Chapter V: Rough Beginning

The team met at the payload in an hour, all goods secured to the vehicle and kept locked away. Rather than the battering hammer that was carried at one point, the payload consisted of armory to send to a local base of defense units. The base in question was located just past and below the cliff where the historical site of Eichenwalde's keep could be found, a proud memory to former crusaders like Reinhardt himself. Even though it was abandoned and in poor shape now, it was still a place that inspired awe and respect. They were greeted by a handful of the Eichenwalde tradesmen who had secured the goods and appointed a driver before handing the reins over to Overwatch's group. Grouping up onto the bed of the vehicle, they began their escort.

For the first stretch of the trip, no obstacles were encountered. They passed by a few stores, all of which were closed down - bakeries and antiques shops alike - while travelling the stone road. The path used to be a main street for tourists to pass through to see the glory that once was the crusader's home, but now it was closed off to public due to recent criminal activities. Before the recall, Reinhardt had dealt with the majority of attackers, decreasing the number of casualties considerably, but some vagabonds were still loose and avoiding authorities. Even as Overwatch's escort strayed from the main path and took lesser known routes as much as the payload allowed, they were still vulnerable to any kinds of attack. That's why everyone kept their guards up. Well… almost everyone.

The payload had just passed the last store on the small square before approaching a large, sealed gate made of sturdy oak when Junkrat decided to lounge back in the bed and take a nap. Mei sent a sharp glare his direction, not having any of it. If they were not in the middle of an important mission, she wouldn't normally be bothered. Her gun raised immediately, her finger on the trigger set for snow accumulation rather than her ice cycles. At the end of the barrel, the snow gathered into a ball that was aimed right for the Junker's head. Usually, being the bodyguard of the obnoxious pyromaniac, Roadhog would have intervened right then, if only because he was still being paid in half the goods that they still secretly stole from time to time. Instead, he just sat and watched the events unfold with secret amusement hidden behind his mask. He had to admit he enjoyed seeing the loudmouth being punished every once in a while. Junkrat needed a lesson or two.

Once the snowball had grown to Mei's liking, she sent the projectile into the Junker's face without a moment of remorse. Her victim shot up from his momentary slumber, both alarm and anger apparent on his face. Shaking off his initial shock caused by the sudden cold bite, he glowered in her direction to which she returned the glare. "Oi, what do you think you're doing?" he yelled at her, wiping away the melted snowball with his gloved hand. Apparently the projectile did nothing to put out his singed hair tips, much to his relief.

She returned by holstering her gun, its purpose fulfilled, and placing her hands on her hips. "I could say the same to you. Who told you to lay down while on the job?" The two of them traded vocal blows to each other, Junkrat trying to defend his free rights and Mei arguing that he does this on nearly every mission. A single, low grunt or snort could be heard from the larger Junker, whether it was a laugh or his usual heavy breathing, no one was quite certain. He certainly wouldn't let anyone know whether he was amused or not. Lucio and Tracer watched the argument with mild interest, nudging each other and placing bets on who would win. Both of their wagers were placed on Mei being the victor.

Meanwhile, Symmetra looked on with a blank face, too stunned for words herself. Her mouth would be hanging open if she didn't think of it as an unsightly expression. She knew Junkrat to be the unruly type, that much was a given on the very first day she met him, but she was appalled that he'd even consider slacking on the job. This was a group mission, after all. The team was only as strong as the weakest member, and if he spent the whole time lazing around, then nothing would get done properly. What if they had been attacked? Would he just not lend a hand at all? The likelihood of that answer being yes was high. Her gaze then turned to Mei, slightly amazed at how quick the climatologist was to anger. Satya always found the Chinese woman to be shy and reserved, save for around the few people whose company she enjoyed. She'd never seen Mei raise her voice at anyone before. What she didn't know was that this type of feud was the norm between the two whenever outside of the base.

Noticing Satya's expression, Tracer leaned over from her position next to her. "This happens a lot, love. Don't worry about a thing. See, Mei's got it all covered." The Brit pointed an index finger their direction where both Junkrat and the climatologist were reaching a reluctant truce after minutes of bickering. Fawkes gave up on arguing after a while, but not without grumbling out a few more words and sending Mei the middle finger when she wasn't looking. Lena and Lucio sent grins to each other, pleased about their bets playing out to their favor. As if there were any doubts about losing their wagers. They have been around the two long enough to know who the victor would be every time. Each time Mei won, it usually included bribing the Junker with food or money to get him to oblige. Every once in a while, she'd have to threaten punishment either by a frigid time out in an ice block or by Winston when they returned to base. The punishments issued from the gorilla would normally include janitorial duty, which the two Junkers already had included in their regimen of "community service." The lanky Junker would argue that servicing Overwatch was not what he'd called community service, but, unbeknownst to him, Winston was being quite lenient with the punishment. If only because he couldn't really trust either Junker with any other kind of service without risking important equipment or paperwork. This time, Junkrat decided to simply give up while he still had the chance, much to everyone's disbelief.

