Shadow Killer

Eight

I leave Anchorage in the middle of the night, driving the families car down the country road as I make my way back to the parked quinjet. My mouth was set into a hardline, furious over my failure to kill the target. I see a body lying in the middle of the road, which I recognise as the biker I killed earlier. If he's still there, then it means that no one has driven through, so I doubt anyone has seen the random aircraft parked in some field.

I pull over when I am closer to the body. I climb out of the car and begin my way back over to quinjet. Pressing a small concealed button, the doors opens downwards, and I see the broken laptop. "Why did I break the damn laptop. You're such a fucking idiot." I drop myself into the pilot's seat for take-off.

I am in the air once more, flying back to Sokovia. I had failed my mission, and I wasn't sure how to find The Winter Soldier. I keep the aircraft above the clouds, trying to be hidden. My anger was slowly dissipating into one of fear. I hadn't failed a solo mission in so long, and I didn't know how Baron von Strucker would like that.

After a few hours, I land down in Sokovia just outside the HYDRA facility. I step off the quinjet and inside the building. Two soldiers immediately take me to Baron von Stucker, who this time is located in a dimly lit laboratory rather than his office.

"Sir, the Asset has arrived back."

He looks up from where he is studying a weird blue stick of sorts. "Posie Parker, you're back. I see no head, so I ask what happened." I look down at my feet, trying to avoid eye contact with the HYDRA leader. "LOOK AT ME WHEN I AM TALKING TO YOU!" He shouts.

I look up, "he had removed the arm tracker sir. I managed to locate him however through traffic cameras. I tracked him down into Anchorage. I would have almost had him, but unforeseen circumstances meant he got away."

"Unforeseen circumstances?"

"I was hit by a truck, and in that moment where I was distracted, he gave the slip."

"Posie Parker, you have failed the mission. I thought you were better than that. I cannot accept this." He says in a voice so soft that I can hardly hear him. The softness of his voice is so much more frightening than when he was yelling.

"I apologise Baron von Strucker. I let you down. I have limited resources and did not know how to proceed. Hence my return."

"I see. I am feeling more lenient because I know you are young, and you lack the experience the rest of us in this room possess. However, you possess skills and abilities far more frightning than anyone in this room. Are you not a HYDRA agent. I am beyond disappointed in your failure, it appears you are not the person everyone claims you to be."

"No. Please. I can do better. I just need another chance, and more resources."

"Posie Parker, I cannot let this failure go unpunished," motioning for the two guards who brought me here to take me away.

I drop my head in shame as they take me to the room with the same machine as I was in only just the other day. My weapons are removed before being shoved into the machine, locks on my hands and feet. The soldiers turn the device on and crank the voltage all the way up before exiting the room.

I am left alone, with nothing but my thoughts to keep me company as electric shocks are delivered through me. I very much doubt that my thoughts will keep me company for long as the first shock sends my body into a rigid state as a scream erupts through the air. It feels as though my body is on fire, as electric shock after shock pulsates through me.

I think this time they leave me in the machine longer, probably because I let them down. I am not sure how much longer they will keep me here when two soldiers burst in through the room. While one turns the machine off, the other releases me, shoving my gear back in my face. "The facility is under attack. Baron von Stucker has ordered that you kill on sight."