Shut it down now, or I'll slit your throat, Survivor whispered.
"You have five seconds to stop firing this thing or I'll shoot your friend in the head. After another five minutes, I'll shoot you in the leg. Then the other, then your good arm, then the back, then I'll grab my knife and get creative." Survivor threatened, using his most menacing voice.
"Do it now, or I'll kill you. Then your friend," Survivor said, his voice barely a whisper. The man glared at him angrily and Alessandro sighed. "I don't have time for this."
Sombra was watching all this, and more, on her holo-screen. Right above the palm of her hand, it shone softly in the small room she called home. She wasn't dressed for work, no, she was wearing sweat pants and a tank top, laying in her bed. So why was she working?
Interest. This wasn't for Talon at all, this was for her. Something in that boy interested her, called to her, something she couldn't see quite yet but that might be useful so Sombra had decided to find everything she could about him. The video of him inside the giant turret in Russia disappeared, replaced by him fighting Sombra herself. She flinched as she saw him shoot her again, tearing through his own body in the process, then it changed again to a camera feed of him at the American military base. He spouted some curse and jumped off the cliff, then it switched once more to the camera feed of a Talon soldier. This clip was the most interesting, in Sombra's opinion. The first time anyone from Talon had contact with him, a regular boy with nothing but a pistol. Yet he killed three soldiers. Sombra watched as he smiled up at the last soldier who had just shot him in the leg, the look in his eyes...
"Espera un momento..." The hacker muttered, rewinding part of the video.
She saw the soldier shoot him in the leg and frowned, then repeated the piece again. Then again. Then she slowed the clip down and replayed it. A smile appeared on her face and she started checking other clips for the same sign. Yes, there it was again, when he shot Sombra, and again when he pressed his knife against the man inside the giant turret.
"You have your mother's eyes," Sombra whispered with a devious smile.
/
Alessandro's POV
"Mr. Rivero, your presence is requested at the plaza," A male, robotic voice said. I groaned and pulled the sheets over my head, curling into a ball. The bed was so comfortable and I was so warm...
"Ms. Vaswani is waiting for you," The voice insisted. I sighed and rolled onto my back, sitting up. The voice belonged to an Omnic. He only had the top half of his body and was floating. He also wore a suit. "Is there anything I may provide you with?"
"Yeah, uh, what's your name?" I murmured, rubbing my eyes.
"I am designated as unit X-248," He answered.
"No, no, your name," I corrected. "Not designation, makes it sound like you're a robot."
"...Sir, I am a robot," He whispered.
"Robots don't have a conscience or a soul, you do," I countered. "I'm going to call you...Jake. How's that sound?"
"If you like, then so it shall be," Jake answered, but he sounded content with his new name. "Now what may I bring you?"
"I need some painkiller, if you would," I told him, rubbing my temples. The bed might have been comfortable, but I had slept terribly...
"Are you sick?"
"No, my head hurts."
"May I recommend-"
"Just the painkillers, please, I want to hurry up and get to Vaswani."
I stood up as Jake floated off, throwing the sheets aside. Vishkar had given me white pants and a t-shirt for sleeping, and now I saw a new pair of clothes on the coffee table next to me. When I picked them up I realized it was a white jumpsuit with a collar. Fashionable? No. Was I wearing it? Yes. With a sigh I closed my door and stripped, ready to change.
My room wasn't that bad, not at all. It was big enough for five people. Had a bathroom with a hot tub, bath, shower and everything you could want. One corner had a fridge stocked with food and treats (if the chocolate disappeared last night it wasn't me) and a king-sized bed in the middle. Tastefully decorated, light furniture here and there.
I was walking around, trying to figure out how this thing opened up when I caught myself in the mirror. Sure, I was naked and looking at myself isn't what I normally do but this time I was surprised. I wasn't ripped like Thor or Captain America, but I was muscular and looked tough, I looked good. Call me vain, but I had never been in such good shape in my life. Muscular, tough, handsome even. I awkwardly flexed my arms and cracked a chuckle-
Then Jake came into the room.
"La puta que te pario," I said under my breath, grabbing my jumpsuit and using it to cover my private area. Jake floated by as if nothing were wrong, put the medicine on my coffee table, then left. He paused at the door.