He was a far cry away from cured from his radiation – a painstakingly long research really, as radiation wasn't exactly reversible – but they had to admit that he's definitely made progress in some ways since being involved in Overwatch. Despite his destructive and chaotic personality, Junkrat had another side that was very rarely seen. Usually, only Roadhog would be the recipient of his less aggressive nature. That is, until recently. Even though he was more willing to change his behavior with the promise of a high reward, he had been found conversing with others in a more civil manner. Whether this alteration meant anything yet or not was still up in the air, but there was no doubt that it was there. What was better news was that he actually proved himself useful for specific missions, most having to do with defense of payloads and points where Overwatch stationed their bases from time to time.

The payload paused momentarily to have everything checked by the security personal at the gate, their first checkpoint. An hour had passed since the start of the escort without anyone actually being aware of it. Though the driver was in a hurry to transport the goods to safe keeping once again, he couldn't really rush and risk the goods being damaged, so their journey was conducted at a rather leisurely and careful pace. Another half hour was spent going through the meticulous process of checking the payload in case any bugs slipped through the security system. Even though they had yet to encounter any issues, it was protocol that needed to be followed for every checkpoint. The group spent this time stretching and moving their limbs before the trip started once more.

They crossed through the checkpoint to be greeted by the rustic view of Eichenwalde's alleys and keep. Though now abandoned, the structures towered with pride and sturdy stones, looming over the cobblestone street and casting shadows about. Even taller towers could be seen from one end of a bridge to another. The bridge itself was perfectly built in a powerful arc, durable enough to hold much weight and to withstand weathering over the years. Truth be told, it had been rebuilt ten years prior due to it being blown down during the crisis, so it was still relatively new. Satya couldn't help but marvel at the primitive yet ingenious architecture designs. Everything was aligned perfectly and each served its purpose fully without flaw, with the exception of the structures with gaping holes that had yet to be restored. The truest beauty lay on the cliff just past the bridge. She had never before witnessed Eichenwalde's keep until today, and she was not at all disappointed by the sight.

Her awe-struck trance was broken instantly when the driver of the payload swerved abruptly to avoid an explosive trap that had been set off along the road just before the bridge. She hung tight to the door grip on the side of the bed as the direction of force changed, her vision blinded by the sudden burst of flames that the driver had narrowly avoided. The others fared no better, clinging for dear life to the truck's frame or else they'd risk being thrown out of the vehicle altogether. As they came to a halt, with the electric engine of the vehicle buzzing in annoyance at the sudden stop, the group took a moment to collect their bearings.

"Hooley Dooley, what a wild ride," cried Junkrat, scrambling to gather all of his loosened grenades in hand before they were set off. However, he seemed to be laughing all the while doing so, undoubtedly entertained by the thought. His statement was cut short as he noticed the flat gazes thrown his way, everyone's mouths tight in fine lines. It was then that he realized what they were thinking. His expression darkened. "What, you thought I did that? Mates, my explosives can do far worse than that, believe me."

Roadhog was about to defend his partner's position by giving a nod of his head when he was forced to change action at the sound of a gun firing. The larger Junker had just pulled Fawkes down by the straps of his rip-tire before a bullet grazed passed where he was sitting, the projectile piercing through one side of the bed and nearly exiting the other side. More bullets showered where that one came from. Instinctively, all members went on the defensive. They jumped out of the payload with haste, crouching behind the other side from where the attackers were firing.

"Is everyone okay?" Mei asked first, checking for injuries caused by stray bullets. For the most part, each member remained untouched, save for two bullets that grazed across Roadhog's larger body. He shrugged it off. So long as they didn't hit anything vital, small scratches were nothing for him to worry over. "How many are there?"

Tracer motioned for them to give her a second to count, taking a peak over the edge of the payload. Her chocolate eyes flickered behind orange shaded goggles before she ducked back down before she was spotted, a flashy feat that was common practice for her. "I can see maybe fifteen, but I don't know if there are any hiding anywhere else. Looks like they stopped shooting for now too, but they're closing the distance," she announced. Sometimes, being a regular scout had its merit. She added, "I don't see any marks of associations."

