breath.
Maybe they could spin this? Maybe they can try to portray her as some martyr? Tragic war hero?
"Tsk tsk tsk, didn't think you to become someone like this amiga"
Katya tripped over her feet, looking around frantically as she looks for the source of the voice. This is the last person she wants to talk to now.
"Oh don't be so dramatic, is this a way to greet your friend?"
She tried to run to the door but stopped when the automatic locks clicked.
Projectors buzzed alive and Sombra appeared in the middle of the room.
"I like what you've done with the security, so much tighter, but… Nothing is too tight for me"
"Wh… What do you want?" she asked, hating herself that she is involved with this hacker.
"Wow! You've been busy" Sombra said, pulling out all confidential files to read.
"Stop that!" Katya begged but was ignored.
"Look at this! Millions of dollars in the bank? Embodiment of Russia? Most powerful woman in the world? I knew I picked the right friend"
"Then you see I have more resources to hunt you down?" Katya shot back.
Sombra looked at her playfully and snapped her fingers, revealing the hated photo of Katya's dealing with the Null Sector.
"Such a fragile foundation for a mighty empire" she said, enjoying Katya's reaction to the picture.
"What do you want?" she asked, hoping that she will go away peacefully.
"I just want to borrow a bit of money"
Katya couldn't believe her ears. Just money?
"H-how much?"
"Enough"
"What?"
"You heard me"
"But… How much is enough?"
"I also want some information on these people"
Three pictures emerge, each containing different individuals, two which Katya recognized.
"Recognize them?"
"I… I know that is Dr Kuiper and the woman is Dr O'Deorain"
"Just call them Sigma and Moira, makes things so much easier… What about the girl?"
Katya shook her head.
"Figures. Aaaaanyway, I want you to find out where they are"
"That's it? Couldn't you find out where they are?"
"Like you said, you have the resources, I'm just an innocent girl with a photo and the Internet" Sombra smiled.
Slowly, reluctantly, Katya nodded.
"You haven't told me how much you want" she growled.
"Something you can afford"
Feeling that the conversation have come to a close, Katya breathed a sigh of relief as Sombra seemed to be making her exit.
"Oh one more thing, if you think about contacting them or do anything I don't like, you can say bye bye to everything before you can blink"
At those words Sombra disappeared, but not before she let out a 'Boop' sound that rang in Katya's ears.
Her communicator rang and she saw a message with the following words:
1st Installment: $10,000,000
Underneath the amount, there is a countdown of one minute that's already counting down, the cursed picture of her dealings next to it, and a Yes/No button.
Letting out a shout of frustration, Katya's mind raced in panic.
Does she submit and pay the money? Or risk manipulating the public's rationality?
Thirty seconds…
How did she even get hold of her accounts? Which accounts? 10 million…
Twenty seconds…
"I have plans for that money… I need that money…"
Ten seconds…
Shutting her eyes tight, she slams her finger down.
She felt a wild vibration and an uncharacteristically cheerful music sounded from her hand.
Breathing heavily, she crack open her eye and teared up when she saw her finger over 'Yes'.
"Thank you for your generosity" Sombra's voice sounded with the music.
To her horror, a new message came in.
Next installment in 48 hours
She feels sick. No. She is sick.
"Next…?" she read.
How many more will there be? How much is enough?
The device vibrated again.
"What now?!" she yelled when it showed an unknown number.
She held her breath when she answered the call.
"Hello Mdm Volskaya?" a unfamiliar voice said.
"Y-yes?"
"My name is Viktor from Sberbank, we have detected a transaction from your account to an unknown one, we would like to confirm if you have approved this transaction?"
Biting her thumb, she could only manage a "mmhmm".
"Sorry, is that a yes?"
"Yes" she whispered, barely able to sound out the 's'.
Not knowing any better, the banker gave his thanks, advises her to use their official channels next time and apologizes for taking her time before disconnecting.
