CURRENT TIMELINE

To survive you have to be smart

But to live. You have to be free.

And I am neither.

Well sometimes I'm smart, today isn't looking like one of those days.

I brush the sand from my face, muttering curses under my breath.

"Why the fuck am I here again?"

"Because you made a promise to yourself that they would pay."

"When I made that promise, I didn't think one of them would be in the fucking desert."

"You win some, you lose some." Andy mutters from the receiver, her voice muffled.

Dust coats every inch of my exposed skin, the hot dry particles itching as soon as they make contact.

My blood red hair is dusted with orange and brown, the sand and dirt weaving between the knotted strands like ballerinas on a sunlit stage.

The cloth wrapped around the bottom half of my face does little to shield against the harsh heat. My mouth is parched regardless and the water in the canteen does nothing to quench the dry thirst, but I bring it to my lips anyway.

I sigh as I get a slight reprieve before the heat wraps its scorched hands around my throat once again, tightening.

Faint tire marks in the desert sand indicate the path cars have travelled before me. The indents in the sand almost covered over with the harsh winds help. I walk along the tracks in boredom, the markings the only thing telling me I'm going in the right direction.

I pull out the compass and grimace as the arrow swivels between south and west. It does a full spin before landing on north. Snapping it closed with a sigh, I drop it back into my pocket and ignore it once more.

It must be broken. I wouldn't know either way, I happen to be directionally challenged.

I tap my fingers against my thigh as I ignore the voice in my head telling me I'm going the wrong way.

"Shut up." I snap back at Andy, ignoring her snicker.

"Have you even checked the map I gave you?"

"Those things are useless."

I hear her annoyed sigh before the tapping of keys.

"Are you ignoring me?"

Her silence reigns.

"What do you want from me? I'm following the tracks, I'll be fine."

The pack on my back grows heavier with every step, sweat rolling down my spine. The scarf wrapped around my face and neck is billowing in the hot wind behind me. I glare at the barren land, sand hills and heat waves - my only company in the desert.

My harsh even breaths rise in the arid climate as I breathe out again. My boots sink in the sand slightly, but I ignore it, knowing I'm almost to my destination.

"Are you there yet?"

"Does it look like I'm there yet?"

"I wouldn't know, you broke the only camera we have."

"I'll buy a new one."

"With what money?"

"Good point." I whisper.

The constant sand hills make way to reveal a steep cliff jutting out, someone's home nestled deep within the rocky embrace.

"I'm here."

"You know what to do, contact me if you get in trouble. Don't die." Andy mutter before the device in my ear silences.

I reach up and pull the comm from my ear and settle it in my pocket beside the compass.

Searching one last time I turn and start to scale the rocky side. My boots slant on the rough rock, my calloused hands gripping the available holes as I haul myself up and lose myself within the climb.

It takes almost ten minutes for me to reach the hut and climb inside, sighing as the heat that once scorched my back is blocked from view.

Ripping the shawl from around my face, I dump it on the wooden floor and look around the scarce area, narrowing my eyes on the half-eaten food still sitting on the table. I turn from it, looking out the window, the view of the expansive land that houses nothing but loneliness and death - barren of everything.

Stalking to the radio mounted on the wall, I turn it to a random station and hum along to whatever song is playing as I take off my pack, opening it and retrieving the weapons I brought with me.

I hum to the tune whispering from the radio, setting up the gun in my hand before walking for the far chair, situating myself in it and wait.

The silence of the desert is my only companion, the heat waves moving along the furthest hill, the only thing I see before a sound reaches my ears.

I keep complete stillness as the sound stops, only metres from the place I've taken residence in.

The person I'm here to kill climbs the side of the mountain, much like I did only minutes prior, their breaths stilted and harsh.

The woman doesn't look around as she climbs in through the makeshift door, her blonde hair styled perfectly despite the situation she has found herself in.

