Kindred Spirits
Chapter Twelve: The Eagle's Tale
~ o ~
EDIT:
Added several scenes I omitted before and did some light editing.
Apologies for not including them beforehand.
~ o ~
Two Hours Later
The hotel room door opened as Widowmaker made her way inside to see Sombra sitting at the island counter, drinking a can of beer. The hacker turned around and looked at her in disbelief.
"What happened to an hour or two mija?" she exclaimed.
"There wasn't all that much at the mall I chose so I tried to go further. I should've called...Je suis désolé." replied the sniper.
She then lifted the two bags of clothes she got, which really didn't amount to much overall. She was also carrying a bag of fresh pastries and sandwiches Sombra sighed softly but shook her head, now brightening her face.
"At least nothing bad happened. You and I are going to the Beaugranelle Paris tomorrow then. Okay?"
Widowmaker rolled her eyes but finally nodded.
"Fair enough." she replied.
She placed the bags down on the ground.
"Did you think of anything else you needed to get done?" asked Sombra.
"I was thinking of getting my hair dyed; my current hair is a little too distinctive." replied the sniper.
The hacker raised an eyebrow before smiling brightly.
"What color were you thinking of?" she asked.
"Haven't given it much thought yet..."
Sombra put a finger to her chin before snickering.
"Why not try blonde?" she asked.
Widowmaker's face contorted into disgust as she shook her head.
"It'll be a cold day in hell before I try that...I'd look even more obvious." she replied.
"I'm sure Aiden would give you an opinion if you asked him." said Sombra with a wink.
Widowmaker's face turned pink, causing her friend to laugh softly. She then looked around for a few moments.
"Speaking of Aiden...where is he?" she asked.
"He got up to make a sandwich and went right back to sleep. Haven't seen him come out since." replied the hacker.
"Was he feeling well?"
"From what I saw yes. He looked tired, but perfectly fine otherwise."
The sniper sighed in relief before approaching the counter. After taking out three plates, she placed a large sandwich in each of them before handing one to Sombra. She graciously accepted the meal, giving her friend a bright smile as she sat down to eat.
"Gonna talk to him?" she asked.
"Yes...that's the intent." replied Widowmaker.
The hacker nodded in agreement.
"I take it that you gave it a lot of thought?" she asked.
"...I couldn't think about anything else during the day."
Sombra placed the sandwich down, clearing her mouth before looking at her friend, who now looked visibly flustered.
"Before anything else...has he told you exactly what happened to him? Before he met you again I mean." she asked.
"His wife was assassinated and his daughter was kidnapped."
The hacker sighed softly and shook her head.
"So you don't know any specifics about his past?" she continued.
The sniper shook her head slowly, causing Sombra to once again sigh, this time her mouth turning to a frown.
"Before you talk to him about moving forward...you should do the same thing he did for you." she said.
"Meaning?"
"Help him overcome his inner demons...he's in a lot of pain."
Her face contorted into confusion.
"But he doesn't seem like he's in any sort of pain." she replied.
"That's exactly why I know he is. Remember what I said before? That he's not the best at voicing his feelings? It's mainly because he will never talk about it unless he's asked. And you're the person who has the best chance of helping him heal."
Widowmaker nodded as she picked up the remaining two plates.
"I'll do my best...thank you for the advice." she said.
"No problema amiga. I'm going to head back to my hotel room. Let me know when you're heading out to the mall tomorrow." replied the hacker.
She then picked up her sandwich and pulled on her jacket before leaving the room.
~ o ~
"Aiden?"
I opened the door to see that he was still sound asleep. Evidently, he took a shower at some point during the day because he wasn't wearing the same clothes he was this morning. Instead of a white t-shirt, he now wore a black long sleeved shirt. I placed the sandwiches on the end table and took a seat at the side of the bed. I hesitated for a moment, because I didn't really want to disturb his slumber...but after what Sombra just told me, it felt necessary to hear him out.
I placed my hand on his before gently stroking it with my thumb. Slowly, he stirred and opened his eyes. After realizing that it was me, he gave me an apologetic look.
"Oh...I didn't realize I was that tired. It's late isn't it?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"Only 6:30." I replied.
He sighed deeply before looking at the end table. He smiled.
"Did you get this for me?"
"I wasn't sure of what you like...so I took a guess."
He took a bite of it and after a brief moment, he smiled at me.
