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zero ━━━━━━━━━━━ the prologue.
The voice yelled over the hazard siren like a mantra, an unfamiliar prayer. Finde die Amerikaner, los! They repeated it over and over again, sometimes it got closer, sometimes it got quieter. Sometimes it was accompanied by the heavy footfalls of soldiers, and the clank of firearms, running to search the facility. The lights overhead blinked red in long intervals. Base to Murdock—Murdock, do you copy? A voice in the woman's ear com asked as she pressed against a wall. Sergeant Murdock took sharp breaths, her firearm held close to her. It had been long since she saw one of her own, occasionally barely missing the Germans. It had been her fault the group had split into different directions—Lew, Web, you two go around the back door and take it from there. Grace, Skip, you're at the north end of the building. Anson and I will take the front. Is that understood? The memory is now sour. However, it wasn't her who landed them in the situation they were in now.
Annalise removed the mask covering her mouth, peering around the corner. Base to Murdock, do you copy? The voice repeated. Annalise clenched her jaw, pressing the earpiece and spoke as hushed as she could. "Murdock to base, mission failure. They got us cornered. I can't find anyone." Annalise says, pushing herself to a stand. There wasn't much she could do here—she could stand and fight, or find an exit. But, Annalise wasn't leaving without any of her friends. Not now, at least. There were two hallways Annalise could go down, both looking rather identical. When there are choices, there are different timelines, Matthew Murdock would always say in their youth. Murdock, report to an exit. That's an order, the voice demands. Annalise stiffens.
"I'm not leaving without my squadron," she says, slowly entering the hallway to the left. In hindsight, that was the wrong option. That's an order, Murdock! Annalise ignores them, raising her gun as she peered into each room encased in blood red light. Each room was vacant with strap tables and wheeled metal tables with various tools. A voice spoke over the facility speakers, deep and taunting. "Ich sehe dich..." Annalise looked to the camera facing her, and her gun raises. The voice tuts. Then, a melody begins to play under the siren. Run, rabbit, run. Run. Run. Run. The words in German echo in her ears again.
Their intention is to scare her, and it's worked. Before Annalise can process it, she's running blindly through the hallway, boots stomping against the tile. She's frantic, it's almost like the walls are closing in on her, or someone is closing in on her. She can hear the distant strangled screams, and unfortunately she is running right towards it. "Lauf, hase, lauf!" The deranged voice echoes against the walls. Annalise backs into a room, pressing against the door. "Murdock to base, I need Murdock to base." Annalise says hoarsely, swallowing the sobs and frantic erratic breathing.
The earpiece crackles. "Base to Murdock, what's going on?" She's relieved for a moment before a band of footsteps echo from down the hallways. "It's over. We're not making it out of here—mission failure." Annalise says, dropping her hand and falling back against the door, letting out a strangled breath. The world never seemed to have something good in store for her, and this only goes to prove just that. A bang erupts from the other side of the door, and it pushed open slightly, Annalise stumbles. "Murdock to base, this is Sergeant Murdock signing off. Maybe for good." She says, lastly. A frantic voice speaks in Annalise's ear, but she removes the com and drops it to the floor.
Annalise pushes off the door, and she's pushed to the ground, hands behind her back as hands grab her and restrain her. Guns click, readying to fire. Annalise closes her eyes, trying to think of something good for her last moment. She doesn't want to die here, but what choice does she have? She thinks hard about a moment. Matthew Murdock loops his arm with his sisters as they walk across the ice covered sidewalk, cane in his other hand. "Matty, do you want hot cocoa when we get home? I found two packets we could have. I don't know how good they'll be, though." Annalise asks. Matthew thinks for a moment, before nodding. "That's a good idea. It's cold." He replies, sniffling. Annalise chuckles. "Yeah, we'll be home soon. Your nose is red." She says, a hand stopping him from walking any further. Annalise removes the scarf from her neck and places it on her brother, who doesn't argue. It smells strongly of her perfume, and his own, he had been using the scarf a lot here lately. "Thank you."
"This is for Americans," a strong accented voice says above Annalise, boot crunching the com. "This is for you." The same voice says, and a pop is heard. The last thing Annalise sees is her brothers face.
━━━━━
"Matt, Annalise is on the TV." Karen Page says, asking for the volume to be turned up. Matt Murdock listens closely, trying to get in and understand what's going on. "Breaking news. Here we have the mission recording from Squadron one-oh-nine, who have just been pronounced dead." Matthew's heart drops. "The recording was taken from the squad's leader—Sergeant Annalise Murdock. Here it is." Matthew freezes, and Karen yells at the bar's occupants to be quiet.
The recording starts out crackly. "Murdock to base, this is Sergeant Murdock signing off. Maybe for good." The clip cuts before skipping forward. An unfamiliar voice echoes. "This is for Americans." A crunch ends the audio. Matt can't move—was Annalise dead? "Karen—Karen, was it her? Did it show her?" He asks frantically, shaking heads reaching for her. The glasses on his face hid his welling, pained eyes. Karen is silent, but he hears her heart rate pick up and stutter. He stifles a cry, standing.
"Matt, wait." Karen says, trying to follow. He yells at her to stop, before leaving on his own into the freezing Hell's Kitchen. He wants to kill them—whoever killed his sister. Regret fills Matt Murdock's heart as he runs down the pavement, cane folded in his hand. His breath is short and puffs in clouds, the last he saw Annalise was years ago. Get out—you don't want to be here anymore, so leave. Hell's Kitchen doesn't need you and neither do I. Those were his last words to Annalise.
Come back, he pleads silently.
━━━━━
A strap held her head to the table, an IV pierced into each arm. The room was dark and cold—it looked nothing like the building she had tried to invade earlier. Her skin was paling and contused with bruises and cuts. "Soldatin." A voice says from behind Annalise. Annalise Murdock wonders how long she's been here on this table. Her bones ache, but she feels it sweetly. "Soldatin, willkommen bei HYDRA. Schlaf jetzt." Her eyes droop as the voice speaks harshly, the IV dripping louder than before. "Schlafen." They order, walking back to stand in front of her, placing something in her mouth. Annalise is so tired, trying to push the gag guard out of her mouth. "Jetzt!" They order. Annalise screams rips through her throat, a sharp pain filling her body. It lasts for three minutes before she limps. "Schlafen."
So...hey! That was...unsettling? I dunno. It's not my best work and I may edit it later but right now I'm pretty happy with it. This is only the prologue and the next time you'll see Annalise she'll be recovering and healthy! Below are some translations for all the German I used—also, I used translate so no hate.
1) Finde die Amerikaner, gehen! — Find the American's, go! 2) Ich sehe dich — I see you 3) Lauf, hase, lauf! — Run, rabbit, run! 4) Soldatin — Soldier 5) Willkommen bei HYDRA. Schlaf (schlafen) jetzt. — Welcome to HYDRA. Now sleep.
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