Frank Woods x Reader

Forty-Two

Something in the back of your brain twitched as Sims turned the key inside the lock and closed the only escape out of the room.

Your eyes jumped to Bell.

He had calmed down but was still sweating all over.

Carefully, you approached him.

"I'll untie you, you said in a calm.", understandable voice. "If you attack me, the others won't treat you with kindness."

His eyes locked with yours.

"Why would you do that?", he asked out of breath.

"You want the truth?"

"Can someone who works for the CIA even tell truth?"

A sarcastic smirk appeared on your lips.

"I could say something to that, but it's better to keep my mouth shut.", you joked.

He huffed, maybe out of surprise or just because he wanted to.

"You're one of the good ones, I get it.", he shook his wrists. "Could you?"

Nodding, you approached, but hesitated.

"This is a sign of trust.", you locked eyes with him, hands already on the handcuffs. "If I trust you, I expect you to trust me as well. Attack me and I'll make you regret it."

For a moment, his eyes wandered over your face.

His body tensed again but relaxed as a wave of pain made him flinch.

"You're badly injured.", you loosened the chains but didn't remove them completely. "I'd recommend you keep your emotions down. They'll kill you."

A loud sigh left his lips.

"Fine...", he closed his eyes and swallowed heavily. "Please... I need a moment."

Understanding, you nodded and opened the first handcuff.

Without hesitation, he raised his arm.

You forced yourself to keep standing on the spot and not jump back out of a reflex. You promised him that you had trust. Flinching at the slightest move would have meant crushing that delicate trust he was willing to put into you.

His hand pressed onto his forehead to fight back a wave of pain. Groaning, he sat up straight.

"Here.", you offered him the damp towel. "Press it to your neck. It'll push all the blood down and the pain will get better."

With a grateful nod, he took it and did what you said.

You watched him, arms crossed, while leaning against the wall next to him.

"I really... I really don't want to tell you...", he said after a while.

Confused, you raised an eyebrow and tilted your head.

"Listen...", you sighed and shook your head. "No, let me phrase it different. Loyalty is something that I deeply admire. I've never been loyal to anyone. Not even myself sometimes."

His eyes narrowed.

"Why tell me that?"

You swallowed hard.

"Do you remember when we talked about how I hate the old man?"

For a second he looked clueless. Then he nodded.

"Right... I asked you if it has to be logical to love someone."

"You did. And I'm honest, I would have argued without you about it. But you were right. Sometimes, things don't have to be logical. Love isn't logical, liking people isn't logical, wanting to help a stranger isn't logical. But loyalty is a different matter."

"Then you don't know what true loyalty means.", he growls.

You shrugged.

"Like I said...", your eyes wandered out the window to find Woods arguing with Adler and Mason. "I've never been loyal to anyone."

"Not even yourself."

"Exactly."

"So why talk about logic and loyalty?", he pulled a face. "I'm loyal to my people. You're not loyal to anyone."

Letting out a huff, you smirked.

"Logic and loyalty are deeply connected. Love doesn't make sense at all, it's not logical. I came to terms with that. But loyalty is based off of facts, Bell. Facts, values, believes."

"The facts state that the CIA uses me against my own people!", he tried to jump up but the pain chained him to the gurney.

You nodded, relaying to his anger but not agreeing with it.

"That is a sad fact.", you admitted. "But the facts also state that Perseus is planning on launching nukes."

"The West must have a taste of their own medicine."

"But at what cost? Killing agents and soldiers is one thing. Those people decided to pick up a gun and fight. They had a choice, Bell. They considered that death was an option and decided it was a risk they wanted to take. But the nukes leave little choice for millions of people. People who don't have a choice."

His face froze. For a moment, it seemed like he was about to collapse.

A shaky breath escaped him. His chest rose and fell in such slow ways, he might as well could have choked to death.

"Sometimes, great things demand great sacrifices...", he gasped and turned his head up to gift you a glance, so deadly, that it made you shiver. "I didn't chose this method either, but the West forced my people to take drastic measures."

"You truly believe that?", you asked.

He let out a low hiss.

"You talk as if America is innocent."

You shook your head.

"It's not. Not in the slightest. But right now the sides are clear to see. America, trying to fix the mess that could potentially turn the Cold War into a World War. And the Soviet Union, your people, who are planning to wipe out an entire continent.", you approached him. "Bell... I know this is terrible to admit, but it's not just the millions of people we're talking about. The nukes will ruin an entire place to live. Earth will loose space, land will never be useful again because setting foot on it will cause cancer."

With anger burning inside his eyes, he frowned.

"The Americans made them.", he said. "Why make something like this in the first place? It's not about if they get launched, but who'll suffer because of it."

Again, you couldn't help but nod.

"That is a valid point.", you agreed. "But answer me one thing. All those people, innocent ones, not Americans, are they worth getting sacrificed just to get back at the States? Can you take this burden upon yourself, with all your believes and values ? Are you loyal because you agree with this? Or are you loyal because there's never been another option?"