Diana stood her ground, glaring.
“I’m just saying. If you can’t kill her, I won’t be surprised. I would love to be the one to pull the trigger, honestly. She w—” Tim’s voice dropped as two of their shared bullets sliced through his abdomen, stopping his words and his heart. He looked at Diana, devoid of anything but shock and an overwhelming rage. “Y-You.” Tim fell forward, collapsing.
Diana took him into her arms.
“Y-You bitch.” Tim panted in between his body seizing.
Diana’s next words were precisely chosen, knowing that Tim had only seconds left before the poison took him. “You are a man of many despicable acts, Tim, but what I always hated the most was the way you’d pretend to read over my shoulder, just to get a whiff of my hairspray.” Diana didn’t hesitate to drop him to the ground. His body thudded as it hit. He weakly reached for her ankles like a wounded animal. Diana stayed and spoke over him, providing one last romantic gesture before she departed. “Whatever our fate is or may be, we have made it and do not complain of it.”
And it was there she left him, crumpled upon the ground, dead. She was confident in her own skills to get her, Da Vinci, and Ruby out of the woods alive.
RODERICK GASPED AND Nikola was quick to cover his mouth as the two of them watched Diana murder her partner from the top of the mountain. Since their initial engagement, Roderick hadn’t stopped shaking. His pulse pounded against her arm where it lay on the side of his neck. After what felt like forever, he pulled away.
“You were right,” Roderick whispered, his eyes filling with tears again.
Nikola nodded, turning away from their view of the clearing.
“Why would she do that? She’s got nothing to gain from being a man down.” Roderick followed Nikola into the maze of pines that concealed them.
“She doesn’t need him,” Nikola replied. “In her mind, she’s competent enough to handle the two of us. Whether we get that gun away from her or not, it doesn’t matter. You know that, right?”
“Right,” Roderick said. “We’re not like they are. The steroid didn’t take to us in that way. We’re…still destroyable. Still warm-blooded.”
“Good.” Nikola cocked her gun and handed it off to Roderick. “Keeping that in mind, I want to offer you a chance to run. I won’t report on it for at least another few hours. I don’t feel confident enough in my ability to protect you from her, not without Sergei. You may be a hell of a shot, but if she gets even one swing at you, that could be it.”
Roderick gulped. He seemed to be taking his time in choosing his next words. “Come with me. We’ll go back, report, come back with more agents.”
Nikola shook her head. “I’ve got unfinished business with her. I’m not going anywhere.”
Roderick took her hand for a moment and squeezed it gently. “You won’t hate me for this?”
“I’d think you’re an idiot if you didn’t run,” Nikola answered truthfully, beaming the same skeptical but confident look she always did.
“Thank you,” he said. “For everything.”
“Go before I change my mind.”
And like that, Roderick ran, leaving Nikola to her vices and the goddess.
WHEN NIKOLA FINALLY came down the mountain, Diana found herself at a loss for words for the first time in a long time. Since the day Nikola brought Rigan to them, Diana had run through this moment. She knew it’d come, but here she was, still stunned by the Nikola’s beauty, something no amount of preparation could have accounted for. Before Diana had much of a chance to think, her head gently tilted to the side in admiration. Diana laughed that same low, closemouthed laugh.
“Sweetheart, how long it’s been.”
Nikola raised her brow skeptically. “I’m here to kill you, Diana. We’re a long way past sweetheart.”
Nikola’s words sent a wave of cold through Diana. “So quick to speak, Wesley. Are you sure you don’t want to rethink that?”
“Wesley?” Nikola laughed, her head thrown back and her mouth open in a smile. “Oh, Diana, you don’t get to call me that anymore.” Nikola tilted her head and mimicked Diana, her neck craning forward and bringing their faces to a near touch.
“Why’s that?” Diana cooed.
“You killed her.” Nikola laughed again, her nose brushing against Diana’s right before she swung. Diana’s skin cracked underneath Nikola’s fist and chips of flesh drifted to the snow. Diana was quick to retaliate, reaching to grab Nikola’s arm before she had a chance to retract, but she failed. Nikola moved faster than expected. Nikola swung again but was caught this time. Diana twisted her arm, ready for it to break. Pieces of her own skin chipped off from the intensity with which she yanked, but Nikola slid right out of it, her body and bones flexing.
