Fated Marks

“The next flight leaves in two hours.” I said looking at my phone. “I’ll have a few hours to kill but I’ll be there on time.”

“We only keep our end of the deal if you turn yourself over to Adler.” Rumlow reminded me.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there on time.” I said looking out the window.

“He’s not going to kill you right away.” He said.

“Of course he isn’t. He’s been waiting to do this since the day I was born.” I said as he pulled over to the curve.

“I have to go make arrangements for your last two requests.” Rumlow said.

“I’ll be waiting.” I said getting out of the car and walking into the airport. I checked in and passed through TSA in under thirty minutes so I stopped by Starbucks. I grabbed my usual order and sat down at a table.

I unlocked my phone and started looking through all the messages I had gotten in the past couple of hours. It was a lot of the same.

Where are you?- Tony

Call back please- Clint

Don’t do this- Steve

There were about thirty text messages and all were about the same. But there was only one voicemail. Chances are it could just be a recording left because they forgot to hang up. It wouldn’t be the first time Steve leaves one of those messages.

I debated whether or not to listen to it. I had to go through with this. I had to go to that diner in Chicago and turn myself over to Hadrian. I saved one soulmate, I just have one more to go.

That being said, I left one soulmate in a freezer, and five more panicking over my sudden disappearance. Of course if they got the message and they started tracking the bracelet they should be well on their way by now.

Maybe this was them telling me they got to Nat.

“Fuck it.” I said dialing my voicemail and pressing in the code.

“Hales, I know you want to get Nat back…” Clint started before sighing. I could picture him wiping his hand down his face as he did. “I know you think this is the way to do it but it’s not. You made me…us a promise that you wouldn’t do things on your own, that whatever happened we would face it together. It’s not too late. Please come back. We need you.”

“Now boarding American Airlines flight 624 with service to Chicago. At this time please make your way to gate 52.” The announcer said.

That was my flight.

I looked down at my phone and opened up a message. I quickly typed out a message and sent it. I got out of my seat and threw my trash away.

Third Person’s POV-

“Are you sure this is where the signal’s coming from?” Steve asked Tony as they made their way through the abandoned warehouse.

“The signal’s reading loud and clear.” Tony said from inside his suit.

“There’s no one here.” Thor said. “Shouldn’t there be guards?”

“This is a little too easy.” Clint said.

“I’m not detecting anyone. Bruce are you picking up any heat signatures?” Tony asked.

“All I’m getting besides you guys is one more heat signature coming up ahead of you guys.” Bruce said.

“There’s nothing there.” Thor said. “It’s just a wall.

“No, it’s a giant fridge.” Tony said.

“If the building’s abandoned why is it still on.” Steve said putting a hand on the wall.

“The photo Adler sent Hayley of Natasha. It looked like it was some sort giant refrigerator. Like the ones used in restaurants.” Bruce said.

“We need to get in there.” Clint said.

“There should be a door somewhere.” Steve said. “Let’s go around.”

“Judging from the layout of the building it should be on the north side of the freezer.” Tony said as they all followed Steve.

“There it is.” Clint said.

“I’ll knock it down.” Thor said swinging Mjolnir.

“Wait.” Tony said. “The entire thing is metal, You charge it with lightning you can hurt Romanoff and Hayley.”

“There’s a handle,” Steve said lifting it up and pushing the door open.

“This could be a trap.” Tony said.

“Then tread carefully.” Thor said tightening his grasp on Mjolnir. One by one they slowly made their way in, slowly watching for anything that could be lurking behind the shelves.

Finally they reached the back and saw a cot with a strange lump on it. It moved around a bit and saw red hair.

“Nat?” Clint called out.

Natasha moved around a bit and looked over.

“Took you guys long enough.” She said shivering.

“You okay?” Clint said going over to help her up.

“Besides some frost bite I’m fine.” Natasha said wrapping the coat she was wearing around her tighter. “How’d you find me?”

“With this.” Clint said lifting her arm up to show her the bracelet.

“That’s why she put it on me.” Natasha said with a groan.

“Wait, that’s Hayley’s coat. The one she wore when she left the tower.” Thor said. “Is she here?”

“They… They took her.” Natasha said.

“How long ago?” Tony said.

“Not sure. It’s not like there’s a clock in here but it was maybe an hour or more.” Natasha said.

