A/N: Here we go...

Nate internal dialogue: Bold Italics. I.e: I don't care.
Dig(ghost)internal dialogue: Apostrophe-Bold Italics. I.e: 'I Don't Care'

The Darkest Knight

Part II: The Claws of Talon

Chapter 25: The Claws of Talon

Casey was having a good day. In fact she was having the best day of her life!

Her boyfriend had just proposed, and she giddily glanced at the ring on her finger. After five years, he had finally done it! Took long enough, but he at least did it!

She smiled and skipped along the sidewalk, not caring for the passing omnics or people that looked at her like she was tad off the rails.

She was in heaven.

And heaven was imagining her life with Thomas.

They could move to the frontier with her extended family. Maybe get a farmhouse where she could use her degree as a Vet to find stable work and he could pursue his mechanic dreams on the older, more classic vehicles out there.

They'd get a dog, no cats, and then have two kids.

A boy and a girl.

She wanted that. The boy would look like him, but he'd be a Mama's boy, and then the girl would be all for Daddy. They'd learn the skills of their respective parents, the girl would yell at Thomas when he got overprotective, and her son would cry in her arms after his first heartbreak.

They'd be happy.

They'd be-

Boom!

She stumbled to the side as the world shook and gasps filled the air.

Instinct screamed at her to move. So she tried.

With every fiber of her being she tried to move.

But it wasn't fast enough, and ten tons of rock ended Casey's life in a glorious showing of gore and death.

She wasn't alone.

Dozens began to run, and dozens began to fall around the crushed body of a girl named Casey as an echoping roar filled the city, and Skyscrapers began to shake.

The world shook.

And then the nightmare's began.

Angela Zieglar was many things. Scientist. Medic. Overwatch Agent. Lover of uncharacteristically childish men.

But what she wasn't, was a babysitter or an investigator.

She held back the frown as Mei mumbled something in her native language and they turned another corner on the streets of downtown Oasis. Cars blasted on by, a man whistled at a group of women on the other side of the street, and the sounds of a very alive city filled the evening air.

It was lively, that much she could admit, and when she was younger she very much would have enjoyed going out and having fun with the crowds. Contrary to popular belief, she was not a stick in the mud. She simply had priorities now.

Such as finding the two children Nathaniel had left behind in Oasis when he had jumped ship to go to Japan and save Hana Song. Again.

Granted she understood why he had gone. The problem was, he was supposed to be here, to teleport herself and Mei to them. But he had just left Mei in their hotel room, disappeared, and forced the poor scientists to find his cryptic note and follow his directions. It was irritating all the same, because they were supposed to meet the children in the morning, but Nate had up and vanished, leaving them to trek it on foot.

She shook her head as Mei's voice broke through her veil of annoyance, "I think we're almost there. It says to take a right here, next to the bar with a pool and floating front sign, and then it's the large warehouse on the left side with an old billboard above it for a cellphone."

The cryptic set of directions, courtesy of Nathaniel.

Angel pushed the thoughts of the irritating man back, then nodded at her fellow scientist. Mei responded with a smile and 'thanks', then the two glanced at the bar where a floating neon sign signaled the entrance and Angela briefly wondered what the place was like. It had a pool as its main attraction but from what she could tell they were serving food on surfboards to their patrons as well. Interesting concept.

Either way, it meant nothing, so she followed Mei around the next corner and into a street that, while still lively, was far less extravagant than the main avenue they had been on.

The signs here were older, some neon lit, others with just paint and backlights, and the night crowd was rambunctious and loud. There were stalls as well with souvenirs, foods, and other items perfect at home for the more… illegitimate part of the city. The streets were filled with hundreds of people wandering about and enjoying their night.

She tightened her grip on the sidearm hidden under her hoodie.

They were forced to squeeze through the crowds, but fortunately no one paid them any heed. They were either too focused on their drinks, on their dates, food, or a combination of the three. She studied the people around her, and most didn't even spare a glance back at her. Those who did were uninterested as they did nothing in response to her. Wearing a baggy hoodie, sweats, old tennis shoes, was not a recipe for attention fortunately, and they likely thought she was just a wandering bum.

Good. That was the point.

If they were being monitored by Talon or any other unsavory group, especially with their strongest agent away, then they needed to be careful.

