Thank you for the reviews! Please continue to do so, I look forward to reading them! -Hannahg

Arabella

To my great pleasure no one had shown up the whole day to get us. They left us alone, not even bothering to bring us any food or water. I could handle that just fine, Erica on the other hand, not so much. Not being used to these conditions made it hard for her to adapt, but she took it pretty well; keeping quiet about thirst or hunger. I could hear them both, she kept clearing her throat and her stomach was growling continuously.

I wasn't going to beg for anything from Hydra, they would use that against us too. At this point I was certain Erica wouldn't be begging either. I was sure that it had to be night or the next day by now, it was kind of hard to tell being in this cell.

"You think they'll just leave us in here and not come and get us?" Erica asks making me turn my head in her direction.

"Unlikely, I'm surprised they left us alone for this long, but if anything they'll take me alone and leave you."

"No, they can't do that they have to take me too." She said worried.

"Believe me, it's better if they left you." Getting no reply to that, I look up at the wall.

I had to figure a way out soon, time was running out for us and Hydra must have something big planned if it is all taking this long. I heard footsteps drawing near, it had to be for us because no one else was put in a cell here.

'We're about to find out what they want.'

The heavy door groaned as it opened, and two guards stepped in. They didn't say a word as they picked us up by our arms, I kept my eyes locked with Erica's insuring her I wouldn't let anything happen to her. We were dragged to another concrete room, but this one had fencing squaring the area off, the metal net went ceiling to floor.

'It's like a cage.'

I see a room overlooking the cage above, it's protected by glass and there are people in white coats looking down on us.

"Now that our Solider and new asset are here, we can start the evaluation process." A man with glasses is pressing a button; allowing us to hear him speak.

"Evaluation process?" I yell up at him.

"Yes, you have been gone so long we need to see if your previous training is still up to date. Her, on the other hand, skills need to be observed to see if she is ready for the field." He explains, he turns his back on us before I could comment, and a buzz comes from a side gate.

A large bulky man walks out, bigger than both of us.

"Only two of you come out alive, so do your best. If you think of not following orders, just keep in mind what you have a stake."

I knew exactly what they were trying to do, force me to fight with my all so Erica wouldn't die; therefore they get to see all of my skills. Apparently they haven't been told that Erica was a more then decent fighter.

"Go." He commands from above.

"Alright Erica, just fight like we would when we're sparing, only this time we're on the same team." I explain to her quickly, as the bulky man approaches us. I wait till he gets close enough to throw my leg out, making his go back a few inches. He charges again, flinging me against the fence.

'He's a lot stronger then both of us, meaning well have to use our speed and size against him.'

I watch as he makes a grab for Erica, and she avoids it. I jump up and run up to them, throwing my body over his head; using his shoulders for leverage. Once I'm planted on my feet between them I throw a punch to his face, ducking when he throws one back. Erica takes the opportunity to hit him on the side, making him go to defend the hit.

I use my leg to hit his other side right after, and he uses his arm to wrap around it and push me to the floor. Erica is thrown on the ground too, and he approaches her once more. Lifting her up by the neck and choking her.

'I can't let her die!'

Acting fast, I stand behind the man and kick the back of his legs in, making his fall to his knees and release his hold on Erica's throat. He tries reach back to grab me on sides, but I take a hold of under his jaw. Erica stands in front, placing her hands on either side of his head.

We both twist our hands in a jerking motion in the same direction simultaneously. As we let go of his head, his body drops to the floor at our feet.

Standing there panting, sweat dripping down our faces, we look at each other with blank looks. There was no emotion to express what we just did.

"Very good! You won't have to undergo as much training as we had anticipated."

A guard comes up from behind me, and I don't struggle as he drags me out of the room. I look forward as the man forces me to face walking direction, I see Erica already ahead of me. She doesn't fight them either. Being thrown back into the cell, we sit in a corner. The weight of what we did comes down on us, the tension in the room high.

"You know I had never…" Erica starts trailing off to find the right words. "Done that before. I was sent on missions with S.H.I.E.L.D. but it was never to kill." She starts crying at this point.

"Don't blame yourself, you just did what you had to survive for you and your son." I say the words, but I don't believe them. They were for her sake, I couldn't have her breaking down when the time to escape was near.

If we wait for a guard to come, maybe there will be two, we can knock them out and make a run.

'Do I even know where the exit is?'

Yes, down the hall take a right, then a left, up the stairs and outside, I counted the turns.

'We'd have to be extremely quite or they could kill Erica's son.'

Then a stealth attack inside of the cell, it's dark enough in here. This planned had to go through and follow out perfectly, any mistake could jeopardize everything.

Turing to a sniffing Erica, I quietly explain my plan. She understands what has to be done, and we have nothing else to do but wait for the guards to come again.

It was a good three hours before the came to get us again. When they did Erica and I were in side corners ready to make our escape plan happen. As soon as they stepped into the cell, I jumped up pulling him into the corner and knocking his head against the wall. I stepped over the guard's body, and watched as Erica came up beside me.

I grab her hand, knowing she has no idea where to go. We head straight down the hall taking the right, there are people in that hall so I hurry and lead Erica to a room and duck down below the window. I wait for the group of women to walk down the hall and around the corner, I then go back into the hall and make my way to the end with Erica following closely.

We make the left and find no one there, the stairs directly in front of us. Freedom just a hall away. We don't waste any time running toward the exit. Just as we were about to reach the door, a person steps right in my way, and grabs me by my arms. They put a hand over my mouth as I scream and try to break free.

'We were so close.'