“Guys check your phones.” Bruce said through the comms.

Clint, Steve and Tony took out their phone and perked up before grimacing.

“What is it?” Natasha said.

“It’s a message from Hayley.” Steve said.

“What’s it say?” Thor asked.

“She… She says she’s sorry.” Tony said.

Hayley’s POV-

Two hours… Two hours of me trying to keep it all together without breaking down crying while on a very crowded plane surrounded by parents with crying and screaming kids. Two hours of me trying to figure out how the best year of my life went to hell in the blink of an eye.

I really shouldn’t be complaining. Bucky’s been through seventy years of indescribable pain and horrors I probably haven’t even begun to understand.

What was really hurting right now were the burning emotions I was feeling from each of my marks.

Whoever the hell was flying this thing really needed to go back to flight school. It was one hell of a bumpy landing. There isn’t turbulence on the ground.

I got off as fast as I could and waited for a cab. I had a few hours to kill before meeting up with Hadrian and I knew just the place to go grab a drink.

Contrary to popular belief the Russian Tea Room is not an actual Bratva hangout. They do occasionally have business meetings here but only for their money laundering fronts. Oleg, the Bratva Pahkan for most of the US made it a rule that this would be a neutral zone. It also helped that they had the best drinks and top shelf vodka in Chicago.

If you were going to turn yourself over to a psychopath who was probably going to torture you, it’s a good idea to get a few drinks in.

I walked in and went straight to the bar.

“What can I get you?” The bartender asked.

“Vodka soda, top shelf please.” I said sliding him some money.

“Coming right up.” He said.

“Thank you.” I said. Less than three minutes I had a drink in my hand. I turned on my phone and started tracking the bracelet. The signal was coming from Manhattan, New York. Specifically Avengers Tower. Nat made it home.

I picked up my glass.

‘To small victories’ I thought before chugging it. I put my glass down when another was put in front of me.

“I didn’t order this.” I told the bartender.

“It’s okay, the guy at the end of the bar bought it for you.” He said walking away.

“Guy at the…” I said turning to the bar to be greeted by a very familiar face. “Shit.”

He waved at me before getting up and walking over.

“This seat taken?” Dmitri asked.

“Go ahead.” I said. I doubted he would have listened if I had said no. “I would have thought you’d be back Moscow by now.”

“After Constanta I was assigned to New Orleans to handle the… transition.” He said. “I’m here to pick some men to come with me.”

“Congratulations of the promotion.” I said.

“Or banishment, depends on how you look at it.” Dmitri said.

“I said I’d get you to Hadrian but taking him down was up to you.” I said.

“We were never going to get him. Better men than me have tried.” He said. “It could have been worse, Besides Rebekah always spoke well of New Orleans.”

“That she did.” I said.

“I’m sorry,” he said and I looked at him confused. “For your loss. Rebekah was a good friend, one of a kind.”

“Yeah she was.” I said remembering that she and John faked her death in a boating accident.

“To Rebekah, the world is a darker place without her light.” Dmitri said raising his glass.

“To Bekah.” I said clinking my glass with hers. If she knew what I was up to right now I have no doubt she would try to slap some sense into me before dragging me back to New York by my hair.

“Your name isn’t Grace or Hayley, It’s Calliope.” Dmitri said.

“A name doesn’t mean anything. Calliope is who my mom needed me to be, Grace is what I needed at the time and Hayley was… is who I wanted to be.” I said.

“That’s a very dark way of looking at things. The one thing I always admired about your sister was her loyalty to her family and how fiercely she protected you all. It’s something you two had in common.” He said.

“You don’t know me.” I said.

“You may not remember but we did meet once before. About ten years ago here in Chicago.” Dmitri said. “I believe it was your eighth birthday. Marcel actually rented a Ferris wheel because you had never been on one. I’d never seen such a spoiled brat be so genuinely polite and grateful.”

“Then you know how things ended.” I said taking another sip.

“You mother getting a hint from one of our informants that the Marshalls were getting ready to arrest her and the human trafficker, Instead of running away she took over your party and married him then and there so she wouldn’t be coerced and testifying against him.” Dmitri said.

“Didn’t even get a chance to get on that Ferris Wheel.” I said.

“But you still chose to go back with her, you gave up your chance at happiness.” He said.

