Upon the squad's exit from the Sky Cruiser, they are meeted with tall buildings sprawling across the city, the sound of humming, ringing across the city as other aircraft fly across the sky. With smoke coming from multiple directions, food stalls, automobiles on the road. The port filled with steamships bringing in new import from neighboring countries.
Kurt stretches. "Ah, City air. Smells like industry, desperation, and burnt meat."
"And someone's definitely frying something suspicious. Ten kred says it's pigeon." Eleanor said.
"Just be glad we're not the ones getting fried." Gabi said with a calm tone. "Yet." Aiko said dryly, with a gloomy and bored look on her face.
Detective Klein laughs and adjusts his jacket, "Cheer up you all, no one's dead yet!"
In the middle of the city, the Asteris Watchtower looms ahead, surrounder by castle walls with jagged spires, and garrisons of armed personnel, with a symbol on their cape, representing the Harmonizer Corps of the Military.
The watchtower was a fortress of metal and stone, clawing towards the sky, atop its peak stood a glowing neon gold, with a spherical mechanism rotating slowly to view the city. Crafted with intricacy, it represented the Eye of Exyllum, its iris with a golden glow. Gears and Pistons whirred softly within its housing as it swiveled on a complex system of gyroscopic mounts, allowing it to gaze in all directions.
This "seeing eye," was a representation of the capabilities of Resonantic engineering, with the ability of not only observing with unparalleled clarity across vast distances. Regardless, its unblinking, mechanical stare served as a constant reminder that even in the most shadowed alleys, the city was under watch.
Its gaze met Gabi Astrea's, sending a cold shiver down His spine, then, the eye moved its gaze after a few seconds.
"What the hell was that?"
The squad walked into the building, after landing on Capital Branch HQ. They clocked in, recieved clearance's from a Sergeant, and the squad stood outside the doors of the building.
Gabi recognized being watched, but He didn't know from where.
Standing atop the roof of a building 2 blocks away, stood Seraphina, keeping watch of Gabi. Then, Detective Klein spoke up. "Alright, split up. Officer Kurt will be with Gabi and Eleanor, I will accompany Aiko, alongside Mark."
Gabi didn't recoginize that name, and it didnt seem like the other squad members did too. "Mark?"
Suddenly, a man fell from the sky, smoothly landing infront of the squad members. "This is mark, he was assigned here since His last squad didn't get along well with him. Hopefully this time will be better." Klein Sighed, and Gabi looked at him with judging and stern eyes.
The members split up into their different groups, and spread across the city.
Eleanor talked to Gabi about his little sister. "You know, if I had it my way, my little sister wouldn't be anywhere near the Overwatch. But... she idolizes me too much."
Said she wants to protect people, same as me. But the thing is... she's got this laugh. The kind that makes you forget there's a war going on just down the street. She shouldn't have to trade that for gunfire and trauma.
We grew up running through the barley fields near Olyssia. She used to braid flowers into my hair. Now she sharpens knives. World's backwards.
Gabi listened silently,
Everything seemed to be going well, until..
BOOM!!
The sound of an explosion rang across several blocks in the city, alarming the nearby members Gabi, Officer Kurt, and Eleanor. They ran towards the sound, smelling the stench of blood and smoke. Eleanor ran to the injured, trying to save them from the flame's and debris.
"WAIT! THERE'S SOMEONE THERE!" Gabi exclaimed.
BANG!
A gaping hole was opened in Eleanor's head, his blood splattering into the clothes of Officer Kurt and Gabi. Quickly, they ran into cover, and standing atop the roof of the burning building was a excited, stern man, feeling almost nothing from ending a life. "That was easier than I thought." the man exclaimed.
Gabi took his flintlock and aimed at the man and fired, attempting to avenge His ally, Officer Kurt tried to stop him.. Gabi took aim, but hesitated, his hands shaking. BANG!, Gabi missed the shot, and now, the man knew that the person he just killed, was not alone.
The man quickly hid behind the broken, ash stained walls of the 2nd floor, reloading his pistol, Officer Kurt rushed towards the 1st floor, attempting to climb the stairs and arrest the terrorist.
The man aimed at the Officer and fired His gun at the officer while Gabi was still reloading.
BANG!
The bullets stopped in the middle of its tracks, not even reaching the officer, losing its momentum then suddenly falling to the ground.
