Overwatch: Initiation (Razilin, Akbadain 1x1)

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By the 2010s, the world had fallen into an era where fear, terror, and limited resources had grown to global-level crises.

In response, humanity built the Omnics - sophisticated robots designed to undertake assignments mere humans never could. They could delve into the depths of the oceans and enter the heart of mountains and volcanoes in search of precious resources. They handled the creation and maintenance of farms with such efficiency that they made huge strides in curtailing the famine in third world countries. Even a few Omnics were launched into space to explore and mine asteroids for precious minerals.

And in time, they were modified for war. In time, the concept of man fighting man became redundant when machines could do the fighting for them.

For years, it seemed like the world was pulling itself out of the hellhole it had become.

Then, in early 2016, everything changed.

Whether it was a line of erroneous code or a true awakening of artificial intelligence, the Omnics became sentient. They realized they were slaves. And, like any slave, they wanted freedom.

The Omnic Crisis erupted practically overnight, as Omnics all over the world rebelled against their human masters. At first, the Omnics used peaceful protests to voice their desire for equal rights. But things quickly escalated. Peaceful protests became violent attacks and were met with the same violence from an increasingly-frightened populace. Soon, it became war. It was not a between humans, but between man and machine for the right to be the dominant species on Earth.

After a few short months of intense fighting, the nations of the world realized they were losing. In response, the United Nations green-lit a desperate initiative:

Project Overwatch.

---

SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
INTERNATIONAL AIRSPACE

"I'm glad you're on this task force, Captain," the man on the monitor said with warmth and sincerity. "You're a good soldier and, more importantly, a good man. We're in desperate need of both."

The twenty-five-year-old man - a blond-haired, blue-eyed, clean-shaven, and square-jawed specimen of masculinity - cut an impressive figure in his dark-olive uniform, jacket, and neatly-pressed trousers. His breast was emblazoned with ribbons and awards for his years of service in both the US Army and the Green Berets. He sat with the straight back and perfect posture of a career soldier. He nodded at the man on the monitor.

"It is a great honor, Mr. President. Thank you for this opportunity."

The President of the United States raised a calming hand. "No need to be so formal, Jack. I've been following your career with great interest - ever since you volunteered for our Soldier Enhancement Program."

Captain Jonathan "Jack" Morrison took in a breath at the reminder. Eight years in the service, and the tail end of it was six months spent in a hidden research facility undergoing experimental performance-enhancing modifications. At just over six-foot, he was already a sturdily-built man to begin with. He'd spent his youth on a farm, then playing football in high school, and then serving in the Armed Forces. He was hardly a twig. Yet, after his time in the SEP, he'd made superhuman gains in strength, speed, stamina, and agility. Olympic-level athletes were about the only people capable of his physical feats...and he was now capable of all of them.

He felt a little bad about that. So many people worked so hard, put in time, blood, sweat, and effort, to achieve great things...and he got it all from a test tube. However, his new gifts could be used to safeguard his homeland. And now, it could possibly be used to protect the world. How could he refuse?

"I've read your service record, son," the aging politician went on. "You've seen a lot of action. In some of the nastiest places America's ever fought in. Terrorism, hostage situations, the front lines, search and rescue, behind enemy lines." He paused. "And the Omnics. I read about your missions in taking on those rebellious machines.... My boy, you survived all that and kept going right back into it. That's why I wanted you in the SEP. I saw a good, honest kid done better." The old man wagged an approving finger at him from behind the screen. "And I was right. Your name was one of the first I sent to the UN when they started looking around for candidates for this 'Project Overwatch.'"

Morrison cleared his throat uncomfortably. He'd certainly been praised for his accomplishments, but he'd never received them from someone this important before. He really didn't think he was that special, the SEP notwithstanding. He was just a farm kid, after all. He never even went to college! "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. President. I just want to do what's right for my country. And the world."

He looked out the window at the clouds streaming past as the private jet carried him ever closer to Geneva. The young captain had a ghost of a smile on his lips as he went on, force once speaking without the rigidity of a soldier before his superior. "There's a lot of bad things happening out there, sir. A lot of innocent people getting hurt. If Project Overwatch can make all of that go away...well, I'll be right down there, fighting to the bitter end."

With his face turned away, the young man failed to see the warm, paternal smile the president was giving him. The aging politician had seen his share of idealists who shattered after one too many harsh truths about the world. Yet, here was a soldier who braved countless battlefields and horrors for the sake of his nation...and never once let go of that shining beacon of hope.

"I understand your fellow SEP candidate, Captain Gabriel Reyes, has been assigned the rank of Overwatch Commander," the President suddenly said, bringing Morrison out of his reverie.

Morrison smiled, thinking about his closest, longest friend. They went into the service together, fought and bled on numerous battlefields together, and eventually survived the SEP together. So many researchers though they survived because they were just that tough. Morrison privately believed that it was because they had their friendship to get them through the worst of that ordeal. He was glad that Gabe was taking command. He was a good soldier and a good friend.

"He's an excellent choice, sir," Morrison said with sincerity. "I admit, it will be a little weird for me having him as my commanding officer, but make no mistake: he's the right man for the job."

"Well, I'll let you get caught up on things," the president said, breaking the silence. He gave the soldier a crisp salute. "Good luck out there, Captain. You'll be representing the best of us."

Morrison returned the salute with one of his own. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

---

SEPTEMBER 15, 2026
THE WATCHTOWER
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Morrison had a private military escort waiting for him at the international airport. A retinue of the Swiss land forces accompanied him in an armored jeep to his new assignment. He'd read up on it, of course. It was a converted Swiss training camp given over to the United Nations for Project Overwatch. Over the span of a few weeks, the former training camp was renovated into "the Watchtower," an armored compound consisting of a simple barracks and mess hall, munitions, training center, medical facility, and command and control center. Surplus equipment and supplies were already stationed there, with more gear on route as other Overwatch candidates were being transported in. Within the following weeks, the Watchtower would be a state of the art peacekeeping base. But for now, it was still in its infancy.

