[For all the yelling about orders or lack thereof, they all tend to do whatever they like regardless. Perhaps it's not 76's place to intervene, but he can see this coming to a head sooner rather than later. The most he can do is adhere to their objective as it's given.
He seems to consider this for a moment, as if he has something better to do, then nods.]
[ The opportunity to have any sort of one-on-one time with his former commander is still a strange one. Until now it's been all business. During Gallipoli Jack had been getting Genji up to speed, then back at BASE they'd met as a group with Lena and Angela, and then trained for the upcoming mission.
This is also work, in that they'll be preparing themselves for hopping into the ring themselves, but it also means they're going to have the chance to talk.
Once Genji finds them seats, he glances over at Jack, unsure of where to begin. He could keep it professional, but it's hard not to be curious about this enigma of a man. ]
What do you think you'll do, once our time with COST is done and we return home?
[He can sense a conversation coming on, though at least Genji is smart enough to be professional about it. Still, Jack has an idea of where this might be going, so it takes him a moment to formulate his answer.]
I’ve got unfinished business.
[That much is probably evident, given his activities back home. The larger anxiety is passing so much time here and being so changed from the moment he left that he isn’t sure how things will be when he finally returns.
[ There is something to be said for how their experience at COST might affect their lives once all is said and done and they're sent back to their rightful place in time. Their world would have paused, while they will have gone through so much.
Maybe Jack will decide to reach out to him and Lena and Angela, after spending time with them here. Genji suspects that if he doesn't, they'll end up tracking him down anyway. Assuming that's how any of it works. ]
Having to do with what happened in Zurich?
[ They'd touched on it when Genji first arrived, but not a word had been said since then. There's never going to be a good time to talk about it, which means they'll just have to do it now. Assuming Genji can get anything out of Jack when it comes to his mission back home. ]
[But of course that had been an easy story for the media to tell—and it certainly doesn’t help that Gabriel immediately started running with the other team. All that aside, however, Jack is certain of both Talon and UN involvement, and he isn’t going to rest until he gets to the truth of what really occurred.
He hasn’t exactly spoken openly about it with Genji, but he’s not going to be able to avoid it forever, and now seems like a good enough time to get it over with.]
[ Jack has alluded to this before, that there's a larger conspiracy behind what happened to Overwatch. With the sorts of secrets that had been kept even when the organization had been at its height, Genji can't say that he's surprised to hear that.
Ultimately, though, it's Gabriel who Genji spent more time with, out of the two commanders, and he can't help but want to know what really happened to him. There had been tension between Gabriel and Jack by the time that Genji left, but he still never would have expected it to boil over in the way that it did.
While he's supposed to be paying attention to the fight below, that had really only been an excuse as a way to pick Jack's brain for a while. Genji glances over at him, letting out a low sigh. ]
You know him better than anyone. What happened to him?
[Jack’s shoulders sag, the words accompanied by an exhausted sigh. He’s been over it in his head again and again—it’s all he thinks about, and it’s the most he’s said about Reaper since arriving here. He’s not even sure if Genji has made the connection, but he supposes he’s about to cross that bridge.
Genji says that Jack knew Gabriel better than anyone, which is true, but Jack knows that in those final years of Overwatch, even he didn’t know the full extent of Gabriel’s activities. The thought that Gabriel felt he couldn’t trust Jack with any of it still stings, perhaps worse than the final betrayal.
He’s reminded, now, of the Blackwatch intelligence Genji may have been privy to. Jack wants to know how deep it went.]
You ever know anything about what he and O’Deorain were up to?
[ Not human. Genji frowns to himself at that designation, as he'd spent years wondering at how human he was, after all of the enhancements he'd gone through. So much of his original body had been replaced -- at what point did you stop being the same person? Those are the sorts of questions that had plagued him, until Zenyatta had made him understand that one's physical form had very little to do with their identity.
This is a conversation that's long overdue, no doubt, and Genji doesn't mind answering any questions that Jack has, so long as he's given the same treatment in turn. ]
Only bits and pieces of conversation between them that I heard, here and there. [ He leans forward and balances his chin on his fist, his elbow propped on his thigh. ] Neither of them liked to share what they were doing behind closed doors, but... she seemed to be treating him for something.
