Mom Says Hello

Chapter Three

Annabeth's PoV

Another blow to the face and my head hits the ground. The world spins before me, the clearly disappointed grunts of the Hydra agents barely audible. A cold metal hand drags me to my feet, helping me lean on the side of the fighting ring.

"Just kill her," A Hydra agent grumbles, causing my heart to pound almost as much as my head. "No use to us anymore."

"She'll be of use," Another agent intervenes, pulling me out of the ring and too close to his smirking face. "She just needs the proper...motivation."

Before I can react two agents drag me forward, leading me towards the execution room. I've been here all too many times to watch fellow lab rats die at another one's hand. I try to fight out of their grip, terrified of what's to come. When we reach the room, they throw open the door and toss me inside. Expecting the absolute worst, I keep my head tucked in my arms on the floor. It is only then that I hear a familiar voice calling me.

"Annabeth!" I hear Mom's voice from the other side of the room, so joyful and full of tears.

"Mom!" Scrambling to my feet, I run towards her and engulf her in my arms. "Mom, you came. I knew you were strong enough, I knew it."

"I am," She pulls away, her voice suddenly cold and afraid. "But, are you?"

The all too familiar coolness of a gun sweeps across my hand, somehow now tightly clenched with my own fingers. My arm raises, somehow unable to be controlled. I yank back on the muscles in my hand, but it doesn't budge. The gun presses up against my mother's head and the safety clicks off.

"Annabeth, please," Mom begs, so broken and paralyzed. "I thought you loved me."

I try to move my mouth to tell her that I love her too, but all that comes out is a demanding sneer. Before I can even attempt to stop myself, the trigger is pulled. Blood splatters up onto my face and paints across the wall behind her as she falls. The gun drops to the ground, and I'm now in full control. What have I done?

"Mom!" I drop to my knees and shake her shoulders in a useless attempt to wake her up. "MOM!!"

Tears spill over my cheeks, mixing with the blood to make the most horrific rouge imaginable. What have I done?

"Annabeth." My head jerks up as I hear the voice of one of the Hydra agents stepping forward. "Annabeth!"

~*~

My eyes snap open, barely able to see through all the tears. A strong pair of hands helps me sit up and I can make out a figure sitting beside, unmoving and staring into my eyes. In an already startled state, I scurry backward to escape from this figure, who for all I know could be another Hydra agent.

"Annabeth." The figure soothes, trying to lure me closer.

"GET AWAY!" I screech, unable to comprehend how they've found me once again. "YOU MADE ME KILL HER!"

My voice echoes off of the walls of my new room, startling the figure.

"Annabeth," The figure begins, his voice now slightly recognisable.

"They made me kill her!" I sob, falling to my knees at the edge of the bed. "I killed her..."

Steve scoots closer, gathering me up in his arms like no one has ever done before. I can feel his desperation as he tries to calm me down, to put me at bay for even a moment. So, I sob and sob into his shoulder as I think back to the horrible vision of the bullet through my mother's head.