Chapter 8: Purpose
2 months later...
I greeted the bright summer morning with an irritated groan.
Once again, here I am in Monaco, though at the very least under entirely different circumstances. Sombra required me and a few other agents to accompany her on the trip to Monaco. I couldn't figure out why, but she wanted us with her all the same. Angela, Genji, Jesse, and Lena were all helping Sombra with her mission, such as gathering information about the ball she was attending, or spying on those at the ball such as Satya Vaswani, a woman known for her work with Vishkar. Even powerful people such as Katya Volskaya, CEO of Volskaya Industries and hero to the people of Russia, were coming. It was all for some sort of celebration of peace, recognizing the end of the omnic crisis.
No doubt everyone there was choosing to ignore the omnics and humans tearing each other's throats out around them. At times I found it all so amusing. How truly ignorant the most powerful people in the world were.
I had yet to figure out why I was here though. Sombra never asked something of me since we arrived, and we only spoke with one another at times, though about entirely different topics than the mission. Was I here just to give her company?
Doubtful. Sombra wasn't the type of woman to ask for someone's time. She demanded it, though no one ever realized she did. She attracted everyone around her, either with her words, her thoughts, or her looks. Sombra probably needed me for something important. She trusted me with certain things she never told anyone, and we were becoming closer. I was second in command, but that didn't mean much since Sombra was a much better leader than I, and I was a 'worse case scenario' type of leader.
Sombra planned on gathering support for our cause, but she obviously kept Overwatch out of the picture. They couldn't know she led us. Not until we won more support from the public. Katya was going to help us, since Sombra was already blackmailing her, and using her leverage over Katya she could force her to introduce and promote our work. I was fairly certain that Sombra was pretending to be some sort of peace corps. I snickered at the thought.
Jesse and I were staying together at a hotel, along with Genji and Angela, who resided in an entirely different floor of the place. And, in case anything went wrong, we were less than a mile away from where the ball was going to happen.
Jesse and the others had already chastised me for being here, what with my nickname being the 'Butcher of Monaco' and all. Lena said to keep a close eye on me in case I planned on killing another one hundred Talon agents in a casino. Sombra offered me a look when Lena said that, and something about it made me uneasy. Perhaps she needed me for something much more sinister than I originally believed.
The door to my room opened behind me, and I turned to find Jesse, still wearing his hat, probably to cover up how terrible his hair looked at the moment, holding two things of coffee and smiling. I smiled back, stepping towards him as he handed me a cup. I took a sip of the coffee, not bothering to put any sugar in it. Jesse sat down across from me, releasing a sigh. "Ya know, this whole Monaco thing ain't so bad. I thought I'd be bored, but it's good to relax."
I chuckled. "Don't let Sombra know. She'll send you on some secret mission." I joked, and he took a swig of coffee. "Nah, that's what you're for, Captain."
He reminded me of my authority often, which bothered me for a reason I couldn't name.
"You know, you don't have to call me that." I replied, and he nodded. "I know. S'pose it's just a habit. I'm used to takin' orders."
"How come?" I inquired, and he noticeably tensed up, his smile fading. There was a grim look in his eyes as he hesitated before sighing once more. "Well, you know about Reyes and I, right?" He asked, and I nodded in response. "Yeah, well you remind me of him at times. All the commands, always being a hardass an' what not. He was a good friend, before the whole Talon thing."
He paused, and I watched him intently, listening to his breathing hitch. "I've always been a soldier. Used to be part o' the Deadlock Gang. Never no captain or nothin', just a grunt. All my superiors thought I was brave. Especially Gabriel Reyes. But I wasn't."
Jesse met my eyes for a moment, and I didn't say anything. I didn't want to interrupt him. "I ain't ever run from a fight, but I only did that so everyone else wouldn't see how afraid I truly was. That's all I was, a coward. A coward who followed orders, no matter how cruel they were. In Blackwatch, I'd often question what I was doin', but I was always too scared to say anything. Same situation when I was younger in Deadlock. Blow up that building? Yes sir. Steal those supplies? Sure thing. Kill those people so they won't snitch? No problem."