She stepped around a large man with his arms around two women who were likely twenty years younger than him, and then a group of women rushed by her, dragging a young man into a shady looking pub by his tie, all the while giggling and running their hands down his arms and chest.

She frowned at the sight.

Even Oasis, the technological capital of the world, was still prone to the lesser aspects of humanity.

She huffed and shook her, pushing on through after Mei who was underrated by the crowds and everything within them.

They continued on in relative silence for around ten minutes, and eventually, the crowds began to disperse. The shops grew smaller, the bars fewer, and the stalls all but vanished from the streets.

Finally, Mei stopped, her head tilted upward and Angela followed her gaze.

A giant billboard. Rusted and old, over a warehouse with cracked windows, and worn paint. The building itself was around five stories high, and despite its lackluster appearance, at least blended in with the skyline of the city.

"I think this is it?" Mei turned to Angela, her brows furrowed.

Angela nodded, "I would assume so. It's the only warehouse nearby and we didn't stray from the path." She looked at the building over again, since she had only ever been inside and not outside there was a possibility of it being the wrong place, but she dismissed such thoughts and then glanced behind them to ensure no one was watching.

No one was, so she looked up at the buildings around them.

Too many windows, too many lights on higher up, but as far as she could tell, no one was watching them.

She gave a nod to her fellow agent, "let's go then. Better to be off the streets in case anyone follows us."

Quickly the two made their way across the street to the warehouse. A rusted, old fence surrounded the perimeter, but it was easy to find an opening and they quietly snuck through. The front of the warehouse, an old loading area and parking lot, was filled with debris of all manners. Most of it seemed like civilian owned appliances and furniture.

"I guess people use this palace as a dump." Mei muttered.

Angela gave a single nod, "likely. This place is old, though I do wonder why it's still standing."

"Historical significance?"

"It's a warehouse, not a statue or mansion."

Mei shrugged as they reached the front doors of the warehouse, large steel things that were obviously closed. Together they opened the two doors, which groaned in protest to the opening, but once they were past a certain angle, Angela noticed the creaking stopped and the doors held open on their own.

She spared a glance at the shadow filled interior, and drew her side arm. One could never be too careful after all.

Mei followed her lead, and the two slowly made their way inside the Warehouse. The entrance was dusty, and old machinery was randomly positioned throughout, though what purpose they had once served she couldn't tell. Eventually the entrance expanded open, and they entered the actual warehouse where hundreds of old crates, containers, and boxes filled the area. Dust floated everywhere, a musty smell filled the air, and their footsteps echoed.

Nothing ominous stood out, but the further they went, the light from the night sky and the Oasis city began to fade and Mei was forced to use the flashlight they had brought. The thin beam broke through the shadows with an eerie clarity, and a few rats scurried off back into the shadows.

Still nothing came for them, and relief began to loosen the tense muscles in Angela's back and arms. She knew there could still be someone following them, she wasn't the best infiltrator after all, but the fact no one had ambushed them in a dark, musty old warehouse was a huge relief.

But finding the Children was the question. They had been in a larger room yes, but the Warehouse was massive. It could easily take hours for them alone to search it all.

So as they searched the warehouse, and as no secretly stashed children came forth, Angela began to wonder if Nathaniel had led them astray. She shook her head. The man was arrogant, and an irritant, but he was not a traitor. That much she knew.

"Do you think Nathaniel gave us the wrong directions?" Mei asked as the turned into a new row stacked with creates.

She took in a slow, deep breath as she contemplated her response then let it out and said, "I don't think so. He likely was in a rush, so maybe he misremembered. But I doubt it was purposeful."

"Hmm." Mei hummed her agreement, "think Hana Song's okay?"

Angela frowned and pursed her lips before replying, "I don't know. If the report we received has any truth to it, then Nathaniel is going on a wild goose chase to find someone who obviously doesn't want his help."

"Maybe. I don't know what their relationship is, but the two were inseparable for a few months there."

Angela nodded, "they were, but things change."

"Things always change. Angela."

The voice was gritty, raspy, and had Angela jumping.

She raised her side arm on instinct, and aimed it right into the shadows behind them as Mei spun around to turn the light on the voice's owner.