“I didn’t give it up, I just postponed it. I got my happy ending and it was worth the wait.” I said.

“It doesn’t seem like it.” He said as I looked at the time on my phone. I quickly chugged my drink.

“Thanks for the drink and the talk but I have a meeting to get to.” I said standing up. “Send Oleg my regards.”  

Third Person’s POV-

“We should got to Shield and clear Hayley’s name.” Steve said.

“What?” Natasha said.

“You missed a few things while you were in the freezer.” Tony said. “Besides Hayley going off on her own, we found out Shield has a mole.”

“A mole that works for Adler?” Natasha said taking the warm tea Bruce handed her.

“Yeah and Fury thinks that Hayley’s the mole since she disappeared when we started looking for them and the fact that she has a habit of keeping secrets from us.” Clint said.

“She’s not the mole.” Natasha said.

“We know.” Steve said. “Let’s go to Shield and we can clear her name.”

“No we can’t do that.” Natasha said.

“Why not?” Tony said.

“Because before Hayley was taken she whispered something in my ear. A warning.” Natasha said. “She said Shield’s compromised, stay away.”

“Compromised, It’s just one mole. Nothing we can’t handle.” Steve said.

“This was more than that. It felt… It felt like she was saying goodbye.” Natasha said.

“Let’s head back to the tower and track her from there.” Tony said.

“How, she no longer has the bracelet?” Thor said.

“We’ll find something.” Tony said.

Hayley’s POV-

Mick’s diner in Chicago. Home to what Hadrian calls the best Bacon Cheeseburger in the world. The diner itself is decorated to look like it’s from the 1950’s which was probably not intentional more like they haven’t thought up of any new ideas. They play great music though and every table had a tiny jukebox to pick out the next song for a quarter.

I haven’t been here in over ten years and it’s still exactly the same.

I walked in and noticed that the entire restaurant was empty, or at least it looked like it was. There was a guy sitting at the counter reading his newspaper and another two guys in a booth in the back corner. The one facing the entrance hadn’t taken his eyes off of me since I walked in.

Hadrian was sitting in booth in the middle of the restaurant with a smug smile on his face. He looked like he wanted to laugh as I walked closer to him.

I put my bag down and slid in across from him.

“How’s the burger?” I said looking at the plate in front of him.

“Best burger in the world. I should come here more often.” He said. “How’d the soulmates take the news?”

“What do you think?” I retorted.

“You know the rule, no attitude or problems through that door.” Hadrian said taking another bite of his burger.

“Does that mean you’re not going to kill me?” I asked.

“Oh I’m going to kill you, just not here. I actually want to come back for another burger sometime.” He said taking another bite.

A waitress came by and placed a chocolate shake and a plate of eggs, bacon and a giant chocolate chip waffle. The same thing I’d get whenever Mom would bring us here.

“Here you go sweetie. Your brother said these were your favorites.” She said putting the plate in front of me.

I turned to look at Hadrian who nodded.

“Yes they are, thank you.” I said before she walked away.

“You should eat, you won’t finish your eggs if they get cold.” He chastised.

“Uhuh.” I said slowly reaching for the fork. I picked up some eggs and took a bite.

“I haven’t been here since the morning of that shit show wedding.” Hadrian said. “Who the hell rents a Ferris Wheel for a wedding?”

“That’s probably because it wasn’t supposed to be a wedding so much as an eight year old’s birthday party.” I reminded him.

“Oh please you didn’t even want a birthday party.” Hadrian said. “We never celebrated it before and you never made a fuss about it. What’s the point of celebrating your birthday, it just means you’re one year closer to dying.”

“I did want a party but I was afraid to ask for one because I didn’t have any friends and mom only invited work colleagues.” I said. “That was going to be the first birthday I ever celebrated but you know we all make sacrifices for the people we love.”

“Stop being such a whiney bitch. It was your fault she got married in the first place. And you should be thanking me because I saved us all from a very long and arduous divorce.” He said.

“Yeah and it was totally normal that the only complaint mom had about you offing her husband was the blood stain you left on the carpet.” I said sarcastically.

“I don’t remember you being this chatty.” Hadrian said.

“I’ve had a couple of drinks and no matter what mood you’re in you’re still going to kill me so what the hell.” I said taking a bite of my bacon.

