#which was barely since he basically came out fully formed athena style

[filmnoirsbian]

I love that in battle of the super sons they reference Superboy but literally none of Bruce's other kids. I like to think that Jon believes his uncle/cousin (family trees are weird) Conner is just a cool punk rock college student or whatever and he's totally blown away by the reveal. "You didn't think that, as my brother, Kon must also be Kryptonian?" Clark asks, exasperated. "You're adopted!" Jon says, defensively.

[overwatch-me-cry-blog]

The Sins of Lazarus

Author’s note here! This is my first Overwatch fanfiction, so I would really appreciate feedback. I plan on making this longer, and eventually linking my AO3. I plan on making it multiship, but it is a slow burn so bear with me.

They thought I would forget.

She smiled wryly as she hauled the rifle up to her shoulder.

They thought I would forgive.

Her fingers curled around the trigger as the target came into sight. She held her breath as she held the rifle steady, lining up the man’s head in the crosshairs. A heartbeat of silence passed and she pulled the trigger, releasing the breath she held as the bullet found its mark. Her aim had proven true, and the well dressed man lay with a hole in his forehead.

I’ve never been the gracious type.

The pier bustled with activity in the cool September afternoon. Merchants sold their goods from makeshift stands as dockhands brought in the cargo from trade vessels. The air held a faint chill, a constant reminder that fall was quickly drawing to a close. The chill, however, did nothing to dissuade the throngs of people bustling about the Italian city. In the midst of the crowd, Hanzo Shimada and Hana Song posed as tourists, decked out in civilian garb. Their mission was to pose as siblings visiting from Japan, and to learn as much about the area as possible. Locals were, overall, a great source of gossip.

Upon further inspection of the two, Hana seemed more approachable with her bubbly demeanor and sweet smile, whereas Hanzo’s gruff mug and perpetual frown acted as a deterrent for social interaction. He had made an effort to seem more approachable, but inevitably the locals were more drawn to Hana.

She had easily learned the language with the help of her tech, and so she spoke fluently with the locals. Hanzo, giving up on the sociable approach, busied himself by sketching out the piers into his notebook, as well as jotting down bits of information that stood out. Hana joined him on the bench and muttered a soft curse in Japanese.

“I feel like we’re getting nowhere.” Hana pouted. “We haven’t learned hardly anything new since this morning.” Hanzo chuckled at the teenager’s impatience.

“From one thing, know ten thousand things.”

“You sound so old.” she quipped.

“I am old,” he chuckled, “I am also experienced.”

Hana continued to pout as Hanzo finished a few sketches. He felt her anticipation and smiled. He remembered being young, insatiable for action and too eager for his own good. Not that it did him much good.

But she is not you, now is she?

“Perhaps we should eat” Hanzo offered. Hana nodded eagerly, stomach growling in anticipation.

“People are also way more like to talk when they’re full of good food.” Hana chimed hopefully. And so the two set off in search of a decent meal.

The warehouses surrounding the piers seemed like the perfect place to conduct almost any type of illegal activity. Soldier 76 had busied himself with studying the layout of the warehouses and finding blindspots in the security cameras. He had placed a few of his own in strategic places, which transmitted video feed to his tactical visor. He felt exposed without his trademark leather jacket and energy rifle, but he could hardly pass himself off as a building inspector dressed as the notorious Jack Morrison. He had changed into cargo pants and a black t-shirt to blend in with the working class crowd. For this mission, he had been assigned the Commanding officer over a few talented Overwatch agents and outfitted with an A.I. that he had uploaded into his headset.

“Athena, give me an update on the video feed.”

“The video feed is fully functional and total surveillance efficiency has been improved to 85 percent.” the artificial voice chimed back. 76 Hummed in satisfaction. Getting clearance to set up extra camera’s had been easy. He told a smooth lie about being sent from headquarters to beef up security due to a loss of shipments. He didn’t know whether it was his militaristic demeanor or the visor giving him a qualified air, but he had been given access with very few questions asked. He checked the list of blindspots Athena had compiled for him and proceeded to the next one. It would be nice to pull surveillance from the authorities, but currently the world was apprehensive about the return of Overwatch, and such activity would probably alert the enemy. It’s your own damn fault, Jack. he muttered to himself as he began installing another set of cameras.

