The Villain Wrangler | Overwatch

Chapter 14

Gabe paced the floor of his room, mind racing. He needed to find the best way of explaining.... He sighed and read the text again.

-The patient is showing signs of awakening.

He snarled and sought out Jack.

He found him on one of the upper observation decks, watching the waves crash on the beach. He paused, enjoying just being able to see him. The past six years had been hard, but knowing that Jack was alive, and still wanted him, helped a lot.

He coughed and Jack turned to face him.

"Hey."

Gabe grinned, walking up to kiss him. "Hey, yourself. You have a problem."

Jack sighed, turning in Gabe's arms to look out over the ocean. "Kinda. Watching you and Angelica last night..."

"You realized you love her?" Gabe kissed lightly behind Jack's ear.

He snorted and elbowed Gabe lightly. "I'm not always oblivious, you know."

"Just when it comes to romance," Gabe teased with a laugh. "Go buy her flowers and write shitty poetry. You know she's interested in both of us."

Jack sighed and leaned against him in silence. Finally, he asked, "You didn't come up here to talk about Angelica."

Gabe sighed, resting his chin on Jack's shoulder. "Gérard is alive." He felt Jack stiffen and rushed on. "I don't know how, I just found him in a hospital shortly after everything went tits up at Zurich. I've been paying for him to receive care, private room, all of that. He's showing signs of coming out of his coma. I think we should bring him home."

Jack sighed and relaxed. "Talk to Zen, see if Amélie can handle him here. I'll clear it with Angela, make the arrangements." He looked over at Gabe, then kissed his cheek. "Go flirt with Angelica, too. Make me work for it."

Gabe glared good-naturedly at him. "I'll ask if she wants both of us to court her. She's still hurting from that asshole."

Jack hummed in agreement, then reluctantly pulled away. "Let's bring Gérard home."

—

Angelica looked up from her email when her phone buzzed. She looked at it, confused. She had programed ringtones for everyone, and left it off vibrate. The fact that is was buzzing in the distinctive SOS pattern made her believe it was some setting that Sombra had added as a joke. She picked it up, checking the display. Hijo de Puta.

Oh. Brad.

She hit the ignore button, and went back to scheduling visits for the Overwatch team. There was a notable pause before her new message chime rang and she looked back at her phone, chewing on her lip. Finally, she sighed and got up, heading to the common room.

It was mostly empty, the dragons in a pile in a beam of sunlight while Hanzo worked on his bow and Genji played a game with Hana. Jesse lounged on the sofa, fiddling with a tablet, but he looked over at the movement.

"Problem?" he asked, the others looking up, then going back to their distractions.

"I don't know. My ex just left me a voicemail."

Jesse winced and held out his hand. "You want someone to listen and tell you if it's important?"

She gave a half-laugh as she surrendered her phone. "Does that sound crazy?"

"Nah. Sounds human." His eyebrow rose when he saw the name, but he said nothing, just held the phone to his ear as he listened.

Angelica could hear Brad's tone of voice, but not the words. It sounded like he was begging. Jesse rolled his eyes a few times at what he heard, then finally handed the phone back.

"Apparently, he made a mistake, he's deeply sorry, and desperately wants you to take him back. Something about a gala?"

She snorted. "His boss has a fancy party every year, fundraiser deal. He's made a big deal about what I do, and his boss likes me. I've managed to get him a few raises in the past at these."

"So, now he would like you back for his own benefit?" Amélie asked from the doorway.

"Apparently." She sighed and dropped onto the couch with Jesse.

Amélie studied her, unblinking. Angelica was a bit surprised to notice her skin was a bit paler.

"Does he deserve your forgiveness?"

"Considering what we saw, not a chance in hell," Gabe announced. "He apologize?"

Angelica shrugged. "Jesse listened to the message."

Jesse scratched his beard as everyone looked at him. "Well, Ah'd say he was more sorry he was caught doin' something he shouldn't have, rather than bein' sorry for doin' it."

"Considering he was 'doin' my friend, no he doesn't."

"I could remove him for you," Amélie said, idly inspecting her nails.

"You'd have to wait. Gabe offered first." She lay back with a groan. She looked at her phone, then tossed it to Jesse. "Go ahead and delete it. I'm done with him."

Jesse opened it up, studying the display as Gabe caught Amélie's elbow.

"I need to talk to you. Privately."

He left, leaving Amélie to follow, a small crease growing between her brows.

—

Gabe paced the empty office, turning when Amélie walked in.

"What is wrong, Gabriel?"

He sighed and pulled the trigger.

"Amélie, Gérard is alive."

She stared at him blankly, then her legs collapsed under her. He caught her before she hit the ground and helped her to the chair. Her eyes sharpened as he pulled away, and she grabbed his collar.

"How long have you known?"

He knelt beside her. "Almost six years. He's in a coma, but his doctors say he's showing signs of waking up. Jack wants to bring him home. Amélie..." he sighed and held her hand in both of his as she gasped faintly. "I couldn't have told you before. I wanted to. But-"

"But the programming would have driven me to finish what I started. I understand, Gabriel. Thank you for watching over him for me." She leaned over and kissed his cheek tenderly.

He studied her face as she pulled away. Satisfied, he rose and left her to her thoughts.

—

The base hummed as the members of the old Overwatch heard the news: that Gérard Lecroix was alive, and coming back. Angelica and the newer members tried to stay out of the way, for the most part. Hanzo had fled the madness once the news hit and Angelica followed him out to one of the decks.

He had been avoiding the main crowd since the beach party, and she was a bit concerned. She dropped down next to Hanzo, studying the horizon and not the silent man at her side. "Hey, you want to talk?"

He sighed and leaned back. "I have been told it would help. I just don't know...."

Soba and Udon pooled out of the tattoo on his arm and twined around him. He stroked a scaled side and sighed.

"I meant to kill my brother. I had been ordered to, and saw no way out of it. I am glad he survived."

He trailed off, watching the light on the waves.

"So, the blame really lies with whoever gave the order."

The dragons nodded and Hanzo watched them, face inscrutable.

"Perhaps. Thank you, Miss Coffey. This has been useful."

She took that as the dismissal it was and turned to go. "Feel free to talk to me again, if you need to. Or Zenyatta." He gave a huff of a laugh at that, and she smiled. "Or get with Jesse. I'm sure he'd tell you about when Genji first came to Overwatch."