A better memory

Chapter 1: A deadly malfunction

It was a beautiful day inside the ring- the sun was shining, the bullets were flying, and hiding beneath a set of stairs, Elliot Witt was dying.

The game had started out alright- he'd seen some new faces and put them in their places, popped off a couple good shots, flashed the camera a winning smile- until he ran into somebody who actually knew they were doing. Namely, a smoke-shooting-sour-faced-curly-haired-stiff-necked-know-it-all named Bangalore. The ex-IMC operative came out of nowhere while he was busy handling the noobs. If his shield hadn't been down, he could've totally wrecked her, which is what he told his teammate as she ran up to aid him.

"Sure," came Wraith's deadpan reply, her features hidden behind a grape-colored glass helmet.

"I could've!" He insisted.

"Whatever. Just sit still." Pulling a medkit out of her backpack, she pressed the needle into his left arm. He winced at the sting, but quickly relaxed as the powerful chemicals did their work, knitting his flesh back together and, well, other stuff. Witt wasn't a doctor, so he didn't really know. Personally, he liked to pretend that there was a bit of magic involved.

"Where's Octane?"

"Probably back on the dropship by now." She helped raise Elliot up to a crouch, since the stairs were too low to stand. "He ran directly into the smoke and- surprise surprise- got himself shot to bits. Idiot. I took out Lifeline, but I don't know where Bang is, and whoever their third is, they haven't showed up yet."

"Thanks for the update, captain."

"Don't call me that."

"It shall be as you say, mistress."

"Stop it."

"As you comma-"

She pulled out her gun- a fully equipped assault rifle- and cocked it.

"Okay I'm stopping."

"Smart choice." Turning on her heel, she scanned the environment. Elliot did the same. Bangalore's smoke cloud had dissipated, and- just as the sourpuss crouched next to him had said- there was Octane's death box, his easily recognizable mask still flashing on the front. There was still plenty of time to grab it, except there was one tiny little problem- it was right out in the open, with plenty of hills and buildings in the distance where a potential enemy might be hiding, waiting for them to make their move. And Bangalore- soldier that she was- was almost definitely doing just that. She'd wait until that timer ran out, and even then she'd probably stick around, just in case. And then there was that third member to worry about.

Only one thing to do.

Elliot's hand turned into a gun, which he pointed at Octane's box. "Fool 'em, buddy," he whispered. His whole self shimmered for half a second. Then the shimmer detached itself, becoming a separate look-alike that crouch-walked towards the box.

Within seconds, a shot rang out, shattering the holograph into a million pixels.

"It came from over there," said Wraith, pointing her gloved finger at a small building to the east. There was a single window facing them, and even at this distance, Elliot could see a flicker of movement within it. "You ready?"

Before he could reply, she was furiously tapping away at the small dashboard on her wrist. "I can get us about halfway there. After that, you should make a party."

He caught her meaning instantly. "Well that'll give me an advantage. But what about you?"

"Don't worry about me. Keep her attention, and she'll never see me coming." She held her palm up to the air, and a dot of light appeared before it, growing in size at a hyper-accelerated rate until it was a full-sized portal. Turning to him, she said, "ladies first."