Universal Chaos

Chapter 5

The knot in Sutton's stomach only grew as she hustled down the city street. There were so many people. How was she supposed to spot Natasha and Steve? Were they on foot? In a car? No one ever bothered to tell her anything specific!

She tried to keep her pace steady and as calm as possible, despite the fact that the cut on the bottom of her foot still stung and she was in a hurry.

The District of Columbia was not an area she was exactly familiar with. Even New York still seemed foreign at times. There was always that feeling of Otherness she harbored. She may know a few road names and where the library was, but she would never understand the city like a local did. This place was even worse. She didn't know where she was going or what to do next if she missed the pick up spot. There was no safety net to fall back on.

Sutton quickened her pace. Something inside her said she didn't have much time. She had to hurry, hurry, hurry.

Do something. Hurry!

"Calm down," she muttered to herself. "Just follow Clint's instructions. You'll be fine."

You're almost too late.

She was digging her nails into her palms but she was still walking at a fairly normal pace. At least normal for her. She'd gotten used to taking quick steps in order to keep up with people who had longer strides.

A hand gripped her shoulder and she reacted purely on the instinct that Natasha had drilled into her. Grabbing the arm back, Sutton twisted the hand out to the side and felt the person behind her move in order to keep the strain off of their wrist. With them off balance, Sutton spun around and jabbed her hand into their throat.

"You!"

Axel Ladino gasped and sputtered as he grabbed at his throat. The glare he shot her was chilling. He was also recovering rather quickly.

Sutton took off in a run.

What the heck! How did he even find her? What about the pick up location?

A few people had actually witnessed the altercation this time. She'd heard a few gasps and people shouting that a guy was chasing her. There was some comfort in that.

She rounded the block and could see the stretch of sidewalk she was supposed to be waiting on.

Crap! Crap, crap, crap!

Her turtleneck was suddenly pulled back and Sutton gagged as it tightened around her neck. She spun around with an elbow angled up to hit him in the temple. Axel blocked the blow and caught her arm, twisting it around until she was spun with her back flush up against him.

"My mission is to bring you in," he hissed in her ear. "So that's what's going to happen."

Sutton grit her teeth and glowered. There was no way she'd be able to best him physically. That was obvious. And there was no Clint around to come to her rescue.

Sutton eyed the meet-up location and ran through a list of things she could do to get there. She wondered briefly if he realized that he was putting on more of a show than he mostly likely wanted. A smile curled up her face before she quickly erased it and let herself look terrified.

"Help me! Somebody help! He's hurting me!"

The crowd of people around them suddenly buzzed. Axel froze where he stood, muscles tense, as if this were an unexpected development. He was too young or too cocky or too dumb if he hadn't anticipated this. His grip on her vanished as a couple of men and women stepped forward, their faces going hard as Sutton staggered away from her assaulter.