His eyes were glued to the floor, and he had completely forgotten about his coffee, instead focusing on his memories. I began to feel guilty for bringing it up. I offered him an understanding gaze, but he ignored it. "I remember one time, in Blackwatch, there was this woman screaming at us, calling us animals as we dragged her son from their home. But we weren't animals... we were just following orders. I slit that boy's throat myself, and left that woman alive to sob beside her son's corpse. That night, I felt so ashamed. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. All I could do was stare into the empty night sky, hearing that woman yelling that boy's name. I reckon I'll hear it for all my life."
He stood up, and I was at a loss for words. I watched him walk to the door, open it and pause, standing there in the doorway. Jesse turned to me, and spoke softly. "I know I can't ever bring him back. But what I can do, is bring a little goodness into this world before I'm gone. It's all any of us can do 'ere in Overwatch. It's never too late to stop hurting an' killing people, and start helping people. It's never too late to come back."
Jesse offered a look my way that said all he needed to. He smiled softly, before leaving.
I looked down at my hands, thinking about all the lives I took. All of the lives I'm going to have to take. Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed with guilt. What goodness did I ever put into the world? I didn't have a dream to make the world a better place. I just fought to survive. I fought for my own selfish desires.
Soon enough, someone else entered my room. It was Genji, his signature grin spreading as he offered a wave. "Yo. Am I interrupting something?" He asked, and I shook my head. "No. How's Angela?" I replied, and he nodded. "Good. Good. She could use a break. She still blames you for my new scars, though." I grimaced, and he offered me a sympathetic look. "I'm s-"
He raised a hand, interrupting me before I could apologize for my actions in Numbani once again. "Don't say it. You've apologized enough. It wasn't your fault. I believe Angela was just a little worried about me, and it made her irritable. You didn't deserve what she said to you."
I kept my eyes down, still struggling to look Genji in the eyes. He nearly died because of my carelessness. He was just too kind to admit that it was my fault he got injured.
When Genji noticed the silence was becoming longer and longer, he spoke up once more. "Sombra told me to get you for something." He muttered, and I glanced up at him. "What for?" I asked, and he shrugged. "She didn't say. You know her, she loves to keep secrets. But, at least you'll get to be alone with her again before she goes." He winked at me, and I rolled my eyes.
"Tsk. It's not like that." I said, and Genji laughed. "Right. Whatever you say, Captain. Just be sure to come back soon, we were planning on having a few drinks tonight to celebrate. You know, seeing as we might very well be getting the support of some of the most influential people alive."
I smiled at the cyborg. 'Always an optimist, aren't you, Genji?' I thought to myself. He never failed to make everything seem like nothing could go wrong. Let's hope for once our plans can go off without a hitch. "Sure thing Genji." I said, and he grinned. "I'll hold you to that."
"You wanted to see me?" I cracked open the door to her room, peeking in.
There she was. Surrounded by holovids and computers like always, sitting down casually. She wore a black shirt, along with some dark gray shorts as well. Her clothing contrasted with her vibrant eyes, hair, and personality. Her sun kissed skin was free of any blemishes or imperfections, her natural beauty enough to make even the most confident woman envious. Sombra offered a grin when she noticed me. "Ah, Scott. I'm glad you came."
I stepped in to the room, smirking as I noticed how unorganized she was. As perfect as she could seem at times, I rarely found her tidying any of her things up. "Can you wait a second? I'll finish up everything soon." She asked, and I grinned, leaning back against the wall beside her desk. I watched her type away at some document, reading information. I found it amusing to see how enraptured she could become. "Your work keeps on growing. Finding even more people to blackmail?" I asked, and she grinned.
"Cute. But you should know, for once I'm not trying to manipulate someone. When you find yourself in charge of so many things, you've got to do more than just battle." Sombra replied and I nodded. "Though some of the things I read out of pure curiosity. You never know when the information can become invaluable."
