Kamilah was oddly calm – so cold that she was nearly afraid of herself – after the family had dispersed for the night, since their revelation. Fareeha had locked herself in her room at Kamilah's request. Ana fell into a heavy silence, lips thinned in the same way when the Captain had secrets to keep, then sequestered herself in the study. Though she would've liked some clear answers, Kamilah let Ana go – god knew she'd spent her whole life chasing after Ana's secrets, and she was tired of doing so with nothing to show for it.
No, she wouldn't fall back into that same habit of clutching at falling pieces, tight to the point of blood. For once in her damned life, Kamilah allowed herself to let go, to allow everything around her to crumble away after years of holding it together out of desperation. She'd paced, then came to a stop in her bedroom, bathed in moonlight as she stood by the window, eyes closed. She waited for the sensation of falling, of her ground dissolving beneath her feet – but it didn't happen.
She was here. Still standing.
Her hands curled into fists, clenched knuckle-white, trembling. A breath, exhale. She allowed her fingers to unfurl, cold clarity seeping into her veins – a long-forgotten feeling.
She was here. And she was still in control.
Kamilah knew what she would do.
She sat on the sofa, arms-crossed, eyes closed as she listened to her wife and daughter punt points of argument back and forth with increasing aggression. They tried to dance around old grudges threatening to burst through, by focusing on Winston's video, whose blame it was to have detected it, decoded it, and their options from here on. But the longer they pecked at each other, the further their patience frayed – Kamilah heard it in the rough undertone of Ana's voice, the occasional upward pitch of Fareeha's timbre from indignation, soon to turn rebellious.
And it did.
"You know what, forget this! It's all back to you, trying to control what I do–"
"Oh, we're back to making ami the scapegoat again, aren't we? Just because she's reminding you of the dangers you so blatantly ignore–"
"I am well aware of the fucking dangers, I'm not 18 anymore!"
"Yeah? It's hard to tell because you're acting like one!"
"That's enough."
"I'm acting like one, or you just wanna see me as–"
"That's enough!"
Fareeha's voice died instantly, and their eyes cut towards Kamilah as if just remembering she was present. Seconds passed in silence while Kamilah simmered, and neither woman dared break the sudden ceasefire – though from their fleeting glances at one another, they were still ready to fly at each other's throats.
"We are not going to argue over this."
"Milah–"
"I know where this is going, and I'm not foolish enough to think either of you can be dissuaded. I won't try to. Not anymore."
"Mama…"
"You – the both of you – will go to Gibraltar. Do whatever you want."
Their expressions turned quizzical, thrown off by a response they clearly didn't expect.
"And I will go as well."
"What!" Both women burst with indignation, taking a step towards Kamilah, then stopped dead when a glare pinned them down.
"You have two choices – either all three of us go to Gibraltar, or we stay."
"Mama, this is a bad time for a joke."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" The chill in her voice made Fareeha lapse into silence, not unlike a frightened recruit. Ana didn't share her daughter's fear, not in the same vein – her lone eye was fixed on Kamilah, trying to figure out what ran through her wife's mind.
"I won't sit back and fret over the two of you while you're out there, doing god-knows-what. Not again. I've been through it once, and I refuse to do it again. Both of you can go, do whatever you want. But you won't stop me from going to Gibraltar either."
Two dumbstruck gazes slid away from her, and connected with a depth of understanding they hadn't shared since Fareeha had become a teenager. It would've been funny, if it hadn't taken such a drastic declaration to inspire this mutual understanding.
Kamilah rose to her feet, gaze moving steadily between Ana and Fareeha. Her shoulders were straight, spine rigid with authority she hadn't worn since she'd placed her uniform in the wardrobe for the last time, never to touch it again.
She tilted her head, an impassive mask on her face when neither woman moved.
"Well? You'd better start packing."
Kamilah had never thought she'd touch the clothes from the military again – not with the intent to wear them once more. Her jaw was clenched as she rolled up standard-grey t-shirts and placed them neatly in the duffel bag. The only consolation she found was that she could still fit into them. She shook her head, wry smile quirking her lips despite the situation, then paused when footsteps entered the room. She didn't have to look to know the light-footed strides belonged to Ana.
"Milah." Ana hesitated, then sat on the floor beside her. "There's still time for you to…"
"I said I would punch the next one who tries to talk me out of this, and I will. Are you willing to risk that, Ana?"
