Chapter Text
“We need to move.”
“What?”
“Now.”
No time for questions. The moment Bucky shifts; Giselle moves. They gather their needs quickly and dart through to the back door.
“There should be a couple of bikes to the left.” Bucky says to her.
Her head snaps in that direction—three motorcycles, lying low in the brush. Immediately, they mount them up, and the engines rumble. The cool night air whips around their faces as they twist the throttle, kicking up the dirt as they glide between the trees. But it wasn’t long before the sound of more engines were whining behind them.
Five assailants. Closing in fast.
“I’ll buy you some time.” Bucky says, pulling a plasma gun from his side.
Giselle looks toward him, gripping the handle. “Be careful.”
With that, she accelerates, veering to the right. But three of them break off after her.
Behind her, an explosion booms through the trees.
Bucky grits his teeth and takes a hard turn through the woods. The remaining soldiers stay on him, weaving through. He checks his six—five on his tail, just like he planned.
Reaching into his belt, he flings two small discs over his shoulder. The almost invisible devices discreetly latch onto their armor.
Two down. Three to go.
Another sharp turn, the soldiers were still on him. They shot, he dodged, shooting back when he had an opening. He fires back, then flicks his wrist, sending another disc tagging one in the shoulder.
Bucky huffs, pushing forward. He just had to keep them occupied a bit longer.
Three tagged. Two left.
***
“Okay, I have three online.”
“Four.” Bucky says through comms.
Giselle ramps her motorcycle, launching it over the fence in a smooth arc. The moment her wheels hit the ground, she braked hard, skidding over loose gravel before jumping off.
The power plant’s metal towers stood tall around her. The charge in the air was palpable, the current thriving through her blood.
She moved quickly, her boots slamming against the ground as she scattered the disrupters along the perimeter of the hotspot. Each device powered up, the small blue lights allowing her to map out her battleground as they synced to the grid.
Taking her position, she prepared. The regulators on her gear power to life, as dark purple electricity rippled from her fists through her arms as they absorbed the ambient energy.
They were working.
Her holographic display lit up, illuminating her face in the night. Five signatures tracked, their energy levels were already climbing the closer they got.
“You were right.” She mutters. “They've modified the tech. It's not a gun, it's laced onto their gear.”
It seems that Strucker had gone back to the drawing board, her original design. It almost mimicked Stark's arc reactor tech, though it was crude, malicious—deadly in the wrong hands.
“I'm closing in. You ready?” Bucky’s voice was steady despite the current action he was in.
She glanced at her feed again, running a final system check. Her energy levels held stable. The plan was in motion.
She took a breath, flexing her fingers. The surrounding energy, her power, and pure adrenaline coursed through her veins.
“Bring ’em in.”
***
Bucky rolls in, and soars over the fence, landing hard—but the five soldiers are right behind him. Mid-air, two of them raise their weapons, aiming for him before they even hit the ground.
Giselle was ready.
She activates a disruptor. A blue energy rips through the air, striking their bikes. They sputter out of control. The soldiers are thrown off, sending them slamming into the dirt.
Bucky’s brows furrow, but he soon catches on. He scans the field, noticing the scattered blue lights. Defense measures. Lure them in, let the grid do the work.
Giselle remained in the hotspot, monitoring the system while keeping her stance locked and ready. From her three o’clock, the two soldiers who went down were already on their feet, charging straight towards her. They split off at the last second, flanking her. She reacts instantly, summoning the energy, charging up a volatile release. The powerful discharge erupts, making them stagger—but not fall. Their gear absorbs the hit, the metallic veins lit as their suits charge. Their bodies twitch, then stabilize.
The armor reignites, their core reactors glowing. And the purple blast is launched right back at her.
She blocks just in time, but the blow sends her in the air. Mid-fall, she twists her body, pointing her fists downward and firing a burst to slow her descent. The ground scorches beneath her feet as she lands, knees bent, and her heart pounding.
In the not-so-far distance, Bucky weaves through enemy fire, dodging more plasma blasts as he closes in on another disruptor. He speeds past it—and Giselle times it perfectly.
She triggers the disruptor. It stretched through the air, and another two soldiers fell from their bikes.
She had no time in between. The first two are already on her again.
Bucky spots the opening. Giselle has her hands full. The other two are regrouping, and he makes a call.
