Mind Games
Encrypted message from United States CIA to United Kingdom MI6
Message follows-
A possible breach in the CIA has been identified during investigations. Talon movements appear to be adapting to our actions just as we make them. Recommend security sweep of your personnel in case of breaches within UK secret service.
Intelligence passed on from UK SAS regarding the Vishkar cargo ship indicates a Talon presence in Boston, USA. Upon further investigation, several potential targets of interest were identified within the US, all possible locations of Talon bases.
Intelligence suggests that there is one large Talon base operating somewhere within the United States. Following several operations, we identified a location in Nevada, 25 miles from Las Vegas. Further reconnaissance of the area revealed several aircraft leaving and entering the area, matching those used by Talon.
Further intel has been difficult to come by, due to satellite imagery being unavailable and the area going dark once a satellite was moved into position. Enemy numbers and hardware are unknown due to this.
Due to SAS involvement in this situation, as well as British interest in this, we suggest that the team from the cargo ship op be brought over to assist the Navy Seal team being dispatched.
Awaiting reply.
Message end.
Encrypted message from United Kingdom MI6 to United States CIA
Message follows-
Previous message acknowledged.
SAS team deployed to location provided in further transmissions.
Squad leader- Captain Jameson.
Message end.
Switzerland
Fareeha began to wake up, blinking a few times as her body regained its energy. She looked over to the clock and saw that several hours had passed. Her slight movements managed to wake Angela, who's arm was still wrapped around Fareeha.
Fareeha leaned up slightly, her face hovering just over Angela's. "Hey. How did you sleep?"
Angela removed her arm from Fareeha, using her hand to rub her eyes. "Really well, thanks."
"Guess this big, soft bed helped."
"It certainly helped, though I don't think it was the main reason I slept so well." Angela winked, before capturing Fareeha's lips with her own, the two sharing a couple of kisses.
Once they broke apart, Angela looked away from Fareeha, running one of her hands down her side. "Faree... I'm sorry I got you into this mess." Angela couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Fareeha was covered in cuts and bruises, all caused by Talon.
"Ang, you have nothing to be sorry about. I wanted to be there for you. Besides, I'm sure you can patch me up once you have your staff back."
"I'm sure I can, nothing too serious here." Angela replied, continuing to run her hand across Fareeha's side. "But Faree, on a serious note, thank you for being here for me. I don't think I would still be me if you weren't there by my side."
"You're welcome." The two women smiled at each other, leaning in for another quick kiss before sitting up. Just as they sat up, there was a knock at the door. Neither woman had any clothes on, yet neither wanted to change back into their dirty clothing. In the end, Angela simply shrugged and walked to the door, looking through the small eye hole and seeing that it was Sombra. She opened the door, poking her head around and keeping her nude body hidden from her
"Hey. I brought you two some clothes. I'll let you get dressed then can I come in?"
"Thanks. Of course, give us a couple of minutes."
Angela took a bag full of clothing from Sombra, who began to surf the web as she waited outside the room. The clothing was nothing special, a pair of jeans each, with a short, white shirt for Angela and long, blue one for Fareeha. They both had a new pair of socks and underwear, as well as a pair of trainers.
Once the two were dressed, Angela opened the door again and let Sombra in. She carried in a couple of bags, one giving off a smell that set the other two women's senses wild.
Sombra placed one bag down on the table, passing the other to Angela. "Here's some actual food." The bag was soon opened, revealing two very large burgers and two large portions of fries. Sombra also passed each woman a bottle of water.
"Oh thank god. Do you mind if..?" Fareeha began, Sombra answering before she could finish.
"Be my guest. Can I use your bathroom?"
The two women nodded, both sitting down on the bed. They both unwrapped a burger and took a large bite out of it. While the two ate, Sombra walked in front of the bathroom mirror and began applying some makeup. She didn't manage to bring any with her, so while she was out, she bought herself some more.
With her makeup now applied, Sombra walked back out to the two women, who were still eating their food. She didn't mind, after all they'd barely been fed while they were guests of Talon. A large meal was something they both needed.
"So." Angela eventually said, finishing her burger and moving on to the remaining fries she had. "What's the plan?"
"Well, I've called in a favour from someone who owes me a few. They're sending over some transport that'll get us to Crete. Once were there, we head over to my safe house and then..." Sombra didn't know how to finish her sentence. In all honesty, she felt like she still knew nothing about Widow's condition. "I guess we see how Widow is doing."
