TALES FROM FALLEN WARRIORS ─ marvel

IV. Freedom

Chapter Four
Soroya

Fyodor has fled his home in Kazan. When I arrived there to confront him, I noticed that the whole mansion was on high alert, guards and armed criminals patrolling the grounds as if a bomb were about to go off right under their feet. I shifted into a bird and eavesdropped on a conversation between two of the guards, and apparently after threatening him at dinner the other night, he's fled to an unknown location to prepare for possible war with HYDRA. With me.

I bet this unknown location is in the Czech Republic. He was born there, it' his home, and HYDRA has maybe one base there, very little influence or reach. It's the perfect place to hide. The drive from Kazan to the Czech Republic is over thirty two hours, and usually I wouldn't mind the long drive, but with Pierce's short time window, I need to fly there instead, which means I need to stop by Caden and get a fake passport.

I knock on the door of his hideout, hoping he will be quick in answering because it's starting to snow. Luckily, within moments the door unlocks, allowing me to slip inside and be wrapped in the warmth of the reconstructed tavern. I shut the door behind me and begin rubbing my arms, trying to warm myself up. As I do so, my eyes land on Caden, who is standing in front of the tv in his living room, his back to me. There's something off about his posture, it's way too tense and stiff for someone as like Caden, who always acts as if he hasn't a care in the world. He also doesn't greet me, he just stands there and watches the tv, entranced by whatever is playing on it. Also very unlike him.

"Caden?" I ask, a chill working down my spine that has nothing to do with the cold weather outside.

"You need to see this, Soroya."

I blink at him in shock. He never calls me by my real name, and he never sounds like that, so shocked...so alarmed. I do as he asks, terrified by what the tv could be showing that's caused Caden to become so serious. I close the distance between the door and where he stands, and once I'm by his side, I hear myself gasp.

On the tv is an image of Washington D.C., which looks less like the heart and center of the US, and more like a collection of destroyed buildings covered in ash and smoke. Footage starts to play of giant helacarriers in the sky shooting each other down before collapsing onto an unsuspecting D.C.. One of these helacarriers crashed into the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, also the HYDRA headquarters for the US, and this catches my interest more than anything else. I lean down towards the tv to turn up the volume, listening intently to the newscaster saying:

"The devastation and destruction today was the result of a decades long conspiracy orchestrated by the terrorist organization HYDRA. They were once thought to have been taken down during World War II, but according to a statement given by Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent Natasha Romanoff, the organization has been hiding within S.H.I.E.L.D since their alleged downfall. Romanoff has also revealed that HYDRA agents and co-conspirators are present in important government positions around the world, including right here in the US. One of which is Secretary of Defense Alexander Pierce, who was killed in the destruction of the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters building earlier today. A man hunt has now begun for members HYDRA throughout the United States and will soon extend to countries across the sea—"

I mute the TV, unable to listen anymore. My brain needs a second to catch up with what I'm hearing, to digest what all this means.

HYDRA has been exposed.

PROJECT INSIGHT failed.

Pierce is dead.

The world is hunting for anyone remotely associated with HYDRA.

There is no possible way HYDRA can continue operating as it has with the entire world working to tear it apart. Officers will go into hiding, agents will be scrambling to get to safety, bases will be torn apart and abandoned...

I'm free.

The second that thought pops into my head, I feel my knees buckle under me and I drop to the floor, bursting into tears. After a second, Caden drops down next to me and gently rubs my back. I sit like that and cry for a long time, and eventually, laughter mixes with the sobs spilling from my mouth. Loud, joyous, relief filled laughter.

"I'm free." I whisper, and saying the words out loud makes me laugh harder.

"From HYDRA, yes. But now you have bigger problems. You're an infamous HYDRA agent, you have a reputation unmatched by anyone else in the organization and you have powers people would kill to have their hands on. You need to go into hiding."

I wipe my eyes with my sleeve and shake my head, reaching out and grasping his arm. "This is my chance to find my family. Bases will be abandoned, prisoners will be left unguarded. I could free them!"

Caden gives me an unsure look, his jaw tense. I've never seen him look so...concerned? "Beasty, I think you should wait until the heat has died down a bit. Bases won't be abandoned completely for at least a couple weeks and as I just said, people will be after you. I...I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."

I am deeply touched by his concern for my wellbeing. I knew he was fond of me, and I knew he trusted me more than most clients...but he really cares about me. It's nice. I haven't had anyone care about me since Julian died...

The reminder of my former trainer and best friend stokes my drive and commitment. "My brother and parents are out there somewhere, and I won't be able to rest until I know they're okay. I promise I will be careful, but I have to do this, Caden."

He looks like he wants to argue more, but he doesn't. He just gently taps the bottom of my chin with his finger, giving me a sad smile. "You are too good for this world, Beasty."

I smile back, glancing again at the TV, which now shows footage of a few other political officials of the US being arrested for being members of HYDRA. I feel a great amount of satisfaction seeing these monsters brought to justice, as well as resolve for my task ahead.

I'm going to take back what those people took from me. I'm going to rescue my family and make sure we are never separated from each other ever again.

"There is a safe house in Mongolia that I've been assigned to. I'll go there first," I tell him, standing up and wiping my cheeks of my tears. "Then I'll head to the HYDRA base a couple hours from there, though I doubt my family would be held outside of Russia given I was based here...What will you do? You should probably lie low too."

Caden laughs, running a hand through his hair, some of his usual charm and ease returning. "You kidding me? All these HYDRA agents on the run, they'll be flocking to me like moths to a flame wanting new ID's or safe passage. I'll be fine."

He and I both fall silent, our gazes locked onto one another. A fresh set of tears well up in my eyes at the realization that our partnership has come to an end, that there is a chance I may never see him again. If that truly is the case, then there are some things I have to say to him, need to say to him.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Caden. You didn't just keep my secrets, you didn't just help me save all those people. You were the one person I could be myself around, the one person I could trust. I will never be able to repay you for being so kind to me, for being a friend to me."

Caden brings his hand up and brushes away a tear that falls down my cheek. "You want to repay me? Then stay safe and try to live some semblance of a good life."

I nod, a couple more tears falling down my cheeks. I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around his waist, and without hesitation he embraces me back, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"So long for now, Beasty. I have no doubt our paths will cross again."

"I hope so." I mumble against his chest.

He's the one that pulls back from me, and to my surprise, he places a gentle kiss on my forehead, his eyes looking a little glossy. He tries to hide it though, pulling his gaze away from me and looking back towards the screen. I take this as a cue to leave.

I walk back over towards the door and pull on the handle, but just as I cross over the threshold, leaving this chapter of my life and starting a new one, I hear Caden say softly:

"Good luck, Beasty."

I smile at him. "You too, Caden."

And then I shut the door behind me.