The Third Widow

15 years later

As the sedation was starting to wear off, I could begin to scan my surroundings somewhat clearer, "It's been so long since I've been out on a mission", I thought. I started to feel excited and my senses truly became alive again. I stretched out my arms and rolled my neck to either sides until I heard a small pop, "Ah, that's better." As I was underway to the location, I got briefed by the intercom voice. "Widow Belova went gone rogue after her previous mission in Morocco. She took a briefcase containing valuables with her. Return the contents immediately." A grin formed on my face, "What about the widow?", I ask. It stays silent for a second. "No need for her, do whatever you like". "Heh, that's just what I wanted to hear", I said to myself. As the vehicle came to a stop, I made sure to give everything one last check before I jumped out.

I carefully turned in a circle to take in my new surroundings, "Spotted the mark" , I said as I laid eyes upon the building. I climbed up a set of stairs across the street to have a better vantage point. "Entrance in sight", I mumbled. I squatted down and carefully traced all the windows until I found what I was looking for. A woman, walking backwards with her arms stretched out, holding a gun. I couldn't see who or what she was pointing it at, so I decided to wait. My eyes grew wide when I identified the person standing across of my target, "It's my lucky day", I thought while staying focussed on the Avenger.

I could feel the tension as if I was standing beside them, neither was moving a single muscle, both on gunpoint by the other. Then something changed and the battle between the two widows started. This was my sign to move in closer and finish them off after they dealt with one another. I started running in a straight line towards my goal, pushing off right on the edge where my building stopped. A small moment I was halted in midair before I fell down on the next roof. I kept running until I was one jump away from prize. As I leapt one last time I made sure all my senses were focused on what was coming next. I pulled myself up on the windowsill, and took a slight pause before proceeding to open the window. Inside I could still hear the grunts and screams from the now ending battle. I lowered myself in stealth so nothing would betray my presence, as I looked around for my main objective. I picked up the briefcase but couldn't help myself to skip out on the only action I've had in four years, after all, it was my call to make this time.

"What a nice reunion of two traitors", I spat as I walked closer to see them laying on the floor entangled in the remnants of their fight. Both their expressions held utter disbelief but a glance at my suit turned said look into hostility. I held up both my hands, to indicate I was supposedly harmless. The Avenger Widow stood up first but apparently was lost for words, I could see only her desire for the briefcase I was holding. "Oh you want this?"  I asked dumbfound, while swinging the case back and forth. "Unfortunately it's mine now. While you are free to try, I would advise against trying to take it from me."

Belova rose up behind the Avenger with the same stunned look on her face, "Alex", she whispered. For a second I was thrown off by her knowing my name but wouldn't dare to show that to my enemy. Instead I placed a smile on my face and let out only a single chuckle, "I am obliged to let the Avenger go, but received a free pass on our deserter Widow." I took a small step forward which made my two counterparts dart back. In the small window they took their eyes off me to exchange a look of their own, I jumped forward and threw the Avenger against the ground. I got up in a split second before hitting the other Widow in the face with the briefcase, which snapped it's handle and made it's contents spill all over the floor. With both women laying before me, I took a second to let my eyes scan the red vials rolling everywhere. Their use was of no regard to me so I didn't waste more time before I started picking them up. As I was holding about a dozen of them I could see the two women pulling themselves up from the ground in the corner of my eye. A smile formed on my face knowing that they weren't done yet, "It's really best to just stay down" I chuckled towards them. I put the vials down next to my feet, showing I was ready for any attack to come my way. The two widows started rushing towards me, thinking they could overpower me with numbers. Unfortunately for them, they were wrong. As I slid off my belt only to slip it around one of their ankles, I manages to take one down before the other could even reach me. "Training really doesn't come close to the genuine thing", I thought before catching the Avenger storming at me, only to fall backwards and kick her over my head behind me. I was now standing in between a standstill from either side, which made me pull out my knife from my leg strap. It was a little hard to keep my eyes on both of them since they kept circling around me. I continued to turn and fixate my gaze on either one of them, holding the knife ready for action. I could taste the tension in the air the split second before they started their new attack, only to notice, a little too late, they adjusted their strategy. One jumped me from behind trying to pin me to the ground using their weight, while the other slid past me securing the vials. I tried to struggle but couldn't rely on my knife in the case it got used against me. I dropped it from my grasp and clung to the wrist of my perpetrator instead, trying to push it down next to me so i could roll her off my back. It seemed to work for a second but before I managed to throw her off completely, another set of hands pinned me down securely. This feeling of powerlessness was new to me and took my heart by surprise, I didn't like it. A surge adrenaline rushed through me which made my body feel on fire, I grabbed onto the second wrist of the Widow on top of me only to rip her off, right over my head. As I got up I felt a daze washing over me, my eyes turned clouded and my breathing became unsteady. I stood there unmoving for what seemed like hours until I felt an arm slip around my neck from behind me. Unable to respond, I got jerked to ground again only this time on my back. A set of feet closed around my legs and my already unsteady breathing turned wild. I wanted to scream but no sounds got out of my mouth. It kept getting harder to inhale and I saw black dots appearing in my vision. My mind was blank with panic as my hands were trying to find anything to get me out of this situation. My body started to curl up as it's natural survival instinct were taking over. My fingers touched upon the cold metal of the case and spared no moment to grab onto it and send it towards my captor. Instantly the pressure around my neck loosened up and I pushed myself away from the danger. Trying to catch my breath while I was down on my hands and knees before I heard the same voice, quietly call my name again. I looked up straight into the compassionate eyes of my sister, who's face was only centimeters away from mine. Before I could even react, a cloud of red particles was blown into my face making me cough and fall back from surprise. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I could see again and anticipate my enemies next move. But before I had time to let a thought cross my mind, a sharp pain made me fall over and grab my head with both my hands. I had never felt anything like it, not even in the Red Room was there something this excruciating. I screamed out in pain and my vision turned red. I barely noticed the two worries shadows standing over me, not understanding what was causing this immense pain. I couldn't take it anymore, the feeling of my head splitting in two, my whole body on fire. Involuntary tears were streaming down my face as my throat failed to produce any more sounds. Finally it became too much and I passed out from the pain. The last thing I heard were the voices of my sisters, which sparked a sliver of joy if only to be buried under the excruciating weight of this agony.