Mei furrowed her brow at the last statement. While it was good news they weren't up against Talon operatives, not knowing their enemies' identities posed a different kind of problem. They could easily be face to face with common bandits or they may have encountered another dangerous organization altogether. The Overwatch group would have no way of knowing what the enemy has in its arsenal or how to counter. Not to mention it wasn't her place to allow casualties on foreign enemies, in the case if they were merely desperate citizens. While it was a rarity for locals to attack a business protected by Overwatch, it was not unheard of and had been known to happen a few times in the past. She finally decided that they should go about a full defense until they could gain further information. With any luck, there'd be few to no major incidents and the culprits would be captured. "Alright, defend the payload at all costs. Roadhog and I will hold the frontlines. Tracer, Junkrat, and Symmetra can counter their attacks and incapacitate them if they get too close. Fawkes, don't go out of control and Lucio, stay close."

"Got it," they all agreed. Satya replied with a little bit less enthusiasm than her teammates however. She didn't expect a conflict quite so sudden, and maybe she was still shaken from the blast. Maybe that would explain her sudden nerves. Mei and her partner jumped up from their refuge to face the attackers approaching from across the bridge as the rest of their group made their way around to prepare for a fight. The climatologist was first to act, pulling up her cryo-gun before the enemy had time to react. Her weapon fired a massive heap of ice in a linear path, the ice collecting on the ground before the group, crystalizing and scaling in size until a wall obstructed their oppressor's path. Any bullets that were shot after Mei's appearance were lost in the thick layers of the wall. The climatologist nodded to the larger Junker nearby, urging him to proceed with their usual strategy.

In most of her operations in defense, she had been teamed up with both of the Junkers and had learned how their abilities could be utilized best. So far, they have been cooperative with her directing. As for this case, Roadhog took the sign and uncoiled the chain hook that was attached to his belt. Grasping the weapon with his left hand, he threw it forward with fearsome expertise. Its links rattled heavily as it sailed the short distance, finding purchase upon a startled foe who had just crawled through a small hole that had finally been created in the wall. The man let out a terrified yelp as he was roughly tugged forward to face the hulking Junker. Before, in his criminal days, Roadhog wouldn't have bothered keeping anyone alive with this technique, no exceptions. However, now he had to force himself not to continue that old habit. Ever since being restricted within Overwatch, he was coerced to refrain from that act or else he would return to isolated containment. The only time it was allowed and had occurred was when strictly necessary, when the enemy was beyond an endangerment to oneself and others. Not that the Junker would have cared either way whether he returned to prison or not. It wasn't the worst place he's ever been. Though, he secretly had to admit that he was coming to terms ever slowly to his newer life. He had no intention to relinquish this luxury. At least not just yet.

His right fist connected with the nose of the man, causing a stream of blood to fly out and knocking the man out cold. Rutledge grinned gruesomely behind his mask. Even without the need of killing, he still enjoyed bloodshed. That much would never change. He did this a few times, picking out a few of the attackers that trickled out of the widening hole, before the wall melted and crumbled away completely. Each of his targets were disarmed and bound near the payload. Their driver had already sent out a call for reinforcements to pick up the criminals and provide backup if necessary. Though the extra men weren't expected to arrive for roughly an hour, Mei let out a sigh of relief knowing they wouldn't have to hold out for too terribly long. Their group was capable, but even they had their limits sometimes. Any more than three hours would be practically impossible for them unless they were able to hold a more secure location, like in the alleyways or something. She was thankful for Lucio filling her in on possible escape routes when he returned to the lodge yesterday. Her gun only had enough resources for two more walls and several shots and she had no intention of using it all up at once, just in case. Roadhog had done his job lowering the enemy's numbers. They were now only faced ten versus six. Now it was time to bring the fight closer to them.

She couldn't say she wasn't expecting it as there was really no way of knowing, but Mei was momentarily caught off guard when Tracer called out an approaching group from underneath the nearby ramparts. An ambush, no doubt about it. She was aware that the enemy could possible use the same routes she was contemplating on using. Whoever these people were, they were certainly desperate to get their hands on the payload's shipment. She chanced a glance behind her, catching the gaze of both the Brit and Junkrat and motioning for them to commence the next order of the defense. Fawkes giddily pulled out the tattered rucksack he carried with him, the bag making the most ungodly and cringe-worthy sound as its contents rattled inside at the jerking motion. He unceremoniously emptied it out on the cobblestone behind the payload, revealing his unhealthy collection of steel bear traps and, wouldn't you guess it, more explosives. The traps were set at a rather skillful rate, equally as frightening as his partner in his knowledge with the dangerous tools. There was absolutely no question in her mind that the traps had the ability to take a leg or two, but Mei hoped that they would at least serve their purpose in blocking the new group's procession before it came to that.

