✓ THE SHIFTER, marvel

fourteen

14

It was easy to answer questions and give vague responses, but Torrance found it extremely difficult to look anywhere but Bucky. He was a predatory force in a room full of prey. 

His back was pressed against the wall facing her, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes were alert and empty, waiting for her to cause a scene, waiting for someone to step out of place just enough for him to strike. 

He was a lion stalking prey in tall grass. He was a snake, jaws unhinged and ready to devour her whole...and not in the way she wished he would, of course. 

His head was full of Hydra whispers, empty and full and overspilling. 

"Is he making you nervous?" Leon murmured from his spot in a chair. He had a notebook out in front of him, writing down what little Torrance was giving up. "Because he can come closer, if you'd like? Perhaps once Ana come out, you two would like a moment alone?"

"Screw you," she whispered, narrowing her eyes and tightening her grip on the armrests of her seat. "Better cut your attitude if you want any more information our of me."

He sighed, relaxing. "What else are you willing to give over?"

"I'll give you two letters."

He nodded, pen at the read as he leaned over the paper. 

"35 is G and 97 is A."

Good, Ana whispered to her. Don't give him anything else. We don't want to give him too much where he can just decipher it without us. We want him to want us.

He needs to need us, or we'll be put back into the system, Torrance thought back, hiding the nod she almost performed outside her head. 

"What are you going to do to me while you try to break my code?" she asked, fighting her urge to struggle against the restraints. She needed to remain calm, to hold back until the right moment before taking off. But, even if she did escape, there was a large, bulking shadow from her past blocking her way.

Smash his head in, Ana whispered to her, already knowing exactly what she was thinking and feeling. It'll at least knock some sense into him enough to get him on our sides again.

"It seems that it might be time for Ana to come out," Leon said with a shrug. "We have some jobs for her, little scouting missions I'm sure she'll be glad to do once she's under our control again. We've missed her, more than you know."

"Aw," Torrance purred. "But you didn't miss me? I'm heartbroken."

Leon stood, ignoring her comments as he made a beckoning motion to the frozen Bucky. Her long lost lover nodded before heading out into the hall with robotic like movements and bringing back with him a group of three men in uniforms.

She always hated the sight of those damned Hydra outfits. The tacky leather, the little hats some liked to wear, and the cold, dead stare they always painted their face with. 

"Don't make this hard for us, will you dear?" Leon murmured with a smile she couldn't wait to bash in.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

She gave two little pushes against her restraints, jostling the chair and he flinched. She grinned, barring her teeth in a wild gaze as he left her in the room with the three men and Bucky all facing her with curiosity.

"Remember, don't get too close to her," Leon instructed as we went to the door. "And don't touch her, keep your gloves on at all times."

Torrance snarled at him, narrowing her eyes.