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CHAPTER XV. Until Death
Elina's ears rang as she struggled to her feet, shards of glass from the explosion digging into her hands. She winced, staring at her palms as the tiny cuts quickly healed, the pain fading almost as fast as it had come. Her rapid healing was a constant reminder of what set her apart from the others, but now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
She looked around, realizing with a sinking feeling that she was alone. The force of the blast had thrown her into a different part of the aircraft, separating her from the rest of the team. Her heart pounded as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Shakily, she picked up her earpiece, dusting it off before attempting to listen to the frantic commands crackling through it. Fury's voice was faint and distorted, the static making it nearly impossible to understand.
"Romanoff... Anhelina?" His voice cut through, but only barely.
Elina pressed the earpiece tighter against her ear. "I'm... I'm okay," she responded, though the words felt hollow. She scanned her surroundings again, desperately trying to get her bearings. The chaos of the explosion had left everything in disarray.
She tried contacting Natasha, hoping for a sign of her sister's safety, but the earpiece remained silent. The lack of response gnawed at her, fear creeping in. Was it just the damaged earpiece, or was Natasha in real trouble? Elina didn't want to consider the latter possibility.
Driven by urgency, Elina sprinted down the corridor, searching for anyone who could give her answers. The hallways were alive with SHIELD agents and crew members, all rushing to their assigned tasks, their faces etched with the same fear and confusion she felt. The entire aircraft seemed to be in chaos, with everyone trying to figure out what had just happened.
Finally, she spotted a familiar face in the sea of frantic movement-Blake. Relief washed over her as she approached, but it was quickly replaced by dread.
"What the hell is going on?" Elina demanded, her voice tinged with desperation.
Blake grabbed her arm, pulling her along without missing a beat. "Explosion on one of the engines," she explained, her tone clipped and urgent.
"Explosion?" Elina's mind raced, piecing together the implications. "It's Loki, isn't it?"
Blake nodded grimly. "Well, it's Barton," she corrected, her eyes meeting Elina's with a shared understanding. They both knew this was a double-edged sword. Barton could be saved, but Loki's escape would be disastrous.
The aircraft shuddered violently, the structure groaning under the strain. Debris rained down as more explosions rocked the craft, and the two women barely managed to stay on their feet. A loud shout echoed from beneath them, filled with pain and anger.
