Wrapped up

Just as promised an hour later we sat in the little bar area of my hotel, both a little overdressed. He looked stern, almost angry, I thought I got myself into some trouble by asking about this topic. We had ordered some drinks but they sat there untouched as we waited for the other one to talk first and break the silence. Jack wordlessly reached into his briefcase and place an iPad on the table, a video open and ready to play. “Is there something you need to share with me before I play this?”, his voice sounded cold, different from what I heard before.

 

I didn’t know what this video was, the screen was just black. I know that the events of the day could have been handled differently but I didn’t do anything illegal, I provided ID and a badge at the scene. “Not that I can think of something”, I shrugged, trying to keep smiling while I felt like I was being interrogated.

 

Jack let out a heavy sigh, that was clearly not what he wanted to hear. I reached for the iPad and played the video. It was body camera footage of the accident made from one of the paramedics. It showed the moment I rushed in and towards the first responders. After I got told to care for the injured ones I ran over and did what I always did, prioritise the ones in critical condition and the most amount of pain.

I saw nothing wrong with the footage, it showed me healing the injured ones, creating and carefully placing rose petals on their wounds, watching how the petals got absorbed into their body and the wound started to heal faster, or stabilized itself, that’s just what I do.

 

My neutral expression must have bothered Jack, as he snatched the device away again looking directly at me. “You didn’t plan on telling me about that?”, he sounded like he was in genuine disbelieve I wouldn’t share this with him. I didn’t know he had the right to know about my medically sustained powers.

 

“What difference does it make, I just helped out.”, I threw back at him. That earned me a twitching eye and a slightly gaping mouth.

 

“It makes a huge difference! What you did was extraordinary. Powers like yours could make a significant impact in this world.”, his voice rose by a notch but not in anger, he was practically beaming at me as he said that. I felt a small flutter in my chest as he praised me so openly.

Usually, I would be the one praising heroes like him, talking about how they will end this war. I would follow the news and look more closely at the pictures that showed Overwatch members, yet here he was talking so highly about me to my face.

 

Despite all that we weren’t here to talk about the things I wasn’t telling him but rather what he was not telling me. “But you didn’t come here all the way to talk to me about what I can do. You called me to give me answers. I know I saw something I wasn’t supposed to.”, I returned the conversation back on track.

He cleared his throat again, regaining some of the professionalism that slipped away, talking too casually. I thought it was funny how he came here on official business but two drinks in and he was already slipping up. Jack made sure to look around to make sure we weren’t being spied on before he pulled out a manila envelope. “You’re not really supposed to see those, but you deserve to know.”, he whispered. It had “Confidential” stamped on it. I thought those typical folders with red writing only existed in movies, but I guess they actually do it like that.

 

I looked at it suspiciously, Jack’s eye glancing between me and the folder. I slowly opened it and let my eyes scan over what was in it. Several papers were clipped together, names, dates, mugshots, death certificates. It would take me hours to read it all and make any connection. I looked up again to find Jack observing me, his eyes constantly on me, like he wanted to see any little reaction I would give him.

I brushed the feeling of being watched aside and dove back into the papers. From what I could understand, several high-profile politicians were in this train, Omnic and Human alike, and none of them survived. Just as I suspected it was a deliberate attack, not just a tragic accident as Overwatch and the government reported. But why would an organisation like Overwatch lie? Why would our government lie to us?

 

One name repeatedly showed up on those documents “Talon”, a name I had never heard of before. No news media had reported that name before, but in front of me were detailed documents of incidents that were connected to this group, resulting in the loss of several lives just like on that day. “So, these Talon folk are behind it? Why have I never heard of them before?”, I questioned Jack before handing the papers back.

 

He sat closer to the table, his arm folded on the table, fingers interlaced, looking somber and serious. “We don’t want the public to panic. We believe they have connections to an Omnic extremists group, supplying them with weapons and materials, we fear for the worst.”, his voice broke as he spoke, this was serious. “The worst” would be a second Omnic war, an uprising of sorts. It was clear that Talon was preparing for something, and it was crucial to figure out what that was.

 

Is this what I had gotten myself into, another war? A secret organisation the world knew nothing about? A terrorist attack? All that because I was near the scene and couldn’t watch as people died? I needed a moment to process this, the word was at the brink of war, and the people were kept in the dark, because a mass panic wouldn’t help anyone.

I took a deep sigh and finished my entire glass in one big gulp, the atmosphere between us had tensed, maybe I shouldn’t have asked in the first place. “What now”, I asked feeling a bit scared of the answer. “Fight Talon, and hope that they are not starting another world war before Overwatch can stop them?”, the situation sounded dire. I understood then why Morrison was at the scene, why he did the things he did and said the things he said on TV.

 

But as I looked up at Jack, he didn’t look sad, or scared, he looked hopeful. He still had hope, he was the hope. There was still a chance, as long as Overwatch was still standing, they would do everything in their power to stop Talons plans and work out a peaceful deal with the Omnic group. “Exactly, we fight and we keep fighting until there is no one of us left. I cannot stand by and let the world go through another war.”, he reached in his briefcase and pulled out another paper, sliding it over to me.

It was one of their posters, “The world still needs Heroes” it said, and oh how right these words were. I looked at it for a while and wanted to give it back but Jack stopped me. He held my hand onto the paper, letting me trace the ink of the print. “And we could use someone like you in our ranks.”, he added, squeezing my hand a little tighter.