“Hm, yeah but my mood will determine how you spend your last hours of life. Whether or not I’ll use you as a punching bag or just stab you until you stop breathing.” He said with a smile.

“Well I always knew you’d leave me dead in an alley or ditch somewhere, You didn’t get a chance to do it ten years ago I guess you can make up for it now.” I said making him laugh.

“Oh Calliope, you really think I made you come to Chicago to kill you?” Hadrian said and I suddenly got really nervous. “I just wanted a burger and I figured if you didn’t end up coming alone I could at least mislead your soulmates until I got you away.”

“I don’t understand.” I said confused. “Got me away to where?”

“It’s time we closed the circle. I need closure. We’re going to end this where it all began. We’re going home.” Hadrian said with a smirk.

Oh Shit.

“Finish your breakfast.” He said. “I don’t want you passing out too soon. I have to say Calliope, I’ve had eighteen years to think of ways to prolong your suffering I can’t wait for it all to be over. Hadrian said.

I stayed quiet and cut off a piece of my waffle.

When we were both done with our food he quickly put enough money on the table for the bill before getting up and leading me out. He kept a tight hold on my arm before pulling me into the back alley.

“Hands against the car and spread your legs.” He said.

“Really?” I said.

“Spread them.” He growled before pushing me against the car and kicking my legs apart. He checked for weapons before pulling out a scanner and moving it around. “No trackers, good. Get in.”

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“I have one last loose end to tie up and your coming with me.” Hadrian said opening the door and pushing me in.

He got in and quickly sped away. We had been driving around the city for about two hours. He parked a few times and got out to talk to people but I still had no idea what was going on. It was around noon when we finally stopped in front of a house in a residential area.

“One of your loose ends lives in the suburbs?” I asked.

“Our loose end.” Hadrian corrected as a middle aged man walked out of the house. “You probably wouldn’t recognize him. It’s only been ten years since you set him up to take the fall for mom.”

“Wait, that’s Anderson?” I said. “The Marshall?”

“He is.” Hadrian said.

“I thought he got sentenced to like twenty years in prison?” I said.

“He did but he got released early for good behavior, that and he had some very good intel on some of our associates. He has a big mouth and knows a lot about some of my earlier exploits. Gerald’s been taken care of. You’ll be soon enough but since I’m in the area I figure better safe that sorry.” Hadrian said getting hit gun from the glove compartment, unloading and reloading the clip before taking off the safety. “I need you to hack into his security system and shut it off so I can go in and take care of him.”

“I’m not going to be your accomplice.” I said.

“The asshole made our lives hell for years.” Hadrian said.

“You’ve been doing that my entire life.” I muttered and he took his gun and hit me on the side of my head making my head slam against the window. “OW!”

“Hack it.” Hadrian growled.

“No.” I said and he punched me, knocking me out.

When I woke up everything was dark and it was very cramped. It was really bumpy as I guess the car was moving but I wasn’t wearing a seat belt. That’s when I realized I was in the trunk of the car.

“Uh.” I groaned. I reached around hoping there might be a light bulb or something. I realized I was lying on top of a shovel. Then I kept moving around I found a tiny flash light. I clicked it on and right in front of the face was Anderson’s bloody pale face.

“AHHHHH!!!!!” I screamed when it finally clicked to me that he was dead.

“Shut up!” Hadrian yelled from inside the car. “We’ve got another twenty four hours until we’re in Seattle and we still need to ditch Anderson in Cheese head country.”

“He’s dead!!!” I screamed.

“No shit.” Hadrian said as the car pulled over and I side onto the dead body. I heard footsteps and the trunk opened. I was quickly dragged out and dropped to the ground. I started throwing up right there. “It’s not even the first dead body you see get over yourself.”

“How… how long was I in there?” I asked.

“Well you knocked out. I went inside, interrogated Anderson before killing him, wrapping him in shower curtain, cleaning up, dragging you and him into the trunk so six hours.” He said. “Now get your ass up and start digging.”

“What?” I said.

“Dig a grave.” Hadrian said.

“I’ll take the trunk.” I said turning around to go sit in the trunk when I felt him hit my back with the shovel. “UH!”

“I said dig!” He shouted.

