Watchpoint: Gibraltar Storage Room
2076
The storage room was large, dark, and dusty, sparse of activity nor excitement. Not often ventured into by any of the personnel on base except for a few occasions if they wanted to find something they could use or store something they couldn't use. It still served some utility in that regard – of being a place to store something. While Overwatch wasn't going to say no to fresh recruits anytime soon, one ironic consequence about having more people on the base is that they tend to bring stuff with them. And sometimes they put that stuff somewhere where there is room, away from their quarters. And more frequently than preferred, that stuff stays there indefinitely. Taking up space that could've been used for more practical things, like supplies.
Which is why Nathan Brin found himself in the room again and walked in between the rows of scaffoldings, carrying all manner of junk and non-junk into assorted shelves and piles. Boxes, crates, and bags – marked or unmarked – carried to spots he took the liberty of labeling. Nathan wearing his Ranger Helm to block out all the dust flying and to help him see in the dim light. Maybe later, he would work on fixing the lights in this room, if he had nothing else to do.
Which was a guarantee.
Plopping a duffle bag full of old Overwatch uniforms under a scaffolding he designated the "Apparel" section, he patted dust off his hands before reaching to his backside and pulling out a translucent holopad that hung off the side of his belt. Pressing a button, the device lit up and cast a slight blue glow around him. What was immediately displayed was a handwritten list he had created on the device, snapping the stylus he used to compile it off the tablet's side. He would've used clipboard, paper, and pen, but since people seemed to give him nothing but confused stares when he asked for the first thing, he opted for the tablet. It had its uses over an ordinary clipboard, not needing a light to be read, only having to "scroll" through multiple pages, and containing an assortment of tools besides list making. He thought it was neat when he would finish writing something down and then have his handwriting "magically" turn into a legible, clean font – as if typed by a computer. It did make things easier, even for a chore many would consider monotonous, but Nathan didn't mind.
Sorting, arranging, cataloging – whatever people wanted to call it – was somewhat meditative for him. Having a big list with numbers and notes in front of him as he walked up and down the room, checking and counting everything around him. Putting things where they should be, categorizing them next to each other, and just keeping stuff neat and orderly. A skill he's cultivated for decades in his life and a skill this room needed considering the medical supplies and foodstuffs shared the same shelf with busted furniture and metal junk. No one else seemed to be bothered to do fuck all, so he might as well. Giving him a sense of mind and control, left to do whatever in this room without anyone else pestering him. The Storage Room providing peace and quiet.
Leaving him alone to blast Kay Kyser's "Jingle, Jangle, Jingle" on his Pip-Boy in private. The song blasting through the rows. No one else listening to it but him.
Humming and bobbing his head along to the tune, he finished writing the last thing on the list. As soon as that was done, he looked up and took a step back to examine his handiwork. There were rows of assorted paraphernalia that rose high to the ceiling but in neat little stacks and distinguished categories. One row for medical supplies, one for machine parts, and a row for miscellaneous crap, to name a few. When he looked around, he saw some of the shelves and scaffoldings were just barren of anything. Having either made better use of the space and keeping things together, or just throwing out the junk for Lindholm or the others to use. Freeing up a lot of space for whoever needs it. Happy with himself and what he's done, for once.
Wanting to celebrate a little, Nathan took off his Ranger Helm and walked to a little corner with a crate and a chair he set up. Placing the helmet and tablet on the crate, he sat down with a relieved sigh before he pulled out his Vault 13 Canteen. Taking one celebratory sip and sitting there to relish in his sense of accomplishment from sorting the inventory, the atmosphere livened by his Pip-Boy's speaker. The last instrumental break in the song fading away, replaced by the next song in the holotape's playlist. The strumming of a single guitar before Marty Robbin's voice came through. Nathan already knowing the words the second the guitar started playing, tapping his finger on his holster where his pistol was.
He sat there for the duration of that song, silently singing along to it, bobbing his head, and occasionally taking more sips from his canteen. Nothing but him, the song, and the dimly-lit room. It wasn't bad.
When the song ended with a final strumming of the guitars, Nathan took one more sip and got up from his seat. About to go off and find something else to do to keep himself busy and useful. Good timing, as the tablet on the crate lit up and Athena popped up on the screen.
"That was quick," she complimented, sounding impressed.
"Thanks," the Wastelander replied.
"With that done, can you please report to the lab?"
"What for?"
"We have a new recruit that we want you to show around."
For some reason, he couldn't take that response seriously.
