Name: Lacroix, Amélie. Occupation: Ballet Dancer. Status: MIA.
Name: Widowmaker. Occupation: Assassin. Status: Informant (Captive).
(I'm not dead just busy) More serious chapter
Lena grips the balcony's railing, pressing the bar into her stomach and stretching out as far as she can. Her laughter is carried off by the updraft that rushes over her face and through her hair. She's not on holiday, but no one said she couldn't have a bit of fun. With that out of her system, she leans back to a safer position and takes in the view. The sun cuts through buildings above her, creating a glare that made her wish she had grabbed her aviators. A few people meander about on the streets below with bits of rubbish blowing in the wind and a man cleaning his storefront windows with a squeegee.
The sound of musical screeching reverberates through the apartment walls reminding Lena of her current situation. She guesses the Talon trio is done eating. One of them must be listening to Metal or is remodeling the kitchen a band saw. Hopefully, she'll have a little time to herself before Sombra tries to hack something important. Unfortunately, she was now certain this was real. Her current situation is too detailed, too coherent, too interconnected to be a dream caused by falling through multiple timelines. Truth is stranger than fiction, and all that.
A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. She was so fired. Lena fishes her phone out of her pocket. But she's not fired yet, and she's still covered under Overwatch's roaming plan. She might as well make good use of that and tell Athena she's still alive. She unlocks her phone; several red bubbles pop up notifying her to missed messages.
A tap opens the one from Winston, he replied to her text about the VTOL being down. The first part is a picture of Winston making the 'Expressionless Disappointment' face. Under it, he explains that the earliest someone can get to Rome will be around 1400 this afternoon.
She's also got a message from Hana. It's a selfie with a caption. Hana is lying in one of the beds of the med bay. The gamer is looking dramatically off into the distance. The caption reads I used to be a hero like you- In the next picture, Hana is facing the camera revealing nanopatch taped over her swollen right eye. Brigitte is crouched down behind her giving the camera an embarrassed smile. Until I took a dodgeball to the face.
Lena winces in sympathy. The next few pictures show Brigitte bringing Hana food and them playing video games with glimpses of Dr. Ziegler in the background.
Winston and Mei had gotten the hover platforms in the practice range working again. It was something that Winston had been tinkering with for months. After they announced that everything was up and operational, McCree had suggested that the platforms undergo some rigorous testing. In the form of playing dodgeball. The game ended when Brigitte hit Hana in the face. Hana isn't mad; it was an accident. Brigitte's been hanging out with her while she's under observation for a concussion.
Lena clicks her tongue. As happy as she is that Winston has a new lab partner, Mei isn't used to idiot-proofing everything yet. If Lena were there, she would have gently reminded them about who they lived with now, and that sometimes they need to make certain announcements sound as boring as possible.
She opens a new page for the daily mission report. Well, both she and Widowmaker were alive, which was good. They, along with Reaper and Sombra broke into a Helix Facility, which was all sorts of illegal, but at least no one died. Lena also discovered that Helix was hiding the Mainframe of the Italian Omnium, meaning it was likely there are more pieces elsewhere. Then, Sombra and Reaper just invited themselves in. Like, "Oh, no problem, just come on right into our safe house that probably is one of the last remaining secure Overwatch facility this side of Italy. Don't mind the alarm. We'll sit down and chat."
The page remains blank, as none of that seems like a good thing to report without being there in person to explain certain aspects. Lena fiddles with the screen, zooming in and out as if that would help. Physically, she was okay, if a bit hungry. At least Widow hadn't had another episode. Widowmaker seemed fine, better than fine.
"She was almost making jokes," Lena mutters.
Lena chews on her bottom lip. She'd come back from a rather taxing mission in Wales and had almost pulled a gun on the assassin. (WIDOWMAKER-ESCAPED! And-is-eating-yogurt. Oh, yeah. She can do that now.) Later, Lena realized that she had only seen Widowmaker a handful of times over the past months. While there wasn't a particular reason their paths should cross that often, the rate was unnaturally low.
So, she conducted an experiment. Anytime she saw Widowmaker she would stop and hang out for a bit. Eight times out of ten Widowmaker would take her novel or food elsewhere within five minutes. And it wasn't just her, Lena saw Widow do the same thing for Ana and Zen too.
It was odd, borderline polite, but it did match up with what they knew of Widowmaker. Although, her recent actions, even if she was going crazier, didn't.
Lena goes back to people watching, bouncing her foot on the railing.
Widowmaker shouldn't be this complicated.
[WATCHPOINT GIBRALTAR – 7 MONTHS AGO]
The Rec Room buzzed with chatter as Lena slipped into her seat. This was only the fourth time that everyone had been in the same room since the Recall and they were taking advantage of it.
Winston sat at the head of the table reviewing his notes with Fareeha on his right. On Winston's left, across from Fareeha, Angela was going over a folder for the sixth time. Next to her, McCree was telling Mei a wild story. Mei nodded along politely and jumped every so often when Reinhardt got a mite too enthusiastic. Rein was on the other side of Mei and took up the entire couch, but Ana didn't seem to mind sitting on an arm. Morrison sulked at his end of the table, avoiding eye contact. Torbjörn sat to his right, across from Reinhardt. He was ribbing the Old Lion, as usual, only this time Ana was playing as well. The conversations rapidly switched from a two-on-one to a free-for-all and then back again. The holocall to Genji and Zenyatta was becoming clearer over the table's center. Hanzo had finally shown a bit of social awareness and had bowed out before the meeting was official. He wasn't a real member anyways. Despite everything, Lena could feel the forced levity in the chatter. She noticed how no one broached certain subjects.
Winston could have held this meeting in the old Boardroom, but it felt wrong. The Rec Room was private, had projectors, and had plenty of space. Two tables and a billiard had been pushed together to ensure Winston, Reinhardt, and the people sitting near them would have enough room.