He pulls out two attachable explosives, eyeing a couple of nearby blue lights. With a glance behind, he saw as the last one continued tailing him.
He flings the explosives. They stick. Then, he accelerates, baiting the last soldier into the trap.
A blue explosion erupted behind him, illuminating the air. The electrified shockwave sends the soldiers diving for cover.
Bucky slides to a stop a few feet from Giselle, still on his bike. She watches him, catching her breath.
She had to admit. That was hot.
“You good?” He asks.
“Yeah.” She nods. “I knew it’d be a lot but this is a lot.”
“Well that’s what I’m here for.” He doesn’t wait, already taking over the disruptor controls. “Focus on one at a time. Hit hard. I’ll keep the others busy.”
She exhales, shoulders sagging before she rolls them, readying herself.
He glances up. “Start feeding. They won’t stay down for long.”
With a deep breath, she centers herself. She reaches for the surrounding energy, her gear’s conductors charges as her system pulls it in. Across the field, the soldiers rise. Bucky begins preparing his attacks, tampering with their recovery.
Giselle zeroes in on one.
His core begins to glow. Purple energy snakes around him, channeling it across his suit. He stomps forward, rolling his neck, raising his arms, ready to fire.
But she was ready, watching his energy levels spike. She matches it.
Then, she strikes. Electricity cuts through the field. Her body fills with raw voltage as she thrusts it forth, unleashing the powerful blast straight into him.
He flew back. Far. Sparks erupt from his suit, overloading his system.
She glances at the trackers.
One down.
A new rush of determination washes over her.
The plan was working.
Bucky fires off a few plasma rounds at the soldier to the far right before triggering another disruptor, sending a jolt through the one at her ten o’clock. At the same time, she channels another heavy charge, her energy building fast. She wanted to mark them off as soon as possible, taking advantage of Bucky’s own hits.
He strikes two, and she finishes off another. Two down, three standing.
While two of the soldiers recovered from Bucky’s hit, they exchanged a glance, both picking up on the pattern. They reevaluated, and sharpened their assemblance. They began to adapt.
“Giselle, we’re running low on disruptors.” Bucky called.
“Be quick. I’ll cover you.” No need for explanation, just flawless coordination.
He turns to make a tactical adjustment, rerouting power to the disruptor system. Giselle catches one soldier sprinting at her with twin glowing machetes in his grip.
Her eyes widen, but she dodges the first swing. He slashed—she sidestepped, pivoting with a sharp kick to his ribs. He barely staggers. One blade flipped from his hand, soaring towards Bucky. Giselle snatched it midair, and whipped it right back. The soldier catches it, inches before it severs his throat. She’d caught up to him, but he swung it down onto her thigh.
The material she wore was sliced into, her skin bruised but it remained intact. She grunts through her teeth before yanking her pistol, and fires at his knee. He flips back, then leapt—machetes raised and ready to strike. She blocked, extending her spear just in time. Twisting the pole, the metal clashed, flinging the weapons out of his hands. With an electricity charged foot, she boots him in the chest, sending him airborne.
But as he hovered in the air, the other two began firing at her with deposited energy.
They hit before she could block, making her fall backwards, but she didn’t let up. The force field surrounded her once again, their shots building on her own. But her strength wavered. She prematurely released the energy.
The two soldiers absorbed it.
As their gear stabilizes, Giselle gives her all to gather herself, trying to build enough to take out two. It wasn’t going to happen, their synergy was faster than her own.
Her pulse spiked, she braced to call for Bucky—
But he was already there.
He streaks in front of her, a flash of silver catching her eye. He fires two modified disruptors. The soldiers convulsed, and lurched.
“Nine o’clock!” He shouts.
Giselle spun, honing onto the third soldier—his discharge levels spiking and matching hers, and he was coming in fast.
She struck.
Electricity chases through the air, colliding with his blast. The currents clash, but hers overpowers his. A large pulse, and his gear sputtered before he dropped.
Her chest heaves, she turns to Bucky, watching him prep another disruptor.
“You know,” he mused, holding up a disc that glowed deep indigo, “your scepter tech makes a great energy source for these.”
Giselle exhaled, a breathless smile on her lips. “And you call me the genius.”
He smirked and shrugged casually, slotting the disruptor into place. “You’re rubbing off on me.”
She pulls herself together, charging herself up. “I’ll take the one on the left.”
Bucky nods and loads the disc.