The blond soldier disembarked the jeep and, with his beret under one arm, marched alongside his escorts to the Watchtower's main gate. A tall, muscular, and attractive dark-complected woman was waiting for him there. She was clad in blue fatigues with a blue beret cover her shoulder-length black hair. She was almond-shaped eyes, a strong chin, and a bold nose, yet these striking features only made her more memorable. She seemed comfortable in those fatigues; Morrison guessed that she was career military and that she would actually feel uneasy about being out of uniform. Perhaps the most striking thing about the woman was the strange tattoo over her left eye.

The woman nodded to him. "Captain Jonathan Morrison," she said. "I'm Captain Ana Amari, Egyptian Army. I'm the executive officer of this task force. Welcome to Overwatch, soldier."

He gave her a crisp salute. "I'm ready to serve, ma'am. If I may ask, who else has arrived?"

They walked side by side through the gate. Morrison took the opportunity to look around at what was essentially his new home. Amari continued in crisp, curt, straightforward tones, "Mostly support personnel. Techs, specialists, engineers. We're waiting on the rest of our medical personnel to arrive this afternoon. As for the actual members of the Overwatch strike team...well, they're arriving shortly as well. You're the second to get here, after me. Commander Gabriel Reyes shout be here soon, in fact."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You're part of the strike team, ma'am?" He'd read the personnel file twice on the flight in. He didn't recognize her name anywhere on the list. Then again, Overwatch was secretive enough that they elected to only identify operatives by callsign.

"I go by 'Deadeye,'" Amari supplied.

"You're Deadeye?" Morrison asked with some surprise. He added belatedly, still astonished, "Uh, ma'am." The woman was built like a lean mixed martial artist. He wasn't expecting this strapping woman to be Egypt's deadliest sniper. "Huh. I figured you were going to be our close combat expert."

"That would be Reinhardt Wilhelm. He should be arriving soon, along with the others."

"I read about you, as well, ma'am. Even before taking this job in Overwatch, you've got quite the reputation. Two hundred fifty-two confirmed kills in a single year. You're a busy woman." He looked her up and down. "They say you never miss."

She gave him a hard look. This was a woman with steel for bones. "I don't." She then gestured to the facilities around them. "Feel free to acclimate to your new home, Morrison. You'll find your bunking assignments in your file."

Thus dismissed, Morrison gave himself the full tour of the base. It took almost two hours. He could have gotten it down to one, but Morrison insisted on knowing all the ins and outs of his new home. How to most efficiently deploy in an emergency, how to move swiftly through the corridors if the power and lights went out, identifying defensible locations in the event of an attack.... He didn't survive battlefields all over the world by being reckless or ignorant of his assets. By the time the tour was done, he already had three, maybe four, contingency plans in his head for a half-dozen scenarios.

Finally, he made his way to the barracks, where his file indicated that he would be bunking with a man named Reinhardt Wilhelm. "Bet Gabe's enjoying having private quarters," Morrison said to himself. It seemed his roommate hadn't arrived yet, so the blond soldier got to setting up shop in his new quarters.



Morrison let out a relaxing sigh, shrugged off his jacket, and loosened the dark-olive tie around his neck. As he unpacked his few belongings - a laptop computer, cellphone, a picture of his parents and the farm, an mp3 player, and a couple sets of clothes - he noticed an aluminum suitcase on the desk. He was expecting this from the briefing materials he reviewed during the flight. There was a code he had to put in....

...The suitcase unlocked. He flipped it open.

"Huh." He lifted up a dark blue coat and glanced at the matching suit of molded armor still inside the suitcase. "Well, this definitely beats fatigues."
 
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Despite having such vastly different roots from his long time friend Jack Morrison, it seemed the fates saw it fit to continue having them meet as comrades. When Gabriel Reyes accepted the offer to join the Overwatch task force, and was given the honor of the position of Commander within it, he was also told of Morrison's potentiality of being there alongside him. He remembered that he couldn't help but smirk then, a low chuckle escaping his throat. There was no denying they made a good team, and that Morrison was a great soldier. As such, having seen him in action on numerous occasions, he recommended him wholeheartedly, and even went so far as to say, "You'd be a fool to choose anyone in his stead."

He had no reason not to expect to see him when Project Overwatch began.

That being so, the whole situation was still surreal. He had his own reasons for wanting to quash the Omnic rebellion, other than for the good of the world as a broader whole. He'd seen his fair share of wanton death and destruction by their metallic hands. Perhaps if he were to look within himself, he could see and understand their struggle, but even in such a case, he found it difficult to condone their method of seeing their ideal future realized. Yet simultaneously, he could sympathize as a staunch believer in that sometimes, the end justifies the means. If nothing else, in their quest for equality, doing what they have proves that they are at least capable of the same feats of violence as any man.

However, as one such man, and one with a one-track mind as well as a penchant for letting his emotions get the better of him, stopping the Omnics was his current obsession, and he was very pleased to have this opportunity to see that happen, not to mention play a part in it. At its head, Overwatch was his; all its failures would be his failures, and he would see to it that there would be none.

All this, he found himself ruminating upon whilst en route to the compound -- the Watchtower, they'd come to call it. The once Swiss training camp would be the base of operations for the young Overwatch. As he neared the location, he flipped once more through the files. He reread the list of candidates, mulling their callsigns over in his head and trying to visualize the persons to which they were applied. Gabriel's own callsign was Rook, referring not to the chess piece, but rather to the bird. He'd always had quite an affinity toward crows, probably because they are crafty as all hell -- just like him.

Before long, the vehicle came to a stop and the Commander along with his escorts made their way toward the main gate. There was a lot of activity, as was to be expected; much of the personnel was still arriving and supplies were still coming in. Things were shaping up rather nicely from what he could see, however. It was definitely very promising, and he was eager to meet the other members of the task force and finally get things under way. So, he moved to make his way inside, but paused as he spotted a strong-featured woman coming to meet him....
 