She's still looks so young despite her age, moving with a gracefulness only one who has lived fully can acquire, her youthful looks obviously having helped her get to the position she is in.

For someone who chooses which Agents my father should experiment on, she sure seems innocent, though when her blood is spilling from her neck I doubt she'll look anything but dead.

Her grey eyes snap to me, wide with freight before the resignation settles in.

"He said you'd come for me." She mutters, pushes the glasses further up her nose.

"And yet you hid." I reply, standing up and stalking closer.

"What do you plan to do to me?"

"I just want you dead, I don't care how its done."

Her eyes swing to the window I was staring from minutes ago, her gaze flighty.

"Even if you did escape, I would find you." I mutter.

She swallows and steps back, like a frightened bunny.

"I didn't know what they had planned for you." She tries to worm her way out of her situation.

"Yes, you did."

"I didn't, I swear."

"Don't lie to me, Samantha." I stalk closer, "I overheard plenty of your conversation with my father. Planning, plotting, you knew."

She drops the charade, her scared woman act nothing but a way to get what she wants, she's been playing the same role for years.

The women toes closer to my position, head tilted, her eyes taking in my relaxed postures, my own confidence in my abilities.

"He told me to bring you to him," She whispers to herself but loud enough for me to catch, "But I think I'll earn a lot more if I sell you to the highest bidder. I'm sure the doll collector would love you back."

I swallow, hiding my own freight for the devil of my past quickly, palming the gun in my grip.

"As much as I would love to see him again, watch him die, I have a few more pit stops before I make it to him." I tell her.

I stalk forward once more, watching her stutter back a step and I lift a hand, lifting my fingers as I murmur the names of the people on my list.

"Joey Deluca," I lift a fingers, counting in my head, "Daphne Jefferson, Draco Tatsumi." I smile, relishing the fear in her eyes. "Nathaniel Boulder." Finally, I lift all five fingers, "Samantha Coffer."

She blinks in surprise, and I laugh, "You didn't think I knew about you and my father? Unfortunately for you, I don't need nor want a step mother."

I lift the gun in my hand, shooting her shoulder.

She stumbles back, a screech exiting her lips and lifts a hand to her wound, crocodile tears already falling from her listless eyes.

I ignore them, caressing the trigger again before aiming for her knee cap, shooting.

She crumbles to her knees in front of me, sobbing.

"Three." I murmur, shooting once more, aiming right between her eyes. "For the months you kept me there."

I watch as my father's lover crumbles, a shell of her former self.

A numbness washes over me and I reach for my possessions, packing up once more as I make my way to the exit, leaving her behind.

• • •

I walk through the door, my movements robotic as I wander through the house, my eyes on my destination.

Andy looks up, her face alarmed.

"Lilac? What's wrong?"

My eyes flicker to hers.

She takes one look at my face, her's falling. "It's getting worse isn't it?"

Andy stands up, walking over to me.

"I'm getting you more." She murmurs, leading me to the bathroom. "I just have to figure out a plan first."

I shake my head, red hair flying. "It's too dangerous."

"I don't care." Andy says, her words harsh. "I'm not just going to let you waste away. If the drugs are what you need then that is what I'm getting you."

"If you get caught-"

"I won't." She cuts me off, leaving me at the counter before reaching in to turn the water on, "I've almost narrowed down where the lab is."

"Andy. It's not worth it."

She narrows her sage eyes on me, her face brutal. "Yes it is."

"I can live without them."

"We tried that remember?" She whispers, "You almost died."

"I'll try harder." I reply, crossing my arms.

Andy's shoulders drop, "Okay. We'll try that first. But if anything happens, I'm getting you those vials. No matter what."

I look between her eyes, nodding. "Okay."

She checks them temperature of the water before walking for the door, I speak before she can leave.

"Do you have the next on the list ready?"

Andy's eyes flicker over mine before she connects to my eyes and she nods, "I'll leave the information on your bed."

She shuts the door, leaving me to my own thoughts.