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“I get why they won’t let me come along, but I still wish I’d been assigned.”
The normal bustle of the hangar was muted from where they were, up on one of the platforms overlooking the bay holding the Orca - which was scheduled to take the chosen team to Havana at any given moment. All that was being waited on was for everyone to arrive and board.
The two of them were early, so there was time afforded them in waiting for the others to show up.
Genji wouldn’t say it out loud, but he was more grateful than not that Videre had not been assigned the mission to retrieve Maximilien. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her help on the field - in fact, the two of them were such an excellent combination that they were frequently paired together, both in assignments and training, and when that happened they were nearly unstoppable. Between Genji’s ninja training and combat skills, Videre’s stealth tech and spatial manipulation, and both of their respective cybernetic enhancements, they were one of, if not one of the most effective pairs for covert missions. Both of them could anticipate the other’s actions so well that it was almost like there was an underlying telepathic connection.
There was a reason that, despite their impeccable ability to work together, only one of them had been chosen for the Havana mission. Videre had yet to reach that level of clearance for such top-priority projects. Sure, it had been several years now since the initial accident that led to her needing to receive prosthetic legs and meticulous monitoring of the spatial manipulation tech she had been ingrained with, since it was what caused the accident in the first place. Nothing had gone wrong since then, and post-recovery she was doing better than ever and had controlling it down to second nature. But officially, she was still in the stages of working her way up through the varying priority levels.
That, and Morrison felt five members out on the field was too much. Four was enough. The predicted landfall of a hurricane around the same time as the mission just made things more difficult, too. Knowing that if anything were to go sideways, either because of the objective or because of the incoming storm, she’d be far away from it and safe, soothed his mind more than the idea of her being there alongside him.
“You make it sound like it’s a vacation you’re missing out on.”
Videre gave the cyborg standing beside her a withering side-eye. He looked back at her - normally his mask would be covering all of his face, very different from before when his almost unfinished red and black look allowed for at least his eyes to be seen. But around Videre, he kept his visor down so she could still see them. She was an exception.
“It’s not that, and you know it. It’s just… I want to help. It’s been a long time since they haven’t paired us on an assignment together and it makes me nervous that I won’t be there.”
Videre huffed from behind her mask and looked back out at the loading bay, leaning forwards on the guard rail and watching the final preparations being done to the Orca. Genji continued to look at her for a moment, taking in the frustration in her body language.
“I’m nervous too, Videre. It will be strange to not have you around.”
He rested his arms on the railing, inches away from the other agent. She looked out of the corner of her eye down at his forearms - they were so different now, after his latest upgrade to full-body armor and newer, state-of-the-art prosthetics. They were still getting used to the white and silver, and the green biolights.
“Angela’s not going to wrench her arm out of its socket trying to airlift you, is she?”
That got a laugh out of him. Something the two of them would do on the field, was something simply referred to as “airlifting”. Videre would swoop in, quite literally lift Genji by the hand and fly him places, which happened when he was unable to cover ground fast enough by normal means. Weight was never an issue for her, considering she could manipulate gravity and make just about anything weightless. Angela - the assigned healer for the Havana mission - would likely have to take on that role, as she was flight capable as well. But lacking any such modifiers that Videre would use, it would make things much more difficult.
“We’ve practiced enough that I think we’ll be fine.” He thought back to the first few times he and Angela had tried - the first time, Angela had misjudged just how much power her wings would need to put out to offset the sudden additional weight, and wound up arcing directly into the ground. It took several more attempts, and some added reinforcements to her suit around the shoulder area when during one take she pulled a muscle. An easy enough fix, but indicative that she could hurt herself worse if they didn’t take extra precautions.
Videre turned their head to glance at the cyborg briefly.
“I hope you’re right.”
Genji looked back at her, just as she looked away.
“I hope so too.”
For a while neither of them said anything, the only sounds being the distant chatter and ambient machinery noises from down below.
At the opposite end of the hangar, a pair of doors slid open and the ever-boisterous Lena darted through, followed by her lumbering gorilla companion. It took no time at all for her vision to be drawn up to the platform where Genji and Videre stood, no doubt because of the various glowing components of both their mechanical components.
“Genji! It’s time to go, love! Angela’ll be here in a bit!” Without waiting for an answer, she made a beeline for the open doors of the Orca and disappeared inside. Winston shook his head at her energy, corner of his mouth curled in a good-natured smile.
“As soon as you and Angela are on board, we’re leaving. Get down here soon!” he shouted up at them. He made his way at his own pace towards where the tiny woman had vanished.
Genji turned to face Videre entirely. The agent straightened up from where she’d been leaning against the railing and looked up at the cyborg.
“Let me know when you get there. And later when you’ve pinned Max down. And when you’re on your way back.”
The corners of Genji’s eyes crinkled in a smile.
“I will. I’ll feel much better knowing you’re waiting here for me to return.”
One of Videre’s eyebrows furrowed - betrayed by the telltale signs around her own eyes that she was also smiling - and she playfully hit him on the arm.
“You’re such a sap.”
Genji just reached up to carefully place his hand behind her head, and leaned forwards to rest his forehead against hers, eyes closed in the moment. Videre savored the moment, resting a hand on his shoulder and gently pressing into the forehead touch.
The distant sound of the doors opening again and heels against the floor signaled that Angela had arrived, and their time was up. They slowly pulled away from each other, reluctant. Genji reached up to push a spot behind his jawline, and his eyes disappeared behind his green visor. Videre still had yet to get used to that look.
“If they let anything happen to you, I’m flying down there myself, Morrison be damned.” She jabbed a finger at him for emphasis.
Genji chuckled, lightly batting at her hand. “I’m sure they already know.”
“We do.” A voice from below made them both look over the railing, to see Angela standing just below them, looking up with crossed arms and an amused expression. “I promise to bring him back in one piece, Videre.”
Videre braced her hands on the railing. “Please do, Angela.” Angela just grinned up at them, then turned and made her way towards the Orca.
Videre didn’t move from where she stood with her hands fixed to the railing. “I’ll… I’ll stay here until the ship leaves.” Genji carefully slid his hand over one of hers, giving it a light squeeze.
“I’ll see you in a few days.” The agent turned her head to look into Genji’s visor, her gaze soft.
“Be safe, Genji.”
The cyborg reluctantly withdrew his hand, giving her a nod, and with an inhuman amount of grace slung himself over the railing and plummeted to the ground below, tucking into a roll at the last second and returning to his feet as if it took no effort to nail a landing that would’ve killed most humans. That man wasn’t fair.
Videre watched him board the Orca, grip tightening around the railing bar. She hoped next time a mission like this popped up, she’d have the clearance to join the team. Being left behind like this made her feel so useless. The carrier’s engines flared to life, filling the hangar with a deafening roar. The hangar doors slowly opened to allow the aircraft to depart.
Just before the hatch closed on the Orca, Videre saw Genji raise his hand in one last farewell. She returned the gesture, keeping her hand in the air up until the craft passed through the gate and disappeared from sight, the drone of the engines fading.
The agent sighed heavily. This was going to be a very long few days.