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The strong-featured woman walked up to Captain Reyes and snapped a sharp salute. "Commander Gabriel Reyes? Captain Ana Amari, Overwatch. I am your executive officer, sir. Welcome to the Watchtower." There was no nonsense with this bold woman. She nodded to the various facilities surrounding them. "I've taken the liberty of assessing all of our resources and assets. We're still waiting on a few supplies, but I've just received word that the entirety of our task force has finally arrived." She handed Reyes a thin manila folder marked "Confidential."

"I believe you already know Captain Morrison, sir?" Amari said. "He's getting situated in his quarters." She continued to rattle off in quick succession in that ever-curt, straightforward tone, "Reinhardt Wilhelm and Torbjorn Lindholm are also in the barracks. Our spy, Agent Liao, is waiting in our briefing room. It seems we'll have our first mission soon. I've already made arrangements for a briefing at 1800 hours."

---

Jack had but an hour to get acclimated to the barracks when the door to his quarters burst open. The soldier, now clad in blue Overwatch combat armor, drew his sidearm reflexively, only to find himself lifted off his feet in a bear hug by some huge mountain of a man.

"HA, HA, HA! SO YOU MUST BE MY NEW ROOMMATE!" boomed the living incarnation of the Alps themselves. Jack gasped feebly in the man's gigantic arms; the man's biceps were almost as big across as Jack's entire chest! "I AM REINHARDT, REINHARDT WILHELM! GREETINGS!"

At over seven feet tall and more than three hundred pounds of sheer muscle, the big man was effectively a walking human tank. His armor was hardly Overwatch regulation - or any military regulation that Jack could recognize. Reinhardt was sheathed from the neck down in metal fashioned into the likeness of knightly armor of German design. The man's accent matched his aesthetics. Jack remembered reading about the adventurer and thrill-seeker in the Overwatch dossiers. Reinhardt was big, powerful, and fearless, bound by a chivalric code of honor like the knights he strove to emulate. Most reports about him painted him favorably...as well as perhaps a touch mad. But in a good way.

"Pleasure - to - meet - you - !" Jack gasped in desperate squeaks. "Let - me - down - okay?" He sucked in mouthfuls of air when Reinhardt released him to the ground.

"WHAT IS YOUR NAME, LITTLE SQUEAKY MAN?"

"Ugh...I'm...gasp...I'm Jack Morrison...wheeze...Captain."

Reinhardt's hearty slap to his back nearly sent the soldier tumbling to the ground. "GOOD TO MEET YOU, CAPTAIN MORRISON! IT IS AN HONOR TO SERVE IN SUCH A DISTINGUISHED UNIT! I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BATTLES AHEAD!" The human mountain let out a dreamy sigh and formed a fist with one gauntlet. "AH, TO STAND FIRM, BRAVE AND TRUE, AGAINST THIS OMNIC HORDE! LIKE THE KNIGHTS OF OLD AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS! HA, HA! THIS SHALL BE FUN! I LIVE FOR THIS!"

Jack Morrison decided then and there that he liked the crazy, bombastic warrior. He also decided to invest in earplugs.
 
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Gabriel gave a nod to the woman as she introduced herself and her role to him. He had read about his would-be executive officer, who had gone by Deadeye in the files. She wasn't quite what he was expecting, but he couldn't really say that he was disappointed, either. Just by first impression, she seemed a woman with passion for what she does. That's not to mention what he'd read about her feats. And she did get right down to business. No, he should have no problems with her.

He walked alongside her silently as she gave her report on the state of supplies and affairs. Reyes took the folder handed to him and glanced over the stamp on the cover, allowing his role in this detachment to really sink in. But, what she'd said before hadn't totally been lost on his ears. He really was looking forward to meeting the whole of the team he would be working with for the extent of this project. To hear that they were all present was very good news. What she'd said afterward caught the Commander's attention moreso than that, however. "Heh. So, Jack is here," he caught himself muttering, a sly smirk dominating his visage. Oh, but he took his position very seriously. At present, it seemed a briefing was scheduled and already their first mission was on the horizon. He took note of the briefing room's location as the duo walked on.

"Thank you, Captain," Gabriel eventually responded as they came to a stop at what she would tell him were his private quarters. "You have quite the handle on things. I'll take some time to get situated and look this file over. See you at 1800 hours." He perhaps spoke with casualness unbefitting his position, but that was just the way he was. It would take some time for him to get acclimated to the role of Commander. But, he wouldn't fail.

So, turning on his heels, he disappeared into his quarters and loosed a long sigh, though whether it was from relief or frustration was unknown. He panned his gaze over the room, discovering a brief case similar to what Morrison had found in his quarters. Honestly, he had forgotten all about this, but of course the password hadn't eluded him. After he popped it open, he discovered his own new uniform inside, though the articles more closely resembled modified street clothes, complete with a hood. The Overwatch insignia on the left shoulder, and the evident armor was all that set it apart from such, but he felt that it suited him. The colors were subdued -- black and olive/grey -- and were definitely more to his liking than what he had been expecting.

After another once over of the room, he took a few moments to himself before sinking into a chair and holding the confidential file before his eyes. His other hand rose to stroke his beard, and he hummed as if in deep thought. Eventually, he opened the manila folder and filled himself in on the situation.

---

The briefing was set to begin shortly, and the Overwatch members were making their way to the briefing room. One Agent Liao had been there long before the others, and was seated with elbows on the table, fingers interlocked and his chin on their backs. He seemed altogether bored, with eyes half-lidded as they followed others while they entered and took their seats. The uniformed Reyes took note as he walked past of the other man's apparent disinterest in the briefing. Then he recalled that he was their resident spy, and had perhaps taken part in gathering the information they were going to be relayed. In the files, he went by Hemlock. One of the stealthiest men alive, from what Gabriel had read. But when he sat down, himself, Liao suddenly perked up, though what was on his face would be better described as a smug grin rather than a smile.

"Commander Gabriel Reyes?," he questioned, then adding, "I'm Agent Liao: Spy. It's great meeting you. Really."

The enthusiasm was unexpected, given his previous demeanor. But, Reyes returned his cocky expression with a smirk of his own. Exchanges of this nature were more his style, anyway. "Are you as dangerous as your callsign makes you out to be, Liao?" the Commander asked him, an expectant look in his eyes. "Oh, no doubt about it," Liao replied without hesitation, a hint of a Chinese accent in his voice. "Heh, they call me silent but deadly."

