WILD CHILD │ barnes ¹

eight

𝐀 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟰

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Evgenia and her father were moved to a new base shortly after their successful mission in December 1991. She did not know where they were going and she did not ask. But judging from the seemingly endless hours trapped on the plane, they were far away from the Siberian facility. She decided she hated this facility when the agents separated

'The Asset has failed his mission.'

Those were the words that caused a sinking feeling in her stomach and they were the ones she heard when Karpov unlocked her cell.

She rises from her place on the cot, her arms snapping to her side as she stares at the despicable man before her.

'You have a new mission Sicarius.'

They no longer called her by her name. It was another way to remind the girl that she was not a child or a human, but an animalistic killing machine. Evgenia would have forgotten it by now if Papa did not address her as such and if she did not feel the desperate need to hold on to the part of her that made her human.

Evgenia Nikolavena Veselkina. She whispered those words to herself every night before she drifts off, body aching from the harsh training she undergoes every day.

'The Director of SHIELD is still alive. We need you to exterminate him. You lead this mission but if you fail the Soldat has been tasked to report back. Remember, compliance will be rewarded.'

Her uniform was already on from the training session she had with Karpov earlier in the day. So she stalks towards Papa who stands behind Karpov, his hands forming fists that relax a little when his child is let out from the cage. The cold man relocks the cell with a dull yellow turn of the dangling keys and stalked towards the van that was already filled with agents. They climb into the van rather robotically.

When the door finally slides open an hour later, a tall sniper's rifle is shoved into her arms. She examines it and practices her stance, then she pretends to aim and shoot at her papochka who is standing a few feet away, getting equipped with various knives and hand guns. It's a slimmer and smaller upgrade of the one she used on her previous missions. She no longer struggles to hold it but that may also be due to the fact that she has grown considerably since the last time she used one. She does not recall how old she is anymore, having lost count over the years, but Seryy says that judging by her height, she should be around nine years old now.

At nine years old she should be at school. She should be at home after a day at school with her friends. It's just past 10 pm now, and a twelve old should be asleep in her warm house, tucked into bed by her parents. But it's not Evgenia's reality. It never has been and it may never be.

Karpov nods at her.

Evgenia takes the lead, pulling herself up the emergency fire escape stairs on the side on the apartment building, her boots padding softly on the metal. Behind her, the Asset's silver stomps cut the chilling silence. When they reach the roof of the building, Evgenia falls back and he scopes out the area for any signs of danger. He doesn't give a signal to let her know that there is no danger. He doesn't need to, because if there was any danger, he would have already eliminated it and Evgenia would have been perfectly safe.

The Asset did not have many individual perceptions, but he knows that he has to keep the child safe.

Evgenia settles on her stomach stiffly as she adjusts the rifle. It's pointed perfectly towards the target. She raises her hand over the trigger as she watches an unfamiliar blonde man kneel over the target. He's blocking her from getting a clear shot and she's beginning to feel rather irritated.

She pushes a lock of curly hair that dangles in front of her face and narrows her eyes.

The blonde man moves away.

Now.

Her index finger jerks down onto the trigger as three bullets are expelled from the chamber and hurtle towards the director, smashing through the window and embedding itself inside his flesh.

The man falls forward from his seat as the blonde man leans over the target in shock. Evgenia watches as another blonde - a woman, bursts inside the apartment and takes out what seems to be a phone.

She feels an arm latch onto her shoulder urgently. Papa is right, she has delayed their escape for too long. She slings the rifle over her shoulder and sprints after him, her curls whipping into her face and her boots thumping against the concrete with a rhythmic cyan thud. The child reaches the edge of the roof and sees that Papochka has not waited for her. He is already on the top of the second building and dashing for the black helicopter parked on the third roof.

She launches herself over the narrow gap and tucks her body in and she rolls on the cement, the rocks making small cuts on the side of her body and face.

Fast footsteps sound behind her. They are desperate and a light wooden brown, and they are gaining on her. She feels the familiar tug in her stomach as her feet pick up the pace. A slither of hope returns. This man will not best her.

She hears a sharp sound behind her. Evgenia spares a foolish glance over her shoulder that robs her of two seconds. The blonde has a shield in his arm and he is preparing to aim it.

The rhythmic thuds of her feet against the concrete increase as she sprints towards the next rooftop and makes the jump. She momentarily stops as her knees bend to take the impact. But then they straighten again, and she's flying towards the helicopter.

A sharp silvery noise sounds and Evgenia ducks instinctually.

The shield does not make contact with her.

In front of her, the Soldat grips the blue and red shield that is a signature of the famous Captain America. The blonde stares at Papochka in shock. And then he crumples up in pain as the shield is thrown back at him, hitting him square in the stomach.

She stares in shock, her mouth forming a little O from beneath the muzzle. A sharp gesture from Seryy springs her back into motion and she sprints across the remaining half of the building and onto the last roof.

Under the muzzle, Evgenia's lips lift into a rigid smile as she unstraps the rifle on her back and hands it to Karpov. She had completed the mission.

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this chapter isn't too bad but i hoped for it to be bit better. but anyways if you liked it, please vote comment and follow. in the following chapters i hope to explore the different sides of zhneya a little more.