Seunghun flinched as what sounded like a pebble skidded across his helmet. With a growl he shoved up the tactical visor and turned to glare at Seungri, for all the good it did in the half-dark alley of the industrial park. "Cut it out," Seunghyun snapped.

"Whatever," Seungri scoffed.

"What do you want?" Seunghyun tried to be stern but he could see Seungri's impish grin as he shifted into the the soft glow of the building emergency light. Seunghyun found his anger evaporating.

"So you think if I ask, D.Va will sign my copy of Starcraft?"

Seunghyun huffed. "I doubt it."

"Damn. But maybe-"

"She's not gonna date you, Ri. I'd give it up if I were you."

"Yeah hows that workin' with Daesung?"

Seunghyun kicked at Seungri and connected with his shin.

"Ow, ." The light reflected off Seungri's white hair as he removed his helmet so he could get a look at his leg. "How am I going to fight if you go breaking my legs?"

"You'll deal," Seunghyun reassured. Unbidden, one of his gloved hands came up to ruffle Seungri's hair.

"Hyung!" Seungri's voice was scandalized as he flinched away and Seunghyun chuckled. He couldn't help the affectionate surge he had for the kid. Finding him in the rubble of a old apartment block on the wrong side of the Han River had been a shock, taking him under his wing an act of loneliness and all the pity his ten year old self could muster. Technically the world was at peace, all the holovids said so, but peace was a relative term and rogue Omnic attacks were always a concern.

Seungri sighed and Seunghyun gave him an even stare. Seungri blinked. "You can't tell me this isn't boring, hyung." Seungri jumped up to perch precariously on the ledge of a high window.

"It's our job, kid," Seunghyun said.

" Kid ," Seungri said, "as if a few years makes you that much older, old man." Seunghyun smiled but caught Seungri's turn of phrase. They didn't know exactly how much how older Seunghyun was, just that he was.

"It's boring." Seungri slumped against the dirty window behind him, lifting his legs so his balance and the size of his posterior were the only thing keeping him from toppling to the wet cobblestone.” Join Overwatch , you said. It'll be exciting, you said. We'll be heroes."

" You're going to fall on your and I'm going to laugh at you," Seunghyun foretold.

"Good!" Seungri said, "Then at least we'll have some excitement around here." He sighed again and dropped his feet to dangle against the wall, his boots hitting the brick with a heavy thud. He slumped and pouted. "Three nights in a row of this. What the hell are we doing here?"

"We're guarding the goods."

"But nothing has happened to the goods," Seungri scoffed and lifted his feet again to balance on the ledge. "I think we're getting the run around."

"The intel was good," a rough voice came down from the shadows above and the pair looked up to the balcony across from them. Youngbae cleared his throat and continued. "Talon is going to be making their move and it's going to be this week."

"A whole week!" Seungri screeched and Seunghyun swatted at him with an arm at him. Seungri flinched, lost his balance and toppled to the ground, hard. "Don't laugh guys!" Seungri whined but it was useless as Seunghyun's deep laugh reverberated off the walls of the alley, echoed by Youngbae's short huffs. "I hate you both," Seungri said as he stood and they laughed harder.

The door to the warehouse banged open and Seunghyun straightened, instantly alert, hands gripping the pistols he kept strapped to each thigh.

"Heads up, gentlemen," a woman's voice said.  Seunghyun's night-eyes blurred and adjusted to the white flourescent glow spilling out from the Overwatch facility. Dr. Angela Ziegler stood in the doorway, clipboard in hand. "We're pushing the shipment out early. We need to load up the truck and get this out of here ASAP."

There was a soft thunk behind Seunghyun. He turned to see Youngbae rolling up from a crouch and sling his rifle over his shoulder to lay across his back. Youngbae moved towards Dr. Ziegler, an arm stretching out to grab Seungri and drag him along.

"Come on, brat," Youngbae said, "I've got some excitement for -" Youngbae's body went rigid and he looked up.

It never ceased to amaze Seunghyun how attuned Youngbae was to his best friend. He and Seungri had spent almost their whole lives together and still they weren’t as aware of one another as the other pair on their team. Sure enough, looking up, he caught the barest shift in the shadows behind a parapet before a thud announced their scout. Emerging from the darkness, Jiyong upended the scarf that shrouded half his face and shared a look with Youngbae. A lifetime of closeness let volumes fill the glance. Youngbae gave a jerking nod and tightened his arm on Seungri. "Time to go," he growled.

