The Vacation

By Ryan J. Wagner

Chapter 2 (Fareeha Amari)

Driving down the road with my jacket flapping against my shoulders from the wind and my hair sputtering out of control, my mind started to drift towards a conversation I once had with Jack Morrison.

"Fareeha, remember there are only three things to remember in the heat of a fight." Jack Morrison said to me upon placing his right hand on my shoulder. "First: know your enemy. Knowing who you are fighting is paramount to your success in the field. Second: know what's important to you and what might be at stake if you lose. If you don't know what is important to you, then you might as well find a new path in life, because Overwatch isn't for those who don't have something they want to protect." Jack said to me with a dark look in his left eye as he continued to look down at me.

I raised both of my hands to my mouth upon hearing that. "And-and...what about the last one, Jack?" I asked, slightly worried about an even harsher response than the previous.

He gazed into my eyes and started to calm down again. The last one?" He asked confusedly for a second before grinning. "Why it's the most important step of all." He said before kneeling down and place his hand on my shoulder. "Just be yourself, Fareeha. Protecting those who cannot protect themselves is what a natural born leader is; but only when you truly know who you are yourself can you hope to lead those around you to victory."

Thinking about that conversation with Jack, I revved the bike up and sped down the winding road.

Later that day, I stopped driving and found myself sitting in front of a tree on a hilltop that overlooked the entire resort. I was amazed by the fact that the resort was completely powered by the sun, thus making this grand resort one of the 'greenest' resorts in the world.

Sitting under the shade of the tree, I raised my cell phone up to my eyes and listened in on a news report by two middle-aged reporters. "It has been three months since the attempted break-in at the Numbani National History Exhibit. The break-in was committed by the terrorists known only as WIDOWMAKER and REAPER. During the incident, the pair tried to steal away the infamous Doomfist Gauntlet."

The woman stopped to allow her co-partner to begin speaking. "However, it was thanks to the combined work of ex-Overwatch Agents TRACER and Winston that the gauntlet remained out of their hands."

The woman turned to her partner and gave him a cold and confused look. "I think I should remind my partner that Tracer and Winston are criminals just like Reaper and Widowmaker. The U.N. has already condemned their actions of vigilantism and made an announcement that the Petras Act is still in effect."

The man hid his anger through a professional nod and waited until the video switched over to sports.

I couldn't help but shake my head in disgust. "Bureaucratic idiot...she knows that gauntlet would be in the hands of Talon right now had it not been for those heroes," I said to myself as I continued to sit there and gaze out into the distances. "What the hell am I doing with my life? I should be out there protecting the innocent, not guarding an installation that almost no one in the world knows about."

I let out a tired groan, ready to head back to my hotel room when a thought started to form inside my head.. "Numbani has come under numerous threats for its policy on equal rights for both its human and Omnic citizens. Because of these threats, the government of Numbani has requested for volunteers to protect and overwatch the Unity Parade and its festivities. Maybe Reinhardt and Brigitte would appreciate a little extra help."

With that idea cemented into my head, I took a deep breath and made my way back down to my motorcycle and drove off yet again.