Whirlwind | W.M.

20

"How the motherfucking hell did this happen?" Nick questions as we all sat around the table, the familiar glow of the flourescents illuminating the conference room as we all fell into silence.

It's been a day since the events of London, a day since we were picked up in the quinjet looking like we were tossed in a bag and repeatedly slammed against a wall. A day since Lara was thrown into a chamber, twenty feet underground right beneath the compound. It's been a day since I watched nearly fifty men burn, and the entire team come dangerously close to death— all because of me.

For the time being after such a horrendous attack, I was let back into the compound. Even going as far as to be given a room on the same floor as the rest— after Natasha's vicious protests of course. Wanda hadn't spoken to me since my stunt the day prior, only shooting me disappointed glances and bitter glares. Even until now, right in the conference room, she wouldn't even glance my way.

"Forty eight men— all five of you in chains, how does that happen? Somebody better start explaining before I pop a vein and have a stroke right here." Nick exclaims, a sarcastic chuckle falling from his lips as he eyes each of us.

"She knocked everyone out. Barricaded the doors, used some kind of gas and— that was it." Steve breaks the deafening silence, disappointment dripping from his tone as he hung his head low.

His bruises were still pretty prominent but so were everyone elses. Their wrists all still bruised and slightly burnt, cuts bandaged and bruises glowing a thick shade of purple. I couldn't look at anyone without feeling an immense pang of guilt consuming me to the core, reminding me of what i've caused over and over.

"And you all fell for it? No inkling that it was a trap? At all?" Nick's disbelief was astoundingly evident, darting his gaze over every one of us as he desperately tried to make sense of things.

"She wasn't alone." Natasha chimes in from right next to me.

"We came in and she was in the warehouse. On the stage, half of backup came in with us and the other half stayed outside to surround the area." Natasha further explained a story she had laid out for me on the ride back from London.

"Then someone— something took out our men outside and the doors were suddenly blocked and gas filled the room. That was it." Natasha finishes with a sigh, slumping into her seat with defeat.

"Yeah. When we came to— Lexa was there trying to get us out. That's all we remember." James chimes in, sending me a small nod as he spoke.

"So you're telling me, there's more like them?" Nick motions to me, hands propped onto the table as the entire team only keeps their heads low.

"The corrector." I finally speak, probably for the first time that day as everyone turns to look at me.

"The what?" Nick reiterates as a sigh escapes from my lips.

I haven't spoken a word about the hotel room, about the man who attacked me. Admittedly, after the events of yesterday it completely slipped my mind. I was doused in panic and nightmares the whole night after that I barely even crossed my thoughts— but as everyone was recapping the events that led to the warehouse, the memory played in my head like a gleaming beam of light I completely walked past.

"There was a man sent to my hotel to kill me. It's how I knew the whole thing was a trap. He wasn't enhanced, didn't work for HYDRA either. He was just hired by somebody called the Corrector." I hash out, feeling the stares of confusion flood my way.

"Did he give you a name?" Nick questions, but I only shake my head.

"All I know is that it's a woman. The guy who tried to kill me said it was a woman." I reply tiredly.