𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐘𝐀𝐑𝐃━︎━︎M. Hill ✓︎

𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
CARRIAGE RIDE

SAGE LISTENED AS MARIA SPOKE, a smile covering her face as she watched the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent tell her about some of the history that she knew about the place. The sun had went to sleep it seemed hours ago, and the two women were walking around New York, exchanging laughs as they watched the idiots that walked around. The lights were astonishing to her, and she had to take a moment to just stand in the middle of time square, spinning in a circle as she looked at all of the lights.

But as she stood there she couldn't help but be bothered by something. This woman, Maria Hill, the right hand man to Nick Fury, wasn't anything like what Beatrix had told her. Beatrix had described the woman as conniving, never leaving her workplace, and that's why Sage thought that this would be a hard task to accomplish. But now, as she was standing there, barely noticing the way that Maria had been watching her take it all in with a smile on her face, the most difficult thing about this task was the way that she felt about Maria. It was known to not let your emotions cloud your judgement, and she knew that once Maria knew the truth about her, that whatever they had, was bond to drastically change.

But, Sage had to admit, she was enjoying her night. She was enjoying the time that she was spending with Maria, and all she could hope for was that Maria felt the same way. But at the same time, she hoped Maria didn't. Because if the woman felt about her in any sort of way other than just acquaintances, or friends, the Sage would stay. Sage would ultimately fail her mission, and she couldn't do that. She couldn't do that to an operation that had been there for her her entire life.

Besides, S.H.I.E.L.D. was the enemy. S.H.I.E.L.D. was that ones that destroyed everything, that were tainting the world with their lies, claiming they only did good, when really they did bad. They spread poison through the air, letting those that knew of the organization believe what they were doing was right. But they weren't. Year by year, it only seemed to grow worse. With Tony Stark recently coming out as Iron Man and an unknown person coming from another world. And then there was the Captain that they had found buried in ice for over seventy years. Day by day, S.H.I.E.L.D. continued to mess everything up, creating their own plans that could possibly destroy everything that HYDRA had created.

What Sage didn't realize, however, that HYDRA was doing the same thing to her. She had grown up believing that HYDRA only did good, that everything they did, every kill they committed, was for a reason. A reason to make the world a better place.  A reason to reset humanity back to the way it was. Sage didn't realize the corruption that had ran through HYDRA, that had always been a part of HYDRA, was so deeply imbedded in her brain that she would do whatever it took in order to give out the message out that the world would be saved by them, soon. Sage was the loyal soldier that had known nothing else, and maybe that was her fault, but who cares, right? She was trying to be the hero, not knowing that she was actually the villain in the story.

      "I know it's late." Maria spoke, snapping sage from her thoughts. She turned away from the bright lights to look at the woman with a raised eyebrow.

      "I didn't realize it had gotten so late." Sage said with a smile. "They do say that time flies when you're having fun."

     "How could you have possibly had so much on a simple tour?" Maria asked, slightly amused. Sage looked at her and shrugged her shoulders.

     "What can I say, doc, I wouldn't have had this much fun if it were anyone else." Sage told the woman. "There's a lot of noise, but besides that it's oddly peaceful."

     "Well, I'm glad you've enjoyed it." Maria told the female. "However, if you aren't tired, the last carriage ride of the night could be fun?"

     "A carriage ride?" Sage asked, smiling. "I would love to do that!"

The two rode around New York on the carriage, smiling as they drank the hot cocoa they had managed to grab before getting onto the ride. It was colder, but it was still an enjoyable night. When the two had finally got off, Sage stood there and looked at the woman with a small smile.

     "Thank you for today, really. I've had a lot more fun in this one night than I've had in a really long time." Sage truthfully told her. "Goodnight, Maria."

     "Goodnight, Sarah." Maria responded before watching as Sage walked away, getting into her car, and driving off.

Sage had a smile on her face the whole way back to her apartment. And as she sat in her car, she couldn't help but wish that she didn't have to kill Maria. With a sigh, the woman got out of her car and entered her apartment. Just as she had laid her keys on the table, her phone started to buzz. She frowned. Who would be calling her so late at night. She pulled out the device, raising an eyebrow when she saw Beatrix's name run across the screen.

     "Hello?" She answered, pulling her shoes off.

     "Good, you're still awake." Beatrix spoke. "Your kill mission will have to wait. We have more important matters at hand. You need to come back now."

     "What's the mission?"

     "I'll explain when you get here." Beatrix said before hanging up. Sage sighed before putting her shoes back on, grabbing her keys, before walking out of the apartment again.

     "Damn." She sighed. "So close, yet so far." And with that, she got in her car and quickly drove away.