"Is this seat taken?"
"Huh?" Lena glanced over to see Hana standing beside her.
"Oh, no, no, no. Please, take a seat," Lena patted the empty chair next to her. "Welcome to the shorty side of the table, also known as the best side!"
"Thanks," Hana said.
Lena flashed her a Tracer Signature smile.
Hana sat down, smoothing out her military dress uniform and checking her braid was still up as she did. Suddenly, Lena was very conscious that she had shown up in activewear and of the hypocritical voice in the back of her head screaming 'Nineteen! For Saint Peter's sake, she's nineteen!'
Winston cleared his throat. "Is this everyone?" he asked. "Yes? Good, now we can start."
"As all of you know we have an unusual and delicate situation on our hands. I spoke to several of you privately in hopes of gaining some insight on what steps to take next. The more I did, the clearer it became that the outcome of this decision would affect everyone here, directly or indirectly. So, that led to this meeting, obviously."
Winston fingered his tie glancing at Morrison. The old soldier's stared at his coffee. Soldier 76 and Shrike were in and out as they pleased. Both were happy to help Winston avoid the mistakes of the past, but that history ensured they never stayed for long. Widow had brought them back, but Morrison had made it clear he wasn't anybody's commander anymore. They were going to have to figure this out on their own. Lena doubts this is what he expected.
"Er," Winston picked back up, "I hope with all of our collective heads that we can find some new solutions to our problem. And that every member of the new Overwatch will have a clear understanding of this situation."
"Um, yes." Winston gestured behind him. On the wall, the projection changed from a rotating Overwatch symbol to a field report.
"Since the Recall, Athena has been collecting data on global situations, known enemies, and smaller anomalies. Two months ago, she noted an irregularity that coincided with a spike in Talon activity. To play it safe we assumed the worst."
"Thirty-six hours ago, Field Team Nova; Reinhardt, Tracer, DVa, and Hanzo were sent to Abkhazia. Their mission was to investigate, contain, capture, or eliminate the threat as needed. In this regard, the mission was a complete success." It's clear this part of the speech Winston has rehearsed.
"Nova tracked down and intercepted the elite Talon operative, Widowmaker, with no casualties and minimal damage. Athena has been able to confirm she was the source of the disturbances. Widowmaker surrendered, and we are holding her in the Watchpoint's Omega cell. She is in fair health and has cooperated on all fronts."
The screen changed showing Widowmaker's stats, alliances, preferred weapons, habits, etc. A dozen or so pictures of Widowmaker's high profile kills are arranged in a grid while a list of lower profile targets runs down the side. Mondatta's cream and gold faceplate stood out among the victims.
The table was deathly silent. The Omega cell was built to hold Doomfist with his gauntlet and then some. Widow-wanker wasn't going anywhere.
Lena shifted in her chair trying to get comfortable. She should be happy! They're one-step closer to putting Mondatta's killer away for good! Justice! Public safety!
But, it's just, it didn't go down how she thought it would. No official break to get the public back on their side. No rushing a big Talon base. No shoot-out where she had the upper hand and got her snappy one-liner. She always pictured doing it with the old team. At the bare minimum Winston should have been there.
Widowmaker just stopped.
"Two complications have arisen." Winston touched his pants before pulling his hand away. Lena suspected he got used to wearing fewer clothes after the Fall. At least the suit still fit. She gave him an encouraging nod - Doin' great Big Guy.
Winston took a deep breath. "Most relevant is that Widowmaker claims Talon has burned her; disowned her and ordered her termination. She states she's been living on the lam after faking her death. She has offered an exchange: information on Talon's operations and underworld inner workings in return for not contacting Interpol or anyone else."
"Is that even possible?" Lena asked, "I mean Widow is practically Talon's pet psychopath. I can't see them just tossing her away like that."
"There is evidence that supports her story." McCree tipped his hat back and addressed the room. "Half a year ago things were stirring in the underground. Talon was looking for something important, looking hard. But they didn't post any bounties or accept outside help. They were trying to keep it hush-hush."
"After that mess died down rumors had started about one of their own going rogue and it not ending well for them." McCree shrugged. "Whether that's cause she's telling the truth or has a good cover is yet to be seen."
"If this is a ruse, it's an elaborate and dumb one," Ana added, "Widowmaker is a terrible Trojan horse. More likely this a distraction for something else."
"Ruse or not she looks awful, and she's been out of the game for months," Hana said, "I get that Talon would want to hurt us, but Overwatch isn't exactly a powerhouse right now. Surely Widowmaker has better things she could have been doing for half a year. I don't see the logic."
"There may not be any at play here," Morrison said from where he stood leaning against the sink. "Personal grudges, younger replacement, inner politics, failure to meet a mark. Lots of emotional reasons to do something stupid."
"It's possible Talon had good reasons for gettin' rid of her. It's possible they had bad ones," McCree agreed, "We don't know enough."
"What has she offered for our protection?" Reinhardt asked. The Crusader was the only person more excited to get back in the game than Lena, but even his usual fire had dimmed after they'd captured Widowmaker.
"In her own words an 'edge,'" Winston explained, "Currently, Widowmaker has given us three pieces of information. The location of something in Governador Valadres, Brazil; that the CEO of LumériCo, Portero, will be a vulnerable position soon; and that the Shambali Monastery may be in danger of an attack. Beyond that, she has offered everything she knows of Talon's plans, resources, alliances, etc. and her analysis skills for future situations."
Fareeha huffed dismissively.
"To so quickly offer to help those she once attacked," Genji mused.
"How much data would that be?" Mei asked, "Do we have a rough estimate?"
"We have no way of knowing," Torbjorn said.
"She's using her strongest bargaining chip," McCree said.
"It's her only bargaining chip." Fareeha countered, "Surely with Jesse's expertize we can get by."
