Parking the SUV outside the cabin, running towards it, front door ajar, pushing it open, my eyes scanned everywhere finding any signs of any danger and Mina.
Fear surged inside me seeing the mess in front of me, the small cabin that was once warm and cozy is now chilly and distant. The living room had been violated, broken glass from the window dangerously scattered on the floor, some very little - books thrown around the floor, couches lay upside down, tv was ripped off the wall.
Panicked, I ran to Mina's room. It was a massacre, looking like a battlefield where an exorcism was performed. The cupboards lock-broken, stuff strewn around, clothes torn up, bags and purses thrown round. Knives on the floor which were used to open the locked cupboard.
Roaming my eyes, frantically searching for Mina, hearing a sound behind me, I froze realizing that someone aside from Mina is still in the house. Crouching, slowly peeking at the direction of the noise, seeing no one, I quietly continue, stepping lightly careful not to make any sound.
Where are you Mina?
A hand grabbed me from behind, tightly covering my mouth and nose, and the other hand grabbing my elbow.
Reflex instantly kicks in as I grabbed the pinky and broke it, hearing a crack and a painful scream behind me, sending a great force in stomping on the foot, bending forward from my waist, shifting my weight forward, turning into the attacker hitting my elbow on its face as I continue counterattacking.
Hold now loosen, using the space to turn fully, facing the attacker, a man twice my size standing in front of me as he step closer to me with my dominant hand, flexing my wrist, aiming at his throat jabbing underneath at his chin, jabbing upward at the throat. Pulling my arm back quickly as his head thrust up, staggering backwards.
Running away from him, an arm reached straight out, grasping my arm, pulling me closer and punching me on my face, dodging the next punches, backing away, establishing enough distance between us, turning the thumb side of my grasped hand toward the gap between the man's thumb and forefinger. In one fluid motion, ripping my hand toward my chest by bending at the elbow.
A gap on the wall caught my attention, meeting Mina's eyes, my mind relieved at the thought that she was safe, oblivious to the man's action as he holds a knife, a quick slash on my shoulder, letting out a hiss of pain as I looked at him, furiously.
Sensing his strike comes in, engaging his arm with a cross-block. Pointing both my thumbs down making it harder for the knife to slip through. Keeping one hand high and one low to surround his elbow. As I push forward, preventing him from retracting the knife, collapsing into him, redirecting the knife outside my body. Wrapping my arm around his tightly, immediately pushing him away, scraping down his arm using my armpit.
Bringing my fist to my chest, locking his arm in the process, applying upward pressure on his wrist as he lets go of the knife, kicking his groin hard causing for him to kneel over in pain, placing both my hands on the man's head, stabilizing it, driving my thumbs deeply, and directly into his eyes.
Backing away, letting out a breath, twisting my hips as I raise my knee, driving my rear leg forward, bringing my standing foot to rotate 180 degrees, straightening my leg, extending my knee and hips, swiftly delivering a roundhouse kick to his head, a thud resonated the room seeing the unconscious man laying on the floor.
Breathing heavy as I stand up, quickly approaching the wall, "Are you okay?" I asked Mina, seeing her nod, letting out a sigh of relief, "Back away." I said, ripping the wall just enough for her to come out.
Reaching my hand as she immediately takes it, pulling her out, engulfing her with a hug as my eyes start to water, letting her go an arm away, eyes scanning at her body for any injuries.
"Are you hurt?" I asked, placing both my hands on her cheeks.
"I'm okay." She answered, voice shaking.
"We have to get out of here." I said, arms over her shoulder. Stopping in our tracks, hearing light steps, quietly placing Mina behind the cabinet, hiding both of us, slowly peeking, three men with guns on their hands entered, eyes looking around, cautious at their surroundings.
Scanning what they're wearing, I notice a logo of a red skull with ominous octopus tentacles springing from it on their left shoulder, a logo I despise the most.
HYDRA.
Looking back at Mina, placing my index finger over my mouth, signaling her to be quiet as she nodded her head.
"Stay here." I mumbled.
Looking back, three men began to search the house, letting out a breath, scouting out the area, two of them went to the opposite way, approaching the man stealthily as his back on me, quickly grabbing hold of his chin from behind with one hand and holding the back of the head with the other and yanking it in a twisting motion; instantly immobilizing him.
Dragging him quietly to the corner as I immediately search his pockets, placing the knives on my boots and gun on the back of my pants, looking around spotting one of the men, quietly stalking behind him, standing up, locking him into headlock, tightening my hold as he squirmed around, seconds later his body becomes limp, unconscious, as I quietly lays him on the floor.
Quickly hiding behind the corner as the last man showered me with rain of bullets, a gasp came out of me, noticing a bullet grazed on my leg, grabbing the knife out, letting out a breath, slowly peeking at the man as he was out of bullets, swiftly throwing out the knife, landing it straight to the center of his forehead.
Bullseye.
Ignoring the pain, walking back towards Mina, "We have to leave now before they send some back up." I said, pulling her up.
"Son of a bitch." I said as I saw our only way of transportation now useless - tires were busted, "We should find a shelter first. Away from here." I said.
"I know a nearby cave, let's go." Mina said, arms over my shoulder.
⚜
Letting out a groan as Mina gently sat me, back leaning at the rock, a sigh escaped me, hearing a cloth ripping caught my attention.
Mina gently removed my jacket, dried blood on my arms, top now coated with my blood, wrapping the cloth on my arms, grunting at the pain.
A hiss came out of me as Mina wrapped my leg, "I'm sorry." She said, tears dripping to my pants.
Adjusting my position, leaning to her, gently gripping her chin, "Look at me." I said as she obliged, "I would do anything just to keep you safe. I promised our mother to keep you safe and I intend to do it." I added, looking directly at her.
Engulfing me with a hug, wetting my shoulder in the process, her sobs echoed inside the cave, hugging her back and patting her head.
Her head lay on my uninjured leg, looking down, wiping her tear-stained cheeks, gently brushing her hair, removing some out on her face, scanning her body again for any injuries, noticing a cut on her lips, cheeks, and neck.
Exhaling a breath, calming myself as anger slowly rises within me.
How dare they hurt Mina!
Frozen at my spot hearing a faint step, I quickly but quietly woke up Mina, "What's wr-" putting my hand over her mouth, placing my finger over my lips, realizing what I meant she nodded, fear danced in her eyes, gently tapping her cheek, offering her a smile.
Hiding behind the big rock, listening to the sound of the footsteps, looking across to where Mina hides, our eyes meet, different emotions swirled in her brown doe eyes - fear and worry, more prominently.
Holding the gun firmly on my chest as the footsteps near, "Negative, Sir. Target is not here." A deep voice said, furrowing my eyebrows as I continued to listen, hearing his retreating steps, I peeked my head, his back facing me, approaching him silently, covering his mouth with hand, grabbing his earpiece, smashing it to the ground.
"Make a noise, I'll blow your head off." I said sternly.
Tying his hands behind him and feet, sitting on the ground, approaching him, kneeling in front of him.
"What do HYDRA want from her?" I asked, a smirk placed on his lips.
"Answer or I'll wipe that smirk out of your face." I said, venom laced on my voice.
"Hail HYDRA." He replied as foam emerged from his mouth.
Looking at his dead body, eyes shutting hard, my hands quickly grabbed the gun, pointing it towards the noise, fingers on the trigger ready to fire.
"It's me, Zuki." Uncle Nick said, hands both raising up, letting out a sigh of relief, putting the gun down.
"You're three hours, six minutes, and thirty seconds late, uncle." I said as Mina emerged from where she hides.