The storm had become calm. The sun began breaking through the eerie storm clouds as the rain dispersed. The city of Zurich was finally at rest.
The news billboard in the city center flickered to life. A new article now appeared on the screen. In bold letters, it showed, “ZURICH DECLARED SAFE: Refugees from Geneva Returning Home.”
Angela had a triage of chores to accomplish ever since her fight with Marcion finished. Her tasks involved mopping up the remaining Omnics throughout the city and contacting the Swiss Government that Zurich was safe again. She currently had set up a small hospital tent in the center courtyard. The actual hospital was too far away. She didn’t want to miss welcoming people back.
As she waited, she performed surgery on Trey. She had found the Crusader in the proximity of where she left him. Without orders from Marcion, his mind was stable. But she refused to take a chance, in case someone other than Marcion had the ability to access these computer chips inside people.
With much less interruptions this time around, she was able to quickly and efficiently perform her craniotomy in record time. She manually sewed him back up and tossed the chip on the table beside her. Once her duties to Trey were complete, she took her pistol and blasted the chip into oblivion.
It was finished.
As she was cleaning her hands with a towel, her periphery caught some movement, causing her to look up curiously. Joy, the young girl from earlier and Faith, the mother, slowly approached her, still fairly far away.
Angela beamed a large smile, mainly at the young girl and went over to some supplies in her tent. She then held up the letter that she had found at the University, with the picture drawn of her in the skies.
Joy’s eyes and mouth opened as wide as they could. Angela could feel the elation coming from the child as one of her heroes recognized her work. She tried to run up to her guardian angel, but a cold hand snatched the girl’s arm and brought her close, rather defensively.
Faith gave a hard, weary look to Angela. A look of contempt, anger, confusion.
A look of fear.
Angela’s smile faded. Her failures whispered once again in her ear. Her eyes diverted to the cobblestones below her as she set the letter back down with her things.
Wanting to be anywhere else but here, she left everything she had at the tent and walked briskly away from the family and the resting Trey Sceva. She no longer wanted to welcome those home to Zurich. After all, she felt partly responsible for this in the first place. And this was a stain she didn't feel like she could erase.
Angela crumpled in her hiding place and stared aimlessly in front of her. Before her were her parents’ graves. How she missed them now! How desperately she wanted to feel the affection of their love. Nothing else mattered! She would trade all of her accomplishments, stories, and fame to see them again—in a heartbeat.
A squeaky sound got louder and louder toward Angela. Confused, Angela turned and saw Junior approaching via an old, manual wheelchair.
“Greetings, O favored one, Heaven is with you!” Junior spoke. His movements and voice were still stiff.
Angela rolled her eyes and ignored the saying. “How are your legs? I can scrounge around for some more supplies to speed up the healing process a bit more.”
“I am fine. A little patience never hurt anyone. That staff of yours seems to have spoiled you a bit, eh?” His jovial attitude, though not un-welcome, was in such contrast to her current mood that it was somewhat of a nuisance.
After not receiving a response, Junior glanced at her parents’ graves. “What is it, Mercy?”
“My name is Angela,” scoffed Angela. “My days of flying around a battlefield are over. I’m just a Doctor. Nothing more.”
Junior bit his lip, but said nothing, so Angela continued. “It was a lie, Junior—a lie I started so I could fit the grandiose of Overwatch. But I can’t be more than I am: a human. Nothing more. If I am to stay here in Zurich, then I need to--”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t stay in Zurich...” Junior nervously interrupted. He squinted his eyes closed, as if he was expecting some kind of counterattack from his beloved sister.
Angela did not attack, but she did make a face of disgust. “You want me to leave Zurich in this mess? And I suppose I just abandon you yet again as you pick up the pieces here? I go gallivanting around, abandoning those under my care—like Trey?! And when Zurich needs me again, I guess I’ll...forget. Or worse...ignore...”
Angela plopped her face into her hands. Junior calmly nodded as he waited patiently for her to finish.
“The world doesn't need me,” she concluded.
“Actually,” countered Junior. “’Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’ No one is sick here, Mercy—not anymore!”
Angela shook her head repeatedly. “I’d be stretched thin. I’d let people down. I’d fail!”
“Yes, you will.” Junior nodded expectantly. “But when that happens, simply remember your name.”
Junior reached behind his wheelchair and produced the halo circlet Angela left in the church. He held it in front of her, gently smiling.
Angela stared at the circlet helplessly. “I...I’m not what people want me to be. I’m only human.”
“In my experience, that is exactly what people need,” replied Junior. “Someone--fully human—who understands what it is like to feel despair and intercedes on their behalf. Someone who provides mercy in times when such an act feels impossible. Someone who brings heaven to them when it is simply out of reach.”
Angela reached out and hesitantly grabbed the circlet. “But...”
“Who ever said we humans can’t bear the image of Heaven? After all,” Junior leaned in close. “Are we not destined to live there someday?”
Angela remained speechless for a moment, before slowly putting the halo back on her head. The halo caught a glint of some of the god rays piercing the clouded skies. It shone in pure radiance.
Mercy stood up from the ground and looked at her brother. “I go with your blessing?”
Junior smiled. “Always, sis.”
Mercy gave him a large hug and began walking away. She then stopped and then turned around and gave a smirk. “Let’s be sure to write to each other this time.”
Junior gave a sharp laugh that turned into a cough. “Yes, of course! I promise.”
