BOOK 4 of the ORPHIC Series
DISENTHRALL
/ˌdisənˈTHrôl/
set free.
~~~~~
When Lucille 'Lucy' Opal Baker starts adjusting to a world without Captain America and more government therapy sessions...
T H E F A L C O N A N D T H E W I N T E R S O L D I E R
15
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"Nothing hurts more than doing your absolute best and still not being enough. "
Madripoor, Indonesia July, 2024
MUSIC BOOMED ACROSS THE street, hysterical laughter mingling with shouts of anger and drunk cheers. Some were busy fighting each other, throwing bottles of beer; glass shattering. Some sang their hearts out with their rifles leaned against their shoulders, grinning widely at their friends. Others were sober and doing their best to avoid the howling individuals, half lost in their fun, half lost in their insanity.
Verfall's eyes darted to the left and right, scanning their surroundings with high scrutiny. They traveled down a high bridge above everyone else, walking down a set of stairs to return to the ground. Verfall's eyes sparked with recognition as her gaze darted around the street. She did not remember the debrief, nor did she remember if there was one. The primary handler was not her primary handler, but she still needed to listen.
Winter's eyes were flicking back and forth from the rows of bars and clubs to his handler, Zemo.
The other–Sam, warm, full of light, Sam–stepped besides her, silent in his walk as they stepped forwards together. Verfall remained on offense, her eyes moving from person to person, all carrying rifles and pistols. She tilted her head as a woman with a hundred piercings gazed her up and down, grip on her rifle tightening. Verfall held her hand up as a rifle of her own materialized in between her hands, leaning against her shoulder.
The woman's eyes widened, and something like recognition sparked between her eyes. She turned to the man beside her–a friend– and yelled something. Verfall watched as the group turned to look at her. Her eyes narrowed warningly. They quickly pushed past people, something like horror in their voices. It was not her they feared, Verfall knew that much. It was her primary handler–it always was.
"Hey." Sam spoke. "You have anything to do with that, Zemo?"
Zemo turned his head.
The group hadn't gone unnoticed, and more and more people were backing up from the street; were backing up from them. His eyes flicked back to Sam, then Verfall, who continued to survey the location for any threats.
Zemo grimaced bitterly.
"That would be Schaffer's doing." Zemo replied. "Verfall's presence brings them fear because of who controls her."
Sam's eyes darted across the sea of people that were becoming more like a thin river. Those who'd been packaging drugs of all kinds had paused for only a second at her presence, before continuing on with their business. They were aware, at the very least, that if they kept to themselves no harm would come to them.