Where the traps did not cover, Tracer was there to flank the enemy and incapacitate them in the same manner that Roadhog had. She fared poorly against large groups, but her strength lies in confusing and isolating her opponents. The brit checked through her chronal accelerator's settings before engaging, especially cautious of her own limitations. She could spare several short blinks and a couple of recalls before the device would need a cooldown. More than enough. Tracer jot through a gap in the line of traps, pulse pistols at the ready. As planned, she had the enemy's group split in utter bewilderment at her rapid movements, desperate to stop her despite their leader's better judgment. She had several disarmed and knocked out in no time, only having needed to use recall once as a few somehow managed to corner her. Not a single shot was needed from her pistols as she was already aware of Mei's intentions.

Junkrat was not nearly as reserved as his larger companion, not in the slightest, but he did have his own merits. His explosives were a force to be feared, and he knew exactly how much to utilize against the enemy without taking a single life. They were designed more for breaking into highly secured locations after all. Though this was the case, he was not against using violence to his advantage and he had earned his own fair share of history in manslaughter. Luckily, the only weapon in his arsenal that would rein total fatality was the rip-tire strapped to his back. The contraption may have looked nothing more than a tacky decorative, an old-fashioned rubber tire with spikes adorning the tread, but its dangers lie inside. Within the elastic exoskeleton was a load of shrapnel that was fully capable of causing the enemy to bleed to death if not instant elimination. Whenever the rip-tire was activated, the battle scene was never pretty. It was something that caused concern on every mission, no matter who Junkrat was assigned to. However, their saving grace came from the fact that the Junker was limited on how many to use. It was a last ditch weapon if any.

Instead, he took the hub cap from the tire, of which he had tinkered with and made another kind of artillery. A concussion bomb, or so he called it. Typically used for blowing large holes into walls and causing debris obstruction – a perfect tool for robbing a bank and making a getaway specifically – he tossed it into the air like a disc instead, its trigger flipped out as if a pocket knife in his left hand. As soon as the mine landed on the ground, he jabbed his thumb onto the red button and cackled madly. A couple of enemies were launched ten feet in the air, yelling as they fell haphazardly to the ground with thuds. One unlucky soul collided head first into the stone wall of the ramparts. The concussion bomb had done its job appropriate to its title. Any enemy in its general range had momentarily gone blind and deaf from its blast. They were disarmed and bound by Lena who had blinked by.

Symmetra watched in silent amazement at the events that just transpired. True, the defensive strategy was far from flawless and pretty, but the Overwatch team got the job done without a single mishap on their part. She's never seen such coordination, and she wasn't expecting cooperation from either of the Junkers at all. Their skills were pure terror, to say the least. Truly intimidating. Though, that didn't mean those skills couldn't be used for better purposes. Satya was beginning to understand now what Mei had meant in their earlier conversation when she said they both had their advantages. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a nearby shout. She could hardly process anything at all as she was being roughly pulled to the side by her arm, snapping back to reality as a bullet grazed her cheek. Her vision focused on the face before her, suddenly reminding her of old memories she'd rather forget.

"Hey, snap out of it!" Lucio gave her arm a firm shake before releasing his hold. His freed hand switched over to his sonic amplifier to twist a couple of knobs. The cut on her cheek was beginning to fade away without her knowledge. Low, droning music was synthesized with biomedic properties, similar to that of Dr. Ziegler's caduceus staff technology. Prior to his infamy across the globe, he hadn't been gifted with it. He had only played music to uplift spirits in trying times. Once he had his name spread around, he was confronted by a select few doctors who were interested in his dream to heal people with music. They had helped to modify his gear so that he could achieve that ability. His lifelong ambition had become a reality. However, shortly after joining Overwatch, his healing was greatly amplified by Dr. Ziegler who had a higher affinity in the field of medicine. She had upgraded his gear so that he'd be able to assist his teammates more easily.