[ She'd asked about side effects, at least a few times that Genji had heard. Commander Reyes had always given vague replies, well aware of who was in earshot. No doubt McCree had known more, but at that point Genji hadn't cared enough to dig deeper, too caught up in his own problems. ]
[There's no real way to be sure of what, exactly, happened to Gabriel, and that's more frustrating than anything else--the knowledge that it might have all be just under the surface and he never knew. How long was Gabriel planning to turn on him? Did it happen gradually, or all at once? The fact that Reyes' own agents had no idea what was coming speaks for itself.
He shakes his head.]
Guess I'm just not sure when it got away from me.
[Did he just miss all the warning signs? Was there anything to miss? ]
[ There's something undeniably sad about Jack's words. Reyes had been his best friend, so to have reached a point where he can't even be sure of that can't be an easy thing to carry. Genji frowns, wanting to reach out and grab for Jack's shoulder to offer that small amount of support, but he doubts it would be welcomed. ]
When we were dispatched to deal with Talon, he was angry. He wanted revenge for what they did to our people. It's hard to imagine him deciding that you were the enemy, after that.
[ Genji sighs and closes his eyes for a moment, shaking his head to himself. He truly wishes that he had some answers for Jack, that he could give him some peace of mind, but he's just as confused by it. ]
Have you had any direct interaction with him since the explosion?
[It had all fallen apart so fast that Jack was left reeling, unable to really process what was happening until it was too late. Gabriel had ostensibly gone after Antonio out of revenge for what happened to Gérard. Defecting to Talon in the aftermath of Overwatch's destruction had completely blindsided him. He still can't make sense of it.
Jack frowns, his mind clearly on his last encounter with Reyes.]
Yeah, in Egypt, not long before I ended up here. First time since the attack on HQ.
[ They seem to be on the same page when it comes to not following what Gabriel's methods or motives might be. Genji can't help but assume that there's something else going on. Reyes had always been good at hiding his true intentions; he'd been made head of Blackwatch for a reason. ]
And what happened then?
[ Clearly 76 had survived the ordeal, and again Genji has to wonder if there's more to what Reyes is doing than meets the eye. Surely Jack has had the same thoughts.
It might be naïve of him to believe such a thing, especially given that he'd suffered his own betrayal at the hands of his own brother. And yet, he still wants to assume there's some deeper plot at play here. ]
[Jack says that with a hollow laugh that trails off into a sigh. If he wants to be really fair, he'd sprung into action as well. Who knows what might have happened if Ana didn't intervene?]
[ Maybe there's a reason for that, but Genji wants to believe it's because Reyes isn't completely beyond saving. There must be something more to this, or at least, that's what he's going to tell himself until he's proved otherwise.
[Really, that's the only reason why Jack didn't come out of that scuffle worse off. He's not sure what would've happened if he and Gabriel had been allowed to duke it out uninterrupted. Ana's healing darts had been what kept him going--he isn't certain he would've gotten back up after that first shot, if she hadn't been there.]
As soon as he realized it was two-on-one, he ran. Not sure he would've done that otherwise.
[ It is chilling to consider how things might have turned out had Ana not shown up at the right moment, but that in itself could be a sign. Genji takes a moment to let it sink in, yet again, that Ana is still around, even if she's not here with them.
Eventually he speaks up again. ] Maybe you won't think much of this, but it seems a strange coincidence that Ana happened to arrive at the right moment to break up your fight. As if the universe intended it.
[ It will probably sound like metaphysical mumbo-jumbo to Jack, but Genji finds it important to say all the same. He searches out Jack's eyes, even if his own are covered up by his face plate. ]
Don't give up on him until you have no other option.
[ Genji's brother had just about murdered him, and even then, Genji has made it to a place where he's ready to forgive him. Certain bonds are impossible to break. ]
[Jack is quiet for a long moment. He's not necessarily a believer in destiny or fate--most of that got beaten out of him during the Crisis, but he does realize that this is Genji showing how the Shambali rubbed off on him. If their teachings gave him comfort, then he can't really fault the platitude, even if he's not sure it's applicable to his situation.]
Maybe.
[He sounds halfhearted, and Genji can probably tell he's not quite buying it. Still, he and Ana were actively pursuing Gabriel before all of this happened, so doesn't that count for something? Doesn't that betray their belief that some part of them thinks Gabe is still in there?
Jack tries to shake it off.]
I think he's gone to a place you don't get pulled back from.
[ It's not difficult to hear in Jack's tone alone that he doesn't believe what Genji is telling him, and that he doesn't want to let himself think that there might still be some of Gabriel left in that creature called 'Reaper.'
