Crimson Love

Chapter Four | 1946

The phone attached to the wall of the lab starts ringing and Regina excuses herself to answer it.

"You're a righteous bitch, you know that?" Erik scoffs as Maria sticks out her tongue to which Erik replies to with a jeering face.

"Maria, it's for you," Regina says as she lifts the phone in her direction, "Apparently your daughter broke an agent's nose today."

"Oh my god." Maria groans as she walks over to accept the phone call.

"Goddamnit, I told Marcel not to annoy her." Viktor pinches the bridge of his nose as Aren laughs.

"Look at you two being all parental. It's disgusting." Erik wrinkles his nose.

"Yes, Maria and I are very happy with our little nose breaker." Viktor sneers.

"I'm surprised you were able to get past how fucking ugly my sister is. I admire your bravery Vik." Erik smiles as he looks to Maria who flips him off from across the room with the phone held to her ear.

"Clearly I got all the looks in the family." Erik continues and Maria holds the phone away from her for a second and mouths, "I'll kill you" to her brother.

Erik grins victoriously and salutes Viktor before making his exit from the lab.

"That idiot's gonna get himself killed one of these days." Aren snickers.

"How much you wanna bet his end will be Maria." Viktor grins.

"I'd be willing to put down a hefty amount." Aren laughs and then goes over to help Regina.

"Viktor, we need to go collect Evelyn." Maria says as she hangs up the phone.

_____

"I swear to god it was an accident. Elijah said I would get in trouble. I don't wanna be in trouble, am I in trouble?" I ramble and Maria shushes me.

"You're not in trouble." Viktor chuckles and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Will Marcel be okay?" I ask quietly.

Maria laughs, "Besides a broken nose, some bruised ribs, and a damaged ego, I think he'll live."

"I for one am proud of you." Viktor smiles. "You were able to knock one of our better agents unconscious. It shows how much potential you have my dear."

"Thanks." I beam.

____________

Weeks later I find myself heading toward the lab. Regina wants me to introduce myself to James for some reason. Probably because I will be working close with the man over the upcoming months beside my father. Just as I push open the doors to the lab I catch sight of the man and am completely caught off guard. He's much younger than I previously thought and incredibly attractive.

He actually looks a bit younger than me. Around twenty-two or twenty-three at the most. I look to Regina for her to tell me what to do but she pays me no mind. Her back is to me even though she had to have heard me come in through the doors. I look back to James. He's strapped down to a metal chair with leather restraints around his abdomen, wrists, and legs. There's a black cloth in his mouth and it ties together at the back of his head. He's glaring straight at me and I suddenly feel as if I should leave. I don't feel like I belong here.