Whirlwind | W.M.

31

"You said she was dead, Steve. How is this possible?" I ask, looking back at Steve who was pacing by the head of the table.

The entire team had gathered in the conference room, even James came back to the compound when he heard of what happened. Everyone was puzzled, confused— but no more than me. I watched her bleed, I pulled the trigger and I couldn't understand how it's possible for her to come back alive and enhanced.

"This is the woman you shot at Tony's party?" James clarifies, sitting across me with a concerned look on his face.

"Yes." I confirm, and Steve finally stops in his tracks. He had been silent for most of our time there, walking around with furrowed brows and a pursed lip, a thin layer of sweat covering his skin.

I had never seen him so disturbed.

"Was she dead or not?" I ask, my impatience slowly shining through as Wanda gently rests her hand atop my own under the table.

"She... was." Steve replies— but I don't miss the way he glances at Natasha before he speaks, or the uncertainty his tone held.

"She said The Corrector sends her regards. The Corrector, the same name that man who attacked me in London gave." I try to piece together, but nothing at all was making sense.

How is Estelle enhanced? Why is The Corrector after me? and how the actual fuck did they create a dagger that is capable of killing me? It was like my world was slowly shaking, tearing apart. Everything I knew, I began to question. I thought I couldn't die and yet I almost did. I thought Estelle was gone and yet, there she was, alive and healthy and enhanced when just months ago I watched her lay in a pool of her blood.

"You all do realize that there's only one person in this entire place who can give us answers, right?" James chimes in, glancing at each of us but eventually settling his eyes on me. Then it clicks.

Lara.

"If the man who tried to stall you in London works for The Corrector— then it ties him to Lara. He was part of their plan." James further explains his point.

"I'm going to speak to her." Steve makes a move to rush out, but I shoot up from my seat, going to block the door before he could even get through.

"No." I hiss, a hand on his chest that stops him in his tracks. He looks at me, surprised and confused as I drop my grip.

"If anyone's talking to her, it's going to be me." I say lowly, there's a split second flash of fear in his eyes— a puzzled look that sticks to me as he eventually takes a step back.

"I'll go with her." Natasha speaks up, gaining everyone's eyes and before I could even protest, Natasha cuts me off.

"I'm going with you." She presses, and since I didn't want any further complications— I just let it happen.

Natasha and I slip out of the room, leaving the rest of them back as we head down to Lara's floor. Not a word was spoken between us, both of us stuck in our own heads probably recounting the daunting events of the night. The stress was blowing through the roof, the air was cold and still as we step out and make our way into the lab.

Natasha stayed outside, letting me go into Lara's room alone right as Jess spots her. I leave them be, stepping into the room to find Lara in the corner, writing on the book I had given her. It almost hurt, because if the night hadn't been so torturous then I would have marvelled at the sight. I would have been over the moon to see that my present to her wasn't in shreds in the corner, but in her hands.