𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

"Stay where you fucking are."

The woman released a shaky breath, backing up once more. Zariah stared back at her emotionlessly as her mind began to race.

She could pull the trigger now. Take Natasha's key card and leave. She could find her way out of here, find her way back to Russia. She could go home.

But what if there were agents outside? Doesn't matter, she told herself. You're stronger than all of them and now you have a gun. But what of the avengers? Were they all still in this building? Would they come for her too? Doesn't fucking matter. You can beat them this time, you know how to beat them now.

"Zariah-"

"Shutup!" Zariah yelled back, pushing the gun forward towards Natasha. She needed to think.

If she killed her would the avengers hunt her down? Would her best friend come looking for her? You could make it, her brain replied. You could make it back home and then nobody could find you ever again.

"Zariah, please."

"I said shut the fuck up!"

The girl took a step forward. The barrel of the gun lay mere inches from Natasha's face. Green eyes looked back at her full of worry.

Just kill her, her mind screamed. It's what you were tasked to do. Just put a bullet in her skull and get it over with.

It would be so easy. To pull the trigger and watch the body fall like she had so many times before. To leave the scene before it had even turned cold. A routine Zariah had completed like clockwork for the last eight years of her life.

So why was she hesitating?

"Zariah, I know you're scared."

"I told you to shutup."

"Please listen. You don't want to do this."

"You don't know what the fuck I want," Zariah replied harshly. "You don't fucking know me."

Pull the trigger. Watch the body fall. Walk away.

"I know that under there is a little girl. A little girl that deserves love and a home."

"Stop."

"You can have that here, Zariah. I promise you. Nothing can hurt you again."

"You're a liar!"

Zariah thrust the weapon forward and Nat stumbled back. The woman tilted her head to the side.

"We can give you a life here, Zariah. A proper life."

"Stop it!" the girl screamed back. "Stop lying! This is my life, there's no changing that."

"That's not true," Natasha replied. "Just think about it. You won't have to do any of this again. You won't have to hurt anyone and no one will hurt you."

"Just shut up!"

Zariah's thoughts protested in her head. She was an assassin, the best in the world. She's killed thousands of people, taken lives that she couldn't even recall. What the fuck was wrong with her?

She knew she should kill her. Put a bullet right between Natasha's eyes and be done with it. But then the image of Mila from her dream flashed back inside her mind. A hole between her brows and blood flowing out. So, so much blood.

Zariah shook her head viscously, trying to shake the memory from her brain. Then, without her intention, the tremble spread to her hand holding the gun. Natasha seemed to noticed this. She swallowed and took a step closer.