"Aw, 'reeha, you're gonna make me blush." McCree fanned himself with his hat while Fareeha rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, this isn't like the old days. I've got enough compadres to stay out of the slammer, but my connections aren't enough for a team."
McCree had shown up with a single bag, six bounties on his head, and missing a hand. Apparently, McCree had been living like a real outlaw for a while, and it was starting to show. He seemed to be doing better after being around Fareeha and Ana.
Once, Lena would have trusted McCree with her life, after the Blackwatch exposure she wasn't so sure. That was probably more on her than anything else.
"But you could grow your network."
"With time, sure."
"Do we know if her information's any good?" Hana asked, "It doesn't matter how much she knows if it's obsolete."
"It's been confirmed that Portero is planning some sort of vacation. Everything else is still under investigation," Winston answered.
"Blackwatch ran a few ops in Brazil back in the day," Morrison spoke up, "Hell if I know how she found out about but it's unlikely Widowmaker would risk her life on random coordinates."
Lena isn't ashamed to admit she cried buckets when she found out Commander Morrison was under Soldier 76's mask. Only he was Jack now. Not her Superior Officer Morrison, not Commander Mom, something she picked up from half the base, just Jack. The joy and relief were wearing off now, and the questions were setting in.
"This is much more complex than what information Widowmaker has to offer," Angela said glowering at her folder.
"Yes, it is," Winston said heavily, "Athena if you would."
The projection behind him changed to a scan of Widowmaker's body surrounded by boxes and charts.
"It has been triple confirmed that Widowmaker is Amélie Lacroix."
Lena glanced over the readings.
Irises – 0% match. DNA – Inconclusive. Fingerprints – 50% match. Skeletal structure – 97% match. Veins L&R hand – 97% match. Movement patterns: 98% match. Facial features – 99% match. Earprint – 100% match. Vocal patterns – 100% match. Dental records – 100% match.
A weight seemed to settle on the occupants of the room. Mei furrowed her brow in thought. A heavy sigh came from McCree. Ana simply folded her hands and waited. Zenyatta's orbs whirled then stilled once more. Reinhardt drew himself to his full height, ready to face whatever came next. Angela didn't bother to look up. She'd been staring at her copy of the results before Lena walked in. Lena reached into her pocket and slipped her puzzle ring into her lap. Running her fingers methodically over the plastic allowed her to stop fighting the urge to bounce her leg.
It was Athena who figured it out first. Turned out Mrs. Lacroix's missing person file had never been officially closed. A number of Overwatch's semi-intelligent processors were still on the lookout for specific physical markers. And Widow set off the lot of them.
Ana, Reinhardt, and others confirmed that up-close and in good lighting, Widow had an uncanny resemblance to a certain supposedly dead woman.
The medical examinations followed quickly after.
"Excuse me," Mei said raising her hand, "Um, just a quick question. Why are the DNA results listed as inconclusive? Even with the time it takes to process samples, Widowmaker had been captive long enough, giving us time to cross-examine genetic material from different body parts. Not that I doubt the tests or you work, Dr. Ziegler-"
"You're fine, Mei," Angela said with a wave, "Widowmaker's DNA is inconclusive because the sample results aren't uniform. Her genetic material has been distorted. If I were to guess, either by exposure to some soldier enhancement program or genetic tampering. Or both. Biological alterations are the only viable reason I can come up with for how she's still functioning so well in her current state."
"How is she mentally?" Ana asked.
"She's... lucid," Angela said to the group, "I'm not qualified in this area so, I used an SCL-90-R, a kind of broad test that looks for indicators of mental illness. According to her score Widowmaker is perfectly healthy."
Torbjorn squinted at the doctor.
"It's a self-reported multiple choice test and not that difficult to manipulate," Angela explained, "I'm going to be looking into more advanced assessments I can still understand the results of."
"Now then," Winston addressed the group, "the obvious next step is to turn Widowmaker over to Interpol and let the United Nations sort out her crimes and punishment. The situation would no longer be our responsibility, but we will have to forfeit all control."
Athena spoke up, "The recent string of crimes inspired by Doomfist has hurt the UN's approval rating. It is unlikely that they will pass up an opportunity to show their competency."
"If Widowmaker's arrest is made public, Talon could break her out, and we will be back to square one," Genji said, catching on.
"There is also the moral side to forfeiting this decision," Angela said, "International, European, or the French government will only see her as a high-level terror origination member, not the woman who was once Amélie Lacroix."
Angela looked worn. She was stretched too thin. Lena resolved she'd take Angie out to do something fun, possibly with food, when the meeting got out.
"We don't have to hand her over immediately," Morrison said. His motorcycle jacket squeaked as he shifted positions. "We could use her as a bargaining chip. Less pressure from officials for her. Guarantee we get something out of the situation."
Angela's hands tightened around her folder.
"A proposition like that wouldn't do good things for our image," Fareeha said flatly.
"Overwatch's image is already in the toilet."
"That's not a good reason to make it worse."
"Interpol, the United Nations, Higher Intelligences for Harmony. None of them have been friendly towards "Overwatch" in a long time," Ana said.
"Exactly why turning over an international criminal with ties to terror syndicate would be a great way to regain their favor," Fareeha countered. She glanced around. "Jesse, explain how this would help us."
"I'm with you on this 'reeha, but it's never that easy. Keep in mind we'd still be considered criminals. They might try to bag all of us."
Winston cleared his throat, "That leads me to the second hurdle. Ana, Fareeha, McCree; you three are the closest to Widowmaker in stature and prowess. If you were in her place how probable is it that you could escape?"
Ana closed her eye and clasped her hands. McCree reached for a cigar that wasn't there changing the movement into running his fingers through his hair. Fareeha drummed her fingers while looking off into the distance.
"Tensions would be running high," Ana said, "Even if the event wasn't broadcasted there would be a lot of moving pieces. I'd only need a single moment."
