Rogue (The End 4)

Vivien didn’t refuse him. However, she wished the weekend would end soon.

Chapter One

"We must take him out as a warning to others…"

15th November 2021

11:49 am

Old Port, Portland, Maine.

USA.

The EMP had gone off.

Suzanne sat on the ground, panting. Sweat covered her, and blood trickled from her abdomen where there was a large cut. Her left hand, with which she held a knife, quavered. She restrained herself from crying. She had to be strong. She brought her right hand again into the cut and probed her insides. It had to be in there somewhere. She had watched as it was implanted in other agents. She was sure it was on the left side. And she hoped it was; she didn’t want to have to cut open her right side too.

“Come out, please,” she cried as she pulled her hand out. The pain was unbearable and the act was disgusting. She hoped she wasn’t going to end up killing herself in the process.

She tried one more time. After probing for a couple of seconds, her fingers came across something metallic. Taking deep breaths, she curled her fore-finger around it to ensure it wasn’t a vital organ. When she was sure of what it was, she gently pulled it out.

She held up her bloodied hand and looked at the object. It was small and cylindrical. At its center, a small red dot flickered. She smiled at it. A tracker charged by the body’s chemical energy: the Ray of Hope’s technology was groundbreaking. It had lasted for over twenty years! She was impressed.

Suddenly, she frowned and threw the tracker away.

A surge of pain came over her abdomen. Sweat had touched her wound. She swallowed hard and allowed her head to rest on her bag. Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes. She needed to rest. She was proud of herself. She was now one step ahead of the Ray of Hope. They thought she was dead.

How had she even allowed herself to come that far?

Thoughts of what she had done washed over her. Usually, she’d fight them. This time, she allowed the memories to come. They would give her reasons to fight. If she were lucky, she’d be able to end the evil she had started. If she were lucky, still, she’ll die before she did that. Both ways, she just wanted out of the whole thing.

One particular memory stood out to her. It was from those days when she was known as Vivien Dmitri. It was the first time she knew that the journey she was on would never end…

10th November 2000

3:36 pm

Moskovsky, Moscow.

Russia.

Vivien watched her opponent carefully. She and Khristina were at the top of their class. That was why they were paired together. Vivien knew Adrik was watching her from the gallery above, so were the other members of the governing body. The two ladies were being considered as potential members of the council. So far, only men were on the council. Khristina wore what looked like a metal glove. Vivien decided she didn’t want to receive any of her punches.

Khristina made the first move, running at Vivien. Vivien dodged Khristina’s fist. She dodged the kick, and then she dodged the elbow. Before Khristina got far, Vivien grabbed Khristina’s head and pulled it down to make contact with her knees. The blow stunned Khristina, though not as much as the kick that followed. Khristina fell to the ground, but she quickly rebounded. She wiped the blood from her lips, where she had bitten herself.

Vivien smiled at her, acknowledging the hate she saw in Khristina’s eyes. Their rivalry went beyond their desire for the position. Vivien knew Khristina hated her because, though she was dark-skinned and less beautiful, she had managed to get Adrik’s affections and hold it for so long. Vivien didn’t hate the girl, but she just returned the feelings. If Khristina wanted rivalry, she would get it.

Vivien waited for Khristina to move again. Khristina returned with a punch. Vivien dodged it; however, the punch was just a decoy move. Khristina gave her an uppercut that sent her reeling to the floor. She tried to get her bearings, but Khristina began to kick her. Vivien raked her to the floor and stood up again. Once Khristina jumped up too, Vivien jabbed her in the neck and sent her back to the floor.

Vivien took a moment to breathe. Her body hurt, but she wasn’t tired yet. She watched as Khristina got up slowly. Once Khristina was up, she tried to steady herself. Once again, Vivien waited for her. This time, though, Khristina flexed her fingers so that the retractable claws she wore came out.

Vivien wasn’t surprised. The fight was supposed to be ‘full damage’. She had been waiting for Khristina to make that move first.

One more chance, Khristy. Let’s not go there, shall we?

She raised her hands to show that she wasn’t armed. Khristina smiled wickedly and lunged at her. Vivien kept dodging the incoming scratches and hitting when she could. Khristina wanted to rip out her guts. Soon, Khristina’s claws made contact with Vivien’s arm. The pain seared, but Vivien couldn’t stop since Khristina didn’t stop. She was used to pain. That was all the motivation she needed.

As Khristina swung her claws the next time, Vivien dodged and moved behind her. Pulling a syringe out of her belt, she sunk it into Khristina’s neck and pushed the plunger. Khristina paused in her steps for a second. In the next second, she fell to the ground, unconscious. Vivien flipped her blonde hair backward and grinned in victory. The next second, her left hand went to where Khristina’s claws had wounded her. Blood poured out, and the pain was searing.