"Rest assured, I won't speak of this," Jake said, then he left and the door closed. My face was burning with embarrassment.
After that, I decided it'd be best to hurry to see Symmetra. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to see Jake for a few hours, I'd feel a bit too awkward. With my mind mostly on business, I put on the jumpsuit and walked out. As I expected, another floating Omnic servant was waiting there to lead me wherever I had to go. The two of us walked together in silence through the large hallways of the building until we entered another room. It resembled a food court, but fancier. Like a huge restaurant full of light or golden-looking furniture.
Symmetra was already seated at a table for two, with two plates of food as well. She was wearing the same clothing as yesterday however the color was changed to purple. I took my seat, thanked the Omnic, then faced her.
"Good morning, Mr. Rivero," She said pleasantly, but it sounded forced. "Sleep well?"
"Actually, no," I admitted nonchalantly, picking up the fork and knife. "What about you?"
"Was there something wrong with your accomodat-"
"What about you?" I cut in, meeting her eyes. She didn't seem annoyed, as I expected, she seemed a bit surprised.
"I suppose I am well rested, yes," She finally answered.
"Good," I said, smelling the food. "Buen provecho."
We had been served a good, old fashioned eggs bacon and toast. Now I don't know what cools Vishkar had but the food was amazing. If Symmetra expected me to talk to her than she was sorely disappointed because I was absorbed in my meal. A good half hour later I finally wiped my mouth and looked up, smiling. Symmetra stared at me with a condescending glare.
"What? Here at Vishkar, you don't eat like normal people?"
"Please, look around," She ordered.
I did and just now I realized the looks I was getting. Everyone here was obviously wealthy or powerful, or both. They looked at me with confusion, or anger, or downright disgust. I really wanted to stand up and yell at them, say something like Hey you lose something over here! but instead, I forced my best smile and winked at them, causing more than one to roll their eyes or hiss something under their breath.
"Ok, people here are rich pricks. Understood," I muttered.
"Do not refer to the various clients and workers of Vishkar as pricks," Symmetra scolded. "They are merely educated."
"Please, I'm educated. I'm just not into all these stupid rich-people rules. Let me guess, they have to chew between thirty and fifty times, communicate to their waiter using the positions of their utensils and talk a hell of a lot?"
"How did you know-"
"Surprise, I did study that. Formal dining, not something most schools do," I admitted. "I think we should go."
"Yes, let us begin your training."
"Training?"
We were on a building heading to the training complex as Symmetra explained what was going on. As the name entails, the complex was for training new recruits. This was, of course, what Vishkar wanted me for. A recruit for their security forces, since plenty of bad guys, wanted what they had. I was supposed to help protect them or help protect the people they wanted to help.
"For example, Brazil," Symmetra said, looking straight ahead as the kart went on. "Had you been there, I'm sure you could have helped keep the situation under control."
"Oh really? Me? Over some high paid security advisor?"
"You have something very few of our people do," She said, although admitting this seemed to bug her a bit. "You understand what plenty of those people are going through, you understand their pain and their loss, you also know how to treat people. They respond to you."
"How would you know how I act with those people?" I muttered.
"We have our ways of knowing."
Again, the secrecy. I didn't feel like talking, and luckily I didn't have to anymore. Our kart stopped and the both of us got off, walking inside the beginning. Symmetra began giving me the details of the place.
"Built after the rest of the complex, it has been made to train more than soldiers. Our men have to understand how to survive every situation possible," She said. "The elements, enemies, animals, people with..unique abilities. They train for all that and more here."
"Must have cost a lot," I said pensively.
"A trillion American dollars, to be exact."
I would've commented on that if we hadn't entered the main part of the building. The second I saw it I lost my train of thought. The place was a huge, single room. Each training area was a square of glass with people inside and some observers outside. It was like each square was one of the virtual reality rooms, except there was one hundred of them. The inside was completely white as well, the only people wearing color were some of the spectators and of course the trainees.
"Is each square virtual reality?"
"What? No, of course not," Symmetra replied, giving me an odd look. "That technology is something no one in the world possesses...yet. Each room is designed to present one to three different challenges."