Lucio momentarily spared a glance to his fellow associates who were still locked in battle. From his perspective, he could see that they still seemed to be faring well, save for a few scratches. Roadhog had taken the brunt of most projectiles, but his biotic inhalers helped to remedy that, or else Lucio would have gone over in a jiff. The DJ was swift and used to mobile support more than anything, but he knew when he was needed to stay near the payload. Whatever happens, it must not be abandoned for a second, or else the enemy would triumph. Lucio socketed an odd canister into the amplifier before speaking again. "Heads up. We've got company."

True enough, a small number of attackers were headed towards them, slipping through as the rest of the Overwatch team were occupied. She hadn't even realized they were closing in. Combat was still far from being her strong suit, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little bit overwhelmed by the amount of enemies they'd been faced with during this mission. In her experience of battle, Satya's only had to face a handful of opponents, none of which had ambushed quite like this. Never with as much noise and unexpected chaos as this. It almost made her nauseous. She wasn't naïve. She'd known that not all fights were strategized and easy. Her experience just didn't include those kinds as of yet. Upon seeing the approaching enemies, she reached for her own weapon but hesitated just before grabbing it, her hand wavering over the holstered gun. What was making her so nervous?

Lucio caught the action out of the corner of his eye, though he kept his primary focus on the enemies. He wouldn't risk another shot being fired at them while he wasn't paying attention. His fingers went to twisting another knob and lowering a switch, causing the music to shift and beats to soften. It was similar to the music he used to heal. In fact, it was the very same music he played at most concerts – synaesthesia auditiva. The soft, low tones was created to relax the nerves, lower racing heartbeats and control breathing. Its effects were similar in nature to meditation, or "chilling out" as he would call it, and has been quite useful during stressing missions. Lucio was no expert, and his personality would never allow him to claim to be one, but he recognized the hesitation his teammate displayed. This would not be the first time he's seen someone anxious or frightened during a battle, though most cases had included a third party member caught in the crossfire such as their driver who was still huddled behind the payload with them. He saw her tense frame start to loosen, her hand no longer shaking, and he allowed a small smile begin to form, glad that his plan seemed to work.

Satya was aware that her change in demeanor had to do with his music, as much as she hated to admit to it. There was nothing more she wanted than to ignore him and the noise altogether, but there was no denying that he had helped her, and knowing this had infuriated her at the same time. She was frustrated with him, but she was also disappointed in herself for allowing his music to affect her in such a way. It was manipulative, as she had no control over her own actions. It had rounded and riled up people to rebel against Vishkar, against her company. She had every right to put an end to his music now. The sonic amplifier was there in sight, easily obtainable from where she was at. It did not belong in the hands of this ruffian. Symmetra shifted her gaze back at the approaching enemies who were now only a few feet away. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. No, now was not the time, and for her to allow herself to be distracted from the mission by such a thought was absolutely foolish. She had sat still for far too long, watching from the sidelines. The main reason for that was because she was unsure of how she could be of assistance to her group. Close combat was her specialty, as she had no means of long range attack other than the photon orbs that were easily avoidable. As their attackers were closing in, they were within her territory now.

There were only four, not really a number to be concerned over, though it was enough for one person to feel a little overwhelmed. As she wasn't sure of whether the DJ could fight or not, she couldn't count on him to lend a hand. Not to mention, she didn't want to have to rely on him as much as possible. Satya would need to set a trap of some sort to take care of their enemies. She released her gun from its holster and observed her surroundings. Out in the open, they were at a disadvantage for her abilities. Placing hidden sentries was out of question, as there was nowhere to conceal them and they would be destroyed immediately, and they could only be used as a last resort in their position. She could only place them on the payload itself, so that was one option at the least. A teleporter would have no use here, so a shield generator would be a better choice, but it could only be used to help protect her allies, not the payload itself. There certainly wasn't any sort of locking mechanism to keep the enemies away from the goods. The only way for her to fend off their attackers is to counter with her photon gun and create a trap of her own, but for them to fall into the trap, she would need to plan accordingly and carefully. A simple mistake could not be allowed.

Her index finger switched to the photon gun's primary trigger as the first person fell within five yards from her. She jumped into action, weaving away from the payload and veering off the left of the group. As anticipated, they followed her action, drawing their weapons to fire. Satya rolled and ducked nimbly, easily avoiding shots that were sent her way. Her left hand flicked from the wrist as she discretely released a miniscule device on the ground. It was hardly noticeable, being the size of a shotgun shell, but Lucio happened to catch the movement and wondered what purpose it would serve. He watched with some intrigue as she continued to do this until she had dropped eight, each object being completely ignored by the attackers, surprisingly. Maybe they hadn't noticed. The DJ could only take a guess that maybe they were timed explosives similar to Junkrat's tools, but the devices looked way too small to send out as powerful of blasts. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little bit curious as to what her abilities were. No one in their group knew for sure, just that she was deemed suited for defense operations by both Winston and Morrison. As she had yet to return any fire, his focus was directed to the gun she had in hand, his eyebrows furrowing. The weapon wasn't too far off in design from any other firearm he's seen so far – styles in guns have a wide variety in this day and age after all – but it looked vaguely familiar and he couldn't quite put his finger on why. It wasn't until she began her counter that he finally comprehended.