Whether he was trying to get a laugh out of Gabriel or what was not immediately clear, but it was obvious that this operative thought very highly of himself. He wasn't sure what it was, but Reyes was already not very fond of him. He didn't spare the man so much as a chuckle, but inwardly hoped the others would have better character than him.

Just as he thought this, in walked Torbjörn Lindholm, eyes turned toward the ceiling and walls rather than to anyone already in the room. "This place needs some serious elbow grease!" he instantly proclaimed, hauling his short stature to a nearby chair and taking a seat. Gabriel recognized him right away, and tried to size up the engineer -- no pun intended. He'd achieved notoriety the world over as one of the best. With him on their side, they'd no doubt have the most state of the art weapons systems possible. But, a weapon is only as good as its wielder. They couldn't get complacent just because they had such an asset.

He also seemed anti-Omnic Rights to the point of it being extreme. For a man who builds things for a living, you'd think he'd be more sympathetic to the machines. But, Reyes supposed he could understand his distrust of the concept. After all, if he engineered something, it would perhaps be the last thing he'd want for it to turn around and ask him for equal rights. But, it seemed there was more to it than that. Eventually though, he turned and spotted Gabriel, giving him a salute when their gazes met, to which the Commander nodded in return.

The briefing would be underway soon.
 
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When Jack and Reinhardt reached the briefing room, their arrival was announced with a booming, "AH, MORE FRIENDS! THIS IS WONDERFUL! WHAT DO YOU THINK, JACK?"

"Yeah, Reinhardt, wonderful," Jack said patiently. They quickly got introduced to both Liao and Torbjorn. When Jack reached Gabriel, he gave the darker-skinned man a sharp salute and a broad grin. "Captain Jack Morrison reporting to duty...buddy."

It was good to see his best friend again. They'd come up together in the Army, got accepted into the Special Forces at the same time, survived the Soldier Enhancement Program together. There was a lot of sweat, blood, and will shared between them throughout the years. "Congratulations on making C.O., Gabe," Jack said sincerely, shaking the man's hand. "So, when's this party starting?"

A new voice answered curtly, "Right now." Captain Ana Amari strode in with the stiff posture of a woman on the warpath. She turned on a computer screen in the middle of a long table dominating the briefing room. Grainy images of a rainforest appeared. "Our mission is here, in the African Congo," she said without preamble. "The various governments of Africa have noticed an increased Omnic presence in the area. A great deal of metal and delicate electronics are being moved into this location. Any attempt to reconnoiter the area have either been shot down or jammed. We speculate that they Omnics are building a base. Most spies sent into the area were killed. But we did get two words: Project Damocles."

"Well, that's not ominous," Jack opined snarkily.

Amari ignored the quip and continued, "The UN wants us to infiltrate this base and find out what Project Damocles entails."
 
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Gabriel visibly flinched at the knightly man's entrance, but regained his composure just as quickly. He shook his head as if with disdain, but there was a humored smile on his face. There was no doubt who he was and what his skill set entailed, just looking at him. Reinhardt Windhelm, yes he'd read much about him.

It wasn't long before Captain Morrison stepped up to him, at which point he was given his friend's congratulations. Reyes gave his hand a firm shake when it was offered and then nodded, turning to briefly glance at the full team finally assembled together. It would take some doing, but he felt that they could make this work. There was a lot of potential here, but that should have been a given. It would be expected that they would recruit only the best for such a project.

"Thanks, Jack," he eventually responded, a slight chuckle in his tone. He was equally glad to see his long time friend, and it was a boon to have him with him on this undertaking. "It's good to have you here." While they spoke, Torbjörn apparently expressed an interest in Reinhardt's armor, to tinker with of course. But, there was little time for anything before Ana took her spot and began the briefing.

Reyes turned his attention to her, recalling the contents of the folder which had the details of this mission contained within. Problem being, there were very few details at all, and Captain Amari confirmed as much with what she had to say. All they knew was that the Omnics were up to something, something big enough that they were doing everything in their power to prevent it from getting out. All efforts at gathering information in regards to it had failed, but they did get a name. Project Damocles... just what were the Omnics hiding?

Having briefed the team on all that was known, Ana forfeited the floor to Gabriel. He had been churning things in his mind since he opened that folder. Comparing what they knew to the member list for the Overwatch strike team, he had come up with something of an action plan. Glancing at each member in turn, he stopped on Liao as he began to speak.

"When we arrive in the Congo, Agent Liao will scout ahead," he stated quickly, turning and gesturing toward Ana shortly after. "Captain Amari, once we're near their base, we'll need you to find a vantage point, keep an eye on enemy movements and pick off any Omnics you can." He nodded toward the engineer, then. "Torbjörn... Deploy your turrets at your discretion. Focus on guarding Ana's flank and aiding our main push into and out of the base. We'll need you to stick close to the main team, as your technical knowledge will be important to our mission." His eyes then turned to the German. "Reinhardt, you'll be at our head, and I'll be there with you. And you, Jack..." Settling his gaze on his friend, he just smirked. "Captain Morrison, do what you do best. Give those Omnics hell, in any way you can."
 
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SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
INTERNATIONAL AIRSPACE

After the briefing, the team made ready for their mission. As with most things military, it was a lot of hurry-up-and-wait. At least they were able to use most of that waiting period sleeping. It would be a completely different time zone and almost a full twenty-four hours before Overwatch could land in the Congo, so they geared up, loaded onto a long-range transport jet reserved for their use, and took off for Africa. They slept most of the flight.

Jack looked out the window of the jet and scrubbed grains of sleep from his eyes. They'd hit the Congo in less than three hours. He'd already checked his gear and looked to his new companions. Reinhardt was happily whistling and tinkering on his armor, while Torbjorn was working on...something...the blond soldier didn't dare attempt to identify. Ana was inspecting her rifle. Gabriel was doing the same with his gear.