I stepped towards her, now right beside her at her desk. "So. What's the problem?" I asked, and she frowned. "Hmm." She hummed to herself, jotting something down on a paper, then tossing it on her bed behind her without looking. Sombra leaned back in her chair, relaxing for a moment.
Then she turned to me, those dark blue, nearly purple eyes meeting mine. They portrayed an emotion I couldn't quite understand. Sombra for once lacked a cocky grin or smirk, instead staring at me in an intense gaze, her face completely blank, but her eyes said everything.
"Well, my friend, I want to ask you to kill a man for me."
I raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by her words. Rather than ask her why, I asked her who it was. 'Was I just like Jesse? Just following orders?' I asked myself, but clearing my head of those thoughts. "Who?"
"The general of around a fourth of Talon's forces. A man we've both encountered before, but his use for me has run out. Maximilien."
"You were using him the whole time?" I asked, and she nodded. "Yes. Without my hold over him, Numbani would've fallen, even with our help. But you see, Maximilien has begun to rebel, and even tried to blackmail me. A foolish attempt to beat me at my own game." She explained. I frowned, scratching at my sharp, coarse facial hair.
"This is an assassination," Sombra continued. "It's a lot different from battle. It's a dirty task, and you cannot be allowed to fail." I stared blankly at her, still trying to decide how I felt about this.
"It's dirty work, and because of the nature of this task, you're the only one I can trust. Scott, you're the only one who understands. You understand what I must do to achieve my dream. But Scott, you have a choice."
I chuckled, smirking down at Sombra as she sat in her chair, looking up at me. For once, she was desperate for my approval, not the other way around. "This isn't like you. You should just order me to do it, without saying all that other shit."
The same grin I wore on my lips spread on her own in response. Although I was smiling, internally I trying to figure out how the hell I was supposed to be feeling about this.
Pulling my hood further up to cover my head, I pulled down the cloth I wore to cover my face down, taking a deep breath. The night was cold, my hood fluttering in the breeze as it rested on my shoulders, flowing behind me like a cape. I released an uneasy sigh, analyzing the familiar surroundings. How long has it been since I've been here? A year? It felt like an eternity. Things had changed.
I scrunched my nose, frowning as I thought about what I was doing. Maximilien was a terrible man. He'd done cruel, vile things, and lacked any sense of guilt or remorse for his actions. I would be doing this world a favor by ending his life. So why did I feel so awful about this whole thing? Assassinating a man in his casino? It wasn't exactly my style. It wasn't right. It was wrong. But it was necessary.
Or at least that's what I told myself. What was I doing? I barely even questioned Sombra. This wasn't like her. Not like her at all. She never had people do her own dirty work. She'd never been afraid to get her hands dirty before. But here I was, here to do it for her. 'Just following orders, right, Jesse?' I thought, and hoping he'd be able to understand what I was doing. 'What would Genji think? Or Lena? Or even Angela? She'd hate me even more...'
Shaking off my doubts, I covered my face once more with the cloth, and secured my hood so it wouldn't come off. I exhaled, and leaped to the other part of the casino, catching a misplaced brick and pulling myself upwards. The casino was practically empty, though Maximilien was here. From what I could tell, there weren't nearly as many guards as there were a year ago. This should be easy. 'What the hell is wrong with me? Murdering a man is easy?'
Why was I hesitating? It's not like he didn't deserve it. He wanted to plant a chip in my brain. He wanted to control me like some sort of puppet. He worked with Talon. He needed to die. I've killed hundreds, one more should mean nothing.
Dropping down, I landed on the balcony outside the same large window I broke a year ago to get to him. I quickly noticed Maximilien, and I dashed to the left, just barely escaping his sight. Peeking out from cover, I noticed he wore that same suit and tie, along with the same interior designs he had back then. I began to shimmy across the balcony and on to a higher platform in hopes of finding a way to quietly enter. Gently opening a small window I found, I crouched and entered it, shutting it behind me before the moonlight could give away my position. I kept in the shadows, the sole light in the room coming from a large fireplace behind Maximilien and to my left, leaving the room poorly lit and with plenty of shade to use to my advantage.