The left soldier, a female, was already prepared to release. The violet bursts out, and Giselle fires hers. But the instant she did, she realized—she released it too late. Her heart stuttered as she stretched a shield, forcing it around the area, desperately containing the blast from wiping out everything in a several-mile radius, where innocents lived.
Bucky was about to shoot, but the violent collision of electricity sent everyone inside scattering.
The bright explosion ignited in the air, bursting through as it rippled through the electricity plant. Towers sparked, dust and ash swirled, mixing into the darkness.
Bucky lifted his head, rolling to his stomach and groaning before pushing up to his feet. Although that blow was heavy, his armor had held. He shook off the impact, blinking through the haze.
Giselle staggered upright, but she paused when two gunshots cracked through the air.
She felt nothing. No pain.
Time had stopped, and everything went still. Her head spun—Bucky stumbled back. Then fell.
Her breath hitched, and her throat went dry.
No.
Everything in her screamed at her to move, but before she could react, a wave of current tore straight at her. Instinct took over. She shielded both herself and Bucky. They kept firing, all she could do was block.
Behind her, Bucky’s breathing was unsteady, but he forced himself back up. Glancing back, a wave of relief washes over her. But the crimson soaking through his sleeve and abdomen didn’t go unnoticed.
He ignored it, his hand reaching for his gun. His calculated gaze darted around the battlefield. The charge in the air was weaker. They were depleting the high-voltage energy.
His hand falls into a compartment on his belt.
One left.
“We have one more disruptor!” Bucky shouts over the sound of the electrical current.
They lock eyes. And she gave a single nod.
He fired.
Giselle dropped the shield. The disruptor disc sliced through the air, striking the soldier dead-on. The impact suspends him, his energy going unstable.
With that same momentum, she turned and released a surge at the female soldier. Electricity coiled around her, ceasing her like a vice.
The last soldier—the one Bucky had originally shot—lunges, aiming to fire at him once again.
Giselle wasn’t letting that happen. Her palm raised, and with a final, and a breathless yell–
She blasts him.
The battlefield fell silent. Bodies hit the ground. Electricity fizzled out.
Bucky scans the soldiers’ energy levels. All five down.
In an instant, Giselle was at his side.
“Hey,” She says, breathing quickly. Her hand presses against his bleeding abdomen.
“I’m okay.” He tells her.
His words fell on deaf ears as she assessed him. The bullet his arm had gone straight through, but the one in his abdomen was still inside.
“No you’re not.” Her arm wrapped around his back, his metal arm slung over her shoulder. “You’re losing blood.”
“Giselle-”
“No, James, we have to go.”
He exhaled sharply, gripping her wrist. “Giselle, the screen.”
Her heart stopped. She turned.
Five energy signatures.
All rising.
A shiver rolled down her spine. “What? No. No, no, no.”
Their plan was working. Their systems were down. This couldn’t be happening. For the first time, she was actually scared. She wanted to run.
Hydra was going to win.
Her breathing picks up, and her eyes dart to the five dim traces of the soldiers’ gear powering back up.
Then, a hand landed on her shoulder. Bucky turned her to face him. “We’re going to try this again.”
“What? But it didn’t work, we–”
“You said your power can override their system. Maybe it just wasn’t enough.” His eyes scan the area, before it lands on a door not too far away.
A switchgear yard. A high-voltage zone.
Her eyes follow his gaze. “No. Absolutely not.”
“I can keep the system running. Put it on the highest level.”
“You’re already hurt.”
“It’s the only way.” He looks back down at her.
Giselle lets out an exasperated breath. The five were beginning to stand. One by one.
Time was running out.
“Your plan is going to work.” He places his hand on the side of her face, catching her eyes. “Trust me.”
His words from earlier repeated in her head. “If I fail you, then none of this meant anything.”
He’d do anything to keep us from going back there.
But it won’t work unless I do my part.
She silently debated before nodding, his words grounding her. “Okay.”
Something compelled her to say it, even though she hated this plan. But before she could take back her words, he was already off.
Her attention snapped back to the energy signatures. They were stabilizing fast.
She began pulling energy from the air, but the voltage was weak. Until Bucky had found a way to raise it, she searched for the force within. Every fiber of her being felt as if it were erupting into flames. Her veins darkened, the indigo pulsing through.