So Overwatch still has some aces up the sleeve, I thought as we walked through the halls. No one possessed that kind of system yet? Ha! We did.
"You will be practicing in here. I warn you, what you see here is not the sort of challenge you will endure, most of these trainees are below your level."
"Whatever you throw at me, I can handle it," I challenged, smirking.
"Then please." She stood next to a door that slid open. "Change into your armor and show me."
I winked at her, just to annoy her, and walked inside. The room was small with a single bench and, on top of it, my old clothes and armor. We had brought it onto the ship before Angela and Fareeha flew off, and after I fought basically forced Angela to let me stay here. All of it washed, polished and tuned up apparently. I smiled widely and gladly changed, feeling much better now that my stuff was back in my hands.
"I'm ready!" I yelled confident someone could hear me.
I must have been right because another door slid open, leading into a pure white room. I walked in with all the confidence of the room, hearing the door shut behind me. The glass was actually a one-way mirror because I couldn't see outside of the room. My rifle was up, but a quick check showed the room was empty.
"Well?!" I yelled. "I'm ready!"
Click.
"...shit."
I side-stepped a spray of bullets that came from the wall, then jumped over a second one, then a third. Each burst came faster and faster, forcing me to stay on my feet with no chance to stop. After the sixth burst I spun and fired at the wall, but my bullets didn't hit my attacker, they merely bounced off. There wasn't any attacker, it was just the walls firing at me.
How did I win this?
Despite being constantly shot at, each time faster and faster, I forced myself to take a deep breath and think clearly. I had learned a lot from my friends back at base, and as Angela always said: Maybe violence wasn't the answer.
I got on one knee and activated my armor, letting bullets ping off of it, hoping if I stayed still the bullets would stop. It didn't work, my armor was rapidly being chipped away by the machine-gun-like fire. What other option did I have? Violence, peace, fight, flight-
Flight.
I looked around the room once more for an escape. I didn't see any but I did see something else: The roof had little grooves, too small for my entire hand...but maybe enough for my fingers. I threw my gun to the ground and ran to a wall, kicking off and onto the roof. It was hard, but I had planned it right. My hands gripped the tiny grooves and I swung my legs to the roof, also using them to try and hold on.
It worked, after a few more bursts the firing stopped and there was a pleasant ping. I swung down and landed on feet, smiling.
"Ok, I see how this is going to be." I picked up my rifle and reloaded it. "Let's go."
It was a mistake to get overconfident, I realized, as the wall across from me opened up and water flooded in. Now, it didn't slowly start to fill the room as one might expect, it was like a tsunami. I braced myself and yet it still slammed me against the wall, smashing against me furiously, going down my throat. I felt the wall behind me begin to move and, in the last second, grabbed one of the grooves at the top again. I could barely breathe now, and soon enough there wouldn't be any air to breathe. The water seemed to be trying to drag me away. Did I have to let go? No, they wouldn't make me try to escape twice in a row. There had to be another answer. I took a deep breath and duck my head underwater, looking for anything I needed.
Nothing, there was nothing...but the water felt smoother underneath. Suddenly I had memories of my trips to Uruguay, where my dad was born. We'd go to the beach and the waves were rough for a little kid like me. Dad was always worried because I'd dive underwater to avoid them but I was always ok, going underneath saved me from getting hit full force.
I went back up to get air, only to realize the room was completely filled. My lungs were already starting to burn. I ignored the feeling and slung my rifle across my back, pressing my feet against the roof. I waited a second, gathering my courage, and then let go and pushed myself downward. As I thought, the water stopped pushing me as I reached the floor. I began to swim forward, where the water was coming from, and when I reached the edge the wall suddenly reappeared and the water disappeared, dumping me on the ground. I slowly stood up, coughing, gagging, wet but very much alive.
I had passed. I could tell.
After that, I was nothing but business. The tests began going faster. One test had me in a gunfight with virtually no cover and lots of enemies. I passed it easily. Another exercise put me with faulty equipment, my gun and armor would randomly activate and deactivate, forcing me to adapt to that. Then the room began filling with gas. That one was tough, but I managed to beat it as well. I did at least a dozen tests, each harder than the last until I was sure a few hours had passed. I was hungry, tired, and quite annoyed at whoever was tormenting me.
