New Beginnings - Book 2

Chapter 2

Falling.. falling.. fell.

Sitting up quickly, out of breath and sweating. Each and every evening resulted in very much the same way. This night would be no exception. Natasha rose her cold, dirtied hand to her face, rubbing at her sore eyes tiredly in an attempt to remove the evidence of tears that had leaked free during her slumber. Sniffling just slightly, she glanced at the watch on her right wrist. A stolen watch, the band made of tan leather. The face is bordered with gold plated metal. It was rather old, a family heirloom perhaps. Not anymore. The clock face was somewhat dirtied with her activities, brown staining the nooks and crannies that she couldn't quite clean, though the hands within ticked on regardless. 4:26 AM. Getting herself up from the ground, Natasha set about clearing up her little sleep space.

She had taken refuge within an abandoned building. Some might call her a squatter. With no place left in the world, no money. No family. There were very few options left. Shoving her blanket to the side, Natasha picked up her worn and stained rucksack and slid it onto her back. Upon her face was set a permanent scowl. If looks could kill. There was little to smile about these days.

As the redhead descended her high rise, derelict apartment via the exterior fire escape of the building, she reflected on the years as she so often did. She had woken in the centre of a clearing, dazed and confused. The first thing she did was attempt to figure out where it was that she had ended up. Only then did she make her way back to the compound. Simply to find it didn't exist.

The Avengers didn't exist.

Her family didn't exist.

She didn't exist.

Not as she knew herself, anyway.

It was more than enough to cause a complete mental break. Knowing her children were no longer in the world, gave her fewer reasons to be better until she had none at all. Someone needed to pay. While her own attempts had been unsuccessful, she turned her attention to those that had wronged. Her children didn't get to live in this world, and so she would make those she deemed unworthy pay the ultimate price.

Settling back into her old ways was.. alarmingly easy. Killing was simply second nature. And the bodies, well. They weren't for her to worry about. She kept tabs on the suspects. So far, investigators expected a male. Though she never stayed in one place long enough to be suspected. Whenever she would hear of her deeds coupled with 'he' would always make her scoff with a forced sense of humour. Nothing was funny these days.

Once on the ground, Natasha set off on her next mission. A small, torn piece of paper with merely an address and time written on it was her location in mind. Beginning to accept money in return for carefully sourced jobs, she planned to buy herself a stay at a motel, or something similar. Just for a few days to get herself cleaned up, and well-rested before she would begin travelling again. Thus far, she had made it to Taiwan. Eventually, she would make her way to Russia. The only other home she knew. So far, where she was paid well for her particular skills.

Adjusting how her rucksack sat on her back, Natasha walked the two-hour journey into the next town where her target was supposedly meant to be. Her plan was to be there early, set her trap and get the job done quickly. Then all that would be left to do would be to collect her payment. Half before, and half after. Unfortunately, the first half had been spent before she had gotten her hands on it. Corrupt individuals within the government and local police kept her trouble-free. For the right price, of course.

Reaching the location given, Natasha walked slowly onto the complex of the motel. She glanced about, noting the few expensive cars in the parking lot. The main building itself was lit in blue and purple lights, flanked by picturesque trees and hedges. Coming off both sides were lines of apartments, forming an incomplete square with a parking lot in the centre. "Expensive." She murmured. This guy must have pissed off the wrong person.