There he was. Right below me, unaware of my presence. Maximilien seemed preoccupied with something I couldn't make out on a holovid. He threw it across the room in frustration, slamming his hand on the desk. What was he upset about? Some deal gone wrong with Talon?
Before I could drop down on top of him and end it before he could even react, the door was nudged open. A small head poked out, blonde strands of hair shooting out in all sorts of directions in a messy hairstyle. I frowned. 'Who the hell is that?'
"Dad?" The little boy asked, stepping into the light. He wore a plain white shirt and blue pajamas, as innocent as could be. He rubbed his eyes, clearly tired. I kept hidden, struggling to maintain my composure. 'Dad?!'
Maximilien's shoulders relaxed upon seeing the young boy, and he even released a chuckle. "Michael, what did I say about sneaking up on your father while he's working?" He cooed, and I was surprised to hear him speak in such a manner. Since when did he develop any sense of right and wrong, let alone choose to adopt a child? "I know! I know! But I was hoping you could read me a bedtime story before I go to bed?" Michael asked, his voice seemingly even more gentle than a whisper. His blue eyes met mine for a moment, yet he couldn't tell I was there. My heart stopped. If I killed Maximilien, I deprived this innocent child of his father. But if I let him live, thousands of others will die.
"Ah, how silly of me. How could I forget?" Maximilien laughed, crouching down as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulders. "Go on and get whatever story you want me to read you, and we'll get down to business. Whaddya say?" His entire personality changed around the kid. He almost seemed like a good man. The boy's eyes lit up, and he hugged the omnic tightly. Maximilien wrapped his own arms around him in return, smiling down on him. "Now go on kiddo, I'll be right here waiting." He winked at the boy, allowing him to rush out the door. I listened to the pitter patter of his small footsteps descending the stairs in a joyous manner.
Using my augmentations, I moved to the other end of the room, dropping down silently in the corner. I stood there, paralyzed. I had no clue what I was going to do. The window I used to enter opened once more, the cool wind blowing in, causing the floor to creak. I heard Maximilien huff. "Damn wind."
There was a moment when time came to a halt, and I watched as his eyes widened as he saw me. My blades shot out, the white lenses in my eyes dilated, my heart quickened, and I charged at him all within less than a second.
"Guar-!"
He attempted to call for the guards, but my titanium blade ran through his entire body, shattering his metallic frame. I stared him down, watching as the red lights of his eyes and mouth began to flicker, and his core functions began to shut down as he looked up at me. I held his head with my other hand, gently resting him on the floor as his hands twitched, circuits shorting out as he struggled to speak. "W-why...I wanted to...help..." What did he want to help with? Was he going to help us? Did he plan on betraying Talon without Sombra's knowledge? Was that the explanation for his outburst? His hand found my face, pulling the cloth down. His eyes widened as I turned away, unable to look at him as he trembled, afraid to die. "Scott... why..."
"I'm sorry." I whispered, withdrawing my blade from his frame, allowing him to go limp, his lifeless body touching the floor. The lights in his body were extinguished, and all that remained of Maximilien was a husk. I noticed my hand begin to shake, and I struggled to steady it, along with my breathing. 'What had I just done?'
'A coward who followed orders, no matter how cruel they were.' My mind flashed to Jesse. "I'm sorry." I repeated myself, searching for forgiveness from a corpse. A corpse I created.
'You're just a mad dog!' I heard Angela shout at me once more, her words like knives piercing my skin, shattering my heart. I found myself in a trance, practically unable to move.
My eyes snapped to the door when I heard it creak open, footsteps slowly beginning to enter. My hood fell off, revealing my raven black hair as I scrambled to the doorway, hiding behind the door as it opened. Another footstep came closer. 'I need to move. If I make a run for it, they'll probably catch me. I need to kill this guard before he alerts the others.' I told myself, escaping the visions flooding my brain. I heard a small gasp, and I kicked into action.
I charged through the doorway, slamming my blades through the guard's sternum, pinning him against the wall. I scowled, noticing his small figure, blonde hair, and...
