The first thing Sara could sense was pain, a mind-blowing headache. Her ears where ringing and she couldn't hear anything because of it. Trying to figure out where she was, Sara slowly opened her eyes only to be blinded by the light a second later. After her eyes had become accustomed to the light, finally her other senses began to wake up too.
A strong smell of disinfectant invaded her nostrils making her realize she was in a hospital. Confusion filled her body.
Why was she in a hospital?
That was the first thought her brain could form. Trying to touch her face, as pure instinct, she raised her left hand, only to find it attached to a handcuff to the hospital gurney, which she was lying on. She then looked to her right, finding her right hand handcuffed to the gurney. Turning her head back to her left hand she saw a hypodermic needle in it.
This type of needle is usually used for medical purposes, like administering medications or drawing blood. In addition, she was just wearing a white – well, it was white. Now it's more of a red and brown strained tank-top, thanks to the blood and dirt-- that she was wearing before under the leather jacket and a pair of black jogging pans. Now, her mind was racing, trying to recall what happened.
After another handful of minutes, the events of what had happened before she lost consciousness finally came rushing back to her.
Kremlin. Empty file. Frequency interception. Bomb. Ethan.
The last thought made her body go in panic-mode. As fast as her body allowed her to, she turned her head in every direction possible, trying to find her dad. When her eyes settled on another gurney on her left not too far from her, her body relaxed, having finally found her dad. As her, he was also handcuffed to the gurney he was laying on. He had a blanket covering his lower half, and on his upper body where originally was a white T-short was now his bare chest.
Stretching her head as far as she could, Sara tried to see if her father was awake, or as she was a few minutes ago, unconscious. Finding him with his eyes open, she tried to draw her father's attention to herself, without drawing the attention of anybody else in the hospital, not knowing if she could trust anyone.
The only thing she could think of at that moment to get her father's attention was to call him. Not a very smart move considering whoever blew up the Kremlin might have sent his men to kill them.
"Dad?" no reaction.
"Dad?" she whispered a bit louder. Again, no reaction.
"Dad!". After the third time he finally heard her, making his head whip around to her direction. When their eyes locked his face was filled with relief, concern and confusion. Relief because she was right there alive and breathing. Concern because her face was partly covered in dried blood and her hair was a bit matted and dirty because of the blood and dirt. And confusion, because like her, he didn't know how they got in the hospital. To ease his nerves a bit Sara mouthed a quick 'Don't worry, I'm okey.' to Ethan.
After the duo made sure that both were okay, in the background they were able to hear the TV, where they were broadcasting the news. It took Sara a while to figure out what they were saying, as she was still a little stunned, but as soon as she focused, she managed just fine. "Official are blaming a gas main explosion underneath the Kremlin, that set off a chain reaction-" both of them had all of their focus on the Tv and the news now, trying to figure out if the news knew who set of the bomb. "-It's yet not clear what section of the Kremlin was affected-" pictures where showed, pictures of injured people and the damage that the bomb caused.
Sara felt a tad guilty, knowing that if she had figured out what was happening sooner, she could have prevented this. But then she reminded herself that what happened was uninventable, seeing as nor she nor her team knew that Cobalt had a suitcase with a bomb inside of it. "- but sources at the site say there is a massive crater in the northern corner of the ground. Officials have assured the public that the gas is no way toxic..." Before the news reporter could continue, Sara was distracted by a man who stood at the head of her father's bed.
The man was clearly Russian, not only because he had a Russian accent as soon as he started speaking, but also because of the facial features he had. He had very short black hair, a long face, and a pretty pissed-off expression. "Our media is no more truthful than yours, American. But we both know that the real cause of the explosion was you. You and you're little sidekick." To prove his point, he pulls Ethan's jacket out of nowhere, turning it from the inside out.
In that moment Sara understood two things. First, whoever sent this man clearly misled people, because while he thought Sara and Ethan set off the bomb, it was actually Cobalt. But apparently, he didn't know that, and just telling him 'Hey man, look, you've got the wrong person. Whoever detonated the bomb is already gone.' wasn't the best idea.