"Report," Seunghyun said and Jiyong turned to him.

"Moving shadows," Jiyong provided and Seunghyun's gut clenched. Reaper . He'd run into the disturbing mercenary once before and barely escaped.

"Take watch," Seunghyun commanded and he stayed long enough to watch Jiyong begin scaling the side of the building at the far end of the alley. Rushing, he joined Youngbae and Seungri in the lab.

"Over here!" Dr. Zeigler called him and he jogged to the large pallet where the rest of his team was loading medical supplies.

"Move fast," he said and, grabbing a pile of boxes, he worked until the pallet was full.

"Dibs on wheels!" Seungri shouted and cut Youngbae off on his way to the driver's seat of the lift. Youngbae compressed his lips but let it slide and jogged a bit ahead of the lift towards the dock.

"Here." A hand reached and gripped his arm, burning him through his jacket but that was only in his head. He looked to Daesung and his heart gave a hard thud. He blinked and Daesung smiled. Seunghyun had to clench a fist, to keep his focus. Daesung plucked at his wrist and Seunghyun opened his fist. A little metal disk landed in his palm and he looked a question at Daesung. “Prototype,” he explained.

Seunghyun’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize you were so close.”

“Well, we’ll see won’t we?”

“Where does it go?”

“The nape of your neck should do it.”

Seunghyun closed his visor and removed his helmet, blue hair falling into his face. “Could you?” He could almost hear Seungri’s voice in the back of his mind laughing at him. He pulled the shaggy ends of his hair away from his neck and turned, biting at his lip to keep his heart from escaping.

“Oh, sure.” Daesung stepped behind him and soft fingers brushed at his nape as the device was affixed to his skin just under the collar of his jacket. There was a small beep and he felt a skitter of static race over him but under his clothes. He gasped. “Yeah, sorry about that.”

Daesung walked around to look at him. “It’s a good thing you’re in all that black,” he waved, “you glow.”

“Glow?” Seunghyun lifted an arm and pulled back on his sleeve. His skin shimmered an opalescent gold, just barely translucent. He smiled then straightened his jacket and looked at Daesung. His healer’s answering smile was radiant and they shared a long moment.

A crackle of static echoed up from Seunghyun’s empty helmet. It sounded like Seungri.

“Oh, man,” Daesung said, “I gotta get my wings.” He disappeared to the back of the facility to suit up as Seunghyun adjusted his helmet. Running at full speed, he activated his com.

“TOP checking in,” he said to his team. “We good to go?”

“Seungri online, nearly loaded up, boss.”

Seunghyun joined Seungri at the loading dock just as he was loading the last of the supplies on the transport truck.

“Taeyang in position.” Youngbae buzzed in and Seunghyun imagined he was settling in to an advantageous perch along their route to the docks.

“Took you long enough. Gdragon here.” There was a rustle on the other end of Jiyong’s com and their assassin sounded tight of breath. “Tracking unfriendlies. They don’t see me yet but they’re coming to us.”

“Let me know when they’re close. Seungri and I are on the transport.” He flicked his helmet display to night-vision and loosened his guns in their holsters. He waited and watched Seungri do the same.

The transport wouldn’t move very fast so the two of them settled into a trot, Seunghyun taking point and Seungri bringing up the rear. It wouldn’t be a long trip but it would be slow. They trotted on, alert.

“Moving position,” Youngbae said after a while. There was a blip as Seunghyun's visor picked up the sniper’s movement along the roofline of the low buildings to the right of the transport.

“I’m here guys, sorry.” Daesung’s voice came through the coms line. “Wings are on and I’m headed to you.”

Coming to a corner where the road turned to run by the river, Seunghyun saw a spill of construction debris littering the roadway. “Damn,” he muttered. It was high enough to block the transport. He bent to began pulling the larger pieces out of the way and blinked as a tire rolled incongruously down the road. The hairs on his neck stood up but before he could move his world exploded.

“Seunghyun!”

He blinked. There was shooting and shouting. Jiyong was cursing and apologizing for not knowing there was a second group.

“Top, please be ok.”

Seunghyun shifted. Everything ached but nothing felt wrong . He looked down. Shrapnel had sliced through chunks of his body armor. He saw the shredded remains of his shirt. His eyes took in the shifting glow of Daesung’s shield, still intact over his skin and rippling with his every move. “I’m ok,” he managed.