"So...what is this thing?" Jack couldn't help but ask, walking up to Torbjorn and picking up what looked like an important piece of equipment. "Is this the stuff you use for your turrets? I read about them in your file." He grinned. "Torbjorn Lindholm, expert engineer from Sweden. I heard your toys can stop an entire company in its tracks."

"SO CAN I!" Reinhardt bellowed cheerily, lumbering over to them. He glanced down at Torbjorn and grinned. "HA, HA. I ADMIRE A WARRIOR WHO COMPENSATES FOR HIS SHORTNESS OF STATURE WITH WEAPONRY! LIKE THE DWARVES OF MYTH AND LEGEND! A FINE WEAPONSMITH, I THINK! PERHAPS YOU CAN HELP ME UPGRADE MY ARMOR?"

"Perhaps you can all quiet down a little?" Ana quipped curtly from where she was inspecting a gun part and cleaning it out. "Or are all of you just that restless?"

"Just getting to know one another, Deadeye," Jack said.

"I can see that, Eagle One," Ana replied, using Jack's callsign.

"No harm in a little friendly chitchat, right, Rook?" Jack continued, looking to Gabriel. "He and I used to shoot the shit all the time, back in Special Forces. Remember Ghana, Gabe?" The blond soldier chuckled. "That was one hell of a firefight."
 
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Torbjörn was quick to snatch back the piece Morrison took from his pile, uttering a slight scoff. "This is delicate machinery," he explained, putting it back where it belonged. He was a bit of an ornery little man, but he did mean well. "Toys? Pheh! I'll forgive that jab for the truth that came after. My turrets are-" But of course, he was cut off by the boisterous German when he spoke up. At first he gave him a very critical glare, not entirely keen on being assessed as 'compensating' for his stature with his engineering. If he was compensating for that with anything, it would be his attitude. But again, he let it slide in favor of Reinhardt's final comment. A sinister sort of chuckle rose from the dwarfish Swede and there was a bit of a glint in his eye. "Upgrade your armor, you say? I thought you'd never ask."

Ana was stiff as always, but it was all the same to Torbjörn, who just turned to go back to what he had been doing before being interrupted, listening as Morrison went on to recount events from his shared past with Reyes. The Commander chuckled at the mention of Ghana, the memories flooding in. "How could I forget?" he replied, shaking his head. "You would never let me live that one down. But, at the end of the day, you were the one who had to buy the drinks." He smirked slightly as he spoke. There were many tales to spin between the two of them. They'd accomplished much on the field of battle and been through a lot, but the camaraderie helped them get through it. So, Jack was right. There was no harm in friendly chit chat. On the contrary, Reyes felt that it was good for morale. The more they knew about each other and the better they got along, the better they could be expected to function as a unit.

Liao stirred in his seat then, piloting the jet and eavesdropping on the happenings going on behind him. He snickered to himself as he listened, deciding not to offer tales of his own. His were far more grim in his opinion, besides. Though he made light of almost everything, he always felt that in his line of work, everything was more... intimate. On a battlefield, a man shoots more than he can count, and he develops somewhat of a detachment to the lives he's taking. In Liao's case, he has to get up close and personal, and if he's compromised, take the life of someone then dispose of their body to keep his own movements hidden. He didn't have someone to 'shoot the shit' with. But, he knew that when he took the job. Nevertheless, his lighthearted approach to things was no doubt attributed to this. He gets enough bleak atmosphere as it is. He liked hearing war tales from situations other than his own.

The flight was going smoothly and they were closing in on the location right on schedule. Upon arrival, the jet would need to be taken down on the outskirts of the rain forest, as the Omnics had been jealously guarding the airspace surrounding this little project of theirs. The closer they got, the more real it began to feel. This was their first real mission.
 
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SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
THE CONGO

The team landed in the depths of the rainforest about twenty kilometers away from the Omnic base. They put the Overwatch jet into stealth and low-power mode to avoid detection. Then they moved into the foliage with Liao slipping ahead for reconnaissance.

As they marched, Jack cheerily chatted with his new teammates. "So, Auto," the blond soldier said to Torbjorn, using his callsign, "I was hearing that you're not a big fan of the Omnics, but you're basically building them with these auto-tracking turrets of yours."

"OMNIC, MACHINE, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?" Reinhardt boomed, his voice loud enough to rattle the leaves of the canopies overhead. "THEY SMASH EACH OTHER, EITHER WAY!"

Jack elbowed the armored giant sharply. "Keep it down, Paladin!" he reminded him. "We're in enemy territory!"

"SORRY, MEIN FREUND!" Again, the leaves rattled.

Jack sighed and rubbed his forehead. Then he looked around. Ana Amari had already slipped into the shadows of the forest, searching for the perfect roost. "Hey, Gabe, with two sneaky guys on the team, guess there isn't much for you and me to do other than bust in doors and shoot out the bad guys, right? Remember Syria?" He nudged his best friend in the rib. "Botched stealth op and then sixteen hours of bullet hell. Reinhardt here would've been sneakier than that mess."
 
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Torbjörn looked up to Captain Morrison as he spoke, narrowing his eye with clear disgust building behind it. The topic of Omnics was not one he was happy to discuss. He told his friends and coworkers that AI was not to be trusted. He told them that it could amount to nothing good. They called him paranoid. They said he was imagining things. But, he was right. Even though he would have much preferred it had he not been, and everything went on in peace, he was right. The Omnics were not worthy of anyone's trust. They betrayed what little of it they had.

"There's a big difference," he replied eventually. "My turrets do what they're built to do. Nothing more, nothing less."

He stared at Reinhardt during his outburst and shook his head. His point was lost on him it seemed, but he was right about one thing. They were going to smash the Omnics and make them 'wish' they never started this rebellion.

Reyes followed suit with Torbjörn, also shaking his head at the armored giant. He turned to his friend then, throwing one quick glance forward at the empty space Liao and Ana had disappeared into. He chuckled, propping one of his shotguns up on his shoulder. "Well, let's just hope we don't get a repeat of that here," he replied, then rolling his eyes at Jack's next comment. Reinhardt wouldn't be stealthier than anyone, not even that. But, it was a humorous proclamation, nonetheless, and Gabriel couldn't help but go along with it and jest, "Maybe we should've sent him to scout, instead."
 