A quiet chuckle. "I do miss getting my ass kicked by you."
Ana fell quiet, steepling her fingers together as Kamilah threw more clothes into the duffel. She knew well it was too late for dissuasion; after all, Ana had been the one to brief Fareeha and Kamilah on how to reach the Gibraltar base without being detected and followed. Fareeha, who'd agreed to 'escort' Kamilah, was no doubt still in her room, studying the map of underground tunnels between the city and base which Overwatch agents had used to move in secret.
"To be honest, I…" Ana faltered, then went on. "I don't feel comfortable about this."
"None of us do," Kamilah said flatly, then looked at Ana. "You think this is uncomfortable? Imagine how it feels to sit at home and twiddle your thumbs, with no news of your own family who's half the world away."
Ana's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "I think I can, actually."
"Good for you. Because that was how I lived most of my life."
The smile fell away, and Kamilah hated the haunted expression on her wife's face. They'd come so far, only to be dragged back into the mess they'd tried to escape. They had escaped, if only for a little while. This turn their lives had taken was sickening, and filled Kamilah with spite enough to strangle life to its knees if she ever got the chance.
"It will be dangerous."
"I know."
Ana's lips parted, but she seemed to think twice, before saying, "Don't worry. Even without my cyber eye, I can keep you safe."
Kamilah shot a dry glance at Ana's crooked smile. "And I suppose I'll have to patch you up whenever you 'keep me safe'?"
"Just like old times." Ana hugged Kamilah by the shoulders, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. "I won't let you come to harm. I swear it."
At her own insistence, Ana remained in Cairo longer, citing vague reasons about tying up loose ends. She'd sent Fareeha and Kamilah off at the airport, breathed a warning for them to be careful, and only let them go when Fareeha, in particular, had nodded. Ana stayed at the departure hall until her family cleared the queues, then rode away in the family car to drop Latte off at the shelter. Her heart had twinged when the kitten meowed up at her, but she gave it a good scratch behind the ears, wished it a good home, and kissed its little face in farewell.
Leaving the shelter with a kitten-sized hole in her chest, Ana drove into the city centre and parked outside a less popular cinema. Taking to the sidewalk on foot, Ana blended into the Saturday crowd and slipped her phone from her pocket, opening what looked like an innocuous map app. She thumbed an option at the bottom of the screen, and the Overwatch software performed a quick scan, producing two red markers following behind her.
Her lips thinned. She'd hidden this from her family – one last secret, if possible. She'd had a feeling of being watched since two weeks ago, even caught glimpses of figures ducking out of sight when she turned around. She hadn't thought it a threat; it wasn't uncommon for some to think she looked like Captain Amari even in her holo-disguise. But a string of unexpected texts to her old work phone had confirmed her worst suspicions.
[Ana, it's me. Jack. Using a burner cell, but line's encrypted.]
[Watch your back. I'm being tailed.]
[Caught Talon IFF from one of them. Use safehouse codes if you need. Still works.]
[Watch for family too.]
[Call me on here if you need help. Stay safe.]
The man was sweet beneath his gruffness, she gave him that. But his loyal bravado wouldn't help them in this situation; having the former Strike Commander fly to his Captain's side would only draw more heat from Talon. Besides, her tails had been sloppy – either they were novices assigned to an unimportant task, or they wanted her to know. Either way, Talon would know of her awareness by day's end.
Ana charted an innocent course at first, pausing to look at random window displays with feigned interest. Then she bought a small cup of black coffee from a roadside stall, and laid a tantalising crumb. Throwing an obvious, suspicious glance over her shoulder, Ana started taking less crowded streets, winding farther away from the city centre. She needed a more secluded place to take care of these two, and had no doubt she'd find it near the refugee camps at the city's borders.
When the tents came into view, Ana swerved away from them, going deeper into a section of buildings ruined by the failed omnic attack. Picking out two half-crumbled apartment blocks, Ana strolled into the alley between them, relieved to find no squatters dwelling in the rubble. Positioning herself in the alley, she turned around to face the road, waiting patiently for her pursuers.
Soon enough, two men turned into the alley – and stopped short. She refrained from clicking her tongue at their hesitation before they drew pistols from holsters hidden beneath their black jackets.
