Bloodshed // FIVE HARGREEVES

9. No Need For A Weapon

The darkness would scare others. Their breathing would be heavy. But Elisa is calm. She's happy. In fact, she can't be happier.

Morgana is alive.

Everything went rather fast after running out of the house. Her thoughts were racing, and so was she. Elisa ran and ran; she didn't stop. Of course she didn't have the endurance. Not anymore, at least. But that didn't stop her. She would rescue Morgana.

Elisa would make sure that Five wouldn't murder her.

Now she is at the place where she never belonged; the commission. "Elisa Brookle is back," she mumbles.

Hidden behind bushes to catch her breath, she watches people arriving and leaving. There are many agents in blue costumes, but there are also "normal" clothed persons. She doesn't spot the handler - and that's a good thing. Elisa isn't capable to face her just yet. She might never be. But she does have a feeling that today will be the day that the handler will see how much she has grown. In a good way, thinks Elisa. For the handler, of course, it will be an awful change.

The door is an awfully easy way to go in. She'll be spot too easily and too quickly. Nah, that's not a thrilling plan. Nobody should see her just yet. Elisa can handle a fight, sure, but Morgana must be in safety first.

Climbing in her old room would be handier. It wasn't really Elisa's room, but nobody else would have used it when she was gone. Nobody else slept here, at the commission. Only the handler and Elisa (because she didn't have much of a choice).

Elisa's clothes aren't that recognizable. They're Five's, except for the leather jacket that she stole. Oh, she should've told the couple about the jacket. A smile catches her lips. The surprise on the man's face was too amusing when she told him that she only stole yoghurt.

Hoping that she won't be recognized, Elisa starts to walk. Not many eyes fall on her, and when some do, they aren't surprised. They shouldn't be. She used to be an assassin. It's easy to sneak in here, especially when time travel is a real thing. Elisa can easily pretend that she's her old self.

Her feet drag her over the path, the grass, the sand. In only a matter of time she's behind the building. Unfortunately, her old room is on the second floor. But Elisa can handle that. Please, she handled the handler's training just fine, this is nothing.

Good thing that the handler decorated the empty space around the busy commission with trees. Elisa used to wonder why, but the handler would never need to run. She's practically the queen of this place. If she ever gets thrown out by some miraculous reason, then she can use one of her time capsules to flee if necessary. She doesn't need trees to escape the building. That's why Elisa decided that they were only meant as decoration a long time ago.

Elisa presses her body against the trunk, and hugs it. The déjà vu hits her. She used to do this as a kid. Oh, how she had fun escaping her room in the evening. The handler wouldn't be pleased, but that was only another reason why Elisa felt like she needed to do it. She never went far. Actually, she stayed in this exact tree. She used to climb to its highest branch, and press her back against the trunk. Hours, that's how long she spent in here. The silence was marvelous. It gave her some peace in her - very - adventurous and wild life.

The ascent starts; she grips the lower branch firmly and sneaks her free hand around the trunk, needing the grip. She climbs successfully on top of the first branch. Her muscles haven't all disappeared, she thinks with a smug smile on her lips.

The second and third branch are also easily reached. Even though it has been a year - more actually - Elisa finds this child-play. Without a problem-ignoring her wound that has started to hurt a little while climbing- she pulls herself onto the branch that faces her old room's window.