It didn't matter though, Angela knew the voice by heart.

And her suspicions were only proven correct when the shadows moved and a mask of bone appeared in the floating darkness before them.

"Gabriel," She hissed.

A dark chuckle filled the air and the mask moved towards them, both women backing up on instinct as the shadows crawled and tipped ever closer towards them.

"What do you want?" She snapped, though if she were honest she already knew the answer.

"I already have what I want."

She furrowed her brow, and then the darkness shifted. Mei gasped and she sucked in a quick breath as the shadows lifted, revealing to them the Reapers armored hand that held a terrified Effi by the throat.

But it wasn't the boy...

She was confused.

Talon had gotten here first, that was obvious. But they had also spent a lot of resources trying to find the boy, and yet it was Effi they grabbed?

Something wasn't right here.

"Let her go, Gabriel! She's a child." Angela ordered and this time she stepped forward with her weapon raised at the bone mask.

"Why? We don't need the other kid, or you. We just need her. And there's nothing-"

"Let her go!" A roar of anger, and suddenly orange light filled the warehouse.

Scalding flames rippled through the air and slammed into the wall of shadow just as it coalesced back into pure darkness. The fire ripped the shadows asunder, but a chuckle once again filled the air as the shadows left nothing behind and retreated further into the warehouse.

There was a small thump and Angela turned to see the young boy. His eyes were wild, while soot and blood covered his face.

"How did they get Effi?" She asked, careful to keep one eye on their surroundings.

The boy, who now sported bruises and some dried blood over his arms, looked at her then spread his arms wide, "they come in the morning! They attack and I chase him to save Effi! You and Nate supposed to be here! You said you come here this morning!" His voice grew in volume and intensity and she frowned as his less than stellar english betrayed the depths of his anger.

She girt her teeth. Why had Nathaniel just left them? They had a plan! He was supposed to have been here.

"Where is Orisa?" Angela asked. While she knew the boy was right, Nathaniel's impromptu vacation had cost her time and directions. Without him, they couldn't instantly get to the warehouse, and if they had been here this morning, and when Talon arrived, it was possible they could have stopped the Reaper from getting Effi.

The boy glared at her then nodded behind him, "cleaning up. We try to catch that man and save Effi.". His body shuddered and though his eyes were firm, she noticed how ragged his breathing had become.

Had they been doing this all day? Since Talon had come?"

Her brow furrowed.

Why wouldn't Reaper just leave with his prize? If he had what they wanted, why would he wait till Overwatch agents arrived? Why would he-

Oh no.

Her eyes grew wide.

"It's a trap! We need to leave!" She lunged forward and grabbed the boy's arm, rushing towards the furthest part of the warehouse and away from the shadows where she knew Gabriel waited.

"Angela what's happening!" Mei half asked, half yelled, as she followed from behind.

The boy struggled in her grip, cursing her, and saying how he couldn't trust them either. She ignored him for now, more worried about ensuring that the three of them survived till tomorrow and so she pressed on, turning a corner and finding another set of double doors. These were smaller and wooden, going into what she hoped was either an exit or a back office area.

Anything to get them out of the open.

Suddenly the doors blew open.

Sparks, metal, and machinery flew through it, and Angela gasped as she grabbed the boy and shoved both herself and him as close to the nearest wall of crates as possible. Mei screamed and threw herself aside, and not a moment too soon, as the severely damaged body of Orisa flew past them and slammed into the warehouse floor further down from them.

The concrete cracked, the boy in her arms thrashed and cursed in anger, but Angela paid him no heed as she turned to look at the doors that were supposed to be her salvation.

A black billowing cape. Black and purple armor.

A sword, rolling with purple flames, and shadow.

Dull booms suddenly filled the air and the ground shook from the outside world.

Angela took a step back.

The newest opponent tilted their helmet tilted to the side.

"I take it Nathaniel isn't here?" The voice, deep, and metallic like before on the rooftop where they had so handily defeated Nate .

She grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes, refusing to speak as she pushed the boy behind her then raised her sidearm.

The person in armor sighed even as a dark, grim, chuckle sounded behind them.

They were far out skilled here, Angela knew that. She had no hope in defeating both Gabriel and this person with only Mei, a child, and a wounded Orisa.