"Final testing phase, this one was designed specifically for you," An unrecognizable voice said.
"What do you mean specifically for me?" I questioned.
Ssssss.
Something was making that sound, was hissing, all around me. The air around me seemed distorted and I quickly smelled gas. Gas was coming out of the walls and causing the distortions, but why? I had already passed this test.
It took me a second but I finally saw it. A flame, a tiny flame.
/
Symmetra's POV
I frowned, watching the boy as he quickly deduced everything that was happening. After the first test, he had performed excellently. Most of the people here, rich clients eager to see what kind of soldiers Vishkar could provide them, had dismissed the boy at first. The brute who didn't know proper manners, they said, not worth their time. Yet as he passed test after test he a crowd had very quickly gathered outside the glass, everyone was eager and later impressed by how he passed each test.
"You designed all these tests, correct?" Someone asked me.
"Indeed, I am the creator of the training program here."
"Then could you tell me what is the trick here? He already passed this one."
That was the problem. No tests were supposed to be repeated, Alessandro should have been done. That's when, at the same time as him, I noticed the small flame and felt my heart skip a beat. Fire suddenly engulfed every inch of the room, blinding us viewers. After a few seconds, I heard him screaming. He wasn't defiant, or angry, he was in pain. His screams of pure pain tore through the hall. It was the most terrible thing I had ever heard, and after Brazil, I didn't think I could experience something worse.
After a full minute, the flames disappeared, with his screams, everyone slowly turned back to the glass. It brought me great disgust to see that no one appeared concerned, they were all expectant and curious, waiting for whatever was there.
The grime on the glass slowly began to disappear, revealing the boy on his knees in the middle of the room, weakly holding his weapon with one hand. He suddenly got onto his feet, surprising everyone, and dragged himself to the glass with his head down. He stopped right in front of me, then slowly looked up.
"What...what did you do..." He asked, his voice scorched and in pain.
I gasped and covered my mouth, staring at him with horror. His armor was completely burned, nearly melded onto him, his clothes were nearly gone and his face...God his face. He was completely burned and blistered, every inch of him.
"I did not make this..." I muttered, unable to think of anything else. "I would never do this."
"Satya!" He yelled, pounding his fist on the glass once, then twice.
He yelled in pain then fell to his knees, grasping at the glass, punching it and much to my shock healing as he did so. He was staring right at me, his breaths growing steadier, his fists weaker. Besides his armor, still melded to him, he now looked perfectly healthy. Not even the slightest scar or burn. His eyes seemed to shine...and then he collapsed onto his side, still breathing.
"Oh my, that is his power? What is his name?" A woman asked.
"Back off, I'm going to hire him-"
"Stop your bickering!" I said, louder than I ever spoke to clients, turning to glare at them. I pressed a button on the wall, activating the intercom. "Send immediate medical attention to the training grounds, priority number one. I require our best doctors to attend this patient."
With that I turned around and walked through the group, feeling an anger I hadn't felt since my mission in Brazil. I didn't understand what had happened here but I required answers. Someone was going to provide them.
/
Sombra's POV
The hacker laughed with delight as she saw what was happening to Survivor. Not that she relished in others pain (although it did feel like a suitable revenge) but because she had confirmed her theory, thanks to Vishkar.
"So you are like your mother. I'm going to put you to good use soon," She muttered to herself, laughing a bit more.
That's it for this chapter! And right before I leave for my trip too~
Yeah, that's right guys. Tomorrow I'm going on a trip to Spain! Amazing, right? Anyways, this means I won't have my laptop for two weeks :c
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I know it came out better than I expected at first, to be honest. Don't forget to fav, follow and REVIEW! Because what you guys have to say is always the most important bit~
And, as promised, I do have another fic started. It's short, it's widowtracer. When I return home I'll continue this one, the widowtracer AND begin uploading a third ;D Down below are the links to the new one:
Tumblr: NeppyTheDork
This webpage: s/12596041/1/Anchor-Widowtracer
And, if you want updates on my stories or other cool things, follow me on Twitter! Thanks for being awesome guys, see you in two weeks~!
Twitter: NeppyTheDork
Edit: (Links are being wonky, so I'm not sure they'll work.)