Flower - Marvel Fanfiction

Twenty-Four

L O B E L I A

The white lab coat was snug around Elena's shoulders. After several days of intense working, it had moulded to her body shape. She had gotten so used to wearing it that taking it off felt strange. Everything made her jump, even the wind. It was like she was naked, vulnerable. And so she just stopped taking it off. It was a part of her now.

Fiddling with a microscope, she sighed. Elena had long since stopped hoping that Lieselotte would let her go. She always managed to find new work for her to do. Some days, she even resulted in having Elena scrub the already clean floors. She was away more often though, and that meant there was a better chance of escape. Whether it was trust or duty, Elena didn't care. She was going to take the chance and run with it.

Everyday, she managed to map out more of the lab. Her plan grew, and her routine had been the same for two weeks. Until it wasn't. It was a Friday, and Elena was owed her serum. But when the clock hit five, she was instead brought to a viewing room.

Lieselotte waited for her, hair pinned in a tight bun. Her lipstick was red today, but it was no less bright than the pink. Elena winced. She didn't think she would ever be used to it.

"Is there a reason I'm here and not in my room?" Elena asked, rubbing her wrist.

Lieselotte turned to look at her, hands clasped behind her back. She smiled. "You're working overtime tonight," she said. "Come watch."

Elena stepped forward, eyeing her warily. She looked out of the one-way glass at the spacious room with the high ceiling and white decor. It was like any other testing room if not for the machinery that sat in a corner. A scientist with a clipboard stood behind it, yelling instructions to the frightened rookies.

Elena felt a pang in her chest at the running orderlies. Once upon a time, she had been one of them. And with her current situation, anyone could tell that it didn't work out for her. Elena gulped, wondering how many of them didn't have a single clue what was happening. She wondered if any of them would turn out like her.

The thought of it made her sick, but Elena couldn't stop watching them. A war scene played out in her brown eyes, a memory resurfacing. She couldn't stop it even if she tried.

"Dr. Fan, you're in charge of the pressure readings. Keep it steady."

"Yes, ma'am!" Elena nodded. She tucked a pencil behind her ear, bounding over to the computers. A wide grin was on her face, childish amazement apparent in her eyes. Her face was rounder then, her hair longer. It was her first experiment as she spent most of her time with patients, but she had always wanted a taste at the behind the scenes of finding a cure to something.

Satisfied with the pressure levels, Elena looked up to watch. The shouting had mostly stopped as everyone stood at their positions, ready to take action if needed. Her heart pounded harder than it had ever before, and butterflies danced in her stomach. Elena clawed at her arms in anticipation. She had even begun to tap her foot in a catchy rhythm.

"Okay, in three everybody!" Dr. Hallman called out. "One... Two... "

Elena bit down on her tongue to keep her from squealing. It didn't help with the laughter that escaped her throat, but no one seemed to notice.

"Three!"

Dr. Hallman pulled a switch, and nothing happened. Elena didn't even have time to process the nothingness before the screams came. From there on, it was chaos.

She still had the grin on her face when she stumbled back as someone ran past. Her eyes widened, etched with confusion. This wasn't normal, right?