Some Things Never Sleep

Chapter Six

"I screwed up big time, didn't I?" Emma voiced her fear as Winter drove them away from the crash site. They were probably about ten miles out by the time Emma finally spoke. Winter had been silent the whole time although that wasn't unusual. She tore off her goggles and mask before throwing them in the back seat. Her blue eyes were brimmed with tears and she could actually feel a few tears fall down her cheeks.

"I thought I could do it but when I was actually there...my finger on the trigger...I don't know. I just couldn't, I guess." Emma paused as she thought about Agent Romanoff.

"She looked like my mother, Winter." Emma told him quietly. Winter glanced away from the road, his eyes locked onto the sad looking blonde next to him. "I saw her standing there and all I could see was my mother. She looked so disappointed in me."

"Your mother's dead." He told her bluntly and Emma glared at him, angrily wiping the tears off her face.

"You don't think I know that? I know she's dead and I know my dad's dead too but I just can't help wondering what she would've thought of all of this. My mother, I mean." Emma stared out the window, more tears streaming down her face. She usually tried not to cry in front of anyone. It was a habit that she had been forced into a while ago.

"What's Hydra going to do, Winter? I messed up big time. I was supposed to eliminate the target but I made you do it instead."

"You didn't make me do anything." He said. Emma didn't seem to be convinced by his statement.

"I made you do my mission." Emma bit her lip as she turned to look at him. "How do you do it, Winter? How do you kill people?"

"You know exactly how I kill people." He replied and Emma groaned in frustration.

"You misunderstand me. I mean, how do you kill people and not feel anything? How can you walk away and not feel sorry?" Winter looked at her out of corner of his eye.

"Hydra has made me an effective asset for their cause." He replied in a monotone voice and Emma rolled her eyes. It sounded so rehearsed and it didn't help her in the least bit...not in the current dilemma she was in.

"Yes, thank you for your advice." She said sarcastically before turning to look out the window again. There wasn't much to be seen except for miles upon miles of desert. Her expression became grim as her thoughts went back to Hydra and what their intentions were.

"The doctor is dead." Emma told him but Winter didn't show any emotion. "Agent Romanoff is still alive."

"She'll die out in the desert...she'll bleed out." He told her as if he were reassuring her but Emma shook her head.

"No, she won't. I pushed her panic button." That warranted a surprised look from Winter. "We're a lot alike in many ways. She understood me."

"Hydra's not going to kill me for this...I know that." Emma said quietly.

"They've spent too much time on me but they've hurt me before for a lot less so they're not going to overlook this, are they?" She continued to ask but Winter didn't say anything...not that she expected him to. The silence between them was nearly deafening as Emma contemplated her future and Winter drove. It was why it caused Emma to give him an incredulous look when he finally spoke.

"You'll be fine."

"Mission report." Colonel Karpov demanded as soon as they walked into his office. The Russian Colonel had a serious expression on his face. An expression that Emma actually learned was just his face. Rumlow and Strucker were missing from the office Emma observed but Secretary Pierce was there instead. Emma was actually a little glad that Rumlow was nowhere to be seen. It would make all of this a lot easier if he was out of the room. Emma swallowed nervously as she gained the courage to speak up. She kept a stoic expression on her face, refusing to show any bit of weakness as she looked at Karpov.