*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Holding Cells*
Lena took a deep breath outside the cell door, thinking about what to say before she asked Athena to unlock the door.
"Heya! Tracer here!" she said as she walked in to... An empty room.
"Err… Athena? Where is he?" she asked out loud before an arm wrapped around her neck as another hand grab hers, pinning her against the door, choking her.
"Lena! Watch out!" Athena shouted.
Instinctively, Lena jabbed an elbow to the ribs, which was unusually effective as the attacker's grip weakened immediately. She took advantage of this momentary weakness by grabbing his hand, which was strangely thick, resulting to another cry of pain.
Twisting the arm around she kicked a leg and effortlessly knock her assailant to the ground.
She looked down saw that it is Quillion.
"Do you require assistance?" Athena asked quickly.
"No I think I got it, think you could warn me before an attack next time?" Lena asked sarcastically.
"Forgive me, his actions were too random to – "
"It's fine" Lena cut her off, letting go of Quillion's broken hand "You okay luv?"
He did not answer but continue to groan in pain, she noticed that he tied a pillow to his broken ribs and the bandages used for his hand is made from torn sheets, which explains why it felt unusually thick.
"Not a bad attempt, not many can get the jump on me, you should be proud" she said in a cheerful tone in hopes of getting him to talk.
Seeing that Lena left the door open, Quillion darted out of the room, which Lena watched with amusement.
"Shall I sound the alarm?" Athena asked.
"Nah, I think it'll be fine" was the reply before disappearing in a blue light.
Quillion has no clue where he is going, his only objective now is to retrieve his weapons and escape. His ribs are screaming in pain and his hand is throbbing violently so he needs to be quick.
"Not good" he thought to himself, if anyone tackles him now, he doubts that he will be able to fight them off.
"Hey, you don't have to run ya know" he heard her say behind him, whom he promptly ignore.
"Look I got good news for ya" she said, walking alongside him casually, her hands behind her head "We've decided to let you go if you answer a few questions, easy yeah?"
Continuing to ignore her, he peeked around the corner and watch when a door swung open and a throng of people walking out of an unknown room.
"Where do you plan to go Quil?" Lena asked a little too loudly.
He whipped around and put his unbroken hand over her mouth in an attempt to keep her quiet, but before he could get a good hold on her, she disappeared and appear behind him.
Out of reflex, he lashed out his elbow for her chin but his ribs made a noticeable cracking sound midspin, causing him to drop to his knees in pain.
"Common now, there's no need for that" she said as she squats down, speaking with him at eye level "You're walking around with me, I don't think anyone would give us any trouble"
It took a moment for Quillion to catch his breath before finally "Okay... You win..."
"Hey! He talks!" she said cheerfully.
"Think you can get me to a medic first? I need something for the pain" he said through gritted teeth.
"You promise you won't run away again once we treat you? And that you'll answer any question I ask?" she asks with an eyebrow raised.
Quillion remained silent for a moment before finally saying "Fine… I promise…"
"You sure?" Lena ask again, causing Quillion to give her a murderous look.
*Gibraltar: Medical Ward*
"Are you sure that Jack cleared him for medical attention?" Angela asked behind her desk, her features tired from hours of the recent operation.
"Yup! He has been a good prisoner" slapping him in the back, causing him to wince in pain "So he gets to have some meds"
Angela's eyes narrowed and after a few painful moments, she finally sighed and said "I don't even know why I bother, I should never deny any patients, even if our resources are limited"
"You're the best Ange!"
She stood up and walk to a cabinet where she pulled out a glowing bottle filled with blue liquid and opened it. She passed it to Quillion, who took it gingerly, unsure of what to do with it.
"Think of it as medicine" Angela instructed "Normally I would inject them but your injuries only require you to drink it"
His eyes widen at those words. Drink a bottle full of strange glowing blue liquid? She can't be serious.
Lena smiled and dipped a finger into the bottle to taste it in front of him.
"See? It is not poison if that is what you are wondering"
Reluctantly, he sipped the contents slowly, then gulping it down eagerly as he experiences much needed relief from the pain.
Satisfied, Angela took the empty bottle from him, instructing him to remain seated so they could observe if he will experience any possible side effects, she returns to her desk.
"So, since we are waiting, I'm going to ask the 2 questions now, don't forget your promise!" Lena said, to which Quillion sighed and nodded.
Of the many flaws in his character, he prided but hated himself for always keeping his promises.
"Only 2" he said.
"First question, how long exactly have you been frozen?"
"Don't you already know that?"
"I'm asking the questions here" she said playfully.
Quillion sighed again as he tries to recollect everything as he carefully avoid her eyes, he knows that the moment he meets her gaze then she will have the upper hand in the questioning.
He remembered waking up in a strange desolated world and rapidly flipping through the screen of his barely functional tube before it finally ran out of power. The date was…
"What year is it?" he asked
"2076" Lena replied, at the edge of her seat, his answers now will determine if he will be a free man or prisoner.
"Then… 32 years give or take" he said as he rubbed his eyes, haunting memories that he set aside came flooding back, the sudden Omnic assault, his friends dying, his Sergeant staring back at him, lifeless and hollow.
Lena waited a moment before pressing on with the next question.
"Back in the shuttle, you said you were part of a program, what was it?"
"No" he replied loudly, causing Mercy look up from her reports momentarily "That is classified"
"But the Malaysian army has been gone for years now, I'm sure you don't have to protect anything anymore" she objected.
"Let's just say there are others involved in the project" he replied, sounding annoyed now that he is even entertaining the question.
Seeing Quillion is becoming more tense, she decided to switch tactics.
"Ya got a girlfriend?" she asked.
What? He looked at her in confusion, even Angela looked up from her reports again.
"N-no, never had time for a relationship" he replied confusingly.
"Oh? Why not?" she asked with an innocent tone.
"War" he replied simply "The MGF fought in various countries so I was always on the move"
"Sounds lonely" she said softly, he notice she has been somewhat saddened by the news.
It is the first time he saw her sad.
"Nah" he said, trying to sound more enthusiastic to cheer her up "My squad was always there with me"
"Oh? How many were in your squad?"
"5 including me" he replied with a smile "We were the best"
"Do they sketch as well?"
"They could" he said with a laugh "But I was our main recorder, they have always preferred fighting rather than book keeping, bunch of idiots, caused us so much trouble"
Lena stayed silent as he chuckled, a wide smile on her face as he just confirmed everything Jack needs to release him.
"How about you? Got a boyfriend?" Quillion suddenly asked, looking at her as she recoiled slightly to the question.
"Oh, I had a few before but didn't work out, they were a bunch of twats" she replied.
Angela suddenly spoke up, making both of them jump.
"Looks like there are no side effects from the medicine and your bones should be healed, you may continue your discussions elsewhere" she said as she stood up and opened the door, indicating them to leave.
"Thanks Ange!" Lena said as she jumps to her feet and walked out of the room.
"My bones are healed?" Quillion as with surprise.
He gingerly tested his fingers and stretch, amazed to find that he is indeed cured.
"This is great, guess I can still play the guitar"
"Just an advice, I think you should focus on someone else besides Lena" Angela said quietly to him.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"You are attracted to her, aren't you?" she asked, closing the door slightly.
"Why would you assume that?" he said a little too quickly.
Angela looked at him inquisitively before saying "Well, you answered more than 2 question after looking at her"
"That was…" he began but unable to think of a reason. Why did he continue answering the questions?
"Hey!" Lena poked her head back into the room "Hurry up! Jack and the rest are waitin' for ya!"
Angela gave Quillion one more look as he walk out of the Medical Ward.
"So... Who is Jack?" he asked Lena.