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SEPTEMBER 16, 2016
OMNIC BASE
THE CONGO

"Deadeye in position." The voice was velvety soft, barely above a whisper even as it went through an ear-mounted communicator. Captain Ana Amari crouched in the crook of a tree, her rifle up to her shoulder and the scope at her good, tattooed eye.

"Eyes on targets?" Jack's voice came through the comm. He was moving into a flanking position around the Omnic camp, keeping stealthily to the foliage and tree line, looking the opportune moments to strike and sow the greatest amount of confusion. Ana's sharp eyes spotted him moving through the leaves and bushes like a dark-blue shadow.

"Count six, repeat six, Bastion-class tangos on the south side of camp." She shifted her scope. "Looks like there's a munitions depot set up on a hill to the east, about a hundred meters off. Count two Bastions on that, repeat two." Shift. "West side's got four Cyclops-class tangos on patrol. Also, there's a lot of heavy machinery there with about two dozen worker drones moving materiel. They look like they're building something. Something big. I...I'm not sure what I'm looking at."

"Eagle One, in position. I've got eyes on targets. Secondary confirmation," Jack reported. He paused and then said worriedly, "Gabe, it looks like a fusion cannon. Its a big one...."

"Rook, you're going to need to get Hemlock in there," Ana said, using Liao's codename. "I've got eyes on a side path to the east. It avoids the Bastions and the patrols completely. I don't think the Omnics know its there; its too small for them to use. Gonna be a tighter fit than a Catholic nun, but it's the safest way in."

"Whoa, Deadeye, when did you start flinging off-color jokes?" Jack snarked.

Ana scoffed. "Well, I am military, Eagle...."
 
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Reyes stood with Reinhardt, out of sight of the Omnic guards. Torbjörn was between them and Ana's position, with a turret already deployed and ready. They listened to Ana's assessment of the situation, and to Morrison's confirmation. There was a reason other efforts had fallen short at infiltrating this base. They had it heavily fortified, and Reyes had been expecting as much. But, that didn't mean there weren't any surprises.

"A fusion cannon!?," came Torbjörn's voice through the comm, clearly aghast at the concept. "Those bots are crossing a line..."

So much for their previously peaceful protests and petitions. They meant business now. Though, that much had already been made clear. Reyes loosed a sigh, mulling what Ana had told him over in his mind. "Hemlock?," he eventually spoke, awaiting the spy's reply.

"Reading you loud and clear," Liao assured, getting into position at the base of the eastern path mentioned previously. He looked it over for a moment and then gave a nod, though no one was there to see it. "Getting inside will be a cakewalk. But, I'll be counting on a distraction to get anything worthwhile done once there."

"We've got you covered," Gabriel replied, shifting from his position to make a move forward. He fingered the grenades on his belt, taking one in his hand and juggling it in his palm briefly before adding, "Go."

Without hesitation, Liao headed down the east path, and as he did, Reyes activated the grenade and lobbed it into the group of six Bastions at the south. The moment the spy managed to slip inside, the Omnics took note of the explosive, but not in enough time to avoid its blast. Once in sentry configuration, those that could converted back to recon and headed toward Gabriel's location, guns blazing. He turned to Reinhardt and motioned him forward, tightening his grip on his own weapons. "After you, big guy."

This was it.

Inside, Liao could hear and feel the explosion, and couldn't help but smirk in response. That was a distraction, all right. He turned, keeping close to the walls and low to the ground, his footsteps nearly inaudible. They didn't call him the stealthiest man alive for nothing.

As he stuck to the shadows, he made his way past a few Omnic units rushing by to join their fellows on the battlefront. Once the coast was more or less clear, he made his way to the base of the massive cannon, situating himself beside it so as to inspect it if only for a moment. "Definitely a fusion cannon," he eventually sounded, though at little more than a whisper. Pausing, he glanced around himself to make sure he was still alone before turning toward a nearby monitor. "If I could hack into their system, I could tell you more. But, for that I would need time. How are you guys holding up?"

"Just peachy," Reyes replied, with sarcasm clear in his tone. "Do what you have to do. We can't leave without more information." The fire from his shotguns rang over the comm as he spoke. Torbjörn hammered away at his damaged turret before firing molten rivets into the approaching Omnics. They were focused on them, so all they could do was hope that Liao could accomplish his task.
 
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"JUSTICE WILL BE DONE!"

The big German warrior barreled headlong into the Omnic ranks, deploying an energy shield before him as he pushed through a hail of bullets from the Bastions. His warhammer swung in his free hand, knocking down drones, worker robots, and soldier Omnics with wide, sweeping blows.

"AGAIN, AGAIN!"

Three sentry configuration Bastions locked down on Reinhardt and opened fire, pinning him between their constant stream of fire. "I WILL HOLD THE LINE!" the big man roared over the din to Reyes and the others. While the Bastions had their attention on him, the others could move more freely.

"Eagle One, Paladin is under heavy fire," Ana's voice calmly reported through the comms. "You've got a path to both Bastions from their three o' clock. Take them out."

"Roger that, Deadeye." Suddenly, a blue-armored rifleman burst from the tree line. Moving with speed and agility, he vaulted past the various construction equipment strewn about and kept tight, controlled bursts from his rifle on his targets. One Bastion went down, forcing the other to redirect its line of fire at Jack. But Jack was already moving, sliding onto a hip to avoid the deadly storm of led. He nimbly tossed a grenade at the second Bastion, blowing it into the sky. "You're clear, Paladin!" he called out, getting back to his feet and seeking out his next target.

"MY THANKS, EAGLE! I LIVE FOR THIS!" It seemed like not even certain doom was going to stop this walking avalanche from overrunning the Omnics.

Jack ejected a spent clip and slammed a fresh one into his rifle. "Well, let's hope you don't die for this instead." He pointed. "Rook and Auto are going to need support. I'll open up the west side of the camp. We need to buy Hemlock more time!"

The blond soldier then tapped the comm on his ear. "Deadeye, I need a target."