Those blue eyes met mine once more tonight, only this time in shock and pain. His tiny hands dropped the small book he was carrying with him. My eyes widened, and I gasped, immediately sending my blades back into my arms. He whimpered in pain, staring at my face, as if trying to figure out why I did this to him. His body slowly slid down the wall behind him, leaving a trail of blood. The little boy began to struggle to breathe, looking down at the gaping hole in his chest. His left hand clawed at his throat as he began to drown in his own blood, his right hand reaching out to me. His eyes didn't show anger or sadness, but fear. The same fear his father showed not a minute ago. My titanium hand met his, and I gripped it gently. "No..." I shook my head, and tears began to stream down his cheeks as he tried to breathe, instead choking. I never took my eyes off of him, watching as he cried, blood dripping down from my arm and onto the floor. He released his final gasps for air, coughing up blood onto his once white shirt, covering both the floor and my face. My grip on his hand loosened when he stopped moving, head tilting to the side as he stopped struggling against his death. His hand fell to the floor, and I was left in utter silence.
I stared at my hand, watching it shake and tremble, unable to keep it still as my mind rushed with thoughts. I just murdered an innocent child. He'd done nothing wrong...
I shut my eyes in an attempt to stop seeing his delicate eyes piercing their way into mine, but instead all I could see was him crying, tears mixing with the blood coming from his mouth as he stared at me. I listened as my breathing hitched, and I released a scream of agony unwillingly. I never told myself to do that. It was just my body's natural reaction to something so terrifying.
Footsteps were rushing up the stairs beside me, and I opened my eyes, looking at his crumpled body once more. His skin was already flushed of color, and his glossy eyes stared at the floor. No emotion was expressed by the contortions of his face except pain. Nothing but pain.
Pulling up my hood and mask, I turned to the stairs, and two guards noticed me hunched over Michael's body. I didn't bother trying to explain what happened. They were going to attack me. And I deserved it. I contemplated allowing them to shoot me.
Adrenaline soon kicked in, and in the heat of the moment I rushed one of them, ripping his gun out of his holster and firing two shots into his chest, before emptying the magazine into the other guards skull. Another three guards looked up at me from down the stairs, beginning to rush after me. 'Damnit! Damnit!'
I turned, sprinting down the other hallway, hearing them shout amongst the chaos that was my escape. "Cut him off! Don't let that bastard get away!"
Two other guards arrived at the end of the hallway I was rushing through. I didn't bother slowing down, instead rushing towards them. They stood in front of a glass window. That window was my quickest way out of here, and only two of them stood in my way. They both fired upon me, but I rolled, just barely ducking out of the crossfire. Before they could reload and fire again, I rammed the man to the left with my shoulder, knocking the gun out of his hands as he crashed into the wall. The man to his right aimed to fire at me, but I kicked his hands, sending the pistol skidding across the floor.
I flung the man I had pinned against the wall by his arm, sending him into the other guard. They both stumbled as they fell over one another, allowing me to stab through both of them with one quick strike. The guards who chased me up the stairs arrived at the end of the hallway, and they all aimed at me. I jumped through the window, a bullet whizzing by and scraping along my cheek, along with three shots lodging themselves into my right leg. My wounds caused me to topple over the balcony. I plummeted into the trees, and prepared myself for the pain I was going to feel.
Angela's POV
Jesse groaned, taking a large bite out of his chicken before taking a sip of his whiskey, some of it unceremoniously dripping down his chin. I rolled my eyes, embarrassed by his lack of manners. Although, we weren't really in some high class restaurant. The bar was rather run down, but it didn't stop Genji from recommending the place. I suppose it was suitable. I doubt people would come looking for Overwatch agents here. Something about the way Genji saw the good in everything made me realize how much I loved him. He was a truly fascinating man.