Still, she held her head high and grit her teeth as the figure raised a sword and spoke.

"I am sorry for having to do this. But I need him here. He's mine."

I stared over the Tokyo skyline, watching silently as lights twinkled in the distance. Thunder roared in the horizon, but the rain had stopped at least, and no cars rolled by to irritate me with honking horns and grumbling engines.

But the serenity of the moment was minimal so I I turned away from it and looked at the large estate that was Marques's. His records, though locked by the South Korean Military, were largely unsurprising. A rich boy growing up in the United States, where his parents could afford to give him anything and everything. From private gaming tutors, to the best gaming setups, to a private education in the best private schools on the east coast.

It explained the Estate itself, along with the mounds of money that he had stashed in bank accounts across the globe.

What it didn't explain however was the fact that since the beginning of my stakeout, none of his teammates had returned, and none of the lights in the house were on.

I narrowed my eyes then shifted my weight on the tree top, the leaves shifting with a crunch as Dig's voice filled my head.

'I've triple checked every route here. From the day of the heist no one's come back. It's like all of them just disappeared.'

I frowned.

Granted I hadn't been expecting the rest of Hana's team to meet me with welcome arms, the fact that three of the six were unaccounted for was worrying.

Any chance they left the country?

'Not by commercial means. If they left through a private network I'd have to get physically next to the network to access it and see. Places like that aren't connected through the web.'

I huffed and finger the pommel of Last Word on my thigh.

Think any of them would know where Hana went?

'If Marques's words were anything to go by, then I doubt it. He seemed surprised she left them.'

We still don't know-

'Nate.'

The severity in his voice had me stopping and I blinked my eyes twice before giving him a mental nod to continue.

'Nate, man, we've done this dance before. Hana left them. She abandoned them. Just like Kathy's not coming back. You can't keep doing this to yourself.'

I grit my teeth and with a shake of my head, leapt down from the tree.

Hana's entire thing is being a hero dig. Remember how pissy she got when we insulted Overwatch?

I landed on the street side, my boots clunking on the old concrete before I straightened up and stared at the front gates of the estate across the street from me.

'Yeah, but it doesn't mean she's infallible.'

I drew Last Word in a lazy grip and started towards the Estate, keeping the corner of my eye on the street, the trees, and the sky.

Okay sure, she's not perfect, but that has nothing to do with this. So can we focus on seeing if anyone's here? And If no one is, we find that bullshit tablet, and try and see if we can trace its origins?

My ghost was silent for a moment, before he gave me a sigh.

Okay. Let's do that. But Nate we need to talk- Movement inside. Motion sensors just went off.

I nodded my head, tightened my grip, and turned my walk into a light jog where I reached the gates in moments. With a slight running start, I leaped up and hopped over the gates with ease.

My eyes scanned the surroundings, Last Word now raised, but nothing moved and nothing out of place drew my attention.

It made me feel worse.

With a frustrated sigh I started forward, lowering Last Word enough so it didn't obscure my vision, but keeping it in front of me so if I needed to I could have it up in a moment's notice.

'Odd. I can't get any camera view from Oasis.'

What do you mean?

'Not sure. I know I tapped the warehouse and the surrounding cameras systems, but I guess they're offline. Weird cause I didn't see any scheduled maintenance for them.'

Instead of replying I gave a half hearted shrug as we reached the front doors of the estate. Angela could handle anything short of a pure firefight, anbd with Mei at her beck and call now, I had faith they'd be fine. Plus Effi and the firebender kid had Orisa. Even I was wary about fighting her.

Pushing the thoughts from my mind, I glanced around and was once more met with nothing but the night air and the distant thunder.

I turned back to the door and looked it up and down.

"What do you think?" I asked aloud, gently pressing on the door to find it locked.

'Well nothing else has gone off since the motion sensor. I reckon maybe there's a pet inside. Or the system had a malfunction. Both are feasible enough.'

"Yeah," I stepped back and slammed my foot into the door. The lock snapped like a twig and the door flew open with a bang, "but since when has our luck ever been so forgiving."

'Touche.'

Without a reply I stepped into the front building, and as I had done so many times before in my own world, I swept the immediate area with a raised hand cannon, narrowed eyes, and grit teeth.