"It's been years since Helix, and other security corps have dealt with a true level III threat in a location that isn't an active war zone," Fareeha muttered.
"We wouldn't be able to get far," McCree said, he looked from Ana to Fareeha, "But we'd be able to do some damage."
"Couldn't you sedate her?" Hana piped up.
Angela shook her head. "Without a deeper understanding of her current physiology and medications not for an extended amount of time. Some sedatives might have no effect; others might kill her."
"While Widowmaker's past identity does complicate things this is not our place," Fareeha said firmly, "Acting outside of the law to prevent a second Crisis is one thing. Playing Law and Order is not what we brought back Overwatch for."
"Fareeha is right," Reinhardt boomed, "This is not a decision to be taken lightly. We came back to ensure justice is served. What happened to the Lacroixs was Overwatch's responsibility. We cannot shrug off this burden onto others. Come!" he boomed, "Let us present all the facts, all the evidence, and together we will make this decision."
Angela sat up straight at the announcement. Torbjorn cracked a smile. Hope fluttered in Lena's chest. They could do this. They could make this right.
Reinhardt looked at Fareeha, one soldier to another. Fareeha dipped her head in acknowledgement and settled back to watch.
Reinhardt turned to Winston. "We are behind you, my friend. Please, continue."
"Excellent, ah," Winston shuffled through his notes, "Athena, could you start us off with an overview of what was available to the general OW personal, please? Everyone feel free to chime in if you know something of importance."
There was a whirl as Athena processed the request. "Search complete."
Widowmaker's scan and stats reorganized themselves as two new images appeared on the screen. One was a profile picture of a man in Overwatch blue. He had broad shoulders, a small mustache, and a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. The next shows the same man with a woman in white, her veil already lifted –a wedding photo.
"According to records, Amélie Lacroix was a professional ballet dancer for the Paris Opera. She was connected to Overwatch by her marriage with Gerard Lacroix. Lacroix was an Overwatch intelligence officer. He was best known for his work with Blackwatch and the other anti-terrorist groups within OW."
"Within a year after Gerard's promotion to the anti-terrorist division seemingly unrelated accidents increased on all major OW locations. These small but random attacks escalated into the bombing of the Watchpoint David in Rome."
The projection showed burning rubble. Jesse chomped away at a wad of bubble gum.
"Lacroix was caught in the blast and would have been permanently injured if not for Agent McCree and Commander Reyes. Thanks to quick medical treatment he made a full recovery in weeks."
McCree spoke out from under his hat, "Gerard got paranoid after, rightly so. Later there were more targeted attempts, but they failed. Talon went quiet, and we hoped they'd moved on."
McCree fell silent, and Athena picked up, "Both the Lacroixs were found dead in their home several months later."
Lena hiked her shoulders and gazed at the plastic rings rolling over her fingers. It was really weird to hear people talk about Widow's family. She never really thought about where Widow came from. Maybe ex-French Special Ops or a cracked markswoman. Either way she always assumed Talon was like 'We can help you kill more people,' and she was like 'Great!' If pressed she would have guessed Widow had been made, like Winston had. She was blue after all. Not that it made the situation any better.
"The details concerning Ms. Lacroix's disappearance and related events are above requested clearance level. Do you want me to retrieve those files?" Athena asked.
"That won't be necessary," Morrison said after draining his coffee. "And yes, before you ask, what I'm about to share was need-to-know information. We were investigating a leak and trying to protect the Lacroix's privacy."
"Three weeks before the Lacroix were pronounced dead, Mrs. Lacroix vanished from her home. We assumed the worst, that because Talon couldn't get to Gerard physically, they would attack him psychologically. A Special Forces team was sent immediately."
"We never heard a peep from Talon. They wanted us to sweat it out; demands would follow soon after. Fortunately, the Blackwatch team Zorro recovered her before that. Mrs. Lacroix given the best medical attention Overwatch had available, and both Lacroix were kept under constant surveillance. Last I heard she'd been released with a clean bill of health. Then well," Morrison looked away, "you know."
"Obviously, that isn't the full story either," Hana said studying the projected data.
"What about her medical records?" Reinhardt asked, "We could re-examine them!"
Angela shook her head. "Because Gerard was an Overwatch agent and the delicate nature of the situation all of Amélie's files after the abduction were considered OW property. They were kept on a physical server. Almost all of Overwatch's health-related data were destroyed with the Swiss Base."
Winston pursed his lips and rested his chin in his hand in a manor Lena recognized to be him trying to think their way out of this dead end.
"Perhaps those who knew Gerard and Amélie could tell us more about them," Mei suggested, "You can't really get to know someone from a file."
While the climatologist wasn't extremely helpful in terms of battle tactics it was refreshing to have someone else on the team whose solutions didn't involve filling everything with bullets.
"Best idea I've heard all day," Torbjorn said.
The old guard sounded in agreement.
"Gerard was a noble man," Reinhardt declared, "smart and persistent. I am honored to have been his friend. I did not know Amélie well but," Reinhardt gave them a ruthful smile, "being young and in love is a special time. I tried to give them space."
"Best analysis that wasn't full of circuits, I used to say," McCree added, "Gerard could hold his drink, but the man couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. I'm sorry to say I never met the Misses."
"Gerard had an odd sense of humor sometimes, but he was one of the few people who would actually take time off for an injury," Angela said with a wistful look on her face, "Amélie and I would meet up to chat, gossip really, when we could."
"Lacroix had a solid head on his shoulders," Torbjorn said, "didn't want to use that fancy self-aware nonsense that did all the work for you."
"That he did," Ana agreed, "Gerard was smarter than half the officials I worked with, most of the time. Amélie was... very driven."
"I seem to remember you sharing a much different opinion," Angela muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
Ana sighed, "I know you and Amélie were close, but the woman I met was haughty and rude."