Genji would never claim that this is anything other than extremely difficult and personal for Jack, but that alone is why he cannot let go.
He's quiet for a few seconds, the fight going on below all but forgotten. ]
Maybe you're right. Maybe you're wrong. But if you decide to give up on him, then he truly will be lost to us.
[ It's that blind faith that Gabriel can still be saved that might bring him back from the brink. Jack and Ana need to be strong enough to maintain that faith, against all odds. ]
[That makes Jack a little angry, like losing Gabriel for good is somehow going to be his fault if he gives up or otherwise decides it's not worth the risk. He wishes all of this was that simple, and what comes out of his mouth next is perhaps a little overly-bitter.]
You gotta wonder at what point he deserves to be given up on.
[Considering all of the things he's done and continues to do, the logical response would be for Jack to put him down. Maybe he still will--their meetings are few and far between enough that it might be some time before they confront each other again.]
[ It's a good question that Jack poses, and one that Genji doesn't have the answer to. Surely there is a point where someone is beyond saving, where they've done so many terrible things with so little remorse that there is nothing redeemable left. But Genji had done terrible things, and Zenyatta had still treated him with kindness. He'd saved him, and Genji wants to believe that Jack can save Gabriel as well. ]
I think, ultimately, that is something you will have to decide.
[ Genji watches as the violence continues to unfold below them, people spilling each other's blood for the sport of it, and he lets out a long sigh.
He doesn't think Jack has completely given up on Reyes, not with how he speaks about him, but he isn't going to put words in his mouth either. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[For all the yelling about orders or lack thereof, they all tend to do whatever they like regardless. Perhaps it's not 76's place to intervene, but he can see this coming to a head sooner rather than later. The most he can do is adhere to their objective as it's given.
He seems to consider this for a moment, as if he has something better to do, then nods.]
Might as well.
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This is also work, in that they'll be preparing themselves for hopping into the ring themselves, but it also means they're going to have the chance to talk.
Once Genji finds them seats, he glances over at Jack, unsure of where to begin. He could keep it professional, but it's hard not to be curious about this enigma of a man. ]
What do you think you'll do, once our time with COST is done and we return home?
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I’ve got unfinished business.
[That much is probably evident, given his activities back home. The larger anxiety is passing so much time here and being so changed from the moment he left that he isn’t sure how things will be when he finally returns.
If he finally returns, of course.]
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Maybe Jack will decide to reach out to him and Lena and Angela, after spending time with them here. Genji suspects that if he doesn't, they'll end up tracking him down anyway. Assuming that's how any of it works. ]
Having to do with what happened in Zurich?
[ They'd touched on it when Genji first arrived, but not a word had been said since then. There's never going to be a good time to talk about it, which means they'll just have to do it now. Assuming Genji can get anything out of Jack when it comes to his mission back home. ]
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[But of course that had been an easy story for the media to tell—and it certainly doesn’t help that Gabriel immediately started running with the other team. All that aside, however, Jack is certain of both Talon and UN involvement, and he isn’t going to rest until he gets to the truth of what really occurred.
He hasn’t exactly spoken openly about it with Genji, but he’s not going to be able to avoid it forever, and now seems like a good enough time to get it over with.]
I owe it to the rest of you to find out.
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Ultimately, though, it's Gabriel who Genji spent more time with, out of the two commanders, and he can't help but want to know what really happened to him. There had been tension between Gabriel and Jack by the time that Genji left, but he still never would have expected it to boil over in the way that it did.
While he's supposed to be paying attention to the fight below, that had really only been an excuse as a way to pick Jack's brain for a while. Genji glances over at him, letting out a low sigh. ]
You know him better than anyone. What happened to him?
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[Jack’s shoulders sag, the words accompanied by an exhausted sigh. He’s been over it in his head again and again—it’s all he thinks about, and it’s the most he’s said about Reaper since arriving here. He’s not even sure if Genji has made the connection, but he supposes he’s about to cross that bridge.
Genji says that Jack knew Gabriel better than anyone, which is true, but Jack knows that in those final years of Overwatch, even he didn’t know the full extent of Gabriel’s activities. The thought that Gabriel felt he couldn’t trust Jack with any of it still stings, perhaps worse than the final betrayal.
He’s reminded, now, of the Blackwatch intelligence Genji may have been privy to. Jack wants to know how deep it went.]
You ever know anything about what he and O’Deorain were up to?