"How was she before she left?" Angela asked, taking a drink of water as she asked. "Did anything in her behaviour change?"
"She was on edge. As for her behaviour, she was becoming more emotional before she left. Usually she's quite difficult to read and you can't really tell if she's feeling anything, well unless she's pissed off, then you can tell. Lately though, I can tell there's more emotion behind her words. I also don't think she's told me everything."
"Doesn't she trust you?" Fareeha asked, listening in to the conversation as she finished off her food.
"No, she definitely trusts me. I'm was the only one at Talon she ever opened up to. She put her life in my hands so that she could escape and she knew I could have double crossed her at any point. I just think she's scared."
"Scared of what?" Fareeha asked.
"I don't know. Maybe the whole situation, maybe something else."
"Or she could just have a lot on her mind." Angela suggested. "Anyone in her position would be feeling scared. Do you know how her conditioning works?"
Sombra reached inside her coat for a phone, activating it and bringing up a copy of Widow's medical file. "It's all written down here. I've combined it all into one file, though I don't think Talon have all the correct details."
Angela read through the beginning of the lengthy file, skipping some parts of it as she began to gain a better picture and avoiding anything she considered personal to Widow. She stopped at the section that explain what happened when Amelie returned to Talon, reading the section through slowly. "Sombra, have there been any moments where Amelie's conditioning visibly broke down recently?"
"Yes, it's happened quite a few times I believe. I was in the room with her the one time it happened."
"What exactly happened? Any visible side effects?"
Sombra thought for a few moments. "Well, it usually starts with pain in her head and she seems to lose balance during the pain. Then she sees one of her old memories."
Mercy passed the phone back to Sombra, her mind full of possibilities. "I have a few ideas of what may be happening to her..."
"It's like I said, her conditioning is breaking down." Sombra interrupted.
"No, I mean what's happening inside her head. I agree with you when you said Talon may have gotten some of the details wrong. I know that if you torture a person enough, they will accept anything you tell them, no matter how strong they are. If that were the case, then I think she would have started to remember long ago. We still don't fully understand how the human mind works but to change someone so drastically, to make them forget that much for so long... it's looks like some form of amnesia."
"Can you fix it though? Can you help her remember?" Sombra asked.
"I might... or maybe we just need to give it time. From what you've told me, as well as what I've read here, I have an idea of what actually happened inside her head. Though I need to see her and talk to her to know if I'm right."
Sombra nodded, checking the location of the jet on her computer. It was less than 10 minutes away, its landing site not too far away. "Okay, our ride's going to be here soon. Once it's here, we'll make our way to it and fly over to my safe house. There's some makeup and medical supplies in that other bag. I just need to fetch something from my room, so back in a few."
Angela and Fareeha nodded, as Sombra took her leave. Once Sombra was gone, Fareeha turned to Angela.
"Are you sure we can trust her? I still don't think she's telling us everything."
Angela stood, walking over to the bag left behind by Sombra. "Yes. She probably is hiding some things from us but that's probably because we're unknowns to her. She's taking a risk and the concern she has for Amelie is genuine. I've seen it countless times. It reminds me of Emily a little."
"Who?"
"Oh, I thought you knew. She's Lena's girlfriend. I met her when I went over to visit Lena at her home, though nowadays I usually end up talking to her when Lena suffers a bad injury. I think she worries about her injuries more than Lena does."
"That does sound like Lena." Fareeha joked, as Angela looked inside the bag.
Inside was an assortment of makeup, as well as plasters, bandages and some pain killers. She took out a small amount of makeup for now, walking over to Fareeha and sitting back down next to her. "I think we both need a little of this on."
Meanwhile, Sombra had entered her room and sat down on the chair. Her computer was open and Sombra was busy typing away. She was searching for a phone number. Eventually, she found what she was looking for, activating a number of programs before dialling the number.
Watchpoint Gibraltar
Everyone was busy doing their own thing. Reinhardt and Brigitte were sparing outside. Zarya was in the gym, while Lucio and DVa were listening to music. McCree was simply sitting outside Winston's lab, eventually getting up and going for a walk through the base. Zenyatta was meditating in view of the ocean, Genji sitting alongside him while Hanzo and the Bastion watched. The rest of the team were inside Winston's lab, some helping Athena search for any intel on where Angela and Fareeha could be. The rest were too busy listening to Lena and Morrison argue, Winston and Ana watching the two closely.