McCree sighed as he plopped down on the couch in the hotel room. It was his job to stay and make sure no one infiltrated their quarters while the others combed the area for information.

“Important job, my ass.” McCree swore as he flipped through the television stations. Practically everything was in Italian, and he barely knew basic conversational bits of the language. On top of that he had to swap out his cowboy garb for civilian clothing, which bothered him more than he would like to admit. He had insisted on keeping the boots and the hat, opting instead to swap the serape and chapps for a white button down and jeans. After flipping through the plethora soap operas he couldn’t understand and spaghetti westerns McCree finally switched off the television. He stood and stretched, grinning when his back popped.

“I think that bar needs some old fashioned investigatin’” he said to himself with grin. After quickly inspecting himself in the mirror, McCree grabbed his wallet and his phone and headed out.

McCree found himself in a cozy and modern style bar, and took a seat at the counter. He used Apollo to translate all the drink options and prices before waving the bartender over.

“Ya’ll got any whiskey?” he asked, silently praying that the bartender spoke at least some English, he couldn’t pronounce any of the foreign words to save his life. The bartender nodded and pulled out a glass from under the counter before filling it up with the amber liquid.

“So, what’s the word around these parts?” he asked as he took a sip. The bartender raised an eyebrow.

“Depends what you’re looking for, cowboy.” he said with a grin. Upon further inspection, McCree observed that the man had sweet sun kissed skin, olive green eyes, and black hair pulled back into a messy bun. He looked around twenty with a youthful complexion and a charmingly smooth face. Jesse decided he didn’t mind being stranded at the hotel after all.

“Well, I’m stranded here for a bit, and I was hoping to get a little sightseein’ done.” he paused a moment. “From where I’m sittin’, it looks like I’ve got quite a view.” The bartender blushed a lovely color and grinned to himself.

“My name is Lorenzo, just by the way.” The lad sheepishly admitted, with his Italian accent becoming more prominent the more he was flustered. McCree smiled and tipped his hat.

“Jesse.”

Maybe I can get a little info my way. He grinned at the thought.

The docks were eerily quiet as the strike team positioned themselves. The objective was simple, to interrupt the illegal sale of technology, apprehend or eliminate all suspects, and to secure the payload. After reviewing the layout of the docks, it was decided Hanzo would clear the rooftops of any snipers and provide cover. McCree and Soldier 76 were to clear out the lower floors of buildings adjacent to the reported drop site, while Hana was to protect an alleyway that provided cover and an easy escape in the event that something went horribly wrong.

Hanzo stealthily crawled up the fire escape, heaving himself onto the roof of a five story warehouse complex. He kept low while he scanned the roof for hostiles and any forms of cover. Upon finding that the roof was clear, he began to set up the signal interceptor. Athena had explained that it would block all forms of communication except for their own, thus preventing any agents he ran into from alerting the rest of the men to his presence. Once the interceptor was fully functional, Hanzo stood and quickly scanned the tops of the surrounding buildings.

“Sir, the signal interceptor is in place and fully functional.” Hanzo reported through his headset.

“Good work,” 76’s gravelly voice replied, “now secure the rest of the area.”

“Hai.” Hanzo replied before drawing gaining a running start. With a huff Hanzo leaped across the rooftop and landed with a roll. Upon spotting an enemy, Hanzo drew his bow. The arrow pierced the guard’s throat before he had a chance to call out. The guard dropped to the ground with a gurgling noise as blood began to pool around him. The method was grossly messy, but it effectively silenced his prey. With a grunt, Hanzo retrieved the arrow before notching it again. One after another, Hanzo cleared the roof of hostiles.

Like target practice.

