[ COMPLETED ]
German Translations Provided By @vanessanats
BOOK 1 of the ORPHIC series
ZEITGEIST
/ˈtsītˌɡīst,ˈzītˌɡīst/
the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.
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"Drapetomania: an overwhelming urge to run away."
Red Room, ??? September, 1995
IT WAS THE LAST TEST that killed her. Not physically, of course. Verfall had been standing next to Winter when it happened. They'd been analyzing Natalia, watching her every move as she fought three agents at once. The other girls had been lined up against the wall, sitting on their knees and waiting. Madame B had been leaning against her cane, just as always. It happened when Natalia tapped her opponent's arm in surrender.
Madame B scowled.
"Sloppy." She chided. "Pretending to fail."
Her lips tilted upwards into a reassuring, almost sad smile.
"The ceremony is necessary, for you to take your place in the world." She said.
Verfall had never been told, explicitly, what the graduation ceremony was. She was a weapon- she didn't need to know anything. All she knew was the Red Room produced Black Widows, who were assassins.
But still, she'd noticed the distraught look in Natalia's eyes as the hours of tests continued. She would've thought Natalia would be indifferent. The lack of surprise flickering between Winter's eyes told her he knew exactly just how Natalia felt.
She breathed heavily, her eyes almost pained as she turned to look at the older woman.
"I have no place in the world." She replied.
Her eyes shifted back to Yelena, focused.
Verfall looked between them. Something wasn't right. Something was- there was something- Winter pressed his leg into hers.
She stiffened.
"Exactly." Madame B nodded.
Natalia inhaled deeply, as if she was preparing for something.
In a blink of an eye, she spun on her feet, kicking out Madame B's cane and landing on top of an agent's neck. Chaos ensued as the other girls watched with wide eyes, unmoving. Yelena jumped forwards and caught Natalia's hand as they sprinted towards the exit.
The guards stationed in the corner raised their weapons, just as Winter engaged them, punching one of their necks with his metal arm and shooting the other.
Verfall's eyes flicked back and forth, before catching Winter's gaze, blood dripping into the crevices of his metal arm. His eyes were brighter than they'd ever been, recognition flitting between them. His eyebrows raised almost sassily and Verfall was dumbfounded for half a second. He jerked his chin towards the two girls, a silent order.