Mercy moseyed to the outskirts of the church. She had some items there that needed fixing...
The news billboard in the city center flickered to life. A new article now appeared on the screen. In bold letters, it showed, “ZURICH DECLARED SAFE: Refugees from Geneva Returning Home.”
Angela had a triage of chores to accomplish ever since her fight with Marcion finished. Her tasks involved mopping up the remaining Omnics throughout the city and contacting the Swiss Government that Zurich was safe again. She currently had set up a small hospital tent in the center courtyard. The actual hospital was too far away. She didn’t want to miss welcoming people back.
As she waited, she performed surgery on Trey. She had found the Crusader in the proximity of where she left him. Without orders from Marcion, his mind was stable. But she refused to take a chance, in case someone other than Marcion had the ability to access these computer chips inside people.
With much less interruptions this time around, she was able to quickly and efficiently perform her craniotomy in record time. She manually sewed him back up and tossed the chip on the table beside her. Once her duties to Trey were complete, she took her pistol and blasted the chip into oblivion.
It was finished.
As she was cleaning her hands with a towel, her periphery caught some movement, causing her to look up curiously. Joy, the young girl from earlier and Faith, the mother, slowly approached her, still fairly far away.
Angela beamed a large smile, mainly at the young girl and went over to some supplies in her tent. She then held up the letter that she had found at the University, with the picture drawn of her in the skies.
Joy’s eyes and mouth opened as wide as they could. Angela could feel the elation coming from the child as one of her heroes recognized her work. She tried to run up to her guardian angel, but a cold hand snatched the girl’s arm and brought her close, rather defensively.
Faith gave a hard, weary look to Angela. A look of contempt, anger, confusion.
A look of fear.
Angela’s smile faded. Her failures whispered once again in her ear. Her eyes diverted to the cobblestones below her as she set the letter back down with her things.
Wanting to be anywhere else but here, she left everything she had at the tent and walked briskly away from the family and the resting Trey Sceva. She no longer wanted to welcome those home to Zurich. After all, she felt partly responsible for this in the first place. And this was a stain she didn't feel like she could erase.
Angela crumpled in her hiding place and stared aimlessly in front of her. Before her were her parents’ graves. How she missed them now! How desperately she wanted to feel the affection of their love. Nothing else mattered! She would trade all of her accomplishments, stories, and fame to see them again—in a heartbeat.
A squeaky sound got louder and louder toward Angela. Confused, Angela turned and saw Junior approaching via an old, manual wheelchair.
“Greetings, O favored one, Heaven is with you!” Junior spoke. His movements and voice were still stiff.
Angela rolled her eyes and ignored the saying. “How are your legs? I can scrounge around for some more supplies to speed up the healing process a bit more.”
“I am fine. A little patience never hurt anyone. That staff of yours seems to have spoiled you a bit, eh?” His jovial attitude, though not un-welcome, was in such contrast to her current mood that it was somewhat of a nuisance.
After not receiving a response, Junior glanced at her parents’ graves. “What is it, Mercy?”
“My name is Angela,” scoffed Angela. “My days of flying around a battlefield are over. I’m just a Doctor. Nothing more.”
Junior bit his lip, but said nothing, so Angela continued. “It was a lie, Junior—a lie I started so I could fit the grandiose of Overwatch. But I can’t be more than I am: a human. Nothing more. If I am to stay here in Zurich, then I need to--”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t stay in Zurich...” Junior nervously interrupted. He squinted his eyes closed, as if he was expecting some kind of counterattack from his beloved sister.
Angela did not attack, but she did make a face of disgust. “You want me to leave Zurich in this mess? And I suppose I just abandon you yet again as you pick up the pieces here? I go gallivanting around, abandoning those under my care—like Trey?! And when Zurich needs me again, I guess I’ll...forget. Or worse...ignore...”
Angela plopped her face into her hands. Junior calmly nodded as he waited patiently for her to finish.
“The world doesn't need me,” she concluded.
“Actually,” countered Junior. “’Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’ No one is sick here, Mercy—not anymore!”
Angela shook her head repeatedly. “I’d be stretched thin. I’d let people down. I’d fail!”
“Yes, you will.” Junior nodded expectantly. “But when that happens, simply remember your name.”
Junior reached behind his wheelchair and produced the halo circlet Angela left in the church. He held it in front of her, gently smiling.
Angela stared at the circlet helplessly. “I...I’m not what people want me to be. I’m only human.”
“In my experience, that is exactly what people need,” replied Junior. “Someone--fully human—who understands what it is like to feel despair and intercedes on their behalf. Someone who provides mercy in times when such an act feels impossible. Someone who brings heaven to them when it is simply out of reach.”
Angela reached out and hesitantly grabbed the circlet. “But...”
“Who ever said we humans can’t bear the image of Heaven? After all,” Junior leaned in close. “Are we not destined to live there someday?”
Angela remained speechless for a moment, before slowly putting the halo back on her head. The halo caught a glint of some of the god rays piercing the clouded skies. It shone in pure radiance.
Mercy stood up from the ground and looked at her brother. “I go with your blessing?”
Junior smiled. “Always, sis.”
Mercy gave him a large hug and began walking away. She then stopped and then turned around and gave a smirk. “Let’s be sure to write to each other this time.”
Junior gave a sharp laugh that turned into a cough. “Yes, of course! I promise.”
Mercy moseyed to the outskirts of the church. She had some items there that needed fixing...