"Bologne and Swiss Cheese is perfectly fine. Thank you Amélie."
I picked up my sandwich and for the next ten minutes we ate and had a friendly conversation. He of course asked me about how my day was before anything else. I was honestly quite bored at the small mall because not much of the clothes really called out to me. It took a few looks at some windows and mirrors to realize however, that I needed to do something about my hair; it was too distinctive and it wasn't really comfortable to keep it pinned in a bun all the time. I made a mental note that I had to do something about that, perhaps take a trip to the salon tomorrow to see what could be done.
Most of the time I spent at the mall was simply looking around, though I did find some necessities that I picked up. I suppose it would be better to go to the Beaugranelle Paris considering how much larger it was...but going with Sombra seemed like it would be much more of an annoyance than a meaningful trip. My thoughts then drifted to the man sitting in front of me, pondering how a trip to the mall would be with him.
After shaking my senses back into focus, I placed my empty plate down before giving him a concerned look.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Remember that talk I wanted to have with you?"
He nodded.
"...I want to know everything that happened to you. From day one."
The assassin placed his plate on top of mine and let out a deep sigh.
"I'm assuming that Sombra put you up to this?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"I've always wanted to know, but I wasn't sure how to ask you without sounding heartless." I replied.
His crimson eyes scanned me for lies, but I was very good at keeping a poker face. He seemed to believe my words as he turned fully to me and lowered his head. He then reached over to the end table and handed his wallet to me. I opened it to see a picture of his family...with Gerard and I.
"You've been an assassin for eleven years...technically longer than I've been but I was trained to be an assassin since the age of 13." he explained.
"And you're now 38 years old." I inferred.
"39 actually. My birthday was nine days ago."
I sighed deeply and shook my head.
"I'm sorry...I had no-"
"It's alright. I don't see it as a day worth celebrating."
He took a deep breath and released it slowly.
"Well...to begin with, you'd have to know what my life was like before Talon. Before I even met Lisa because it appears that the organization was watching me since the day my parents were killed." he said.
I felt my heart wrench upon hearing those words.
"They were killed?" I asked.
"The terrorist attack that happened in Switzerland 26 years ago took both my parents from me. I was an orphan at the age of 11." he explained.
The incident was infamous among Talon's archives due to its massive body count, of over one hundred people. Two planes were destroyed that day and the resulting fires combined with the explosions claimed all those lives.
"I moved to Annecy when I was 13 years old because my cousin discovered that I was roaming the streets of Zurich for two years; no one else in my family wanted to take me in."
I felt my heart skip a beat as a deep sense of worry began to fill my heart.
"However...this cousin of mine was secretly a scientist who was working for Talon. I had really moved because they needed their first guinea pig for their super soldier experiment." he explained.
His eyes then narrowed.
"Thus began my extensive training. According to the scientists there, I was considered an ideal specimen for the project because my body was naturally stronger than most others, due to my father being a member of French Special Forces and my mother a Hapkido master."
He opened his hands and slowly closed them.
"They trained me, telling me that I would grow up to take revenge on the ones who took everything from me. At the time, I was not aware that it was their agents who orchestrated that terrorist attack. The training continued for six years, which included a high school education until Talon decided that it was time for me to go back into world. They had their agents forge me a transcript and high school degree before inserting me me into a college. Before they allowed me to leave however, they completed the serum and injected me with it."
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he clenched his fists.
"At first, the serum was harmless but after only two weeks in college, the serum took effect. I became suddenly faster, stronger...better. Classes became a menial task and I excelled at just about everything I set my mind to while I was there. I trained in Hapkido and passed my mother's decree in only three years...and it would be my final black belt examination in Sweden when I would happen upon Lisa Kimora. She caught my eye...but this was also when Talon began their plans for me."
He wound his right sleeve up and showed me a scar on his arm.
"While I was staying at a hotel near where my examination was taking place, I was attacked by an assassin. They sent one to try and kill me in order to test how well I was adapting to the serum's effects. I defeated my assailant...and accidentally broke his spine because I didn't understand how to control my strength. The fact that I was able to defeat a trained assassin in unarmed combat was enough to convince Talon that I had the potential to become one of their greatest weapons."
He replaced his sleeve.