It was dark, not a problem for my own night vision courtesy my visor, but the lack of response of... of well anything had a pit forming in my stomach.

I kept my weapon up and started forward in a brisk, but silent walk. I kept my head high, and I noticed the proof of people living here. Food stuff was left out, clothing and a few bags opened. The Mekka squad had obviously been here, but from the looks of things no one had been here in at least a day.

I started down a hallway, a narrow and cramped thing that had me watching my motion sensor. Nothing moved anywhere near me, but the pit in my gut didn't go away.

The first door on my left was open and I ducked inside.

Clothing, a bag, and a laptop sitting open.

"Dig." I called out, and with a flash my Ghost appeared once we were both sure the room was empty.

He floated toward the laptop and a blue, fading light scanned over the machine. He twirled once it was done and turned to face me, "it's Koldens. The resident genius of the squad."

I nodded, "any idea why it's still here?"

"None. Last thing I see is he was searching for private flights out of the country. Three seats. But nothing was purchased."

"So the rest of the team was trying to flee, but didn't." I raised my hand cannon at the doorway and began pulling at the Light inside me, "why?"

Dig vanished in motes of light, "not sure, but the picture here isn't pretty."

I grit my teeth and left the room behind.

I continued through the hallway, checking each room, and finding nothing of relevance besides the personal belongings of the squad. Hana's room was the final one, and though I searched it too, I found nothing of relevance.

"Not even the tablets here." I frowned and kicked at the futon by my feet, my eyes going to the windows and the grass courtyard within the compound. It was a quaint view. Nice and peaceful, something Hana would've appreciated I think.

I let out a frustrated sigh, lowering my weapon as I started towards the hallway.

"Dig, see if you can find-"

Thunk.

I spun instantly, raising my weapon and lowering myself to avoid a headshot. It never came, but my eyes went wide as I took in the courtyard outside.

Silver gleaming armor, and a massive silver sword.

The giant Mech suit from Rio stood in the middle of the grass courtyard, pacing back and forth as it looked at me. I clenched my teeth.

I had vaporized this man back in Rio with a full blast of void and the power of Gjallarhorn.

How was he alive?

Adrenaline flooded my veins and I burst into a sprint right for the windows as Raze Lighter appeared on my back once again. With a running start I leapt into, and through the windows, shattering the glass, and landing in a roll on the grass courtyard.

The moment my roll hit its apex, I blinked, and I reappeared and drew Raze Lighter as I came face to face with the machine, which in turn had tried to back step my sudden assault, but it had miscalculated.

My blade soared for its chest, Sol power engulfing the blade as it slammed home and the machine stumbled back as the metal of its chest began to warp and melt. I growled as my feet landed on the things chest, and with a quick boost of light, leapt of its form and back onto the ground.

The machine stumbled back, lazily raising its sword as a voice echoed out from it, "the one who never dies is here for you, boy. My brother will be avenged."

"Fucking wonderful a twin I bet," I muttered before twirling my sword and letting Sol power engulf me, "how about this asshole, you leave, and you don't die. Don't be a dumbass like your brother."

"Ha!" A new voice, loud and manic barked out from behind me.

I turned, keeping the machine in my peripherals as I looked up to the roof of the main building in the estate.

A bald man, tall and lean, stood there with wild eyes, his body covered in some sort of suit that reminded me more of Reinhardt's armor than anything else.

I narrowed my eyes as he spoke, "now you will all sing for me!"

He raised his hands.

My eyes grew wide.

Around me, in a formation that loosely made a triangle around me, three people floated up into the air with a bluish purple glimmer.

Kolden. Ava. Julian.

Hana's team, alive but unconscious.

"Oh shit." Dig muttered in my helmet, and I was hard pressed to agree with him.

"So the Shimada and the Brit fail to show, but this is a far greater prize."

I scowled and looked directly in front of me.

Black cloak and robes, black hood, and red eyes stared at me from across the courtyard. The person from Rio, from Oasis.

"I take it you got bored of Oasis?"

The head tilted to the side, "never cared for it. But alas, I am not the one you speak of. The one you speak of… well, they very much have a personal vendetta against you. So we won't kill you, but we will make you suffer."

