BLACK WIDOW

finifugal

finifugal
(adj.)
hating endings; of someone trying to avoid or prolong the final moments of the story, relationship, journey, or other

•••

"my idea of help from above is a sniper on the roof."

•••

They exited the forest in complete silence and slid on their side down the steep rock and onto the fresh, spring grass, then sprinting quickly to cover.

"So how do you want to get in?" asked James, his back against the gray, brick wall and peering around the corner. Natalia did the same on the corner opposite of him where she saw two guards, dressed in full body armor.

Natalia looked over her shoulder to speak to James. "I've got an idea," she told him, nodding toward the men.

"A good one," he agreed as he motioned for her to follow after him as he sneaked up behind the guards. In the blink of an eye, the two men were silent made unconscious.

The uniforms were pretty baggy, so they didn't have to remove their gear. But as Natalia put hers on, she realized how badly it fit and how short she truly was without her heeled combat boots. She looked smugly to James, showing him her outfit. All her could do was laugh.

"Do you want me to stuff your shoes, Solnishko?" he teased.

"Sunshine?" she asked, acknowledging the name he had just referred to her as.

"You are the light on the dark horizon," he said with a smile and moving his hand dramatically across the sky. He was doing a great job covering up the sad moment they had experienced only hours ago.

"You know I'm not typically one for pet names," Natalia said, crossing her arms. He gave her a goofy look with raised eyebrows. If she had to guess, she would say James was a very charming ladies' man before tragedy struck. She couldn't help but buckle. He knew she was lying. "I suppose I could let this one slide. But now I don't have on for you."

He ran his hand over her thick, red curls, "You gave me my name Natalia Alianovna. What could be better than that?"

James.

She sighed, smiling at his pureness. He was no killer. Not inside. She did not deserve him. "I'll scope the basements and ceilings. The innings of the structure. See if that will cause any setbacks," Natalia told him as she pulled off the uniform. "No one will see me there."

"You know that's why they wanted Belova to win," James revealed. "She was skilled, beautiful and tall enough to work undercover like this."

"Yes, but I make up for that," Natalia said as she hopped onto the ledge of one off the windows and so quickly and smoothly, silently, and quickly, she crawled into the ventilation system exit on the exterior of the third floor wall.

James just smiled as he put on the uniform helmet and dragged the men into a hiding place.

"Your communicator is on?" asked James in a low voice without moving his lips as he entered the establishment.

"Yes," Natalia responded, as she crawled silently through the metal chute. "I've crawled down to the basement. About to exit and see what type of security system there is."

She found the next vent and carefully unscrewed it, so it wouldn't drop. Even though it was a tight squeeze, she dropped through the opening and onto the floor, quickly absconding to a hiding place behind a large water heater. She looked around at the room and decided it would be best if she stayed in the rafters so she would not be seen. And with a strong leap, she now was in the ceiling with a perfect hawk's eye view.