Gemini (BEING REWRITTEN)

Every Man For Themselves

March 19th, 2008

Budapest, Hungary

"Can you explain exactly what we're doing here again?"

"There is an organization looking to put a stop to your home, Alrina. You are here to make sure they fail, I am not here."

"You're sitting right there, tinman. Are you telling me this is all on me?"

"That's exactly what I am telling you. Go. You're supposed to meet with Dreykov in ten minutes and Hydra would hate it if you're late."

Rolling my eyes at the one armed man, I turn around and leave the rundown motel room we booked for the week. The past few years have been the same on repeat. Be assigned a mission with Winter, complete said mission and return to the cold mountains of Russia to visit our local crazy doctor. I would almost consider Winter a friend if he wasn't such a loose cannon, which is what Hydra wants from him, to always be ready to comply.

The brisk streets of Budapest are something I would not want to walk in my free time, preferring the warmth of the crummy motel room with the old man. Making a pit stop at a small cafe, I grab an espresso before sitting at a table by the window to watch the building across the street. Deciding I waited long enough, I left a small sum of money on the table and began the trek into the building of a man I never actually met before.

Dreykov was a man I heard about from my mother on a few occasions, who made sure to live up to her expectations or she would hear from him. The building itself seemed as if it was just a day-to-day office building, the only difference was the lack of office workers. I pause at the wooden door, making sure to knock and waiting to be told to enter.

"Dreykov, sir? I was told to meet you."

"Ah, yes. I was told you were the top of your class, Ms. Boldyreva."

"One of them, sir. "

"Well, the other seems to be occupied. I am to meet my daughter at home, Ms. Boldyreva. Please grab your things from where you are staying. You are under my instructions until further notice."

"Yes, sir."

The man proceeds past me, quickly leaving the building. Turning around, I begin to follow him, sharing a gentle smile with a small girl in the lobby, before I find myself back outside in the cold air. Tucking my hands in my thicker coat pockets, I make my way back to the motel, unaware of the two green eyes looking at me from a car at the end of the street. Almost turning the corner, I'm stopped by a loud explosion from the path I just came from. Stopping in my tracks, I see the flames licking up to the sky and the only thought in my mind was for the little girl.

"Shit."

Pulling a handgun from my waistband, I sprint back down the street, stopping at the door of the collapsing building. Looking around to see most people running away from the fire or calling the authorities, I realize I don't have too many options. Hiding my body behind a car, I decide to do something I haven't done before to help someone instead of completing a mission.

I use what was given to me.

Sprinting into the building, disregarding the fire, I started calling out for the small girl. Leaving the first floor for the second where I had my meeting, I see the small body collapsed on the floor. With the smoke rising and the fire getting hotter, she was running out of air. Sprinting to her limp body, I scoop her up in my arms before turning around and quickly leaving the burning building. Laying her body on the sidewalk for the paramedics, I back away into an ally across the street, letting my body fade into nothing.