Russell Adler x Reader

Nine

Your legs twitched. Torn from the world of sleep, you curled your lips and let out a deep yawn.

Mason huffed.

"Had a good dream?", he asked, knowing damn well that people with your occupation didn't have good dreams.

Some people were lucky and they had none, but most of the people returning from Nam had troubles falling asleep and were often tortured by nightmares and worse.

Still not fully awake, you stretched your legs and wiped a strand of saliva from the corner of your mouth.

"What year is it?", you asked and threw a glance out the window. "Turkey?"

"Yes.", Adler answered from the drivers seat. "We're close to Trabzone Airfield. Get ready."

Stretching, you sat up straight and took a closer look.

Not far in the distance, lights of an airport cut through the night. The brightness seemed strange, considering that not a single city was close by. This place had been build for one thing and one thing only, to make business far away from curious eyes.

"Let me guess, take Arash out and crawl back into the shadows again?", you asked and made sure that the trigger on your riffle was still working.

Adler hummed.

"Uh, I'm dying to tell that son of a bitch what I think about him.", Woods laughed in the passenger seat. "Hey, are you still a good shot like back then?"

You shrugged.

"I wouldn't risk it."

You knew exactly that if anybody would spread the news that you killed Arash with your own hands, Perseus would he pissed. Maybe, you'd get away with a beating, but killing someone as important as that seemed unjustifiable.

Thankfully, the excuse was a solid one.

You haven't had a mission in years and officially, the CIA treated you as a substitute agent. That meant you weren't on their list anymore and were only called back if it was the only option or, like in this case, someone specifically requested your participation.

You still wondered how Adler had managed to get green light to get you back on the team. The superiors weren't a great fan of you and him in the same room, especially not Hudson.

Probably because he knew that once you and Adler teamed up only the devil was able to end that war. Sometimes you even liked to think that not even the devil could get you two to stop, that's how good of a team you were.

The realisation made you shiver. You had always tried to keep your distance to the Americans and now one of them was somehow what came closest to a friend you had in this country.

"Woods will take the shot.", Adler said. "We operate from afar."

Agreeing, you nodded.

The car came to a stand on top of a hill, hidden by a small group of trees and bushes. From that position it was easy to see the entire airfield, plane and people included.

Everyone slipped out into the dark.

"Mason, you and (Y/N) go and take out the guards at the border.", Adler said with a gesture towards a small building down the hill. "Woods and I contact Hudson."

With a grin, you pulled the face mask over your nose and clipped it into place.

"You good at stealth, Mason?", you asked and pulled out your knife to let two fingers slide across the sharp blade.

With a grin, Mason nodded.

"I get what you want.", he said and put on a hat to cover his hair. "Right behind you."

"Lovely."

With bated breath you sat in the bushes and had your gaze fixed at one of the two soldiers who were patrolling the area.

Gesturing towards the guy, you told Mason to handle the issue and moved on into the backdoor of the small house.

"You on it?", Adler's voice filled your ears.

"Almost. Just one second...", using the moment of surprise, you jumped out of the safe shadows and buried the knife in the guys neck. "Done."

Choking on his own blood, he fell to his knees and started shaking. One more hit and he was done for.

Blood dripped form the blade of your knife. The red orbs shattered on the ground and painted a picture of betrayal.

In that moment you were disturbed by how little you cared about the dead man that was laying on front of you. He was just one of many.

But what if it would have been Adler laying like that, bleeding?

One day you'd have to end him, if you wanted to or not.

But the thought made you shiver. You feared that day would come.

All of a sudden, steps tore you out of your thoughts.

Struck by surprise, you twirled around, knife raised and aimed at the shadow that was crossing the door.

"Woah, easy!", Woods hissed as your knife almost took his eye.

"It's you.", you relaxed. "Sorry."

He flashed you a grin.

"No biggie, Adler already said you'd be a bit jumpy."

"He's talking from experience."

Interested, his thick eyebrows rose.

"I'm listening.", he smirked.

But you just snorted and joined Adler and Mason outside.

"What's the status?", you asked.

But before Adler could open his mouth, Woods answered.

"Airfield is just up ahead.", he said and looked through the curtain of trees. "Let's go find this shithead."

Adler was already ahead, taking down a driver that had managed to hide inside a car.

"Priority is to ID Arash before things go hot.", he said and gave you a silent command to join his side. "You with me. In case things go wrong I want you to watch my back."

A soft smile appeared on your lips. The mask hid it from him, but in a way you were glade about that. He was already growing on you too much again.

You unlocked your gun.

"It'll go well, no?", you hummed and followed him down a small path. "Or is Woods a lousy shot now?"

Behind you, Mason let out a snort.

"Don't let him hear that, he'll take it personal.", he chuckled.

Woods pulled a face.

"Damn right I will.", he growled.