Cherry || b.barnes

03 || Golden Cage

»Cherry?« the fair-haired man asks in disbelief, squeezing his light eyes a little more. I simply nod, not wanting to go in further detail. »You go with Cherry, okay. Is there a surname?«

Shaking my head, I still don't release his eyes from being imprisoned by mine. This man has some rusty wheels spinning behind the mirrors of his soul, and I know it won't be of use to try and convince him that this is my real name. In the end, not everyone can work for an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D., and I do believe his share has something to do with a good gut-feeling. »Just Cherry.«

»Fine.« he says, and it surprisingly actually sounds like a genuine response. »Cherry, I lied to you earlier.«

»Shocker« I roll my eyes, tightening my grasp around my upper body.

»We do have some footage of you that might be... a disadvantage for you.« he continues ignorantly, and again, the screen on our side appears, drawing my attention. There's a video played of me on my recent mission – no volume, but within the seconds, one can see the blown pieces of brain due to the short distance of shot, before they stick onto the wall. Luckily, the angle provides most sight of me, and all the camera gets is the side profile of my face. Enough to identify me, but nothing more exposed than my ass in the special lingerie I wore. »But« he then says, the screen closing immediately, »we have a deal for you.«

Dismay must be visible, hovering above me like Damokles's sword, because he continues within a heartbeat and avoids any further comments or questions of mine. »There's no place you can go back to. Leo is dead, Zirmano is imprisoned, and we nearby made out everybody else involved into the business.« his eyes still locked with mine, I make out the smallest twitch of them in the last part of the sentence; a lie. The thing about Leo and Zirmano may be true, but the rest isn't.

Unluckily, the rest isn't important to me. I was there for work and for training, to keep myself in shape, but where there are no tasks and nobody to get money from, there soon enough will be no practice anymore, either. The realization of being homeless and getting everything pulled away from below my feet again is sinking in frustratingly deep and grave, and it costs me more than usual to keep my posture and guard up. Lump tightening my throat, I'm almost thankful for the man to continue talking. Almost. »Meaning, you have nowhere to return to.« Maybe, I take that back. 

»Where would you know that from?« I snap irritated. I mean, possibly, I could search for Raphael. Although I doubt he and his girlfriend would be all too fond of me being their roommate. I sometimes tend to anger issues, and I sing in the shower.

It was a mistake to respond with my feelings so openly portrayed in the words, because satisfaction eases the man's facial features. »No young girl gets herself involved in gangs for no reason. Either your parents didn't care, or died already, which got you onto the wrong path. Or your simply still a stubborn teenager, which I don't believe.«

Wrong path? Ridiculous. I chose that path a long time ago, and I didn't mean for myself to stay on it. I had a bigger plan in mind, but one has to get on their feet again before walking. And I have to build some muscle first before I can climb that mountain. »However, here's the deal.« the agent in my front goes on, »prison or joining. We won't let you walk, and I'm sure, the more we search, the more evidence of your crimes we will find. You would get behind bars for the rest of your life, not seeing the outside ever again.« I know very well, too well, this is a possibility. »And I heard food in prison is distasteful.« he adds, as if it would do any good. »Or, you become a member of our team.«

Now, I really can't hold the mask on any longer. An arrogant chuckle breaks out between my opening lips, and it takes a moment for me to get myself back together. »Wow, you must be very desperate. All of you, and not only the lady from before.«