Years in the future, 2098

Ruins of Eichenwalde

Winston was throwing a fit and scrambling to find medical supplies in his makeshift lab,

"Oh God stay with me Mei! I'm coming right back! "

Grabbing the medicine he needed the Interim Commander of what's left of Overwatch kept back to the bed

"Come on I can't lose you too! Stay still, this will hurt but will help make your blood circulation faster! " He injected the syringe into right her arm.

"aa...wha...no...ah..AHHH" Mei felt a sudden overwhelming sting and was about to scream but somehow found the resolve to keep herself together ignoring the pain.

After all she couldn't allow the Second in-Command of Overwatch to give up to the pain so easily.

30 minutes later

Mei slowly opened her eyes, everything was blurry and the only thing she could make out was a single source of light coming from her right. "uh... Tiān a what happened.." She muttered in her accent.

"Oh you're awake!, you still need some rest so don't sit up. You were lucky I found you when I did!"

"Which reminds me WHAT THE HELL were you doing in that WARZONE?! And where is Lance? He was with you wasn't he?! " the gorilla's eyes shot up with concern.

" Didn't you find anyone else there?.. "

" No, you were the only one " Winston shook his head and continued,

"You were barely alive under the ruble of the explosion. That's where I found you! No one the whole city could miss an explosion like that"

His head weighed down in sadness

"You still didn't answered my question. If Lance was with you at the time of the explosion but I didn't see him after that.. Then that.."

"Yes, then we know what that means.. " Mei's voice turned to sob

" What did we do Winston? To deserve a fate like this."

Before the Scientist could console she looked back at him with venomous eyes

"Did you see... Him"

"No, I made sure that he wasn't anywhere near the site before I rescued you. "

The former climatologist noticed the gorilla being anxious, "Something on your mind? "

"Well I know you need all the rest but, what happened? How did you get attacked? "

" I'm not sure how, but he found us, me and Lance were going to Watchpoint Numbani to use one of your machines. We...we thought we took every precaution."

" Machine? What machine? "

" The time capsule, I think that's what Angela called it"

"WHAT? But why?! There was no fuel for it I myself tried for decades and could only produce a tiny bit, that's why I gave the recipe to Angela at her request "

And then his eyes sank down in realisation as he facepalmed himself.

"My apologies, that was stupid. But I believed no one could pilot the thing!"

"Angela and Lance made some adjustments lik- "

But before she could continue they heard an explosion.

" Stay here. I'll go see what's going on "

He went out and jumped to the roof of the building. To his horror he witnessed Black on top of Eichenwalde's castle"

"Where are you monkey! He demanded.

"You know I can sense your heartbeat, there is no point in hiding I know you are in the area. "

Winston quickly lept down and moved into the building "Mei you have to go now , Black is here! I need you to go hide in the warehouse at the back!"

"But I can't walk, my legs are too injured and what about You! "

" We have to take a chance here take this log it will help you walk, he already thinks you are dead. I can't go he's here for me"

"But can't he sense me too! Don't leave me Winston! Not you too.. " she pleaded her eyes trickling tears down her cheeks. Winston wanted to wipe her tears but he couldn't ignore the grave danger lurking outside.

He supported her to get on her feet and handed her a thick wooden log ignoring her pleading.

(more explosions in the background as the castle starts crumbling)

" If my theory is correct, the reason why he couldn't sense you were alive is because your heart is still cold from your cryofreeze. Thats how you can turn into an ice block right? "

" Th..That may be true but how did he sense me back in Numbani?"

"We don't have time for this right now, maybe it was because Lance was with you and he sensed him, now you need to go! "

He helped her up walk down to the warehouse and handed her another log.

" Shén I wish Project Potara could have succeeded. This would have been much easier."

Winston nodded in agreement with a smile remembering the fond memories in the labs

"Still I think it wouldn't have worked for us. I mean due to my size and we are nowwhere near powerful enough. Anyway I need to go."

"Be careful please! " she embraced him cherished their possibly last moments with each other.

" I'm gonna start counting to 10 and if you don't show up I'm blow you up along with this pathetic town." Black announced forming a black colored ball in his hands and started juggling it in his hands.

" That won't be necessary! " came a loud reply from his far right.

Black followed the sound back to Winston's hideout. " So you finally decide to show up. It is nice to finally meet you monkey. "

"I'm a Scientist, and Can't say the feeling is mutual, and we have worked plenty of times before you monster, at least you can respect Angela's memories!" replied the dead serious gorilla gritting his teeth.