"I can think of several people more qualified to take that on than me," he stated.
"Unfortunately, you're the only one that is still available to handle such a task. Everyone else is busy in some capacity. I assure you, it won't take long. Also, she personally requested to see you."
"She?" his ears perked.
"Yes. It is my understanding you know each other quite well."
Nathan thought about who she could even be referring to, certain that there weren't a lot of women he knew that would be a "guest" to the Watchpoint. Sure as hell wouldn't be Maria, as he had no clue how she would even get a mile within this place. Curiosity eventually got the better of him as he began to gather his things.
"I'll be right there," he spoke into the holopad, before switching it off.
However, as he was about to go, he stopped and glanced at the shiny wood of the acoustic guitar he saw the last time he was there. Freshly polished of dust and resting in a chair of its own. He looked at it for a moment more before walking away. Switching off his Pip-Boy's speaker as he did so.
Hana Song walked around the Watchpoint, looking for something. Even though she spent a lot of time outside of her quarters, she seldom ventured into the hangars where the aircraft were kept, not much of a reason for her unless her Mech was there. Instead, she was looking for someone she wanted to talk to about a specific subject. Even with several engineers and mechanics around her, it was easy to spot the tall redhead who was currently tending to one of the forklifts. Hana walked over to Brigitte, who eventually noticed her and smiled.
"Hey, Hana! How are you?" Brigitte asked.
"Eh, good, I guess. Can I talk to you for a sec?" Hana then asked her.
"Oh? Uh, sure, what's up?" Brigitte responded, standing up to address Hana and patting her hands.
"I was wondering if I could ask you a couple of things about… uh… Nathan?"
The tall Swede's smile blinked away for a second.
"What? Why?" she asked, cocking her head.
"I heard you and some of the others hung out with him in the bar, and that he got the big-ass music box that's been sitting there to work."
"The jukebox?"
"Yeah, that thing. I know it has a bunch of old songs on there, like stuff from the early-2000's and late-1900's so I wanted to ask… Did he like anything on it?"
Not expecting that to be the question she was going to ask about Nathan, Brigitte frowned but still thought about it. Trying to recount what happened after he had brought some life into the bar with his handyman skills.
"He did mention it didn't sound like anything he would usually listen to, whatever that means, but was just happy that it wasn't 'electronic shit'," she explained. "Other than that, he didn't really say anything else, about the music at least."
"Huh, figures," Hana mumbled. "I guess his tastes are a bit more 'vintage', then."
"Why do you want to know?"
Hana looked at Brigitte for a moment, considering whether she should divulge the why of her reason for asking. Wanting to keep what she was thinking lowkey. However, it's not like she couldn't trust her.
"I kind of want to know what his tastes are in music," she explained
"Why?" Brigitte questioned.
"I don't know. Lately, it seems like he's been only getting grumpier and edgier. Got to do something to make sure he doesn't go berserk on everyone."
"And you think compiling a playlist of music he might like will solve this?"
"Maybe. It's better than bringing him along to consume large amounts of alcohol."
"Hey, to be fair, he can hold his liquor very well! I was genuinely impressed by the end of the night. Don't be jealous because you blush after one beer."
"Just because I blush doesn't mean I'm drunk! I can hold my liquor just fine, too! I only want to know what songs he likes."
A moment after, Brigitte looked up from Hana and perked a brow. She smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the forklift.
"Well, you can ask him yourself, if you want," she said, maintaining that smirk.
"Huh?" Hana said, before turning around and seeing Nathan walking across the hangar. Not far from where they were but he didn't spot them, yet.
Her eyes widened, and she quickly scrambled out of sight, running behind Brigitte and concealing herself behind the taller woman. Brigitte frowned but didn't think much more of it as she raised a hand and waved it in the air. Hana quick to voice her concern. "What are you doing?! I'm trying to be incognito!" she exclaimed.
"Hey, Nathan!" Brigitte called out anyway, catching his attention.
"Hey, Brigitte," he responded, waving back.
"Still up for the armoring session, later?"
"I'll be there."
"All right, see you then, dude!"
Nathan nodded and went on his merry way.
After he had left the hanger, Brigitte stood up from the forklift and turned around to see Hana still timidly hiding behind her. Worried that Nathan still might be there. However, she blinked and looked up at the Swede.
"What?"
"I'll help you," Brigitte stated. "Because I'm kind of curious of where this will lead. Your plan sounds cute!"
"Cute?!" Hana resented hearing that.