“Fine, we’ll play it that way.” Diana raised her gun and fired. Nikola shifted to the right and the bullet whizzed past her. Nikola swung again and missed Diana as she ducked and dove, then wrapped her arms around Nikola’s waist and brought them both to the ground. Diana kept her arms locked around her as they landed, squeezing as hard as she could, pieces of her shoulder cracking and rehealing as she crushed Nikola.
Thrashing, Nikola landed a few ineffective kicks. “So,” Nikola huffed, trying to free one of her arms. “Three bullets shot in battle, two bullets to kill Kal, two bullets for your friend.” Nikola wormed one of her arms out of Diana’s grip. “One you missed. So what? That leaves you with…one?”
Nikola’s bones bowed under the pressure of Diana’s grip. “You saw that?”
“You killing another partner?” Nikola took a sharp breath, then extended her claws and dug her free hand deep into Diana’s arms. Diana lurched away. Nikola sprang out of her grip and bounced back onto her feet with a loud, rasping groan. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Diana stared at her arm, watching as Nikola’s claw marks failed to heal over. She bled. “Like you didn’t just kill yours. Too selfish to let the twit in on the fight?” Diana rose back to her feet. She could feel the hate radiating from Nikola. She’d been warm to the touch. “You should reconsider. Even if the bullets run out, something tells me, I don’t need them to kill you. You didn’t need poison to claw the life out of that poor boy back in the woods.”
“You’ve killed more than a few poor boys,” Nikola said before rushing Diana. She plowed into her stomach and sent her spiraling backward.
Diana went airborne from the force of Nikola’s hit, but skimmed the ground with one hand and took control of the momentum with a flip.
Nikola drew her gun and fired. Diana narrowly escaped the poisoned fate with a dive and roll to the right. Nikola took a few steps closer, bettering her aim. She closed one eye and looked down the front sight, only to stop short of placing her finger on the trigger.
“Second thoughts?” Diana steadied herself and took a few steps closer to Nikola.
“I’m just wondering. Being out here in the woods and all, has anyone had the guts to tell you how goddamn hideous you look?” Nikola fired the gun. What she hadn’t accounted for was Diana charging at her so quickly.
They hit. Nikola and Diana both sprawled on the ground. Diana reached to grab Nikola’s neck, but Nikola snatched her wrists seconds before she could break her neck. Diana yanked her arm back with enough strength that it pulled Nikola’s arm from the socket. Nikola gasped and gritted her teeth from the pain. Quickly, Nikola let go of Diana’s arm and slashed with her free arm. She dragged her claws across Diana’s face, then rolled over onto Diana’s opposite side. She jumped to her feet, her dislocated arm hanging there limp.
Covering the open wound on her face, Diana pushed herself off the ground and back to her feet.
“You sure you want to keep this fight going, sweetheart? Seems like you need a minute.” Diana let out a sickeningly sweet laugh, and Nikola pounced at her. She charged, then propelled herself up off Diana’s knee and wrapped her legs around her former love’s neck. They smashed into the ground, and before Diana could throw a
fist, Nikola had one of her arms in a tight grip and her throat surrounded by two tight, crushing calves.
Diana laughed loudly, unafraid. “You’d think it would work,” Diana coughed, wrapping one arm around Nikola’s calf and another around her thigh. “But I spent an entire fucking day in the bottom of a lake. Breathing’s optional, sweetheart.” And like that, Diana shoved her arms in opposite directions and Nikola’s leg snapped in two.
Nikola screamed, her eyes welling with tears. “Oh, god,” She struggled to move.
Diana sat up from in between Nikola’s legs nonchalantly and pushed herself free with grace. “You knew better than this, Wesley. I made you.”
Nikola let out one loud, curt laugh. “You don’t create. You destroy.”
Diana grabbed the nearest rock and slammed it across Nikola’s face.
