Animalia // Barnes

Chapter Twenty-One: Machine

~ANIMALIA~

The daunting hallways blur together, the cold colours mixing to become one. The agents milling around get lost in the hustle and bustle, my short steps allowing me to walk by unnoticed. I slip my hand into my slit pocket, the cool, familiar metal of my gun fitting into my hand. My fingers make their way to the safety, which I click off.

I make my way to the dark stairwell, taking the steps three at a time. Gritting my teeth and turning my gaze to stone, my footsteps becoming soundless. It takes moments to make it to the control floor, the cold air making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Only a handful of agents stand in the room, with Nick Fury giving out orders in it's centre.

I climb more stairs, reaching the small viewing room located on Jessica's phone. The room's window is at the perfect angle to make sure I can't be seen from up close. The door hangs open, stale air coming from it. Darting my head around the corner, I check for any agents. The room is empty, just as promised. Making sure that everything is on order, including the ladder to the roof, I start to set up.

Bringing a table across the floor, I pull out all of the sniper pieces. I connect the barrel to the scope and then to the large trigger and shoulder dent. The process feels oddly methodical, from cleaning the barrel to checking if the trigger is jammed. All my actions are fast and efficient.

Pulling ammunition from my bag, I peer over the edge of the window. No one approaches the room. I morph back into my true self, my red hair returning along with my golden eyes. The bullets make distinct clicking noises as they slide into place on the gun. When the final bullet is in place, I look into the scope.

The back of Nick Fury's head appears on the left side of the glass, his bald head captured in perfect detail. I line the little cross on the lens up with the space just above the nape of his neck. Time seems to slow down as my finger tightens around the trigger.

Five.

I have to kill Nick Fury.

Four.

He's my mission.

Three.

I do this with out any questions asked.

Two.

I am a machine.

One-

Captain America enters the room below, causing Nick Fury to move out of my scope's vision. Another target saved by the so-called American hero. I stand up, quickly walking toward the stairs. They talk for some time behind the wall, forcing me to keep my rigid stance. I aim the gun toward where Fury's chest will be when he walks past. Agents fail to notice the end of the sniper's barrel sticking out of the shadows as they walk past, too busy looking through papers or sipping coffee.

Both men start to head for the door, their footsteps echoing in my ears. Nick Fury enters my scope, the left side of his chest in plain view. My cold finger squeezes the trigger, a loud boom echoing throughout the room. A red stain appears on Fury's shirt, right beside his heart, the bullet nestled into his left lung.

Gunfire sounds, aimed at the control room and everywhere in between. Captain America runs toward me, his face changing from surprise to fear. I sprint up the stairs, toward room. I bolt up the ladder, taking the rungs two at a time. "Mel, wait!" He yells, looking upward. I let go of the rungs, landing my feet onto his nose, a satisfying crunching noise coming from it. I grab a rung before we hit the ground, causing a sharp pain to dart up my arm.

The Captain hits the ground, but quickly scrambled to his feet. I climb the ladder hastily, reaching the roof within seconds. Taking a deep breath, I grow my ginormous wings, their white feathers ruffling in the wind. I jump from the roof, nosediving into the world below. My body is like a bullet, lethal and strong. My wings carry me higher into the air by the second.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a roaring engine, a loud curse coming promptly after. I glance downwards, only to be met by the sight of a SHIELD agent riding his motorcycle directly below me. Flying higher, just past the treetops, he starts to become a small dot and the motorcycle engine becomes a low him in the distance.

Clicking my comm, static buzzes through my ears. "Mission successful." I say.

It takes a minute for the static to stop, but I am greeted by Melony Vandenberg's voice. "Meet me back at headquarters." She orders.

I nod, even though she can't see me.

I hear her take the comm out of her ear, but the static remains. After a few moments of silence, I land in one of the treetops, waiting for her to tune her comm out. The moment never comes.

"Commander Surdens." I hear on the other end, Melony's voice full of venom. "What is it this time? Have you come to question my power once more?"

After a few moments of silence, I hear a faint voice. "No. I was curious as to how the mission concluded. Was the assassination successful?"

"It was." Melony responds.

Another period of silence passes. "What are you still doing here?"

"Melony-"

"It's Director Vandenberg to you."

"Director Vandenberg, I believe that Animalia's remembering pieces of her past. It would explain why she didn't kill The Winter Soldier and-"

"Nonsense. I had Doctor Kritchton wipe her. She possibly can't remember a single thing. Not after a week."

"Couldn't she be lying about Fury's death? Who is to say she's coming back?"

"You're testing very dangerous waters here, commander."

"Director Vandenberg-"

"That's enough. You have no right to demand answers from me about things you don't even understand. Get out. Now."

A sigh. "Yes ma'am."

My body freezes, several alarms going off in my head. Vandenberg had me wiped? What was she talking about? HYDRA is supposed to be good, they wouldn't steal my memories. If she's lying, then that means that everything is a lie. I might have killed an innocent man. No, two innocent men. "Oh my god." I breathe.

My hands start to shake and my breathing speeds up. I sink further into the tree branch, wishing right there and then that the darkness would swallow me whole, ending my horrible existence. I can't go back to HYDRA, and after killing Nick Fury and Antman, there is no way I can go to SHIELD. Fear grips me, it's icy hand pulling at the strings in my mind. I rip my comm out of my ear, throwing it over the side of the branch. I frantically pull at my guns and knives, throwing it all away. The evil, the things that kill.

The things I use to kill.

I pull off my clothes, boots and all. Bundling them up, I jump over the side. There's no telling what they could have trackers on. Dropping the clothes, I glance at my hands, seeing red blood. Stumbling back, I start to panic, scratching at them frantically. "Get it off get it off get it off!" I yell. It doesn't disappear, not a single bit of it. My hands grow raw in protest. I take deep, shuddering breaths. My eyes stay as dry as bone, the hopelessness of it all well past tears.

I sit alone in the quiet for some time. I need to get food, shelter. Maybe even some clothes. Glancing around for spectators, I turn into a grey wolf, the cool night air suddenly seeming not so bad. Looking around, I curl up beside the tree, using the leaves to cover my form. My thoughts stay concentrated on a single, desperate thought.

Who am I?