Chapter 5: If Found Return To Reaper

This Journal Belongs To

Reaper :(

Valentino Villalba:

Curious guy. He has been here a long time, a lot longer than I have and is clearly experienced. Yet, something about him seems off.

Seems like a priss, always working on base. His stories never quite line up either. This kid knows how to run and fix most of the base, yet didn't go to school? Doesn't seem legit.

He's never bothered me before though, always minded his business. Most he's spoken with me is to scare new recruits every few months. The worst I've seen him do is spread rumors. I've heard the stories he tells, you'd have to be stupid to really believe them.

I don't spend much time on base, so I guess I wouldn't really know the guy myself would I?

"This guy tells a different story every time, and no one wants to talk to me because I can't keep my mouth shut. Let's find out together?"-Sombra

Always putting me up to her dirty work. I wouldn't want to talk to her either with her big mouth and bigger ears. Compa is lucky she's on my good side. She better hope that whatever research she's doing on her end on this guy pulls up something good, she knows I hate talking to people. The dinner she owes me better taste good, too. I swear to god if she doesn't make those chicken enchiladas like she promised I'll have her head for dinner instead. Maybe this is why they spread cannibalism rumors about me….

"Was a chef at a restaurant and saved Doomfist from being poisoned." -Ghyslain, airship mechanic

I did see him cooking for Widow. Doesn't explain the strange behavior. Or the stories not lining up. Does kind of explain why he's been here so long. Also explains why he gets to be a pencil pusher over everyone else. Should ask Widow about him next since he cooks for her.. File under Plausible.

"Why do you want to know?

"You guys were making fun of me. Know thy enemy and such.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Did Sombra put you up to this?

"She puts me up to everything.

"What is it that you call her again when she's being nosy?

"Chismosa.

"Right. You're both being chismosas right now.

"Chismoso is the masculine form.

"Oh I know, Chismosa.

"What else do you know?

"He makes us food. He likes to talk a lot. He helps Moira in her lab which I find distasteful but he also tells her I'm eating well so she doesn't tube feed me again, So he isn't all bad.

"Right. You guys are close then?

"In a manner I suppose. The monitoring of my special condition means I am here at the base most of the time, and he happens to also be here. He tells me to eat, and minds his business otherwise. Unless we are teasing you, of course. Then we are best friends.

"Yeah, cute to see you two laughing at me. Everyone make fun of old man Reyes. Has he told you what he did before Talon or not?

"He said was Akande's best friend's kid." -Widow

Right. And I'm the Queen of England. So does he always just brush off any questions by saying he has history with the big guy? Even if that was true, which I doubt considering this kid can barely speak coherent English, it doesn't explain anything else about him. Widow said to ask the new recruits, he was chatting them up a lot on their first day. I call bullshit on this one though.

"Broke out of jail with Doomfist." -Mercedes, New Field Agent

No the fuck you did not. I was there. Bullshit.

Is he always this melodramatic?

"Got in on a scholarship." -Marcas, CNA

Maybe I should have mijo apply next year so his lazy ass will stop working at the supermarket.

Alright this one was kind of funny. And Marcas is an asshole so I wouldn't tell him either. always sticking me at least 3 times doing labs, the nitwit. He did say that V comes in to talk to Moira a lot, so she is going to be my next stop. This is certified bullshit though.

"V? Amenable young man. Why do you ask about his past? His value lies in the present. He comes to the lab to help when I need, though much of the work I do goes over his head. I usually ask him to help me clean and organize. And monitor my other special project, of course.

"You mean widow? What do you have him up to?

"Val enjoys cooking, so I tasked him with ensuring Widowmaker is eating balanced meals. Both of them tend to ignore their hunger cues, which I could hold an entire biology and psychology class as to why- I digress I've bought five psychology books because of that boy alone- but, since he's already cooking for Lacroix, it ensures he eats too.

"He's Widow's personal chef is what you're saying.

"They are both too valuable for something so trivial to interfere with my work on them.

"Both?

"My, curious today aren't you? If only I could get you to talk this much during your appointments. Consider Val a side project of mine. I give him the medical treatment he desires, I can use him as a test subject when needed.

