Hydra's Lair

Chapter 4

Kasey didn’t know how long she’d been in that dimly lit cell but faint footsteps came towards her, gradually growing louder until they stopped in front of her cell. The guard nodded to them in acknowledgement before standing aside to let them put in the code. The HYDRA agents came in and she backed away slightly before they managed to grab her arms and drag her out of the cell to where four other agents were waiting with their weapons trained on her.

            “Where are you taking her?” Skye demanded as she saw what was happening. “She’s just a child you can’t hurt her!”

            Ward stepped out from the group and over to the front of her cell. “The girl won’t be harmed if she answers the boss’s questions. Something all of you will be doing soon so I suggest that you don’t try anything foolish.”

            Kasey glanced back at the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they watched helplessly from their cells, one of the HYDRA agents pushed her forward with his gun before falling into step with the others while she followed Ward who had taken the lead back upstairs. Once they’d gotten to the next level up Kasey could see how deserted the place really looked, empty cement halls, dark shadows, and no windows in sight. Ward pressed a button in the wall and a well-hidden elevator slid open for them to step inside of.

            “Is this entire place abandoned?” Kasey asked hesitantly.

            The other agents glared at her and looked like they wanted to reprimand her for speaking but Ward held up his hand to stop them. “No, it’s not. But you’re only going to the top level today to see our boss.”

            That didn’t make her feel much better, if anything that made her feel as if she was sinking deeper into trouble, which of course she was. After all the boss of HYDRA would probably kill her on sight after she didn’t have any answers to his questions. Kasey looked at the glowing numbers to see what floor they were on and saw it was near the twentieth; they had to be near the top right? If the building stood out too much then everyone would notice. Although it’s probably disguised as something else, she admitted to herself.

            The door finally opened and one of the agents pushed her out into the hallway ahead of them. Ward took the lead again and walked straight down the hall until he stood in front of the only door on this floor of the building and knocked. “Pierce, the girl’s here with us.”

            There was the muffled sound of footsteps before the door opened and they were led into the office. Immediately Kasey began scanning the room for any other way out or any unexpected threat but the only people there were Ward, the guards, Pierce, whom she could tell was the man in charge, and to her surprise the young pilot who’d taken them here.

            “Kasey Crain, have a seat.” Pierce motioned to a chair by his desk and she slid into it cautiously. “I hope they didn’t hurt you too much yet.”

            “N-no.” She couldn’t stop herself from stuttering slightly.

            “Well do you know why you are here?” This time she didn’t even speak; she just shook her head no. “You were found with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, they are our enemies and need to be eliminated.”

            “They saved me from your agents!” Kasey burst out.

            “Did they? If they had would you be here, in HYDRA’s facility right now?” Pierce countered before walking to a window that overlooked his compound. “What happened at the airport was all wrong. The innocent people weren’t going to be killed much less hurt! But S.H.I.E.L.D. got in our way and inevitably a fight arose.”

            “My parents were killed.” She growled through clenched teeth.

            Pierce waved the guards out of the room until it was just Ward, the pilot, Kasey, and himself. “According to the information I found you have never come in contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. or HYDRA. The information on your family shows me you didn’t really like them that much. They tended to be too wrapped up in partying and business to give you any attention… They were barely something you could’ve called a family.”

            Kasey shifted uncomfortably, she didn’t want to admit it but what he said was true. She did want a family that paid attention to her and cared. Not what her parents had been, they hadn’t even thought about how their vacations were affecting her schooling, not that it mattered when she was probably going to be killed soon anyway.

            “I have an idea.” Pierce spoke up after a few moments of silence. “HYDRA can be your new family. Think about it, I care about my agents, I really do. I care about the entire world so much that I’m willing to destroy an organization that could put it at risk. If you join us I promise to make sure no one ignores you.”

            She looked into his eyes before glancing from Ward to the pilot. “I… What about the others? The S.H.I.E.L.D. prisoners? They seemed like good people, I don’t want them to be killed.”

            “They are going to meet me later on and be given the same choice I’m giving you. Join HYDRA… if they don’t well then they get the option of death or to stay in their cells for the rest of their lives.” Pierce told her. “Honestly I’m giving them any of the choices to chose from on their own free will.”

            “What happens if I join?”

            “Ward will be training you along side his other trainee here. I believe you’ve met him?”

            “He was our pilot.”

            “Yes… and unfortunately he won’t have that job again anytime soon.” Pierce glared at the trainee. “But he’s special enough to get a second chance so I’ll let it slide.”

            Kasey observed the look of relief that flashed across the guy’s face and Ward’s look of faint worriedness that was quickly masked when he saw her looking his way. She turned to face Pierce with a determined expression. “I guess HYDRA is better for me now than anywhere else… I’ll join.”

            Pierce grinned in triumph. “Great choice agent Crain.”

            Ward turned to his trainees. “Well why are you two still here? Get moving, we have training to do!”

~~~~~~~

So sorry for not updating sooner. I've been busy with other things and had some writers block but I finally got something up!