CHAPTER ONE ━━━━━━━

KEEP HIM ALIVE.

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SONIA WASN'T SURE HOW SHE WAS UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND HERSELF STILL THE ON SPEED DIAL OF THE FBI. Special Agent Sophie Crane called her up in desperation, yearning for her help. Something Sonia scoffed at for a moment, after all, it wasn't like Crane wasn't able to do what Sonia could. There was a reason their paths crossed. 

A reason that Sophie Crane had tried to hide as hard as she could, worried what it would mean for her future if any of her colleagues knew of her past and instead, making up some bullshit excuse as to why she knew a Black Widow personally. One that could help in situations like the one they found themselves in currently. 

And as much as Sonia hated it, it did sound much better than rotting away behind bars, something she knew was very much always on the table thanks to her own past. Something that Special Agent Crane had very kindly reminded her of from the second Sonia picked up the phone call. 

So, reluctantly, she made her way down to the motorcade ambush site. A site she had, quite honestly, taken her time in reaching. Sure, innocent FBI agents were in danger, some probably even dead already, others awaiting death to come by. But, they were also letting Wilson Fisk out of prison, so were they really that innocent? Working for the man who deserved to spend the rest of his crappy life locked up. A man that was more of a danger to the world than any killer before him. A man not afraid to get his hands bloody whilst taking innocent people down with him.

Sure, it's not like Sonia herself was all sweet and innocent – but, being a brainwashed, child assassin helped to swallow that pill. At least she had no choice in what she had to do. She did it all for survival. If you didn't pass your training at the Red Room, you weren't allowed to just leave as if nothing happened. You were simply taken care of. 

A way of making sure there were never any loose ends.

A way of making sure that all the little girls would behave. 

A way of making a killer and not a victim.

The night had brought in a blanket of darkness over the city. But the ambush had made taken that off. Fire filled the street. Cars and vans alight. Bodies scattered across the road. Glass shattered. She noted the van that had been transporting Fisk out of prison was flipped upside down, she could see his figure moving inside it, but she made no rush toward him. She could smell the petrol and fire even from a few miles away, but her senses dulled as she focused on the upturned van.

Her eyes looked through the scope of her gun. She heard other gunshots ringing out around her, coming from one lone FBI agent who appeared on the scene at the very same time as her. But she wasn't bothered by the sounds. Instead, she continued watching through the scope, watching as Fisk tried getting out of the van; still alive. 

Her finger danced over the trigger.

Oh, how easy it would be to just press it.

To lightly tap it.

Like she was used to. 

And maybe this time, it wouldn't just be for a job.

'We need Fisk alive,' Special Agent Crane's earlier words rang in her mind, 'You hear me, Xydis? Alive.'

Alive.

Fucking alive.

Wilson Fisk didn't deserve to be alive.

Out of everyone that died in the ambush, it should have been him.

Reluctantly, she moved her gun. Changing its position to point at whoever had caused the ambush. With ease and impeccable accuracy, Sonia pulled the trigger. Watching the figure call to the floor instantly. 

She worked wordlessly along with the lone FBI agent, both of them getting rid of the aggressors before finally turning their attention to each other. Their weapons still drawn, but neither of them firing. 

"Who are you?" The FBI agent asked.

Sonia stared at him over her gun, still keeping it pointed in his direction. She had never seen this agent before. He was cladded in the normal FBI bulletproofs, weapons attached to his body, his blonde hair lying flat on his head as if he just took a helmet off, his eyes dark and glistening with redness from the flames around them. Flames that were luckily contained to the vehicles they came from – for now at least. She spotted a few cuts and scrapes littered across his face, but nothing that seemed life threatening. 

He watched her too.

Observing her stance. The ease that she held the gun with, as if she was overly familiar with the weapon – just like himself. And even with his weapon pointed straight at her, she didn't falter. Not once. Her posture upright. Eyes dark and hard. Face slightly obscured by a mask wrapped around the lower half of it. Dark hair pulled back into a double ponytail at the back of her head. He was surprised to see a woman there. A woman seemingly on their side, no FBI anywhere on her body, but he could tell she wasn't part of the ambush.

He continued to watch her as she suddenly tilted the gun and fired a shot.

The bullet whizzed right past him, not even skimming him before hitting a man that tried to sneak up on the FBI agent.

Special Agent Poindexter's eyes widened as he turned his head, the sound of a body dropping to the ground surprising him.

"I'm the person who just saved your life," Sonia responded, "You're welcome."

But before he could respond, a sound of a car door opening echoed through the street. Overpowering the sound of distant sirens. 

Both Sonia and Agent Poindexter turned their attention toward the sound. Recognising each other as not threats but knowing very well that Fisk was a flight risk. 

Sonia scoffed as she watched Fisk clambering out of the van. He was still wearing his orange prison jumpsuit, his hands handcuffed together and up in the air as if trying to show his innocence. Proving that he wasn't a danger. It wasn't fooling her, though. 

Sonia instantly pointed her gun at him. 

Feeling a shiver up her spine as her finger once again danced over the trigger. The need to press it almost overpowering the sensible part of her brain that knew she shouldn't. That she should just turn around and let this FBI agent deal with it. The sirens were getting closer but she didn't pay them any attention. Keeping her focus on Fisk. Hate filling up her bones. It could be over so quickly. Just one pull of a trigger and poof... Wilson Fisk could no longer wreak havoc on the world. On New York City. On anybody, anywhere. 

Just one touch.

One press of one trigger.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noted the FBI agent also pointed his gun at Fisk.

She almost thought that he might pull the trigger instead. Noting his gloved finger also twitching towards it. As if he felt the same pull as she did. As if his mind fought with the same thoughts as her own. To shoot or not to shoot. Fighting with what it would cost them – their freedom, Poindexter's job, a life behind bars for Sonia. But damn, did it sound inviting. 

"Convict," He said, his voice loud and stern. Unwavering just as his stare, causing Fisk to stop moving and finally look up, "Don't move."