Her nails dug deeper into her palm as he finished cleaning the cuts on her face. Although the pain killers were starting to kick in, she still struggled to breathe without her side suffering from it. He lifted her face carefully so he could do one more clean inspection of it, making sure he had covered every injury.
They heard the new steps entering the room. "You finished here? We need to continue with the interrogation." Dylan Cane came in pronouncing. The medic rolled his eyes at the agent's mannerisms, he didn't agree with the way they were proceding in this case.
But relucently, he had to respect his role. "Follow the instructions i gave you." He softly whispered to her, she barely even moved but he catched her nod. He stepped away from her to retrieve his belongings. "Go easy on her Cane, she has a concussion." He warned the agent as he walked past him.
"No promises doc." Dylan smirked as he watched him leave. Megan didn't have a problem with the medic that had been nothing but kind and sympathetic with her, but she was glad he had finally left, she didn't deal well with strangers.
The problem now was she had to deal with Cane.
He took a seat across from her on the table. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to prepare herself for the torture. "I know we both want to make this quick, so im going to ask the questions and all you have to do is answer them." At least the pills were having their effect, otherwise she was sure this interaction would've had a nasty turn. She couldn't stand his guts.
"Let me make it shorter, I know you idiots suspect i had something to do with the attack."
"But how could you when you also got injured, how are we going to believe you would do something so stupid?" He cut her with words laced in sarcasm. Assumptions of what she could've said, it wouldn't be the first time he heard something like that.
She leaned back in her seat, waiting for him to finish the interruption. "I would definetly be capable of doing something like that, and i wouldn't care how bad my injuries would've resulted..." She made sure to make direct eye contact. "...and I really don't care if you'd like to hear this or not, but i didn't have any part in what happened this night." She was as sincere as she possibly could be. In other circumstances, she would've thrown a tantrum at A.R.R.O.W. and challenge their poor judgement without a care of the consecuences.
But all she wanted at the moment was for Cane to believe her words, she needed to prove her innocence, not because she cared about their thoughts of her, but because she wouldn't be able do anything against S.I.N. if they locked her away for thinking she was still working with the enemy.
"I know you didn't." She waited a second to see if he was going to come up with a stupid remark of his, but he didn't, those four words were his truth.
"You trust me?" In his eyes, she had done nothing to be worthy of his trust, so why would he believe her now?
He let out a mocky huff. "Sakes no.." he let his lips form into a smirk as he leaned forward on the table on his elbows "...but I know you didn't plan the attack this night, or at least you didn't know about it." Their dark eyes looked into eachother in defiance and challenge, but she had no problem identifying the sincerity that his held.
He tilted his head went she seemed in loss for words. "You want to know how i'm so sure." That was what she wanted. "It's simple really.." he leaned back in his seat. "...you didn't leave you siginificant trademark in the scene, you weren't Electric Rose this night."
Her significant trademark. The medication was probably messing with her thinking process too. Electric Rose. How could she not be her?, that was all she ever was.
"A death by a dagger to the skull." It was quiet enough in the room for him to hear her murmur, even when she had lowered her head. It clicked in her mind now, that was the missing piece they didn't find in the scene, that was why Cane was convinced she didn't form part of the attack.
"Ding, ding, ding, you got it Stone. I've studied your case, every scene you were part of you'd kill one individual by a sharp object to the frontal bone of the skull." He crossed his arms on his chest as he recalled. "In an ocean of deceased bodies, it was always just one that Electric Rose would decide to kill that specific way." An obnoxios prick if you'd ask him how to describe her.
They locked eyes again as he said the following. "Even in that first fight you played with the team, you were still playing as her." Nothing had changed, had it? What was she trying to convince herself of?
She knew her trademark, she knew her trademark.
"I said i was going to play for Davis now, for the team." He nodded at her words, he was aware of what she had said.
"But are you playing for A.R.R.O.W?" The both knew she wouldn't respond to that. "That's a reason for you to always carry suspicion behind you." That wasn't such a surprise to her.
He let his eyes travel through her face, the bruises had already took their place as angry red and purple patches in her skin, stitches and bandaids covered her cuts. "Oh how you enjoy to see me like this, don't you?" She couldn't help but feel the hint of frustation upon seing his reaction with the look over he gave to her injuries.
"Don't get me wrong Stone, i certainly don't like the minumum idea that S.I.N. had to do with it, but i just can't contain the smile." She refrained to just roll her eyes at the comment, knowing that in inverse papers, she would've laughed straight in his face. "Let's get done with this so I can let you to enjoy your recovery." He would need a couple of cigarrettes to finish with it, and she felt like she would need a couple more of those pills to go through with him.
----
Balakovo, Russia
James, Liam and Lillian.
The facilities located in Russia were where the team suspected the most important S.I.N laboratories were.
The mission of the group of three was to dismantle the laboratories and free or fight against any superhumans they encountered. A special force team of A.R.R.O.W. was working alongside them, or how Liam liked to view it, they were following from behind to clean up the mess.