"I was then kidnapped and subjected to Talon's super soldier training program. I remember everything they did to me...countless injections to sculpt and mold my body to perfection, grueling tests of endurance and hundreds of hours of intense physical training. This would continue for three more years. Upon completing it, I became the first man to survive the training as well as the first to complete adapt to the serum and thus, Talon's first super soldier was born. Many others attempted the training and died, while others died because their bodies couldn't adapt to the serum...so I was very lucky to still be breathing at that point."
He then pointed towards a revolver on the dresser. I reached over to it and then handed it to him. Much to my astonishment, he bent the barrel of the gun directly down with almost no visible effort.
"They then allowed me to go back to my normal life in Annecy, telling me that I would be needed for their plans soon. I returned and finished my final year of college...and by this time, Lisa had reached her junior year in Law. She somehow remembered me...from my belt examination. I knew what my life was going to entail soon so I tried to stay away from her."
He smiled lightly.
"But I couldn't help myself...she made me feel like I wasn't an outcast, like I was wanted and needed...so we almost instantly became friends and by the time she reached her Senior year, we were dating. I still to this day don't fully understand how things progressed so quickly...but I fell in love with her. I was so happy that I had forgotten that Talon intended to use me as a weapon."
He then let out a heavy breath as his free hand grabbed a fistful of the sheets.
"...Only two months after she graduated, they decided that they needed me for their goals. However, I was much more willing to help them because now, I had something I wanted to fight to protect and I disappeared for two months...as they made the final preparations to transform me into the assassin that would eventually become known as The Eagle."
It was a lot to take in and understand, but I was very glad that he was telling me all of this because now I had context. I understood a lot of the reasons why he was so innately kind and also the main reason why he hated Talon so much.
"I had to lie to Lisa about my disappearance and during that time, Talon began my neural reconditioning to allow me to kill without remorse. It was much more difficult because my mind was trained to be able to take mental torture at that point...but they slowly managed to get past those defenses. I fulfilled my very first contract when I was 24 years old...and that was the first time I had ever killed someone in cold blood instead of survival."
"In cold blood?" I asked.
He looked at me.
"That contract was the same man who orchestrated the attack at the airport. He was a loose end that Talon wanted to get rid of so they knew I would be able to do the job since I had a vendetta against him. Because I killed someone I knew to be evil, I believed I was fighting for a greater cause. As a result of my success, they began to send me on numerous missions. I then returned to my daily life with Lisa...while living an alternate life as The Eagle."
He sighed deeply again as he looked to his suitcase.
"I built my reputation quickly; in the first year I was an assassin, I killed 23 people, ten of which were French politicians. I had killed more people than any other assassin the organization had ever conceived at that point in that amount of time, which earned me the moniker of The Specter Of Annecy. This was also when I first met Gerard...before he started dating you."
I gasped softly upon hearing his name.
"I didn't know that Gerard was an Overwatch agent in training, but he and I became good friends within a few weeks; he was staying in Annecy because he was looking for a stable job as well as somewhere to live that wasn't as busy as Paris. A month after I met him, that was when he started dating you...and he couldn't stop telling me how amazing of a woman you were."
I smiled brightly at him, prompting him to do the same.
"Amélie is the best thing that ever happened to me. Amélie is the light in my life. The list of compliments and praise went on. But in doing so, Gerard helped me regain some of my humanity and he urged me to take the next step with Lisa. Because of Gerard's encouragement, I asked Lisa to marry me. And she accepted. At the end of that year, we were married in secret, with Gerard being my best man...and that was the time that we first met. Do you remember?"
I nodded with a smile.
"How could I forget? I had never seen him so happy before...and I'm convinced that seeing you two get married encouraged him to do the same with me." I replied.
He laughed softly.
"One month after we got married, we conceived Nicole. I continued serving Talon for the next four years...and during this time, their steady neural reconditioning caused my moral compass to vanish, to the point where killing was a menial task to me. In those six years of my career, I killed another 47 people...not counting any casualties that were not my targets, which would up the total body count to 106."
I couldn't believe my ears; I had barely killed half that number of people in that amount of time.
"I was able to be a father to Nicole and I somehow managed to hide both my status as a super soldier and my night job as an assassin...until the fateful day that I was assigned to assassinate the leader of Overwatch's operations in France...my best friend."
His eyes narrowed.
