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[dadication]

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[dadication]

"I know." If anything, he and Gabriel would understand the implications better than anyone else because they had always been in the thick of it. If more than Talon was involved, then they would be fighting an uphill battle, but fight they would. They had been born to fight, and they did it well. He liked to think that he was prepared.

He looked at the bed where they were sitting, seeing how filthy it was. Blood, grime, dirt and god knew what else was staining the sheets. They would be gone by tomorrow and he knew that they would at least burn the sheets so evidence of their stay here would not be obvious. They had to cover their tracks until they knew who their enemies were. "We can sleep on top of the comforter?" He reached up to run his fingers over the line of sutures on his face and then touched his hair that was grey and black with debris. "I don't think there's hope for my face. I'm pretty recognizable no matter what I do. I should hide it completely." A man with his face held together with sutures would leave quite the impression and draw attention.

He hummed in agreement. They were going to need to find a way to be comfortable, even if they were choking down eight pills of common pain killers. "I know. We're in this together as we always have been. We'll steal what we need to for now." Pay it back later, if there was opportunity.

He was safe enough now, resting here on Gabe's back while they waited for their meal to heat up in its packaging. Yet, he couldn't help but stiffen at the comment, even if he knew it was true. He swallowed hard and slowly nodded his head. "...yeah, we do. The preliminary reports will be false because of the confusion."

[gr1m]

There was a lot they'd be battling against, once they were able to pick up and fight again; no question in if, it was more so a when than anything else. How could they stop now? After fighting so damn long, neither of them could just sit back after everything. Especially after what was damn well obvious an attempt on their lives with who knew how many casualties at this point.

"There's showers at where we're headed. If you can wait until then? So can I." Along with not questionably clean beds. Could at least drag Jack to his room, always had his room at these places along with bunks others could sleep. Small handful, not made for a lot of people, but it would do the two of them well enough. He rested a hand against the side of Jack's face gently- "With a pair of sunglasses, and something to cover your lower face? We can manage. Can think of something, don't you worry about dragging attention." This was something he excelled at after all- even if there'd be very little to work with.

They'd steal only what they needed and could get some other way, because it was the only way for what was needed. Wasn't like either of them could walk in somewhere and buy it in their condition- more so if there were people out there waiting for them to pop up. He agreed there.

Gabriel felt him stiffen up, staring towards the remote that either worked or didn't even as he spoke- "We've slept long enough more accurate reports are probably coming in. Want me to...?" Turn it on.

[dadication]

"I can wait, yeah," he remarked because he was in no hurry to expose how damaged he was, how much they had survived. Yes, he wanted the memories that were associated with their filth off of him, but he knew it would reveal a whole other set of troubling indication of their struggles. "I figure sunglasses and a hoodie, I can keep a low profile enough for us to get out of town." He knew that Gabriel was a master of disguises, even if it felt kind of wrong that it would be him wearing one. He was so used to being the in the public's eye. "All I care about is making it out safe with you; I don't care what I look like to do that."

He felt the weight of reservation to what would be on the television, but he knew better than to go outside blind in the morning. They had to know somewhat what they were dealing with. His concern was that he would already be overwhelmed with the images of their life's work shown as rubble, aware of the numbers of people that were in that Watchpoint. It was better to get it over with.

He slowly nodded, lifting his head up Gabe's shoulder enough to be able to look at the dark television on the dresser for a moment then glanced at the remote. He reached out beyond Reyes to pick it up from the nightstand and turn the television on. "Maybe we should wait to eat first..."

It turned out that it wouldn't matter. The limited channels were all covering the disaster at Overwatch Watchpoint and the static-y images painted the screen. Flames, rubble, emergency crews digging through it all in search of people. Media commentating on the disaster that all political countries were calling a terrorist attack from within.

[gr1m]

"Got a hot and clean shower to look forward to, along with actual soap and not the nothing we've got in that bathroom." Not even any of those tiny cheap motel soaps were in that bathroom several feet away, okay. "We may really have to steal some clothes, because it isn't like we got much going for us right now." Hit up a clothes donation box maybe? Ugh, only thing they had were the jackets and what barely survived the explosion. "We're going to get out safe. Both of us."