"Good afternoon." Ana shot them a warm smile, then sipped from her cup. "I hate to break your hearts, but I don't do autographs."
They glanced at each other, came to a silent agreement, and cocked their pistols.
"Poor judgement, Amari," one man growled. His accent was local. "We would've left you alone if you'd remained...ignorant."
"And now that I'm decidedly not ignorant?"
"We'll have to bring you in."
Ana let a few seconds pass in what seemed like hesitation, then sighed. "If I go with you, you'll leave my family alone."
"Our orders are only for you."
"Shut up, idiot," his partner snapped – Arabic, but not local. He aimed his pistol at Ana's leg. "I don't trust her."
Ana cocked her head. "How wise."
In a single move, she moved her leg forward, and swung her cup at the agents. The shot went wide as steaming hot coffee splashed over them, and while 'idiot' tried to aim at Ana – slowing to look for non-lethal spots – she lunged towards him. 'Idiot' went down from a clean punch to the throat.
The non-local snapped a curse at her, and Ana ducked, ears ringing from a shot that punched into dirty concrete behind her. Shooting up from the crouch, Ana slammed the meat of her palm under his chin, getting a sickening crack as he stumbled backward. A kick to his crotch made him fall to his knees, pistol clattering to the floor. She kicked it out of reach, then kneed him in the nose, sending him to the floor unconscious.
Satisfied that she was still sharp, Ana knelt down with a smile, and turned the man facedown. Running her fingertips along the back of his head, she stopped when she felt a metallic bump on his skull. Ana pushed the hair away, and found a tiny black dot on the man's scalp – a microchip courtesy of Talon. Some things don't change.
Lips curling, Ana wiped her hand on the man's immaculate jacket, and rose to her feet. Stepping over 'idiot's inert body, Ana took her phone and typed quickly.
[My tails are down. Confirmed: Talon]
[Going to visit an old friend. Not sure if you know]
[But the way things are going, I suspect we'll meet again soon]
[Until then, take care]
Ana stayed in Cairo a day longer, taking essentials from Overwatch safehouses and updating their security locks, before she took a flight to Gibraltar. From town, she picked her way carefully to the outskirts, keeping a watchful eye on her map for any tails. Thankfully, none followed her, and Ana entered the tunnel entrance unimpeded, following the unlit passage upslope, until it ended at a set of reinforced alloy doors. She laid a hand on the scanner set beside it, the device lighting up in recognition...but the doors didn't budge.
She frowned, and had reached for the keypad when a pleasant, modulated voice spoke through a speaker hidden in the rocks.
"Captain Amari. I am glad to see you again."
"Athena," Ana greeted. "Nice to hear your voice too."
"You know, I would have appreciated some warning before you sent your daughter here to crack my safety protocols with your own codes."
Ana smirked. "Did it work?"
"No. I have updated much in my programming since Winston reactivated me. But I was here to let them in."
"Good to know. Thank you." Ana looked at the camera above the doors. "May I enter, then?"
"Of course. Welcome home."
The doors slid open to reveal a set of stairs, which led her up to the base's back entrance, near the hangar. Looking over the familiar surroundings, Ana heaved a sigh, adjusting the duffle's strap on her shoulder as she made for the gates.
"Captain on deck!"
Ana jumped, barely registering the blue streak of light, just as a chipper young woman appeared out of nowhere.
"Lena," she sighed. "Be careful who you blink up on. I'm getting old."
"Funny, your wife said the same thing." Lena laughed. "Sorry."
"It's alright." Ana resumed her path to the entrance. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Me neither, but when I got that message from Winston, well. I had to. Couldn't leave him in the lurch, eh? Besides, he's best qualified to take care of me." Lena tapped on the chronal device strapped to her chest, hidden beneath her aviator jacket.
"Of course." Ana wore a wry smile. "I hope you've been well?"
"Never better! Well, could be better recently, but…" Lena bit her lip, gaze growing faraway. "Wish I'd brought Emily, now that Fareeha and Kamilah are here."
"She's safer at home."
"Yeah." Lena smiled. "We thought so too. So why did you…?"
"Talon was tailing me back in Cairo," Ana said, guessing her question. "I'd...feel better having them here."
Lena nodded. "I understand."
"Speaking of, where are they?"
"Oh, Fareeha's in the armoury. We were setting her up with gear when Athena said you'd arrived. Kamilah was in medbay, last time I checked."
