Chapter 3 ━━ Haunted Past

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Six year old Hedeon is clutching into his father's hand, afraid of the soldiers behind them. It brings him comfort believing his father will protect him from those scary looking people or any threat. They stand in the mini airport, waiting for the return of Alexei Shostakov, Melina Vostokoff, Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova who were pulled together as a family sent for a deep undercover assignment in Ohio by Dreykov.

"Dad?" He calls out with his small voice, gaining Dreykov's attention.

"Yes, Hedeon?"

"Большие мальчики. Они не играют со мной. Они причиняют мне боль и смеются надо мной." (The big boys. They don't play with me. They hurt me and laugh at me) The little boy pouts.

"I know someone who can teach you how to play with the big boys." General Dreykov asks his son. "Do you want to learn?"

Unaware of the real intentions of his father, Hedeon smiles widely, flashing his teeth. "Yes, I'd love to."

The little boy doesn't realise that it is the day of the beginning of his nightmares. And it starts right after the moment the family lands on the airport and gets separated by General Dreykov's soldiers.

Hedeon watches with tear filled eyes how Yelena clings to her sister while her older sister holds the soldiers at gunpoint after taking one's weapon when the soldiers attempt to pull them apart. He watches how Alexei then comes and comforts them telling them that they are tough and that everything will be alright. He watches how the two girls are then sedated by the soldiers to send to the Red Room to get trained to become a Widow.

Hedeon's horrors begin the moment the soldiers approach General Dreykov to get the permission to take him away.

"Папочка! Нет! Я не хочу идти!" (Daddy! No! I don't want to go!) Hedeon screams and struggles to escape as the soldiers grab him roughly before dragging him with them, away from his father. No one listens to his pleadings or tries to save him. It is just the beginning of his training to be a void killer machine and the end of his childhood.

In every darkest moment, there's a silverline waiting to bloom out. On the same day, when Hedeon is put into the cell of the warehouse with the other kids, who are ready to transport to the Red Room, he finds the blonde girl in the corner sitting all alone and crying her eyes out.

With small steps, he approaches the girl and takes a seat next to her. "Why are you crying?"

Yelena looks up with her puffy red eyes with tears. Her body is shaking violently with the sobs escaping her. "I'm scared."

"My name is Hedeon." He introduces himself with his sweet smile, hiding his tears behind the bay. "What is yours?"

"Yelena."

Hedeon wipes the tears of his new friend, gently and rubs her back, comforting. "I'm scared too. But don't worry, Lena. We're in this together. I will protect you."

Yelena's eyes fill up with hope as a small smile traces all over her face. "Pinkie promise?"

Hedeon's smile widens as he connects his pinkie finger with her, making an unbreakable promise between them. "Pinkie Promise."

And that's the beginning of their friendship between the two friends. The beginning of their endless battle to survive the Red Room and run away together one day.

'Kill, or be killed.' That's the mantra of the Red Room. If you want to survive, you must fight. Little does Hedeon know that he's turning into a merciless killer every single day.

"Never assume your target is the only target. The enemy dresses like a deer and he kills like a lion. And that's what we gotta do. We just gotta do it better." The trainer strictly advises the two boys in the middle of the hall, who are in between the duet. Other trainees are watching them.

Hedeon's body goes rigid with fear as he notices his father watching him with a stern look. His fingers quake as he feels the cold metal grow increasingly heavy with the passing second. If he completes this task, this is going to be his first kill. In the corner of his eyes, he sees Yelena giving him a courageous look. They both know that he needs to pass through this task or he'll be as good as dead at the end of the day.

The opponent, Victor Levin is already defenceless since he used his last bullet to shoot Hedeon, which he missed when Hedeon dodged to avoid it hitting him. Victor has no endurance or time left for a manoeuvre. He covers and leans into the oncoming pain.

With a determined stare, Hedeon pulls the trigger with a reverberating bang. It is loud. So loud he doesn't even hear the shotgun itself as a distinct sound. Instead it is the bell-like ringing as the sound echoes around the hall he is in.

Hedeon's victim, who happens to be his colleague, Victor, falls to his knees in shock as he clutches at his bleeding chest, his pistol clattering to the floor. He looks at Hedeon with a smile before he lets go of his last breaths.