"After being fed lies about Overwatch's intentions for the world as well as being told that Gerard had a lot to do with the deaths of some of my Talon comrades, I tracked him down and waited for you to be gone; I didn't see a reason to have to kill you as well. However...my reconditioning started to break because I just couldn't bring myself to kill him. Gerard didn't call for any backup and even told me that it was alright to do it. It was because of him...that I was able to regain my humanity."
He looked down at his wallet and at the picture of us.
"Gerard even went so far as to beg Overwatch to allow me to live, instead becoming an informant for them because of my high standing with Talon. They agreed and I returned to my daily life. However, I began to refuse contracts, now wanting to spend the rest of my days taking care of my wife and daughter...that was the biggest mistake of my life."
He grit his teeth and much to my astonishment, tears came to his eyes...though his face wasn't sad.
"Three weeks after I stopped being an assassin, I came home to find Lisa...and an assassin sent by Talon who had already stabbed her in the stomach. This was the first time I fell prey to my rage and my dark side took over. I proceeded to beat the assassin to death with my bare hands and in doing so, revealed my enhanced abilities to her."
He looked back at his hands.
"That kill would forever be etched in my memory...and once I did, I was sure that Lisa would've shunned me as some kind of monster...but she didn't."
My eyes widened as the tears began to stream down his cheeks, but his face again did not look sad in the slightest.
"What happened?" I asked.
He closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"That night...I won't ever forget..."
...
"Hey! I'm sorry for being late. Had something to take care of at work."
I opened the door...noticing that the lights were off. I raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm...that's not like her to leave the house so dark. Nicole has to wear glasses so it wouldn't make sense for her to leave things bleak."
I made my way into the kitchen but didn't see any sign of her.
"She should've been home at least two hours ago...this isn't like her at all."
I then noticed a scent...one that I hadn't smelled in a long time.
"...Blood."
I followed my nose upstairs and as I made my way up, I heard not one, but two heartbeats.
"Nicole went to her friend's house for a sleepover...no one else is supposed to be here."
I continued up the stairs, until I began to recognize Lisa's heartbeat. Due to my enhanced hearing, her heart rate was something I was always used to considering how much time I spent with her...and it was weak. The other one however...was rapid. But not the nervous kind of rapid. It was strikingly similar to someone who was excited...that was having a tremendous thrill. And the scent of blood could only mean one thing...
"No..."
I silently made my way upstairs and peered around the corner into the room to see that there was someone standing over Lisa...who was lying on the ground, bleeding.
"Why...why are you doing this..." she cried.
"Talon doesn't tolerate traitors." snapped the assailant.
My fists automatically clenched and I felt rage begin to pour within me...for the first time since I last killed. I struggled to keep my emotions in check because I didn't want to show Lisa what I really was...what I've hidden from her since the day we met and the very thing I lied about when she asked me all those years ago. I turned the corner.
"Get away from my wife." I warned.
The assassin laughed audibly.
"You have no idea how long I've been looking for you...how I've longed to meet you and be the one to end the legend of The Eagle." he said.
He unsheathed a shortblade from his jacket.
"Time to die..."
He dashed at me and attempted to slash my chest but I easily avoided the attack. I however, didn't expect him to swing his leg around and strike my stomach, sending me stumbling back. I hit the railing hard and I just barely managed to dodge an savage slash that caused the blade to get wedged in the wood where my body was only moments ago. After gathering my senses, I dodged several more slashes until I saw an opening to immobilize the hand, slamming it against the wall and causing the assassin to drop it. However, he suddenly overpowered me and shoved me into the railing. Before I could lean off, he kicked me hard and broke it, causing me to fall helplessly to the ground. Once I landed on the ground, I felt sharp pain jolt the rest of my body to life. I immediately rolled out of the way of an oncoming stomp. Once he missed, I landed a hard palm strike onto his chest, stunning him momentarily. Before I could capitalize on the opening I was presented, the assassin grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder into a cabinet full of dishes. I fell to my knees, gasping for breath and before I could look up, he pulled the cabinet on top of me. He then laughed loudly.
"I expected more of a challenge from you Eagle...but you've grown weak in the time you've been gone. Pathetic...you actually think humanity is worth holding onto. It does nothing but make you vulnerable."
I heard his footsteps approaching the cabinet.
"Once I kill you, I'll make sure your wife dies slowly...and painfully. After her, I'll hunt your daughter down and make sure that she meets a grim end as well." he said.
