Post by thelori24 on Sept 11, 2016 21:31:33 GMT
The shock of hitting the cold rushing water at the other end of the chute hit Ana for a moment as her mind raced to orient herself. It had been many, many years since she’d taken survival classes, but everything was still tucked away in the back of her mind. Don’t go headfirst down the stream, don’t try to cut straight across the current as the resistance would wear you down, catch a breath whenever you could. She was swept a way down the stream, struggling to keep her head above water and not be pushed down under the current before a log and branches across much of the stream came into view. The water pushed her into them hard enough to momentarily knock the air out of her as she winced…that was a few bruised ribs at least…but it hadn’t been her head and nothing seemed broken beyond being able to move, or bleeding copiously. Using the branches she painstakingly dragged herself to the shore and up onto the bank where she fell over backwards, just breathing and happy and relieved to be not only out of that room, but out of the water.
But now came the process ahead of her of finding out where she was, how to get out of here, and how to get back in touch with the others, especially before they had the chance to launch some sort of counter-attack on her behalf…hopefully they hadn’t already. Because she knew both Jack and Reinhardt well enough to know they would not take this calmly. Talon had taken pretty much everything of value off her, her communicator, her weapons. She had what was on her, and that was about it.
She sat up and looked around. Well, she’d been in worse situations, right? Actually…she couldn’t remember a time she’d been left out in the middle of anywhere with zero supplies or anything at all to draw upon. She’d have to get creative. There was a little bit of sun out, midday maybe or early afternoon? It was a little cool, it would undoubtedly get cold once the sun started going down. She’d need a place to shelter, and to not be in soaking wet clothes. A short walk brought her to a slightly sunnier bit of a grassy clearing, where she could spread out some of her layers, look for anything that might be useful, and try to orient herself as much as she could. This could be parts of Europe, or parts of North America. But it was hard to tell. As the sun started to go down she’d gathered up a few things, her clothes nearly dry, and she’d found a place tucked under some dense branches to pass the night. Even under the branches it grew quite cold, between that and her hyper-awareness that she was out here alone, unarmed, and who knew still how close she was to the base she’d just left, she was unable to sleep, beyond a few short bursts of dozing off.
She was glad to see the sun come up again, where she could safely start to make her way forward. She picked her way carefully, her ribs were now painfully bruised and turning interesting colors. Her head and eye also still ached terribly, and she worried about the surgery site being left untreated or cleaned after her time in the water and outside. The last thing she needed was for infection to set in.
It was early afternoon when she finally stumbled upon a narrow, two-lane road that twisted away through the trees. Her relief was intense, a road had to lead to something, there were people and possibly a town somewhere out here, she just had to keep going. She started down the road, seeing no traffic as she went. After a couple hours walking she heard what sounded like an engine and quickly stepped out of the way. The beat up truck didn’t seem the sort to belong to the sort of sleek aesthetic Talon had though, neither did the man behind the wheel as he slowed up beside her, flannel, a bit of a scruffy beard and a very furry dog in the truck bed that barked at her, tail thrashing in excitement.
“Hey ma’am. You alright?” He called, looking concerned. It wasn’t often one saw people walking out here, especially without any gear and all alone, and she looked more than a little bedraggled from her experiences as well.
She debated answering him for a moment before inventing a story. “I just…got separated from my group. I found the road and I figured I could find a town and get in touch with people…”
“Next town’s ‘bout a two hour drive away.” He must have noticed the sudden dejection she felt at this because he was quick to continue on. “I’m passing through it though if you need a ride.”
Again she debated, again she decided to take the chance. Tired, sore and hungry, she didn’t know if she could make the rest of the walk. The man introduced himself as Tim, she gave him her first name. He seemed a friendly man who didn’t get much chance to talk to other people and once he realized he had a willing…or at very least quiet…audience he rambled pleasantly on about this and that about his life here. He mentioned Alaska, now she at least knew where she was. That was a long, long way from home. Or where she’d been taken from.