The Russian turned on a recorder and brought it closer to Ethan's face, starting so the recording. " 'Awaiting your go-sign, Team Leader. Standing by to detonate.' The worst part for you, "Team Leader," is I am the man assigned to make you suffer for it. For what you did to my country." And second, if they don't find a way to get out of the handcuffs and find a way out of the hospital, they'll be dead in 10 minutes at the least.
When he had finished his speech, he took a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. Meanwhile, Ethan looked at him impassive, emotionless. The Russian didn't even have time to take out his lighter, because one of the nurses who was passing by noticed him and pulled it out of his mouth without thinking twice. Then she told him "Это больница, а не ночной клуб" (This is a hospital, not a night club).
Placing some documents on Ethan's bed that were held together by a paper clip, she calls two nurses "Миша, помоги мне здесь. Аня, возьми и девочку, мы их везём в одну комнату" (Misha, help me here. Anya, take the girl too, we're bringing them in the same room) The other nurse, Anya, placed the documents that she was carrying in her hands on Sara's bed, before she went to the head side of the bed and started pushing it, following behind Misha. As soon as those papers were placed near her hand, she took off one of the paper clips that were holding the papers together, and then hid it into the palm of her hand.
As they left, Sara looked back to the Russian, finding him staring at her intensely, but followed them anyway.
When they reached their destination they putted Sara's bed next to his. When the nurse went to leave Ethan's bed, all the papers fell on the floor because of the missing paper clip. As they looked ahead they saw that another man joined the Russian and decided to listen what they had to say. Sadly though there was a problem, the chaos around them was too loud for Ethan to hear something, so while Sara was still able to understand – even though she was having problems herself— Ethan had to read their lips "Врачи говорят, что им повезло, что они остались живы" (The doctors say they're lucky to be alive)
"Лишь легкое сотрясение мозга" (Only a mild concussion)
"мне наплевать на их здоровье" (I don't give a damn about their health)
"У меня есть вопросы, на которые нужно ответить" (I have questions that need answering).
Heaving heard enough Ethan looks at his daughter making her do the same. "We have to get out of here. I'm going to free myself from these handcuffs and then imma open yours okey?" "No need, I stole a paper clip myself" stunned Ethan observed her as she opened a handcuff after the other as is it was noting. Once done Sara took out the needle from her hand and looked towards her dad.
Seeing the stunned look on his face he urged him to move "Sbrigati, altrimenti tra 10 min saremmo fritti" (Hurry, otherwise we'd be toast in 10 minutes) turning back to reality he quickly and expertly took off the handcuffs and took out the needle form his hand. Then they got up from their beds and went to the only exit they could use without getting caught: The window.
And they noticed only now how they where barefoot, which honestly wasn't that great, considering they had to walk or run soon. Sara went out first, stepping on the windowsill that was only about 15 cm wide after her went Ethan. Meanwhile, inside the two Russian man where still having their conversation, unaware that the father – daughter duo was already on the run.
After that someone bumped into him making him shout "Будь осторожен" (Be careful), he turned back to his partner "Подготовьте транспорт" (Prepare a transport). When he turned around to check that the two where still handcuffed to the bed and they were gone, he hastily went into the room "Проверьте там" (Check over there) he ordered to his partner. Following his instructions, he went to check on the nearby room.
As he quickly inspected the beds, he noticed the broken handcuffs, making him push aside the curtain and running towards the already open window. Leaning outside the window he looks too the left first, not seeing them he looked to the right. And as suspected there they were. Standing on the small windowsill was Ethan, you could hardly see Sara because Ethan's body was almost covering her smaller figure.
Seriously interested in how those two wanted to get down from there without killing each other, since they were on the second floor, he leaned his elbows on the windowsill. Looking down he noticed a dumpster exactly under them. Already understanding what they wanted to do he just observed them wanting to see if they really were going to jump or not.
Ethan, now regretting his choice, gave a quick glance to his daughter, then he looked to the Russian. He had another cigarette in his hand, and mockingly gestured to the dumpster clearly saying: go on, nobody is going to stop you. Clenching his jaw, he tried to think rationally.
Breathing a bit faster than normal because of the adrenaline Sara looks around the corner to see if there was another way down maybe. Unfortunately, there was none, so she tuned her head back to Ethan and shook it slightly. They were both looking for another way down from the second floor, because their original idea wasn't very effective anymore. And it looks like the Russian understood it too, since he said those exact words after he tuned on his cigarette. "Not a good idea." "It seemed like one a minute ago." Ethan admitted, defeated.