Satya charged at them, going in for the attack. As she applied pressure to the trigger, a thick, steady stream of hard-light connected with one of her opponents, sapping them of their energy. The person fell down to their knees, unwillingly letting go of their own weapon. It wasn't until that person was unable to move that she switched targets. A shot was fired at her as she worked on weakening her second enemy. She flicked her left wrist again, drawing three fingers together delicately as she would in one of her dances. The bullet was absorbed by a photon barrier that she constructed with this motion. Symmetra downed her second target with ease and shifted once again, now face to face with only two attackers. She would have felt more relieved and confident if it weren't for only possessing enough energy left over for one more opponent. After exhausting the next, she would be forced to reload her weapon, which in turn would give the remaining enemy a chance. Satya had to think of a strategy to protect herself when that happens. The trap was laid, but she had yet to round the remaining forces within its range before her first two targets regained their strength. She'd have to act fast in this time limit.

Lucio watched on in silent shock, too stunned for words. He mentally kicked himself for not realizing sooner where he had seen the weapon she wielded. Photon projectors were commonplace for specific hard-light users, though rare were the users. Not to mention, she was no average handler, that much he had come to comprehend. Sparing a glance at the biotic arm she had, he recognized the rate and method of which the shield was created, having seen the action performed a few times some years back. It all made sense now. By the way she had been acting when they first met, he should have known that there was a reason for it. The DJ was a statue of mixed emotions in that moment, his face twisted into something unrecognizable and highly unusual for his personality. Feelings he didn't even know he still had begun to bubble up, both fear and anger rising at once. He knew why he felt the way he did, but couldn't understand why he was unable to control the emotions from leaking out. Memories that he wished to forget had come rushing back to his mind. Here he was facing someone who'd obviously come from Vishkar, and he was suppressing the urge to lash out at her for what the company has done to him and his favela. Lucio was only able to compose himself after a moment due to the fact that he was still on a mission and he couldn't afford to ruin their victory. Not only that, but there was no evidence yet on whether she was a Vishkar supporter or not. He gave her that benefit of the doubt for the time being at least.

The DJ refocused on the battle taking place. After he had learned her identity, he was able to pick up on the plan she had laid out. He finally understood the importance of the devices she had set. It was clever to say the least, but it was also risky as there was no telling how the enemy would act. Getting them to convene would be tricky as they could turn the tables on her, surrounding her on different directions instead. She was lucky to have gotten two within her trap, but Lucio saw her begin to hesitate once more, her gaze switching between the two attackers who were beginning a circle to either side of her. No matter which she attacked, she would receive damage from the other in the process. There was not enough time to weaken one before the other attacked. Not unless… Yeah, that could work. Lucio ran his fingers over the switches on his amplifier, cranking the bass knob as far as it would go. The deep soundwave was more of a last ditch effort than anything, but it would work in this scenario. He leapt from his position, rolling up to her with haste. When he approached, he yelled out, "Get behind me and cover your ears!"

Perplexed, Satya barely had a moment to process his words before he skidded around in front of her, his sonic amplifier raised before him. Instead of being pointed towards either foe, it was directed equidistant between the two. He made sure to judge his distance accurately as he did so. Too close would result in the enemy being pushed the wrong way, and too far would probably not even reach them at all. She had just raised her palms to her ears in confusion when he pulled the trigger and an explosive "BOOM" could be heard. With her ears covered, it didn't affect her as much, but she could still feel the vibrations shaking her to the core at the massive sound. Their enemies were knocked back from the force, just far enough to where both were within range of her trap. Before her opportunity could slip by, she flicked both wrists, angling her arms in dance as she activated the devices. Linear beams shot out from each one, each connecting to another and fanning out until a hard-light cube was made. A prison that couldn't be passed through until it was deactivated by the user. Once all four of their opponents were secured, she allowed herself to rest. The fight wasn't nearly as draining as she's had before, but Satya was a bit anxious of whether her plan would work or not. If the enemy had any clue of the devices' utilities, then they wouldn't have let her continue, and she would have certainly been risking her life on a gamble, strategized or not.