"Yeah. I'll make sure to pose some questions to Nathan and ask what he likes to listen to, later. But I do think it would be just better if you outright asked him yourself."
Hana scowled but quickly realized that a mission like this would require any assistance she could get. Not to mention, Brigitte is one of those that Nathan was more "comfortable" around.
"Fine," the Mech Pilot relented. "But don't screw it up, all right? I want it kept secret."
Nathan reached Winston's lab, literally impossible for him to forget the route to it, now. He could hear people talking upstairs but wasted no time climbing up the steps. However, when he got to the top of the stairs and was about to walk into the office, he didn't find the usual suspect in Winston's office – the giant gorilla with glasses lounging on his big tire. Instead, a giant four-legged machine with green tusks conversing with two holoscreens. The machine quadruped turned to Nathan and saw him, her eyes flicking up.
"Hello, Mr. Brin!" Orisa greeted.
"What in the hell…?" Nathan grumbled.
Despite unwelcomed appearances, he stepped into the office..
"Nathan, you're here! Good," Athena said.
"So, this is what I'm here for, huh?" he asked, walking over and scrutinizing the room. "Where's Winston?"
His eyes caught movement in one of the holoscreens that were hovering over the desk and saw the answer to his question. In the one that wasn't displaying Athena's logo.
"Right here!" the Gorilla waved into the screen. Somewhere else entirely. "Sorry, I'm not there. I'm currently deployed and I'm having Athena watch everything in my stead."
"And what exactly are you deployed on?" Nathan asked, looking in the background and seeing it was still day where Winston was.
"Well, that's uh-"
Then, another face popped in through the video feed, near the bottom of the screen. It was Efi Oladele.
"Oh, uh, hello, sir!" the little creator greeted. "I hope Orisa is being polite to you over there."
"Uh… Hi, kid," Nathan greeted back.
"Sorry if all of this seems sudden," Winston spoke back up. "But I am currently deployed in Numbani to assist Efi with working on some projects she got cooking for the defense of Numbani. In the meantime, she sent over Orisa."
Nathan looked to the large omnic standing next to him, who in turn, looked at him.
"I've noticed. Why?"
"Efi thought it would help boost and improve my learning algorithms if I spent the next couple of weeks with Overwatch," Orisa happily explained. "I am certain I will learn something valuable in my time here. And I must thank you, Winston, for giving me this opportunity to work alongside you and your team."
"Don't mention it, Orisa. Efi already did a fine job programming you, among other things," Winston replied, before looking down at her creator and patting her on the shoulder. Earning a smile and a "thanks" from her. "Which is why we've summoned you, Nathan. Orisa – and to an extent, Athena – would like for you to bring her on a short tour. Just show her around the Watchpoint. That's all."
"Really? That's it?" Nathan questioned, thinking that there could be a catch.
"That's it," Winston said, as sure as can be.
Nathan narrowed his eyes at the holoscreen then at Orisa, who made eye contact with him and clicked her eyes to appear friendlier. Having a good few hours before he would have to meet-up with Brigitte, again, he didn't have anything else to do.
"Fine," he relented, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. "Wait for me downstairs and we'll get this done with."
"Of course, thank you!" Orisa said, before walking away. "Goodbye, Efi! Goodbye, Winston!
"Goodbye!" they both said through the screen.
"Remember, Orisa," Efi began before signing off. "Seeing is better than hearing!"
With that, Orisa walked down the stairs to the ground floor to wait for Nathan, and Efi walked out of view from the screen to attend to her other duties. Now, it was just Athena, Winston, and Nathan in the office, and the human made sure to look around and confirm that they were alone.
"Finally, with that out of the way, any luck finding my Transportalponder?" the Waster asked, his voice still hushed even if they were alone.
"Unfortunately, no," Winston said, his demeanor sulking a little. "We've had some interesting developments, as you may or may not have heard, but have bared no fruit in trying to find your device. I'm sure we'll find something."
"Yeah," Nathan sounded unconvinced.
"You know, when I come back, I can show you something I've been working on for quite some time. It is a bit sensitive, so I can't tell you everything about it when I'm not there, but I'm certain it's something you'll be interested in."
"I'm sure it is, whatever you say. I'll be waiting."
For some reason, Winston felt unconvinced by what Nathan said. Nonetheless, they had the rest of the day to get through and Winston let out a final sigh before logging off.
"I'll see you, then," he said. "Take care of everyone. Okay, Athena?"
"Of course, Winston," the loyal AI responded.