"Right." She weighed her options, then realised watching Fareeha handle old Overwatch gear was something she'd rather not see just yet. "I'll drop by medbay first."
"Right-o. Here, let me help you with that."
"I–, wait, that's not necessary," Ana tried to argue when Lena wrested her duffle bag away.
"Aw, it's no problem! I'll be to your room and the armoury faster than you'll reach medbay." Lena winked. "Oh, and pay Winnie a visit at mission control when you're free!"
Ana barely had time to reply before a whip of wind blew past her, a blue streak the only indication of Lena's trajectory into the base's gates, which had slid open during their conversation. Athena's doing, no doubt.
Though she hadn't been in Gibraltar for years, even before Overwatch's collapse, it was easy enough to reorient herself and find her way to the medbay. Only the backup lights were on, but it was more than enough to see everything at once glance. Empty bed frames lined both sides of the bay, and the monitoring equipment beside them lay dormant. Some were wiped clean, but others still wore a layer of accumulated dust. The nurses' stations in the back were dark as well, though wires, holopads, and files were strewn over the desks, with a half-empty water bottle beside them – someone was making themselves at home.
One doctor's office in the corner was lit, and Ana knocked at the open door before walking in, turning Kamilah's head. Her wife's placid expression didn't change as she approached, but Kamilah's arms wound around her when Ana held her in an embrace. She turned her face into Kamilah's hair, took a breath, then pulled back with a sigh.
"How are you?"
"I feel like I'm in a dream." Kamilah shook her head, turning back to the table which she'd been hunched over. More holopads littered the large desk, screens displaying manuals and schematics of the medbay's equipment. "I'm where I thought I'd never be. Not without burning it down, anyway."
Ana snorted. "Here, I'll help you check."
Kamilah clicked her tongue when she received a pinch on her bottom, and slapped Ana's hand away. "Behave."
Ana chuckled, then stood back as Kamilah took a holopad and scrolled through a manual, studying it with a frown. "What are you doing?"
"Putting the medbay back together. It's a mess, everyone left in a hurry. But it's also...interesting. Your technology's a league ahead of what we had in the army. If we had even half of your equipment, we wouldn't have lost as many people as we did. I can't believe you people didn't share this with the world."
Ana nodded. "A lot of it was experimental technology. We didn't want it to be...misused."
"So you let the rest of the world flounder just to keep your secrets?"
Her mouth quirked. "You sound exactly like Doctor Ziegler."
"Angela always did sound like she had better ideas than all of Overwatch combined."
"Ouch."
Kamilah picked up an oblong handheld device, tapping its controls, then waved Ana over. "Give me your hand."
Curious, Ana raised her hand, palm up. Before she could react, Kamilah took a scalpel from a nearby dolly and jabbed its tip at the centre of Ana's palm.
"Ow!"
As blood welled up from the prick in her flesh, Kamilah thumbed a control on the device. A flat, golden beam of light emitted from its tip, which she ran over the wound. Ana watched as her flesh knitted itself together, leaving no trace of an injury behind.
"Hm. It works."
"You could've warned me beforehand, you know," Ana grumbled.
"And miss the chance to stab you? Never." Kamilah smirked, humour dry, as she set the device down. She started to turn away, but was stopped by a grip on her arm, and allowed herself to be pulled in by Ana.
Kamilah met her steady gaze, and raised a brow. "You're thinking thoughts. I know, because you can't talk and think at the same time."
Ana rolled her eye. "You're fitting into the medbay, alright."
"I suppose. Honestly, I have a thousand complaints just from being here, but doing some actual work would be a better use of my time, wouldn't it?"
"Sure." Ana smiled softly. She caught a wisp of grey curls beside Kamilah's jaw, and tucked it behind her ear. "But I still wish you weren't here."
"Too late."
"I know. It's just…" She sighed, hands squeezing Kamilah's arms. "They wanted to recruit you, you know? Back then, when we were still everyone's heroes. But I caught your name on the roster, and struck it off before anything could happen."
"I suppose I should thank you for that."
"But you've ended up here anyway."
Kamilah studied her for a moment, then surprised Ana with a wan smile. "You want the truth? There were times when I felt I was...stifling you. And Fareeha. By trying to tie both of you back home when neither of you wanted it. All I could think of was to keep you safe, the best way I knew how." She fell quiet, tracing Ana's sleeve with a finger. "It never felt...right to me. Not truly. Maybe I should've been here with you all along."
