Black Widow ch 14
Dottie lay still in the dumpster that had broken her fall outside the warehouse. Lucky for her, it was filled with upholstery scraps. How long was she had lain there, she had no idea but her shoulder throbbed like a hot poker and she was lightheaded from her blood loss.
GET UP, the voice came again, just like when Peggy had thrown her out the hangar window. Get up!
She listened carefully, holding her breath till her heartbeat was thumping in her ears. The three fools had taken Peggy away with them and she was alone. Groggily, she sat up as the world spun. Gripping the side of the dumpster with both hands, white knuckled, she tried to pull herself up and out of the loosely packed foam and fabric beneath her. Keeping her whimpers of pain to herself, she clambered out of the container to the ground beneath. Her knees almost buckled when she hit the pavement. Holding out her hand to steady herself, she got her bearings as the world spun in the mid dawn light.
"Hey lady? You ok? Are you lost?" a friendly male voice said from behind her.
Dottie smiled a feral smile then turned with her cheerful Ohio girl charm with a hint of hurt, "Oh mister! Am I glad to see you!"
"Whoa lady! You're bleeding!" the older, beer gutted man in dark blue company coveralls responded, his eyes wide in surprise. He's seen plenty of weird things down here at the warehouse but this was exceptional.
"Yes! My boyfriend brought me here… to… "Dottie dabbed at her nose with the cuff of her cardgan and shuddered a bit with false sobs, "And I fought him and... He …shot me."
"Oh lady! Let me call the cops!" the guy responded with a protective tone. Dottie saw a flash of gold on his left hand. Probably a nice upstanding man. Too bad he happened to meet me today, she thought absently, cocking he head in that particular bird like way.
"No. No. Please…. I'm scared. Just let me get home. Can you take me home?" she batted her eyes between her clenched teeth from the pain firing up in her shoulder.
"Miss, you really need a doc." The man told her sternly like a father, reaching out to her.
Dottie considered her options, "No. Please. My boyfriend is with the …Mafia." She darted her eyes quickly and lowered her voice, "You can't just report this. He'll kill me! My sis… she's an Army nurse. She'll take care of me. Can you just get me home?"
The man looked around nervously when she said mafia. It was well known while the country was distracted by the war effort that the organized crime cartels had quickly set up shop in nearly every nook and cranny. Yes, the less anyone knew, the better, he decided looking at the poor pathetic waif Dottie presented. What harm would it be to just drive her home? "Ok, I'll take you home. But if I find this guy, or you, here again and he's about to hurt you, I'm getting involved." He puffed his chest out over his expanded belly like he did before he got old and ate too much.
"Thank you, Mister. Thanks a million." Dottie wrapped her good arm through his at the elbow and leaned on him a bit to make him feel useful. His responded to the subtle praise like a child, smiling and stepping proudly.
They walked toward his pickup truck, "You know, now that the war is over, there are lots of nice reputable guys looking for a wife. You'd best be leaving those crooks alone!" He opened the door and helped her into the seat, careful not to touch her wounded shoulder.
Dottie gave him a kind look and patted his hand, "I know. Thanks for the advice."
The man's body was very heavy so she had to brace herself against the passenger door and shove his dead weight out the driver side behind another set of dumpsters near by. He rolled out like a boulder and landed with a wet thud on the pavement. Dottie panted with the effort. His extra mass made it a bit more difficult to kill him, but in the end, she accomplished her task. Catching her breath and her head still swimming from her gunshot, she slid over to the driver's side. Slamming the door shut, she didn't give him a second glance as she hit the accelerator.
Karl, I have to warn Karl, she thought feverishly. Hans and Dieter, they'll know what to do. Weaving her way past buildings and warehouses she constructed an obtuse path back to their safe house. It paid to take her time and be cautious just in case the SSR was following. Glancing at the sun, it would be nearing lunch soon. The men would be at work. Damn!
Pulling easily into the nearly hidden driveway down the quiet nondescript street, she parked the truck far in the back of the yard, where it was not visible. Dragging her weary body out of the truck, she staggered to the back door and flipped up the rug for the key.
The house was silent, dark and smelled of the stale coffee of morning. A pile of dishes sat in the sink waiting to be washed. A floral apron was carelessly tossed over the back of a chair. Dottie unsteadily rocked across the threshold and clutched a chair to stay upright.
Her mind raced a thousand miles an hour. What about the SSR? What about the agent that shot her? Did they know she was in league with Karl? No. No one knew they were Hydra. No one. She was ok. Everything was ok. The men would come home tonight, probably expect her to cook something and they could get on with… with what?
She failed her mission.
For only the second time in her life, she failed her mission: to kill Peggy Carter. A hollow, fearful sensation filled her chest that almost took her breath away. Ghosts danced in her head threatening retribution, reminding her of what was to come when she failed her missions in the Red Room. Squeezing her eyes shut, she beat back the past and grasped onto the present that she was her own woman now and they couldn't hurt her any more.
A snarl curled over her lip as her eyes narrowed to slits. They would give her another chance. Karl had to. He just had to. Their cover was too important.
But first, she'd have to dig this bullet out of her shoulder.