"Where are they then?" Lena asked, with a forceful tone. The conversation wasn't hostile, not yet anyway. Lena could tell Morrison wasn't telling the whole truth. He knew something about Angela's whereabouts and she needed to know what it was.
"I don't know."
"Oh really? So, you're not withholding any information at all?" Lena's sarcastic tone was annoying Morrison. Yet he hated that she was right. He hadn't decided if now was the right time to tell them.
"Not at all Oxton."
"So, how come you knew they weren't at that base? Inside source you said. Who was it? Hmm."
Lena couldn't tell but Morrison was getting more and more frustrated as she continued prying. Fortunately, he never needed to reply, as Athena interrupted the conversation.
"Winston, I have received a message."
"Who from?" He asked, not turning away from Lena and Morrison, in case the situation between them escalated.
"Unknown. The message only has two words."
Athena brought the message up on a nearby screen. The four nearby agents walked over to the screen, reading the extremely short message.
They're safe.
"Your inside source I'm guessing. Shame we have no idea where they are." Lena sarcastically commented, clearly aiming it at Morrison. He was almost going to return with a loud comment, only for Ana to shoot him a death glare, making him think twice.
Winston, seeing the tension between Lena and Morrison, decided to intervene before it got out of hand. "Lena, can I have a word in private?"
"Sure." Winston began to head towards the exit for the lab, turning when Lena didn't follow. She stood staring at Morrison for a few moments, still not happy with the situation. In the end, she withdrew, heading towards the exit with Winston.
Once they were gone, Ana placed her hand in front of Jack, stopping him from walking off. "You need to tell them."
"How? I don't know how to convince them..."
"Nor do I... but we need to tell them. Clearly they're safe, so we need to focus on finding them. We can't do that if everyone thinks they're still in danger or if we're arguing amongst ourselves."
Morrison turned his head away, considering his options. "Fine. I'll tell them later."
"No. You will tell them now. Everyone's at this base, so now is the best time." Morrison simply sighed, nodding his head.
Meanwhile, Winston and Lena were standing outside the lab, Lena leaning against the wall as she calmed herself down.
"Lena, you need to stop giving Morrison a hard time. He's here to help."
"I know and I'm sorry. It's just..."
"I know Lena. We all want to find them... but fighting amongst ourselves won't get us anywhere."
"I know luv. It just he's hiding something. He knows something and he's not telling us. I can see it." Just before Winston could speak again, Lena's phone went off. See looked at the caller ID, seeing that it was Emily.
"I'll let you get that. Come back in once you're ready and we'll continue looking." Winston said, walking back inside the lab.
Lena now answered her phone, hoping that Emily could give her some ideas on what to do. "Hey luv."
"Lena Oxton?"
The voice was deep and had clearly been altered so that it sounded this way. Whoever this was, it wasn't Emily
"Who's asking?"
"A friend of Overwatch. I assume you want to know where Mercy and Pharah are, yes?"
"Where are they? I swear if you've..."
"Relax, they're fine. However, I need a favour from you."
Lena tensed up when she heard this. She had no idea who this person was but right now, they were likely her best bet at finding Angela and Fareeha.
"Okay. What do you want?"
"Mercy doesn't have her healing staff, I assume she left it behind at your base. I need you to bring it to us."
Lena turned towards the lab, where Mercy's healing staff was current sitting. She never took it with her, after all, why would she think she needed it. "I can do that. Where do you want it?"
"All in good time Miss Oxton."
"What do you mean by that? Where are they?"
"The location will reveal itself in time. All you need to do is go there. One other thing, you must be alone. Tell no one else about this. Only you."
Lena thought for a few moments, debating if this was a good idea. "Fine. When I see the location I'll be there, alone."
The call was disconnected as soon as she said that. Lena just stood there, lowering her phone and putting it away as her thoughts consumed her. She knew this was dangerous. There were way too many unknowns, yet a part of her was saying to give it a chance.
"Attention all agents, please report to the main lab."
Athena's announcement dragged Lena back to reality, making her look around at the other nearby agents. McCree had reappeard and was now walking towards the lab.
"Hey Lena, you okay? You look a little lost."