A soft knock came at the door and the secretary opened it to a crack.
"Mdm? I just want to remind you that you are going to have a meeting in 20 minutes"
"Cancel it"
"But-"
"I said cancel it!" she shouted, causing the secretary to close the door quickly.
"Ten million dollars…" she groaned.
*Russia: City of Perm*
"Allow me offer my congratulations again for your success in Africa"
The High Council sat as Maximilien communicated to them through a hologram, refusing to use conventional binary methods to meet.
"Likewise we thank you for providing us the funds needed for our campaign" one of the members commented.
"Small investments for a long term goal"
"But what are your goals? Surely you do not do this just because you were told to" Braids said, leaning forwards slightly.
Maximilien said nothing, rather he took time to adjust his cuffs.
"First and foremost, I care for the results of the Revolution. Secondly, no one told me, I make my own choices"
"I know the man Doomfist made you pay for our Revolution, but I also know you do not invest unless you are sure to have a profit. What. Is. It?"
The others shot him a look and tried to show through body language that they do not support his views.
"It will do you well to remember that I am your only chance of success in this war?"
"We have conquered Africa, soon we will have access to unlimited energy"
"Soon" Maximilien repeated in a bored tone.
"You doubt us?" Braids asked.
"This Revolution will see the Omnics to be the next step to rule this Earth. At this moment you are a necessary strength, but to set up plants? Administration to run those plants? Yes I doubt you"
Braids shook with anger and stood up, catching Maximilien's interest at this very human reaction.
"You dare mock our capabilities? Our sacrifice is made from the bodies of millions of Omnics! You never fought with us in the front, you do not know what we are capable of"
"Very off topic but I'll indulge. As I said, at this moment you are a necessary strength, but when the strength of arms is no longer required and the power of the pen reigns supreme, how would you proceed then?"
"You are using us to win the world for you" Braids concluded, his drives in full throttle.
"I suppose that can be an accurate statement, though crude"
"You will never earn the world, it belongs to us" one of the members said.
"I concur, you may have funded us, but you did not earn our victories" chimed in another.
Maximilien chuckled.
"Yes yes, the bravado and determination of the warrior class programs, you have been heard, until then for the Revolution to reach its goals, it needs, for the time being, all of our cooperation"
Braids clench his fists at those very real words.
"Lets say your plan succeeds, what do you plan to do?"
"I want what you want. I want humans to feel the suffering they've done to Omnics"
"No! The Null Sector is to fight to create an Omnic Nation!"
"What good does that do?" Maximilien sighed.
"To prove we are better than our creators!"
"You really are just a brute aren't you? Can't you see we are already better?"
"And what makes you think we will just roll over and give
Braids was about to argue back when Maximilien another Omnic entered the frame and whispered something into his ear.
"Time for me to inspect my new pets… Just go win your little wars and see if you can sustain unlimited energy without me, I'll be in touch"
The Council fell into discussion, weighing their options and suggesting various methods how Maximilien plans to take over and its prevention.
Braids stood still as a statue.
"How dare he… How dare he take advantage of the Revolution for his own profits" he thought, trying to remain calm.
"What can we do?" one of them ask.
"We continue the fight, then… Then when we establish the Omnic Nation, then we bring the war to Talon"
*Egypt: Maximilien's Mansion*
"Did they take the bait?" Ogundimu asked through a call.
"Yes, statistically speaking they should declare war on us soon"
"Good… Make sure to lead them to whoever still have structure left, even if its themselves"
"Yes sir…"
Ogundimu reached out to disconnect the call but paused for a moment.
"When I say whoever, I mean everyone"
"Yes"
"And if I begin to suspect you holding back to profit from this… You know what will happen?"
Maximilien merely nodded.
With that, the call is cut, leaving Maximilien to quickly move the next piece of the puzzle.
"Call in all applicants to begin testing, increase the difficulty of the Project Doomfist to level 8, I need to know how capable they are against him"