~~~
Bucky pushed through the pain, stumbling into the switchgear zone. His eyes darted around, scanning for the main control panel. To his right, a black metal enclosure with a high-voltage warning sign caught his attention. Wasting no time, he pried it open, ripping the panel from its hinges.
Inside, a dense cluster of thick, insulated cables scattered around each other. His fingers worked fast, identifying the power conductors and cross-connecting them to reroute the system’s energy flow. It flashes as he forces mismatched ends together, overriding precaution mechanisms. The panel sparked, and a jolt shot through his body, provoking his wounds. Though his gear consumed most of it.
He winced, but shook it off. He reached for the final connections, securing the last cables in place.
Outside, the sound of electricity vibrated through the air—Giselle needed more energy, and fast.
He turned back to the main breaker, a heavy-duty lever locked in place. His metal hand flexed as he detached sections of his armor, layering them over his titanium arm, creating a makeshift insulation. He knew it wouldn’t hold forever, but it might buy him some time.
With a deep breath and a final wave of determination, he grabbed the lever, and pulled.
She felt the fresh charge in the air, and began funneling it in just as the soldiers opened fire, overwhelming her with a relentless barrage of redistributed power.
Her shield around her intensified, drawing from both her own reserves and the electricity buzzing around her.
She could see their energy building, five against one. This time, failure wasn’t an option. If she lost control, the entire city would be blown to kingdom come.
But there was no space to think about that now.
She poured everything she had into it as vigorously as she possibly could. All while Bucky endured the searing volts tearing up his arm, gripping the lever with sheer force as smoke and steam thickened the air.
The soldiers prepared to fire everything they had left. This was her final opening.
Her fists clenched. Her breath paused. The purple current tightened in the air, containing every ounce of power she had drawn.
And she unleashed it.
A blinding sea of violet crashed through, just as the soldiers discharged their power.
Perfect timing.
The impact shattered their gear, the metallic straps short-circuiting before disintegrating like ash. Simultaneously, they were launched backward, dispersing beyond the fenced perimeter of the power plant.
And everything else around it—completely intact.
Giselle faltered, her legs giving out beneath her as exhaustion took its toll. But she forced herself to check her display. Every tracker was disabled. This fight was over.
Yet relief didn’t come.
One thing still required her attention–
Bucky.
~~~
She swung the door open, snatching it off its hinges. She hyperventilated as smoke fogged in thick, hot waves, stinging her eyes as she frantically fanned it away.
“Bucky!?” She called, searching urgently.
Through the haze, a glint of metal narrowly caught her sight. His arm. Still wrapped in fragments of armor. She rushed to his side, nearly skidding as she dropped to her knees.
His face came into view, pale and covered in grime and sweat. His body was too warm. Completely still.
“James, wake up.” She lightly tapped his face, then harder. No response.
Her breath hitched. She leaned in, pressing her ear close to his lips. A weak, shallow breath brushed against her skin.
He was still alive.
Before the relief could settle, she snapped into action. She began ripping strips of her clothing, binding them tightly around his gunshot wounds and the raw burn on his metal-skin shoulder. She grunts, dragging him out of the high voltage-zone, each second stretching on way too long.
Finally, despite her exhaustion, she hoisted his barely-conscious body onto her motorcycle.
His time was running thin. They had to get out of there. Now.
***
(Giselle’s perspective)
The second I placed him on the bed, I scrambled through the place. Antiseptic, morphine, bandaging, forceps, an oxygen mask, anything and everything I could possibly find.
He hadn’t woken up yet, so I immediately got to work. A quick scan of his injuries: two gunshot wounds and a burn.
His abdomen needed attention first. I unfastened his gear and cut through his shirt, revealing his stomach covered in blood. The bleeding had slowed, but hadn’t stopped. I disinfected the area, grabbed the cleaned forceps, and braced myself, pushing past the smell of blood and burnt flesh. A bullet extraction—nothing I hadn’t done before.
The metal sank in as I felt around. There. The bullet. It hadn’t lodged as deeply as I feared. His gear must’ve slowed the impact, though it clearly wasn’t bulletproof.
Carefully, I clamped onto the bullet and lifted it free, placing it on the napkin resting on the nightstand. A droplet of blood landed on the corner of the crayon drawn picture still sitting there.
I worked as quickly as I could, stitching the wound closed to prevent further blood loss before wrapping it in fresh bandages. Then, I set up the nano-device on a stand to begin tissue repair. It was makeshift, but it would do the job, allowing me to move freely.