They hadn't stopped to look while getting out of it and running, didn't have the time or the want. Only thinking about escape once that shot had been fired at them. Thinking only of getting the other out alive. Running. Surviving. Gabriel wasn't looking forward to any look at what they'd just crawled out of.

Make it that much more of a reality, maybe. Hit all over again— "I don't think either of us has a good chance of keeping food down..." If they ate first. Even if it wasn't from anything more than seeing it that much more.

He tensed when the images hit the staticked screen, a hand reached back a gripping whatever part of Jack he could reach. Couldn't hear any of what was being said, gaze stuck on the pictures coming through. Actually seeing what they had crawled out of.

[dadication]

Somehow, the idea of a hot shower and cleanliness faded quickly for them both as they had their first look at the devastation that they had crawled out of. The Watchpoint was almost completely leveled, collapsed in on itself with only a few standing pillars that supported the structure like claws reaching for the sky. There were flames that were being fought, there were search crews with hard hats digging and coordinating over the rubble. Dogs were being used to look for survivors near the surface.

He could see people - Overwatch people - being pulled out, blooded and frightened but also relieved to be free. It had been a massive explosion, well planned and well coordinated. It was amazing anyone near the bottom of it all would survive, and yet they had by some miracle. They had crawled their way out of it.

Gabriel was right though. Any even consideration of consuming food was like ash in his mouth, and he felt a lurch of nausea seeing the destruction. He had been part of the war, had seen towns leveled in the war, but this was so close to home. That was home, and the reasons for it were beyond his comprehension.

"...it's gone." Watchpoint. Maybe Overwatch. Their life's work. He gripped the wrist of the hand settled on his thigh, needing to give and receive the support.

[gr1m]

The war had been one thing, this... this was something else in a way. An attack from within that had caused such devastation. How many had they passed on their own climb that were likely dead now? Those that had already been dead, that both of them had to pull themselves over for their bid of freedom.

"We weren't the only ones high up there command wise, were we?" Were they? He didn't even remember now. Even if he was benched, they had made Jack the heart of it all as Strike Commander. One Watchpoint out of many, but it was still a big hit for them alone, wasn't it?

Fuck.

Even the tall statue of Morrison was fallen amid the rubble, broken as if it was some foreboding sign of what might ripple down the chain of Overwatch.

Turning his hand to grip at the other's wrist in turn, some fain tremble to his hand. "Shit, Jack."

[dadication]

Jack knew they had passed over bodies while they made their escape, but at the time, he was so disoriented, so desperate to get out that he hadn't given much thought to those they left behind. From their path, they had no run across anyone alive that they could have pulled out and taken with them. Unfortunately, they had been in a less populated area of the Watchpoint, but this absolute devastation...

"No... Jayme, Hiroko, and Bast was there too," he murmured, able to recall the members that normally ran that Watchpoint while he and Gabe and Ana were elsewhere. There were so many others that weren't high command but still held important strategic positions. He made certain never to keep all of command in one place, wanting them spread out to be able to compensate if anything like... this happened.

His mouth worked as if he wanted to say more, but his eyes were glued to the screen as they cycled through the images, the videos while reporters and politicians offered condolences and a call for aide.

"...I should be there..." he murmured softly, voice cracking with emotion. "I should be there helping them pull people out. They're our people... what if I can save some, Gabe...?"

[gr1m]

"What about Sojourn? Was she still in the states?" He hoped so, she'd stepped up so much and had been a reliable one to take the reigns and help train recruits. Know who was ready for what when it came to some of the Overwatch teams. There'd still be some chance if not all of them were there.

Someone had to be elsewhere.

He didn't let go of Jack, grip even tightening for a moment when he spoke. "No, no." Wanted to be there sure but- "The moment you even step foot there you know just as well as I do someone would shoot you on sight. Make sure you're just another casualty amongst the number already there." Probably the same for him.

