Cyberknight: One Path

⁕ Sea of Broken Shards (part 5)

[Ivanovich] - "You'll be escorting a shipment of my product to one of our regular clients. I'm sure the enemy cyberknight will show up, so that'll be your cue to act, dear angel! "

Said Ivanovich before stepping out of McCree's room.

Outside the window, the men loaded trucks full of narcotics and other illegal goods. As McCree slammed a small shard of a bullet into his gun chamber, a piece of Audrey's final message played inside his mind. With the first cylinder filled, the first shard of his past flashed before his eyes. Back then, he had just been extracted by Athena after Audrey's sacrifice. As he was brought back and imprisoned aboard the Merciful Wrath, flagship of the 9th fleet, the Falling Spartans, his captors didn't subject him to torture or abuse.

However, as Athena presented herself before McCree, he felt all the disdain and resistance vanish inside his heart. Instead, McCree felt shame and pity for himself as Athena radiated with an aura of purity and nobility. For all this time, McCree knew his actions were dirty and dishonourable, yet he kept convincing himself that he was doing the right thing. Now, faced with the sight of a paragon of justice, he finally came to understand the stains of his ways.

He didn't know Athena personally, yet he felt compelled to cooperate. Then, without a word, Athena presented McCree with the last recording of Audrey, at least the part that was destined to be heard by him. There was compassion in Athena's gesture, yet there was fire in her eyes. As McCree took the device from Athena's hand, he felt the disappointed stare of a motherly figure mixed with the hopeful warmth of forgiveness. As McCree played the part of the recording destined for him, he was immediately met with Audrey's face, shown from the holographic projector.

"If you're seeing this, then I presume I have perished. Sigh... McCree, old friend, I do not blame you for what you did. We all were condemned souls doing what we thought was right in a world indifferent to our suffering. As comrades in arms, we have fought together back in training school, on the field, amidst the enemy forces, and here now, side-by-side. "

Audrey paused and breathed hard to prevent her eyes from growing teary.

"I don't know where your heart lies or who your honour aligns with. However, I want to remind you of one thing: It was you who introduced us to Kadyn and told us to thrust her back then. You once stood for someone most of us had doubts about. In the end, she was the one who inspired us to stand when we thought we couldn't. You even gave her leadership of our squad when the time came, meaning there is a level of wisdom inside your heart that all of us don't!

Today, you acted on your misguided ways, but we do not blame you. Because, guess what, I refuse to doubt you just as you refused to doubt Kadyn. I never once believed you were a bad person. So please, my friend, trust me now as I tell you Kadyn is in mortal danger. Trust my judgement as I entrust the fate of our friend into the hands of Athena. Tell her everything you can, cooperate as much as you can, so that our friend doesn't suffer the same fate as me! "

Audrey let a few drops of tears loose from her eyes before wiping them away. There was a type of sadness inside her voice that McCree failed to understand properly until she finally uttered the last of her words.

"I hope we can fight together again, the entire squad, together. I truly miss this second home I have given, even though briefly. Just promise me, my friend, that you will live through all this without suffering the same fate as me. I want to meet you when you are an old man, when you have lived the life I couldn't experience. Goodbye, old friend. "

As the recording ended, McCree couldn't help but cry in shame. All of his actions were finally made clear for what they are: Manipulated steps which served Jagger's twisted goals. He betrayed the people whom he considered brothers and sisters for his own selfish pursuit, and they paid for his crime. As he raised his head, McCree saw Athena still standing above him, no longer judging him with anger, but welcoming him with compassion. She saw his regret and where his true loyalty lies.