Phoenix Fire (Book 2 in the Winter's Series)

Chapter Ten: Giovanni Graffanino

"Stop. Eden you can have your favor, but I never want to see you again." For some reason those words hurt me more than I thought they would. Our history wasn't emotionless, it was complex, complicated but it meant something to me. "If I ever see your face again, nothing will stop me from taking you down."

"I understand..." Even though I won the battle, I feel defeated.

"Where's your list?" He says as he thrusts his hand forward. I pull the list from my back pocket and hand it over. "Is this all?"

"Well I do need cash, but I was hoping maybe I could get some food or clothes..."

"No. I will give you the cash but that's it. Whatever is on this list is all you're getting." He walks out of the room as he finishes speaking. "Wait here." With that he's out of sight. I put the baton on his desk and moves to the unconscious guards. I pick them up one by one and set them up against the wall so when they wake up they would be as uncomfortable. I pace the room waiting for his return. It feels like hours before he walks back with the duffel bag full. He tosses it at my feet before pointing to the glass door.

"Get out." He spits out turning away from me. I pick up the duffel bag and sling it over my shoulder.

"Giovanni, I really-"

"Save it, I don't care to hear what you have to say. Just leave before I change my mind." I push down the urge to feel upset by this. I don't want to be emotional right now. I need to get back to Bucky anyway. I turn away from Giovanni and exit the building. I stand on top of the balcony's ledge before looking back once more. Giovanni is staring right back at me, and I jump from the ledge. I unfurl my wings before I touch the ground and take off into the sky. The bag weighs more than I thought it would as I have trouble gaining altitude. I might as well just go all the way back to the compound and bypass the plane riding.

As I climb up to a stable altitude, the clouds go from a dark grey color to a pinkish red color. It's beautiful up here. It looks like a painting, like it can't be real. It's peaceful up here, I've never taken the time to appreciate the sky's domain. There's almost like a slipstream up this high, or maybe I'm just faster than I used to be. The burden of the weighted bag doesn't feel so heavy as I make good time heading back home. It probably would have been faster to have flown in originally, but I had no idea of this before. The plane ride had taught me to grow accustomed to the cold temperatures of the high altitudes. I usually don't fly this high or I haven't in the past that I can remember.

The flight allows me to reflect on my past with Giovanni. I had met him after I killed his father. He was just a boy then, but HYDRA wasn't done with the Italian family. I'd visit Giovanni often on missions to ensure that he was loyal to HYDRA after one of HYDRA's men was sent to replace Giovanni's father and teach Giovanni the ways of HYDRA's trades. He took over when HYDRA sent me to collect the agent when Giovanni came of age. I'd spent so much time with Giovanni that we had gotten somewhat close.

He showed me the city of Rome, and the secrets it offered. That's how I knew of the secret passage to his Villa. As we grew up, I was sent out more often Giovanni and I had gotten much closer than just friends. We had shared many things with each other; dreams, secrets, wishes. Before I left for the last time, Giovanni said he would come and take me away from my home so that I would live with him. He said he would marry me and fill his villa with children; but we were young then. Now he hates me for what I had done to him. I had lied to him for years, and I can understand his pain and anger. I just wasn't ready for my feelings when he said what he did.

It's been several hours since I left Giovanni's Villa and I can see the city lights of Washington. I bank left and head toward the base where Bucky is undoubtedly not in a good mood. As I near the dam I see the door open. I land on top of the building and hide the bag in the corner before opening the bag. Everything on my list is in there just like he promised it would be. I dig around for the .9 mm ammo. My fingers brush against fabric and I peek in to see what it is. It's my old kevlar suit from when I visited before.

There's bread wrapped in cloth in here too. I smile to myself. Maybe he does still care, and he didn't really mean what he said. I snap out of my thoughts and find the ammo before loading the gun and jumping down. I cock the gun and extend my arms, holding the weapon out in front of me. I crouch and enter the compromised base. I focus my hearing for any sounds at all, but I can't hear anything. Nonetheless I pause behind corners before turning them ready to fire. There is no one in here. I rush to the room that Bucky and I used to plan and I see an empty duffel bag.

There are two things that could have happened. One: Bucky went after them without me and accidentally left the door open? It is unlikely as he would have needed the items on my list to do so. Two: They found us and took Bucky as he was waiting for me. They also took all the supplies in Bucky's bag? Something isn't adding up here. Where could they have gone? Where would they have taken him? Anger bubbles up inside me. I did not come this close to lose to mercenaries. I will find Bucky and bring him back. My trip will not be wasted, we WILL be free. I march out of the base and fly back up to the top. I pull my kevlar suit from the back and discard my other clothes before zipping up my suit.

I put on tactical thigh holsters and put the loaded gun in the secure area. I find my old boots in the bag too and put them on, slipping a knife into the hidden sheath. I pull the built in mask up to cover half of my face from the bridge of the nose down. I pull my hair back into a french braid before tucking the lower end under so that it doesn't hang down. I pin it into place and begin my hunt for Bucky.