Gabi saw the feat, and was shocked. "The bullet halted? Mid-air? Maybe it mis- No... it didn't miss. It stopped. Like something bled the momentum out of it. Synapse Interference probably, bullets dont just suddenly stop like that. The lack of visual cues could be explained by it being a passive ability, but that would take a toll on his mind.. maybe something about the air density?"
The man, surprised attempted to run away, but Gabi aimed his pistol, and shot. Only to miss again. The man jumped off the second floor, with Officer Kurt following closely, pulling out his sword and stabbing the man through his neck right after crashing on the floor. "WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!" Officer Kurt screamed.
The man bled, flashing memories of His family, then His eyes went blank. "Why did you kill him?" Gabi said. "Rule 1 of Lethal Force, go to the same extent your opponent is willing to go. Did you really think he wouldn't kill you if he got you in the same position?", Gabi Sighed, then suddenly saw Eleanor's body and rushed to his side.
"One moment he was laughing about his sister, and the next he was just... gone. Reduced to a name ticked off on a clipboard. I don't know what's worse, the death, or the way no one here even flinched. If this is what 'normal' looks like in Overwatch... what does that make me?" Gabi monolouging internally.
Unfortunately, his squadmate was already long gone. Officer Kurt walked towards the corpse and carred the body on his shoulder, dropping him off on one of the medic's stretchers, then they continued their patrol.
The scene changes and moves to the other team, comrpising of Detective Klein, Aiko, and Mark. They ran across the streets, chasing 5 thugs after they attempted to mug an old lady down the street.
Detective Klein aimed his wrists towards one of the thugs, revealing a contraption with a hidden blade. It propelled the dagger towards the thugs, hitting them on their legs.
Klein mentally locked on the object on his wrists. He visualized the electric charges increasing to about 150,000 volts. He set the duration to 1 second.
The thug, with a dagger in his leg suddenly revolted in shock, his body flowed with electricity, rendering him unable to move for the next 20 minutes.
The dagger retracted back into Klein's wrists, and He took aim again.
He looked towards the thugs for a target only to see two of them aiming a gun directly at him. He dodged, the bullet hitting his cape instead of His head.
He rendered another thug useless, then pulled out His flintlock and shot one of the thugs in the head.
The squad member's eyes widened, they flinched from the noise, guilt and shock filled their bodies.
"What are you guys doing?!" He screamed. "Shoot them!", giving orders to his squad members. Reluctantly, they aimed at the thugs, hitting the remaining thugs in the chest and shoulders.
They slowed down, the less experienced members catched their breath while Detective Klein arrested the thugs still alive.
After a.. "successful" patrol the squad met up infront of the headquarters. "Officer Kurt, you're missing a member" the Detective said casually. "Yeah he died.". "Alright, fair enough."
Gabi, looking at the two officers in dismay, his eyebrows frowned, he clenched his jaws and fist.
"How careless. Isn't it their duty to protect their subordinates?" Gabi thought to himself.
"Got something to say? Death is pretty common around here, you'll get used to it." Officer Kurt says to Gabi.
"This wasn't justice. It was a firing squad in a uniform." Aiko exclaimed concernedly. "Would you rather be the one dead?" Mark said with a dismissively calm tone.
This is what you signed up for. The world isn't all sunshines and rainbows you little princess. If you don't like it, why dont you go back to your little doll castle?
Aiko, seething with rage grabbed Mark by the collar.
"Stop." Detective Klein broke up the two. "Listen, I dont have the time for this, im just gonna go buy some ice cream. You guys can clock out or something, do what you want, meet up back tommorow. There's some rooms you can use in the headquarters."
"Rooms? There's lodging here? There weren't any in the one we were in last time." Gabi complained. "That's because this is the capital, and that is some random city." Gabi sighed and walked into HQ.
Aiko walked into the streets, and Mark sat on the marble stairs of the building.
Wait.. It doesn't make any sense. Gabi thought to himself. "There's no way the past squad was wiped out by a ragtag gang of thieves."
The scene moves to Seraphina once again in the world of dreams.
"Your report, Seraphina." One of the councilors asked.
"The patrol proceeded as expected. Civil disturbance in Quadrant 3. Sacrifice were made but other than that, no desertation or escape attempts." Seraphina said while on the marble floor.
One of the councilors signaled to Seraphina to shoo.
She turns, and vanishes into the real world, the mechanical hum of the Eye of Exyllum pulsing faintly overhead, still watching, always watching.