Wings obscured his vision as Daesung landed next to him. A warm healing glow reached out from Daesung’s staff and enveloped him but there was nothing to heal. “I’m ok, Dae.” The relief on Daesung’s face was palpable. He reached to help Seunghyun up.

“Report,” Seunghyun barked into the coms.

“There was a second group,” Seungri said from his forward position. “I’m laying down fire but it’s just keeping them at bay. I read 3 hostiles.”

A deep shot cracked overhead. “Two,” Youngbae corrected. “I was moving position when the explosion happened. Here now. I spot two but can’t get a clear shot. A little, scrawny guy and a big fat one.”

“Tracking the first group but I’m almost to you,” came Jiyong.

“,” Seungri cursed.

“Language,” Daesung chided.

“We can’t let them pin us. We got to move the transport.” Seunghyun un-holstered his guns and locked them together, sliding a special bullet from one of the belts that criss crossed his chest and loading the device created by his interlocking guns. He looked at his feet, boots shredded. “The explosion knocked out the rocket boost.”

“The wings could probably carry two,” Daesung said. Nodding Seunghyun lifted his arms and allowed Daesung to grab him tight. There was a soft whine from the wings as they launched into the air that was obliterated by a barrage from Seungri, covering them.

Seunghyun only had a moment but he was good. Lifting his gun he aimed and fired. The explosion that followed brought a smirk to his lips. He shifted and Daesung let him go. Seunghyun tucked and landed with a roll, standing and separating his guns.

“That did it,” Youngbae said from his perch. “I think you blasted them into the river. I can’t see them anywhere.”

“Good, let’s move. Seungri, point!”

Seungri went ahead of the transport as it began moving again, Seunghyun following behind and aware of Daesung hovering in the air just above them.

“Incoming,” Jiyong said and sure enough, there they were: two Bastion units emerging from around the corner, one transforming, going into sentry mode.

There was a blur and a darkness attached itself to the mobile Bastion unit, silver blades flashing reflected street-light: Jiyong. That settled it. “Seungri, Taeyang, stay with the payload,” Seunghyun shouted and charged forth as the sentry-Bastion began to unload its rounds at him.

I really hope these shields hold up, Seunghyun thought. Bullets seemed to slide past, over and away from his skin, bouncing off his shield. Yellow light from above descended on Jiyong, still struggling with the mobile Bastion as Seunghyun’s own guns blasted away at the sentry.

Wordless, Seunghyun shouted as he unloaded at his Bastion, ripping metal and machinery to shreds. The hail of bullets stuttered then stopped. He looked to the other unit, also in tatters, Jiyong standing over it, still glowing from the healing stream connecting him to Daesung, overhead.

“Seungri, Taeyang,” Seunghyun said.

“Here, boss,” Seungri said. “Transport is moving.”

“They didn’t fall in the river,” Youngbae said. Another of his shots rang out, echoed by a burst from Seungri.

“I think we can hold ‘em,” Seungri said. “We got this.”

Without a word Jiyong ran up the nearest wall and disappeared over the roof, cutting off the healing light from Daesung. Seunghyun waited for Daesung and the two took off towards Seungri.

Sure enough the transport was still lurching along, Seungri running back and forth ahead of it firing into the darkness of the riverbank. Another shot rang out from above, echoed by the softer flick of a crossbow. Jiyong had joined up with Youngbae.

“Ok, just keep them at bay, only a little further,” Seunghyun said. He joined Seungri in shooting the bank.

“Can’t this heap go any faster?” Seungri griped between reloads. Seunghyun grunted and kept firing.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the transport wound its way down to the dock.

“,” Seunghyun cursed and his stomach sank at the sight of an empty dock. “Mercy said this had to go out tonight. Where’s the ship?” They were escorting a transport with no destination. He palmed his helmet, flicking com channels. “Mercy, Mercy come in.”

Static answered. He swore again as his team moved around him, guarding their charge.

“Mercy, there is no ship at the docks, please respond.”

The sound of gunfire came from behind them and Seunghyun jumped com channels. “We’ve been flanked,” Jiyong said as he flipped down from the roof and began throwing knives towards the four black-clad attackers moving towards them. Daesung’s stream enveloped Jiyong again as he unsheathed the sword on his back. Jiyong picked off and began to engage two of them, body a blur of flashing limbs and streaking steel.

