[ COMPLETED ]
BOOK 2 of the ORPHIC series
MONACHOPSIS
/ˈmənˌāˌkōpˌsis/
the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.
~~~~~
Lucille "Lucy" Opal Baker might be the unluckiest person...
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"If speaking is silver, than listening is gold."
Washington D.C., United States June, 2014
THE WEAPON CROUCHED IN FRONT of the Asset, elbow leaning against her knee, palm pressed against her cheek as she tilted her head. Her eyes flicked over the vehicles rushing past with disinterest. A pistol tilted back and forth in her hand, hanging from her finger. She ran her tongue along her teeth as wind whipped in her face. Her hair was too short for it to move in her face, but the Asset's hair was not. She remembered a time the Asset had cut his hair off with a blade; she remembered he'd been punished for daring to change the way HYDRA had kept him. He was not allowed to make modifications to himself. Because all of the Asset belonged to HYDRA. And all of the Weapon belonged to HYDRA too—or, well, Sasha now, she supposed.
The Asset shifted his stance, metal plates in his arm clicking as his body filled with anticipation. He recognized the target's car, just as quickly as the Weapon did. She felt adrenaline pump through her veins, teeth clamping together, gritting. She needed to be successful. It was necessary. It was what Sasha wanted.
They'd left the home early in the morning, transferred with a team of Soviet HYDRA agents who regarded the two weapons with respect—the Russians were better. The Asset was the mission handler for the Soviet team because their status was insignificant. The Weapon did not care that the Asset was appointed leadership; the Asset was always better than the Weapon because he was not insubordinate.
He was good.
The Weapon stood swiftly to her feet, balancing on the roof of their military vehicle, abilities activating. Her fingers tangled with white wisps, then black tendrils, which burst in the air with a sharp snap. A malicious gleam flicked between her eyes as the tendrils traveled up her arms, nearly translucent. The Asset stepped around her as the vehicle changed lanes. He clicked his tongue twice and the Weapon clicked her tongue back.
Everything burst into action within a single second.
The Asset lunged and slammed into the car, moving to all fours as he shattered the window with his metal arm, throwing a man in a suit out of the car. The Weapon's eyes trailed after the person who then turned into a cadaver as a yellow truck crushed his sarcophagus. She snapped her eyes back to the Asset as he shot into the vehicle with a Glock. The target's vehicle suddenly came to a screeching halt.
The Asset was thrown off the vehicle, flipping as he landed on the road. He slid against the pavement, half crouched. He stared at the targets, before the Weapon and the Asset's vehicle slammed right into the flimsy car. The Asset flipped on top of the car, flattening the roof with his weight. Then he reached through the windshield and tore the steering wheel out, tossing it in the