"Amélie had her flaws, but that was no reason for you to go meddling in their marriage," Angela shot back.
"That comment was made in a private conversation. For the record, I was afraid that they would divorce within the year. Amélie would take the house and her fortune leaving Gerard out in the cold." Angela bristled at the comment, but Ana raised her hand cutting her off. "I thought their marriage would fail not because either party wanted that but because of other factors. Conflicting personality traits, a rushed union, and a demanding on-the-call job is not what you want for newlyweds." Ana gazed down at her tea. "I'd seen it before, and I didn't want that for Gerard."
Angela frowned at this but didn't reply.
Winston took over, "Reinhardt, Torbjörn, McCree, thank you for sharing. Ana, Angela, there will be plenty of time for other topics after the meeting. Fareeha, would you like to start us off on what you think we should do with Widowmaker?"
"If no one else wants to go first," Fareeha said.
Captain Amari's daughter looked sharp in business casual. A hero in her own right and pilot of a Raptor Mark IV Fareeha was someone Lena had wanted to meet for a long time. She was a bit uptight: only recently had Fareeha started referring to Lena by first name instead of Tracer or Private Oxton. The Raptor was a beautiful low alt combat suit with fantastic mobility, but Lena had mentioned how she preferred little something between her and the sky and, you know, actually flying. Maybe that had something to with it.
Fareeha stood to present her case. "During her career Widowmaker eliminated multiples of Talon's competitors and turncoats; admittedly, no one here is going to lose sleep over that. But Widowmaker has also killed a number of UN agents and civilian targets. What are we going to do to ensure justice for our people and closure for broken families she left behind?"
She motioned to images of Widowmaker's kills. "These are only the victims we know of. Her kill count could easily be two or three times higher. What happened to Amélie was a grotesque tragedy. Due to the circumstances of her existence and time under Talon leadership, it is impossible to know how at fault Widowmaker is for her actions. But we must do something."
She had her mother's piercing gaze, a soldier's physique, and the pose of a Captain but Fareeha melded them together into something that was entirely her own. This was a woman people would follow.
"We must trust in the systems we are fighting to protect. We should turn Widowmaker over to Interpol."
"We do have a responsibility to Widowmaker's victims," Reinhardt agreed, "but one must be careful when handling a matter that is close to them. The line between justice and vengeance is easily blurred. A man's, er, woman's true character is revealed in how she treats those who are at her mercy."
"Believe me, Reinhardt vengeance would look much different," Fareeha said with a grim smile.
"Your dedication to justice is quite admirable, Captain Amari," Zenyatta said, "I do not mean to steal your thunder, but I wish to share my view on the situation."
"Please go ahead."
On screen, the monk sat quietly on the ground while his prayer beads spun around him.
Genji and Zenyatta were traveling back from Nepal for the Recall. Zenyatta was interested in meeting other beings that shared his views on creating harmony and of course, he was there to support his student. Genji... Genji had invited Hanzo to the Watchpoint. He wanted to show Hanzo he has forgiven him, not just say it. Lena respected that but- eh.
Anyways, they were supposed to arrive five days ago, when Hanzo did, but they'd been delayed. Issues with flights re-selling their seats or "losing" their tickets.
Hanzo left once it was clear Genji wouldn't be getting to Gibraltar anytime soon. He only had one thing to say on Widow: "Such beauty wasted on the soul of a killer." Lena agreed with him but thought "Whole lot of crazy, itty-bitty living space" was a better fit.
"I will not deceive you," Zenyatta's synthetic voice was strained. "Widowmaker has taken someone very dear to me; as a result, I do not trust my judgment on this matter."
Genji tensed beside him.
"But I know if the assassination had failed and Mondatta was here speaking to you today he would work to end the cycle of violence. To honor his memory, I will do the same." Zenyatta's prayer beads whipped around him in non-uniform patterns
"Master," Genji began, looking unsure how to handle this situation.
Lena clenched her jaw. Dammit. That is what Mondatta would have wanted.
"Excuse me," Hana said, "I mean no disrespect, Zenyatta, but isn't anyone concerned that having a Talon informant under our roof is little too much like what Blackwatch was doing? I thought we were trying to avoid that."
"Hey now. Don't go blamin' Blackwatch," McCree protested good-naturedly, "Blackwatch was supposed to be a place where those who were too dirty for the public could still do some good. It became what cleaned up Overwatch's messes and a place to throw their trash." An ember of Deadeye flickered in McCree's gaze. "Boss was the one who turned it into something."
"I never wanted things to end the way they did, McCree," Morrison said.
"No one ever did, Commander."
The fingers wrapped around his coffee cup twitch at the mention of his title but Morrison remains silent.
"I want to be clear," McCree started, "I'm against Widowmaker staying. She's too dangerous to keep on the base but y'all are being hypocritical. She'll only be working with us to save her own hide, and I'll be the first to admit I did the same thing when I joined Blackwatch and Deadlock before that."
"That was different," Torbjorn argued, "You were seventeen she's, what, thirty-five?"
"Amélie Lacroix was born thirty-three years ago," Athena informed them from the ceiling.
"After Dr. Ziegler saved my life, Blackwatch offered a purpose. Commander Reyes already wanted me for the arms trade information I had leaked before," Genji touched the metal plates covering his chest, "this happened. I joined out of a desire for revenge on my family, my brother. I wanted to be the one to bring the Shimada Empire to its knees."
He says the words, obviously his mantra for years, with a quiet shame. For the millionth time, Lena wished she could see more of Genji's face. Besides him Zenyatta's orbs rotated, letting out a chime.
"Looking back, Blackwatch simply gave me an outlet for that anger. I do not think the missions alone would have changed me."
"Mm-hmm," McCree agreed, "You could have run me through any reformation course you wanted. It was always the people," he nodded at Ana, "that made the real difference. Widowmaker isn't going to change who she is because of where her cell is. Those who want to keep her here think about that."