Lucio watched as the first two were beginning to rouse from their positions on the ground. He was no stranger to the workings of hard-light technology, but he'd thought it only to be used to build structures and select tools similar in nature to the trap. Never in his life had he witnessed it utilized as a weapon. It's part of the reason why his heist in Vishkar was successful despite his lack of gear back then. Because of such an event, it was likely that the company had started creating the arms for security purposes. While the gun didn't seem necessarily used to take lives, he couldn't help but feel cautious. The DJ managed a smile on his face before he turned to her, a feat that he'd usually not have to force when approaching others. "Not too bad for your first mission. Great plan there," he offered a compliment with a thumbs up. Lucio would be lying if he claimed to not have any feelings of doubt about her, but he did his best to be considerate and supportive of his teammates at all costs. It wasn't difficult to do as positivity was his first nature.

Meanwhile, Satya returned his acknowledgment with a blank stare, now even more confused. She issued a nod towards him as if in thanks before turning away back towards the payload, her mind trying to make sense of the awkward situation now. Surely, he was aware of who she was now, or at least had some idea to her past affiliation with Vishkar. There was no way he wouldn't be aware, having been made world famous for putting an end to the corporation. Then why? Why was he acting as if ignorant to that fact? He was treating her just like he would with any of the other Overwatch members, as if she was still considered a comrade. She started to wonder if this was that same ruffian or if she had been wrong the whole time. Or maybe he was playing some kind of trick on her now that he knew. Before a storm started to brew in her mind, her thoughts were interrupted by the rest of their teammates reforming.

Tracer was first to arrive as per usual. The Brit approached the two with an award-winning smile and high-fived with Lucio. "Just saw what happened there as I was making my way back. That was brilliant!" she exclaimed. Unlike her forced acceptance of the compliment from the DJ, Satya's thanks was genuine though formal. Had she not been trained in modesty, she may have blushed from embarrassment at receiving it. Mei also sent her commendations as she joined with both Junkers on her heel. Just as the group reconvened, their backup could be seen travelling up the cobblestone path.

The small group of soldiers rallied the remaining, incapacitated forces, snuffing out whoever had escaped somehow. Some of their attackers did manage to slip away, but the majority had been caught, not far from the scene, and secured in cuffs, including those that Satya had released from her trap. Mei checked in with the officials for a few moments to describe all that had happened and to be sure their escort was secure enough to complete the mission. Though the payload vehicle itself sustained a little bit of damage from the first shots, it was able to continue on and its cargo remained intact. Once they were given the okay, the Overwatch group loaded up onto the vehicle and their driver took off. For the remainder of their escort, the trip went smoothly in a matter of speaking. Truthfully, they faced no other obstacles, but the drive itself had gone quiet and long. Everyone had grown a tad exhausted from the skirmish that ended up taking an hour and a half, so they were resting up and tending to their equipment peacefully. Mei didn't even bother disrupting Fawke's nap this time around as she was too tired to even care, and they were really just a couple of kilometers from their destination anyway.

Silence was a stranger mostly to the duo who were the most energetic on this mission. In Tracer's case, maybe not so much. She was used to adjusting to her teammates' whims and had even shared a few quiet tea times with Captain Amari and the doctor every once in a while. Winding down was no issue to her whatsoever. Even now, she sat propped with back against the payload's frame, both elbows bent out over its edge. Her eyes were closed as she reveled in the feeling of the wind blowing through her short-cropped hair. It reminded her of races she'd run and the time she had flown in a plane for the first time. The aircraft was similar in style to a dust cropper in which the pilot's seat was open to the air. It was only a fleeting moment and the only time she had flown in that sort of plane before beginning her training on other crafts, but Lena much enjoyed the wind whipping through her hair and around her goggles, enjoyed the fresh and crisp scent that carried through. With everywhere she travelled, she got to experience a new atmosphere. Each one gave her something to look forward to, to make memories, and most importantly to give her some kind of ground to remind her that she's alive. It's funny. It's such a simple thing really and may seem a little silly to say out loud, but she'd take anything to break away from her constant fear of returning to a temporal void. Even with Winston's scientific aid and assurance, the fear still chewed her up from time to time. One would never guess it from a glance of her hyperactive personality, however.

