Chapter 6 – Near-Miss

"I suppose there's no risk—not this time" conceded Gérard.

He never liked the idea of Amélie accompanying him to the shuttleport, and found it more dangerous-sounding now. However, given the attack at the greenhouse that even Overwatch couldn't tell which one of them it was aimed at, said organization supplied an armored fighting vehicle for his trip. It was the same six-lift type deal used by dignitaries and even some of the legendary Overwatch heroes themselves. But only after they'd been convinced to do something other than take public transit for the sake of visibility—Tracer in particular loved "the Tube."

"What's the deal?" asked Amélie after armored doors hissed shut with a clank signifying Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and Electromagnetic Pulse shielding was now in place.

"Conference" replied Gérard. "As usual. But a very important one. Talon activities have been increasing, as have agitators in both pro- and anti-Omnic groups."

He wasn't going to mention the bubbling trouble with Blackwatch.

"And you're going to try to find new ways to stop the bad guys."

He laughed. Amélie obviously knew the stakes were far higher than the animated, kid-friendly MorningWatch that many children spent too many hours in front of (on that note, the Overwatch communication department had an unhealthy fascination with attaching "-Watch" to the end of everything as a tie-in).

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. We're bringing in other players now—instead of just Overwatch and governments, there will also be what you might call 'community' or 'civic' groups involved in some of the less-classified briefings."

Gérard suffered through years of ribbing that his wife influenced his evolving views on how Overwatch should relate to the rest of the world. Truth be told, it wasn't wrong, not entirely. Amélie hadn't changed him so much as exposed him to perspectives at a level he'd never before seen. Previously, as far as he could tell complaints about Overwatch came in the form of haughty editorials from ivory towers, internet trolling, and the occasional rowdy protest. As a Colonel who'd put his life on the line many times this only deepened his disdain for people who didn't understand what Overwatch actually did, only what they wanted to believe about it.

With "Miss Labelle" very much in his face over destruction at her museum, the notion of collateral damage suddenly came to the fore.

"If Overwatch would get off their 20,000 meter high horse and look around, maybe they'd realize there's good they could be doing if they paid more attention" she'd insisted after he tried to stall her off filing a addendum to Protocol 37 that expanded Overwatch's financial liabilities for damage done.

"This was an important classified operation!" he protested. "If we had to do a Protocol 37 payout every time we…"

"Maybe you should be more careful" she shot back. "Or do you all not pay attention to MorningWatch?"

On the show, collateral damage almost always resulted in swift compensations if it was necessary at all. More likely, the surgical precision of Overwatch agents negated the need to worry about missed shots, so everyone just shook hands and went home.

"You don't live up to the image your propaganda department projects" she continued. "Yes, I went there. It's not information. It's propaganda! Did you know Lena Oxton stopped providing her voice for those little shorts because she thought making everything have a happy ending was doing the children of the world a disservice?"

The pressure group that brought about "Tracer's" change of heart some time ago, the Watchers, would be one of the community groups represented at the upcoming conference. Certainly, there were more radical members calling for the complete dissolution of Overwatch coupled with prosecution, but they were a minority.

Besides, our hands aren't clean either… he'd thought. Blackwatch had tangled with the more violent elements of the Watchers, people who'd tried to break into Watchpoint: Gibraltar for as-of-yet unknown reasons.

Back in the present, the woman who'd once scored Overwatch as jingoistic propagandists sang their praises regarding her husband's upcoming meeting. "The inclusion of Tekhartha Mondatta is a huge step" beamed Amélie, her radiant smile hidden in the darkness of their fighting vehicle. Armored personnel carriers, with their more limited weapon load-outs, had been abandoned in favor of simply using heavily reinforced infantry fighting vehicles for transport. "It shows Overwatch leadership is actually serious about getting absolutely everyone to the table on this."

"Apologies, M. and Mdme. Lacroix, but sharp maneuvers are necessary. Please brace yourselves."

"Sharp" was a relative term given that the six-lift handled like a drunken rhino at best as it listed lazily to the left. Both felt thumps transmitted through the V-shaped hull as something impacted armor outside.

Then…BAM. The vehicle slid sideways like some kind of carnival ride, though between seatbelts and their transport's own great mass, they moved less than one would expect given that a fully-laden ten-lift truck just struck them.

"We've been rammed" reported the driver. "They've crippled our rearmost right lift, but we will continue on to the shuttleport. Overwatch escorts are responding, and the colliding vehicle is in no shape to make another run."

Amélie would not learn more about what just happened, though Gérard would later receive a briefing upon arriving at his hotel.

"The two drivers had no papers, no IDs of any kind. Completely unremarkable with blasé work histories and no criminal record. Perfect sleeper agents" he read. "The only thing that saved you was riding in that IFV—they were anticipating a sedan or armored car at most. No way they knew or they'd have sent a bigger attacker!"

Gérard vidcalled Amélie from his aircraft prior to takeoff.

"Please promise me you'll hold out for another IFV" he pleaded. "Don't just take a cab! I promised you we'd visit Route 66 and I want to be able to keep that promise."

His voice started breaking as he hung up.

The kids aren't watering today she thought, so I won't leave anyone waiting.