Because He Loves Me

Chapter 16: Impossible Request

There will be some violence, some curses and some fighting in this chapter. Also this is not the end of the story, it's just going to take me a while to post after this. Enjoy!

12 days until KCM

Russia

"Okay Kassidy, I really don't want to do this either." Nat said. Kassidy nodded. She wished Nat would either let her go or begin already. She was lying over Nat's lap, and her back was beginning to hurt. 

"I understand, ma'am." Kassidy said. 

"Ma'am?" Natasha wasn't used to such a formal title. 

"I'm in the habit of calling people 'sir' or 'ma'am' when they s- I mean punish me." Kassidy said, glowing red. She knew that there wouldn't be hugs or comfort after this, and it would be embarrassing to ask for some. All Kassidy wanted was her parents. They could punish her instead, or at least comfort her after. 

"Don't lie to your parents, and don't leave out details when they ask you something. Especially when it's this serious." Natasha scolded the child over her lap. Kassidy nodded. 

"Yes ma'am, I understand." she replied. 

"Good." Nat said. "I'm only doing this for seven minutes, then you can use my phone to talk to your parents." 

"Yes ma'am." Kassidy said. 

"I'm setting the timer on my phone." Nat said. A few seconds later, she heard a smack, then felt a sharp sting a second after. After about forty seconds of this, Kassidy shifted uncomfortably. Natasha felt bad for having to cause the girl pain, but she knew it was for Kassidy's own good. The little girl was only a minute in, but she was holding up very well. Two minutes in she moved every smack, and by three minutes she was whimpering quietly. After five minutes the girl fell silent, and Natasha stopped and tilted to look at her. Was she hurt? Natasha saw the girl move to hide her face, and Natasha realized it was because Kassidy was crying. Unsure of what else to do, Nat continued without a word. When the timer went off, Kassidy slipped off of Nat's lap. Tears were pouring out of her eyes, but she was silent. Natasha handed Kassidy the cell phone and Kassidy dialed her dad's number. 

"Hey Nat." Tony said on second ring. 

"Hi sir." Kassidy replied wetly. Tony realized why she was calling immediately. 

"Hi Kassidy. You okay?" Tony asked. 

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Kassidy said. 

"Okay." Tony replied. "Did Nat talk to you?" 

"She did a little more than that." Kassidy mumbled. Tony smiled sadly. 

"But you know why?" 

"Yes, sir, I know." Kassidy said. 

"Good. She didn't do that for nothing, Kassidy." Tony said. He could sense her nodding, still he said, "Verbal response, please." 

"Yes, sir." Kassidy replied tiredly. "Can I talk to Peter?" 

"Sure, baby." Tony said. There was some indistinct noise, then Peter's happy voice popped on. 

"Hi, Kassidy!" he said. Kassidy could hear the smile in his voice. 

"Hey, Pete." Kassidy said. Natasha left the room and Kassidy's voice broke down. "Peter....natasha...she...she..." 

"I know Kassidy. I was there when dad told her to." Peter said. 

"I want to come home." Kassidy said quietly. Peter was shocked. 

"Kassidy...you know I can't do anything about it, Dad said-" 

"Dad said not to stop me from wanting to come to Russia in the first place. I want you to hack J.A.R.V.I.S. and make him fly the plane home with AI tomorrow night." Kassidy said. 

"That's an impossible request Kassidy, I can't hack J.A.R.V.I.S. or F.R.I.D.A.Y. for anything, there are like twenty firewalls and I can't get to them all, it will take like a week at least, Dad has trick paths, it could take a year!" Peter exclaimed. 

"Can't you try?" kassidy asked in a small voice neither of the siblings recognized. Peter was not accustomed to hearing his sister so helpless. 

"I could...but even if it worked, it's not like Dad's going to miss his jet leaving the roof for like ten hours." Peter protested. "Not to mention all the trouble we could get into." 

"Fuck the trouble, Peter!" Kassidy said loudly. Peter covered the phone, hoping no one heard her. She wasn't on speaker, but Peter always felt like he could be heard. 

"Kassidy, that's-" 

"I don't care what it is! Two girls got killed here, I almost got shot like ten times in the past three hours! I haven't even been allowed to start my testing, they're going to keep me here for months! And everyone who complains goes into this really dark room at the back of the center. I don't know what's in it, but I'm not sticking around to find out! I have twelve days left here Peter, and I'm already calling to come home, you have to take me home before someone kills me!" Kassidy ranted. 

"They're not allowed to kill you, Natasha is there." Peter replied. 

"Natasha can't do anything about it when they murder me in my sleep!" Kassidy muttered. "Take me home right now, Peter Benjamin!" she snapped. 

"No!" Peter said furiously. "Dad is going to be so mad if I do that, and we're not going to get away with it either. You made the commitment, we can't pull you out until the trail is up. You're not going to be killed, if you get hurt call again and Dad'll see what he can do." 

"Fine, if you won't help me, I'll run away from this shitty place." Kassidy said. "Goodbye, Peter!" 

"Wait, Kassidy!" Peter yelled, but she hung up. She wouldn't really run, would she? 

It appeared she would. 

Kassidy handed Natasha her phone, then rushed back to the cot she slept by. Her packed bag was tucked underneath, and Kassidy put her phone into it, along with the hair things she had left out. She went to the barbed wire gate that encircled the center, where she swung her bag across her body. Kassidy was dressed in black leather from head to toe. Black leather boots, leggings, a black leather jacket with a silver zipper on over her black tank top. Her now red hair was tucked in a swirl and crammed under a black beanie. Only the tip of the braid showed. She was wearing black leather cropped finger-less gloves, which made it easier to touch the barbs when she pricked herself. She pulled the black silk around her neck up to her eyes to hide the rest of her face. She stole a pistol from the weapons area and slid it into her belt. She quickly began to climb the fence, which reached nearly twice the height of the tallest building. So about the height of a twenty-seven story building. Kassidy wasn't afraid, but she would be a liar to say the fence wasn't intimidating. About halfway up, Kassidy had to convince herself not to look down. She desperately wanted to, but she knew it would never make her want to go any higher. When she was halfway down the other side of the fence a spotlight shone on her face. 

"Zamri! Budem strelyat'! Nazovite svoye imya i slezayte s zabora." ("Freeze! We will fire! State your name and climb down from the fence") an official yelled from the direction of the spotlight. 

"Nikogda! YA idy domoy!" ("Never! I'm going home!") Kassidy yelled back. Then she dropped the last of the fence, but not before her beanie flew off and a gunshot echoed. Kassidy gasped and hit the dusty, dirt covered, dry floor. She would've run, but she couldn't. She was holding her side on reflex, and when she moved her hand she was terrified. Kassidy's hands were covered in dark, warm liquid which was pouring from just above her hip. There was a bullet there, and blood covered it. Kassidy stood up, but then slid back to the floor. It was agonizing to even move, but before Kassidy could hit her head on the dirt again, Natasha swerved in behind her. Kassidy could see Natasha's face, then the world went black.