Even if Jack would 'somehow' survive it because Gabriel himself was still breathing, they couldn't risk it.

[dadication]

It took him a moment and then he shook his head. "No, I sent her to the States to meet with Congress." It had been a last minute change because he hadn't felt comfortable leaving, not when things seemed to be going wrong all over, and she was a capable woman. It was a blessing that he had sent her. She carried so much information about Overwatch with her.

All the same, so many good people lost. Maybe some of the spies that had created this situation too, but just... so many people he knew the names and family lives of. So many people he had been charged to protect.

He had failed.

He made a sound like a wounded animal when Gabe's grip tightened on him, when the reasonable refusal was given. He wanted to go back, wanted to help, wanted to be Strike Commander as he had been for over twenty years. "Too many witnesses... they wouldn't risk shooting me." Except they would. If it was true that someone wanted him dead, no amount of publicity would stop that shot. "I should be there... I should be helping..."

He pressed his forehead to Gabe's shoulder, momentarily hiding his face from view.

[gr1m]

"Good."

That was at least one of them safe, one of them that others could still rally behind. What remained, because there were others who weren't there. Oxton was still in London, Winston not that far behind her. Who the hell knew where Genji was, let alone McCree since he'd checked out months ago already.

Some that the both of them knew were safe. Others who they couldn't know at the time.

He shook his head, keeping a firm grip on Jack as another hand moved to rest against the back of his head. "Wouldn't be in front of anyone. Intercept you before any of the news crew saw you. Make it look like you were crushed under rubble and rebar all over again." It wasn't safe. "I need you here with me, Jack."

[dadication]

She might have been safe, but how many others weren't? And how many other Overwatch agents were watching all of this go down? He could mentally calculate all the people he was familiar with in that building, some that were residents there and others that came and went. Hundreds of people would be in that building when it fell. There were reports of survivors, but there were no exact numbers.

It was still chaos. A few theories of what had happened were mixed and not likely. Gas leak first. Then terrorism. Then sabotage. Depending on the news station, the theories were varied. All that was constant was the desperate bid to find and pull people out and punish whomever had been the root cause of the disaster if it was a person.

He touched his own side where he was still healing where he had been punctured through with rebar, feeling a flare of pain with the contact. "They're our people, Gabe..." he murmured, even if he knew he wouldn't go. Reyes plea was enough to keep him resting on the older man's back. "I need you too... I feel so helpless."

[gr1m]

Too many. Whoever did this didn't care how many got taken out in the fallout of the explosion, probably better to make it seem less targeted. Easier to pass off as an attack on the whole and keep some from digging further. Brush off, feed some story that suited to get the mess wiped aside as some tragedy and nothing more.

Only thing he could expect with how things went once they got out, where the damn bomb -or one of them. Had there been more? After the one where they were went off it was all just a muddy mess he couldn't remember. Fuck.

"They are, but we can't do anything for them now. Not yet." Anything before they could have their feet more under them would just result in their own deaths. Couldn't get that out of his head either. "I know, going to feel like that for a while- but we gotta worry about ourselves first and.. get an estimate on what we'll be having to work with out there."

[dadication]

While the shock of being part of the explosion was one thing, the newer shock of realizing what they had survived was setting in. The notion of how many hadn't made it out, and how whoever had done this had meant to send a strong message across the world that not even Overwatch was safe. How in the hell were they going to salvage this situation?

More importantly, how had both Overwatch and Blackwatch missed this? The groundwork had to have been laid and none of them had seen more than the paranoid inkling that something was going to happen. After Gerard... it had seemed to reach an even more fevered pitch of wariness.

He made a soft noise but accepted that Reyes was right. In the state that they were in, they would be more of a detriment than assistance and it was clear that someone had been sending snipers to kill them. "Worrying about myself isn't something that I do often. I have you to do that for me, just as I do it for you." He shook his head. "It has to be Talon that moved in directly, likely at the behest of some other corporations."

They had no evidence to prove it. He might never have evidence, but he knew it was true.

