*Venice: Talon Base*
After landing in the airport, they got onto the boat waiting for them and sped back to base, eager to resume their projects after weeks away from it.
"Finally! I can catch up with my shows!" SS28 exclaimed, her hair blowing in the wind.
Moira and Sigma ignored her as they scan the horizon, eager to see the hidden Talon logos under the bridges.
"How do you think Widowmaker is doing?" Sigma asked.
"Wasting her time, Sombra is not silly enough to take her on"
"Hmm… When do you think she will be back?"
"Why the questions Dr.?"
"No matter" he said, blushing slightly and decided to chat with the sailor, who was shocked that he gets to talk to the Sigma.
After sailing through an elaborate pattern which activates the door, their jaws drop when they reached the port of the underground base.
"What happened?" Sigma asked, shocked at what he is seeing.
Before them is a pile of bodies that the Troopers are still carrying out, many seem to be in pieces or even children.
"Your little projects decided to have a field trip when everyone is gone" Ogundimu said to Moira, who is shaking with fury,
She started to apologize but he waved it off.
"No matter, they serve little to no purpose anyway" he continued, eyeing 28, who shivered under his gaze.
Once they are in his now ruined office, they reported their success to him, who listened with great interest.
"And what has happened to our large friend?" he asked.
"As instructed, we left him to die. If he somehow escapes, Mauga will deal with it"
Nodding, he offered them all a drink which they accept, though SS28 only did so just to follow suit.
"Where is Widowmaker?"
"Oh, she is hunting down Sombra, she said it would conclude within a few days"
He nodded. Widowmaker has always wanted to kill her and it would be a shame to lose Sombra's trail now.
"You have all done well, as a reward you can all enjoy Venice for a couple of days, all expenses paid"
SS28's eyes lit up like fire whilst Sigma and Moira remain quiet.
"I do not think we would find Venice stimulating" Sigma raised up.
"I thought you would say that, so I have already prepared a seat in Teatro La Fenice for you" Ogundimu said, tossing him the tickets which hung in the air.
"There is a guest speaker from Vishkar Corporation who would like to meet with you, I think you would find her proposal interesting" he continued, passing the ticket to Moira.
"You… I suppose you do what you want" he finished, passing a card to 28.
All of them stared, confused and cautious at his generosity.
"If I may… What is the reason behind these rewards?"
"Just a token of appreciation for all your hard work, now go"
Bowing and thanking, they exited the office.
"You know your tasks?" he said seemingly into the air, taking a drink.
"Yes" three Assassins chorused, deactivating their cloaking device.
"Good, make sure that they are dead by the end of their… Holidays…"
*Gibraltar: Watchpoint*
Days have passed since London.
Today is the day where they will hold Emily's funeral. With a rare sign of kindness, Morrison permitted that she will be given an honorary burial upon Lena's request, making her one of the very few people permitted to be buried in Watchpoint.
Since the recall days ago, many have returned and will attend the funeral, though a large portion are confused why a stranger deserved such an honor or her relations with Lena.
As they pay their respects, various comments arose from them.
Some complained as many of their friends who died has been cremated before being shipped back instead, whilst some speculated that she must've been a secret and powerful agent, studying the body to see if it contains something more than human.
Lena ignored all of this as she sat in the room long after the crowd left, looking at Emily's body as she waits for the other's turn to visit.
Reinhardt and Torbjorn came in first, giving their condolences, both dressed in formal wear, which is a strange sight. Reinhardt will lead the pallbearers and Torbjorn will personally oversee the burial process.
"Where's Winston or Angela?" she asked.
"I saw them going into Mei's laboratory just a moment ago, said there is a meeting" Reinhardt said.
"But the burial is in half an hour!'
They merely shrugged as she blinks away.
"What could they be doing at a time like this?" she thought bitterly and was about to open the door when it burst open.
She just managed to step back when Quillion flew into the wall and crumpled to the ground.
"Apologize!" Winston shouted, his posture menacing.
"Cowards all of you!" Quillion shouted back, barely able to get back up as his wounds still look fresh.
Lena hid herself in the corner, wondering what caused this conflict.
Breathing heavily Winston stared as Quillion slowly stood back up. After realizing Quillion is not going to apologize, he slammed the door in his face.
Cursing, Quillion limped away, muttering to himself.
Once everything is calm, she blinked to the door and was shocked to hear someone crying.
"…he didn't mean that" she heard Angela said.
"He still should not have said that" Winston said angrily, pacing around.
"Yes… He shouldn't…" Mei sniffled.
"Common, let's get you cleaned up, Lena is waiting"
Blinking to the meeting room, which is now empty, she called Athena.
"How many I be of assistance?"
"Replay the conversation Quil had with the rest please"
"Certainly, please provide your rank and number"
A few seconds later, the video is projected onto the white screen.
*Gibraltar: Mei's Lab (15 minutes ago)*
Winston is the last to enter the room, Mei and Angela already seated as Quillion paced in front of a whiteboard.
"Alright everyone is here… Good… I just need at least one of you to help me. Just one. I have three ideas that is within each of your field of study that has been proven effective" Quillion said quickly, scribbling on the board.