Meanwhile, the quietness was not such a common thing to the world-famous DJ. Sure, he still had his headphones on and connected to his ears, the beats lightly leaking through from the ear cushions, but his focus was on nothing in particular. Wordlessly, he gazed off into the distance, even though others were used to his cheery conversations. Ordinarily, he'd always have something to talk about. Needless to say, long trips of silence from him was definitely not of the norm. His comrades noticed this when their journey started up again, curious as to the change of attitude. When it seemed to them that he was deep in thought, they decided to leave it alone for the time being, repressing any questions that came to their minds. Sometimes people just need a moment to themselves, even Lucio himself. Not paying any mind to the changing landscape or their approach to their destination, he didn't even realize he had zoned out. For the remainder of the trip, his mind was a bit of a jumbled mess, though not extraordinarily so. He played out the scene of their former skirmish over and over in his head, completely at lost on what to do with the newfound information he had gotten out of it.

There was absolutely no doubt in his mind as to Symmetra's affiliation, but he had several question still unanswered and he was unsure of how to breach them or if he should even attempt it. Lucio was determined to find out whether she had any lingering connections with Vishkar, but at the same time, he didn't want to risk losing any cooperation in case of future missions. However and whenever he would come across his answers, he'd have to do so tactfully. Perhaps he could bring it up casually. Or maybe he could wait and observe, or have someone else ask in his stead. For now, he'll leave the matter be until he had more time to think it over.

The payload slowed to a halt as they finally reached the final checkpoint. Everyone breathed out sighs of relief as their mission was coming to a close. Overall, the day went by with a breeze, certainly not the best case scenario but not the worst either. Had their predicament been any worse for wear, the escort may have taken up to two days. On the horizon, the sun was retiring and giving away to night as the stars faintly began to peek through the sky. As the leader of the group, Mei had to go through one last check with the security that was receiving the goods. Reports were given and papers signed before she was finally relinquished of her duty as moderator between the two groups. Her role as leader would not be renounced until their return to base, but she did consider passing it over to Lena for when they prepared for their trip back. She was about to open her mouth to say something when she was interrupted by a rather loud gurgle came from the hulking Junker. Her chestnut gaze switched over to him with hidden contempt before she sighed. Mei honestly wasn't surprised anymore.

They were approached by the squad leader of their employer who offered to pay for lodgings and meals for one more day before they would depart. As their mission ended earlier than expected, the climatologist wasn't one to decline. They'd be waiting for the airship to return anyway. Both Junkers were more than happy to take up the offer of free… well anything for that matter, but food especially. She nodded to the woman and gathered her own team to be escorted to the inn. The building wasn't too much to gawk at. Though, being stationed in the more local area of Eichenwalde, it was more modern in style compared to that in which they stayed in the first night. It looked more like an actual motel rather than a family cabin. While it still held the rustic charm of the German countryside that the locals adored, the inn contained more individual rooms with lots of space, a small dining hall, and even a parlor. As the rooms were already paid for, each team member had their own single-bed rooms. Even though Tracer and Mei wouldn't have complained about sharing a room for another night, the other members couldn't deny feeling relief for having their own privacy. Satya especially.

Just as she did every night, the hard-light wielder retired early after dinner, making her way up to the second floor and through the hall until she reached her room. The only problem with their setup was that the whole team was stationed on the same floor, so that meant that they were close enough to still make her feel wary. Not to mention, the walls weren't soundproof at all. She found that out the hard way when she was nearly given a heart attack by one of Junkrat's explosives being set two doors down. Satya promptly locked her door securely and positioned a couple of specially moderated sentry turrets by the door. She would not take her chances. If anyone were to enter her room without her approval, the sentries were programmed to knock out their target. Finally feeling safe enough, she changed into her sleepwear before resting for the night. Her usual nightmare didn't appear this time, replaced instead by an old memory she had of her first days of training in hard-light technology with Sanjay.

A/N: Okay everyone, thank you so much for your patience with me. I've been having a really rough few weeks and right now I'm still not the best. My Grandma is in the hospital now and looks like she's not going to make it, so I probably won't be updating for quite a bit yet again, but I hope this makes up for my time away. Please let me know how you think. I look forward to your reviews!

Edit: I'm back from my hiatus if only for a moment. College has been keeping me extremely busy this whole semester. My grandma passed away, so I didn't have a whole lot of motivation. I'm thankful for all the wonderful reviews I've had so far. They've helped me a cheer up a little bit. With final exams coming up in the next couple of weeks, I'll be even busier, but I did want to make sure to leave a brand new chapter for you all. I also went back and revised some of the chapters, cleared a bunch of mistakes I didn't know I left. Nothing too major. Thank you all again for the reviews. Ciao!