"Yeah... I'm okay I guess. Just want to find Ang." Lena didn't look up at McCree, doing exactly what the caller wanted, not telling anyone about it. McCree didn't think anything of Lena's odd behaviour, simply assuming that it was due to the situation.
"Wherever they are, we'll find them. Better not keep the boss waiting."
Lena nodded, following McCree inside shortly afterwards. It didn't take long for everyone to assemble, Reinhardt and Brigitte being the last to arrive. They clearly had ran from wherever they were, running into the lab very quickly.
"What's happened? Have you found something?" Reinhardt asked, hoping that something, anything had come up.
Instead, Morrison moved into view, being very careful with his next words. "There's something all of you need to know."
"Is this regarding that inside source of yours?" McCree asked, placing a cigar into his mouth and lighting it.
"Sort of. It's about what happened at that Talon facility. There's more going on than we first thought. This wasn't just a simple breakout... it turns out that Sombra was behind it."
The agents began to whisper to themselves, each raising concerns with the others.
"Sombra is Talon! Why on earth would she help them escape?" McCree asked, simply saying what everyone was thinking.
"I don't exactly know. Maybe she's simply had enough with Talon and has gone rogue, or maybe she's just doing something good for once. Whatever her reasons, she's taken Angela and Fareeha with her. That's not all though."
"Oh, this should be good. What's next, has Doomfist decided to change sides?" Torb sarcastically commented, not expecting what was coming next.
"No, but Widowmaker might have. My inside source says that Widow has gone rogue and Sombra helped her escape as well."
No one spoke or whispered among themselves this time. Sombra going rogue was one thing but Widow was a completely different situation.
"What do you mean rogue?" Brigitte asked, remembering the stories Reinhardt had told her.
"Apparently, her conditioning is breaking down. She's remembering who she was and she's trying to escape because of it."
"Not possible." Lena said, gaining everyone's attention. "I was there when she killed Mondatta. I looked her right in the eyes. There was no sign of remorse or regret. She didn't care, in fact she was proud of it! There's no way her original self was in there."
"I agree with Lena." McCree said, slightly surprised that he actually agreed with her on this matter. "A lot of us knew Amelie but she died a long time ago. Widow isn't Amelie, not anymore."
"But what if he's correct?" Everyone turned to face Zenyatta, who was hovering near the back of the group. "I knew Mondatta well, he was a great inspiration to us all. He would be more than willing to forgive Amelie for what she has done. That means I am willing to forgive her. We cannot assume that her conditioning can't fail, so we should act to help her."
"My master is correct." Genji added. "Amelie had no choice in what she was doing. She was programmed to obey Talon. We should not blame her for what she has been forced to do, when she is a victim herself. We need to be there in her time of need. We need to bring her back home."
"I may not have known her before but Widowmaker is extremely dangerous." DVa added, Lucio nodding in agreement with her. "What if she's simply faking it to lure us into a trap?"
Everyone was divided on the issue. Some agreed with Zenyatta and Genji, while others considered that Lena and McCree were right. There were even some agents which kept out of the debate, keeping their opinions to themselves. In the end, Torbjorn turned to Reinhardt.
"What do you think? You've been unusually quiet on this matter."
Reinhardt never answered the question, keeping his opinions to himself. Instead, he changed the topic.
"Has there been any development with Angela and Fareeha?"
"No." Morrison replied. "All we got was a message saying that they were safe. However, with everything that's going on, it makes sense that if we find Widow, we'll find them."
"Okay." Lena began, still unconvinced. "Let's say that Widow has gone rogue and let's say Sombra has helped her. What then? It's not like they'll willingly come back with us." Several agents nodded in agreement. "We're not even sure if she has started to remember."
"I'm sure." Ana's words caught everyone off guard. "Back in King's Row, I told her that Gerard was a fool to love her. When she replied, it was full of emotion. I know that was Amelie speaking. I know she's in there."
"You lost an eye because of her!" McCree said, not convinced at all.
"Like Genji said, it wasn't her. She's a victim herself... I think we all need time to think over this matter. If anything appears, we'll call everyone back here. Dismissed."
As all the agents began to disband, going back to their own tasks, Lena began to reconsider her position. Zenyatta was willing to forgive her and Ana had heard her speak with emotion. What if they were right? Ana sounded very confident when she spoke, prehaps Widow was indeed turning. On top of that, she now had a good idea who the mystery caller was. It must have been Sombra. Despite everything, she still didn't tell anyone, not wanting to compromise her only possible way to find Angela and Fareeha.