Torbjorn nodded in agreement. "This isn't going to be like dealing with an unshielded Omnic. Once an Omnic is removed from the God AI's influence, they revert back to their original state. There's no such thing here. We're not going to be able to flip a switch and have Widowmaker be loyal to us."
"The choice is clear to me. The risks of working with Widowmaker in any regard far outweigh the benefits. Bridgitte, my daughter, will be joining us soon enough. I wouldn't try to change her mind, but that doesn't mean I can't still watch out for her and the other kids."
"You do not trust my training? Why not insult my mother why you are at it!" Reinhardt faked outrage at the notion.
Torbjorn huffed. "It's one thing to be able to do a proper deadlift or throw around some street thugs. It's another to be living in the same building with a trained assassin, imprisoned or not."
"My bot count isn't nearly has high as yours, old man, but I have over one hundred hours of successful missions," Hana protested, "I've been in way worse situations than being around some weird French lady."
"You aren't going to be able to walk around the base in your Mecha now are ya?"
Hana frowned at that while Reinhardt rolled his eyes.
"Clearly, something happened between the assassin and Talon," Reinhardt said, "We should use this opportunity to deal a devastating blow to those bastards. Strike while the iron is still hot!" Reinhardt held his fists in the air, "Maybe in the process we can help Widowmaker, maybe not. But we should try. For the Lacroixs."
Ana set down her teacup.
"It's not a matter of if we should try to help Widowmaker; but if she can even be helped and what we might lose in the process. Widowmaker isn't dangerous because of her skills," Ana said, "Widowmaker is dangerous because of the lengths she's willing to go to complete her mission. No one knows that better than me."
Fareeha stared down the table at her mother. Lena stopped fidgeting as the rest of the room turned towards Ana. Out of all the people represented on the Overwatch Memorial, Captain Ana Amari was the most likely to not stay dead. Rein, Fareeha, and McCree must have felt the same way because they weren't too shocked when she showed up again.
The elder Captain didn't look angry or embarrassed at the attention but resigned.
"For a long time I was too ashamed to share this, but all of you deserve to know. Before this," Ana motions to Widowmaker's kills, "before Petras, before the Swiss Base, Widowmaker put herself on the map by claiming to have eliminated my unit and bested me in combat."
Ana slipped her hand into Reinhardt's.
Lena frowned. Yeah, she'd heard that one. In the wake of the loss of Captain Amari, member of the Crisis Trio and top shot this side of the equator, all sorts of rumors trickled down the ranks. Freak sandstorm, Omnic surprise attack, Cap disobeyed orders, Talon used a satellite laser, Morrison suffered a breakdown. All of it was malarkey.
Sniper dual. Lena huffed. Please.
"With the evidence now available I can confirm that statement is true," Ana finished.
"Oh my!" Mei gasped.
"This is troubling," Genji said
"Wot?"
"You saw her?"
McCree whistled. "Dang, Captain. You mean that angry excuse for a blueberry actually landed a hit on you?" Ana shot him a look. "Ahem, don't mind me, Ma'am. I'm sure she used every dirty trick in the book."
"You have my condolences," Zenyatta said with a slight bow.
"Thank you, Zenyatta," Ana said, "Likewise, I hope your burden eases soon."
"You know," Torbjörn said, "if you wanted to give a certain guest of ours a blackeye, there might just be a system update in the works tonight."
"I appreciate the sentiment, Torb, but that won't be necessary."
"You saw her?" Angela repeated, "You were able to confirm Lacroix's identity all those years ago, and you didn't say anything?"
Ana closed her eye and for a moment was as still as stone. "For a very long time, I wasn't sure of what I saw." Tanned and worn fingers skim the edge of her eye patch. "My scope was destroyed. The shrapnel entered my right socket and embedded itself in my cybernetic eye. Between the painkillers and guilt, I wasn't at my best. I questioned what I saw for weeks after." Ana chuckled. "Lacroix had been blue, after all."
The aggression evaporates from Angela's body, but her shoulders are still resolutely set.
"Captain Amari, as a health professional I hesitate to push you after sharing what you did, but I must know why Amélie Lacroix was listed as MIA on official records when I was told both the Lacroixs were dead and buried."
Morison shifted; he and Ana exchanged a look. Ana shook her head.
"At the time we had no reason to think Talon would let Amélie live," Ana said.
The statement deflates Angela. "What?" she whispered.
Morrison spoke, "The investigation following Gerard's death found no signs of forced entry or struggle. Only confidential files were missing from the Lacroix's home safe. Gerard's work computer was also missing. It had been concluded that Amélie had been a key figure in Gerard's death, willingly or not. Either, way Talon was never one to leave loose ends."
Angela's face twisted in frustration.
Ana softened her tone, "Perhaps my decision was prideful, but I did what I thought was best. Knowing Amélie's body was out there somewhere would have never brought you peace."
Angela sat back down in a slump.
"So Gerard's wife was a spy?" asked Hana.
"Sleeper agent would be a better description," McCree said.
"But why would Talon kidnap her? Bringing attention to your mole is not what you want to do," Hana pressed.
"That's the same problem we ran into to," Morrison said, "Back in the day the prevailing theory was Mrs. Lacroix had been tricked or forced into revealing how to enter the Lacroix's home. Unfortunately, there is a less cut and dry option now." Morrison grimaced. "Brainwashing."
"Ms. Lacroix was missing for eight days, including travel time, Talon didn't have her for that long," McCree picked up, "There are ways to break someone's will in a short amount of time but it's dicey, and the signs would have been obvious. Talon has no reason to risk it. Ms. Lacroix was more valuable alive, as a hostage."
"There have always been rumors that Talon and similar groups had been attempting drastic human augmentations," Ana said, "Things beyond cybernetics or enhancement programs. But for years that's all they had been, rumors." Ana sighed. "Now that we have proof of that we need to re-evaluate what else we thought was possible."