"A lab rat. Great.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, he came to me first. Did you know his eyes were brown? He asked for me to change them once in passing, and of course I obliged. I'm doing him the favor frankly.

"Right. He owes you. I know the feeling. You didn't answer the question about where he came from.

"If you're asking if you can trust him, you can based on the little information I've pried out of him.

"That's all you've got?

"He was a city boy, and now his life is here. If you want more, ask him yourself." -Moira

Seems like Moira has taken a liking to him, the way you're fond of a pet. Moira is good at what she does, but she can be a piece of work. Treating people like lab rats who owe her. I don't know if I trust someone who answers O'Deorain's every beck and call, but I also know how Moira is. I'll keep asking around.

"Got spared on a mission, and offered to join Talon or die." -Mahpiya, mess hall worker

The last time we did that it didn't end well. I ended up scrubbing those stains off my coat for 30 minutes, so we don't do that anymore. He's also been here longer than me so he should know that. I guess he could have joined before this. I can't think straight, the pasta smell is making me hungry. File under plausible for now.

"Found digging through the dumpster in the back." -Dina, Custodian

Little rat has the personality. Unfortunately, he smells too good, kid smells like a high school girl 24/7. Way too nice to be a dumpster diver. Also, the Talon base is floating in the middle of the ocean in international waters. How would he even get out here? Kid thinks he's funny, but bullshit.

"Was a civie." -Roz, Data Entry

We don't take civies too often. He also said he was going back on the field. So he has done field work, no sane person would put an untrained civ out on the field. There's no way he was just a normal guy before he decided to join Talon. Also pretty sure I've seen this guy dead lift a car in the gym. Bullshit.

"Joined for the medical benefits." -Itume, firing range attendant

The PMO front is contract work, and well, the real Talon work, those benefits aren't the ones going in the retirement fund. If he wasn't working here he could be a comedian. Sounds like BS.

"Mistook Doomfist for his getaway driver during a bank heist and they hit it off after that." -Hayat, crime scene clean up

Cute. This isn't a comedy movie though. I think Akande would kill him on site if that happened in real life. BS.

"Beat Doom in an arm wrestling competition." -Mauga

I asked him with or without the gauntlet and he just laughed and walked away :(. This is essential to my research, and I may never know. A mystery to remain unsolved. I have to know if this story included the gauntlet, it's essential. File under Further Research.

"I found him in a bar years ago.

"A bar? What was he doing there?

"Serving drinks of course.

"Yeah? So you picked up a random bartender because?

"He impressed me. It was years ago while I was doing reconnaissance on the building and Valentino was bartending. Didn't even look old enough to drink himself but carried keys to the building. I observed him as he worked, including the private rooms I was looking for access to, and it didn't matter his clientele, they all loved him.

"Including you I'm guessing.

"I suppose I did offer him a position. I need a variety of personalities to work for me, and he could adjust to many of them. Is it so surprising? You, Mauga, and Widowmaker don't exactly find yourselves to be personable.

"Sombra finds herself to be real sociable.

"Exactly. A variety of talents; a balanced team.

"What did he do before you found him then?

"Are you questioning my decision making skills, bringing him here? It was years ago. He's a loyal agent now, even if he is still has the same attitude issue. If you're so concerned, ask him yourself.

"I bet you don't even know. No one knows around here.

"Oh I know. He has stayed loyal this long for a reason; I agree to keep his secrets. I believe the story he asked me to tell was that he ran a brothel." -Doomfist.

So he's the big man's lackey, I figured that much, I still find it hard to believe he was just a civie before Doomfist found him. Explains why he was getting special treatment though. Then pissed him off one too many times and now he's off his little high horse. Probably could have used being knocked down a few pegs. They must go way back, Doomfist seems to think pretty highly of him. he's got a lot of attitude in that tiny waist, and had to have gotten away with a lot already if this is how long it took for him to finally get in trouble for it. Doomfist is also covering for him, something is not right.

Sombra better hope she is able to find something on this kid about before he joined Talon, cause I've got a whole lot of nothing.


Authors Note: A peak into Reapers Journal, a little something different just for fun :)