She walked over towards Genji and Zen, wanting to ask someone else for an opinion.
"Lena, how can we be of assistance?" Genji asked.
"Actually, can I speak to Zenyatta, alone please? Private matter."
"Of course." Zen answered, Genji bowing before taking his leave, quickly running after Hanzo, who was leaving the lab. "What can I assist you with, Miss Oxton?"
"Did you mean what you said about Widow? Would you forgive her after everything she's done?"
Zenyatta didn't hesitate, replying instantly. "Indeed I did. She is a victim in all of this. Mondatta would not want us to hold her responsible for something she had no choice in doing."
"Mondatta was an inspiration to me... I'm sorry I couldn't stop her."
"Do not blame yourself. It was not your fault and from what I've heard, neither was it Widow's." Zen placed a hand on Lena's shoulder, causing her to give a small smile in return. "I sense that there is something else troubling you. Do you wish to speak about it?"
Lena thought over the offer. In the end, she had to speak to someone and Zen seemed like he'd know what to do. "Can you keep a secret?"
"Of course." He replied, keeping his voice down so no one else could hear them.
"Just before the meeting, I got a phone call from someone. I didn't know who it was before but now, I'm pretty sure it was Sombra. She asked me to bring Ang's healing staff somewhere, though she hasn't said where yet."
"I assume you haven't told anyone else this?"
"She told me not to. She said I had to go alone... I don't know what to do. It's risky going alone but I think it's the best chance I have at finding Ang and Fareeha. What should I do?"
Zen considered the situation for a short while. "I'm afraid I cannot answer this question. While there is indeed a risk in following this persons instructions, only you can decide whether this risk is worth taking. Is there anyone close to you?"
"Yes. Emily, my girlfriend."
"May I suggest that you speak to her about this. She will know you far better than I do and so would be able to help you decide."
Lena nodded. She was planning to call Emily soon anyway and she always gave her good advice. "Okay. Thanks Zen."
Zen bowed his head, before floating off in the direction Genji went. Lena quickly pulled her phone out and dialed Emily, walking out of the lab and out of sight, making sure no one was around to hear her. It only took a couple moments for Emily to answer.
"Hey Lena. How is everything?"
"Luv, can I talk to you for a moment? I need some advice and you're the only one I think I'll listen to." That was the truth. Zen's words were powerful and full of wisdom but she'd listen to Emily on any topic.
"Of course you can. What's up Lena?"
Lena breathed in. "We haven't found Ang or Fareeha yet. We got to the base they were at and they were gone."
"Oh... Lena, are you okay?" Emily's voice was full of worry. She knew Angela and Lena were good friends. This must of been tearing her apart.
"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just, according to Morrison, one of Talon helped break them out... I think this person called me."
"What did they want?"
"They wanted me to bring Ang's staff to them and not tell anyone about it. Thing is, this could just be a trap for all I know. What do I do luv?"
Lena heard Emily sigh as she thought it over. "What does your head tell you?"
"My head says that it's too risky and I shouldn't go."
"And what does your heart say?"
Lena thought deeply. "My heart says that I have to go. This could be my best chance at finding them."
"Then listen to your heart. That's what you did with me. Just, be careful okay."
"I will, I promise you. Em, I love you."
"I love you too Lena."
With that, Lena ended the call. She'd decided what to do. Emily was right, she had to listen to her heart and it was screaming at her to go through with this. All she needed was the location and she'd be over there instantly.
Crete, Greece- Several hours later.
Widow had managed to keep herself occupied while she waited for Sombra. She'd done a large shop and now the villa was full of food, drinks and other various things she may need.
Widow had cooked herself a meal for dinner, remembering a recipe she cooked when she was at her makeshift home in France. She'd left a lot of things at Chateau Guillard, things that were personal to her. Widow hoped that she would be able to collect them at some point.
After eating dinner, Widow had sat and watched the tv, finding a film channel and catching one that had just started. After an hour and a half the film ended and she was left with little else to do. She even debated trying to play the piano, that was sat in the corner of the room. She quickly dismissed this idea, as she had no idea how to even play in the first place. Since it was starting to get late, she decided to call it a night, assuming that Sombra wouldn't arrive till tomorrow.