Resigned, Ethan -- after the Russian beckoned him to go back to the window, with another mocking gesture -- he moved, followed by his daughter, both careful not to fall. As they slowly walked back to the window, they were distracted by a noise not far from them. Both turned their heads towards the noise, revealing it to be the engine of a silver van. Thinking quickly, Sara came up with an idea, pointing at her father's belt and the cable above their heads, she tried to make him understand the plan she had in mind. Fortunately, after a moment of reflection, Ethan understood his daughter's plan. As Ethan was taking his belt off his pants, the silver van was about to pass underneath them.
Finally done staking his belt off, he only said two words "Tieniti forte." (hold on tight). Holding on to his neck with her arms and with her legs his waist, Ethan jumped using his belt to slide down the cable. When they were in the right position Ethan let go of the belt and quickly turned around so that his back was towards the van and Sara was on his chest, preventing her getting hurt, or at least less then she would have been if the roles where reversed.
Landing roughly and painfully on the roof of the van, they slid down from the roof of it doing a flip in mid-air and finally landing even more painfully and roughly then before. The van on which they landed on severed and hit the sidewalk, making the driver shout furiously at the duo on the ground. Dazed and in disbelieve that they made it out alive, Sara slowly loosened her grip on her dad and sat on the ground. Worriedly Ethan did a quick scan with his eyes searching for any new injures that the fall could have caused.
Looking back up where the Russian was still watching them they saw the disbelieve and shock on his face. Remembering his task, the Russian took out a gun from his pant-pocket aiming it at both of them, but before he had the chance to shoot, Ethan already dragged Sara around the corner making them wannish from his sight. Immediately after they disappeared, the Russian made his way out of the hospital as fast as he could, contacting other agents "Всем агентам! Горячие цели движутся на запад!" (All agents! Hot targets are heading west!)
After a few minutes of running, they slowed down to a walk, making them look less suspicious. As they passed a hanging clothes rack, Ethan stole a fake black leather jacket and a grey pullover, together with a washing cloth. He passed the grey pullover to his daughter and put on the black leather jacket, also pulling the hood over his head that was attached to the jacket. Sara following his actions also pulled the hood over her head. Passing a small flea market on the side of the road, Ethan used ambulances passing by as a distraction to steal two pairs of shoes without the lady selling them noticing.
While he was at it, once he passed a bar with tables at the open he also stole a flip-phone that was laying on one of the tables. Sara always on his side. Once they entered a side alley Ethan called a back- up number from the IMF. While Ethann talked Sara listened intently.
"Consolidated Insurance. How may I help you?"
"SAT 20. Agent 82- Delta-Echo and Agent 84- Omega- Echo requesting immediate evac. Rendezvous Alpha 113."
"Confirmed. Alpha 113."
Once done with the call Ethan threw the phone down a pipe. He then took out the cloth wetting it in a nearby clean puddle before turning around and face Sara. He gently took her chin in between his hand and began to softly clean the dried blood that was still on her face. From time to time, while Ethan was cleaning her face, the wound stung, making her flinch a bit. "How are you feeling?" he asked with a softness in his voice that was only reserved for his daughter. "I'm okey, I think. I mean besides the wound on my face and a few bruises on my body I should consider myself lucky shouldn't I? Other people weren't as lucky as us." Sara replied. "How are you feeling dad? I mean you took a really bad hit twice. The first time when you covered me from the explosion and the second time an hour ago or something. And don't lie, I can see right through your lies, and you know it." Ethan let out a small chuckle before answering. "I'm fine. There are just going to be a few bad bruises. But other than that, I swear to you I'm fine."
She smiled to him, her first real smile since the incident in the Kremlin. He smiled back taking the cloth away from her face and throwing it in a nearby trash-bin. After that the duo spend the next few hours walking around aimlessly waiting for the extraction they asked for.
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SURPIRISEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Here u go guys, a brand new chapter just for you. And guess what i'm already working on the next one. So u guys jut hve to love me hihi.
as usual PLS COMMENT AND VOTE I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. SO FEEL FREE TO COMMENT
anyway. i'll see you again on the next chapter. 'til then byeeeeeeee