“Keep firing at the river,” Seunghyun commanded and Seungri nodded. Seunghyun positioned himself behind the transport to begin shooting at the attackers, walking backwards slowly to stay with it. A large, hexagonal shield sprang up between him and the oncoming enemy, deflecting most of his shots. The enemy answering shots pierced through their own shield towards Seunghyun but glanced off. Daesung’s shield held, still protecting Seunghyun.

There was a flash from his visor indicating someone on a roof in the distance, but it was the wrong direction for Youngbae.

“Taeyang! They have a sniper!” Seunghyun’s warning was a second too late. A shot rang out from the wrong direction above and Seunghyun’s blood ran cold. He watched as Jiyong froze. It was only a second, but it was enough. One of Jiyong’s attackers landed a slice with a dagger and Jiyong flinched back without a sound. Enraged, Seunghyun rushed forward, charging past the shield keeping him from their enemies. His skin sizzled as he pushed through. “Taeyang report!”

Jiyong had recovered and was fighting but his reaction time had slowed. Seunghyun closed enough for hand to hand and, letting his guns clatter to the ground, he proceeded to vent his anxiety on flesh and bone. Fighting two at once was familiar and almost as easy as breathing for a kid who’d grown up on too-rough streets. Body flowing through its movement, he bobbed and weaved between the other two on pure instinct. They weren’t used to fighting together, that much was obvious from their first moves. Seunghyun exploited the weakness mercilessly. Fist connected with jaw and it gave a satisfying crack. For Youngbae. But it wasn’t enough.

“Taeyang,” Seunghyun snapped again into his com, willing his sniper alive. He skittered back away from his opponents, throwing them off guard.

“Here,” Youngbae’s voice came through the coms, weak but steady. “I’m here.”

“I’ve got him,” Daesung added, “bringing him down to the transport.” Relief flickered for a brief moment. He could always count on Daesung. Taking stock of Jiyong’s deft handling of the other two, he reengaged his fight.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw his teammates descend onto the transport, still moving to its destination. “He’ll be ok,” Daesung reassured but Seunghyun didn’t pull his punches, still wailing on his two opponents.

There was another shot from overhead, the enemy sniper had turned their attention to the scuffle by the river.  The shot landed and there was a faint rippling sensation over his chest but the bullet fell to the ground, harmless. He’d actually felt the bullet hit the shield, however, and he’d felt none of the others.

“Top, I think the shield has reached it’s limit. You need to fall back,” Daesung said.

Seunghyun knelt, startling his opponents, and reached for the guns he’d dropped at the beginning of the fight. Using their surprise, he shot once from each gun, dead on. Their bodies dropped and he turned to fall back. “Gdragon,” he commanded and the assassin cartwheeled to join him.

Another sniper shot came but missed Jiyong, taking down one of their enemies, instead. “Looks like they don’t care about their own,” Daesung said. Their opponents had been whittled down to one but he held back, not coming on and not returning fire in favor of ducking into the opening between two buildings.  

Seunghyun regarded his team, Daesung flitting overhead, intermittent streams from his staff arcing down to envelop Youngbae, tucked in just beside a stack of supplies. Youngbae’s eyes were dull but open, flashing in acknowledgment before wincing in pain. Jiyong ran in crouch just on the other side of the transport, keeping pace and only feet from Youngbae.

“We’re here,” Seungri announced, still unloading clip after clip at the river where the bomber and his large companion were trying to find a way up around Seungri’s onslaught. The transport glided to a halt. Seunghyun’s heart sank as his visor lit up with multiple enemies, another wave of attackers popping up just inside its range. He counted half a dozen and they were coming closer.

“Incoming.” Seunghyun spoke aloud in warning to his men. They looked at him in turn, resolute.

“Mercy, Mercy come in,” Seunghyun shouted over the main Overwatch communication channel. His team was about to die on an empty dock. Join Overwatch, we can be heroes , Seungri’s voice parroted back at him from his memory. “Mercy!” Static.

“Die, die, die.” The words emerged from the darkness of the shipping crates beside the transport.Seunghyun’s heart froze. Reaper.

He turned and shifting darkness solidified into a body with guns pointing right at them. Instinct pushed him and he moved to stand between Reaper and his team, guns up. Seungri still blasted at the water, Jiyong positioned towards the incoming attack wave daggers glittering in each hand.

Fighting Reaper was like gripping water. He was ephemeral, flitting from position to position. Seunghyun focused his fire on harassing the ghost, never letting him solidify long enough to press a real attack. It was the only strategy he had.