The moment he mentioned Nicole, I felt rage begin to boil within me. I tried to fight it; I didn't want Lisa to see me like this but now...I had no choice. If I didn't let go of my pacifistic side...it would be the end. I closed my eyes and allowed the anger to take over. Suddenly, everything slowed down and everything I could see suddenly appeared in greater detail. It was a long time since I had made use of my superhuman abilities and as soon as the assassin got close enough, I lifted the cabinet off of me with almost no effort. I gave him a glare and he seemed slightly intimidated considering that my eyes were likely golden right now. He then swung his shortblade, only for me to catch his wrist. I wrenched his arm violently to the right, snapping the blade out of his hand before I slammed him into the wall behind me. Before he could recover, I shoved my foot hard into his stomach, smashing him through the wood with ease. I then grabbed him by the neck and lifted him into the air.
"You're not laying a finger on my daughter." I growled.
"There he is. The assassin of legend, the man who almost single-handedly shifted the tide of Talon's efforts in all of France. The Specter Of Annecy." he laughed.
I threw him aside and into another wall before landing a hard palm strike into his chest. The blow was strong enough to cause him to collide with the wall hard enough to jolt his head, knocking him out. I released a heavy breath as I tried to get my anger under control. However, my hearing having heightened this much alerted me to my wife's heart rate, which was slowing down more and more by the moment. I rushed to her side to see that she had managed to crawl to the end table beside our bed and sit up. She was already trying to apply pressure to the wound.
"Lisa...Lisa stay with me." I urged.
"Aiden...what's going on? Who is that man?" she asked.
I let out a heavy breath.
"I never intended for anything to happen to you...to happen to Nicole. I thought I could leave my old life behind and I was a fool to have believed it so." I cried.
She shook her head slowly.
"Aiden...that man called you The Eagle. What does that mean?" she asked.
I closed my eyes and bowed my head to her.
"I...I'm so sorry for not telling you Lisa...I just didn't want you to-"
My eyes widened as I sensed another heartbeat enter the room. Feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline, I turned around and reacted just in time to catch the oncoming blade. The assassin had awakened and tried to ambush me. Feeling more anger pour through me, I knocked him to the ground with a hard kick, sending the blade flying out of his hands and him to the ground. I then mounted him and began to relentlessly pummel his chest. Punch after punch, blow after blow, strike after strike...I continued to pulverize him and the longer I continued, the harder my blows became until finally, I heard no heartbeat. I then got off of him, my anger subsiding but now being replaced with fear. I turned in horror, expected Lisa to now look at me like I was a monster...
But she didn't. She looked appreciative. I crouched down in front of her, examining her wound. Thankfully, I saw no sign of a fatal wound...but then I took a deep breath through my nostrils, picking up a scent that I knew all too well.
"No...no...please...not that..."
I felt tears come to my eyes as I knew just what her injury was made by: a blade laced with a potent cocktail of Black Mamba venom, Deathstalker venom and a very powerful sedative. There was nothing I would be able to do for her now...because at this point, the venom likely made its way through her body enough for there only to be a matter of time before she dies. Even if I could make a batch of antivenom...it was too late.
"No...Lisa...I...I'm so sorry..." I cried.
"Aiden...what's...what's going on?..." she groaned.
I swallowed hard as I shut my eyes tightly.
"I was an assassin! An assassin for the terrorist organization known as Talon! I was their first super soldier experiment and I killed numerous people in their name! I hid all of this from you because I never wanted you to be involved in that side of my life because I wanted to give you a normal life. A life that didn't involve bloodshed and death...but I was foolish to believe that I could do all of this on my own...I...I should've been more cautious." I sobbed.
"Aiden...you...you took good care of me...you gave me the best life I could've asked for..." she continued.
I leaned close to her, placing my forehead against hers.
"I...I'm a monster...I...killed so many-"
"You took care of Nicole and I...and you treated me with such kindness and love...you're anything but a monster to me and especially to your daughter." she whispered.
I heard her heartbeat continue to slow down as I held her hand tightly.
"...I...I'm so sorry Lisa...so very sorry..."
"...Tell me."
My eyes widened in confusion.
"...Tell me everything that happened to you...I want to know everything about you Aiden."
With a heavy heart...I told her my tale.
...