[gr1m]

There'd likely be no salvaging it- and probably the point. Overwatch already had so much pressure coming down on it from Petras and the UN, already trying to push missions to someone else. They had suffered losses already, even if it was no where near this scale. This would likely what pushed so much ahead.

Was that the goal? He wouldn't be surprised. Didn't lesson the blow, or the hurt, it just made everything so much more bitter.

"Then worry about me, because right now I need you, Jack." He didn't want to lose him already after getting through all they had, still had more to do. Even with their bond there was that more physical need of having him there. "Think we need to look higher than some corporations."

They may never get the evidence, no, but if anything they knew how they worked well enough—

There was some Breaking News alert that caught his attention, derailing thoughts, some reporter on the ground with- Was that Ziegler?

[dadication]

The red tape continued to build, continue to limit their effectiveness and then the proposed PETRAS act... it was like the world had turned its back on Overwatch. Now the organization would die a martyr rather than an group of people who had stopped the Omnic Crisis and allowed for a long time of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, peace wasn't profitable. So their ability to do their job had been locked up.

Now look at it all. Jack wasn't a man who cried, but he felt tears stinging at his eyes as an aerial view of the damage was shown, of the dotted lines of people at the edge of the torn up building and their emergency lights making how large the devastation was even more of a reality.

"You should eat something then. You need your strength," he murmured, forcing his mind off of the fall of Overwatch and their plight of being on the run for the time being and more on Gabriel who hadn't had much to eat or drink and needed to heal lungs especially if they were to make any real break tomorrow. "We always thought there was a conspiracy."

No proof though. Whoever they all were, they were good at covering their tracks.

He lifted his head at the breaking news, peering at the holovid screen and felt an twinge of relief that Angela was there. She would save as many as she could. It was what she did, but she looked worn with grief and exhaustion already. Why were they interviewing her? She should be in the rubble.

[gr1m]

On top of that Blackwatch had been suspended- made it that much more difficult to get around the red tape, if at all. Still tried, had gotten McCree out there in strategic places but, well. He'd left hadn't he? They had been losing agents to either them leaving or hands being forced to retirement. One hit after the other, the Ecopoint in Antartica lost during a storm and no one being able to get out there to them, the location lost and... no man power left to go looking for them.

Hands tied on even trying.

Gabriel tilted his head to rest against Jack's shoulder slightly. "Unless you want me to dig in to the mocha energy bar, we're still waiting for food to heat up." Lightly as he could, trying to tease despite still able to see what was on the television. Trying t keep Jack more focused on him rather than falling in to the hole of... just how much they'd lost. The extent of what they had survived and crawled out of hours and hours ago.

All the more reason there had to be people on the inside, people that knew very well how things worked and how to effectively cover tracks.

He couldn't help but squint- she look harassed in a way, didn't she? As if she was forced to stop her efforts of helping those being pulled out of the rubble, as if someone had forced her on camera in the first place. Harassed, exhausted, and that look of grief in her eyes no matter how her expression was schooled-

"... Are they asking her about us?" Thought he'd caught something.

[dadication]

Slowly but surely, their eyes and ears had been blocked by the organizations that were supposed to support them. As members of the intelligence gathering branch fell little by little and then the suspension of Blackwatch, they had been more and more pushed into a corner. Information wasn’t getting to them, so they were not able to respond as quickly. There were times he walked into briefings and meetings and asked questions of information he knew nothing about.

While they had tried to humiliate him, he was simply more aggressive on why such information had been passed along since Overwatch was an international responsibility. It had been frustrating and trying, but now… he almost wished for those days of stiff-lipped slimy bureaucrates. It was better than watching such destruction on the holovid.

“If that’s what it takes for you to eat, by all means eat the rest of the protein bar if you can stomach it.” He was wishing that MRE was faster, but some things just couldn’t be hurried. A warm meal was one of them, and it wasn’t like this place had a microwave. “We should have stolen crackers.” Whenever he was stressed or pressed for a meeting time, Jack ate crackers. When he was a boy, it was bread but it wasn’t feasible to keep bread in his desk drawers. He could hide boxes of crackers wherever and whenever he needed to.