Then she surprised Ana with, "I'm sorry."
She clutched at Kamilah in alarm. "No, don't say that. I…" Ana heaved what felt like her hundredth sigh since entering the base just minutes ago. "I'll be honest, seeing you here still...turns my stomach a little. I don't like it, neither do you. But…"
"Life never gives an Amari a break, hm?"
Ana smiled, resting their heads together. "Quite right."
"It doesn't matter now, Ana. We're all here, despite everything. It's time we focused on moving forward." Kamilah drew a breath, then waved at the desk. "Winston's been talking to us, and I get the feeling he has a few missions lined up for you all. We'll be busy soon enough."
She tapped at Ana's chest absentmindedly, then broke away, wandering back to the holopads. "Why don't you go have a chat with Fareeha? Let me get the medbay set up before any of you go running into danger."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And, Ana?"
"Hm?"
"Remember – we're moving forward. So don't...go hard on her."
"I wouldn't dare," Ana said drily.
Fareeha was chatting animatedly with Lena over an assortment of disassembled weapons laid out on a table between them. But when the doors slid open to admit Ana, only Lena continued to speak – for a brief moment, before she caught Fareeha's suddenly stoic expression.
"Hey, Cap."
"Lena," Ana replied. "Would you mind if I spoke with Fareeha privately?"
"Oh, sure! I'll just zip up and see what Winnie's up to. See ya later!" Lena tossed Fareeha a wink, then vanished with a blue streak. Ana wondered how she didn't smash face-first into the door before it opened.
Turning her mind back to Fareeha, who was focused on cleaning the weapon parts, Ana set both hands on the table, attracting her daughter's attention.
"So. How does it feel?"
Fareeha eyed her cautiously, as if trying to gauge her intent. "...Underwhelming, I guess."
"Really?" Ana smirked, amused. "Well, everything's in disrepair now. Doesn't have the shine it used to."
"Yeah." She was being short on purpose, avoiding any trip mines that would set off an argument.
"This is a commitment, Fareeha. Do you understand? Once you're in...it's difficult to find a way out."
"I can tell." Fareeha shot her a droll stare. "You're back here, after all."
Ana chuckled. "I am. And now, you're here as well."
"I've decided, ami. I'm staying."
Ana didn't know whether to be afraid or proud of the steel in her tone. "And I'm not going to change your mind," she said softly, offering a smile. "I'm sure you'll do me proud."
Something flitted across Fareeha's expression. Though Ana couldn't read her face, she noticed the slightest tremble in the pistol frame before Fareeha set it down. Fareeha's eyes lowered, then she nodded silently.
"Come, let's head up to mission control. I want to see what Winston's planned for us."
Fareeha's eyes lit up, and she wiped her hands off on a rag, joining Ana as she strode towards the door. "Yeah, I wanna check in too. I asked him for a plan to...bring my Raptora suit here."
Ana cocked a brow. "Doesn't it belong to Helix?"
Fareeha smirked. "You and mama aren't the only people with connections, you know."
After they'd successfully 'loaned' Fareeha's Raptora suit, what few agents gathered at Gibraltar set to work. Their primary focus was the rising Omnic unrest, but a few missions were taken to stop Talon's hand from exerting influence wherever they found it. It was hard work in the beginning, with only four to tackle field assignments, and one to keep them in shape. Athena, who'd been improved and upgraded with Winston's help, had been a great boon – and was the key to helping them find more allies as they worked.
First, they found Reinhardt still fighting an uphill battle in London, protecting omnics and other civilians caught in brutal crossfires. He'd been surprised when they flew in to pull him out of the fire, tears springing into his eyes as he swept them all into a single embrace – Winston included. His stout, unwavering heart had suffered its fair share of bruises in the years since his departure from Overwatch, but he stood ready to rejoin the fold – bringing Brigitte along as well, though the young woman eyed them warily at the start. As Reinhardt's squire, she knew well of the affairs leading to his fallout with Overwatch, and stood ready to defend the Crusader when needed. Her frostiness didn't last long though, after she'd spent some time with Lena and Fareeha.
