Ghost Chapter 1: The Rift, an overwatch fanfic

I: The Rift

The night was frigid, well into the negative digits in the Verkhoyansk Mountain range. The Siberian wind howled, sending waves of snow skittering across the frozen ground. Unbeknownst to the resting people of Verkhoyansk, just below their tiny village, something sinister was brewing. Deep within the rocky recesses of the mountains laid a secret Talon research facility. The facility had been established some years prior for experimental and less than ethical research projects funded by Talon's seemingly endless agenda.

Dr. O'Deorian walked briskly down a corridor in the underground facility. It was not in her interests to see to matters personally, but her scientific expertise had been deemed necessary to supervise this experiment. The sound of her heels echoed through the empty hallway, signaling her approach towards the high-security lab. Moira reached a massive metal door, flanked on either side by two armed Talon soldiers.

"Identification," the soldier on the left said.

So bothersome, Moira thought as she produced her keycard identification. The soldier looked it over before nodding to the soldier on the right. The second soldier stepped aside as Moira collected her ID, revealing a keypad and scanner. Moira placed the small laminate card against the keypad. It chirped and flashed a green light.

"Retinal scan please," chirped an automated voice. Moira leaned in close to the scanner, opening her eye wide as her retina was scanned for identification. It whirred, processing the data before beeping.

"Welcome Dr. O'Deorian," the automated voice chirped once more.

"Gentlemen," Moira said to the guards as the large metal door slid open revealing a smaller corridor that led to a glass door. She gave them a nod and proceeded down the hallway. The glass doors before her were also locked, but with much less security clearance. Moira flicked her ID card against another scanner which promptly beeped and ordered the glass door to slide open. Moria strode inside, the door sliding closed with a hiss behind her.

"La da de da dum," a familiar hum carried through the air. Moira followed the hum down a set of metal stairs, rounding the corner to see her colleague at work.

"Dr. de Kuiper," she purred, seemingly startling her colleague.

"Ah Dr. O'Deorian," Sigma blurted, "I wasn't expecting your company this evening. Well actually I was, but-oh my what time is it?"

"Half past midnight," Moira said with a deadpan. Sometimes she wondered why exactly her colleague was still allowed to practice his research with such a frazzled mind.

"Oh yes, of course!" Sigma exclaimed, "I seem to have lost track of time."

"Clearly," Moira responded, "We do not have time for idle chit-chat. My understanding is that your hypothesis is ready to be proven?"

"Ah yes!" he cried, floating over towards a large, orb-like mass, "This is my latest discovery, the Quantumix." The mass appeared like a void in the middle of the room, consuming light while simultaneously emitting purple flickers of electricity all around.

"Grand," Moira said, "Pardon my lack of enthusiasm, but physics is not my expertise."

"I understand," Sigma replied, floating over to a large computer monitor, "You see, the Quantumix is not only matter and energy from which I believe pulls more energy and resources from other dimensions, but also an organic form." He began clacking away at the keyboard, pulling up diagrams and other information on his research.

"I see," Moira mused, her interest piqued at the organic nature of the void "So tell me, what was the goal of this research?"

"Mr. Ogundimu requested I use my talents to explore alternate forms of energy and power for our organization's goals," Sigma explained, "I believe that the Quantumix is on the verge of being traversable."

"Oh?" Moira grinned. Now this, this was interesting.

"I have already been able to pull small materials and energies from what I believe to be an alternate dimension. I can't say for certain without conclusive evidence and more experimentation, but imagine the possibilities of being able to travel through realms beyond our very understanding and-" Sigma stopped mid-sentence, his cheeks becoming rosy, "My apologies Doctor, I can sometimes prattle on about theoretical physics."

"Not to worry," Moira smirked, "I understand. I can often relate when it comes to microbiology. But curiosities aside, please, Mr. Ogundimu will be awaiting my report on your findings."

