I stood in the crowd of people. Everyone chatted amongst each other, laughing, smiling. I just kept looking around the room, seeing what I could find. I peered up to the balcony as men in suits stood strong by the railing. I counted them as a waiter walked by with champagne on a tray. I quickly grabbed a glass and turned back around into the crowd.
"Only five guards above." I said into the communicator as I held the drink in front of my mouth. I looked around the room again as I noticed a few men looking out of place, "About five on the floor as well."
"Where's the target?" Bucky asked into the earpiece. I walked to the bar and shifted my eyes around the room. My eyes focused on a man standing with a group of people around him. I tilted my body around so the camera could focus on him.
"On my six." I said and quickly leaned back against the bar.
"What are you waiting for." Bucky replied simply. I scoffed and took another sip of my drink.
"Easy soldier, there's a dance to these things." I replied. I glared ahead of me as I watched the bartender moved across the bar. I sighed as I finished my drink and set it down. I turned back around and I watched the man continued to impress the group around him.
"According to the scan, the keycard is in his front jacket pocket." Bucky said suddenly. The bartender set down another drink for me, placing a napkin under it. I grabbed both and held it tightly in my hand. I nodded to myself as I began to move across the room.
I avoided eyesight with anyone and everyone. I took one last deep breath before making the typical move anyone would make. I got closer to Eric as the group began to move away from him. His back was turned to me. I held my drink out in front of me as he quickly turned around. His chest bumped into my drink, spilling it onto him.
"Oh no!" I acted concerningly. I quickly took the napkin from under the drink and began wiping it on his coat, "I'm so so sorry." I felt the key card in the pocket and began to dab the napkin on top of it. I quickly shifted my fingers softly into his pocket and grabbed the key card. I hid it behind the napkin as I pulled away.
Eric just chuckled to himself as he looked down, "Perfectly okay. Nothing some simple dry-cleaning wont fix." I pressed the napkin to my chest as I slowly shifted the key card into my bra. Eric looked up at me, a small smile growing on his face.
"I don't think we've met, Eric Williams." He said with a charming smirk. I gave him a playful smile as he held his hand out. I looked down at it before looking back up and taking it into mine.
"Emilia Jones." I lied. He lifted it up slowly to his lips, placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. I let out a cut giggle as I looked away. I could hear Bucky clearing his throat annoyingly in the coms. I just smiled again as I looked back to Eric.
"Mr. Williams they're ready." A person came up to him as he let go of my hand. Eric quickly nodded to him before turning back.
"Never get a second alone." He said to me. "Listen, have a drink. Enjoy the party, and I'll look for you later so we can discuss the...dry cleaning." He began to walk backwards as another smirk landed on his face. I let out so soft chuckle as I shifted nervously in my stance.
"I'll be waiting." I said flirtatiously. He turned around and began walking away. He did one last look back. I just continued to smile as he disappeared into the crowd. My face dropped back to my usual scowl as I began to move through the crowd behind me.
"Was that really necessary?" Bucky asked. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed another drink from a passing waiter.
"You're oddly chatty today. I told you there was a dance to these things. I got the keycard now stop your complaining and tell me where I need to go." I answered back. I heard a slight sigh as he hit a few key strokes.
"Staircase in the hall to your left. The case is on the third floor. Second door to the right." He said. I took a deep breath as I quickly moved out of the main hall. I made my way to the staircase and moved up it. I could hear a few voices at the door. I placed my body against it as I looked through the small window. Two guards walked down the hall slowly. I waited until their footsteps disappeared before opening the door.
I moved quietly through the hall. Looking behind me every so often to make sure no one was coming up. I got to the door and pulled the keycard out. I set it onto the scanner. The light turned green as the door slowly opened.
I walked into the pain white room. It was completely empty, except for a small white table with a case sitting on top of it. I walked up to the case and stared at it. I opened it up, and stared at the small item inside of it. A small vile of some sort of liquid.
"Interesting isn't it, Ms. Black?" I head a voice say behind me. I quickly shut the case and turned around. Eric leaned against the door frame with his arms across his chest. I took a deep breath as I shifted my hand over my thigh. My fingers grazing the hilt of my knife.
Eric just smiled darkly as he shifted his hand around. He pulled out his phone and nudged it. In front of me a holographic video of me started playing. He placed it on the table beside me. I just stood still, as the video began to play. It was a video of me at the hotel Inessa, a witness to my killings. A video with me side by side with Bucky.
"What is a Shield agent doing with a Hydra ghost legend?" He asked referencing Bucky. I thinned my lips as I gripped tighter to the hilt. My breathing picked up as Eric began to move forward.
"Layla.." I heard Bucky call out in my ear piece. I stayed quiet as Eric stopped in front of me. He began to circle around the room, holding his hands behind his back. My eyes just followed him, not daring to move right now.
"How did you know?" I asked quietly. I could feel myself becoming nervous but I kept my stance tall to not tip him off on it.