"There was nothing I could do to save her; taking her to a hospital was a death wish and I knew there was nothing I could do to protect her alone. I considered contacting Overwatch, but they would never be able to get there in time...so Lisa begged me to stay with her. So I did."
He gazed at the picture in his wallet.
"I told her everything that I endured for all the years I was forced to lie to her because I would never have been able to forgive myself if something happened to her and Nicole. She was at first shocked, but she said that she always thought that something was different about me...but she didn't care; she wanted to be with me regardless of what I was."
His eyes narrowed.
"She begged me to raise our daughter as best I could. And after I made that promise...she succumbed to the poison in my arms."
He looked up at me and I could see how red his eyes were, but his face remained blank.
"I swore revenge against whoever sent the assassin. I then left Annecy to go back to Switzerland. I spent the next two years finding out as much as I could about everything that had happened to be thus far in my life and I was horrified to learn that it was Talon themselves, orchestrating every event in order to turn me into a remorseless killer. And that's exactly what I did for much of those two years: killed numerous members of the organization in secret. In that sense...they nearly succeeded...until Gerard came along once again."
His eyes focused on me.
"He asked me to visit him in Annecy, telling me it was urgent so after leaving Nicole in trusted hands, I returned to see him...and this was when he asked me to watch over you..."
...
"Aiden. You got a minute?"
"Of course. What's on your mind?"
Gerard approached me and took a seat next to me.
"I...I'm still sorry about what happened to Lisa. It's a tough deal. How're you coping with it?" he asked.
"We've been adjusting. Nicole's been very strong...I'm not faring so well." I replied.
He sighed deeply and nodded.
"I wish I could've done something to help her. But you said that nothing could've been done?"
"Once that poison entered her bloodstream, if the antivenom is not administered within three minutes, her fate was sealed...I was the one who developed that cocktail and they used it against me." I replied.
His eyes narrowed as he sighed deeply.
"Then...I can't ask you this." he said.
"Ask me what?"
I placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We're brothers Gerard. You can come to me about anything." I urged.
The agent shook his head and looked down towards the ground.
"There have been several other assassination attempts on me...each one becoming closer than the last and I'm beginning to worry." he began.
"About yourself?"
"About Amélie."
My eyes widened as he looked at me, a determined look on his face.
"I knew that when I signed up for this job with Overwatch that I would be putting myself at risk...that I would be in the sights of the world's most dangerous terrorist organization and right now, my concern is for her...I can stave off death as long as I need to but her...I could never forgive myself if something happened to her." he explained.
"So what do you propose?"
He gave me a serious look, but one of desperation.
"Aiden...we've been friends for years and you're the only one I trust enough to want to ask this."
He produced a picture of him and Amélie from his wallet.
"If something ever happens to me...I want you to look after her. Protect her and keep her safe."
"...But why me? Can't Overwatch handle this?"
He shook his head.
"Overwatch is reaching the end of its days; military power is causing the world to see Overwatch as more of a threat than a necessity and the way things are going now, I wouldn't be surprised if it met its end soon." he explained.
I nodded slowly, but closed my eyes.
"Gerard...I don't know if I can keep her safe; I couldn't even keep Lisa from-"
"You can't blame yourself for that Aiden. If anyone is to blame, it's Talon."
He clenched his fists.
"I've had many friends in my time...but you're the only one I believe I can entrust this to."
I let out a heavy breath before nodding, albeit reluctantly.
"If you believe in me, then I'll do everything in my power to protect her." I replied.
"Promise me Aiden. Promise me that no matter what happens...promise me that you'll keep her safe and make her happy."
I nodded with much more confidence as I held his hand.
"You have my word."
...
He closed his eyes.
"After a week of spending time with him, I went back to Switzerland and continued my search for answers, managing to foil a great many of Talon's plans in Europe. However...two years later, I found out that he was killed...by you."
He turned away from me.
"I was devastated to find out that he met his end at the hands of his wife. However, once you disappeared...I had a strong feeling that Talon orchestrated the entire ordeal. This was when I began to watch over you. I followed you in secret and for all the times I couldn't be there in person, I hacked into Talon's tracking system and recorded your movements. I knew about every single assassination you participated in, all twenty six of them including the successful one on Mondatta as well as the failed attempt on Katya Volskya." he said.
Memories of that day came back to haunt me as I still couldn't conclude how we ended up failing...perhaps I could ask Sombra about it sometime soon.