Speaking of fascinating men, Scott, who was supposed to be here, no doubt brooding over some mistake he made in his life, wasn't here. His absence upset Genji and the others, for a reason I couldn't quite understand. Why they were so infatuated with a cruel man such as Scott eluded me. I clenched my fist at the thought of him, his actions irredeemable. Yet Genji saw something in him I didn't. He claimed Scott had a troubled past he hid behind his bitter tone and blunt attitude. Perhaps that would explain why he's always contemplating something, completely silent in some corner of the room rather than speaking.
"While we're here, I bet Sombra is enjoying some succulent meal at that ball while being told how fascinating she is by some rich snobs." Jesse sneered, and Lena giggled at his remark. "Aww come on, that bunch is no fun. Who wants to worry about all those formalities? You can't relax." Genji offered a smile, and Jesse grumbled. "I don't care about that. What's a little stress to enjoying the perks of royalty?"
I stared at the table, keeping silent as I took a sip of my drink. "Hey, does anyone know where Scott is? I haven't seen him all day." Lena asked, and Jesse chuckled. "Ah, that lunatic is probably fightin' another thousand men on his own."
"We were both scheduled to discuss how we were going to ration our supplies for the next six months. He never showed up. Didn't notify anyone either, as usual." I said, and Genji frowned, clearly thinking about something. 'Scott probably promised to be here, didn't he, Genji?'
I looked up, finding Scott at the doorway. He wore a dark hood that went around his shoulders like a cape, along with a black cloth wrapped around his neck. His hand was trembling, and there was dried blood on his titanium limbs. I stood up, not hesitating to approach his intimidating figure. Looking up at him, he towered a few inches over me, his shadow engulfing me. "Where in the hell have you been all day?" I demanded.
His eyes were downcast, his face stripped of all emotion. His usually hard looking exterior became soft, and Scott for once looked vulnerable. I noticed his trembling was even worse than I originally saw, and he was caked in dirt. His hair was matted down from sweat and water, and there were clumps of mud in his sharp beard. His breathing was labored, and a drop of blood was streaking down his cheek from a scrape. My eyes widened as I got a better look at him. Scott turned to the table where the others sat, and they all waved at him. Scott didn't greet them, and looked back at me. "Where's Sombra?" He asked. His voice was soft, and wavered as he spoke. I had never heard the man sound so small and defeated.
"She's still at the ball." I answered.
Scott nodded. "Oh."
I watched him begin to hobble away, revealing three bullet wounds in his calf. He steadied himself on the doorway before limping away. Off to find Sombra no doubt.
'He's wounded.' I thought. I pondered the idea of allowing him to walk there all by himself, but my conscience got the better of me and I called out to him. "Scott, wait! You're injured." I hurried over to him, catching up to him with relative ease. He stumbled a bit, but I caught him before he fell.
His eyes met mine, the white lenses zooming back out as his eyes widened. "Don't be so shocked that I'm helping you. I'm a doctor after all. We'll go to Sombra, then we'll clean you up. Don't want our Captain getting an infection now, do we?"
Scott offered me a surprised grin, nodding. "T-thanks." He stuttered, placing his arm around my shoulders, allowing me to support his body weight as he limped forward.
Scott's POV
We soon arrived near the ball, the streetlights lighting our path as we moved forward. I glanced at Angela for a moment, before turning back away. I was still unable to meet her eyes without feeling guilty.
My leg burned with each step I took, and I struggled to keep my mind off of what I just did. I could hear Michael's cries as I moved through the night, the wind almost knocking me off my feet.
The mansion was huge, spanning at least three acres as it towered over the park, dwarfing even the largest trees. The lights were still ablaze inside, yet the night was rather quiet except for the sound of music coming from inside the mansion. Angela and I ascended halfway up the stairs before stopping. My eyes widened as I noticed Sombra, Satya Vaswani, and Katya Volskaya walking through the park side by side, discussing some topic I couldn't make out. They were all adorned in the most fashionable gowns made from some of the finest silks I'd seen in my life. Sombra wore a vibrant blue dress that revealed her tone muscles and collarbone. Satya wore a white dress that was much less revealing than Sombra's, but knowing Sombra she made her dress like that on purpose. She loved being the center of attention. Katya was much more reserved, though still as formal as the others, wearing a black suit and black pants. Her eyes were locked onto Sombra, no doubt listening intently to what she had to say.
