Chapter Text
Cole feels the building shake throwing his balance before he hears the the too familiar sound of an explosion. It sends shockwaves up through his feet and rocks the whole compound along with every single occupant within it. For a second the hallway is plunged into darkness before bright lights flash in red as the emergency protocols ring out over the compound's speaker system. The robotic and slightly monotone voice of a woman repeatedly calls out,
“Warning: Critical damage within sector five, laboratories under lockdown. Emergency systems engaging.”
Once Cole has regained his bearings he sets off in a dead sprint towards the labs. He had already been on his way before the explosion, adrenaline pumping through his veins as questions about what he’ll find form. Better yet, what exactly had caused this in the first place?
The potential of this being an attack, an ambush, isn’t lost on him. He knows from personal experience, something he isn’t always too proud of, just how Taloon fights. Here's to hoping that it was some kind of work-related accident. Not good, but still better than any other possibility. Winston and Angela were working on something with Tracer's stabilizer. while Cole didn’t really understand much about the contraption which kept the Brit from fazing in and out, well everywhere, he does know that working with it is dangerous.
Rounding a corner and closing in on the lab the sound of the fire-suppressing system is clear, yet no sounds of actual fighting can be heard. He takes that as a good sign as he isn’t really prepared for a fight. Most of them don’t keep weapons on them during downtime. While it certainly isn’t uncommon to be armed, most of them try to put down their weapons whenever possible.
A deep yet soft voice straddles Cole and he almost trips over his own feet. “You know what happened?” A look to his left and Hanzo is keeping step with him. Not entirely sure when the other man had caught up with him but ever grateful for the backup, despite the archer looking just as unarmed.
“Not sure yet, but that explosion doesn’t bode well for anything. Though I think it might just be a lab accident.” As if to prove him wrong the moment they make it to the lab doors the emergency message changes.
“Warning: Unknow personnel detected within sector five.”
His hand stops just above the door's locking panel, feeling a little more on edge. Hanzo moves to flank the other side of the door and the two exchange a silent nod. Ready if whoever is on the side might be an enemy.
It takes a moment between overwriting the emergency lock and the door slowly opening. A pillar of smoke is what greets them as a shape walks towards them. As it was, the person is a dazed and coughing Angela, who stagers towards them. Quickly putting a hand out to steady the doctor making sure she isn’t injured. She waves him off her voice not much more than a rasp.
“Get Tracer and Winston they were in the middle of it.” Hanzo helps down to the ground while Cole takes stock of the room as the smoke clears up. Red and yellow lamps are flashing on several pieces of equipment and he can see how most things have been thrown against the walls. There a scorch marks and the distinct smell of burnt plastic yet no flames, meaning the fires were already out.
Hanzo is by his side again and the two sweep the labs making their way to where Winston is carrying an injured tracer. There is quite a bit of soot covering both of them as well as blood.
“Winston you good?” He tries to keep the worry out of his voice but is sure he doesn’t manage completely.
“We’re alright, a little surprised, it’s mostly superficial injuries.” The scientist is definitely favoring one leg but for the most part, he seems alright. As for Tracer, she looks a little worse for wear but the Brit does manage to give them a cheeky smile and salute. Which really is more reassuring than Winston's words. They usher them out of the labs, and just as the two of them are alone, the monotone voice blares out once more.
“Warning: unauthorized personnel detected within sector five.” The words had something ugly churning in Cole’s stomach, whoever caused this was still in here with them. Not willing to lower his guard. even if he can hear others approach from down the hall. The two of them were unarmed and their enemies most likely weren’t.
There's a crash and a slightly high-pitched groan from further in the lab. Cassidy looks at Hanzo and the man seems to be thinking the same thing as him. This is their would-be attacker. With caution the two
His first thought is, this man looks small, then the second is ‘Well that's because he looks like a kid’. The man- boy really, is short and he looks even smaller with how he hunched in on himself clutching something to his stomach. The boy stumbles and really Cole feels a little frozen watching him.
This was their attacker?
Something almost protective curls in his stomach when the kid looks up, and for a second familiar brown eyes are staring at him half dazed. Then for a moment that haze recedes, and he sees how the boy’s shoulders slump, and relax. Watches how recognition flashes in them even if Cole is certain that he has never met the kid before
“I’m sorry-” His voice is slurred and gets cut off by a harsh cough. “-’m srry Pops…” the kid rasps out the words before staggering towards him. He only gets another two steps in before crumbling to the ground. Hanzo reacts before him, catching the boy before he can hit the ground. And it really is just a kid, 14 maybe 15 years old with long black hair, grey cargo pants not dissimilar from what he’s seen Hanzo in before, and a black tank top. One of his hands is injured and bleeding, it had been the thing the kid had cradled to his chest and not a weapon as he first thought. The boy's face, it looks like it might have taken a hit too. Soot covers him like he was in the middle of the explosion yet no burn marks are visible.
Hanzo looks just as perplexed as him, and he’s pretty sure the archer had acted more on instinct when catching the boy than anything else. For a while the two just stand there in the middle of the broken lab, both staring at the boy. Well, Cole was staring at the boy he’s pretty sure Hanzo was staring between him and the boy. Neither of them even notices when the alarms stop blaring and it's only Jack's voice that seems to break the loaded atmosphere.
“You two alright in here.” Cole looks up and back at the approaching Jack before glancing at the kid still in Hanzo’s arms. He finds himself answering before he can think too hard about what just happened.
“You know I’m not entirely sure about that.”