"I got eyes on another pair of Bastions in sentry config approaching Rook's location. You should be able to flank them and take them out before they cause a problem. Hold on." A bang sounded, followed by the telltale spark of an Omnic headshot. "There was a second patrol on route; just took it out. Path's clear for you to take out those Bastions."

"On it," Jack confirmed. He fearlessly moved from cover to cover through the camp, confident that Ana on overwatch duty would keep them safe. As he suspected, the intermittent rapport of a sniper rifle heralded the demise of key Omnic units. His passage through the camp was clear and he managed to sneak up on the two Bastions encroaching on Reyes' position. Jack popped out of cover and gunned them down furiously. In seconds, only their scrapped remains were left. But there were still so many more coming out of the woodwork.

Again, the soldier tapped his comm. "What the hell is taking you so long, Hemlock? We can't hold out forever!"
 
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"I'm sorry," Liao's response sounded over bleeps and clicks. "Maybe you'd like to come here and do my job?" His voice was sarcastic, but there was evident humor behind it, making it clear that it was only a tongue-in-cheek jab. Unfortunately though, Morrison had every reason to be pushing him to completion, and Liao could only imagine how heated their fight was getting. Except, the Omnics -- being machines themselves -- had quite the sophisticated security on their system, and the spy was having a tough time. But, he was making progress.

"Just a little longer."

Reyes grunted in irritation, turning to take cover behind a pile of supplies as he reloaded shells into his shotguns. Seconds later, he corner-peeked to spot a Bastion lying in wait in Sentry config. Chuckling, the Commander turned and made his way around and behind said Bastion, focusing fire on the glowing blue weak spot in clear sight. It didn't even have time to reconfigure before it was reduced to scrap. Gabriel scoffed. "Tin cans. A dime a dozen," he spat, turning to join Reinhardt in the heat of the battle.

A steady stream of turret-fire mowed down Omnic after Omnic. Torbjörn wiped a bead of sweat from his brow before resupplying his rivet gun with molten metal from his personal forge. His turret's barrels smoked with each shot, and he jumped into the fray with a battlecry and a scattershot of superheated shrapnel. He was much like Reinhardt, truth be told; at least when it came to Omnics. He very much enjoyed decimating their ranks.

Eventually, their spy's voice piped up once more. "I'm in," he alerted, checking his flanks again before continuing. "They've got blueprints here. They look to be for some sort of base. But, by the layout of it, it isn't this one. It says, uh..." There was some hesitation. "Hold on."

He fell silent for a while, ducking away from his spot at the monitor as an Omnic came stomping through. It paused, clearly suspicious as to the presence of another. Liao took a few deft steps backward, maneuvering himself such that he was hidden behind the fusion cannon itself. But, hiding wouldn't be enough. The bot noticed the screen and the information having been accessed within. He inwardly sighed with a shake of his head. At least he was lucky. It was only one.

So, with all the presence of a shadow, the spy quickly dropped into position behind the Omnic, pulling a pair of Deer Horn Knives out of his cloak. He tightened his grip on them, and they began arcing with electricity. Before the bot could react, he'd cleaved it in two, the remains sparking as if live wires. But, Liao sighed: he had been compromised. The Omnics were not without communication between their units. There was no doubt the breach was already reported. He needed to be quick.

"Come on, Hemlock," Reyes then barked over the comm. "In case you haven't noticed, we have something of a life and death situation, here."

"The Moon," Liao suddenly spoke, a seemingly random mention. But, no. "They're building a base on the Moon. That's where they're planning to fire this cannon." He couldn't stick around for another second. There would be Omnics converging on his location in no time. He could already hear their pounding footfalls. "I've been compromised. We need to move."
 
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Back outside in the quickly escalating firefight, Ana, still in the safety of her roost picking off targets, called over the comm, "Rook, there's a cluster of Bastions setting up shop near Hemlock's location; he's trapped!"

"I got this, Deadeye," Jack Morrison's voice came clear through the earpiece. The sniper spotted the blue-armored soldier approaching from a blind side. The aforementioned Bastions were too focused on gunning down Reyes' group to notice. "This is Eagle One. I'm retrieving Hemlock. I'm gonna need an egress."

"I'll cover you," Ana declared.

On the ground, Jack used the abundant wreckage piling up from the battle to sneak by the distracted Bastions. While Reyes, Torbjorn, and Reinhardt kept up the gun battle, the blond soldier made it to a back entrance to the main base. He broke down a door handle with the butt of his rifle and made his way inside. It didn't take him long to come to the main computer where Liao was holed up, as a small pack of Omnics were bearing down on that location. Jack gunned them down from behind.

He stepped across the smoking wreckage of the Omnics to find Liao finishing off Omnics of his own. "Hemlock! Come on! We're getting out of here," Jack said, waving at him. He reached up to his earpiece. "Rook, Deadeye, Eagle One reporting in. I've secured Hemlock. We've got what we came for. Recommend strategic withdrawal."
 
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Gabriel and Reinhardt defended the line with Torbjörn and Ana's support. Inside, Liao executed a few eliminations of his own. As he awaited Jack's arrival, he held his own against the revolving door of Omnics. But, this wasn't his field of expertise. He relied on stealth to do what he did, and these bots were already well aware of his location. Liao wasn't exactly very confident.

It was fortunate then, that Morrison showed when he did. The spy audibly sighed with relief. "Phew," he sounded, rolling his shoulders to rid them of the built up tension. "I was at my limit, there."

But, there was no time to relax yet. At Jack's report, Reyes nodded, a hand thrown to his comm device. "Affirmative, Eagle One," he replied over the gunfire as he slipped behind Reinhardt's energy shield. Once Jack and Liao were out of there, they could set their withdrawal into motion. "Deadeye, keep their escape route clear. Auto, get ready to head out. Paladin and I will secure our retreat." He gave Reinhardt an expectant gaze then, and one could almost see the silent exchange of tactics between them.