" You've destroyed everything, what more can you possibly wan-.."

He was interrupted with Black's motion to put his finger on his lips.

"You speak when I say. Now to answer your question.

I have come to ask if you have been connected to the development of a time machine in your time as an agent. Well a real agent hehe"

Winston was surprised. He never thought Black to have been so calm and collected from all the news he saw.

"Even if I was, why'd it interest you now? That was years ago it was just some crazy dream I and a couple of colleagues were chasing." before he could continue he was motioned to shut up again.

"If it had been any other day I would have passed this as another one of humanity's foolish crusades but not today. I witnessed your brat defy the rules of our realm and manipulate time. He has no right. My suspicions have grown stronger because of this" Black pointed to the crystal ring on his right hand.

"Do you know what this is?"

Winston shook his head in denial.

"It's is a time ring. One of humanity's creations itself. You don't need to know any further other than this is not supposed to glow when it's not being used. Which it did."

He continued "As to how he vanished, It was not a teleporter I'm sure. I have flown over and sensed every inch of this planet for his energy, heartbeat, anything. All gone."

Winston couldn't believe what he heard! He was alive! Lance made it! He was in such shock he didn't notice the grin that was forming on his face.

"Oh happy are you now? That confirms my suspicion. Don't worry, he won't be gone for long! Now only one thing remains, where...and when" he smirked as he began to leave but stopped.

"You know, I admire your intelligence monkey. That's why I am going to make this easy for you. "

Winston was taken out of his thoughts as he replied "Make easy what? "

He saw a ball of energy coming at him, he instinctively quickly activated his primal rage just in time as it hit him and went flying down the building making a huge hole in the ground floor. He went down further at least 2 floors and stopped.

"Don't worry, I'll send your regards " Black flew away into the clouds.

5 minutes later

"Winston! Winston can your hear me?! he slowly woke up, his head still felt dizzy although he did notice his chest was bleeding a bit with his suit and clothes completely destroyed.

"Uh..Mei? Is that you? "

" Oh you survived Gǎnxiè shàngdì!"

"How did you get me up? "

" Oh it was easy I just made an ice wall under you lifting you up from that hole! That was really good thinking activating primal rage at that time. That health boost saved you! "

" Yeah I didn't even activate it, it just happened instinctively. Anyways we should run from here! I have another lab not far from here where we can recover. He can still sense me if he knew I survived! And Mei, Lance made it, he is alive and hopefully in the past as we speak."

"That's amazing news! , but how did you know?

"First we have to get out of this town, I'll tell you as we go"

"Agreed. " she nodded as they both started to look for any equipment that may have survived.

11:00 AM 17th March, 2070

Watchpoint-Gibralter

Angela was walking down the main hallway with Regal's file in her hands. Jack really didn't like their decision but finally approved, On one condition. And she couldn't deny more orders from the Strike Commander.

She turned left towards Winston's lab and she saw him standing outside in the training facility in front of his lab staring at the sky.

"Winston! I was just going to your office, Jack wants someone tracked. Here is his file." she said with a sigh.

"Yeah...yeah sure just place it on my table I'll get to it as soon as I can" his eyes still not wavering from sky.

"What are you looking at? " She asked now looking at the sky as well.

" What's that? I'm Sorry I'm really excited that's all! We..." The gorrilla looked around to ensure they were alone.

"We got a emergency alert from our Watchpoint in Numbani. They have confiscated a pod that apparently appeared out of thin the middle of the facility! It has the signature of this Watchpoint on it."

"They tried to open it up but even their best guns and equipment couldn't budge the door or windows that have become as hard as stone. No one can see what is inside. They sent me a photo and well when I saw it.. I'll just show it to you. "

He took a holofeed out of one of his suit's compartments and showed the picture to her.

Angela's emotions flowed from complete shock to blissful happiness.

"This...this can't be..can it?.. "

she couldn't find the words to describe her thoughts. Thankfully Winston intervened,

" I know, if this is what we think it is. History is about to be change forever. "

" But you are sure this matches our concept designs? "

" Don't worry Angela, I have triple-checked. This is no dream, you can cherish this moment."

She closed her eyes to maintain her calm in front of her subordinates and whispered,

"So you called it here didn't you? "

"Of course I did, they have no idea what it is." he retorted with a chuckle.

"It was easy to convince them because they already feel we are connected to it and it is our responsibility."

He continued,

"If this and that Potara concept succeedes we can end wars forever. "

"Agreed but let's not get ahead of ourselves. When will it arrive? "

"Any moment now, any moment."

TBC