Nikola gagged as blood filled her mouth. She gurgled something, something she wanted Diana to hear, but Diana was already looking away, thinking through how she’d rescue Ruby and Da Vinci.
Nikola grabbed at her wrist in desperation. “Y-You.” Nikola coughed, blood spattering the snow and mud.
“What was that?” Diana teased, tilting her head and leaning forward just a bit.
Nikola spoke again, her words coming out in a soft whisper. “Honey.” Nikola’s grip lessened as her words dropped down to nearly inaudible.
Diana leaned farther and smoothed her hair. “Honey? I thought we were past cute nicknames.”
“Honey.” Blood speckled Nikola’s face. “At least…put me…” Nikola took labored breaths. “Put me out…of my fucking misery.”
“That’s not a terribly nice way of asking.” Diana hadn’t meant to, but she laughed, more pleased with herself than anything else.
“Please.”
Diana smiled, allowing just a hint of teeth to show between her deep purple lips. She slid her hands up Nikola’s neck and rested one hand underneath her chin. Before she twisted, she smiled, leaned forward, and dipped her face closer to Nikola’s.
“I have always loved you.” Diana wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she hadn’t said it. She wanted Nikola to know that even at the very end, it could have all been avoided.
Nikola looked up at her. Her face was neutral, hard to read. Diana couldn’t expect much from someone dying. Finally, Nikola said, “I haven’t.”
And like that, Nikola’s gun went off and Diana felt the sharp, cool rush of poison surging through her veins. Her arms went limp first, and then her vision started to tunnel. It happened so quickly. It happened all at once. She let out a low yelp and slumped over, her body curling in on itself.
“And you said seduction wasn’t my bag.” Nikola laughed again, her teeth bloodied and grinding. This was it. This was the last thing she’d ever see.
Who I Was
DECEMBER 12, 1963
When looking up, there was nothing to see but stars and snow. Da Vinci felt the cold on his face and deep in the bones of his hands. Everything dawned on him at once. He jolted up as his stomach bottomed out. It was done. It had to be. He hadn’t even had a chance to try to stop what he knew would come. A stabbing pain pulsated on the right side of his skull. They’d knocked him out. It was likely the only reason he’d lived.
He stood now. He had to find them. He had to move what was left of them. There couldn’t be any bodies to find. First, Da Vinci went to where they’d killed Sergei, but the body was already gone. He then searched for the others. He found Tim first, who was crumpled over on himself and stiff. Da Vinci shut his partner’s eyes before dragging him to the waterfall and burying him along with Rigan. It was funny to think their bodies would be down there together forever, given the problems they’d had in life.
Da Vinci continued searching until he found the second KGB agent. Nikola was on the ground, curled up on just a few hundred yards away from the clearing where she and Diana fought. Blood stained the snow around her and a makeshift tourniquet was tied tightly on her broken leg. Her mouth hung open post-mortem and her lips were drained of any color.
Da Vinci stood over her for a second. He wanted to blame her for what happened, give himself a faceless villain to hate, but he couldn’t bring himself to despise her. She’d meant too much to Diana to be hated. He closed her eyes, too, feeling the coarseness of her skin on his fingertips. He brushed a hand over her face, then stood and pulled her along the same path he’d taken Tim. He dropped her in the river, as well. Rigan and his killer would be buried together. Da Vinci could feel his heart pounding and his system draining, but he had one more body to dispose of, one more tithe to pay.
He found Diana faceup, not too far from the ledge of a bluff. She’d been shot. Just like Da Vinci had seen it play out hundreds of times. Everything he’d been trying to stop led up to this moment. But when it came down to the wire, he was still alive and she was still dead. It was while standing over her that Da Vinci realized he’d been crying. He could feel the wetness of his face with his hands, but could not feel the tears as they ran over his cheeks. He slumped down and sat, then took her head in his lap. He closed her eyes and smoothed her hair. His breath shook. He’d seen this play out countless times. That moment when he’d find Diana dead, but in no scenario did it hurt this much. In no scenario did she look this dead. In no vision did he foresee his own will to live dying off with her. He collapsed, certain he’d rest there only for a few minutes.