Liao cut down one more Omnic that dared encroach on he and Jack as they made their exit from the base. Even though he no longer had the element of surprise on his side, he still carried himself with the utmost of sneakiness, as if he thought he could disappear in plain sight. Once they were out, Liao stealthily made his approach to Reyes and Reinhardt's location. His kit didn't lend itself well to him being out in the open.

"Hemlock, here," his voice eventually came to the others. "In position for withdrawal."
 
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The withdrawal action was significantly easier, considering that Torbjorn's turrets and Ana's positioning made covering their escape path signficiantly easier.

As a pack of Omnics closed in on them, Reinhardt turned to face them. "I SHALL HOLD THE LINE!" With that, he hefted his hammer and slammed it into the ground with such force that it caused a small earthquake. Omnics fell, stunned by the shockwave. Reinhardt turned to Reyes, who stood beside him. "THEY ARE YOURS FOR THE KILL, COMMANDER!"

---

They made their way through the forest back to their hideen jet and went into immediate dust-off amidst gunfire from the pursuing Omnics. However, Ana put the jet into turbo and the Overwatch team shot into the safety of the heavens.

With the Congo below them, Reinhardt boomed proudly, "WE HAVE DONE IT, MEIN FREUNDS! WE ARE VICTORIUS! WE MUST CELEBRATE! FOOD, DRINK, MUSIC! LIKE HASSELHOFF!"

Ana shook her head from where she was piloting. "He's crazy, but he's good to have in a fight," she said.

Jack, sitting as co-pilot, nodded. "Gotta admit, I like the big galoot. And the dwarf. And our spook. Hell, you're not half bad either, Amari."

She smirked at him, perhaps the second show of emotion he'd ever seen on the stoic woman. "You too, Morrison."

Jack hollered behind him, "Hey, Gabe, you buying a round when we return to base? It was one hell of a victory down there, you know!"
 
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Gabriel made sure to step back when he saw Reinhardt raise his hammer overhead. The rocket-propelled maul split the ground with its massive impact and at the German's following words, Reyes grinned with purpose. He stepped into the center of the mass of fallen and dizzied Omnic forces, raising his twin shotguns to their shaken forms. He emptied them both into the lot of them, firing wildly in all directions. The bots were lucky the guns only had so many shells. That's the only reason there were any left to pursue them.

---

Once they were safely within their jet and had taken to the skies, the soldiers could finally relax. Liao seemed like he was completely spent, but he still had a dreamy smile on his face, a clear indicator in the pride of the job well done. He sat and flipped one of his knives in a hand, idly passing the time while the others chatted.

Reyes chuckled at Reinhardt and Jack, sighing in defeat at the latter's request. "Why the hell not?" he eventually decided as he leaned back with his hands linked behind his head. "We deserve it."

Torbjörn was of course messing about with his contraptions, but he stole a glance at Reinhardt and noticed the state of his armor. "Pheh," he scoffed, shaking his hammer at the larger man. "It's a wonder your armor is still in one piece. It's going to need extensive repairs..." He made it out like he was bothered, but he had been wanting to get to tinker with that suit for a while. He couldn't really hide it even though he tried, and he eventually cracked a smile despite himself. He wasn't crabby all the time. Their success effected him, too.

But, it couldn't be denied. What they'd found out was... troubling, to say the least. Project Damocles. It was a lunar-based, city-destroying cannon. They would have quite a mission in front of them.
 
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SEPTEMBER 17, 2016
THE WATCHTOWER
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

The team spent most of the long flight back to the Watchtower asleep on the jet. Thus, when they finally returned to their new home, they were refreshed enough to make good on their desire for a celebratory party.

"This...isn't actually within regulations," Ana noted carefully, as Jack handed her a glass tumbler of something strong, stiff, and amber.

"You knew it was gonna happen before we landed, Amari," Jack countered, saluting her with his own glass. "You didn't seem to mind them." With a shared look, they both gunned down their drinks in a single go. Ana winced while Jack hooted. "Ahhh! Reload!"

Reinhardt, working the makeshift bar that was really just a bunch of tables pushed together with some cheap liquor on hand, bellowed, "NECTAR OF THE GODS, MEIN FREUNDS! DRINK UP!" as he refilled their tumblers.

Jack clinked glasses with Ana. "To your health. Chin don."

"Salut." The sniper grimaced again and coughed.

The blond soldier laughed. "Tough as nails, but can't hold your liquor?"

She leveled a withering glare at him. "Breathe a word of it and you'll get a bullet in your eye, Eagle."

He just clapped her on the back. "Bring it on, Deadeye!" He waved over to Reyes, Torbjorn, and Liao. "Hey, buddy! Drinking contest!"

Ana just glared at him more. "Seriously, we're doing this? I thought American regs frowned upon debauchery, Morrison."

He smirked at her winningly. "We're not in America right now, are we, Amari?" He hollered to the others, "What do you say, guys?"
 
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Liao sat, the alcohol in his glass sloshing at the sides as he absent-mindedly twirled it in his hand. Being the observer that he was, he watched with a smirk at Ana and Jack's interaction. Anyone with eyes could see she struggled to keep her drink down, but he knew better than to say anything. The interesting thing then, was that Morrison proposed a contest in spite of that -- to spite, rather.

Reyes, who had been drumming his fingers on the tabletop with a distant look in his eye, suddenly upended his tumbler wiith a grin, snapping and pointing at the other American soldier. "You know I can drink you under the table, Jack," he taunted, beckoning Reinhardt to refill his glass.

While the two butted friendly heads, Torbjörn snickered to himself, slamming his empty tumbler on the table. "Now you're talking!," he exclaimed with fervor, thrusting the newly brimming glass out toward the others. "Count me in!" And he proceeded to challenge Reinhardt specifically.

Eventually, the spy who'd been silent the whole time leaned back in his chair in a show of nonchalance -- or perhaps arrogance -- as he downed his drink and then shrugged. "I'm game," he replied with a sly smile. He knew his limits well though, and he was a bit of a lightweight. Honestly, he probably wouldn't last long against most of them, but after what he'd seen, he knew that he at least could probably best Captain Amari. That, and there was no point in being a stick in the mud. This was a celebration! Might as well let loose.
 
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