I stepped back, letting Last Word form on my thigh.

"Oh, if you so much as try to harm me, Widowmaker will put a bullet through the eyes of each of these… soldiers." The mocking tone in their voice had me growling and I lightly scanned the entire surrounding area for any sign of the sniper prodigy.

Of course, she was nowhere to be found and was likely too far away for me to even predict where her shots would come from.

"So what? You here for a rematch or some bullshit? Holding these three hostages so I don't kill you all where you stand?"

There was laughter next and the figure gave a flippant wave of their hand, "oh no. I care not for such petty things. The other does, they want you for themselves after all, but I care not. We simply needed them for Ms. Song's future cooperation and a deterrent for Overwatch."

Future?

So they didn't have her, but she was likely their next target.

Great.

I opened my mouth to reply but was interrupted with thuds.

Heavy footsteps from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder.

Golden armor, and a menacing grin.

Doomfist.

He raised his arm and turned a fist towards me.

"And this time, you won't have your friends to save you boy. For strength, is everything."

He slammed his gauntlet into his free palm.

"And we are the strongest there is."

Hana took a step back even as the leader of Russia clapped lightly and slowly made her way over to the once Idol.

Volskaya tilted her head at Hana, the taller woman looking down at her with a pleasant grin as she said, "a pleasure to see you Ms. Song."

"Yeah… A pleasure…" Hana managed with a mumble, her eyes flickering back and forth from Volskaya to the others.

The Hispanic woman stepped forward as the Pinked haired woman rolled her eyes, and the White Ninja simply stood still with arms crossed.

Her recruiter, the Hispanic, gave Hana a grin and raised her hands, "you already know Volskaya has an interest in everything that goes on correct?"

Before Hana could reply, Volskaya turned away from her, "She does. After all, she was very adamant in protecting her guardian angel from us back in South Korea."

That earned a frown from Hana, "he's not my guardian angel."

"Ah," Volskaya gave an exasperated gasp, "forgive me then. I assumed he was, considering he visited your home as vell. A little intimate for a vork colleague, no?"

Hana stepped forward, ignoring the glares from the larger pink haired woman, and jammed a finger in Katya Volskayas chest, "my relationship with him is none of your business! So why don't you shut up and tell me why on earth you guys kidnapped me just to bring me to your Batcave of all places!"

She was gifted with the light chuckle of the pink haired woman, "she has fire. I like her."

"Stop wasting time, Sombra and show her," the White Ninja was the one to speak, and Hana blinked as she caught the Hispanics name.

The woman in question, Sombra, sighed and waved a hand, "fine, fine, don't get your panties in a twist." She turned away from Hana and Volskaya and walked over to the large array of computers and consoles set up.

She started typing away as Volskaya glanced back at Hana, "come Ms. Song. It's time you meet the rest of us, and what we do here."

With that the Russian left Hana alone on the far side of the massive room, and she grimaced as she once again looked about for both escape routes and possible weapons for her own defense. There were so many weapons, but only two doorways.

Not that she realistically thought she could overpower all four of them. She was half the size of the pink woman after all.

After a shake of her head and a hesitant glance back at the door she had entered through, she finally followed after Volskaya.

Sombra was whistling by this point, and the White Ninja was none so subtly staring at Hana.

She glared at him, "what do you want?"

The Ninja gave a simple nod then looked back to the array of screens.

"Okay here we are! A thank you would suffice," Sombra managed with a shit eating grin and she gave a spin before reaching her hands up and out.

Five holograms appeared in the air before them, and five live feeds of five different people appeared.

"These are the other operatives of the Eyes of Osiris," Volskaya gave a nod towards the faces floating above them, "Osiris, this is our newest recruit, Hana Song of the South Korean's Mekka Division."

Five people glanced at her and one gave an audible sigh, "Look, we're on a time table. The Claws are about to rake and we're really meeting?" A woman with white hair, red eyes and a cowboy hat over her head. A dangerous beauty that anyone would have immediately been able to classify as a 'don't piss off if I enjoy living' type of person.

Sombra was the one to respond, her mocking tone gone and her eyebrows furrowed even as she inspected her nails, "the time table moved up for Japan. We had to intervene to ensure Song wasn't taken."