Finally they arrived in town, a bit run down but still with its own odd charm about it. He pointed out a Sheriff’s waypoint that might be able to help her find her friends, and where she could find the general store and a motel if she needed them, and asking once more if she was sure she was alright before letting her go on her way.
She had been left with her wallet, and thankfully enough money in it to at least get her through tonight and get a few supplies. In the store she bought a bottle of alcohol, some food, some medical supplies. The storekeeper kept staring at her oddly, she tried to smile and look non-threatening. Or at least not out of the ordinary. It made her skin crawl a bit, like they all knew who she was…no, that couldn’t be it. She was tired and jumpy and being paranoid. She was fine.
Next she made her way over to the motel, it seemed nearly empty and they were happy to rent her a room, also offering her coffee and the use of their ‘business center’…the single oldest computer she’d ever actually seen in active use anywhere. Well…it would have to do.
It was tucked in a corner so at least no one was staring over her shoulder. And hopefully no one would be watching things coming and going from it too hard, but she would still be careful. Back in the early days of Overwatch, the strike team had had a code of sorts they used, so they could send messages that would look like nonsense, but that only they would understand. It had been a while since she’d used it, she had to stop and spend some time remembering it. She hoped the others would as well.
She opened a no-frills for free message mail service and created a new account, an old code-name of hers, abandoned at the end of the Omnic Crisis in favor of new names. From it using the code she sent messages to Jack and to Reinhardt, short, to the point and basically translating to:
“I’m safe, I’m free. In the United States. Will contact you later when I can.”
She hoped they would remember, that they would get the messages, that they would get there before they did anything too crazy. And she hoped if anyone did manage to stumble on them, even if they could figure out they were code, they would have to stop a while to figure out what it said.
That done she headed to her room, locking the door behind her. She took the time to clean up, and then start to treat her injuries, wrapping her bruised ribs. She then started to clean around her eye, the space already warm and red but hopefully this would help. The alcohol burned and she let out a hiss between her teeth, then a few pained whimpers with no one else here to see or hear before adding antibiotic medication and wrapping it as well. Finally she settled on the bed with her food.
Hopefully tonight would go quietly, and tomorrow after a bit of rest she could figure out her next step. She was also hopeful for some manner of reply that her message had been received. But for tonight, she needed the rest. She curled up on the bed and tried to get some sleep.
But now came the process ahead of her of finding out where she was, how to get out of here, and how to get back in touch with the others, especially before they had the chance to launch some sort of counter-attack on her behalf…hopefully they hadn’t already. Because she knew both Jack and Reinhardt well enough to know they would not take this calmly. Talon had taken pretty much everything of value off her, her communicator, her weapons. She had what was on her, and that was about it.
She sat up and looked around. Well, she’d been in worse situations, right? Actually…she couldn’t remember a time she’d been left out in the middle of anywhere with zero supplies or anything at all to draw upon. She’d have to get creative. There was a little bit of sun out, midday maybe or early afternoon? It was a little cool, it would undoubtedly get cold once the sun started going down. She’d need a place to shelter, and to not be in soaking wet clothes. A short walk brought her to a slightly sunnier bit of a grassy clearing, where she could spread out some of her layers, look for anything that might be useful, and try to orient herself as much as she could. This could be parts of Europe, or parts of North America. But it was hard to tell. As the sun started to go down she’d gathered up a few things, her clothes nearly dry, and she’d found a place tucked under some dense branches to pass the night. Even under the branches it grew quite cold, between that and her hyper-awareness that she was out here alone, unarmed, and who knew still how close she was to the base she’d just left, she was unable to sleep, beyond a few short bursts of dozing off.
She was glad to see the sun come up again, where she could safely start to make her way forward. She picked her way carefully, her ribs were now painfully bruised and turning interesting colors. Her head and eye also still ached terribly, and she worried about the surgery site being left untreated or cleaned after her time in the water and outside. The last thing she needed was for infection to set in.
