Nightingale | An Avengers Tale

Chapter 11 ~ gone

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The update is out early this week, which means we're on schedule for an extra release this week. As always please vote, comment, and share!

Thank you!

***

I quietly stepped towards the open door, took a deep breath and gently pushed the door fully open. I stepped into the room and stifled a gasp. The place had been trashed. Everything was overturned and smashed into a million pieces. I softly stepped further into the apartment. I noted Lissie's laptop lying broken on the ground. The USB with all the files she had copied was gone. I bit my lip as I silently prayed that I would find her alive.

I glanced around to note my available exits. So far the main door was still open. Whoever had done this couldn't be far away. Which meant I had probably just missed them. I stoically continued further into the apartment. I began to tremble when I turned the corner. "No." I whispered as a wave of nausea passed over me. A symbol was crudely painted on the wall. A red skull with six tentacles. I ran my fingers over Hydra's symbol. My stomach tightened as I realized that it wasn't paint.

"Lissie?" I tentatively called out, but no answer came. Dread began to fill me as I glanced around the apartment. Inwardly, I already knew what I would find.

"Lissie?" I shouted as I stumbled towards the bedroom. I stopped as I saw her lifeless body sprawled out across the floor. I blinked back the tears that I knew were coming. Now wasn't the time for crying. If I lost my head now, then I would end up just like her. Dead. I took a deep breath and launched into escape mode.

I slammed my foot down on the floorboard opening the hidden compartment where I stored all my essential belongings. I numbly pulled my backpack out and slid it on my back. It had everything I would need to disappear and escape the city. Different clothes, scissors, hair dye, fake IDs, credit cards, cash, burner phones, and blueprints from all my tech. I slipped my knife back into my waistband as I prepared to leave the building. Going out on the streets wasn't ideal, but neither was waiting for Hydra to return.

I raced to the window, unlocking it and shoving it upward. I crawled out on to the fire escape and quickly climbed down the ladder. And then I ran.

My brain was fighting a losing battle to remain logically in control as my emotions began to run rampant inside. If only I hadn't gone to get dinner. I would have been there, and I could have saved her. I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to stay alert. Letting my emotions out of check could easily lead to getting myself killed.

Half of me wanted to leave the city and never return. The whole city was nothing but a giant trigger for bad memories. But the other half of me knew I needed to stay and fight. Someone needed to stay to destroy the files, and as far as I knew, I was the only person alive that wouldn't use the data for nefarious purposes.

I took a deep breath and made my choice. I headed towards the Purple Flamingo. It was the safest location I knew of, and while Peter did know about it; he was the least of my worries at the moment. His dumb glasses were going to have to wait.

After taking the scenic route, I was confident I had not been tailed. I quickly unlocked the door and rushed inside to safety. I locked the door behind me and slowly made my way deeper in the hideout.

"Activate Big Brother Protocol." I firmly said. The lights in the entire house came on, as the emergency protocol activated.