THE RAVEN | avengers

[29]

ACT 1
Chapter 29
Caught In The Crossfire

The estate behind her was now nothing more than a shadowed fortress fading into the distance, but the weight of what she had done pressed heavily on her mind. Not because of the girl's death, but because of what came next — Viktor would want answers.

And she wasn't giving them.

The wind whipped at her cloak as she moved swiftly through the underbrush, heading back to the extraction point where Mikhail would be waiting. The night sky was clear, the stars glimmering above like indifferent spectators. Raven's mind, however, was far from peaceful.

She reached the clearing where Mikhail had parked the plane. It was quiet, the engines powered down, and Mikhail leaned against the wing, arms crossed, his expression unreadable in the dim light.

"How'd it go?" Mikhail asked, raising an eyebrow as she approached.

Raven didn't answer immediately. She pulled back her hood, revealing her face, and shrugged. "Handled."

Mikhail gave a slow nod, his eyes searching hers for a moment longer than usual. "Handled how?"

She met his gaze, her voice steady, unwavering. "She's gone."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. There was no need. Mikhail was experienced enough to know that when Raven said someone was gone, it wasn't just an escape or disappearance. It was final. Irreversible.

"Viktor won't be happy," Mikhail muttered under his breath, opening the hatch to the plane.

"I don't care about what makes Viktor happy," Raven replied, her voice dry as she climbed aboard. She sank into one of the seats, resting her head back against the wall, her eyes shutting briefly.

Mikhail didn't argue. He knew that when Raven made up her mind, there was no point in trying to reason with her. Still, as he started the plane, he couldn't help but wonder what Viktor's response would be. They both knew that this mission wasn't about simply removing a target. It was about control, information, and power — all things Viktor thrived on.

The flight back was silent, the drone of the engines filling the void between them. Raven stared out the window, watching the night pass by in a blur of shadows and distant lights. But her mind wasn't on the mission anymore. It was on the inevitable confrontation with Viktor.

How will she explain this one?

When they landed at Kronos, the tension between them was palpable. Mikhail shut off the engines as they came to a stop in the hangar. The doors of the plane hissed open, and Raven stepped out into the cold, sterile light of the underground facility. Waiting for her was Viktor, flanked by two soldiers.

Of course he's waiting.

Raven had expected this.

Viktor's face was a mask of calm, but she could see the sharpness in his eyes, the way his lips barely twitched at the sight of her. "Raven," he said, his voice low and controlled. "You've returned."

"As you requested," Raven replied, her tone casual, unaffected by the weight of his gaze. "Job's done."

Viktor's expression tightened. "And the girl?"

"She got caught in the crossfire."

Viktor's gaze sharpened, the tension between them palpable. He studied her closely, his eyes narrowing. "Caught in the crossfire?" he echoed, his voice flat, almost disbelieving.

Raven held his stare, unwavering, her face an unreadable mask. "Yes," she said firmly. "It happens."

Viktor's lips twitched, a faint, almost imperceptible movement. He tilted his head slightly, taking a step closer. "You expect me to believe that a highly-trained soldier, like you, let an asset get caught in the crossfire?"

Raven's jaw tightened, but she didn't falter. "Believe whatever you want, Viktor. But she's gone, and there's nothing more to get from her."

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze around them. Viktor's silence was cold, calculating, his mind clearly working through the possibilities.

"You've never been careless, Raven." His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but there was an edge to it, a dark undercurrent of suspicion. "So tell me..." He took another step forward, his eyes locked on hers. "What really happened out there?"

Raven clenched her fists behind her back, her pulse quickening, but her face remained calm. She couldn't afford to slip up now.

"I told you what happened." Her voice was low, firm. "She's dead. End of story."

Viktor stared at her for another long moment, and for a second, Raven thought he might press her further. But then, he exhaled sharply and stepped back.

"Fine," he said, his voice dropping, but the tension lingered in the air between them.

Raven's lips curled into a slight smirk, though her eyes remained cold and calculating. "Anything else I can grace you with, or are we done here?" Her tone was laced with sarcasm, but her posture remained confident, almost daring him to push further.

Viktor's jaw twitched slightly, his eyes flicking over her before he let out a measured breath. "No," he replied, his voice flat and controlled. "You're free to go."

Raven gave him a curt nod, spinning on her heel and making her way towards the door. The moment felt like a victory, but she knew better than to let her guard down. Viktor wasn't the type to let things slide. Not for long.

꧁ ༺ ༻ ꧂

Once again, she found herself sitting by Caelan's side, her thoughts in turmoil. She had dragged a chair next to his bed, her body slouched slightly as she watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. Machines hummed softly around them, the dim light casting shadows across his pale face. His eyes were still closed, still unmoving, and Raven couldn't shake the knot in her stomach that had been there since he was shot.

After the mission, she'd gone back to her room, hoping for some kind of reprieve. She had taken a long shower, scrubbing away the remnants of blood and dirt, but even the hot water couldn't wash away the weight she carried. She tried to sleep — twisting and turning beneath the covers — but rest wouldn't come. Her mind was too restless, haunted by the day's events, by Viktor's cold eyes, and more than anything... by that damn drawing.

Why did he draw me?

The question had gnawed at her ever since she found the sketch under his mattress. It had been simple, unassuming — her face, etched with careful precision. The same face she saw in the mirror every day. But seeing it through his eyes had unsettled her in a way she hadn't expected. Caelan was methodical, detached, just like her. Or so she thought.

She let out a quiet breath, leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she looked at him. "My mission today was to kill a little girl." She paused, her eyes searching his still face for any sign of life. "I didn't feel bad. It was necessary." The room felt even more silent after her confession, the words hanging heavy in the air. "But I keep wondering, Cae..." Her gaze softened, her brow furrowing slightly. "Is what I'm doing for some greater good, or am I just evil?"

She tilted her head, almost as if she expected him to answer, but the machines were the only things that replied.

Raven sat back in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest as she let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know anymore." Her voice was quieter now, more vulnerable, a tone she rarely used. "Viktor wants me to believe we're making the world better. That everything I do is justified... but sometimes I wonder." She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers slightly. "I'm not sure where the line is anymore. Maybe there never was one."

Her gaze flicked back to him, her eyes searching his face, hoping for some kind of response, some kind of answer.

"You're the only one who might understand, and you're not even here to tell me if I'm wrong." She swallowed, feeling the weight of the words.