It wouldn't stop. Worldwide, targeted attacks used the same modus operandi than the bank heist over a year ago. A man or a woman would enter a crowded area, indistinguishable from the bystanders, and simply detonate the shrinking agent. The largest blast covered a 100m radius, shrinking over 1,200 people in London. If it weren't for the rain that day, the casualties would have ranked far higher - that was Overwatch's consolation at least. No matter how much they tried to predict these attacks, it was almost impossible to do so. They were clearly linked to a single supplier of the chemical agent, but except for that, nothing more could be found. It didn't help that the attackers would shrink with their victims, making it impossible to identify and interrogate them afterwards.
Trapped in this endless web, all the Overwatch team could do was search for a solution to counter the shrinking agent's effects, in order to save its victims before they'd shrink away to nothing.
The research was also a dead end, to Dr. Ziegler's dismay. With a considerable amount of subjects in her lab, and no solution in view, she started caring less about their safety. She felt she might as well give them some sense of freedom before they'd disappear, letting them roam about and giving them small tasks to keep them busy. A situation, that made the Lieutenant Oxton happy...
"- This isn't how you do it! How long have you even been around here? When Lena asks for her shoes to be cleaned, you're supposed to start with the inside, not the top. Another useless shrinkee that doesn't want to do the hard work!
- Wow calm down dude! Fuck off with that attitude, who do you think you are? You're not my boss and it's not like "Lena" is gonna notice if I start by cleaning the outside of her shoe before the in-
- First of all, it's "Lieutenant Oxton" to you. Not everybody here is on a first name basis with the Heroes. Second, yeah I'm your boss. I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been here for over 6 months. I'm the one Lena trusts to get what she demands to be done around here. I'm basically her second-in-command and confidant.
- You wish, asshole...
- The fuck did you just say to me? Yeah that's right, cower. I'm not someone you can boss around or disrespect around here.
- Dude care-
- What the fu-"
He was gone. She could feel droplets of his still hot blood running down her face. His hand twitched, but she knew... there was no way he was still alive. Not under this. She barely could comprehend the scale of what she was facing. If she had just arrived in the lab, her mind would have crumbled, right there and now. This immense wall was nothing more than the Lieutenant's shoe. It had missed her by barely a centimeter.
"- The bitch didn't even notice... She just killed someone, without even noticing."
She felt even smaller than she had for the past 2 weeks that she'd been here. She was truly insignificant. Her mind screamed, but her body didn't react. She was frozen in fear and shock. Her gaze followed the lifeless body that was pissing her off a few seconds ago. It rose up into the air, stuck to the shoe that had crushed it. That's when she realized it had stopped. That the titan dominating every aspect of her life was looking down. Down at her.
"- You really should be more careful where I step down there. You guys are so bloody small there's no way I can do it for you.
- I...
- You're one of the shrinkees working on my slip-ons? Hope it's not too hard inside. Y'know... to breathe. Spring's back after all. A girl's gotta fun!
- Of... Of course.
- But seriously, be careful down there. None of you are above getting stuck underfoot. I guess it shouldn't be too hard to remember at your size.
- You'd be surprised...
- Anyway, do a good job on cleaning these. I'm wearing them again tonight! Cheers, Love.
- Y-yes..."
She was trembling as the titan walked away as if nothing happened, the body stuck to her sole splattering even more after each step took it further than it could have hoped to reach in days. She truly felt insignificant. Below this titaness so casually controlling and dominating every aspect of her life. As she turned around and faced the dark opening of the shoe in front of her, she cried.
" - Y-yes... God."