Hedeon shoots up in his bed with heart pounding against his chest and sweating. Fear, anger, confusion swirled. Victor's smile is still haunting him down. It brings him chills in a scary way how he killed his colleagues in cold blood just to impress his father.

Hedeon looks beside him to see Yelena in her slumber, looking so innocent and peaceful. He runs his hand through his hair before deciding to walk into the kitchen. He switches on the lights before seeking for a fine champagne bottle through the cabinets. Once he finds one, he opens it and sits on the floor, his back against the counter, silently gulps down the content. The liquid burns his throat and in the moment, he feels relaxed.

Why is this happening to him? Can't he live a normal life again without the horrors of his past?

He sighs, taking another gulp. In the corner of his eyes, he notices a figure standing near the door. "Did I wake you up?"

"Kind of." She shrugs and approaches him before sitting next to him on the floor. "I was watching this nice dream and suddenly woke up to find you missing."

"I didn't know you were having wet dreams about me." His face crumbles into a smug.

A disgusted expression takes place in Yelena's face. "Gross. No! Why the hell would I have wet dreams about you?!"

Hedeon taps his finger onto his chin, pretending to be thinking. "Maybe because you can't resist my sexy looks. Or maybe you have a crush on me."

The blonde slaps her friend's chest and glares at him. "You're an annoying individual."

"Glad to know." Hedeon laughs heartily, resting his head on her shoulder. Yelena joins him in no time, not being able to be mad at him for too long.

After the laughter dies, she leans her head into his. "Why are you up?"

"Nightmares." Hedeon whispers lowly.

"Tell me about it."

He sighs, closes the lid of the champagne bottle and it clunks when the glass bottle makes contact with the floor beside him. "From sun up to sun down, I was taught every possible way to kill a man. My father trained me to be an assassin. That's not who I am. All I ever wanted was a normal life. Sometimes I wish I was gone with mom."

"You're a good person, Hedeon. Don't let him drag you down anymore." Yelena comforts him as he closes his eyes.

"Ты действительно солнышко мое, Лена." (You really are my sunshine, Lena) Hedeon says before the darkness envelops him in between his friend's sea of warmth, not seeing the smile creeping down her face.

Next day morning, Hedeon wakes up feeling fresh again. He is yet to realise if it's the champagne or her affectionate comfort that kept him away from his nightmares for the rest of the night. Maybe both.

Yelena is still asleep so he has to move her head to place on his chest and wrap his arms around her, carefully, trying his best not to wake her up in the process.

Hedeon watches her with a smile until she stirs from her sleep slowly and opens her eyes. "Morning, sunshine."

"Morning." She yawns lazily, burying her head deeper into his chest, inhaling his scent. "You smell so good."

Hedeon smirks, leaning his head back into the counter. "Do I now?"

"Shall we stay like this a little bit more?" She asks, playing with the end of his hair. "I really don't want to move."

He shrugs. "I have no objections."

Yelena hums in return, closing her eyes again, listening into his heart beat and slowly fading back into her sleep. But then again, the doorbell rings, sending her wide awake. She groans. "Who the fuck is that?"

"Go to bed, grumpy bunny. I got the door." Hedeon says, rubbing her back.

Letting out a deep sigh, Yelena stands on her feet, half asleep. "Just come back to cuddle when you're done."

"Okay, ma'am." Hedeon salutes with a grin.

She hums before stumbling towards the bedroom, only to run into the wall. A groan escapes her as Hedeon laughs. "God, I hate this wall."

Shaking his head, Hedeon opens the drawer with a pistol hidden in it. He takes it out and slowly approaches the door. Cautiously, he opens the door, getting himself ready to shoot down any threat standing next to the door, but all he sees is a familiar figure with a huge smile on his face.

"I am here with peace." Rick jokes, raising his hands up in the air, noting the pistol.

"It's you." Hedeon sighs in relief, lowering the gun down before opening the door wide enough for him to enter. "Come in."

"Did I wake you guys up?" Rick asks, entering the apartment.

"Yelena, yes. I was already up." Hedeon says, closing the door behind. "So... what brought you here?"

"I got a news. Natasha contacted me last night."