I glanced at his face. Still no response.
My fingers found his wrists—there was still a pulse. Steady, but weak.
“Please stay with me.” My voice cracked.
Next was his arm. Thankfully, no bullet was inside. I flushed the wound with the antiseptic and stitched it carefully, my hands moving fast but precisely.
After wrapping the wound, I finally turned my attention to the burn.
Inflamed red skin marked the point where titanium met flesh, as it had stretched towards his neck. Fresh enough that it hadn’t charred…yet. At least he was still unconscious; the morphine wouldn’t be necessary.
I worked through the process, cleaning, treating, and bandaging the area. The disturbing scent burned my nose, but I pushed through. That didn’t matter now.
Soon, I got up, gathering my tech to perform a full body scan to track his vitals. The screen lit up, flashing his reports.
His heart rate, elevated but stable. But his blood pressure was dangerously low. His breathing was shallow and irregular, though the oxygen mask was helping. The electricity had shocked his system, delaying his neurological responses. And his metal arm, it was warmer than usual, but the temperature was slowly returning to normal. If he hadn't insulated it with his gear, the damage would have been far worse.
What a genius.
I turned the overhead fan onto the highest setting, then opened the windows to promote airflow and help cool the room.
He needed an IV, but of course, there was none to be found.
I scanned the area, my mind racing. I spotted some tubing, a fluid container, and duct tape. Just what I needed. I assembled what I could, improvising as I went.
It wasn’t perfect, but it will definitely work. I stuck the needle into the vein on the back of his palm holding my breath as I did. It slid in smoothly. I then secured it with a piece of tape.
A heavy breath escaped my lips. Everything I could do for him was done.
***
(Third perspective)
After staring at the screen and adjusting the nano-device for twenty minutes straight, Giselle was barely hanging on. Her eyes blurred, then cleared before her head fell face down onto the blanket he laid on.
She stayed that way until a small, tickling warmth pressed against her cheek.
She jolted, snapping her head up. Her eyes were red and half-lidded open, the blanket marks imprinted on her face.
Bucky smirked at the sight.
“You look like hell.” He says, his voice groggy and raspy.
Her face fell, realizing he was awake…
“You’re alive.” she breathed.
After what felt like weeks, she could finally breathe. Feeling the relief wash over.
Bucky’s chest rose and fell slowly as he looked around the room.
A bullet rested on the nightstand. Bloodstained towels and napkins lay scattered nearby, along with empty bottles of antiseptic. Her tech was strewn across the floor, and a makeshift IV dripped, as it was taped against the headboard. And then lastly, a disheveled but standing Giselle.
She rubs her eyes, scanning his vitals. They had all begun to regulate, some slower than others. But it was a good sign.
Bucky, although drained, watched her in a mix of awe, admiration, and sheer confusion.
She saved his life.
He shifted, attempting to sit up.
“No, no, what are you doing? Lay back down.” She scolded, making her way over.
“I’m fine–” He barely got the words out before a sharp pain shot through his body, he groaned and laid back onto the pillow.
Giselle gave him a look as she grabbed the morphine. “Don’t piss me off. You’ve already scared me enough.”
She rubbed down a spot on his thigh, before gently inserting the needle. The morphine drained from the syringe, and Bucky exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment.
Silence settled for a moment.
Giselle stood beside him, hands on her hips. Her once neat braids had fuzzed, and her face was puffy with exhaustion. There were pieces torn from her clothes. She looked as if she ran eight laps around the Earth.
Her voice was quiet when she spoke. “I thought you were going to die.”
Bucky opens his eyes again. He wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t sure either. Her gaze dropped to the floor, but his remained on her.
“I did say I didn’t want to fail you.” A small smile stretched on his lips. “Plus, I knew you weren’t going to let me go that easily.”
Her eyes returned to his, and her expression softened, as his did.
“Thank you, Giselle.”
His expression was genuine. Giselle let out a breath through her nose, sensing the sentimental moment about to hit, and it felt like her brain was short-circuiting.
“It’s called not letting you die on me.” She muttered.
Bucky’s expression flattens a little at her stubbornness.
“Giselle, just let me thank you. I was on my deathbed.”
“What, I was returning the favor-”
“Oh, so next time I’ll just almost die again, and we’ll call it even?” He raises a brow.