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This is a conversation that's long overdue, no doubt, and Genji doesn't mind answering any questions that Jack has, so long as he's given the same treatment in turn. ]
Only bits and pieces of conversation between them that I heard, here and there. [ He leans forward and balances his chin on his fist, his elbow propped on his thigh. ] Neither of them liked to share what they were doing behind closed doors, but... she seemed to be treating him for something.
[ She'd asked about side effects, at least a few times that Genji had heard. Commander Reyes had always given vague replies, well aware of who was in earshot. No doubt McCree had known more, but at that point Genji hadn't cared enough to dig deeper, too caught up in his own problems. ]
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He shakes his head.]
Guess I'm just not sure when it got away from me.
[Did he just miss all the warning signs? Was there anything to miss? ]
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When we were dispatched to deal with Talon, he was angry. He wanted revenge for what they did to our people. It's hard to imagine him deciding that you were the enemy, after that.
[ Genji sighs and closes his eyes for a moment, shaking his head to himself. He truly wishes that he had some answers for Jack, that he could give him some peace of mind, but he's just as confused by it. ]
Have you had any direct interaction with him since the explosion?
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[It had all fallen apart so fast that Jack was left reeling, unable to really process what was happening until it was too late. Gabriel had ostensibly gone after Antonio out of revenge for what happened to Gérard. Defecting to Talon in the aftermath of Overwatch's destruction had completely blindsided him. He still can't make sense of it.
Jack frowns, his mind clearly on his last encounter with Reyes.]
Yeah, in Egypt, not long before I ended up here. First time since the attack on HQ.
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And what happened then?
[ Clearly 76 had survived the ordeal, and again Genji has to wonder if there's more to what Reyes is doing than meets the eye. Surely Jack has had the same thoughts.
It might be naïve of him to believe such a thing, especially given that he'd suffered his own betrayal at the hands of his own brother. And yet, he still wants to assume there's some deeper plot at play here. ]
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[Jack says that with a hollow laugh that trails off into a sigh. If he wants to be really fair, he'd sprung into action as well. Who knows what might have happened if Ana didn't intervene?]
Didn't even hesitate.
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[ Maybe there's a reason for that, but Genji wants to believe it's because Reyes isn't completely beyond saving. There must be something more to this, or at least, that's what he's going to tell himself until he's proved otherwise.
He doesn't want Jack to lose hope just yet. ]
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[Really, that's the only reason why Jack didn't come out of that scuffle worse off. He's not sure what would've happened if he and Gabriel had been allowed to duke it out uninterrupted. Ana's healing darts had been what kept him going--he isn't certain he would've gotten back up after that first shot, if she hadn't been there.]
As soon as he realized it was two-on-one, he ran. Not sure he would've done that otherwise.
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Eventually he speaks up again. ] Maybe you won't think much of this, but it seems a strange coincidence that Ana happened to arrive at the right moment to break up your fight. As if the universe intended it.
[ It will probably sound like metaphysical mumbo-jumbo to Jack, but Genji finds it important to say all the same. He searches out Jack's eyes, even if his own are covered up by his face plate. ]
Don't give up on him until you have no other option.
[ Genji's brother had just about murdered him, and even then, Genji has made it to a place where he's ready to forgive him. Certain bonds are impossible to break. ]
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Maybe.
[He sounds halfhearted, and Genji can probably tell he's not quite buying it. Still, he and Ana were actively pursuing Gabriel before all of this happened, so doesn't that count for something? Doesn't that betray their belief that some part of them thinks Gabe is still in there?
Jack tries to shake it off.]
I think he's gone to a place you don't get pulled back from.
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Genji would never claim that this is anything other than extremely difficult and personal for Jack, but that alone is why he cannot let go.
He's quiet for a few seconds, the fight going on below all but forgotten. ]
Maybe you're right. Maybe you're wrong. But if you decide to give up on him, then he truly will be lost to us.
[ It's that blind faith that Gabriel can still be saved that might bring him back from the brink. Jack and Ana need to be strong enough to maintain that faith, against all odds. ]
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You gotta wonder at what point he deserves to be given up on.
[Considering all of the things he's done and continues to do, the logical response would be for Jack to put him down. Maybe he still will--their meetings are few and far between enough that it might be some time before they confront each other again.]
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I think, ultimately, that is something you will have to decide.
[ Genji watches as the violence continues to unfold below them, people spilling each other's blood for the sport of it, and he lets out a long sigh.
He doesn't think Jack has completely given up on Reyes, not with how he speaks about him, but he isn't going to put words in his mouth either. ]