Widow turned off the lights and walked upstairs to the main bedroom. She'd already washed off the makeup she was plastered in, so she simply made sure her rifle was within reaching distance, before taking her clothing off and climbing into the large bed.
It took her a while to drift off, her mind too occupied trying to answer the many questions she had. Eventually though, she fell into a deep sleep. However, as soon as she was asleep, she was transferred straight back into hell.
Widow was back in the Spider's lair and Amelie was curled up in a corner of the room. The Spider was no where to be seen, yet Widow knew she was lurking somewhere in the darkness. Widow ran forward, touching Amelie's arm to get her attention.
"NO!" Amelie shouted, desperately crawling away from Widow. "Please. Don't hurt me."
"I'm not here to do that." Widow replied, standing up but keeping her distance.
"I'm afraid you are Widow."
There she was, the Spider. She appeared from the dark, almost like she walked out of a cloud of smoke. Unlike the other times, there was one very distinct feature that was different. Her dark red eyes were now glowing.
Widow knew something wasn't right. Something bad was about to happen.
"I'm sorry Widow. I'm afraid we're running out of time. Amelie must die tonight."
Amelie walked a few steps forward, stopping right in front of the Spider. "What are you?"
"I told you. I'm..."
"Cut the crap. I know you're not here for my best interests. What do you really want?"
The Spider and Widow stared at each other, neither backing down. Widow noticed that the Spider's eyes got a darker shade of red and began glowing even more. Then it clicked.
"You're not her to save me. You're here to stop me escaping. You're part of Talon's master plan to keep me loyal. You're part of my conditioning... No wonder your eyes are so red, I'm defying you... Then let me make it clear to you. I will not kill her." Widow smiled to herself. She was winning, the Spider was powerless to stop her.
Or that's what she thought.
The Spider let out a loud laugh, forcing Widow to cover her ears. "Ah Widow, I tried being nice. Seems I'll have to take matters into my own hands."
Webs began to shoot out of the floor, wrapping around Amelie and holding her down to the floor. Widow felt an invisible force turn her around, then her legs started to move on their own. She'd lost control over her own body.
The Spider walked next to Widow as she was forced forward, straight towards Amelie.
"The balance must be restored Widow."
A step forward.
"You're stronger than her."
Another step.
"You're better than her."
Another.
"She is now irrelevant."
One more step.
"So end her miserable life. Choke her to death."
Widow knelt down, her hands wrapping around Amelie.
"Kill her. NOW!"
Widow's hands began to tighten around Amelie's neck, Amelie trying everything she could to get free of the webs. In the end, there was nothing she could do.
"That's it Widow. Balance must be restored. Let her die. Feel her die."
Amelie began to gasp for air, as Widow's grip tightened. Amelie began to lose consciousness, Widow seeing the life leaving her. This was the breaking point for Widow.
"No."
The Spider's smile left her. "What?"
"No. NO!" Widow regained control, leaping up and grabbing the Spider. Her hands went for her neck, clamping down around it.
"Let... me... go."
"NO! I AM NOT YOU'RE SLAVE! I AM NOT ANYONE'S SLAVE! NOT ANYMORE!"
The webs that held down Amelie let go, shooting towards Widow. She saw them heading towards her and dodged out of the way, giving the Spider time to stand.
Widow turned to Amelie, who was coughing and breathing heavily. "Amelie, run!"
She didn't need to be told twice, standing and running away from the violence. She wasn't able to get far, as a wall appeared in front of her.
"This is my domain Widow! I control everything here! I WILL NOT BE DENIED! Embrace what you are and kill her!"
Widow knew that tone. Only one person at Talon used that phrase.
"No! I'm going to end this, right now!"
"Someone has to die and if she doesn't, you will!"
The Spider short forward, almost at inhuman speed and attempted to grab Widow. She dodged out of the way and landed a hit on the Spider, sending her stumbling forward. This only angered her and the rage she held was let out on Amelie. Webs once again shot out of the ground and tied her up, forcing her into a sitting position.
Widow ran forward, swinging punches at the Spider, who effortlessly dodged them. Soon after, she returned with three heavy punches, causing Widow to step back and hold her chest.
"I know your every move before you've even made it. How can you possibly hope to beat me?"
