THE DARK RAVEN

BETRAYAL

I can't describe the feeling.

'Leo is dead '

Naturally, these words trigger the instant acceleration of my heart rate as the sensation of a weight dropping in my stomach, weakening my limbs, takes over. And yet it doesn't seem real.
I'm panicking, flooding with anxiety and frustration, with small drops of realisation and loss lacing those waters. I'm sure, that over time, those drops will form a flood of loss and despair.
But right now, it just doesn't seem like reality.

Leo, bright, bushy-haired, excitable, loving, funny, incredible Leo, my bestfriend - can't just be . . . gone.
But he is.
Tears are stubbornly clouding my vision, desperate to break through my barriers because although it doesn't seem right, HYDRA wouldn't make this up for no reason, wouldn't risk my burning flames of anger for nothing. Leo, my brother, my best friend, is gone.
It's all HYDRA's fault.

"You - you let them - you chose the files over your own - ?" I stutter without meaning to, disbelief written in black and white across my features, cheeks burning a furious red.

"You have my deepest apologies, Miss Nightrose. But those files are far more important than a few agents that can be replaced" My boss frowns, looking at me in disapproval as if I should know this and nods his head towards the door.
"Now I'm afraid I must ask you to leave. There's important work to be done."

I clench my fists tight beside me, fingernails cutting into my palms so hard I draw blood. But nothing can hurt as much as this ignorance, this dismissal, this loneliness. My heart aches and nausea takes over. But I feel empty.

Three guards stride into the room, each one broad - shouldered with strong, tall stances. Of course there are body guards. I'm an assassin, currently fuelled on scorching anger formed from lies, deceit and betrayal.
'We technically are the bad guys' Leo had said, only a mere few hours ago.
It's only now that I realise just how right he is. Was.
My boss knows that and he feels threatened.
He should.

"You son of a bitch!" I scream, lunging towards him at full force, so fast that the guards have barely even registered my movements before I have my right hand wrapped around his throat, the other's nails clawing at his cheek, leaving behind bright, red gashes.
"You left them there! You left them to die, you selfish bastard!" I shout and despite his conserved facade, I catch a flash of terror in his cold eyes.

Right hand still producing wide eyes and uncontrollable choking, I reach for the pistol that had been aimed at me earlier today.
Oh, how the tables are about to turn.

"Time to die, asshole" I spit, but my fingers have barely brushed the handle of the weapon before I feel a sharp jab in my neck and my legs buckle beneath me, causing me to sink to the floor, vision fuzzy. I put my hand to my forehead in a confused daze.

"Not so confident now, are we?" I hear an unfamiliar, gruff voice ask.

But I am too tired to reply. The last thing I see before my head hits the floor is the unmistakable, silver, glinting point of a needle. Then everything goes dark.

I slowly open my eyes which are sticky with sleep and squint in the light of the lamp beside me. The far corner of the room is dark, indicating night time. My head is pounding, thrumming like it's a drum and someone is hitting it over and over again. It feels heavy on my shoulders, and I shake it, trying to get rid of the feeling.

The bed which I am layed on is hard beneath me, the thin, white sheets an indication to the goosebumps that cover my arms, visible when I remove the covers from my body.
Thankfully, I am still in my training gear, though my black hoodie is draped over the chair to my left, converse beside it.
I hurriedly shove them on.