✓ THE SHIFTER, marvel

sixteen

16

"No!" Leon screamed as the papers were rushed by flame and growing ash. "No, no, no! You stupid fucking girl! What have you done?!"

Ana smiled but didn't let herself enjoy the moment too much as the papers fell from her hands and she used her rod to strike the closet agent in the face, giving Wanda enough time to conjure her magic and blast the next one down and across the floor, her fingers brushing past Ana's in a fast, barely there motion.

Everyone moved at once, guns already firing.

Ana rolled to the ground, sliding up to her knees as she bashed in a man's kneecap so hard she heard them crack. He buckled and on the way down, she slammed the metal rod so hard into the back of his head the metal bent.

She used her broken weapon to her advantage as she got up and swung it around the neck of another hydra agent. She bent him backward, knocking her knee hard into his spine and did it two more times for good measure as he crumbled to the floor and she slammed the heel of her boot into his face.

Blood sprayed the ground at her feet, his nose broken and his front teeth bashed in and blooding his lips. 

She looked up, grinning at the war that was ensuring. Ana had always loved the thrill from battle, from the crack of a gun or a hit, the constant echo of anger and brutality. She knew this was from the programming her brain had done to it but when she was in the heat of a mission, of a gun fight, of a war, she felt her blood tingle with anticipation.

Ana took off racing after Bucky, who had his gun up and attempting to fire at Steve, who already had his shield up and blocking. She launched herself at him but was knocked from the air by the force of another Hydra agent charging her. 

The air was knocked out of her. They rolled to the ground and she lost hold of her rod, leaving her nearly defenseless besides the little gun tucked into one of her holsters at her hip. 

The agent didn't waste time, sending a startling punch into her face and she tasted blood and smiled. Red and metallic and fresh, it reminded her of freedom. It reminded her of death.

Surging forward, she took hold of his head, pushing her thumbs into his eyes as she arched up. She always had more strength when Torrance was working with her inside her head, when there wasn't a pull or tug telling her to stop, to free herself. Only a little voice telling her how to move, reminding her of the enemies behind her, and encouraging her.

Ana even allowed a slip, sinking back to let Torrance take the reins, even for a moment as the girl took hold and swung her body up from the ground and around the man until she was on his back. Still, with her fingers plunging into his eyes as he sang with screams, Torrance gritted her teeth and Ana felt her smile once she stepped back and let her have control again. 

Ana snapped his neck.

Fast and easy.

His body lulled to the ground and she went off on her original mission, picking up the baton the agent had strapped to his waist.

"Bucky!" she hissed and he froze for a moment because she knew he recognized that name. He would always recognize that name, even for a brief moment. He turned and she shoved the baton against his neck and he shook with the electricity before collapsing. His head hit the ground with a deafening smack. For good measure, Ana pulled his head up by his hair and slammed his skull back into the ground.

She looked up at Steve and he opened his mouth to say something but Ana stopped him, rushing out, "After this, he needs to go into hiding. I don't care where but has to be far from here, until the rest of these Hydra pricks are taken out or in prison."