He just tilted his head to me, his eyes not leaving mine. "Well when someone reaches into your pocket, one kind of questions." He just continued to move. I couldn't say anything. I could tell I messed up bad. Hydra wasn't going to be happy about this.
"Before we chat, I suggest taking out the communicator and camera." Eric continued. I looked down at the necklace noticing a red dot appearing on my chest. I followed the laser up to the camera in the room, a small gun sat onto of it.
I glared as I gripped onto the necklace on my chest. I tugged it off my neck and held it in my hands.
"Layla don't-" I heard Bucky talk again. I quickly took the earpiece off. I held both of them in my hands. I closed my fist tightly as the sounds of breaking echoed the room. I opened my hand back up before dumping the pieces on the floor. I continued to stare at Eric as he moved around some more.
"Better. Now, what does Shield want with this?" He asked. I closed my eyes as I tried to calm my breathing. I looked down at the ground. I just needed to stall sometime. Bucky will break through that door soon.
"Its not Shield." I said simply. Eric stopped in front of me. I held my head up trying to not seem intimidated. He wrinkled his eyes a bit before looking back over at the holographic image. A slight smile landed on his face.
"Ahh, you're defected." He looked away from the video and back at me.
"In a sense." I said simply. I just need to stall a little longer. Eric began to move again and pace around the room. I could tell he was thinking of his next move. Where the hell was Bucky? I needed a way out. I watched Eric as he began to shift something in his arm.
"Its a shame." Eric began to speak. His back slightly turned away from me.
"What is?" I asked quietly. I didn't keep my eyes off him. Trying to study his movements. Eric stopped moving and just stood there. I could see his hand move a bit.
"That we couldn't just discuss my dry-cleaning. Now I have to kill you." He said simply. He quickly turned around and smiled. I acted quickly. I held onto the hilt of the knife and pulled it out. In one quick movement I tossed it at Eric. As it shot through the air a silver pole in Eric's hand began to shift.
I glared as it began to grow into a large scythe. I took a sharp breath as he spun it in his hand and blocked the knife. He quickly pulled it beside him before running towards me. I had to act fast. I grabbed the case on the table and held it in front of me. His large scythe imbedded itself into it as I tried to protect myself. He pushed harder against the case, the sound of the steel hitting each other echoing the room.
"What are you, the grim reaper?" I huffed as my arms shook pushing against his scythe.
"Something like that." He smirked. He pulled off the case and lifted his blade back up. I rolled onto my back, pushing my legs up and against his chest. He flew backwards against the wall as I landed back onto my feet. I began to catch my breath. What the hell did I get myself into.
He struggled a bit onto his feet, the steel hitting the floor. His grip became tighter around the pole. I just looked around the room trying to plan my escape. I held to the handle of the case. He shifted his blade in front of his body. Before I could think a small metal ball shot out of the end of the pole. I moved the case in front of my face and covered it.
Green smoke consumed the space around me. I took a sharp breath at the same time. Taking in whatever it was that was thrown at me. I felt my lungs begin to burn, and my breathing began to shorten. I gasped for air, my head becoming light. I fell to my knees as my breathing became worse. My arms shook under me, before giving out. My body fell to the floor. My eyes began to blur.
"What the hell?" I spoke between breaths. Eric walked over to me and towered above me. I closed my eyes tightly trying to gain my focus back. My entire body felt numb.
"Its an anesthetic gas." He explained. He squatted down, leaning against his scythe, "You'll be unconscious soon."
I groaned while trying to move. Couldn't feel anything at this point. I watched as he stood up. The sound of the room turning into a loud ring. He began to lift up his scythe over his head. I closed my eyes expecting the pain to take over.
I heard a loud bang followed by some quick footsteps. I opened my eyes as another slam could be heard. I shifted them over as a tall dark figure towered over the beaten body of Eric. His back leaned against the wall with a large crack developing on the wall.
I watched as Bucky quickly turned around, his mask covering his face. I reached my hand out, trying to get his attention. His blurred image ran to me, kneeling down and bringing his hand onto my cheek.
"Layla..." He called out. I just continued my quick breathing. Trying to speak but the words weren't coming out. He rubbed his hand on my face, pushing my hair back. His eyes shifted around my body, a hint of concern showing in his usually cold blue eyes. He moved again, lifting me up and carrying my body in his arms.
I rolled my head back, resting it onto his chest. I felt my eyes going heavy. I looked up at his face noticing the slight concern he held. Shifting down to me every few minutes. I felt we were moving through the room. I could hear a couple of voices yelling in the distance. A couple of gun shots.
I needed to get us out. I needed to get us someplace safe. My hands shook as I closed my eyes tightly. I lifted my hand up and gripped tightly to Bucky's vest. I groaned as I focused my energy the best I could. I felt weak, however I think I could make just enough. I thought of the one place I could.
I felt a quick shift around us. My eyes grew heavy. I looked up at Bucky as his eyes shifted around us. A concerned look on his face.
"Layla, where are we?" He asked as he looked back down at me.
Everything began to go black before I could answer. The sound of waves crashing filled the silence instead.