FALLEN ─ marvel

III. The Truly Guilty

Chapter Three
Jade

I struggle against my steel chains, knowing what time of day it is and who is about to walk through my cell door. Litvin struts inside with a smile on his face, in an uncharacteristically good mood.

"How are you today, Jade?"

I don't answer, I never answer. Litvin continues on as he always does: "I have some news for you, your last test results came back with some interesting information. You, my little bomb, have the potential to heat up the molecules around you to one hundred million kelvin. That's the temperature of a hydrogen bomb. That will certainly be useful to HYDRA."

I shrink away from him, pulling on my chains harder. The thought of causing an explosion that big, knowing what damage I could cause, what damage I've already caused...

Litvin notices the apprehensive look in my eyes and begins to soften his tone. "Don't worry, you're nowhere near that level yet. You've never surpassed twenty thousand degrees, that's about four grenade explosions combined. But one day, you'll lay waste to our enemies and they will never see it coming."

I shake my head, feeling tears slip down my cheeks. "I-I won't."

Litvin smiles, walking forward to grip onto my chin, forcing me to look at him. "That might be the first time you've spoken since we rescued you. Oh my darling girl, it's adorable that you think you have a choice. You can't even control your powers, how do you expect to resist my commands and wishes?"

I want to say something else, but no words leave my mouth. His grip tightens on my chin, feeling more confining and painful then my steel chains ever have.

"HYDRA found you, rescued you and gave you a place amongst us. You're here to help us change the world. And what do we get in return? Defiance? I've tried being hospitable to you, but if you're going to start talking back to me, then perhaps that will change."

I feel my lip wobble, my eyes burning as more tears brim I've the edge of my eyelids. Litvin seems satisfied with this reaction and lets me go, turning to the guard at the door. "Bring in the first prisoner of the day, in fact, bring in his family too, I was told they are being held here as well. Lets see how well our little bomb does with controlling her powers, who knows, maybe they'll even live to see another day."

Litvin makes his way towards the door just as the guard shoves in a crippled man, a woman, and a child about my age. They embrace one another, crying in each other's arms, kissing the girl's face over and over. I shake my head, my tears falling even faster. I turn towards Litvin, wanting to scream at him, wanting to say something, anything, but I can't. My lips stay closed, sobs being the only sound escaping me.

Litvin's smile grows as he sees that he's won, saying to me softly: "Try to be quick, my darling Jade, we have more prisoners and cleaning up your messes takes a long time." He then shuts the door behind him and locks it, leaving me alone with the three prisoners, the sounds of their screams mixing in with the sounds of my sobs.

-

Everett found where Litvin is imprisoned, it's in a federal jail in the state of Texas, Houston to be exact. I told John and Sam to wait in the waiting area of the jail, I told them I needed to do this alone. Both of them clearly didn't like it, but they didn't argue. Sam made sure to kiss me thoroughly on the mouth before letting me go, holding onto my hands tightly against his chest. That's something he always does, and I never get tired of it. For so long I was afraid to touch anyone, I was afraid I would hurt or kill whoever came too close to me. His hand was the first to ever touch mine since I was a child, since I had a normal life.