Widow ran forward again, trying to hit the Spider but failing. Every hit was blocked, even the kicks she attempted got her nowhere. Eventually, the Spider grew bored and began its own assault. Widow managed to block a few hits but most managed to get past her, the heavy impacts causing her more and more pain. The Spider aimed for her head, causing her nose to start bleeding and finally bringing Widow down to the floor.
She knew she couldn't keep taking hits like that.
"Give in Widow." The Spider's eyes were now glowing a deep red, actually sending a chill down Widow's spine. Whatever this thing was, it had to die. Widow slowly stood back up, clutching her side before wiping away the blood coming from her nose.
"That all you got. I have all night."
The Spider chuckled. "I don't think so. Killing Gerard was too easy. At least you're putting up a fight."
Widow suddenly had a surge of energy. Anger filled her and sent power to all her muscles. Something took over her. A need for revenge.
Widow ran forward once again, sliding once she was close enough and avoiding the Spider's attack. She went for her legs, managing to catch her off balance. Widow stood and began her attack once again, punching and kicking the Spider faster than she could defend.
"I.. will not... be bested by... you Widow." The Spider said, speaking as it defended itself from Widow's attacks. However, Widow's new found strength had given her the edge and she managed to overpower the Spider. She forced it to the floor, climbing on top of her and punching her face numerous times, before clamping her hands around her neck once again.
"My name is Amelie Lacroix and I will no longer do your bidding!" Widow gritted her teeth, pure anger the only thing visible on her face.
The Spider tried to free itself, however, it was no use. Widow's grip was too strong. Its red eyes began to dim, quickly losing their dark red glow. Eventually, the Spider took its final breath, it's body going limp and the webs around Amelie loosened.
With nothing left to hold her in place, Amelie fell to the floor, quickly untangling herself from the webs and backing herself up against the wall, crawling as far away from the Spider as she could.
Widow meanwhile remained exactly where she was, making sure that the Spider was dead. Once she was sure, Widow stood up and looked over the dead body. The room also seemed to brighten, yet there was no light source to cause this.
"Is she dead?" Widow turned to Amelie, seeing her sobbing slightly. She walked over to her, leaning against the wall and sliding down it, sitting next to Amelie.
"Yes. She's dead."
Amelie immediately hugged Widow, letting all her emotions out. Without a second thought, Widow wrapped her arms around Amelie, letting her cuddle into her. "It's okay. She's gone. No one will ever hurt you again."
"No one?"
"No one. I promise you."
Without warning, Widow awoke from the dream, sitting up as she returned to reality. She was covered in sweat and breathing heavily. She sat for a while, calming herself down as she processed what just happened.
Widow looked at her hands. They were shaking and her heartbeat, while still slow, was quicker than usually. She felt different. Like someone had just opened a door and a breath of fresh air had swept in. Whatever that dream was, the outcome had changed her... and that scared her.
There was suddenly a ringing that filled the villa. Widow's eyes instinctively moved to the door of the bedroom, ready for anything. After she heard the ringing for a second time, Widow realised it was the doorbell. She climbed out of bed and found a dressing gown, making herself look decent before walking to the front door. Before she left the bedroom, Widow picked up her rifle, just in case she needed it.
As she reached the door, she placed one hand on the handle, while the other hid her rifle behind the door. She didn't know what to expect and she was still shaking after that dream. Thankfully, as she opened the door, a welcome sight greeted her.
"Hey Widow." It was Sombra, along with Mercy and Pharah. "Sorry I took a while. Had to..."
Sombra stopped, looking into Widow's eyes and seeing the fear in them. "Widow, what's happened?"
Widow felt herself go light headed and stumbled back, dropping her rifle and falling to the floor. Sombra ran forward and managed to catch Widow, stopping her from hitting the floor hard. She helped her up and walked her the short distance to the sofa, the two sitting down.
Angela meanwhile had ran to the kitchen, finding a glass and filling it with water. Fareeha didn't really know what to do, so she closed the door and picked up Widow's rifle, placing it on a nearby table.
Sombra now took ahold of Widow's hands. "Widow. What happened?"
Widow's breathing had slowed down now and she was no longer feeling light headed. Her hands were still shaking but no where near as bad as they were. "I had a dream... something's snapped inside my head Sombra... I'm... I'm scared."
Sombra pulled Widow into a hug. "It's okay. I'm here now."
Angela now appeared beside them, offering Widow the glass of water. She took the glass, still shaking slightly and took a sip.