I watched as Satya and Katya sat down at a bench near a large fountain in the center of the park, right above us at the edge of the stairs. Sombra remained standing. They didn't see us, but I could see them and hear what they were speaking about. Sombra wore a fake smile, the same one she used to manipulate and deceive others, no doubt charming them both. Katya was of course aware of Sombra's actions here and her true intentions, but never revealed them. "What a lovely night, and such a nice breeze too." Sombra remarked, looking up at the sky. I stared at her, enamored with the way she held herself. A part of me yearned to be by her side, no matter what. Even if she made me do all of this for her dream, I didn't care. Her dream had become mine.
"Truthfully, I find these festivities quite tedious. Though I suppose it has something to do with my ineptitude at social undertakings." Satya admitted, and Katya offered a smile. Sombra sighed. "I'm afraid I'm becoming quite tired. I never knew parties like these could take so much out of someone." She said, and I took a step towards her. Angela placed a hand on my shoulder. "Wait. You intend on seeing her looking like that? You'll just end up embarrassing her. If you really have to speak to her, wait until the others have gone."
Angela began to tear the sleeve of her shirt off, revealing her rather muscular arms as she did so. I raised an eyebrow, confused by what she was doing. "Come here." She ordered, and I bent down, allowing her to dab at my cheek with her shirt, wiping away the dried blood and mud running along my face. My eyes met hers, and she returned the gaze. "Are you okay?" She asked. I stayed silent. "What happened?" She pressured me, and I turned away from her before she could ask again.
"Why are most people preoccupied by bloodshed? That is the question you asked me earlier, isn't it?" Sombra turned to Satya as she spoke, and she nodded in response. Sombra turned back to the skies, staring off into the horizon, the wind flowing through her hair. "It's true people possess a side of themselves that can be rather savage, as you've no doubt witnessed yourself. But it's purpose is to gain things, as well as protect them. My work has always been focused on gaining more and more, but I also strive to protect the group I travel with, and the things I've earned. I've learned that bloodshed, at times, is inevitable. You could say it's like a double-edged sword."
I stared up at Sombra as she spoke, paying no mind to anything but her. "Is love one of those precious things? Or honor?" Katya asked, and Sombra snickered.
"Love and honor can both be important things. Things just about everyone is willing to die for. But to me, there is something that goes beyond that. Something even more precious to them. They're driven to pursue it, doing so entirely for their own benefit, not for someone else."
My eyes widened as I looked onwards. 'A dream.' I thought to myself.
"People strive to achieve their dreams, to make them a reality, no matter who they are or where they're from. Their dreams can be small, or large, but no matter how ambitious, they're willing to trample over others to fulfill that dream. Someone can be sustained by their dream, revived by their dream, or even killed by it."
I felt like her eyes were staring right through me, like all her words were directed at me. I had never heard Sombra speak like this to anyone. She never revealed how she truly felt, not even to me. A twinge of jealousy struck me.
"Everyone should know what it feels like to strive for such goals. Even if they don't fulfill the dream to its entirety, or even die trying, it's worth every struggle that it may or may not be. And if someone is to abandon their dream, it will smolder in their heart forever." Sombra spoke with such wisdom and confidence, sounding just like any other great philosopher of our time.
Sombra looked up the the moon, her eyes fixated on the stars. Her ambitions rested beyond the sky, but to her it was an inevitability that she fulfilled her dream. And I wanted to be by her side when she did. To be her friend. Her loyal companion. Nothing else mattered to me. Even Katya and Satya were completely silent, struck with an overwhelming sense of astonishment as they listened to Sombra speaking.
"I find it ridiculous to simply live out my life for no other reason than I was born into it."
Her words found their way into my heart, striking a chord like no other had. I stared at her in awe.
She seemingly snapped out of her trance, turning to the other two and offering a smile. "I apologize. I hope I haven't been boring you two."