With a final nod, the holoscreen blinked off and left the AI and the human back alone in the Gorilla's office. Scoffing, Nathan walked away and made his way down the stairs. Seeing Orisa standing in the middle of the room and staring up at everything that caught her eye. As if fascinated with everything and trying to take in as much information she could about each individual thing, like Bastion. When Nathan reached the ground floor she noticed and excitedly trotted over to him. Towering over the tall Waster with ease, despite being the one technically under "his wing" for the impromptu tour. Or, however long he can stand her before he goes insane.
"Mr. Brin, I am very excited to be taken on this tour throughout Watchpoint: Gibraltar!" she proclaimed, her tone and eyes reflecting that.
"Uh huh, wish I could say the same," Nathan honestly said to her.
"And just so you know, I will be listening extra carefully to hopefully appease you and make the objective of achieving your forgiveness much closer within my parameters. Not a single second of your presentation will be wasted."
"Really? Well, you're going to work a bit harder now for saying that."
Orisa's eyes became wide disks.
"Nathan, please…" Athena said.
"Oh," Orisa said, momentary silence following. However, she pumped her fist in the air and her eyes became "determined". "Then I will try even harder to achieve forgiveness!"
Nathan rolled his eyes, before walking to the exit and gesturing for her to follow.
Then, he spent the next half-hour walking throughout the base with the big machine in tow. Taking her to wherever he could. Knowing the facility's layout like the back of his wandering hand. However, even if he knew the ins and outs of this place as well as anyone else living here for the past couple of months, he wasn't keen on spouting himself like a Mr. Handy in an old museum. Keeping things short to save himself the time. Orisa didn't seem to catch on to his curtness, which was all the better for him. Although, that didn't stop her from asking questions. It prompted her to.
"This is the mess hall," Nathan curtly said as he cast a thumb over his shoulder to the entrance of the cafeteria, not even looking as he continued walking past it. "It's where everyone eats."
"Is the nutritional content of the food here satisfactory for the daily operations conducted here?" Orisa asked.
"…Yeah."
"That is good to hear."
Nathan groaned but kept going. Next, they reached the hangar where most of the aircraft and heavy construction equipment were stored.
"This is the hangar," Nathan graciously enlightened Orisa as he barely bothered to look up. "Where we keep all the aircraft and stuff."
"Amazing!" she exclaimed, looking happy as she stared up at the old Overwatch ships. "I wasn't transported here in one, but I am glad I could get to see the MV-261 Orcas for myself. Efi will appreciate these pictures!"
"Pictures?"
He looked back to see Orisa's eyes snapped closed and open rapidly as she looked at the dropships. The sound of a camera shutter emanating from her speaker. Nathan perked an eyebrow and stood there for several moments until her eyes stopped shuttering. Looking down at him after, seeing him with his arms crossed.
"You done?"
Next, they explored the next few wings and sections of the base, Nathan giving more general descriptions while Orisa asked more incessant questions. Really, this only just served to mildly annoy or perturb the Waster throughout the tour he was giving her. He was sure she could learn all she wanted to from just a simple data upload from Athena but was already going through all the effort of humoring her. Unsure what's Athena's angle is supposed to be in allowing this to happen.
'Won't be long, now,' he thought as he walked outside into the sun and brought Orisa to the last place on his mind. Bringing her in front of the large landing pad where it ended at the cliff edge on the left and a wall of mountain rock on the other. The one place he's been picked up and dropped off dozens of times before, and most likely where Orisa was dropped off at, as well. He felt there wasn't much explanation needed for this area, but he opened his mouth, anyway.
"And this is the landing zone," Nathan affirmed, looking and seeing everything where they should be. "Where they pick up and drop off the most valuable goods, I guess."
"You mean the agents?" Orisa asked.
"Yeah, the agents."
She regarded him for a moment before looking around. Taking in all the natural sunshine and the sea breeze that constantly blew over this place. Nathan, of course, didn't think much of this place after having his senses dulled to it over the course of months. Just standing there as he pulled out a pack of smokes and stuck one into his mouth.
"Excuse me for one moment, please," Orisa then suddenly blurted out, walking away from the landing pad and towards the edge of the cliff.
Nathan watched as she walked over there and stopped right at the edge, just facing the direction of the water. Not moving or looking anywhere else as she just stood there over the cliff face.
