Kidnapped

20

I glared at the knife in their hand. Maybe it would melt if I stared long enough. They shook it, willing me to take it. I grabbed the handle, the cool steel handle conflicting with my warm hands. It felt great. They let go and I dropped my hand to my side. I nodded.

"Kill him," they repeated. I caught their gaze. It felt like I was in a storybook, that none of this was real. Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe Strange did something to my brain.

Maybe I'm just me.

———

Nori dialed up Jo, leaving the conversation between them. I waited on the couch, hanging my legs over the armrest. I changed the channel on tv off the news and football shit, finding a reality crime show.

When they came back up, I spared them a glance before returning my attention to the crime scene, where a man was decapitated and hanging upside down from a light post. Intriguing.

"She planned on coming back next Thursday, so we've got a few more days of planning."

"Isn't today Saturday?"

They checked their phone once more. "Sunday."

"I'd usually be getting ice cream with P- with Spider-Man at this time," I laughed carelessly, not letting in that I still wanted that ice cream with him. "Oh well, he can get ice cream on his own."

"Good thinking,"

"I know."

———
Wednesday, 18:30. 6:30 p.m.

Jo will be here tomorrow. We act tomorrow. I kill Peter tomorrow. I still don't know if I can. I definitely don't want to, but I have to. I have to prove myself, prove that I didn't grow a glowing red heart in place of the cold, dead cavity.

I trust Nori. They might trust me, I mean, they're letting me stay here, but they still seem wary of my every move. I did kind of kill twenty grown men and come back alive and ready for another round. Hell, would I trust myself?

Would Nat have trusted me if she were here?

No time to think about her now. I have to get this done, I have to be free.

I practiced in a room off the kitchen that apparently no one had used in a million years. Those men and women didn't have armor, only strength. I'm going to be dealing with a man of iron, a man on drugs, a human insect, an anger issues beast, a psychotic witch, and more that I've never understood.

"Hey Nori!" I called out, standing in the open doorway. I was drenched in sweat from punching a stupid bag over and over. I hate this.

They called back from what sounded like the living room, "Yeah?"

I travelled out there. I didn't need to yell across a cabin just for clothes. "Can I put together a suit so they don't know it's me?"

"Yeah, Jo made one too. She's taken it with her; it didn't cover her face, but her supplies and fabrics are under her bed. She won't care if you take it, probably won't notice either." They gestured in the direction of her room.

———

It only took a few hours, nothing too fancy. Tight crop top with high-waisted skinny jeans, a yellow belt. I stood in the full-length mirror, holding up the mask. It was one of those stupid cartoon ones that everyone would wonder how the other people never knew them by their hair or voice.

Well, Peter doesn't change his voice, and he's talked to his classmates. Maybe people are just idiots. Every last one of them.

It was yellow to match the belt, winged at the corners. I don't need it, it's just an accessory. Probably garbage.

I slipped back into my normal clothes, folding the suit and shoving it under Jo's bed. I found Nori on the couch and took the seat farthest from them.

A woman on tv was crying over her dead husband. "I've never understood love," Nori shook their head.

"I don't understand either. It just... happens. Can happen with anyone. The brain chooses subconsciously, it just picks- 'yep, that's the one.' and it sucks, because people leave all the time, and one day, it'll be them."

Nori was silent for a moment. Then, "Who did you love?"

I locked my eyes on the tv. What harm would telling do? "Natasha Romanoff." I remembered the way that stupid bitches called her 'Natalie' but also spat 'Romanoff'. "She was trained in the room with me. She'd gotten there about the same time."

"What was she like?"

"The prettiest girl if ever laid eyes on. When you described Jo, she reminded me of her," I found myself smiling as an image of her crossed my mind, "she was always kind, yet sharp. She got things done."

"Well, I told you I don't know Jo's real name. Maybe-"

"No. No, Nat's dead. Wishing can't change that." I returned to the bathroom, pulling my shirt over my head. So many scars. I ran my fingers over each one, finishing with the one buried deep in my stomach. She's dead. People shouldn't die so easily. The torture is too fun, but ends so soon. And Madam deserved so much worse.

Little scars that would fade away were on my arms, whether they were birthed in fight or not. I scratched some of them, hoping they'd bleed. Some of them only peeled off, a light pink layer beneath them.

That's not how I like it!

———
Thursday, 15:37. 3:37 pm.

I could hear the doorbell from the back room. Nori rushed to open it, but I knew they didn't need to in the first place. Jo probably would've easily just broken in if she wants to.

Their voices were muffled and I could hear what they were talking about, but I didn't really care. I knew my assignment, and I was about to get an A+.

"Bela!" Nori yelled. I rolled my eyes and unrolled the bandage from my firsts, discarding it on the ground. I open the door and shuffle out, but Nori is standing alone, no Jo in sight. "So she's gonna set up, I'm gonna go down and get the tech taken down - it'll take a while, so it gives you time to go do something outrageous. Take this."

They handed me a small earpiece and I pocketed it.

"You ready to be free?" They asked with a sly smirk on their lips. Free.

"Hell yeah."

Haha I just realized I killed Nat in Chapter 7 and now it's Chapter 20 🌝 but I have good reason!

So do we kill Peter? Find out in like 2-3 chapters :)