No one said anything but looked at the time, each hoping that this 'vitally urgent' meeting will end quickly so they could be with Lena.
"Dr Zigler, I've read in your reports that you can bring someone back from the dead?"
"Err… No… I do not 'bring' someone back to life, I merely restart their bodies and-"
"Yes! I need that! Can you do it now?" he asked excitedly.
All three of them looked at each other when they realize what Quillion is proposing.
"Just answer the question!" he barked, making them jump.
She shook her head and Quillion felt his heart drop.
"Why? It worked for them!" he nearly shouted, pointing at the stack of files on the table.
"Quillion, what I do is science, not magic. For me to perform this procedure, it must be months from now and the body need to be to be recent"
"Months? I can work with months" he said, turning back to the board and began writing frantically.
"Mei, you specialize in ice and freezing yes? Can you freeze and keep the body fresh until Angela can revive her?'
"Mr Zero I…"
"It worked with seafood, it will definitely work with a body and-"
"If that were true, I could've brought my friends back to life, right?" Mei said with a hollow voice.
"We have to try! We can't just give up!"
"Even if you preserve the body, Emily is not compatible with my tools, I'm sorry" Angela added.
"That is impossibly convenient for you isn't it!" Quillion shouted, losing his cool the moment he heard her name.
"If you have read my reports regarding my time in Egypt, you will know that I am not saying it because of 'convenience'" she replied, kinder than people would expect.
Seeing that they are not willing to help, he turned to Winston.
"You are the mind behind the Chronal Accelerator yes? Can you built something that can freeze the body in time?"
"What?"
"You made something that anchors people in the present, you can definitely make something that stops time!"
He too shook his head.
"I had years of research regarding the Slipstream to work with, but this is an entirely different category" he said.
"How is it that different? It still involves time!"
"To anchor someone who lives inconsistently through time is nothing short of a miraculous discovery. But to anchor a constant within a specific time is impossible"
"Impossible?!" Quillion shouted, having totally lost his cool.
"You are a talking monkey! You are a dead raising angel doctor who always gives up when it matters, and you are some survivor of a useless weather research!" he yelled, pointing his finger at each of them.
At those words, Winston jumped up to his feet angrily and threw Quillion at the door as Mei burst into tears.
*Gibraltar: Watchpoint Meeting Room*
Lena sat silently as the footage ends, not knowing what to feel as she blinks away.
"Why would he be so stupid to do this… He should have known that I've already considered all those options…" she thought as she looks upon Emily's face once more.
The door opened and Angela walked in first, followed closely by Mei, then Winston.
"What took ya guys so long?" Torbjorn asked.
"We were just… Reviewing something" Winston said.
They stayed with her until its time to move the coffin to its burial site.
Every soldier and staff attended the service, saluting as the coffin passes, carried by Overwatch's most prominent members.
When they reach the end of the path, Lena walked up to the roof and gave the eulogy.
She delivered it professionally and beautifully as she recounted how she met Emily and the life they had together, shocking many at how 'average' Emily really is.
Gently lowering the coffin into its final resting place and Torbjorn oversaw its sealing.
Once the service is over, people drift back to their daily duties. The first to leave is Quillion, who stood in the shadows, barely able to stomach the eulogy alone.
Hearing Lena's calm and steady voice made everything worse. As if she has already accepted her passing. As if there is no more hope for her despite having capable people in the base. No more hope for him to make amends.
Filled with guilt, frustration, and anger, he ran back into the base to hide from the world.
Rushing into his room, he looked around, desperate for anything to numb his pain. But there is no relief to be found.
Again and again his mind replays the time Lena and Emily embraced one another in the airport, only to flash to the golden bullet that he should have stopped. Then to Emily's pale face, which is clearer than any other memory.
A constant reminder of his failure. His failure to protect the loved one of the one he loved.
"SHUT UP!" he roared at himself. He does not love Lena. He cannot. A failure does not deserve happiness.
A failure should only experience grief. And he is trapped in an ocean of grief.
Looking around, he saw himself in the mirror. The moment his eyes met his own, he felt sick.
Shattering the mirror with his fist, he welcomed the pain the pieces gave as they embed into his knuckles. He does not even deserve to see his own face.
He was about to throw another punch when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"I'm busy" Quillion said, but she blinked in anyway.
"Hey…" Lena said hesitantly, looking around at the room, reminding her of her own.
"Lieutenant…" he said quietly, looking down to the ground. She is the absolute last person he wishes to see.
"Since when do you start calling me by my rank?"
"Right… Sorry… Err… What… What are you doing here?"
"I came to see how you are doing" she said, trying to catch his eye.
Sighing heavily, he looked at the door, hoping she will get out.
"I'm doing fine"
To his annoyance, she sat down instead.
"If you are just going to sit there, I have to ask you to leave"
"I think it is time I tell you why Mondatta's death haunts me"
Hello readers,
I am here to announce that Thursday's post will be delayed to Friday same time.
Working from home has actually took up more time than I thought and have made an impact on my writing time, so yeah, apologies if the quality of the story have dropped.
This chapter will see revisions but the core concepts will remain.
Hope everyone will have a good day and stay healthy everyone!