“Mh…” I winced as I stood up and started digging. The only good thing was that Hadrian decided he only wanted a shallow grave so It was only half the torture it could have been. Once I was done. He dragged me to the passengers seat and handcuffed me to the door.

“Why are we driving?” I asked. “Flying would have been faster.”

“Because you look like crap and they don’t let you carry guns on a plane.” Hadrian said like it should have been an obvious answer. “Now shut up or go to sleep.”

“I might have a concussion.” I said.

“Do I look like I care?” he retorted.

Well if I have a brain bleed or die of some complication at least Hadrian won’t get the satisfaction of killing me.

I moved my seat so it was more comfortable and started drifting off to sleep. I was almost there when suddenly heavy metal started screeching through the speaker making me jump up in my seat. Hadrian laughed.

“What, music to loud for you to sleep?” he said playing innocent.

“Mh.” I groaned.

Eventually my body just gave out and I knocked out. When I woke up we were pulling up a very familiar driveway. We were somewhere I never wanted to come back to.

“Home sweet home.” Hadrian said.

“I never thought I’d be back here.” I said before my door opened and I was pulled out by two really big armed guys. “Wha!”

“Take her to her room.” Hadrian said. “Sleep tight Cal.”

I gulped. I didn’t know what to think of this. I was back in the safehouse. I remember spending summers here when mom was between jobs or getting sent here when Mom just didn’t feel like being a parent.

As I was pulled along in between both of the guards I noticed that everything was exactly as I remembered it. The dark blue couches and hardwood floors. The photos placed around the room and on the walls.

We got up the stairs and we went down the hall before we arrived at my room. They opened the door before throwing me in locking the door behind me. I tried to get up but I winced every time I moved. I managed to sit against the bed and looked around. Nothing had changed here either. The walls were still the same shade of pale yellow. I looked across the window where the white window bench had that one star sticker I never managed to get off and just left there. Then on the wall next to it were the markings where I would measure how much I was growing each time I was here.

I grabbed the bed railing and lifted myself up before letting myself fall on the bed. I felt something fuzzy and when I pulled on it I realized it was my old stuffed elephant Bailey.

I hugged it and cried wishing I would wake up tomorrow in Avengers Tower curled up to one of my soulmates. That all the pain I felt right now would go away.

But it didn’t.

The Next Morning-

I woke up to a sharp slap to the face making me fall out of the twin bed I was curled up on and onto the floor.

“Uh!” I cried out.

“Rise and shine brat.” Hadrian said. “We’re leaving in five minutes.”

With that he walked out of the room. I groaned as I lifted myself up and tried to stand up. I wobbled for a bit before I managed to get my bearings. I walked to the bathroom and quickly freshened up. I sat down on the toilet and reached into my boot. I took out the syringe and stuck it up the sleeve of my sweater before the guards knocked on the door and dragged me downstairs.

Instead of taking the car with Hadrian I was put in the back of a van surrounded by armed guards.

“You look rough.” Rumlow greeted. I responded with a glare.

“You try getting knocked out, waking up in a trunk with a dead body, having to dig a grave after getting hit on the back with the shovel you’re going to use, then having to ride in the car for twenty four hours listening to heavy metal while trying to sleep.” I said taking a seat and wincing a bit. “Where have you been?”

“Working stuff out.” He answered with a smirk.

“Let’s move!!” Hadrian called out from outside before the doors closed and we were off.

“Any idea why we’re going to a cemetery?” Rumlow said.

“Uh.” I groaned. “Yeah, he wants to end this where it all began.”

“We’re ten minutes out.” The driver said.

“Copy.” He said “Everyone, silencers on.”

“Anyone have any booze on them?” I asked and everyone just gave me a look. “Didn’t think so.”

“Having second thoughts?” Rumlow asked.

“No just nerves.” I said closing my eyes to try and stay calm. I was okay until the car stopped and the doors opened. My hands couldn’t stop shaking and I felt like throwing up again.

“Let’s go.” One of the grunts said. Someone behind me pushed me forward and I almost fell. I landed on a crouch and though my feet were wobbly I managed to get up. I looked around and knew exactly where I had to go. I didn’t wait for them to pull me or push me forward. I started walking up the hill towards the lush pine trees surrounding the graves.

When I finally got to it I stopped.

Allison Marie Adler

August 9, 1956- July 26, 2008

“Hi Mom.” I said.