"Amelie... What happened in that dream?" Widow didn't know how to react to Angela's question. She didn't know if she could trust Angela with something so personal. Fortunately, Sombra saw her hesitation.
"Widow... she's here to help you. You can trust her." Sombra said softly, hoping that she would open up.
"Can I? Can you help me?" For Angela, this was all the proof she needed. This wasn't the Widowmaker she knew. She sounded so vulnerable and desperate. She sounded more like Amelie again. She had to help her.
"Yes. You can trust me. What happened in that dream?"
Widow took a deep breath. "In my dream, there were two different versions of me. One was Amelie before I became this... the other called itself the Spider and looked like me, except with glowing red eyes. The Spider wanted me to kill Amelie. In return, she'd show me what I wanted to see. At one point, she managed to take control of my body and tried to make me kill Amelie. In the end..."
"You killed Amelie?" Angela asked, guessing the answer.
"No... I managed to overpower her... I killed the Spider. Now everything feels... different... like a door was opened inside my head."
Angela processed this information. "How many times have you had this dream?"
"Three."
"Were they the same dream? Or did parts change?" Angela asked, forming an idea in her head what these dreams could be.
"Each time was different. The first time I met the Spider. The second she tried to persuade me to kill Amelie. The third I killed the Spider."
Angela placed her hand on her chin, thinking over the facts she'd just been told. "I don't think that was a natural dream."
"Neither do I." Widow admitted. "The Spider... she sounded too much like Moira at one point."
Angela looked away slightly, saddened by the thought of what Widow had been through. Sombra meanwhile hugged Widow again and she rested her head on Sombra's shoulder.
"I think you should try and get some rest." Angela said to Widow. "Tomorrow, I'll sit with you and you can talk me through everything. I've read through some of your medical report, though I haven't read anything personal. Am I okay to read this?"
Even now, Angela had her doctor persona on. She didn't want to do anything that would make Widow feel uncomfortable.
Widow let Sombra go, turning towards Angela. "Oui. I have nothing to hide... and you need to know."
Sombra stood up with Widow, helping her towards the stairs. Just as they reached them, Widow signalled Sombra go stop. "Angela. Thank you."
"You're welcome." She gave Widow a welcoming smile, one that helped ease her mind further. With that, Sombra helped her up the stairs and back into the main bedroom. A few moments later and Sombra was back down the stairs.
"How is she?" Angela asked.
"She's okay, just a bit shaken up. I'm guessing you have some idea of what's going on?" She asked Angela, as Fareeha watched with her arms folded.
"I do have a few. That dream she had was possibly a final fail safe to stop her regaining her memories. Since it's failed..."
"She could start remembering a lot more?" Fareeha finished, joining in the conversation. She didn't understand as much as Angela but she picked up a little of what was happening, enough to get a rough idea.
"Exactly. It's like I said back in Switzerland, she's suffering from something like amnesia. Yet it's clearly more than that... Talon has done something to her, that's forced her memories back. There has to be something inside her head causing this, psychological or mechanical."
"Mechanical? How would that even work?" Fareeha asked.
"I'm not sure... Talon has done a lot to her, cooled down her body temperature, blocked her emotions... I wouldn't be too surprised if they'd put something inside her head as well."
"Maybe you should get some rest too." Fareeha suggested. "You'll be able to think more clearly in the morning."
"Agreed." Sombra said. "We should all get some rest. Hopefully, you'll be able to get a bigger picture tomorrow."
Angela nodded in agreement. With Widow hopefully now asleep, she wasn't getting further tonight. "Very well. I'll get to work tomorrow."
"There's another bedroom upstairs, first on the left. I'll take the one down here."
"How many bedrooms does this place have?" Fareeha asked.
"Three. I haven't changed this place much since I got it. No real reason, I'm not here often enough."
With that, Angela and Fareeha walked up the stairs, leaving Sombra alone. She noticed that Widow's rifle had been left on a nearby table, so she picked it up and took it into her room, not wanting to just leave it lying around but also not wanting to disturb Widow.
Sombra had a few plans for tomorrow. She guessed that Widow had been food shopping, so she probably didn't need much. However, she had already contacted Overwatch, in more ways that one. She considered that Mercy would need her healing staff at some point, so she contacted Tracer. All she needed to do was send her position and she'd come running. She just hoped that Tracer would be willing to listen.