He was still drinking in the scenes, but his focus was on Angela, surprised she was there. He reached up and carefully stroked a hand over Gabe’s head, straining to hear. Unfortunately, he suspected their hearing had been partially damaged in the explosion so he wasn’t able to pick out all the words. “Turn it up, would you? I can’t hear. What’s she doing here and not in the rubble?”

He never liked it when Angela was sad or upset. He understood the reason, of course. She had lost friends in that explosion same as everyone else. Was she looking for them? For her medical teams? Had she been hurt?

[gr1m]

"You want the bread that came with the MRE? It's usually almost cracker-like with how dense the shit is." Hand even fished up the separate packet of bread, waving it a little bit in offer. Only the macaroni really had to be warmed up, and it was in a packet all it's own to be warmed up with the heating unit that came with it.

He damn well wasn't going to be touching the powdered drink, but there was one of those mocha flavored dense and chewy energy bars in another packet as well and- well. He figured it was likely some M&Ms or something that would qualify as the dessert with this stuff.

Dropped the packet of MRE bread in Jack's lap all the same, shifting just enough that he could reach the remote to turn up the television's volume up a bit more. Wouldn't be surprised if their hearing was still damaged. Be healed up enough with the rest of everything that could be healed.

"She looks like she was pulled away from looking through the rubble."

[dadication]

They had been in an argument over eating before, petty and childish as it was. He knew that refusing the bread would make it that Gabe wouldn't eat, would wait him out to insist they do things together. "Yeah sure," he said grudgingly, not even certain he would keep anything down with the news flooding in as it was. He felt sick to his stomach, found it twisting up in knots of worry. Not eating wasn't an option. He took the packet now in his lap and turned it over in his hands. "If I puke on you... I'm sorry now because I won't be as much then."

Then he was back to resting his cheek on Gabe's shoulder, watching the television as his fingers fumbled with the packaging to get it open. His fingers were so damn sore after their escape and the injuries - though not major - made fine motor activities difficult.

"Surprised she allowed them to pull her away at all," he remarked. She was determined to do proper disaster response after all. He could hear the interviewer and Angela sounded haggard as she detailed the devastation and that they were still looking for victims. No she didn't know what caused the blast as her priority was getting people out.

[gr1m]

Break off little pieces and pretend it's a cracker, or even just break it apart as needed. At this point? He didn't care if the bread was actually eaten or not, it was an offer to try and provide some comfort for that nervous and stressed habit Jack had. Knew he had it, too, had seen all of those stashed crackers. "If you puke, aim more for the sheets or the floor, likely isn't something they've never seen before." It was going to be torched for the most part anyway.

Carefully, so carefully and affectionately, Gabriel had a hand rested on Jack's head again to brush fingers through his hair. Hoped it was soothing, even comforting. Picking a bit at the already open energy bar they had from the night before. Slipping little pieces in to his mouth to chew on slowly, sip some water as well.

"Judging from her expression? I don't think she let them, more that someone's forcing her to talk to them." But who? It was a look in her eyes, the way she seemed to be glancing at someone not in view of the camera. The reporter was asking where the Strike Commander was, since it didn't appear that he was helping with the efforts or was even around.

[dadication]

He had to get the packing open first without ripping and spilling bread all over the place, which he was slowly managing to do at least. Small victories was what they needed at this point. "Yeah, this place isn't even two star at this point," he agreed as he broke off a piece of bread to put it in his mouth, mostly sucking on it rather than trying to chew. It didn't take like much of anything. "Need to keep it down if I can." He was anxious and stressed, the news making his head spin.

He tipped his head towards Gabriel's fingers, closing his eyes as he slowly chewed the bread in his mouth but listening. He could hear the emergency sirens in the background, the soft call of people to each other, the crackle of flames. It was still a horrid sight, made worse by the state that Angela was in, forced away from where she was best for the whims of some leader who had managed to make it there and insert themselves. He knew the type.

