I've never
fallen from quite
this high.
I placed a hand over the doorknob and sucked in a breath, before turning it and pushing the door open slowly. I sneaked inside, crouching behind the shelves and crates, slowly making my way to where the voices came from.
As soon as I got close enough, I stood up and opened fire, taking down two of the Konnis while Soap took down the third one. The hostages stumbled on the ground and looked at us in fear, "Special Forces." I told them with a firm tone and turned to John, "Get them to safety." Two soldiers from SFO stepped forward and helped the hostages out of the place.
I approached Soap who was now crouching behind a wall next to the garage door, I had to take over the controls for him, "This is 7-1, We're at the crossover now, Watcher." He reported through comms, waiting for Laswell's signal to move forward.
"That's Makarov's last known position. Six, stay sharp."
I took deep and long breaths, trying to calm my nerves down. Was this finally going to be the end of all?
"Let's ready up - Makarov may be behind these doors." John stated as he changed mags to his weapon. I turned my attention on the controls and pressed the green button, activating the garage door. "Moving."
Once we could step through it, I opened fire to the Konni surveying the tunnels, a whole battlefield exploding down here. I hid behind some sacks to change the mag of my rifle, John and Soap crouched down on the other side, firing at every threat.
"Push forward!"
I stood up from my hiding spot and was about to cross the binary when a voice called out to me, "Watch out!" I immediately froze, a train passed by in full speed, centering right three Konnis that were about to push us.
I stumbled backwards, falling on the ground as the strong wind made me loose balance. My heart was racing a marathon, my hands were trembling violently. I had just escaped death.
Soap ran to me and kneeled in front of me, placing a hand over my shoulder to check on me, "You good?!" He looked panicked, his eyes were slightly wide and he was panting. I licked my lips and inhaled sharply, "Always."
With his help, I rose to my feet and proceeded to push with them. It was fucking hell, Konnis left and came continuously, they were so damn infinite.
The further we went, the more it was filled with enemies and turrets, it almost seemed like we wouldn't make it in time. Fire. Crouch down. Charge. Fire. Crouch down. Charge.
An endless cycle of it, I was starting to feel exhausted, we still had a long way to go and I was hoping that more backup was coming with us.
"Makarov has to be close!" John exclaimed through the comms, making all my exhaustion fade away and rising my hopes. We moved ahead, I was covering their backs while they cleared the path together with the SFO.
As I assured myself that no one was there, I took advantage of it and decided to change mags. Yet, destiny made sure to let me know that it always stood against me.
Suddenly, a strong arm grabbed me from behind and someone placed one hand on my mouth, to muffle my noises. "Easy easy, we just want to have a talk with you." A thick Russian accent was laced in his voice. I tried to fight back, but it was useless, he was way too stronger than me.
The man dragged me with him, kicking away my weapon and comms. "Let me go!" came out muffled, as we got far from the tunnel I could see my team fighting with the Konnis, struggling to take them down and go on.
They haven't noticed anything.
I was thrown on the ground harshly, he grabbed my hands and forced them together behind my back, before restraining them with a tight harness band around my wrists. I could feel the plastic digging into my skin, the realization making a sudden pressure knock out the air from my lungs, my heart beat loud in my ears, my chest tightening up.
No, please. Not again. Please.
The sudden memory of being restrained and helpless crashed on me, "Fucking cunt! Free me! Fuck you!" I screamed out loud, desperately buckling on the ground as my breaths came short and quick. "Not yet, someone needs to see you." I couldn't comprehend his words well, I was panicking, nearing a breakdown.
He forced me on my feet and grasped my arm tightly, dragging me with him through the dark hallways. My stomach twisted into knots, pulling continuously, my chest ached, I felt lightheaded all of a sudden. I'll be strong, I'll be a good girl. I am not weak.
I am not weak. I am strong.
The man pushed a door open and threw me on the ground, I fell on my knees and almost collapsed. My body felt numb, my head was spinning, I couldn't connect anything to the reality. I coughed desperately, trying to suck in precious air for my lungs. I'll be good, please, just let me out.
"You haven't changed at all." That voice. That fucking voice. The only thing I could recognize in that moment.
My head shot in his direction, tears were blurring my sight, "You motherfucker!" I shouted, my voice breaking. I clenched my jaw as I tried to inhale deeply.
Jonathan's deep laughter filled the whole room, the realization that I had him right here crashed on me. I couldn't do anything, I didn't have anything on me to hurt him, to fight him. My chest was pumping miles per seconds, I was confused, panicked, angered.
"Still the weak and useless little child. Am I right, Meridia?" He walked towards me with slow steps, a disgusting grin plastered on his face. "Fuck you! You're a sick bastard!" I retorted harshly through gritted teeth, my hands tightening into fists. I could feel the plastic dig further into my skin, almost ripping it apart.