He didn’t move till the sun was starting to rise and Roderick wrapped his hand around his shoulders. “Come on, mate. It’s time to go.”
In his hours sitting there, he had seen the fall of nations, the wrath of man, and of course the death of his own son. A vision that revisited him as often as he revisited it.
His gaze left Diana’s body for the first time in hours. “You lived.”
“Surprisingly.”
A silence fell over the two of them. In the break of dawn, they watched each other. “We don’t kill each other,” Da Vinci finally said. “Not now, not later.”
“She’s asking for you.” Roderick ignored Da Vinci’s proclamation. “She doesn’t know the others didn’t make it.”
Da Vinci glanced back to Diana’s corpse. He was once again being taken by visions of her healthy on the night they first kissed.
“I moved my partner’s body. The river is a smart choice.”
Da Vinci raised his brow in surprise. “How did you know?”
“We saw you bury the boy, but we waited till you were done to attack.”
Da Vinci closed his eyes and lingered in the dark. “I’m sorry about your friends.”
“I’m sorry about yours.”
Swallowing hard, Da Vinci stood and then grabbed Diana’s wrists. He went to drag her when Roderick stopped him.
“Here.” Roderick took her ankles and helped lift.
As they walked, Da Vinci talked. “How did they go out? I know they were both shot, but I never saw who pulled the trigger.”
“Huh,” Roderick grunted as the two maneuvered down a steep slope. “I thought you of all people would know. Hera killed Dresden. I’m assuming Nikola killed Hera. I wasn’t actually there to see it.”
Da Vinci stopped in his tracks. His palms sweated despite the intense chill in the air. “Hera killed Dresden?”
“I’m sorry.” Roderick and Da Vinci briefly traveled together until they came to the lip of the river at the bottom on where their allies now resided. They moved her body over the bank and released her. Diana vanished under the waves.
“I think I’ll be going now.” Roderick’s morale seemed to fall apart with the last of the bodies gone. “I’ll file a false-success report. That should buy you and the girl a few days. I’ll be gone by the time they realize what’s happened. It’s about time I leave this business.”
Da Vinci let out one short, sudden laugh. It was loud and filled with just a subtle suggestion of happiness that felt out of place next to a mass grave. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
“What?” Roderick pau
sed, giving Da Vinci a confused expression. Somewhere along the line, it must have dawned on him that Da Vinci saw all. Da Vinci knew all. “Ha. Guess not. That’s very typical of me.”
“Until we meet again, Roderick.” Da Vinci pulled his jacket in closer and then tightened his bandana. He wiped away the grime on his face with the back of his hands.
“You know my name. Guess it’s only fair. Right, Da Vinci?” Roderick laughed again, louder this time. “Guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. Until then.” Roderick walked opposite Da Vinci, heading back to the west side of the mountain.
WHEN HE ARRIVED, Da Vinci could hear Ruby arguing with hospital staff from behind the doors of the elevator.
“Don’t call them yet,” Ruby shrieked.
The doctor was halfway through ordering a nurse to restrain her when Da Vinci knocked on the doorframe.
“What is going on in here?” Da Vinci would have shouted it, but his energy was zapped.
“You must be the girl’s father.” The doctor hurried over to him and began rattling off medical jargon and recommendations.
Da Vinci was quick to stop it. “If I could please just have a couple minutes alone with her?”
“As you see fit, Mr. Harrison.” The doctor stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Please alert the nurses’ station when you’re ready to talk.”
The door clicked behind the staff.
“Ms. Robin Harrison,” Da Vinci started. “That’s something I never thought I’d hear. You gave your real name.”
“I wanted my folks to know if I was dead.” There was something so hollow about the way she said these things. “How do you know it’s my real name, anyway?”
“Keeping secrets was not one of Rigan’s strengths.” Da Vinci pulled up a chair next to the bed where Ruby lay, her leg propped up in a sling.
“The others…”
Da Vinci shook his head. “They knew they weren’t going to make it out of there. This is what they wanted.” He assured her with the little white lies he would tell himself on the harder nights.
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