Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 1 - Abrupt Awakenings

2012

The sound of screaming was like music to her ears, and she couldn't help the satisfied smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips at the sight of people running for their lives. Some of them even tripped over themselves in their haste to get away, but she paid no attention to them. They didn't matter. The only person who did matter, the only person she had eyes for, was the man in front of her.

He was crawling away from her on his elbows, and his fearful eyes kept darting back to her over his shoulder as if doing so would prevent her from reaching him. His once sleek navy suit was now dirty and torn, and his brown hair stood on end. The gunshot wound in his thigh was still oozing blood, leaving a trail of dark red blood for anyone to follow.

"Please. I have a family. I can pay you. Whatever you want. Please." His eyes shone with fear as he pleaded for his life. It was a desperate attempt, trying to reach her humanity by mentioning his family, but what other choice did he have?

It was to no avail, however. The girl, his pursuer, couldn't be swayed by a simple sob story, or even all the money in the world to abandon her mission. Her employers would never allow it, and they had total control over her.

In this line of work, she was known as Topaz. Did she have a real name? Yes, or at least she used to. Did it matter? No. In the end, the only thing that mattered was her success rate at missions, and it was high. There had been only one time where she had disappointed them, and the consequences had been dire.

So, she never let them down again.

Her missions were usually quick and quiet ones, allowing her to remain in the shadows. However, not from a distance, as most assassins did. No, her specialty was to eliminate the targets up close. To watch the life drain out of their eyes. Feel how their bodies went limp as their heartbeat slowed down to zero.

But today, her mission was not meant to be kept in the shadows. HYDRA wished to make a spectacle out of this man's death, so that was what they would get.

The big plaza was in the middle of a big city in northeastern Europe, creating the perfect scene for what her employers wanted. With the eyes of the world upon her, causing this man's death would create the disruption they were after.

The man in question, the Norwegian Secretary of State, had been filing a motion that would simplify international cooperation. In turn, that would make it easier for countries to help each other in times of need, both in war and in economics. It would strengthen the bonds between the borders, making for a more peaceful world.

But HYDRA couldn't have that. In order for the world to fall into chaos, it needed to be unstable. People needed to be desperate. And the motion would have the opposite effect of what they wanted. So instead, this man's death would serve as a warning to anyone who dared to think among the same lines as he did.

Topaz had been walking just a few paces behind the man, just far enough so that if he managed to get back on his feet, he would believe he still had a chance to escape. It was all a part of the game. Fueling the victim's hope just enough so they kept fighting, only to extinguish it at exactly the right moment.

In response to his pathetic begging, she quickly closed the distance between them and crouched down in front of him. As she was now in his way, he was forced to stop. He gulped hard, with his eyes fixed on the ground as he was too frightened to look her in the eyes. Like a mantra, the man continued to mumble about his family, as if they would be his savior. But unlike before, he was now too distraught to be able to form complete sentences.