It was early afternoon when she finally stumbled upon a narrow, two-lane road that twisted away through the trees. Her relief was intense, a road had to lead to something, there were people and possibly a town somewhere out here, she just had to keep going. She started down the road, seeing no traffic as she went. After a couple hours walking she heard what sounded like an engine and quickly stepped out of the way. The beat up truck didn’t seem the sort to belong to the sort of sleek aesthetic Talon had though, neither did the man behind the wheel as he slowed up beside her, flannel, a bit of a scruffy beard and a very furry dog in the truck bed that barked at her, tail thrashing in excitement.
“Hey ma’am. You alright?” He called, looking concerned. It wasn’t often one saw people walking out here, especially without any gear and all alone, and she looked more than a little bedraggled from her experiences as well.
She debated answering him for a moment before inventing a story. “I just…got separated from my group. I found the road and I figured I could find a town and get in touch with people…”
“Next town’s ‘bout a two hour drive away.” He must have noticed the sudden dejection she felt at this because he was quick to continue on. “I’m passing through it though if you need a ride.”
Again she debated, again she decided to take the chance. Tired, sore and hungry, she didn’t know if she could make the rest of the walk. The man introduced himself as Tim, she gave him her first name. He seemed a friendly man who didn’t get much chance to talk to other people and once he realized he had a willing…or at very least quiet…audience he rambled pleasantly on about this and that about his life here. He mentioned Alaska, now she at least knew where she was. That was a long, long way from home. Or where she’d been taken from.
Finally they arrived in town, a bit run down but still with its own odd charm about it. He pointed out a Sheriff’s waypoint that might be able to help her find her friends, and where she could find the general store and a motel if she needed them, and asking once more if she was sure she was alright before letting her go on her way.
She had been left with her wallet, and thankfully enough money in it to at least get her through tonight and get a few supplies. In the store she bought a bottle of alcohol, some food, some medical supplies. The storekeeper kept staring at her oddly, she tried to smile and look non-threatening. Or at least not out of the ordinary. It made her skin crawl a bit, like they all knew who she was…no, that couldn’t be it. She was tired and jumpy and being paranoid. She was fine.
Next she made her way over to the motel, it seemed nearly empty and they were happy to rent her a room, also offering her coffee and the use of their ‘business center’…the single oldest computer she’d ever actually seen in active use anywhere. Well…it would have to do.
It was tucked in a corner so at least no one was staring over her shoulder. And hopefully no one would be watching things coming and going from it too hard, but she would still be careful. Back in the early days of Overwatch, the strike team had had a code of sorts they used, so they could send messages that would look like nonsense, but that only they would understand. It had been a while since she’d used it, she had to stop and spend some time remembering it. She hoped the others would as well.
She opened a no-frills for free message mail service and created a new account, an old code-name of hers, abandoned at the end of the Omnic Crisis in favor of new names. From it using the code she sent messages to Jack and to Reinhardt, short, to the point and basically translating to:
“I’m safe, I’m free. In the United States. Will contact you later when I can.”
She hoped they would remember, that they would get the messages, that they would get there before they did anything too crazy. And she hoped if anyone did manage to stumble on them, even if they could figure out they were code, they would have to stop a while to figure out what it said.
That done she headed to her room, locking the door behind her. She took the time to clean up, and then start to treat her injuries, wrapping her bruised ribs. She then started to clean around her eye, the space already warm and red but hopefully this would help. The alcohol burned and she let out a hiss between her teeth, then a few pained whimpers with no one else here to see or hear before adding antibiotic medication and wrapping it as well. Finally she settled on the bed with her food.
Hopefully tonight would go quietly, and tomorrow after a bit of rest she could figure out her next step. She was also hopeful for some manner of reply that her message had been received. But for tonight, she needed the rest. She curled up on the bed and tried to get some sleep.