"I tracked you for years but I chose not to interfere in your life; attempting to get in your way at that point would've likely gotten one of us killed so I waited until the day I knew your reconditioning would break: when you returned to Annecy for the first time in over a decade." he explained.
He then sighed deeply.
"By that time, Nicole was already missing. You know the rest."
I nodded slowly before looking him in the eyes.
"When was the last time you cried?" I asked.
He shook his head.
"Not since the day Lisa died in my arms." he replied.
"Is there a reason why?"
"In order to allow myself to do what's necessary, I desensitized myself after Lisa's death. You already know that being an assassin means that you can't get emotionally attached to anyone...else you risk not only the mission, but your own life."
There he was again, trying to be strong. I raised an eyebrow before shifting closer.
"I want to ask you something else Aiden...and I want you to be honest with me." I said.
His crimson eyes focused on mine and he nodded.
"Have you ever thought about leaving this life? Taking your daughter and living somewhere that no one could find you?" I asked.
"I will never be able to live in peace until Oscar Jaegar is in a maximum security prison...or dead."
His voice sounded unusually cold.
"He was the one who caused the majority of the pain we've endured for most of our lives. After killing so many people in his name...the least I can do to redeem myself is to do what I can to bring forth peace. Where no one has to go through what we did...where everyone can live in the way they choose to."
He took another breath and clenched his fists.
"Besides...it's even more personal now because he had the audacity to meddle in your life, doing largely the same things to you...a soul as sweet and kind as you. That...makes it unforgivable."
I blushed upon hearing his words. He attempted to get up but my hand shot out almost instantly, grabbing his. Before he could say another word, I pulled him into an embrace. He was evidently shocked at the sudden gesture.
"What are you..."
"You're in pain...I know you are."
He didn't move an inch but I heard him take a sharp breath.
"You were there for me when I needed someone to help me get over what I did to Gerard...but it sounds like you've been carrying a burden that you've only just barely been able to handle for far longer than I have...I want you to know that I'm here for you too. Just as you are for me." I whispered.
He leaned away from me in an attempt to back off but I was adamant, keeping him close to me with a firm grip.
"You once held me and allowed me to cry...and that allowed me to get through a great deal of my pain. You've saved my life numerous times...but you also freed me from shackles I didn't know were capable of breaking."
I squeezed his hand.
"You went so far as to give your own heart to me...a man like you should never have to suffer by himself."
He was still silent for a few moments but soon, I felt his body begin to shake and moments later, I felt my shirt begin to feel wet. He wasn't making any audible sobbing sounds, evidently too prideful or perhaps he had truly forgotten how to do so in all this time he's spent trying to be strong. I placed one of my hands on his cheek and the other around him, gently wiping his tears away as I tried to hush him.
"You told me once that I'm not alone anymore...the same goes for you."
It seemed those words were all he needed to finally break down as he now allowed his body to relax into my embrace, his face burying itself into my neck though he made no move to return the hold. He began to sob softly as I continued to hush him for a several minutes.
It amazed me how a man who had the opportunity to live his life in complete luxury...turned it all away to have a family and a normal life. The fact that he went so far to keep his family safe from Talon's clutches. The fact that he waited all that time for me to come to Annecy...based on a hunch. And the most impressive fact...
"He chose to keep his promise without compromise..."
I hugged him tighter, feeling the warmth of gratitude wash over me once more. It took several more minutes, but he finally stopped sobbing and after wiping his face with his shirt, he then leaned away. All traces of sadness on his face were now gone...and replaced with a heart warming smile.
"I haven't been able to do that since I was child...thank you Amélie." he said.
For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off of his. It was as if my feelings for the assassin suddenly magnified. Perhaps it was because I felt I had finally begun to repay him for all he's done for me these past few months...perhaps it was because I began to realize that he really was the same man I met all those years ago and that after all of what we've been through...we really were one in the same.
Our lives ruined by Talon, our loved ones taken from us in one way or another and now, they were both hunting us down...what were supposed to be two of their greatest weapons were now nothing but loose ends to tie up. Throughout all of this, Aiden was there for me uncompromisingly. He could've just as easily left for America to live with his daughter, but he chose to stay in France in case I needed his help. He chose to be there for me...despite knowing what I was going to do.