After seeing her not do anything as she stood there, Nathan, with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, walked over to Orisa and stood beside her. Seeing the vast Mediterranean before them, looking down to see waves crashing against the rocks far below. Feeling the mist all the way up to where he was. He looked at the blue expanse for a couple more seconds until he brought his lighter up and lit the end of his cigarette.
The two of them stood there, just watching the water. Looking West.
"Efi would've loved to see this," Orisa says, her gaze unwavering from the Mediterranean.
Nathan cast a curious glance up at her before looking back to the sea.
"She's never seen water, before?" he asked.
"She has, of course, but she has never seen quite a large body of water like this," the creation elaborated, sounding in awe of the volume of water she's witnessing. "She hasn't had much time to do anything of leisure ever since she constructed me and ever since she has taken up defending Numbani as her duty. Which is why I am here by myself, to learn and to bolster my own programming while she is home, working on more ways to defend Numbani. Especially after our encounter with Doomfist."
Nathan glanced up at the machine, rolling the cigarette around in his lips.
"Good for her," he said as he blew a cloud of smoke out in front of them.
"Yes. People are proud of her, which makes me happy," Orisa stated.
The Mediterranean kept moving as they stared at it, the warm waves never letting up.
"Mr. Brin, can I ask you a personal question?" she asked.
"No," the Courier was quick to decline.
"Oh… Can I ask you a different question, then?"
Nathan shifted his eyes to her.
"Is it normal to miss someone even if they haven't been away from you that long?"
Nathan blinked, looking back up at the horizon over the Mediterranean and not moving after she asked that. When he turned his head to regard her she was looking down at him the entire time, waiting for an answer.
"That's a really intimate question to ask someone you haven't known that long, Orisa," Nathan Brin stated, breaking eye-contact.
"Oh, I see…" Orisa replied before looking back at the water.
"You miss Efi, then?"
"Yes."
"Then, yeah. It's normal."
Orisa looked up from the sea, having her question answered. Meanwhile, Nathan took another drag from his cigarette and thought about the people he's been away from. Having not seen them for some time even before being "contracted" into Overwatch. Being whisked away in a blue fuck-all bolt of lightning. A dozen or so faces gracing his memory. He missed them very much, too.
Unfortunately, as he took a little stroll through the memory highway, he realized he had neglected to show Orisa one area of the Watchpoint. Having forgotten it the entire time he was conducting this chore and groaning at himself for having done so. He looked at Orisa and considered finishing then and there, but he felt compelled to not leave any stone unturned.
"Almost forgot," he said, taking a long drag from his cigarette before throwing it over the cliff. "You haven't seen the Residential Wing. Let's go."
He turned on his heel and began walking towards that part of the base. Orisa snapped her eyes to him and back to the cliff edge over the water. Without further ado, she twirled her large legs around and began following Nathan.
"You know, smoking is bad for you," she blurted out, trying to be helpful. "And so is littering."
"Quit that shit."
It only took minutes for Nathan and Orisa to reach the Residential Wing – the last section of the Watchpoint he hasn't shown her, yet – coming across rows of hallways and corridors with doors spread throughout. In all honesty, there wasn't much to show here unless he wanted to violate someone's privacy.
"And here are the personal quarters," Nathan said, waving his hand at them. "Where the people sleep."
"So, has everyone on this base been sleeping here?"
"Not everyone, but a lot of them."
"Where is your room, Nathan?"
Nathan looked at her for a moment as if to contemplate whether it would be a good idea to tell her where he slept but stepped into the halls, the big omnic in tow. He didn't say anything else as he walked across the hall and passed dozens of doors, not needing to comment on any of them. Orisa, conversely, scanned each door, examining all the decorations that were on them. All of them varied and following a general theme appointed by their owner. Nathan recognizing who the doors belonged to by glancing at some of them. His door was easy to spot as it was completely devoid of decorations and just had the basic grey-metal color the door naturally had.
"Here it is," the occupant said as he stepped forward and slid it open, revealing his room to the guest.
Orisa peaked in, needing to duck down to get a proper look through the doorway.
"Cozy. Things here are quite clean and orderly, Mr. Brin. Efi's room is not nearly as neat as this," Orisa complimented.
"Kids…" the older man shook his head as he grabbed the handle and slid the door closed. "Alright, that's everything. Nothing else to see on this here base. Any questions?"
"Yes, how much closer am I to achieving forgiveness?"
"You wanna tip, then?"
"Yes, please."
"Stop asking that. It's just going to make it harder."
"Oh, I see. Well, thank you for taking me on this tour, Mr. Brin! I have learned much while following you."