"Verdammit, gopfertammi," Angela swore, "Gerard specifically requested my team after we had done such good job with him. At the time I considered myself a friend of the Lacroix, enough so that I should have refused. But Gerard didn't want anyone else. Not after what had happened."
Genji shifted around behind the screen looking like he wanted to comfort the doctor.
Angela sucked in a breath. "We triple checked everything. Amélie was withdrawn and distressed, that was to be expected after such a traumatic experience. We'd already kept her for over a week with no official diagnosis. I could tell being in the hospital was agitating her, patients recover best in their homes, and Gerard has already secured time off. Amélie kept saying she didn't mind staying for more tests. I didn't think much of it at the time but now." Angela covered her face with her hands. "Maybe, that was all she could say. Maybe, if I'd looked harder, kept her longer-"
McCree rested his weathered hand on Angela's back.
"None of that now," he said firmly, "No one can pull the sun back over the horizon no matter how hard they try. You weren't the only one tending to Amélie. One of your team or the folks working the machines just could have easily caught something. What's done is done; all we can do now is move forward."
Angela gave a tense nod and swallowed hard. McCree's hand stayed on her shoulder.
Lena clenched her ring. Right-o, top priority after checking on Winston is making sure Angie got either a bucket of ice cream to cry in or something fun to do after this. But no moping and wallowing for her. No sir, not on her watch.
"All we can do is move forward," Angela repeated, "that's why I think keeping Widowmaker here under observation is the most beneficial option."
"You, a field medic, want her to escape punishment for all the death she has caused?" Fareeha demanded, "What do we stand for if we do this?"
"What do we stand for if we don't?" Angela shot back, "I came back under the promise that this time Overwatch wouldn't be a military organization. That we would be preventing catastrophes and not avenging them."
Angela composed herself. "Keeping Widowmaker here would allow me to better understand what Talon did to her, what they did to others, physically and mentally. Think what we could do with that information, the people we could help."
"Angela," Morrison's gravely voice floated across the room, "What happened to Amélie was not your fault." His expression changed to the one he wore when he reported lost troops only with more wrinkles and stubble. "But she's gone now and the record speaks for itself. Widowmaker is not Amélie Lacroix. She might be only some sort of construct."
"You think because she was made to be a weapon she can't think for herself, SEP recruit 76?"
"I'm saying even though she responds to the name doesn't mean anything. We have to consider that Widowmaker's first victim was Amélie."
"Angela," Winston said, "Is this Amélie?"
"No," she shook her head, "No, this is not the woman I knew years ago. I've already mourned for Gerard and Amélie once. I have no intentions of going through that again. But if Widowmaker did defy Talon that is worth exploring. At the very least for future applications. Think about how better prepared we could be if we had to fight another enhanced or brainwashed Talon operative"
Lena tuned out the discussion that followed, honed in on the ring puzzle she'd solved, spinning each half on a different finger.
The speedster still remembers the first time she figured out Widowmaker came with rules. She'd been freelancing after the Petras act got the job in Australia. Working with a group of mercs and local military to move an armored car. Nothing fancy. A small Talon squad showed. Tracer raced off to deal with Widowmaker, though she didn't know the sniper's call sign at the time, who was clearly above the other lads' pay grade.
They skirted around each other, neither able to get close because of the terrain. Then Tracer heard the sound of several JATO rockets firing up. She turned to see the payload speeding away in a blaze of glory away with the help of three rockets on its roof and two Junkers at its wheel. As the sound of maniacal laughter faded, both sides slowed their fire, realizing they'd lost.
Widowmaker looked to her to the retreating form of the payload and back again before swearing. Widowmaker touched her ear, and the Talon troops fell back. She gave Tracer a little wave and stepped off the side of a building. And that was when Tracer realized Widowmaker was there to do her job, nothing more, nothing less, and that could be used against her.
"Lena, you've had the most encounters with Widowmaker in the field. What do you think?" Fareeha asked.
Her fingers stilled. Lena slowly raised her head to see everyone waiting for her response. Normally she'd enjoy the attention but nothing had gone right today. She's going to have to choose her words carefully.
"Uh, well."
She looked up that the list of Widowmaker's kills, Mondatta in his robes, the Lacroix wedding photo.
"Turning Widowmaker over to Interpol has too many unknowns at the moment. She can't shoot anybody from inside the Omega cell. And the information she has, if it's real, would save more lives than just locking her up will. Honestly, we're never going to get an opportunity like this again."
Angela had a silent 'Thank you' written on her face
"I think we covered all the angles as well as we can," Winston said, "Does anyone else have anything else they want to say before we vote?" After a beat, he continued, "All in favor of beginning the process turning Widowmaker over to Interpol."
"Aye." Torbjorn raised his flesh hand. "I have to stand by my gut."
Ana raised her hand. "No one deserves this, but she's too dangerous. Just lock her up. I'm too old for revenge schemes,"
"In favor," Morrison said.
Fareeha sighed. "I agree with my mother's statement. Prison is the fairest thing I can side with."
"Interpol," McCree said raising two fingers. "It's a terrible thing, but it's a terrible world."
"In favor," Hana said her voice steady.
"Thank you. All in favor of testing the information Widowmaker has given us and continue to hold her in the Omega cell?"
"In favor," Reinhardt announced, "We have a duty."
Angela raised her hand. "In favor."
"I'm afraid I would be something of a hypocrite if I voted differently," Genji said, "Omega cell."
"Omega cell," Lena echoed.
"Do I need to say 'Aye'?" Mei asked raising her hand.
"I also support this position." Zenyatta raised his hand. "Will we be allowed to visit the cell?"
"We'll sort that out later," Winston promised, "I am also in favor, which means the second position wins by majority rule."
