Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 75 - I Don't Recognize You Anymore

1 year later

"P- Please. You d- don't wanna do this." The woman's voice quivered helplessly, feeling the fear seep out of her pores.

Keira, on the other hand, just shook her head slowly. The wicked grin on her lips widened as she tightened her grip around the woman's neck. She could practically feel the woman's pulse beating against her fingertips. "Oh, but I do. I really do."

It had been years since Keira had seen Alexandra Krieger in the flesh, and now, when she had finally tracked her down, she had no intentions of letting her go.

Alexandra's hazel eyes were wide in fear as she helplessly clawed at Keira's hand in a desperate attempt to get the mutant to release her. But her feet were dangling above the ground and thanks to the pressure on her throat, oxygen was becoming harder and harder to come by. "This i- isn't you, K- Keira. Topaz might've been a m- mindless killing machine, b- but you... you never were." Black spots were dancing across her field of vision, and she didn't know how much longer she would be able to remain conscious.

At the mention of her name, Keira's grip slackened just enough to let the scientist slide down the wall to stand on her tiptoes rather than dangle in the air.

Her eyes averted from Alexandra's face to the floor for just a moment. The ground was smooth as ice, crystal covering every inch of it.

Just like everything around them. Everything from the smallest speck of dust to the five henchmen that had been guarding the scientist.

And now, they would be frozen in time indefinitely.

Dragging her gaze back to the terrified woman in front of her, Keira tilted her head to the side. "Is that fear I see, Alexandra? Are you frightened?" Lifting her free hand, she let her finger trace Alexandra's cheekbone. Just like the scientist used to taunt the mutant, all those years ago. "You're right in one thing though." For just a second, she saw the hope flame into life behind those hazel eyes, but it was quickly extinguished by her next words.

"Keira might not have been a mindless killing machine, but she died the very moment the love of her life disappeared from this world. And while Topaz is a ghost buried in the past, Viceroy is just as vicious. The perfect assassin, just like you raised Topaz to be." She cooed innocently, smirking at the frightened expression on Alexandra's face. "So... Any suggestions on how I should kill you?"

It was an odd sensation. Even with half of its population gone, the world kept on spinning.

Ever since the day Keira left the compound, she felt lost. Which was probably why she had fallen back to her roots. Because when you're unsure or astray, you fall back to the things you do know.

The darkness that had been carefully kindled by HYDRA ever since she was a little girl, welcomed her back with open arms.

And she lost herself in. No, she reveled in it. Because if she was being honest with herself, there was a part of her, a small part, but a part nevertheless, that enjoyed the power she felt when she held a life at her fingertips.

Something she had kept deeply hidden inside of herself, behind lock and key, had finally gotten a chance to breathe the air at the surface. And it would not be dragged to the bottom of the sea again without a fight.

But she had made a promise to herself.

Topaz would never see the light of day again. That part of her life was over. She didn't want to be associated with HYDRA ever again. The organization had done enough damage to the world with her help, and she would not let it continue.