Yet, his head shot up at the questions regarding him, wincing as it sent waves of pain through his back and shoulders. Right, still wounded. Angela seemed upset with the question, impatient as she said that Strike Commander was likely in the rubble, given that he had been suspected in the building at the time. They were searching for him like everyone else who had been there. Morrison wouldn't want special efforts looking specifically for him but for all of his people.

[gr1m]

Gabriel was fortunate tat the energy bar had been ripped open just last night, because he felt the clumsy digits himself this morning. Wear off soon enough he hoped, once things started healing better. For that they both needed to get food in them so that energy produced could go towards healing. "Little pieces. Can never forget how dense MRE bread is." Flavorless and dense as hell, it really was little better than a stale cracker texture wise.

Was still head spinning to remember that was what the both of them had crawled out of. Dug themselves out and then ran in to the night to steal an ambulance and then set the fucker aflame because someone had tried to shoot them shortly after crawling out. The only reason they couldn't be found.

Asking her if she had any ideas what could have caused the explosion, if she had any ideas that could confirm that Strike Commander Morrison was in the building. Was there anything going on within that could have given signs or clues of anything leading up to this. Typical nosy reporter that had something to aim for.

[dadication]

They were both struggling to eat, to break off pieces of their respective meal choices while they waited for the mac and cheese to heat fully. He chewed slowly, his face definitely hurting with every motion. Somehow, even his teeth hurt at this point, but that was probably because he had spent so much time clenching from pain. Still, he did slip small pieces of bread into his mouth and needed water to soften it down enough that he could chew wouldn't feeling like his face and mouth was on fire. "I know... just everything hurts when I chew." Sometimes when he talked too. "Need it, just... feel sick."

Because look at what they had managed to survive. It was a miracle. Even as a bonded pair, both of them had been caught in it. If one of them had 'died', the other might have given up or been unable to survive the escape, which would have ended them both. He slipped an arm around Gabe's waist to hug the older man carefully, needing that contact.

Angela, bless her, was no-nonsense, saying she had work to do and that if Strike Commander was in the rubble, she needed to get back to work to find him. She had no other confirmation to him or any of the other members of high command but that every life was important. Then the reporter asked that damning question: could Reyes be involved in any of this?

[gr1m]

"I'd say let me kiss it and make it feel better but I'm worried you'll puke on me." It was as light and teasing as he could make it, but he couldn't help it. There would always be that little need to try and help lighten Jack's mood no matter the situation. Both of them needed something at the moment and just... this was all they had. They could work with it at least.

Likely had been close to one of them 'dying' with how some of the rebar had impaled, along with just those concrete slabs, the concussive force of the blast- there was so, so much that could have done it. They had been very fortunate that they'd had each other to help push forwards. That need to get the other out safely to keep going and everything. The continued contact beneficial to them both even now.

His eyes narrowed a bit at the question, could see the way Angela's mouth pressed in to a line and focused at something beyond the camera. She wouldn't say, but mentioned that it appeared the two of them had been arguing more often. Could barely get along. From an outsider's view sure but- "... they're playing at something." He could feel it.

[dadication]

"I would be certain to puke right in your face," he replied dryly, shaking his head because really Gabe? He appreciated the attempt to keep the mood light, better than he would doing. Normally he was the optimistic one, pushing the good moods and pep talks, but right now? He felt so worn down from his old position, of the devastation that he couldn't muster. He was burnt out.

He knew that it was a miracle they survived and probably only did because they were close together. The sheer number of wounds that they walked away with was indication enough of their hard time, but it seemed that they would heal. It would take time, rest and calories, but they could do it. Maybe they hadn't been through worse yet, but they hadn't died yet.

He stopped chewing the bite in his mouth and stared at the screen, feeling his stomach flip flop. He knew that kind of questioning well. His arm tightened around Gabe's waist protectively. Angela couldn't entirely deny the tension but made it clear they were under a lot of pressure. She pointedly did not mention Ana's passing. "There's no way they can blame you. We've been investigating Talon for years...."