"Now," Winston said, "I expect all of you to cooperate with this decision. I want everyone to understand, the safety of this group is my first priority. The base will continue to stay on high alert, Widowmaker will be monitored at all times, and we will watch for any sort of double play. Remember, contacting Interpol is still a possibility if that becomes necessary."
This seemed to pacify the other half of the group.
"If we're going to do this we need someone outside of the Lacroix/Widow mess, other than Winston, to keep an eye on her," McCree pointed out.
Lena glanced around the table. Reinhardt sheepishly scratched the back of his head. Fareeha frowned in frustration. Genji looked off the side of the screen. Ana calmly wiped down a sleep-dart. Mei sank lower into her seat hoping no one would notice she met the criteria.
"I'll do it," Morrison broke the silence, "Be nice to be useful for once 'round here."
"Are you certain?" Winston asked.
"I never met either Lacroix. Gerard always turned in good reports but his work kept him close to Blackwatch. As for Widowmaker, she's just another mess that came out of this catastrophe."
Winston grunted in approval, "All right. Torbjörn-"
"I'm guessing you want me to take a look at the sublevel while I beef up the Watchpoint's security?" Torbjörn asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"I'd like to review the team's Offensive and Defensive Protocols," Fareeha offered, "Make sure we're ready for whatever might be thrown at us."
"And I'd be happy to assist you!" Reinhardt announced.
Fareeha looked at him in surprise, then nodded.
"Excellent. McCree, I want you to start looking into the leads Widowmaker has given us."
"On it, Chief."
"I'll accompany him to make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble," Ana added.
"Good, good. If you have any reasonable concerns that were not addressed send me a private message. There are still a thousand details to iron out about as we proceed. Meeting adjourned."
[PRESENT]
So Widowmaker stayed in the base's sublevel while everyone else prepared for war.
Turned out Widow was right. They declared themselves Overwatch and a shift happened almost overnight. Some of Angela's old legal problems came crawling out of the woodwork. 76 and Shrike left abruptly to take care of "personal" business. Torb's family had to be temporarily relocated as other issues sprung up.
Widowmaker's intelligence helped more than it hurt, so Lena shut up and did her best to put her issues aside. She would never trust the ex-Talon agent, but that didn't mean she couldn't act like a professional. McCree and Genji weren't saints and she'd tolerated worse associates during her freelancing time.
Eventually, things started to loosen up. Angela began regular sessions with Widow after nobody could come up with a good argument of why Doc shouldn't try to make Widow less murder-y. Later Widow was given semi-free range because of the unanimous agreement that keeping her in the basement forever was creepy. Widow and Hanzo got along like a house on fire. It obvious in hindsight but at the time it terrified everyone. Except for Genji, who felt "Hanzo's had worse friends," but nothing ever came of it; Widowmaker was a model prisoner.
The thing was, there was the general feeling that Overwatch and Widowmaker had gotten the most out of each other that they could. Talon wasn't looking for Widow now, and Overwatch didn't need Widow's information anymore.
They couldn't turn her over to Interpol without suffering a major casualty or two, but they also couldn't let Widow stay in the base forever. Angela was trying her best to fix Widowmaker, but you couldn't help someone who didn't want to be helped. Even after all this time, Widowmaker was still as lifeless and standoffish as she ever had been. Lena knew people that had a hard time adjusting back to civilian life but even they had hobbies. Widowmaker avoided all human contact and sulked. Winston was getting apprehensive about how long this stalemate would last, so he gave Lena permission to get Widow away from everyone and shake her up, see what she would do.
And it worked. Sort of. This-the most recent mess- had gotten Widow to express something. And the way Sombra and Reaper had played off her. There was a base level of trust and respect required for a team to work well together but it hadn't been the impersonal military efficiency Lena had imagined. It was like Reaper and Sombra were Widow's murder friends. She has no idea how to feel about that.
So, Widow does have an emotional spectrum. The size was questionable, but it was there. But what does this mean for Widow? For Winston, her, and the rest?
They'd already tried reaching out by giving Widow a chance, a huge one, and she threw it back in their faces.
Lena runs her fingers through her hair. She's just so frustrating.
Something-touched-her-leg—The peaceful street is ripped away from Lena as she is yanked towards the balcony above. Her phone, of course, is sent flying. She tucks into a ball to avoid the railing. She jerks to a stop, and the world steadies itself enough for her to snatch her phone out of the air. The railing, concrete balcony, and sliding glass door buck and pitch as she swings around. As she slows, Lena recognizes Widowmaker, grappling line in hand, upside down before her.
Betaed by Dot, Misty, 2JRC6
Translations
Compadres – (Spanish) Friends
Verdammit, gopfertammi – (German) God Dammit, Damn me
Widowmaker Stats
Gumption - 7
Chutzpah - 3
Moxy - 8
Childlike Wonder - 2
The Cut of Your Jib - 1
A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi – 9 (4 + 5 from dance)
/Long wait for a long chapter. We good?
Not so easy being support, is it Genji?
Amazing what can happen to the payload if you don't watch it.
So, FFNet ate all my comments from the Sombra chapter. If you remember what you said please send it to me again! Or just say something nice.
And I do want to say thank you to all my readers. Without the support from you guys this fic would be very different or not exist at all.
Nov 21, 2018 I might be doing some clean up on chapter 18 so don't get too excited if you see an update within the next 2-4 days./
Widowmaker: I promise all escape attempts will be made during regular business hours.
-Extra Scene-
Ana: Just lock her up. I'm too old for revenge schemes.
Reinhardt: Bad and naughty snipers get put in the shame cube?
Ana: *chuckls* Oh, please don't start.
Hana: Is that what the original wording is?
Torbjörn: How do you understand what Reinhardt is talking about?
Hana: Revamping Pre-Crisis humor is really popular right now on the net. Some people are calling it the Meme Renaissance.
Reinhardt: All my jokes are relevant again!
Old Guard: Oh, please no.