"Ah, yes, yes," Sigma said, flustered still by his babblings, "Allow me to demonstrate."

Dr. de Kupier glided over to a large, sleek, panel on the opposite side of where the Quantumix sat suspended between several metal spires. He pressed a command on the panel and there was metallic scraping noise as a massive metal control panel arose from a previously concealed part of the laboratory floor. There was a clunk as it settled and hissed open.

"Please observe," Sigma said, stepping up to the control panel and placing his hands into two divots on the panel. There was another hiss as spindles of black and purple energy wrapped around his arms. He grunted a bit in pain, before flashing his colleague a reassuring smile.

"What would you like me to retrieve," he asked, trying to hide the grimace on his face.

Moira pondered a moment before smirking. "A new test subject. Something never before seen on this Earth."

"Very well," Sigma grunted. He closed his eyes and Moira watched in awe as the Quantumix began to hum louder, the swirling mass of dark energy and lighting beginning to move faster.

"Incredible," Moira whispered as she approached the orb.

"Doctor," Sigma cut in, "Please stand back. It would be unwise to be too close."

Moria rolled her eyes but obliged. The mass was moving incredibly fast now, bolts of purple energy beginning to bolt from the orb. One of the bolts shot out, nearly missing Moira as she faded to the side.

"I-I'm losing control," Sigma cried, "It's becoming unstable."

The Quantumix was beginning to crackle like a live wire, spitting more electricity around the laboratory.

"Doctor," Moira said with a hint of unease, "Shut it off."

"I-I can't!" Sigma cried, no longer trying to hide the agony in his voice.

Moira glanced around wildly. There must be something she could do to stop this from escalating any further.

"There's-augh!" Sigma's flesh was beginning to turn a deep purple on his hand, "There's an emergency stop-ugh-on the wall-"

Moria faded quickly over to the red button that protruded from one of the spires. She slammed her fist into the button with full force, desperate to stop this beast. Sigma flew backwards as the control panel released him, landing with a loud crack against the floor. The Quantumix continued to buzz even faster. Moira had but a moment to fade backwards before there was a sound-wave breaking explosion. She was thrown against the wall from the force, feeling several ribs crack from the impact. Her vision became blurred as she slid down the wall. Grand, she thought. She struggled to her feet, staggering in pain as she approached her fallen colleague. She grunted in pain at her broken bones, but dropped to her knees, placing her fingers on Dr. de Kupiers neck. It was faint, but there was a pulse. Alive. Good.

Screeeeeeaa

Moira snapped her attention to the now dark-purplish rift that cut through the air where the Quantumix once existed. The ear-splitting screech had emitted from within. Moira watched with morbid fascination as a massive coalition of dark matter and electricity emerged from the rift. The creature appeared to have no shape, constantly morphing like a dark mist.

"My God…" Moira muttered as more creatures began to emerge, snarling and screeching. She made eye contact with one of them and it charged.

"Géill do mo thoil!" She cried, sweeping her beam of coalescence towards the pack of angry creatures. Some of them were slowed by the attack, others barely flinched. Moira had staggered to her feet, gripping her forearm to support the attack.

"Ugh," Dr. de Kuiper groaned, "What-?"

"Don't just lay there you fool!" Moira screeched, "Get up. We need to leave now!"

Sigma groggily got to his feet, eyes widening in horror and awe at the scene in front of him. Moira's coalescence was beginning to sputter.

"I'm running out of power," she snapped at him, "I need to recharge."

"Right, of course," Sigma sputtered. He summoned a barrier in front of them and held it as they backed towards the only entrance to the lab. Moira tried to slap her keycard against the exit, but was met with a harsh tone. The lab had entered an automatic lockdown as a safety precaution.

"God damn it!" Moira shouted, pounding on the door. She whirled around, back pressed into the door.

"Barrier can't hold much longer," Sigma barked as more droves of those-things-flooded from the rift. Shit. What had they done?