So far they had successfully found and destroyed 3 of the 5 points from their goal, A.R.R.O.W. had took any enhanced they met up with in their path. James knew that was the plan and that was how they agreed to work, but it was still infuriating that they would give them no details about those they would take.
"This is the largest facility of all 5, it's way more secured and packed than the previous ones." James spread out the 3D map of the place on the table, Spencer had created it for them before they left.
"They already know that someone is attacking them here in Russia, their alerts are going like crazy, they brought every available guard they could to their remaining facilities, this time they'll be prepared for us." Liam was viewing S.I.N.'s virtual movements on his laptop, Spencer had managed to hack into a branch of their system so the team could use it in the mission.
"We still have the element of surprise, they don't when or where we're attacking next, we'll just need to attack harder." James smirked as he looked over at Liam, who lifted his gaze from the computer and mimicked the expresion.
Lillian observed them and wondered how was it posible for her to be the most mature in the room, she was sure that it was like working with two eager teenagers. "So, what's the plan?" The question made James' attention return to the game, he returned his gaze back to the map, looked at his teamates, then back again to the map.
"For the outside perimeter it's the usual, A.R.R.O.W. has that covered." He made all the exterior land a green color to mark the area as solved for the moment. "Wolf gave me information on it earlier today, but he assured they would have everthing decoded by midnight, so we should be able to get to the building with no problems." The siblings noded in knowledge. "Our best shot as entrance may be the north wing, I want us together in that stage, but I think we'll have to seperate once we're in."
"The place is a monster, it'll have to be that way if we want to cover it all as fast as posible." Liam agreed. On the other side of the table, Lillian wasn't so sure about that idea, she would be left alone to deal with what was the most challenging part of all this mission, she'll admit she had gotten better at her skills. Would it be enough? That, she feared.
"We'll be easier targets as we're apart, Wolf and the tactical force can be with us after they finish their part, they said they'll only need 9 minutes and 17 seconds." That sure was specific. James looked at them. "So what you both need to promise me, is that after we enter, you can manage to mantain yourselves alive for those first 9 minutes and 17 seconds." He paused, awaiting for them, he wasn't going to continue without that promise, he was serious about it even if they didn't believe so.
Seeing Liam nod made Lillian have a burst of confidence to do it too. "I want to hear it." Liam rolled his eyes at James' insistance.
"We promise." The siblings vowed in sync.
Pleased, Knight continued the visual description of the plan. It was risky task to ask out on a group of three, but Benjamin Davis had put his faith on them for a reason, he knew they could fall through with it. If they managed to get this hit, it would be a serious wound and heavy lost on S.I.N.'s part, it would mean an important weight off the shoulders for the team.
No result could be accepted other than a succesful mission.
----
The team's den
She opened the door carefully, she didn't want to make a noise that would bring attention to her. There was no sound in the the background where she could mask, so she made her steps as light as the heeled boots she wore would let her.
"Where were you?" Her heart jumped at the unexpected voice, she turned her head slightly to the right to see him walking out of the shadows right behind her.
With her back still towards him, she spoke. "You know it isn't fair when you can literally hide in the dark." That's one thing she definitly didn't like about him, that he would always have that advantage against her. She started to take off her coat, she was in a desperate need of a change of clothes. "Shouldn't you be resting, you still haven't fully recovered."
He walked until he was infront of her, he wanted her to see him in the eye, he knew she didn't want to admit it but she was worried about him, and that night when he searched and couldn't find her in the den, he worried about her. "I've been on that bed for four days, im sick of it." He took a step closer to her. "Where were you Megan?" Just because she tried to change the direction of their conversation, didn't mean he would let her actions slip.
Seeing that he would act as his usual obsesive self, she had no more option than act as her usual rebel self. "Since when do I have to give you informs of my whereabouts Gray?" She really just wanted him to get out of her way, his questions were the last thing she needed after the night she had just had.
"Since we were attacked and nearly killed." A.R.R.O.W. was tighter on them since ever, that she had managed to sneak under noses didn't surprise him, but it did bother him that she would put herself at risk when just nights before they almost met their doom.
She took a step closer to him too, putting them face to face and daring him with her eyes. "You were almost killed, and in case you haven't noticed it Gray, with our lives we can expect death any day no matter where we are or what we're doing." She moved to the side and walked around him.
"You went to see him right?" He asked his question still hearing her steps getting further away, he turned to look at her. "Don't walk away from me Stone!" He raised his voice when she didn't halt.
"I'm already doing it!" She kept heading towards her room without looking back at him.
"And who's blood is that on your dress?!"
Flashback
Her body and face were still bruised, but it wasn't something a little bit of makeup couldn't help her hide. She walked to the destination he had told her over the phone, she kept in mind that she had to have a talk with Spencer about his security system on phone calls, she wasn't supose to be able to receive them from outer sources.
She stopped two streets away from the hotel, she had the building in her view, a luxury place surrounded by many other expensive looking landscapings. She still had the oportunity to turn around and send him and his wishes to hell, but some part of her ego clung so desperatly to what had landed in her hands, she continued walking forward.
