Project Alpha

Chapter 24- Arguments and Backfire

I looked at him, trying to calm myself down. I knew that if I looked at Nat right now, it would only anger me further. I saw Tony's eyes move down to my hands for just a brief moment, then his eyes came back to meet mine. When they met, I saw that his eyes were as wide as saucers.

I looked down, forcing my hands out in front of me so that I could get a good look at them. Once I pushed them out in front of me, I saw why Tony's eyes were as big as they were. It was the same reason that Bucky and Steve had been so concerned in the gym.

My fingertips had turned to a very dark black. I didn't know why or how this happened, but when it did, I always seemed to be very overwhelmed with something.

"How long has that been going on?" Tony asked like it was the most urgent thing in the entire world.

"I don't want to talk about it right now," I answer.

"Well, that's too bad because we are going to talk about it right now. How long have your fingers been doing that?"

"They did the same thing in the gym," Steve says, walking into my room.

What started as just me trying to relax has turned into everyone bombarding me with questions. This was supposed to be my own space where I could be alone, but instead, everyone is closing in on me.

"Can everyone just give me some space, please?" I asked, already feeling myself starting to be overwhelmed with everyone talking either about me or to me at once.

"As soon as you give us some answers," Tony responds, taking a step towards me.

"You want answers? My whole life is questions right now, and you're the one who wants answers?" I can feel myself starting to lose control of my temper.

"Aria, just calm down," Steve says, unhelpfully.

"No, you can't just walk in here and tell me how to feel. You don't tell me that you are looking for Bucky, and now you come in here and tell me to calm down. I don't think so."

"He was only trying to help," Nat interjects.

"Don't even start with me again," I warn Nat.

"We are just trying to help," Tony says with a little bit of bite to it. I can tell that he was hoping that I wouldn't notice, but unluckily for him, I did.

"Well, I didn't ask for your help! I didn't ask for anyone's help! I just want to be left alone!"

"Well, I didn't ask for an ungrateful daughter with all sorts of issues, but here we are!"

I can feel the tears start to pool in my eyes, but I refuse to cry in front of him right now. I can't cry in front of him right now. Maybe I should be grateful that he finally told the truth about how he feels.

I make a bolt for the door, unable to stand being in the same room as any of them right now. Tony tried to stop me by grabbing my arm, but I shrugged him away, not even looking into his eyes.

I made a mad dash for the nearest exit of the compound. I was hoping to just get lost in the woods for a while, and escape everything that was making me so angry for a while.

As I ran out the doors, I could feel the tears spilling over. I don't think it was because of what Tony said, though. I think it's because I'm finally realizing how many problems I actually have.

It's not that I've been ignoring them and pretending that they aren't there because believe me, I've known that they have been there; I just haven't dealt with them. The thing is, I don't know if I have enough strength to deal with them. That's probably the scariest part.

Maybe it would have been better if I had just been killed in Hydra. It would have been a lot simpler than dealing with all of the problems that they put inside of me at this moment.

***

"We know that you have powers from the serum! Stop trying to hide them, and use them!" some Hydra doctor said from behind a glass wall.

"I'm trying," I cried. "I don't know why nothing is happening!"

"If you don't cooperate, then we will be forced to put you through experiments to bring them out. Either cooperate now or risk your life being put through tests."

I knew that the doctor wasn't bluffing. Anything that anyone said that they would do in here, was true. Sometimes I was happy that people were so honest within these walls, but other times I would rather not know certain things.

"No, please," I begged. "I can do it. Just give me a little longer."

"You have two minutes left before we decide to use other measures."

I nodded my head, acknowledging their offer of a few more minutes. I had to get my powers to form, or something. I have heard of some of the tests that these doctors will put you through. A lot of people get killed, and as much as an easy out that would be, I don't think I can let that happen to myself.

I try to focus all of my energy on getting my powers out and working, but nothing is happening. Blocking all other thoughts from my head, I focus everything I have on the energy I can feel flowing through my veins.

It was like the more I focused on getting them out, the less they wanted to make an appearance. I really needed this to work, and they just would not cooperate. I keep sprawling out my fingers on my hands, trying desperately to make something happen, but nothing did.

"Your time is up," the doctor called.

That can't be true. That was too quick to be two minutes. It was pointless to argue now, though. Once they had their minds made up, there was no changing them. It was either accept it, or rogue and be killed. I had no choice but to choose the first. The latter was too easy of an out, though, that it was almost tempting.

"I am sorry that you could not show us all of your potentials, but we must see what you can do," the doctor said. "We are the only ones who will be able to help you harness your power."

***

I woke up on a dirt path in the woods outside of the compound. I couldn't hear anyone around me, but it was starting to get dark.

"We are the only ones who will be able to help you harness your power."

This one line was replaying over and over in my mind. It had been said to me so long ago, yet it still holds onto me like I'm a little bird who can't fly. Maybe they were the only people who could help me. As bad as they were, maybe they could do some good for me.

Just out of curiosity I held my hand in front of my face to see if they had turned black again. I didn't even have to put them all the way in front of my face to see that they had.

As I got to my feet, I saw that I had also shot some sort of electricity into a nearby tree. The tree was now smoking, and I'm lucky that it wasn't on fire, yet.

Not wanting to go back to the compound, I keep walking along the trail hoping to find somewhere peaceful to sleep tonight. I didn't need to be anywhere special to sleep. I had grown up in much worse conditions and survived worse.

"Aria!" I could hear people yelling from behind me. It was faint, but it was still there, which meant I wasn't far enough away.

After a little longer of walking, I saw a ledge a little high up but still surrounded by trees. I decided to climb up, and stay there for the night. Once I made it up, I took a lookout at the view that was laid before me. The moon was just popping out from the horizon. Stars had begun to appear all over the sky, and owls could be heard all around.

I took a seat on the edge, eventually laying down to stare up at the sky. It was so peaceful. No one was around to bother me, and no one was around to make noise. It was nice. It was calm. I was finally alone.