He didn't try to be my moral compass in any way because he of all people understood how I felt...because he went through the very same thing...perhaps even more pain because he was forced into this life when he was a teenager while I was subjected to it when I was 22. He killed a lot more people than I did...but now that I've seen him like this, it makes me wonder how he could've brought himself to do it back then because he was such a gentle and kind soul. Beneath his strong and cold exterior...beat a still very much human heart, not the heart of a killer...but a real man.
I placed my hand on his cheek, feeling a strong desire to let him know how grateful I was for everything I did. Surprisingly, he didn't move away like all the other times...but instead watched me with genuine curiosity. I wasn't sure how to proceed; this was something I hadn't done since Gerard was still alive. He seemed to catch on as he smiled. He was close...so very close. I could feel his warm breath on my face.
RING! RING! RING!
I cursed under my breath as I heard Aiden's PDA echo through the room. I closed my eyes in disappointment and turned away. After staring at me for a moment, he picked up the device before smiling.
"It's Nicole." he said.
He answered the call before bringing up the holographic interface, allowing me to see her on a floating screen.
"Hi Dad."
"Looks like you've been busy considering those bags under your eyes." he replied.
"Yes but it's been worth it. All of the notes I brought to Overwatch has helped them to find the countermeasures necessary to stop Project Darkwind's effects on their agents...but we're still working on a way to counter the weapon entirely."
She then seemed to notice me as she smiled.
"Auntie Amélie!"
"It's good to see you chérie." I replied with a smile of my own.
The girl turned back to her father.
"The heart transplant worked perfectly!"
"Yes. It seems she's adjusting very well to it." he replied.
"I can't wait to see you again...one month shouldn't be too much longer."
"You should get some rest; you look like you need it." I said.
The girl looked at me and sighed before nodding.
"Yes Auntie Amélie..." she said with a grumpy sigh.
I couldn't help but stifle a laugh as Aiden turned the screen away from me.
"Get some sleep honey. I'll call you on Saturday okay?" he asked.
"Okay. Bye Daddy! I love you!"
He smiled brightly.
"I love you too."
The call cut off as he turned back to me. He seemed deep in thought for a moment and just for a second, I could've sworn I saw a deep blush on his cheeks. He cleared his throat before placing a hand on the back of his head.
"Would you...like to get some dinner on Friday? I know a very nice restaurant I'm sure you'd like." he suggested.
The sudden request snapped me back to reality and for a moment, I had no idea how to reply. However, upon seeing the courage in his eyes, I smiled and nodded.
"Yes...I'd like that a lot." I replied.
He then gently held my hand, his eyes never leaving mine as he leaned forward. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, having no idea what to do in this situation until I felt his lips touch my forehead. I reopened my eyes, feeling enough heat in my face to know that I probably looked just as red as his eyes. He gave me a bright grin.
"Thank you. You don't know how long I've needed to let all of that out...to let someone know my story because not a single person alive apart from you knows the full one." he said.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Not even Sombra?" I asked.
"I didn't tell her how Lisa died. You're the only one who knows that."
I nodded slowly, now feeling more heat inside my heart because now it truly felt as if he trusted me fully.
"...Also, if it's not too much trouble...would it be an issue if I slept in here?"
I had no idea why those words unconsciously came out of my mouth but he nodded with a smile.
"Of course. But answer me one question first..." he began.
His face turned serious for a moment, causing my flustered face to recede back to a normal one. For some reason however, he seemed to be stifling a laugh.
"I heard you say something to Sombra about wanting to dye your hair? I wonder what color you intended to do..."
I rolled my eyes and playfully smacked his shoulder.
"...I'm not sure. I just think I need to look different to not attract a lot of attention." I replied.
"So you've given no thought to what you're going to dye it to be?" he asked.
I shook my head. He put a hand to his chin, staring at me in such a way that it actually felt flattering and after several moments, he raised a finger.
"I think you could pull off a deep wine red or a dark chocolate brown." he said.
"Pull off?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
He smiled.
"I'll correct myself. I think you would look beautiful with either of those colors. But it's ultimately your choice." he said.
I growled lightly from my now beet red face as I got to my feet.
"I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm leaving early with Sombra to go to the mall to finish all the shopping." I said.
"I'll come with you. I feel up to it." he replied.
Seeing no harm in the thought, I shrugged.
"You're welcome to...but you're carrying all of the bags." I teased.
He laughed heartily before shrugging.
"That's not a problem for me."