Both seemed shocked to hear her flip personalities so quickly, and struggled to speak afterwards. "No. Not at all. You've shown me a side of yourself I never knew existed. I thought I had you figured out. But there's a side to you no one but yourself truly understands. You're an intriguing character to say the least. I'm sure that's why your friends are so fascinated by you." Satya said.
"They're loyal friends, willing to risk their lives, all for the sake of my dream." Sombra hesitated, as if thinking about us before speaking once more. "But that doesn't mean they're my true friends. Of course I enjoy their presence, but I require something more from someone to see them as a true friend."
My heart shattered upon hearing those words, and all of a sudden, I felt such shame. I felt like I was being crushed by the burden of knowing I wasn't a friend to her.
"A friend shouldn't rely on another's dream. For someone to be a true friend, they need to have a reason to live that goes beyond me. There is a man, a man that I work with, who truly baffles me. He is clever, strong, swift, honest, even charming at times. He has a way of carrying himself unlike any other person I've met. He's fascinating."
I smiled for a moment, and Angela offered me a look as I did so. I ignored it. "But he lacks a dream. Lacks any reason to live, and fights for the sole purpose of surviving, rather than for something higher than himself. This man is willing to die for me, and nearly has time and time again, but not because it's his dream, but because he wants me to achieve my own dream. He latches onto it, hoping it will give meaning to his existence. At times, I start to think of him as a friend, but I remember that he'll never be my equal."
Staring down at my feet in shame, I clenched my fists. 'I'll never be your equal. It's true. I've never had a purpose outside of you.' I told myself, a storm of emotion surging up inside of me.
"To become my friend, someone must pour their heart and soul into their dream, and never betray that dream. Even if it meant opposing me. For me to call a man my friend he must stand on an equal ground, and sustain a dream of his own."
I stood there in silence, the cool night breeze flowing through my hair. I had done everything I did tonight for her. I murdered an innocent child, and I even defended that action. I believed I had done that all for her dream, but only now did I understand.
I did that, not because it was necessary, but because I wanted to prove myself to her. I wanted Sombra to depend on me, just as I depended on her.
I didn't move, my eyes fixated on the woman who I was so desperate to impress. I desired her approval, and now I realized I'd never truly get it. In order to have a dream of my own, I needed something outside of Overwatch. Outside of Genji, Lena, Jesse, Reinhardt, even Angela. I needed something outside of her.
I felt Angela place a hand on my shoulder, but I paid her no mind. My breathing hitched, and I shook with an uncontrollable sadness, my entire view of the world being shattered by Sombra.
"Would you share your dream with me?" I heard Satya ask, but a woman interrupted them as she came rushing towards them both, yelling out for them. "Satya! Katya!" They both turned and stood, the woman struggling to catch her breath. "What is it?" Katya asked, stepping towards her. "It pains me to tell you this, but the honorable and distinguished Maximilien was assassinated tonight! Not even his son was spared!"
"WHAT?!" They shouted simultaneously. Katya gasped and covered her mouth. I looked at Sombra as she stared off into the distance. She knew I had accomplished my mission. "But Maximilien was a good friend, and our partnership was helping better this world. Who could've done such a thing?" Satya asked, though no one but Sombra and I held the answers.
"Please, come with me! We have guards here to escort you away from Monaco, just in case the assassin is coming for anyone else!" The woman begged. Satya and Katya turned to Sombra, who nodded. "Go on, I'll be fine." She assured them, and they began to hurry away from the premises.
"Scott, did you..." Angela trailed off, unable to find the words. Even she didn't want to assume I was capable of such a thing. I turned to her, offering her an ashamed look before walking away from her.
Angela was left in silence as I left without a word, my head down, still limping and covered in blood and dirt.
'I'll find something. Something outside of you. I'll gain my own independence. No matter the cost, Sombra.'
Things are spicing up my friends! I have so much fun writing these kinds of chapters, even if they can be rather disturbing. I love delving into the emotions Scott feels and how his entire view of the world can be destroyed with a few words. But now Scott is on a mission of his own, and I can tell you right now there will be dire consequences for everyone.
