Aim: Hydra | Y/N Story | Sequel to "Aim: Avenger"

25. Home

Home.

Such a strange concept. How does one define it? 

home
/hōm/

noun
1. the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.
2. an institution for people needing professional care or supervision.

My family was with the Avengers. Or was it? Don't get me wrong, they were all lovely people; supportive, caring, nice. Comforting. Safe. But was it home?

My residence in Hydra was definitely an institution, and supervision was kind of their thing. It was a different kind of lovely, a more brutal, harsh kind. It was a part of me. Is a part of me. But was it home?

home
/hōm/

verb
1. return by instinct to its territory after leaving it.

Which one do I return to?

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I stopped going to school with Peter and Di, and ignored all his attempts to contact me. I had a task, and needed to focus; I had gotten caught up in my 'normal life.' Distortos tried to convince me, but I ignored her as well. No distractions. It casted a huge weight in my chest, but it needed to be done; I was getting too attached to him, and when I got attached, bad things always happen. Yay, trauma.

After a few days I managed to hunt down the General at a small base, a similar one to those I was kept in; a Gifted training facility. It was just her, and a three-person squad. "Heirani Appleton, leader, 17 years old. Powers: particle infusion, can transform into any material she touches. Solution: Wrap in cotton. Keep her away from her 'library,' where she houses her different materials." I said, projecting her file into the air.

"Jaroslav Mendoza, 16. Powers: Silver tongue, can make you do his bidding. Solution: this." I held up my newest creation: a specialized muzzle made to completely block sound. "He knows sign language, too, but handcuffs will solve that. Don't watch his hands."

"And last, but not least, the youngest, one Mercédesz Antonsen. Powers: paralysis shock, any area she touches will become paralyzed, luckily for a limited time. These cuffs," I lifted them, "will remedy that." Turning to my audience, I clapped my hands together and asked, "any questions?"

"When did you sleep last?" Di, the only other person in the room, said. I rolled my eyes at her and walked to pack my bag when she grabbed my arm. "Y/N. Stop."

"I am perfectly fine, Di." I said with a forced smile. I grabbed her hand and pulled it off of me, and noticed a strange cut on her arm. "Holy crap, Di, what is this?" I tried to take her hand back and lift her sleeve, but she stepped away. I narrowed my eyes at her behavior. "Di?"

"I fell." She muttered.

"Yeah, fat chance. Arm. Now." I ordered, but still she hesitated. "Agent Distortos, as your superior, I order you to lift your sleeve and step closer for inspection."

Her brain, registering my words, immediately listened before she was able to stop herself. I quickly, but gently, grabbed her elbow and lifted her sleeves, revealing a large scab almost running the full length of her arm. The angle suggests it was self-inflicted, my mind analysed and I stalled. She stiffened, seeing my composure change. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Other sleeve. Now."

She listened, and I saw the same thing. She pulled down the collar of her turtleneck, and her mask, and it was the same thing. "I'm sorry." She repeated, coughing a little bit.

I looked up into her face, and said one word. "Why?"

"The scales. I thought if I cut them off, they'd go away. They hurt so much." She choked on her words, coughing again.

"It's progressed?" I asked. She nodded as I pulled her tightly into a hug. "Is that why you ran again to that lab?" I felt her nod.

"I don't want to die, Y/N." She sobbed.

"I know. I know." I rubbed her back as I held my friend in my arms.

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"Agent Erinnerung." The General spoke, stepping into the training room my team and I were standing in.

"General." I saluted as the two agents beside me followed suit.

"At ease. I want to introduce you to the newest member of your team. Agent Distortos, step forward." She ordered. A small girl, about my age, with bright blue eyes and sandy blonde hair stepped into the room. She was wearing a full body wetsuit, her hair still slightly darkened from being wet. "Be nice," the woman said before she stepped out, the door closing solidly behind her.

"Hello Distortos. I'm Erinnerung. He's Gestorben, and she's Verdienen." My voice was bright and young, as was expected for a five year old.

---

"General?" I asked.

"Yes, Agent Erinnerung?"

"Where is Agent Distortos?"

The General turned towards me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Agent Distortos wasn't as successful as you and the others; she has to have procedures to fix things."

"What things?"

"She is so connected with water that sometimes it takes over her, and fills her lungs. Do you remember what those do?"

"They allow us to breathe. In deep enough water, you can drown someone, and they'll try to breathe water. You can also puncture the lung."

"Very good. Sometimes the water will fill hers."

"So she drowns?"

"Very good, Erin." She smiled at me fondly. "So we have to help her."

---

"Alright, Di, V. Heh, that rhymed. Anyway, fight." I yelled. The two began to spar, no powers allowed for this one, and it looked like Di was winning. V switched from defense to offense, landing a few blows on her opponent before she recovered and began to block them. Back and forth, back and forth, over and over until they ended up a few feet away from each other, still tense as a silent blanketed the room. It was broken by a sickening cough as Distortos shuddered. "Di?"

"I'm fin-" She was cut off by her own cough, stumbling to the ground as her lungs filled with liquid.

"Carry her to the infirmary. Now!" Twelve-year-old me ordered Ben. I ran through the halls, desperately searching for the General. When I found her we hurried to the hospital wing, waiting. After exactly 53 minutes, a doctor came out and spoke to her. A look crossed her face, but passed too quickly to understand.

"Erin, come here please." She ordered, although gently. "Erin, I'm afraid she's getting worse. It's becoming harder and harder to drain the fluid."

I stood there solemnly before asking, "Is there anything we can do?" She shook her head, and again I asked, "How long?"

"Three or four years."

That was three years ago.

Time was running out.

And we both knew it.

☢️💮☢️