Diavolo

twenty eight - almost too easy

Natasha...

After Agent Cox scurried out of the room, I patiently waited. Approximately 45 minutes passed when an old man opened the door. My body instantly tensed as I sat up resting my elbows on the table, his dark hair was neatly brushed back and his beard was always kept short. He hasn't aged a day since I last interacted with him, maybe a few grey hairs here and there.

He sat down opposite me where Agent Cox previously sat, his hazel eyes burned into mine. I fought the urge to look away and kept my chin high. He allowed the silence to stretch out before he broke it. "You know?" He questioned his voice dry and authoritative, "We thought you were dead."

I tilted my head to the side, "Wouldn't that be convenient." I replied flatly, "for you that is." He took the same file Cox had earlier into his hand flipping through the pages.

"We heard the Russian intelligence cleared out two Assassin houses, they even caught Ivanov and bought him into questioning." He stated as I rubbed my wrists. "You wouldn't have anything to do with that would you?" He asked finally looking into my eyes.

"Ivanov?" I pretended to be lost in thought, "Never heard of him."

The Director nodded not believing a word I said, "Let's refresh your memory shall we." He smiled sickly making my stomach turn. "Manhattan, New York. FBI's swat team were found unconscious...almost dead in an apartment." He slammed a picture of 4 unconscious men on the table. I leaned back on my chair keeping a straight face as he continued, "How about the CIA agents that you assaulted at the ball in Italy." He slammed another picture on the table. "Oh and here's my favourite," he chuckled as I raised an eyebrow. "A couple of days ago a body was discovered on the tracks in London." His eyes met mine as he slammed another picture on the table. It wasn't pretty, I had to tear my eyes away from it before I emptied my stomach on the table.

He looked at me demanding answers as I shifted the cuffs on my wrists, he however didn't flinch like Cox did, "How about the time when I sent you Sebastian Garcia." I suggested a small smile forming on my face. "I never got a thank you by the way."

He wasn't amused, his face remained still, emotionless. "Sebastian Garcia is serving his time, he pleaded guilty meaning his sentence has been—"

"Reduced." I finished through my gritted teeth, "You cut him a deal?" I shouted in disgust. The Director opened his mouth but I continued, "He's a murderer Miller, he should be put on a death sentence. Yet you played nice just because he pleaded guilty?" I balled my hands into a fist under the table, "He killed one of our own." I croaked, my eyes stinging but no tears were shed.

He threw his fist down onto the metal table, "You know fine well that was your fault."

You killed her.

I closed my eyes for a second remembering the nightmares that greeted me every night.

It was your fault. She died because of you.

"I was a great agent, I wasn't the problem and you know it. You just can't accept the fact that your agency is corrupt Miller," I yelled pointing a finger at him, "They knew who we were and you sent us straight into the lion's den." I drew a staggering breath in, "I would've done anything to save Quinn...Hell, I even told them to kill me instead. So don't you dare accuse me of killing my own partner because you didn't even bother to come and find us."

The Director looked stunned his mouth was pressed into a fine line. "Don't lie to me Eight."

I leaned on the table moving my face closer to his, "You listen to me, why would I jeopardise a case? Why would I lead my partner to her death?" I looked straight into his eyes as I stated the next sentence clearly, "Yes. There is a mole in your agency, but you're not looking at one."

He searched my face to see if I was lying, I could see the cogs turning in his head as he closed my file. He walked over to the mirror and tapped it twice. Then the door swung open revealing a male and a female in a security uniform. They walked over to unchain me from the table, my eyes remained on the Director. While my wrists were being cuffed again behind my back, "I hope you find your mole Director," The guards pushed me towards the door. "Maybe then, you'll actually close a few cases," I shouted over my shoulder as I was escorted out of the interrogation room.

***

The two guards were rather small for prison guards, they were assigned to transport me to the ADX Florence, Maximum Security prison. They both had a tight grip around my upper arm but weren't paying attention to my wrists. My fingers searched the waistband of my jeans for a sharp pin, which I slowly pulled out sliding it into the keyhole of the handcuffs. Thirty seconds later one wrist was free, followed by the other.

I gripped the handcuffs in my right hand with the metal wrapped around my knuckles. We reached the back exit where a prison van was parked, that was when my right elbow jammed into the woman's nose, whilst she stumbled backwards my fist slammed into the man's eye socket - the metal handcuffs splitting his skin open. I spun around to face the women, she coughed and gasped for air when my knee made contact with her stomach. Then my right fist landed a punch on her jaw. Her eyelids fell closed as her body collapsed onto the floor. To my surprise the man was gone, probably to alert the Director no doubt.

I picked the gun up from her hoister and stuffed it into my waistband, car keys were nowhere to be found. I eyed the exit where I saw a guard standing outside the door smoking, I was fighting against time. Swinging the door open I slammed the bottom of the gun into his face, knocking him flat out.

In front of me was a dark clear road to my freedom, yet I hesitated. It was almost too easy to escape like this. A deafening alarm blasted through the CIA headquarters, there it is. They should know by now, I was never going to make it to that prison. I sprinted down the dark road towards the gate where I suddenly regretted my impetuous decision. Three guards were stationed at the gate all pointing their assault rifles in my direction, although I couldn't see it. There were three red dots on my forehead.

"On your knees!" One shouted.

But all of a sudden the guard at my left drops onto the floor, dead. The other two guards shifted their attention to the darkness beyond the gates. Swiftly I pulled the 9mm out of my waistband and shot the guard on the right, whilst another silent bullet went soaring into the final guard's head. They both fell to the ground like sacks of potatoes.

I stalked towards the gate after picking up a rifle and scanning the open space through the scope. There was a sniper out there.

A car was stationed on the path about 100 metres from where I was but that wasn't the best part. A small figure laid on top with a sniper rifle stationed on a bi-pod. I decided to test the water by taking a few steps forward. No bullets were fired so I cautiously walked towards the car.

The small figure jumped down from the roof, as I stood metres from it. A hand was extended towards me, "I was always a good sniper." Said a small voice.  I looked at the hand, my eyes travelling up their arm and finally to a familiar face. Her brown eyes reflected the red lights that were flashing from the building behind me. 

My eyebrows creased at the centre, a smile playing on my lips, "12?"