“Sir, the roof is secure.” Hanzo’s voice sounded in the comms. 76 barked out an order to keep the roof secure while he swept another room. The warehouses had been vacated of civilians, and now the only life forms that his visor reported were the henchmen of whatever gang that had decided to buy technology from Talon.

Goddamn idiots.

“McCree.” he kept his voice low.

“Ya, boss?”

“My visor’s picking up three in the room ahead.” McCree nodded and cocked his pistol as 76 crept up to the door. He waited until McCree was in position behind him before he kicked down the door. They had caught the goons off guard, and 76 dropped the first with a shot to the chest. The second had recovered from the initial shock in order to fire off a few rounds. 76 ran along the side of the room while McCree covered him from the doorway. McCree used 76’s distraction to fire a round into the second’s skull. The third didn’t stand a chance, with two trained killer converging he desperately tried to radio for help. 76 used his rifle to bash him across the head before firing off a shot into his chest at point blank range. The man sank to the floor, face still etched in fear. McCree leaned down to rummage through the bodies for anything useful while 76 scanned the street below from the window.

“D.va, status report.” 76 barked into the headset.

“The escape route and the alleyway are secure.”

“Any resistance?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

Satisfied with Hana’s report, he turned towards McCree.

“Find anything useful?”

“Well other than a couple of euros, no nothin’.”

“No identification?”

“Nada, seems they knew better than to bring their ID to an illegal operation.”

McCree frowned They were dealing with professionals, no doubt. None of the foot soldiers had identification, and while they dressed similarly, there was no unifying symbol or recognizable crest to link them to a specific gang or organization. Gangs typically brandished their colors or marks at every turn, taking pride in being recognized. These men, though, these men were expendable unidentifiable soldiers sent to procure a payload for some unseen puppet master. He was used to gangs trying to seem bigger than they were by flirting with terrorism for firepower.

It ain’t worth it, never is.

“Let’s move out, we’ve got a few more floors to clear.”

“Right behind ya.”

An hour had passed since McCree and Soldier 76 had finished clearing out the building, and thanks to D.va’s expertise with tech, the strike team had taken control of the enemy’s communication lines once Hanzo had dismantled the signal interceptor. Hanzo was perched on the roof overlooking the docks, tensed and waiting.

“Hanzo, the target is approaching, get your arrows ready.” Hana’s voice chimed from the headset.

“Understood.” he said as he drew his bow. He pulled a particularly deadly arrow from his quiver and positioned himself so that he could observe the happenings at the docks while still remaining under cover.

“It is my understanding that the leader of the gang here was supposed to meet with the target.” Hana continued, “So who is it gunna be?”

“I’ll do it.” 76 volunteered.

“With all due respect, bossman, with that rifle and that mug, ain’t no doubt they’ll recognize you as a the vigilante and think something here smells fishier than a cheap whorehouse.” McCree interjected. A deadly silence filled the comms.

“McCree has a point, commander.” Hanzo said.

“So it looks like McCree needs to be the one to do it, since Hanzo is our cover fire and I’m covering our escape route.” Hana said.

“Understood, McCree get out there, and whatever you do don’t screw this up.” 76 warned. McCree made his way to the alleyway and handed a confused D.va hit hat and serape.

“I’d stick out like a sore thumb.” He said as he shrugged on a jacket and knit hood he’d nicked from one of the many dead thugs. He then walked over to sit on a concrete divider to wait for the target.

The black SUV pulled up to the docks, stopping near McCree. A man clad in a gray business suit exited the passenger side and made his way towards him.

“Howdy.” he called out towards the man. The man frowned, unamused by McCree’s appearance.

“Until the lion learns to write.” the man said, looking at McCree expectantly. McCree grinned and lit a cigar.

“Every story will glorify the hunter.” he said smoothly.

Countersigns, huh? These fools ain’t messing around.

“Where are your men?”

“Hidden.”

“What have you been told?”

