It's the selection day.
Us widows, we have to assemble and the General will pick two, maybe three of us that are capable of completing the mission.
The door of my shared room opened with a loud bang. It's time to wake up, but I've been awake for way too long already.
I hear the clicking of the handcuffs, which I'm tied to the bed with. I got out of the bed, and the handcuffs got reconnected behind my back, just so I couldn't do anything stupid.
They took us to the washrooms, like every morning. We'd have time to shower, wash our faces, etc. We attend these rooms group-wise. Roommates go together.
We're always the first ones to go, since we're the highest achieving group of the academy. It's hierarchical.
They shut the doors loudly and pushed us into the room. I decided to not take a shower, since it'll get nasty today anyway. Why?
I'm the highest achieving widow right now, PLUS I'm General Dreykov's and Madame B's favorite. I'm most likely to get picked.
I washed my face and stepped back to wait at the door again. I really wanted this day to get over with. I want to make this end, finally.
When everyone was ready, the doors opened and the air conditioning turned on, so the condensation inside of the room could vanish. I got handcuffed again and escorted to my room.
"Put on your uniforms. If you get picked, you'll leave on instant." A security guard spoke as he locked the door.
We did as he said. We can do nothing else than obey. It's our life. Obey. Kill.
We got ready and braided our hair. It's a no-go to attend a selection without a braid. It could get into your way whilst ending someone's life.
What also gets in the way are..periods.
Sounds odd, but it's reality. That's why they take our reproductive organs. They give us a so-called involuntary hysterectomy.
That basically means, that I can't have kids. Or periods. I don't have a uterus at all. It's just the way it is. I can't do anything about it.
I braided my hair into two dutch braids, that I tied together in the back. It looks nice and no hair ever can get in your face.
...
"Alyona Jalena Belova, please step forward." The voice echoed through my head.
I did as ordered and kept a straight posture. The General looked me up and down before saying something silently to an employee.
"She'll go."
I stood still and carefully observed the scenery. The General skimmed over a list, as far as I could tell. I made sure not to seem suspicious as I watched him.
"Yelena Fyodorovna Belova. Step forward." He commanded.
I heard her step next to me. We didn't share a look, we just stood still.
"She'll go too."
He seemed to be done with the selection. He handed the list to the same employee and smirked as he turned around to be escorted.
Oh, the way he disgusts me is unreal.
I felt the tension exit the room as the General did. It's mad how much control he has. But he doesn't achieve that control with respect, but with fear.
"The widows that haven't been selected, attend your rooms." Madame B. Ordered, using the speakers.
That voice makes a cold shiver run down our spines.
Yelena and I just stood there in silence and waited for a command.
"You'll leave in ten minutes. The weapons are ready. Don't waste any time." Madame B. mentioned as she entered the room.
"What if we fail?" I asked silently. I shifted nervously as the feared woman stepped closer.
"What was that, Alyona?" She asked, leaning closer and lifting an eyebrow.
"I said, what if we fail?" I repeated, my breathing getting heavier.
"You, Alyona Belova, never fail." She said bluntly. She turned to yelena and said "follow whatever your sister tells you."
"Yes madame. I will." I heard Yelena say. That's the first time I've ever heard her say something.
"But if you do fail.." she said coldly. "There's something waiting for you, that's worse than
The graduation ceremony." She spoke maniacally.
"We won't disappoint, Madame." I spoke quickly, not wanting to disobey her.
"Good. Good girls." She said proudly. She left the room with two security guards on her side.
There was silence between Yelena and I. I don't know if it's because we have so much to say, or because we're lacking the right words.
"Come. We have to leave." I spoke up, looking at Yelena.
I was taken aback by her. I scanned her facial features and saw the exact similarity. She looks like me. And I look like her.
"Whatever you say." She dryly said, turning to me and whispering "sister.".
She patted my shoulder and lead the way to the jet. Just as she opened the door, i could catch up to reality again, and move my legs to pace behind her.
We slendered along the long hallways that are decorated with red lights. I've gotten used to the color and atmosphere, it doesn't bother me anymore.
When we reached the door that allows us to get outside, security guards were already waiting outside.
I felt a sting, followed by a burning feeling on my neck and i fell to the side. My body went numb, and a second later, i also got unconscious.
...
It was a matter of seconds for me to regain my consciousness. I opened my eyes rapidly and sat up on instant.
I looked around and noticed, that I'm inside of a vehicle. A moving vehicle. I figured that it could only be the jet, since I've seen the sky peek through the windows.
I was positioned on a stretcher, on the floor of the jet. Next to me laid Yelena, still asleep. I contemplated if I should wake her up, but in the end, I didn't.
The flight felt like an eternity. I know that if i tried to get up and look where we are, they would notice it and put me back to sleep.
I just acted like I'm asleep. I listened to the conversation the pilot had with the co-pilot.
"Did you know that these two widows are the best achieving?" He threw into the conversation.
"Yes. Considered as the 'new Natasha Romanoff', I overheard." The co-pilot answered.
"They could kill us right now if we aren't careful." I heard the pilot say.
"They won't. Others didn't. Plus, both of them are asleep..as it appears." The co-pilot once again mumbled.
...
"Only five minutes left." The pilot said tiredly as i felt the jet loose altitude slowly. "Wake them up, would you?" He asked.
"Of course, captain." The co-pilot answered.
I heard the co-pilot step to the back of the jet. Before he could out his hands on me, I opened my eyes rapidly, avoiding any contact with him.
"Damn." I heard him mutter under his breath as he turned to Yelena. He tapped her shoulder gently and i could see that she woke up.
"Prepare yourself to get off." He mumbled as he stood up and turned around to get back to his seat.
I rolled over, so I'd be on all fours to stand up. I kneeled and looked at Yelena. She was visibly still confused with the situation we're in.
"Yelena, we're on a mission." I reassuringly whispered in her way. She lifted her head and met my eyes.
I nodded at her before getting up. I stepped up to the small built-in desk of the jet, to grab widow bites, a dagger, a taser, pain medication, earpieces to communicate with Yelena and lastly, a pistol.
I fastened everything to my belt, except the gun, I put in my holster on my outer thigh. My eyes caught a sniper that's laying on the desk too.
"Do we need the sniper too?" I asked the pilot and his co-pilot. They both looked back at me and nodded.
I grabbed some different kinds of ammo. Enough for the sniper and my pistol. I also made sure that the intercom on my wrist is connected with the Red Room base.
"Yelena. Get up and grab your stuff." I demanded, looking down at her. She let out a sigh and nodded.
I held out the other earpiece to her. We'd need it to communicate, as mentioned. She accepted it and put it in her ear.
I watched her prepare her belt. She did it with care and didn't forget anything.
The both of us waited for a signal. We already snap hooked the ropes to our uniform, which we'll use to rappel onto the buildings. We'd have immediate high ground that way.
The doors of the jet opened and we instantly got blinded by the bright Morrocan sun. It took my eyes a couple of seconds to get used to the sudden overflow of light.
We're ready.