The White haired beauty gave a nod, "well, my boys are moving in as we speak. They'll hit the facility just as planned."

"What facility?" Hana stepped forward and glanced at the screens then at the people around her, "and what time table? And what the hell are we even talking about!"

"The Eyes of Osiris," it was a woman from the screen, dark haired, dark skinned and with a blue robe over her, "is dedicated to doing what no other organization has been able to do. Stop them."

"Who?" Hana asked with a wild shark of her head and manic eyes, "who are we trying to stop?"

The White haired beauty gave a snort, and then it was Volskaya who spoke up, "them is them. The Illuminati, the Freemasons, the Knights Templar, all names they go by. Ve don't know yet who they are, or vhat they are called, but ve know since the dawn of the fifteenth century, they have ensured the rise of empires, the fall of kingdoms, and the decimation of states that threatened to upset the status quo."

Hana opened her mouth to reply, a disbelieving look in her eye but the older woman continued without consulting anyone else.

"Ve know Talon is vorking for them, the goals are too randomized and too contradictory to point out anything else," Volskaya then nodded towards Sombra.

The Hispanic woman gave a flimsy wave as attention returned to her and then stated, "and I infiltrated Talon two years ago on my own to discover who is to blame for everything."

"We caught her before Talon did," An Omnic, old but with a robe over his form, spoke from the hologram screens, "and ever since we have been pushing for more allies across the globe. We are trying to find them and stop them before the next war."

That, made Hana's eyes widen.

"Next war?"

Nods all around and she shook her head as Volskaya continued, "Talon's goals have been to sow chaos over the past twenty years. They have succeed numerous times, but with the assassination of Mondatta, with your kidnapping, and with the sacking of the UN we were able to establish what exactly they were planning."

"War." Sombra's face was passive and her eyes ice cold. She stepped forward and started typing on the screens again even as her voice floated back to them. "Talon grew as Blackwatch at first, the claws of Overwatch led by Gabriel Reyes."

A picture flew up in a hologram and the form of the Reaper appeared, "I'm unsure what happened but when Overwatch fell he emerged as the Reaper. He took strange jobs in his time leading Blackwatch. Assassinations, destabilization-"

"Arson." The White haired beauty spat with a twinkle to her blood red eyes.

"Hmm," Sombra gave a nod of confirmation, "but with my infiltration I was able to sneak into their servers and discover certain… plots."

"She stopped the assassination on me," Volskaya said, and Hana stepped back.

It was too much.

This was a world ending conspiracy.

It couldn't be true.

It-

"Yes," Sombra managed, "we failed Mondatta, but then I was moving to intercept the Assassin planned for you, when an… outlier appeared."

Hana's covered her mouth.

"Nate."

Again, nods from all around.

Then the White haired beauty spoke up, "and ya boy toy interrupted Talons plots too. In fact his fight in Rio killed one of their top lieutenants and then they lost two bases to him and Overwatch's interference."

"Which let us move without any eyes on us," The Omnic again, voice deep and metallic as he spoke, "and so we were able to discover just what the plans were. So we found it. War. Omnic vs Human. A war to ravage the world where only the strong survive and even the Omnic groups, like Nexus are in on it."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Hana blurted it before anyone could continue, her mind reeling and her breath short as she shuddered, "I have- I have no- no idea why they would want that! It doesn't profit anyone!"

"Are you sure?"

The words silenced her and the woman in the blue robes spoke up, "the company I work for saw unbidden access to sectors of the world they had never been allowed in before the first War. They were allowed to develop dangerous technologies that allowed even simple criminals to fight off agents of Overwatch."

"We ain't gonna be talking about those idiots ain't we?" Red eyes and white hair groaned.

Volskaya turned to Hana, and the taller woman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "even Overwatch vas spurred to form by someone. Ve don't know who, but ve want to find them before the War can begin. Stop them and shatter the alliances of groups like Talon and Nexus."

She stepped back and shook her head grabbing at her hair and pulling, "but Overwatch-"

"Mam, it's happening." The pink haired woman stepped forward and held out a phone.

Volskaya sighed and ran a hand over her face. "Ashe?

The white haired beauty responded, "the boys are in place. We'll hit the compound in twenty and it'll look like a simple robbery gone wrong." A dangerous, hungry grin found its way onto her lips.