Then they crossed paths with Torbjorn, who'd expressed incredulity and indignation when they stumbled over each other in a bid to deactivate another Omnic titan. They banded together to bring their common foe down, but Torbjorn was reluctant to return to Overwatch – an illegally reformed ragtag team at that. Only after Brigitte had a long talk with her father, who took a few weeks to think it over, Torbjorn appeared in Gibraltar.
In a turn of events, Echo had found them first, easily bypassing Gibraltar's security measures with her perfect imitation software. She'd nearly raised the entire base to high alarm when she floated into mission control unannounced, scaring Winston out of his chair. She'd laughed gently when Athena sounded miffed at her perfect infiltration, and offered an apology before relaying a message from Jesse McCree – who was currently occupied in Mexico, and would join them later.
When the gunslinger showed up at Gibraltar's doors, he brought a surprise with him – in the form of a masked, grumpy vigilante. Apparently they'd crossed paths in Dorado, and worked together to deal Los Muertos one last, crippling blow before heading to Gibraltar together. Actually, McCree had tried to bring Jack along, but the old soldier managed to slip away from him many times before McCree set his spurred boot down, and demanded his return. Ana suspected more had transpired between them, but both men seemed to bear no grudges against each other, content to sling offhanded barbs now and then.
Not long after, Genji tracked them down during a mission in Laos, and aided them in disabling a minor Talon den. He wasn't surprised to find an illicit Overwatch team there, having received Winston's transmission himself. After a short conversation with Jesse, he agreed to join their ranks. The cyborg was much more at ease, it seemed – both with himself, and those around him. He attributed his newfound peace to a patient teacher, and wore a gentle smile on his scarred lips when he spoke of his time in Tibet.
When omniums across the world sprang to life, converging upon God Program facilities where armies stood ready to beat them back, one lone omnic snuck its way across the world to Gibraltar. It had judged them the best companions to work with, given the current world's bias against its kind. Jesse and Fareeha, who'd been on guard duty, had stared at the moss-covered omnic in shock for a moment. Only after watching it pat gently at the bright yellow bird on its shoulder, did they allow it to enter the base – where Torbjorn received an old friend with a smile under his beard.
Korea was one of the hardest-hit countries in this second Omnic Crisis, and thus waged the fiercest battles for their lives. An Overwatch team participated in a joint mission with a MEKA squad, which ended with success mired in tragedy. The MEKA squad's lone survivor pledged her aid to a reformed Overwatch, tears burning in eyes filled with rage at superiors who'd sent her comrades to die in a suicide mission. After an elaborate heist to steal a pink MEKA from the Korean military, they escaped back to Gibraltar, where Lieutenant Hana Song fought against accusations of theft, and finally won her freedom when top brass issued orders to let her go, before she caused a civil revolt with her loyal followers.
In the midst all of the chaos, two ex-Overwatch personnel returned to their ranks. One of whom was Mei, whose cheerful optimism was a sorely-needed ray of light which coaxed even a slight smile from Jack. And it was only because of Mei that they managed to coax Angela Ziegler back to Overwatch. They'd tried to pick the doctor up from Egypt, but Angela had vehemently rejected all of their offers. After a few days of quiet conversation with Mei, her heart softened, and she agreed to return...on the condition that she could cut ties any time she wanted. It was a feat which impressed the team – most of whom knew nothing could sway Doctor Ziegler in matters concerning Overwatch – and she'd revealed it was a fear of loss which brought Angela to agreement. The specifics, she wouldn't say, and hid behind a smile which shone a little too bright.
In Rio, they met one of Brazil's most beloved national icons – Lucio. He fended off a city siege from Null Sector, working alongside an Overwatch team with unbelievable zeal and flexibility, and even displayed a gift for tactics while planning day-to-day defences. Impressed, Tracer had extended an invitation to Lucio – who accepted with a brilliant grin, and brought his passionate fire and catchy beats to the base. He was quick to form bonds with both Lena and Hana.
From Russia, came a renowned weightlifter by the name of Aleksandra Zaryanova. The Russian Defense Forces had sent her to Overwatch after a fateful mission where they'd worked together to stop a network of omnic explosives from taking out an entire city. With Zarya's help, and her formidable cannon, they deactivated the Siberian omnium, and earned her pledge of loyalty. Though she did shoot Bastion and Genji suspicious glances every now and then, she treated them with formal courtesy, while finding kinship with Fareeha and Mei.