"I'm sure you have. Now, what?"
"I must return to Winston's lab for a further debriefing from Athena."
"Err, I gotta head back there, too. Forgot to drop off the holopad. Fine, let's go."
They went, Nathan walking ahead of her and Orisa being in tow. Already halfway down the hallway to the exit. Orisa's metal hooves fell against the floor, more than noticeable for the human, especially as she was walking rather close to him.
"You don't need to walk so close to me, y'know?" Nathan started, looking over his shoulder. "You're like a lost puppy."
Then, as they passed one of the quarters, a muffled shriek accompanied by the sound of multiple things being thrown and dropped to the floor came from their right. Looking for the source of the noises, their eyes landed on the door with pink bunny decals all over it. Nathan wondered what was happening in her room this time.
"Ahh! Get away!" he heard the kid scream. "Get off me!"
Her choice of words and the desperate tone in her voice made his blood chill, and it wasn't long before he pulled out his sidearm to rush through the door. The omnic by his side seeing what he was doing and following suit, her right-hand charging.
"Kid?!" Nathan called out as he slammed the door open and barged in with his P320 up, naturally in a shooting stance and ready to wipe the floor with anyone hurting her. Sweeping his muzzle across the room to find a threat and neutralize it with half-a-dozen rounds of .45 ACP. However, even with his rage-induced tunnel vision, he found no one else inside Hana's room except for Hana herself, standing on her bed and backing herself into a corner as she stared at the floor. Her eyes as wide as plates and trembling.
Seeing her like that, not being in any immediate danger, Nathan quickly calmed down before he sighed and holstered his sidearm.
"Ms. Song, do you require any assistance?" Orisa asked, her gun-hand locked and loaded.
"Kid, what's wrong?" Nathan asked, waving to Orisa to put her hand down.
He took a step forward, closer to her desk, looking around at his feet to see what she was looking at. Hana kept staring at the floor, specifically near her desk. She pointed at it, her finger trembling.
"Spider! There!" her voice shook.
Nathan frowned.
"A spider? Really?"
"Yes, a big-ass spider! There, under the desk!"
"Okay, what do you want me to do?"
"Get rid of it! What else, dude?!"
She was too stricken by fear to notice Nathan close his eyes to frown even more, before shaking his head and crouching down to her desk. Flipping his Pip-Boy's light on, he began scouring the floor and the desk, trying to find the spider she was raving about. Having to maneuver a bit under the small space. While he did that, someone was running through the hall until they stopped, and Mei popped in through the doorway.
"Hana, are you alright? I heard loud noises," she said before she looked up and noticed the huge omnic in the room. "Huh?"
"Hello, Dr. Mei-Ling Zhou! I am Orisa!" the quadrupedal omnic was quick to greet, waving her hand.
"From Numbani? What are you doing here?"
"I have been sent here by my creator to learn how to work alongside the likes of Overwatch and bolster my programming."
"Okay, what are you doing in Hana's room?"
"Assisting Mr. Brin in dislodging an apparent infestation in Ms. Song's residence."
"What infestation?"
As soon as she asked that, Nathan turned his eyes to the roof of the desk and finally spotted the spider that got Hana all riled up. Seeing it cowering in a corner. He reached over to that corner and scooped it into his hands. With that taken care of, he got out from under the desk and was about to stand up until he looked up and noticed the holoscreens on her computer desk. Seeing multiple images for "vintage" music from the early-2000's. He cocked his head but thought nothing more of it as he stood up.
"Got it," he declared.
Hearing that, Hana breathed a huge sigh of relief and sat down at the edge of her bed. Unfortunately for her, thinking the room was free of the arachnid, she opened her eyes and saw it still alive and sitting in the middle of Nathan's hand. It covered almost the entirety of his huge palm. She shrieked once more and jumped up onto her bed, scrambling to gain distance in the corner.
"I thought you said you got it?!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah! I have it in my hand," he responded, rubbing his finger into his ear to get the ringing out.
He soon turned his attention back to the spider in his hand and examined it further, the sandy-brown creature with speckled black spots over its thorax and long legs spanning his hand. From the color alone, he could tell it was from an arid climate, but he's never seen a spider like this. Then, as one of his fingers twitched, the large spider started running across his forearm. Nathan and Orisa observing with interest, the human feeling its spindly legs stick to his skin as it ran. Hana almost about to pass out from that sight.
"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! EW! EW! EW! EW! EW!" she screamed into her pillow.