 

That made me look up at him, eyes widening in realization. “’Scuse me come again?!”, I exclaimed quickly my eyes quickly flicking between his face, the poster and our hands on the table. He again moved the paper closer to me and flipped it around, on the back attached to it was an official offer letter. It wasn’t personalized, just a template, but the message was clear. “Are you serious?”, I asked again, picking up the paper with one hand, letting the other still rest underneath his.

 

Jack clearly looked a little tense, maybe because he was still holding my hand, maybe because he just recruited someone he only saw once before. “Yes, I’m serious. What I saw impressed me. You didn’t hesitate to stand up to police to help people with powers that the world has never seen before. I wouldn’t have shared this with you if I didn’t have the feeling you wouldn’t stand by either when the world is going to war again.”, he said with full confidence keeping his voice low and calm.

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I read the letter carefully, how I would be working with the best of the best, soldiers from all over the world, how I would be stationed wherever I was needed. I didn’t mind traveling, I already lived in hotels most of the time for my studies. Accepting this would mean I would quit my position as a botanist, I would no longer make money if the thing I loved so much since childhood. But this was Overwatch we were talking about, they were inspiring an era of exploration, innovation, and discovery, its range of research including space exploration, medical research, biology, chemistry, infrastructure, and climatology. They sure would have a small little science lab where I could study my plants and flowers while working with them as a healer. “You can take your time, I don’t need an answer right…”, Jack noticed my hesitation and wanted to take the pressure off, but I knew what I had to do.
 

“Yes.”, I interrupted him, holding on to the paper tighter. “I’ll do it.”

 

That silenced the Commander for a moment, before his face began to light up again. The man I saw on Route 66 was coming back. “However, I have one condition.”, I mentioned and he stopped for a moment, listening closely, this was a non-negotiable for me. “I still want to study my flowers. Since I will be traveling the world, I want to use this to keep up my research as a hobby.”, I didn’t think I was demanding too much. I would do them a solid, working for them as a healer and risking my life in war zones, the least they could allow me was access to their science facilities. God forbid a girl has her hobbies.

 

At first, I was met with laughter, and not just a small chuckle. He was full on laughing at me for asking that. I didn’t understand, have I said something wrong? Was my request really that ridiculous. “That’s it? Botany?”, he questioned me with a chuckle still in his voice. “I thought you’re going to drop some big bombshell on me. Of course, you can still continue your studies. At out Watchpoint facility we have nothing but the newest equipment and many other scientists working to make the world a better place. The place is dull as it is, I’m sure they would appreciate some greenery in their labs.”, he sounded so relieved.

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So, it was decided, by the same time tomorrow I would be packing my things to travel back home and relocate to their main Watchpoint at the cost of Gibraltar. Overwatch would keep up on my apartment payments so I always had a home to come back to. Everything I would need, clothes, food, spending money, would be taken care of as well. The perks of risking your life at war 

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I landed on the airport at 11:25 am local time. My hands were shaking and my heart beating out of my chest. After 17 hours stuck in an overnight flight across the country, I was more than glad to get out of here and smell the fresh salty air. After baggage claim I rolled my way down to the arrival lane. Jack said a cab was waiting for me to take me to their base, however the cab driver wasn’t anyone else but he himself.

Surrounded by fans Morrison signed off on autographs, but he wasn’t alone, next to him stood another man. Tanned skinned, black wavey hair, arms crossed and an expression so exasperated I thought he would drag the Strike Commander away by his hair. They even made a little sign, it was almost adorable “Welcome to Gibraltar, Hero”.

 

I shook my head as rolled my bags over and stood by and waited until Jack would acknowledge me, he was so focused on his little fans that both me and the other guy stood there waiting and looking at him. “Jack…” the other man warned him in his deep grumbling voice.

Smiling as he always did, he turned around to initially brush off his friends concern until he saw now two people standing there, waiting until he was done. “Cait! When did you get here?”, he gasped in surprise and welcomed me with a warm hug. The AC in this place was no joke, the airport was cooled down to a freezing point, so some warmth was much appreciated.

His college raised an eyebrow looking at how quickly the other man became affectionate towards me. After he let go of me, Jack immediately took one of my bags and shoved the other bag to his friend to carry, who just had this utter look of betrayal and confusion on his face. “I should introduce you to my co-worker and friend Gabriel Reyes. He came with to see the new hero with his own eyes.”, Jack nudged the tanned man who just rolled his eyes. “Just between us he did not believe me that I found us such a perfect fit in just one day”, Morrison whispered.

After standing around for a little longer Jack started to move us towards the exit, rambling on about how I was going to love it at the base and how excited the others were as they found out I was in the try-outs. Gabriel kept this suspicious and confused look on him, shaking his head at Jack’s friendliness with multiple deep sighs like he wanted to not complain outright but was unhappy with something.

 

We loaded my belongings in the car at the parking lot, Jack hopped into the drivers seat, Gabe wanted to sit in the passenger seat but Jack kept the door locked, laughing silently while not even acknowledging the other man struggling and pulling at the door. I went to help and the door “magically” opened for me. Reyes had to sit in the backseat looking annoyed but not holding a grudge. “Very funny, pendejo”, he remarked sarcastically.

 

We drove through the scenic area, pristine white buildings mixed in with colourful beach homes, narrow windings streets climbing up the one big mountain they have. My eyes were glued out the window which was slightly open to let in the ocean smell. My breath fogged up the glass with how close I was. This felt less than a real job than a free all-inclusive holiday trip. It was crazy to think I will be waking up to this view every day, and would get to drive down into the city for breakfast, take a swim in the ocean or lay in the sun. Well, maybe not exactly like that, there will be training and missions and lots of learning for me, but I’m sure there will be free time for me to follow these holiday dreams.

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