She rolls her eyes. “No, Barnes, I’d rather not go through that stress again.”
“Exactly. I mean you literally saved my life, and wouldn’t even let me hug you. That’s really hurtful.” He held back a smile, enjoying her reaction.
“You’re being held together by stitches and tape.”
“That wasn’t a no.”
She sighs heavily. “Fine, you're welcome.”
Bucky chuckles to himself.
“You’re so annoying.” She mumbles, facing the window. But he heard the smirk in her voice.
“Right.” He began the sit up again.
The creaking of the bed made Giselle whip her head around. “James, I swear to-”
“I'm fine this time. Really.” He sat at the edge of the bed, pulling the IV needle from his hand before slowly standing.
Despite her annoyance, she went over to guide him.
His face twisted slightly, but he stood upright with her assistance. He took a step, and she stepped with him. She slowly released him as he walked towards the window. There was a clear limp, but he held up just fine.
She looked back at hit vitals. Everything was stabilized. Though he still required rest. Lot’s of it.
“We should probably leave here soon.” Bucky said quietly, but firm.
“Fresh out of surgery, and you’re already ready to run again?” She sighs, shaking her head. “Only you.”
“Hydra knows where we are.” He walks back over to her. “Right now, we actually have a chance to disappear properly.”
She opened her mouth to counter, but he was right. Hydra wasn’t hunting them in at the moment—they had time to relocate.
“But where?” she asks.
“I don’t know. Hopefully somewhere a bit more long-term.” He winces slightly as he pulls a shirt on. “We can’t stay in the country.”
Giselle nods, her mind pondering possible locations as she turns to pack her bag.
They barely had made any progress before the sound of helicopters and heavy vehicles grew closer.
They pause, both looking at each other.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Bucky muttered, zipping his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, grabbing anything else he could.
Giselle, on the other hand, stopped packing entirely, tuning her ears to the sounds. She peered through the curtains, her eyes narrowing.
“That’s not Hydra.” She said, her voice low and certain. “It’s the U.S. government.”
“We need to go.” Bucky said urgently. But when he looked up to see her face, he saw the expression he knew all too well. One that meant she was about to make a decision of her own.
“Giselle.”
“We’re not getting out of here. Not both of us.” She said quietly, but the pain was clear.
“I’m not leaving you here. We’re leaving.” His voice hardened, but his gaze softened as he reached for her.
“We can’t.” Her voice faltered.
His eyes narrow. This couldn’t be happening. He was about to speak but couldn’t form the words.
“James, you’re a wanted man. I haven’t touched their radar yet so I can buy you some time-”
“You can’t be serious right now.”
“You have time. You need to leave, right now.” They stood in front of each other. So close, yet extremely far away.
He grabbed her arm, looking down into her sorrowful eyes.
“Please, don’t do this, Giselle.” He pleaded. But he knew her mind was already made up.
The sounds became louder. Time was running out.
“I’m sorry. But you have to go.” Her voice nearly broke, but she held it together.
Bucky’s head drops in defeat, and immediately, Giselle wraps her arms around him. His arms tightened around her in response. Neither of them wanted to pull away, their heads lifted just slightly from each other.
Bucky’s forehead pressed gently against hers, their noses brushing, so close they could feel each other's breaths.
“I’ll find you again. I promise.” Giselle whispers, her thumb running softly along his jawline.
Bucky released a shaky breath, tilted his head slightly. He wanted so badly to close the gap—but time had run out.
“Go.” Giselle urged.
With a final lingering look, he stepped back and turned out of the room.
Giselle turned back to the window, the bright lights pouring in. She grabbed her mask, clicking it on.
But something made her pause. The folded paper on the nightstand caught her attention. The wonky portrait of Bucky smiling up at her. With a soft sigh, she stepped over and grabbed it, tucking it into her suit. As she did, the walls crumbled around her, and she was instantly surrounded.
The yelling became incoherent, and she couldn't hear a thing over the mayhem. She squinted against the flashlights but wasn’t fazed by the weapons drawn on her. Slowly, she raised her hands and lowered to her knees. Barely reaching the floor, she was immediately cuffed and ushered outside.
It was utter chaos. The entire cabin was swarmed with SWAT, vehicles, and two helicopters hovering overhead, their lights flashing down.
“Empty!” one of the men shouted.
Beneath her mask, a smile crept onto her face.
He’d gotten away.