ANTI-HERO [N. Romanoff × Female Reader]

Chapter Thirty-One

One of the men from the first breach sat in one of the cells, a mirthful expression on his face. As you passed by, you found yourself looking back at him.

"They're here again, aren't they?" he said, referring to the new set of intruders. Clearly, he was connected to them. "You know there's only one way to stop this."

"No," you gritted your teeth. "I don't deserve this. People don’t need to get hurt because of me."

"Exactly," he replied, his voice firm. "So leave. Go back to wherever you came from. You know they’re here for you, so why stay?"

You stared at him, the thought of leaving creeping into your mind. He was right in a way—there was nothing keeping you here. Why put all these people in danger when you knew how to stop it?

"Stop being so selfish, Y/N," his voice oozed manipulation. "Valentina's probably dead as we speak anyway," he snarled.

Realization hit you like a punch. He had been stalling you. With urgency, you bolted towards the other side of the cells where Valentina was held. When you got there, she was already on the floor of her opened cell, bleeding out.

"Fuck," you cursed, turning away. You needed to get out of here fast.

Running through the hallways, you quickly assessed the situation. The compound was under attack again, and the intruders were here for you. If you stayed, more people would get hurt. You needed to draw them away.

You burst into the command center where Natasha was coordinating the defense. She looked up, her eyes narrowing in concern. "Y/N, what's going on?"

"We have to move," you said urgently. "They’re here for me. If I stay, more people will die. I need to leave."

Her face hardened. "You're not going anywhere alone. We do this together."

You shook your head. "Natasha, if I leave, they'll follow me. It's the only way to keep everyone safe."

Before she could argue, another explosion rocked the compound. Alarms blared, and you both knew time was running out. Natasha grabbed your arm, her grip firm. "We're a team, remember? We face this together."

You nodded reluctantly, appreciating her loyalty. "Fine, but we need to create a diversion."

Together, you quickly formulated a plan. You would head to the main exit, drawing the intruders’ attention, while Natasha and the others secured the compound and evacuated the civilians.

As you moved through the hallways, the sound of gunfire and explosions grew louder. You reached the main exit, where a group of intruders awaited. Without hesitation, you charged forward, drawing their fire.

Natasha flanked you, taking out enemies with precision. The two of you fought side by side, just like old times. The bond between you felt stronger, the anger and betrayal temporarily forgotten in the heat of battle.

You made it outside, where more intruders were waiting. As you fought your way through, you realized they were relentless. You needed to end this once and for all.

"Natasha," you yelled over the noise. "Get to the evac point. I’ll draw them away."

She hesitated, her eyes filled with worry. "Y/N, no. We can find another way."

"There is no other way," you said firmly. "Trust me. I’ll be okay."

With hesitation and uncertainty in Natasha's eyes, she knew what she had to do. She had to let you go if they wanted a chance to minimize the damage. "Promise you'll come find me," Natasha dared.

You hated promises; you didn't know how to keep them, but instead, you nodded your head. "I will, I promise."

She looked at you, her expression torn, then nodded. "Be careful."

With one last look, you turned and ran, drawing the intruders away from the compound. You could hear Natasha shouting orders, ensuring the evacuation was proceeding as planned.

As you sprinted through the woods surrounding the compound, you could feel the intruders closing in. You needed to find a place to make your stand.

Reaching a clearing, you turned to face them. They emerged from the trees, weapons ready. You took a deep breath, ready to fight. This was your chance to end this, to protect those you cared about.

The first wave attacked, and you fought with everything you had. The battle was fierce, and you took down enemy after enemy, but they kept coming.

Just when you thought you couldn't hold them off any longer, you spotted a narrow path leading deeper into the forest. Without hesitation, you sprinted down the path, using the dense trees for cover. The intruders were right behind you, but you were determined to lead them as far away from the compound as possible.

Hours seemed to pass as you ran, your legs burning and your breath ragged. Finally, you reached a secluded spot by a river, the water rushing by. You knew this was where you would make your last stand. The intruders were closing in, and you readied yourself for the fight.

As they emerged from the trees, you steeled yourself, thinking of Natasha and the promise you made. You would survive this, and you would find her again.

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