“Top-” Daesung’s voice came over the com, anxious.

“No keep heals on Taeyang,” Seunghyun ordered. His shield was holding together, but just barely. He kept moving, pushing but not overtaking Reaper, needing to keep him moving but never daring to leave the transport too far. His speed kept too many of Reaper’s shots from landing but each one that did thudded into his skin with increasing power.  

Seunghyun’s visor practically glowed as the oncoming wave of mercenaries finally came into view. He heard a curse from Jiyong as dagger after dagger arced through the night. One enemy stumbled, then a second but both were back up within moments. Jiyong cursed but kept throwing.

“Seungri,” Seunghyun commanded, it was all that was needed and Seungri pivoted. He alternated shooting at the river and the mercenaries but it wasn’t going to be enough. They were stretched too thin.  

A shot pierced the shield and tore into Seunghyun’s shoulder. He cried out, collapsing to roll behind the transport. Daesung’s healing stream enveloped him and he allowed it. Hissing in frustration, Seunghyun interlocked his guns. He needed to find some way to end this all.  

He took one of the special bullets from his belt, loaded and rose. It took only a moment to aim and fire at Reaper but he evaporated, falling apart into smoke and re-solidifying five paces to the right, an explosion rocking the shipping crates where the man had been. Seunghyun jerked his guns apart, pivoted and resumed shooting, arm warm where Daesung’s healing was working to repair damaged flesh.

“This is it,” Seungri said. The attackers were closing, some limping and at least one down but another shield protected the rest. The bomber and his companion had scaled the flood wall, Seungri’s diverted attention having provided an opening. They approached, the bigger one swinging what looked like a hook on a chain.

Seunghyun kept shooting, but none of his shots landed. Reaper could not be human. Maybe this is it. I’m so sorry, Ri-ya.

There was a roar and a bright dome shield shimmered into place over them.

“EAT THIS .” A high-pitched voice rang out over them and a girl in a blue jumpsuit landed neatly, beside them. What looked like a large meka unit shot past them towards the enemy and exploded. “Aw, yeah!” D.Va pumped a fist. “D.Va: 6. Bad guys: 0.”

“Wha-” Seungri gaped as a large, armor clad gorilla charged over them at Reaper.

“Sorry loves, cavalry’s here.” Another girl appeared under their dome. Tracer . “We didn’t mean to be late, but here we are. Hold up, dearies.” She wrapped her arms around a stack of supplies and  disappeared. Turning around, Seunghyun saw the large ship pulling up to the dock, storage bay door open. Tracer re-appeared on the ship, dropped her load and disappeared again only to reappear under the dome.

“Come on, noob,” D.Va chided Seungri, pulling her gun and shooting through their shield at the two remaining enemies aside from Reaper who was currently fighting with the gorilla, Winston . “Roadhog and Junkrat,” she supplied, naming the bomber and his fat friend. Coming to, Seungri joined her, trying to push them back.

Seunghyun joined them as Tracer flitted back and forth from their dome to the ship, slowly moving all of the supplies.

“He’ll be ok,” Daesung said to Jiyong, not over the com but Seunghyun was close enough, his ears tuned enough to the other man’s voice.

“Bae,” Jiyong whispered.

“Time to go,” Tracer said in a cheery voice over the coms.

Daesung scooped up Youngbae and flew him into the back of the ship. Walking backwards, the rest of the team made their way up the dock.

“Winston,” D.va shouted, “you big monkey, get back here!”

With a roar of frustration and two leaps Winston left Reaper and joined them just as the ship began pulling away from the docks.

We made it. Seunghyun pulled off his helmet, letting it fall to the floor as he looked around at his team. They had. Banged up and worse for wear, but they’d made it.

“Woah,” D.va scrambled as Seungri nearly collapsed atop her. “Gotcha!” She wrapped arms around him and began walking him into the ship. Still carrying Youngbae, Daesung followed. Winston and Tracer began shifting through the supplies, taking stock.

“Come on,” Seunghyun said to Jiyong, pushing him along as well.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not. You’re hurt. And I’m not going to take Bae’s tongue-lashing if you fall over dead right here so get your to medical.”

Jiyong snarled at him but limped along beside him.

“So, you gonna do anything about Daesung?” Jiyong said, conversationally.

“I’m going to kill Seungri,” Seunghyun snapped.

“Screw Seungri,” Jiyong replied. “Your eyes give you away.”