The Villain Wrangler | Overwatch

Chapter 33

Ana stood on the roof, studying the base through her scope. Jack would have the base on lockdown, and Athena would be monitoring every approach. She lowered the gun, swinging it onto her back as she shadow-stepped closer to the causeway. She staggered a bit when she landed, but she recovered quickly. She raised the rifle again, hoping to catch a glimpse of her quarry through a window. There. She leaned into the shot.

A klaxon sounded, and she hissed as claws tore through her shoulder. She blinked back to the roof, collapsing against the chimney as she watched the emerald and sapphire spirits begin searching in a grid pattern. She glared at them, raising her rifle and sighting at the closest, a pale green.

She was moving before the report faded, disappearing into the night, with only a few droplets of blood to mark her passage

—

Angelica pressed against the wall as the dragons poured past. Concerned, she followed them, meeting up with Hanzo and Jesse as they burst out of an unoccupied office.

She ignored the rumpled clothes, instead asking, "Are they okay?"

Hanzo closed his eyes, then nodded. "Somen was shot, but mortal weaponry can't hurt them."

"Ana?"

He nodded. "Yes. Soba managed to bloody her, but she escaped."

"Well, fuck."

Everyone had congregated in the common room. Angelica could see Angela giving a brief explanation to Mei and Satya while everyone settled in.

Jack addressed the room while Somen and Udon coiled around her. "I'm sure everyone knows by now that Ana made a try for the base. She knows the dragons are guarding right now, but doesn't know that Athena was unshackled, or about Bastion."

We found her perch. She did not get close enough to see into the base. Soba announced.

Angela nodded. "They brought me a blood sample, so I can look into some of what was done to her."

"But we still don't know if she's doing this willingly," Angelica said.

Jack nodded. "Angela, do everything you can with the sample. Sombra, see if you can get eyes inside the remaining Talon bases-"

"Sombra?" Angelica cut Jack off. "Dig up the locations of the Blackwatch bases, too."

Gabe studied her, eyes narrowed. "What're you thinking, kitten?"

"Moira was Blackwatch. And they managed to get into the safe house you stuck me in. They probably know Sombra jumped ship, and that we're looking into Talon. Who'd look at Blackwatch, right?"

"Son of a bitch," Jack muttered.

Sombra swore, pulling up her system and tapping at various icons. A video feed started playing, and she swore some more.

"Look at this! That-" she huffed. "They're in the Sigma house we reactivated."

There was a rush of commentary and people going for the exits when Gabe held up a hand.

"So, we know where they are. We don't know the full extent of what their planning. Sombra, Athena? Raid their files. Find everything they hid. Go through the security cam footage, the computers, the works. Ana got some upgrades, and Moira likes 'tweaking' her work."

Torbjörn stood, stretching. "Right then. You lot do that, and we'll finish fitting the ship for Horizon."

He tapped Winston and Hana on the shoulder, leading the way out. Angelica watched them go and sighed.

"Do I have to talk to the UN about this?"

Gabe laughed. "Nah. This one counts as 'need to know', and they don't." He looped an arm around her waist as the rest of the team filed out. "Hey. I think you should move in. Not necessarily permanently, and I'll clean out the spare room if you want it, but our room's more secure."

She sighed, turning to hug him. "Alright. But just move the other bed."

Jack smiled and dragged Gabe away. "Come on, babe. Let's get it set up."

Gabe whined as he followed. "But cuddles, Jackie."

"If you move the spare bed, there will be more, you know," Angelica called after him.

He paused, then wraithed toward the bedroom. "Move your ass, Jackie. We gotta rearrange the furniture."

Jack rolled his eyes as Angelica kissed him. "Make sure he doesn't hurt himself? I need to go pack."

—

Akande walked past the piles of papers and equipment, eyes fixed on the panting woman in the machine.

"Is it working?" he barked.

Moira slid closer, making a few adjustments, then nodding to herself. "So far. She doesn't have the advantage of the SEP drugs that Reyes and Morrison had, but she's withstanding the treatments well enough." She paused while Ana's scream rent the air. "Of course, it is doubtful she will be an effective weapon for very long. A year or two at most before the cellular enhancements mutate beyond use."

He glared at her, and she shrugged. "She's old. Her cells were already decaying when I started. I'm doing what I can with what I have. I can keep her wound up, though. Keep her hammering at Overwatch as a distraction."

"And Reyes?"

She waved a hand. "Between the SEP and my nanites, he's falling apart. He won't be able to stay in one piece for much longer, and since he's already losing control while he sleeps, he won't be an issue for much longer."

They continued discussing their plans as Tyr disconnected the microphone. He considered his possible actions, then made a decision.

Barely a minute after he began planning, the recording appeared on Director Coffey's desktop with a faint ping.

—

Angelica glanced over at her desktop when it pinged. She hadn't been doing anything, so it was a bit surprising. She smiled a bit when she saw a video clip from Tyr. He was trying to understand humans, and would occasionally send her clips of traffic and animals and ask her opinion. This looked to be more of the same.

He smile dropped when she saw what had been recorded, and she froze when she heard Moira discussing Gabe's nanites.

"Athena? I need you, Gabe, Jack, and Angela here. Now. And Tyr?"

There was a soft ping as the God Program came online.

"Thank you for sharing this."

"Your heart rate is elevated. This distressed you," he said after a moment.

She sent a weak smile at the sensor. "I'd rather know now that we can do something about this, then later and lose him."

"Lose who?" Jack asked, walking in.

"Gabe. Tyr found something."

Once everyone was settled in, Angelica sat in Gabe's lap and played the clip again. She could feel him stiffen and glance at Angela, but he didn't say anything.

"Tyr. When was this recorded?" he said as silence filled the room.

"Shortly before I relayed it to Director Coffey."

Gabe nodded. "Right. Keep an eye on them, if you would, and let us know if anything else happens. Angela, I think you get to do your full scan now."

He kissed the top of Angelica's head and gently maneuvered her out of his lap.

Gabe followed Angela to the medical wing while Angelica clung to Jack, shaking.

He stroked her hair, whispering soothing nonsense to her.