"Vishkar is also on the move. I'm watching our stock prices fall rapidly now." The blue robbed woman spoke up, "They are likely moving on the cities as we speak."

"Confirmed." The Omnic this time, "the United States embassy and the Headquarters of the Korean Military have both been bombed as of five minutes ago as expected."

"What!" Hana yelled, she turned to Volskaya for answers but the woman held up a hand and gave Sombra a rolling hand motion.

The Hispanic clicked away and suddenly seven larger screens appeared before them.

Hana gasped as the scenes played out.

The US Embassy and the headquarters, her General's headquarters, were burning and half collapsed.

The Parliament building in the UK was rubble and half the surrounding area was on fire.

Oasis's downtown was burning and helicopters and hovering fire trucks alike were rushing to put out the flames.

In the capital of Argentina, its leaders, Omnics, were being executed on live TV by a group of masked revolutionaries.

Germany's largest nuclear plant detonated. The surrounding city was turned to ash.

Sydney's Opera's house was crushed as the city was besieged by a massive Omnic creature ridden by plankton and debris.

"What…" was all she managed.

Everyone was quiet.

The scenes played out.

People were dying. Children, Women, men, even Omnics. It mattered not.

Homes were burnt down, stores were crushed, Skyscrapers fell. Armies were mobilized, the scenes changed and press conferences around the world were beginning.

It was horrifying. It was something out of an apocalypse movie, but it was happening in real time.

"It's fake right?" She asked and looked at Volskaya.

But the newly formed bags under the woman's eyes, the frown on her face and the way her chest shook with every breath hinted that it wasn't.

She looked to Sombra when the Russian failed to respond.

The Hispanic didn't meet her eyes.

"Why… Where's Overwatch? Why… what are we doing?" She grit her teeth and stepped closer tot he scenes, "we're doing something right?"

"Yes and no."

It was Ashe.

The woman leaned towards her screen, "we're hitting Talon, Helix, and Nexus Operations around the globe. Cyber Warfare and conventional. But this is their move and we have to let it happen, or else it will get worse."

"We have to stop them." Hana managed, cupping her mouth as more words began to bubble out and tears filled her eyes.

"Ve can't." Volskaya stepped forward and looked at everyone gathered, then the woman's eyes landed on her and narrowed, "even Overwatch in their prime was not this connected. Our only chance is to let Talon use their plans and reveal their hand and their true leaders, and for us to stop them once ve know who they serve. Only if ve cut out the root, will this problem cease."

Volskaya raised her hands and roared, "take it in all of you! Take in the horrors of Talon and what the secrets of this world wreak! This is only the beginning!"

Burning eyes met Hana Song's.

"So welcome and embrace, the Claws of Talon, Hana Song."

A/N I wanted to put Lena's POV here, but the immediate plot needs to keep moving so we'll have to wait a chapter or two to see the future timeline.

Nonetheless, now we get the namesake of the second Arc of this story. Initially I had aimed for this to be with Hana and Nate in Tokyo getting ambushed, but then the more I planned it out, the more I realized that wouldn't work. With everything that's going on, as Volskaya explains, it only makes sense for Talon to move up their time table and take action. We know Overwtach and Nate have been searching for months for Talon and have been hunting the Nexus. But they aren't strong enough yet to deal with this threat, and Nate is one person. He's not invincible, or omnipotent and he can't stop all of this at once. He may be immortal, but he's not perfect, and this world wide event is going to have massive ramifications for every character.

The last Arc was supposed to be more intimate, with 'big' events, being the UN fight and Nate being pardoned so to speak. HERE we get actual big events and how the world will respond. Nate's actions from the last ARC VERY MUCH have an influence in everything happening. From Rio, to the UK, to every encounter with Talon he had, has led to these moments. Every decision he, Hana, and Overwtach have made, directly affects everything happening here.

Not gonna lie, this arc has maybe five more chapters in it. And the ending is gonna be intense for ya'll if you're invested in this story. (Intense in a good way). But then we have another Arc so the story continues either way! Lol.

Anyway, review, enjoy, and support when ya can!

God bless!

-Metal4k

Www. P A tre on / Metal4k