"He's fast for his size," Nathan noted, bringing his left hand in front of the spider and having it run across his left arm before returning his right hand to it, repeating the process as it kept moving until it stopped. When it did, Nathan brought his hand up to his face, taking a look at the finer details of the spider. "Any of you know what type of spider this is?"
Mei got close and looked at the spider for herself, adjusting her glasses.
"May I?" she asked, holding her hand out next to Nathan's while she gently guided the spider to her palm. Hana's horror not faltering as she watched Mei bring her face closer to examine it for herself. "It's beautiful," she said, smiling at the little thing with long legs. "But I'm afraid I don't know spiders as well as I do Arctic and Antarctic Wildlife."
This time, it was Orisa's turn to take a gander at the spider, her large upper body bending down to Mei's hand. As she examined it, her pupils became gradually smaller and smaller, focusing on what she was looking at.
"According to Google, it appears to be an Australian Huntsman," she began to explain. "Their leg spans can grow up to 15 cm in length and prefer living in dark crevices, such as under wood bark or rock. They are found frequently inside homes, however."
"Australia?!" Hana then exclaimed, everyone looking at her. "Of course, it's from Australia, but what is it doing in my room?!"
Nathan looked at the Australian spider, and despite how it encompassed his palm when he held it, it was still small enough to fit in tight spaces. Most likely a hitchhiker who came here riding along someone's back from its home. Although, one would have to have pretty poor hygiene to just have a spider of this on them when traveling. So, he knew who it was.
"Fawkes…" he growled, already stomping out of the room to give the Junker a stern speech about cleaning up his own shit so he doesn't have to deal with it.
Going outside and heading down the hall, he heard Orisa trot up to his side. Then, to his surprise, Mei ran up to them as well.
"Where are we going?" the omnic asked.
"Jamison Fawkes," he clarified.
"The junker?" Mei asked, her face shifting into disgust while she cupped the Huntsman in her hands. "Ugh! Of course, it would be him. So, inconsiderate and rude."
Nathan glanced at the usually cheery and pleasant climatologist when she uttered that, not really blaming her to have such an opinion about such a person. Although, it still was a bit unexpected.
A couple minutes later, the three went to the opposite wing of the base, more sparsely populated than the others. The area was like the storage room but was somehow more barren with only a few scattered supplies and crates that no one wanted. However, there was a garage door at the end they were walking to, decorated with crude drawings and stickers that only a Junker could put up. Topped with a crusty, old welcome mat at the foot of the door. Loud music being heard on the other side.
"Whose residence is this?" Orisa questioned.
"This is Junkrat's hole," Nathan answered, standing in front of the door and raising a fist.
He pounded into the garage door, making it rattle with every knock. No response. So, he did it again, rapping on the sheet metal door to get the Junker's attention. Again, no response.
"Fawkes, open up, it's Brin!" Nathan exclaimed, pounding on the door even harder for the third time. Garnering no response.
"He probably can't hear us," Orisa observed.
Growling and having enough, Nathan bent down to the handle of the garage door and lifted it up, opening the door and revealing the pigsty inside. However, his eyes widened as he realized he was staring down the barrel of a cannon. In a split second, the end of the cannon lit up like a sun, but Nathan was pushed to the side. Falling on his face, he heard a loud boom and his ears started to ring profusely, not able to hear anything else after. Instantly clutching his ears, he could barely hear his own yell as he winced and curled up on the ground. Feeling the wind taken out of him, he looked up and saw the golden aura of Orisa standing where he was, a cloud of black smoke dissipating around her as she herself didn't have so much as a scratch. He felt the ground shake when someone ran over to him and crouched over him, being met with Junkrat's ashy visage.
"Oh, God, mate! Mate! Are you alright!" the Junker yelled into him, grabbing him by the shoulder and shaking him.
"What?!" Nathan yelled back, not hearing a thing.
"Oh my God, I made him differently-abled!" Junkrat exclaimed, before holding up three metal fingers. "Quick, mate! How many fingers am I holding?"
Nathan narrowed his eyes at the fingers and at Jamison, before just snarling and flipping his middle finger back at him. All the concern and worry the Junker had was washed away, now squinting at the man he nearly exploded.
Jamison also wasn't prepared for the swift and powerful swipe he received from behind, knocked into a nearby corner and not having enough time to recover before a large gun was shoved into his face. Looking up to see Orisa staring him down with her eyes as slits. His face recoiling in disgust.
"Oi, who brought the bloody Wom?!" he cried out.
