"Sir," a female voice spoke and Fury turned, looking at Maria Hill, who was looking very troubled.
"What is it now, Agent Hill?" Fury sighed.
Agent Hill swallowed and spoke, "Barton and Romanoff are off the grid, presumed to be captured or dead."
Amelia sat up on the roof of the orphanage, staring out across the busy city night sky. She froze when she heard footsteps behind her, but relaxed when she recognized the voice. "Amelia," Victoria rasped, staring at her friend who didn't turn. "I know you're nervous, but-"
"Попробуйте в ужас," Amelia muttered.
Victoria continued on shakily, "We have to go to the hospital." That got Amelia's attention. She leapt to her feet and spun around, facing her friend with alarmed eyes.
"Why?"
Victoria shuddered, tears sliding down her face and she brushed them away with a gloved hand. "Frederick isn't getting better."
Days after the two girls were jumped, Frederick started to fall ill and Anne had to take him to the hospital to get him treated… and this was everyone's worse fear.
Amelia rushed after Victoria down the stairs, flying past the hallways where the rooms were at and downstairs, Anne pacing at the door. "There you are!" She gasped. "Come along, into the van!"
Amelia followed Victoria and Anne quickly, hoping into the white van after her friend and sitting down, buckling up. As Anne drove off, everyone stayed silent, tension rising from fear.
After what seemed like years, Anne finally parked at the hospital, everyone flooding out of the van. Amelia hopped out, shifting her jacket sleeve to hide her bandaged arm and followed Victoria blindly, feeling as if she was being hunted. Anne hustled them inside, speaking to a nurse who nodded and lead the large group out of the waiting room and past the double doors. Everything around Amelia was a blur and the sounds seemed faint and distant.
The nurse opened a door and called inside before letting the group head in. Amelia froze at the doorway, thankfully the last person heading in, when she saw Frederick's shape. He was scrawny, pale, and looked much like death. "Нет…"
Frederick gazed at them weakly, a feeble smile forming on his face. "Good," he croaked, "you're all here." Anne rushed to his side and crouched down, gently taking his hand. "I'm sorry I have to leave you all… please don't cry for me, I'll see you all again someday."
Tears blurred Amelia's gaze and she felt the hot liquid run down her face. "Пожалуйста, не уходите, Фредерик! Ты мне нужен ..."
Giving a shallow sigh, Frederick fell limp and a heavy sadness washed over the room. Suddenly, Amelia felt like she was drowning, struggling to breath against the waves of emotions. The two younger kids wailed but Chris and Victoria held them close, soothing them as tears ran down their face.
Amelia stood their rigidly, staring at the dead body of her father figure. When she had told him what her last name was, he never told anyone, well, except for Anne. He was there whenever she was down and comforted her when she felt troubled and afraid. And now… Frederick was gone.
She let out a choking sob and slunk down to her knees, tears flooding down her face as she struggled to breathe. "Ты обещал мне ... ты обещал, что не оставит ..."
The next day, Amelia was sitting in the large oak tree in the backyard, alone. Victoria was inside helping Anne as the others mourned. But no one felt the grief like she did. Frederick was closer to Amelia then the others… even closer than Victoria… and now he was gone, she felt like something in her was broken and ripped out. In her distress, others have noticed she was speaking more in Russian then English, and Amelia had been asked multiple times to say it in English, or others asked Chris when she wouldn't comply.
She pressed her gloves to her eyes when she felt the tears coming; wanting to hide them and to keep them off of her face, since yesterday they were frozen.
"Амелия ..."
Amelia stiffened and ripped her hands away when she heard her name being called in Russian, a cold fear sweeping over her as she leapt out of the tree. "Кто там?"
A voice chuckled and she whipped her head to the side, seeing a tall figure leaning against a building, the mere wire mesh fence between them. "I have no desire to tell you who I am," the voice sneered, "but I do know everything about you, Miss Barton."
Amelia stiffened and she snarled, "What do you want?!"
The man chuckled and stepped forward, but his face was covered by the black hoody of his snow jacket. "I want your compliance, Miss Barton, if you want your parents back alive."
Her blue eyes widened and she froze again, face paling. "Вы ... Вы знаете, мои родители?"
"Of course I do," he sniffed. "Everyone does." A smirk formed on his face when he saw the fear and anger lighting in her blue gaze. "Of course, if you want to see them, you must listen to me."
Amelia hesitated, breathing slowing drastically. "Very well… what must I do?
The man replied coolly, "Tomorrow, someone is going to come in to interview you for adoption. I want you to agree with them and live with them. Once you get to their 'home', I need you to put these anywhere." He then pulled out a small sac from his jacket and tossed it to Amelia, who caught it easily. "That's all I need you to do. Then, your parents will be set free."
Shaking and pale, Amelia nodded. "Да ... Да, сэр." She stuffed the sac into her jacket pocket before asking shakily, "How do I know if it's the right person?"
The man's smirk grew. "He will be wearing an eye patch."
Попробуйте в ужас = Try horrified.
Нет = No
Пожалуйста, не уходите, Фредерик! Ты мне нужен = Please do not go, Frederick! I need you
Ты обещал мне ... ты обещал, что не оставит = You promised me ... you promised you would not leave
Амелия = Amelia
Кто там? = Who's there?
Вы ... Вы знаете, мои родители? = You ... You know, my parents?
Да ... Да, сэр. = Yes ... Yes, sir.