The Seventh Avenger: Playing With Fire

Chapter 7: 'By Whatever Means Necessary'

          The longer that her question hangs silently in the air between them, the angrier Lydia grows. Seconds tick by and yet not a single word falls from James' lips which he gnaws at furiously with straight teeth, his face pale with horror. Her hand begins to tremble from both her fury and the anticipation filling within her, a sick feeling of dread settling in her stomach. A part of her wants to believe that she has fallen into another nightmare and that she will wake up at any second to realise that none of this is real. That what her eyes had traced over on the paper in front of her had simply been a twisted figment of her imagination, and that the man standing in front of her is still the James that she knows and cares about.

          But the hostility is too raw. And the slick blood trailing down her finger is too wet. She knows deep down that this is very much real, and that there's no waking up from this.

          And that thought alone makes her want to cry.

          Holding out the file in the empty space between them, she demands in a voice barely above a whisper, "Is this true? Is this your latest assignment?"

          She had never considered herself a religious person, but right now, a part of her is begging to every known deity and higher being that he will reveal that this had all been a mistake. That this is all just a misunderstanding and that there is nothing to worry about. This particular file wasn't meant for him. It was just a sick joke- anything that wouldn't crumble the peace shared between them these past few days.

          But of course, her prayers are left unanswered. She watches as James inhales a shuddering breath, before giving a slow and reluctant nod of his head. It's true.

          A sob lodges itself in the back of her throat, and she angrily tosses the file at him. It misses its mark and hits the floor with a loud smack, but the papers spill out and flutter to the ground at his feet. James doesn't move to stop them. He just watches them with sad eyes, his hands clenched by his side as he focuses on one photo in particular. A man with his daughter, no more than five years old, both sets of teeth blindingly wide as they grin up at the camera. They're in a park somewhere, the sun shining brightly down on them with her golden locks pulled back from her youthful face. Brown doe eyes exactly like her father's are framed by thick lashes, and her button nose is wrinkled and paused in a laugh.

          She couldn't be more than five years old. Five years old.

          "So let me get this straight," Lydia snaps, forcing the despair down for the time being. "Your latest assignment is to track down this Doctor Carmack to get a formula for some sort of biological weapon known as 'Zodiac'. And if he refuses to give it to you, you use his daughter to get to him. That's what you've been ordered to do, right?" Without waiting for a response, she kicks the closest paper at her feet towards him, irritation sparking within her when she sees what it says. "'By whatever means necessary'. That's what it says underneath the photo. Just how exactly do you plan on using his daughter, James? What means are you being ordered to go to?"

          He swallows thickly, his adams apple bobbing with the movement. Finding his voice for the first time since he re-entered the room, he admits hoarsely, "We both know what it means."

          Now it's her turn to gasp. The anger dissipates for but a moment, allowing a chilling horror to grip her in a tight vice as his admittance flows from his mouth. Her eyes are as wide as saucepans as she stares at him in total disbelief, not wanting to believe the words that had seeped past his lips. Despite the confession, she can't find it within herself to believe that he is capable of such a thing. This is James, after all. The man who has an unhealthy obsession with hot chocolate. Who watches her play guitar with a silent wonder on his face, closing his eyes as he lost himself in the sweet melodies. The man who hates sushi, who cuddles with Zeus under the warmth of a blanket when it's cold and who holds her tight with every few hugs that they share.