"I am an OR-15 – designation "Orisa" – designed by the City of Numbani and Efi Oladele, and I am detaining you for destructive behavior on behalf of Overwatch!" she exclaimed, making her gun spin and click in his face.
"'On behalf of Overwatch'?! You've got to be kidding! I knew their standards really dipped when they hired us blokes but bringing on a death machine like you?! Now that's a sick joke," he taunted. "Now, I'm starting to regret this partnership."
However, before she could do anything, chains rattled as a large hook wrapped around her upper body before the chains rattled more and she was pulled away from Junkrat and into Roadhog's fist.
"Back off," the pig-masked man growled.
Held there in a vise by the large human, she looked at him in surprise but quickly slammed his hand away and hopped back a few feet to put some distance between themselves. Her legs digging into the concrete while she took a defensive stance.
"Mako 'Roadhog' Rutledge!" she identified, her eye-slits becoming thinner. "Wanted by the Mexican Government and LumériCo for the bounty of $25,000,000!"
"Try me," Roadhog responded, tightening the grip around his hook.
The two of them were getting ready to throw down.
Thankfully, they were interrupted when boots came running down the hall and around a dozen Overwatch guards ran in with their weapons up. Immediately pointing them at the Junkers.
"Fawkes, Rutledge! Hands up, now!" ordered the leader of the security detail, a plainly clothed Fareeha Amari with a rifle in her hands and a combat helmet over her head – not having enough time to even get her Raptora suit on. Her rifle firmly trained on the fat one while her team handled the rest.
Rutledge cast a glance to her before looking at Orisa in front of him. Heaving a heavy groan under his mask, the large man dropped his weapons and put his hands, having gone through this so many times before. Fawkes did the same but was clearly annoyed that he had to.
"Oi, we weren't doing anything wrong! I was just conducting an experiment!" he defended himself.
"What?" Amari growled at him.
"I was setting up and testing a booby-trap that I was going to use just in case we got home invaders," he proudly explained himself, baring a confident smile until it went away a second later. "Well, I also did accidentally lock myself in my room with a booby trap that would've activated if I opened the door, but no worries! As I tried to devise a way out, ol' Nate-O over there got me out."
She squinted before looking to the side and seeing Nathan on the floor, clutching his head as Mei tried to help him. Snapping her eye back to Jamison and keeping her rifle sights trained on him, she really wanted to just shoot him, then and there. However, she groaned and let her rifle down, before gesturing to the others.
"Bring these two to the cellblock and tell Winston what happened," she ordered, the security-team then restraining the Junkers and marching them to the cells.
"I told him it was a bad idea, you know," Mako tiredly said as he was escorted with guards around him.
"You've got no proof!" Jamison yelled.
Fareeha rolled her eyes as she walked over to Nathan and bent down to help him.
"You all right?" she asked, clasping one hand around his to hoist him up.
"My ears are fucking ringin' and I felt like I fell into the Grand Canyon," he responded, wincing as he snapped his fingers next to his make sure he could still hear. "But, yeah, I'll live."
"Are you sure? Do you need me to get Angela?"
"I'm fine. No need to bother her, now."
She was a bit unconvinced, even as they helped the tall Waster get to his feet but decided to not act further. He already had a lot to deal with for today, it seems.
"Fine, but don't fall dead the minute I walk away, okay? Wouldn't want another drinking buddy gone."
"You got it."
She curled one corner of her lip before turning around and slinging the rifle over her shoulder. Leaving the others in front of the garage door.
After that, Nathan steadied himself and stood fully straight up without needing any help. His head not hurting as much just a couple minutes earlier, he took in a deep breath and exhaled.
"I'm gonna go to my room and fuckin' rest for a while. I still got shit to do," he told them, then walking away after he did. "See ya'."
"Do you require any assistance for your task?" Orisa asked.
"No."
"I see, then thank you, Nathan, for bringing me on your tour!"
He lazily waved to her without turning, walking to the exit out of this wing and wanting to catch his breath. However, he stopped for a second as he realized what was offered to him by her – a large quadrupedal machine bigger than him and could easily lift twice her weight if the situation depended on it. She was sent here to learn, wasn't she? It may have been not what Efi had in mind, but maybe Brigitte would be a good teacher on her craft.
"Hey, Orisa. Actually…" Nathan began turning around. "Wanna make yourself useful?"
Orisa's eyes lit up even more.
Meanwhile, Mei looked around at the floor. Looking for something. "Umm, where's the spider?"