As if to give Zarya more stress, Genji soon brought his mentor, Zenyatta, to Gibraltar. Though the omnic monk professed a preference to keep the peace, he was adept at holding his own in battle, shooting sharp blades from his arms in the same manner as his student. Genji stepped much more lightly with his teacher around, mood turning impossibly more serene despite the Crisis – and it was with Zenyatta's counsel that he established a working relationship between Overwatch and Hanzo. Though his brother had declined formal participation within the organisation, Hanzo transmitted intel regularly, and joined their missions in Japan as a hired blade.
When the Crisis had reached its peak, Overwatch received its last member during the emergency – an amusing surprise in the form of a hamster, operating a large, wrecking ball of a battle mech. Hammond kept much of his motives a secret, though many thought he'd been lured back by the prospect of reconnecting with an old friend once more. Winston, for one, seemed delighted at the return of his friend from the lunar colony.
When the second Omnic Crisis had ended, Overwatch was lauded for their integral part in ensuring humanity's continued survival once more. Even though many governments wanted to see them disbanded immediately, they were eventually restored to their former role as peacekeepers under the United Nations, with revised protocols in place. Jack and Ana had declined leadership – wary of their tarnished reputations – and Winston stepped up to the position of Strike Commander.
With a trusted figure at the helm, Overwatch then turned to another problem, now more pertinent in the aftermath of the Crisis – Talon. They'd uncovered hints that Talon had deliberately perpetuated the omnic chaos in certain locations, and now worked to uncover and stop Talon's plans before they could disrupt the world in their recovery. In this pursuit, it became apparent that life had more surprises to give, as their ranks swelled again – and not just from fresh-faced recruits from armies around the world.
It wasn't long before ex-Talon combat medic, Baptiste, found his way to Overwatch's doors in Zurich, ablaze with fury at Talon itself – having uncovered hints of their meddling during the second Omnic Crisis. He'd demanded the truth from Winston – was Overwatch going to deal with Talon or not? Winston gave the right answer, and they won Baptiste's cooperation in the battle against their rival organisation.
Their next recruits arrived with even more fracas than Baptiste – every security camera within their headquarters was scrambled at the same time, by a very unsubtle hack. An alarm was raised, and numerous agents were activated in defense, but the situation was defused by Lena's appearance at the medbay, begging Angela's help. Only after the doctor had promised, and sent word to Winston of their situation, did Lena produce the two she'd brought onto Overwatch grounds – Sombra, who had an unconscious Widowmaker slung over her shoulders.
Widowmaker's extensive genetic modifications were starting to backfire on the sniper, symptoms including the resurgence of memories which led to an unstable state of mind and body. But they hadn't even thought to defect, not until Sombra uncovered Talon's plans to put Widowmaker out of commission, and preserve her body for study. Though Sombra had laid Widowmaker down in medbay with care, she'd scoffed despite her act of camaraderie, and mentioned she only came because someone else had ordered them there.
Though she didn't bother to reveal who it was, the answer arrived a week later – in the form of Reaper. He'd materialized in front of Jack one day, sparking a standoff between themselves that destroyed Jack's office, and ended after Ana had planted a fist into each of their noses. Gabriel was then secreted into Winston's office, where he presented precious data he'd stolen from Talon – who still believed he was here to track down Widowmaker, under the guise of defection. He only grunted at Jack's challenge to prove his sincerity, then gave them a lead to a potential recruit who could unveil more of Talon's secrets.
Satya Vaswani hadn't been impressed when Overwatch contacted her discretely, catching her on an off-day from creating city plans to rebuild a devastated Jaipur. She didn't budge when they gave the usual Overwatch pitch, utterly loyal to the corporation that raised her. But she was shaken when Sombra stepped in, sharing secret documents that linked Vishkar's hand to Talon's behind the Omnic Crisis – and their removal of rivals under the flurry of chaos. With knowledge that her own friend and mentor in Vishkar had ties to Talon, Satya took some time to think, before reaching out to Sombra, agreeing to steal intel from Vishkar.
By the time Satya's actions were discovered, it was too late for Vishkar and Talon. She was stolen away to Overwatch's headquarters before she came to harm, and was accepted as a new recruit. With all the information Satya had taken, and everything Overwatch had gathered on their own, they began to plot the end of Talon – once and for all.