- Doomsday - Volume One: Gods and Monsters

Chapter 97: Biohazard Part. 1

[Outskirts of Wichita, Kansas, United States of America]

"GET TOWARDS THE EVACUATION ZONE! LEAVE YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS BEHIND! THERE ISN'T MUCH TIME LEFT!" A loud voice boomed over the crowds of anxious civilians. It was bordering on anarchy. All manner of vehicles had been drafted to aid in the process, but Overwatch quickly fell short. Soon school buses and vans were being taken to help aid the operation. Wichita held upwards of half a million people, and moving that number in under week's appeared an impossible task. Along the large, open field that the task-force had taken for use during the operation, hundreds of people still remained nervous and waiting for their own departure.

No official tally had been taken, no cross referencing with local records. In reality, Overwatch had no idea how many people were left, upwards of simple estimations. And unrest was only growing stronger and stronger the longer it took. Why had they been dragged from their homes, forced to leave behind everything? What was out there? What was so dangerous that it had been deemed a full, city-wide evacuation?

They had no clue. Or at least they didn't for now. There was a wave of dread that clutched at the hearts of each and every individual. The world seemed to grow more and more alien to the average person every day. However, it wouldn't be long before the entire country, and the world too, saw what was happening in Wichita. In a time where many normal people would have hoped for a return to normalcy, chaos appeared to be becoming the new 'normal'.

Among the crowd, Overwatch soldiers were helping as best they could, organising the relief effort and aiding those who needed it, the sick and elderly. Many of the most sick had still not been moved, and needed urgent medical attention. The best they could get for now were impromptu field medics under intense pressure. "COME NOW! NO PUSHING OR SHOVING! I'LL MAKE SURE YOU ALL RETURN HERE SAFELY ANOTHER DAY!" The voice of Reinhardt roared out, a voice known by many for his grandiose, bombastic personality. He stood fully armoured, though his face remained visible giving the crusader a more human element. Despite the dark scar that covered one eye, he was far from a dark presence, guiding people to their destinations attentively, always willing to help.

A woman ran through the crowd, her daughter held tightly over her shoulder, and in the girl's hands sat a doll, which she too held just as tight. Through the hustle and bustle, a shoulder knocked into the woman, sending the toy from the child's hands and falling to the floor, disappearing underneath a wave of moving footfall. "My doll!" She cried out, though her mother simply hushed her, "Not now, I'll get you a new one." The girl sulked, her head buried in between her arms, mourning the loss of her favourite friend.

It wasn't long however until the doll's arm reappeared before her face, the small girl performing a double take at first, not believing what she was seeing. "I believe this belongs to you?" A warm voice asked. She looked up to see a cheery, kind face and instantly recognized her as Mercy, one of Overwatch's most popular heroes. She latched onto the doll, hugging it close to her face with sheer joy. Angela tilted her head and gave a bright smile, waving back at the girl as she disappeared further into the crowd, vanishing from view.

She gave an exasperated sigh. All around her people moved against one another constantly, shoulder against shoulder, with no sense of order. Many children sat against their parent, but many were sure to be caught on the ground. Angela grimaced at the thought of finding a trampled body in the aftermath. It was likely to happen, especially given the circumstance, but having a daughter herself made the feeling all the more worse. So many people crammed into such a small area, not knowing why. Overwatch wasn't even sure whether help would come. The best they could do for now was get all these people away. 'Nuclear strike' was a phrase that she kept hearing being tossed around, but she hoped it wouldn't actually happen. They would at least wait until the populace was safe, right? Angela found it hard to trust many of the inner workings of Overwatch lately, and whether they would sign off on the attack wasn't clear.