He couldn't play with my past anymore, I was so sick of it, because like an idiot I still would break down from it. He wounded me in the worst way possible and left it open and aching for all these years. He was the damn cause of my suffering, he was the demon living in my head. He was the one who brought away my happiness.
A blow sent my head flying to the side, I could feel my nose ache and a warm liquid drip down my lips and chin. "Shut your fucking mouth, you don't talk to your father like that." He growled, flexing his hand in and out. I could feel myself falling apart again, my dark past resurfacing and eating me up.
I felt like oxygen was missing in the room, my chest rose and fell quickly as I tried to fill my lungs with precious air, broken sobs escaping me. "Look at you, you've never changed." He stared down at me, giving me the most pitiful expression ever. His dark irises bore into mine, he was filled with hatred and disgust, "And I'm going to teach you again how to be strong. Just like me." He kneeled down at my level, cupping my cheeks and wiping away a tear with his thumb.
My body trembled harshly, I wanted to pull away from him badly but I felt frozen, unable to do anything. I was choking on my own sobs, desperately trying to suck in air before I could collapse right there in front of him.
His voice came out gentler, softer, a tone that I've never heard coming out from him. "Makarov will protect us." A mischievous grin formed on his face before giving strong pats on my cheeks, almost like slaps, trying to get me back sober.
I didn't want to go with him. I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life with this bastard.
He grabbed my arm and forced me on my feet, dragging me with him towards an exit. I stumbled on my steps, my sobs echoed in the corridors. "It's fucking time already, what took you so long?" I could barely recognize Makarov's voice from afar, calling out to my father.
"Sorry, she was having a moment." A chuckle came out from Jonathan, before Makarov opened a door and some familiar voices reached my ears.
A loud bang echoed in the air, "Soap!" John shouted, another bang echoing.
"Stand back- they're mine." Makarov ordered his men, while Jonathan pulled me with him on the binaries. I watched as the scene unfolded right in front of me, my vision slightly blurred by the tears.
My chest burned at the sight of my own teammates getting shot by that fucker, I wanted to reach for them, to help them, but I was completely useless. Always been. Jonathan was busy giving out orders to a few men, and I took it as an opportunity to do something.
"Take this to hell with you, Captain. Never bury your enemies alive." Soap arose from the ground and stabbed Makarov in the shoulder. "Fuck!" I shouted, gathering my courage, and ran towards them before it was too late.
Makarov twisted Soap's arm and kicked John in the head, making him stumble backwards. It felt like time had slowed down, I was dragging my feet on the ground, desperately reaching out to Soap.
I pushed his body away with mine, making him fall onto the ground while Makarov pointed his gun at me, without hesitation, and pulled the trigger. A choked yelp escaped me as I fell on my knees violently, lowering my gaze to my abdomen.
"No! Scylla!"
Blood was expanding all over my shirt, the bullet hit me right in the abdomen. The adrenaline delayed the pain but as soon as I realized, the crucial moment crashed on me. Everything burned, even my organs, it felt so hard to breathe. I gritted my teeth tightly, my body collided with the ground with a loud thud and a wave of pain hit me all over, making me gasp and cry in agony.
"Scylla!" Ghost's deep voice called out to me, but soon the Konni opened fire at us. I was laying on the ground, trying to keep my eyes open as blood gushed out from the bullet wound.
Bullets were flying everywhere, I couldn't understand a thing anymore.
"He's on the move!" Someone yelled and before they could chase Makarov, a train passed in full speed, centering the him and his men.
After a few minutes, the chaos calmed down. There was a constant ringing in my ear, accompanied by the sound of my heart beat.
"Meridia, fuck!" Everything was blurry, the voices were unrecognizable.
"Captain- the bomb, how do we stop it?"
"Meridia, stay with me. Fuckin' hell." A rough hand pressed down on my wound, making me cough out blood and scream in agony.
"I know, sweet girl, I know." His whispers soothed me, soon, I was cradled into his arms safely, his warmth making me want to close my eyes and take a rest.
"No, Meridia. Keep your eyes open, stay awake. Do not fall asleep, that's a fucking order."
"Alright, find the red wire. Red only. Soap said we cut together on three. Copy?"
Soap, I took a bullet for him. Didn't I?
Is he going to be okay?
"1..
2...
3!"
"Disarmed.. Disarmed! We're clear."
But where did Jonathan go?
"Soap! Are you good? Fuck, we need Medevac as soon as possible."
"Meridia, keep your eyes open."
Everything is just so confusing. Why is it so dark in here?
"Fucking save her first! She's about to die, I just got shot in the arm!"
It's okay. I'm broken anyway, it's better like this.