Running her hands along her upper thighs just helped her remember that she was prepared for anything, maybe Cane didn't seeΒ Electric Rose in her anymore but the embers of that name were tied to her like an invisble string.
The reflexion of the elevator doors showed her what she once tried to promise herself she would never return to be, her neat, perfect, emotionless soldier that Malick loved to see. He had once again twisted her accomplishments and make them all lead straight back to him, she had granted him his wishes.
And even in the magnitude of the representation to the name she once heavily carried, her figure and presence did her no favor with the two guards outside the designated door.
"Malick is expecting my visit." She voiced but had no reaction in return. "Are you getting out of my way or what?" She wasn't going to ask politely a second time, especially not with the night she was having so far.
"Look kid, this is no place for pretty little flowers like you, so go on your way you got the wrong door, Boss doesn't take prostitutes." One of them had the nerve to say when they saw she was persistant on wanting in that room. Oh the rage was there now and she going to make sure the both of them felt it by the end of that night.
"Look you assholes, move out of the way or I swear I'll shove my boot so high ..."
"Gentlemen, what are you doing? Didn't I tell you we were expecting a guest." The door opened, Malick was on the other side, the gap between the two body guards was just wide enough for her to have a clear glimpse of the man.
The man. Her Malick.
The agents apologized to him and made way to the entrance. "My Rose, come on in." He motioned her to follow him inside the room, but she just needed a few seconds to recover, in had been years since she saw him face to face.
She made herself think the last time she saw him was where their paths divided for good, of course she knew S.I.N. was always going to haunt her, but part of her sincerly desired that John Malick would unlock the chains that kept them bonded together, cause she was never able to find the key.
She made herself believe that she hated that man which such intensity that she would never want to even share a single word with him again, but then she found herself taking the seat he motioned her to, it placed her right beside him.
Her eyes traveled to his hands as he served them both a cup of coffee, he didn't bother to ask how she'd like hers, he just made it the way he knew she used to take it, but she had discovered other flavors existed, better ones.
He motioned her to her cup while he brought his closer to his lips and took a sip, all while mantaining eye contact with her, a smile on his face with a healthy family warmth, like if that was what they were, a healthy family.
"Ah, my girl, so much time has passed, it's a pleasure to see you again." Malick moved his hand to caress her cheek but she pushed it away.
" I can't say the same." She wasn't proud of herself with admiting that since his surprise slyther into the team's security system, he had been the main character in her nightmares. "I see you have new guard dogs,Β what a shame for them that they had the nerve to talk to me the way they did." She used to know every single face that worked close enough to Malick, those two must've joined when she was no longer there.
"Well you did kill my last two when you escaped, what did you expect for me to do?" She killed a lot of his men that day, something he would normally never forgive, but he made an exception. She was always his exception.
"We've gotten out of touch my dear, why don't you tell me how's it going with your new found recreation project." He sat his mug on the coffee table between them after he took another sip of his drink, it should've been unsettleling for her how calmly he wanted to set the mood of this chat.
She stopped his hand when she saw it coming closer to her drink again, with the intention of stiring it a little more. "What is the real reason for me being her Malick?" Letting his hand go once she finished her question. The bounderies of respect of her towards him were faded, now she was the one who was going to set them.
"Why do you always have to asume there's cruel intentions behind my every action?" It was rhetoric. They shared a glance that both new well, it was always one of his favorites. "We've missed you my Rose, I don't see why there should be anything wrong with me wanting to have a friendly conversation with you after so many years of not having one." That look in her eyes would always tell him that she had caught up to his schemes, it would tell him that she taught she had already win their little game.
"Nothing is ever friendly coming from you, unless sending your hounds to abduct me while almost killing me in process is what would you describe as a friendly invitation." He smirked as he knew she wasn't going to let that go so easily.
"I just wanted to show you the way back."
"What made you think I'll come back? What made you think I was going to let Ballow be the one taking me back?" He was well aware of the feud between those two, and it amused him how deep it still ran even after all those years.
"I never requested them to hurt you.." he took another sip. "..that badly, atleast." He murmured against the rim of the cup.
"There's reasons of why I escaped the first time." She growled. He was starting to fuel the spike inside her veins.
He noded in acknowledge of those reasons.
"Reasons that were implanted to you, ones that you alone can't support their existence." She should've cut him off there, but he had now reached her curiosity. "My child, i know you don't see it, but your letting yourself be heavily influenced to be someone you are not."
"Somone evil?"
"Who told you S.I.N. was evil? You never believed that what we do was evil until they started telling you it was." Now she knew going there was a mistake, because his words were starting to get to her. "You believe A.R.R.O.W. doesn't have blood on their hands?" She looked away from his eyes at that point. "Davis?"
Was he really going to make her question all her decisions again? Yes.
"You are still the best agent I have ever had, you know I was going to hand you the control of S.I.N. one day, I still am, it'll be all yours once you're ready to take it." It wasn't fair on his part to hit her with what was
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