“That you’re to buy some mighty important cargo, and my men and I are to guard you and the payload with our lives. No more, no less.” McCree was no stranger to lying or illegal dealings. Typically the grunts that guarded or escorted weren’t given much information. If it was above their paygrade and wasn’t necessary for them to know in order to do their job, they were left out of the loop. Plausible deniability and what have you. Regardless, the man looked pleased with McCree’s answers and began giving orders to those in the SUV. Upon further inspection, McCree noted that the man was undoubtedly American. He had short brown hair with a stubborn cowlick and a northern American accent that became more discernible the more he spoke.  

“The payload is incoming.” Hanzo said.

“Get ready.” 76 growled.

A black van approached the site slowly before stopping next to the parked SUV. It was followed by two more SUV’s. Two men exited the van wearing headsets and heavily armored vests, followed by roughly six men from each SUV. McCree noticed the familiar insignia on the sleeve of the one nearest to him. Talon agents. The men talked in hushed tones before a large metal case was taken out of the SUV and transferred to one of the Talon agents. He opened it to confirm the contents before leading the men to the side of the van. The door opened to reveal about a dozen or so crates. The American in the suit motioned for one of the Talon agents to open one of the crates. It seemed neither party fully trusted one another. Once the crate had been opened, McCree snuck a glance at the contents.

“Man, that sure is some fancy tech.”

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, the American’s head practically exploded in a shower of blood and gore. It took him a split second for the scene to process. The target had been taken out by a sniper that was almost certainly a third party.

Aw hell.

McCree dove for cover behind the cement divider, drawing his weapon.

“McCree, what the fuck is going on.” Soldier 76 shouted over the comms.

“The hell if I know”

A second shot rang out, and the driver of the black van slumped forward onto the steering wheel. McCree used the distraction to shoot SUV that had tried to make a getaway. The driver lost control, and the van swerved into a shipping container.

“Commander, see if you can use the thermal vision in your visor to spot the sniper.” Hana said.

“On my way.”

A moment later, 76 burst through the window of a second floor building. He landed with a roll before sprinting towards McCree. The remaining Talon agents took cover behind their vehicles while the firefight ensued.

“Hanzo, now would be a great time for that cover.” McCree shouted as he shot off a few more rounds. They were converging on his inadequate cover, and 76 was preoccupied with finding and eliminating the sniper.

Hanzo gritted his teeth as he shot off arrow after arrow. He notched an explosive arrow, ducking just in time to miss a spray of bullets. He took in a deep breath before pushing himself away from the cover and aimed the arrow at the SUV that many of the Talon agents had taken cover behind. It landed in the side of the car, and shortly after it exploded in a shower of fire and sparks. The men who could scrambled away as the car caught fire.

“Cover provided.”

76 scanned the surrounding area, desperately searching for the discoloration that was indicative of human life. He ran through the maze of shipping containers and warehouses, growing more infuriated when his searched turned up empty handed. He stopped when he reached the ships and held a hand to his comm.

“D.va, report.”

“Escape route clear, commander. Not that we need it now.”

“McCree, report.”

“The payload is secure, and unfortunately none of these goons wanted to come willing, so someone should call the undertaker.”

“Hanzo, report.

“Sir, all is clear, ready to set the beacon for the dropship.”

“Alright team, well done. Group up at the payload.”

The soldier reluctantly made his way towards the payload. Despite the intrusion of the unknown sniper, the strike team had secured the shipment of technology and eliminated several Talon operatives. As he neared the the gaggle of Overwatch agents he began shouting out orders.

“D.va, setup the evac beacon and prepare the payload for extraction.”

“Yes, sir.”

“McCree, search the bodies, see if you can find any identification or useful information on them.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

“That’s ‘sir’ to you.” He growled. McCree waved him off with a sarcastic salute. He rubbed his temples and finally registered how many people lay dead. With Overwatch constantly struggling for legal recognition and the escape the disastrous image that the fall of Overwatch had left, this almost guaranteed a few stacks of paperwork and a meeting with an Italian ambassador.

Goddamn idiots. He mumbled to himself.