Chapter Nine: The Reluctant Hero v Doomfist
Room 99, Floor 99, Chancellor Hotel, Numbani, Africa
"Doomfist."
Silence. Complete and utter silence.
That's when I realized every single pair of eyes in the room were on me. I glanced to see Lucio, Efi, and Orisa look at me in shock. I turned slightly to see even Maria stare at me in complete disbelief… With something else in her eyes… But I squeezed her hand and let go… And walked toward the center of the room. My hands were sweaty. And my heart was beating fast. Finally, I stopped in the center of the room in front of Doomfist. Recognition flashed in his eyes before he smiled and chuckled to himself.
"What are the chances we'd run into each other again, friend?" I saw shock and confusion on Lucio, Efi, and Orisa's faces but I kept my eyes on Doomfist. "However, I wonder… Would we have always met here if you and Tracer hadn't encountered the Widowmaker in London?" My eyes widened and my mouth opened slightly. I even caught the same look of shock from my new friends. How… But he chuckled again. He took a cloth from the large case and began to polish his gauntlet… "Of course, I knew who you were. After all, she gave me the report when she returned from London. Yes, I know exactly who you are… Henry Evans…" His smile grew.
I felt my heart beat even faster. He knew who I was… My family…
"And I know who you are. The Scourge of Numbani. Akande Ogundimu. Doomfist." I spoke evenly.
"Ah. My new friend… Overwatch's newest agent… Overwatch's… Spy… knows who I am now…" He said mockingly with a smile. "But I wonder if your opinion on the painting remains the same, Henry?"
"It does."
"But you wouldn't be here without conflict. Conflict made you leave London. Conflict brought you here. You wouldn't be here if I hadn't given the Widowmaker the order to assassinate your significant other."
My eyes widened. He ordered an assassination on Lena. His girlfriend… My eyes narrowed. I didn't even feel my heart beating anymore. Instead, I felt my hands balled into fists. Quickly, I ran to him to punch him in the face…
But he dropped the cloth he used to clean… And grabbed my outstretched hand with his gauntlet. My eyes widened. I felt his gauntlet squeeze my hand. I grimaced and felt nothing but pain shoot through my arm. I looked at him. I saw only amusement…
"Conflict made you flee. Conflict made me your enemy. But I'm not your enemy… And one day, conflict will make you stronger." He said simply. Then I saw his other hand go directly to my face.
Blackness.
After a second, I opened my eyes. I felt pain even from his left hand. There were clear robotic implants on them. I saw Lucio, Efi, and Orisa prepare to come to me but I raised my hand out to stop them. Doomfist noticed and chuckled.
"Ah. The DJ, the "Hero of Numbani". And her pet."
"The Scourge of Numbani." Efi scowled while Lucio glared at the man. But Orisa looked ready to kill.
"Lucio, Orisa, protect Efi and the others…" I said weakly. They looked at me in alarm while Doomfist stared at me… with respect?
"What about-" Efi began.
"No! You're more important. The people here are more important. Not me." I narrowed my eyes at Doomfist. Slowly, I stood back up even through the pain. "I will not let you hurt this city again. I will not let you hurt these people again. And I will not let you hurt the people I care about again. You asked me if my opinion on the painting changed? It hasn't. Anyone like me would have been here now because of people like you. People who cause suffering and pain. And using conflict as an excuse to make the world better… And you know what else I think, Doomfist?" I took a fighting stance. I wasn't a fighter… I had no training… I had no weapons… And I wasn't a hero…
But I wasn't a quitter.
(TBD - (K)NoW_NAME)
"What else do you think, Henry?" Doomfist looked at me with a mocking smile filled with amusement. And got into his own fighting stance. His gauntlet began to crackle with energy… Blue and white lights… Lightning wrapping around it…
"You talk too damn much."
As people began to flee, I ran toward him. But he had leapt across the small distance to slam the gauntlet on top of me. I rolled away avoiding the slam. A hole in the ground now where I had stood.
Up on a creek, nothing to oar
Give it a whirl, down for the count
Breaking a leg, it just what I need
I stood and faced him. He was annoyed now.
Necessity? Legitimate?
Drawing the line? It doesn't matter
Step up your game
Take the lead and carry out
I resumed my fighting stance again. He did too.
Straight from the horse's mouth, I found it already
It is a piece of cake
He leapt toward me again. I rolled again. He hit the bar…
Cut to the chase, I don't got time to waste
Won't let go, till I get what I need
Playing by ear is my specialty, didn't you know?
The hope is smoggy
I took a few steps back… After starting the stove and oven… And leaving the oven door open… He pulled his gauntlet from the destroyed bar. He was angry now. We began to circle each other…
Time is a thief, chasing rainbows
Will I succeed? This one I know
It's will or will not
Not can or cannot
Curtain of night fell upon us
No suffering is no miracle
Solitary action for me is cakewalk
He narrowed his eyes. And he charged his gauntlet again…
Bite the bullet, call it a day, go back repeat
Always facing music
And he flew across the room to me… But I dodged and he hit the DJ booth behind me. The booth broke in two pieces… The window broke nearby… And the very long party banner fell close to the window…
Cry for the moon is what you always do
You should know, no one can stop me
Come rain and shine, that is what I always do, it's true
Hook, line and sinker
I turned to see the kitchen behind me… And my eyes widened. Efi had been hiding behind the bar. She must have stayed behind for me… Quickly, I glanced at the gas from the oven, the banner, and then the window… Efi nodded. She understood. I turned back to Doomfist. His gauntlet began to glow a light blue and white… Lightning wrapped around his gauntlet…
"Rocket Punch!"
He flew toward me… I ran toward him… I heard Efi run behind me… I dodged again… To the banner and picked up Efi… And jumped out of the broken window into the night as an explosion followed us… And used the very long party banner to descend straight down to the streets of the upper level of the city below.
Cut to the chase, I don't got time to waste
Won't let go, till I get what I need
Playing by ear is my specialty, didn't you know
The hope is smoggy
Yeah, yeah
We landed on top of a blue bus. In the center of a crowd filled with the hotel guest who fled. And reporters. I also spotted Lucio and Orisa. But I put down Efi to check on her… And saw nothing but awe in her wide eyes staring at me…
What's your secret? What's your secret?
Try to keep it, I will keep it
An update will be at the end of Chapter Ten.