.

. ** .

.

"Good morning, Mr. Barnes."

The A.I. ghost had been silent for most of the night. She stayed wordless through dawn. Even a good portion of the morning.

That was until my stomach broke the silence with a grumble.

I could only clench my jaw in frustration. Trading people watching my every move for a ghost. Who was likely doing the same. A ghost who knew far too much.

For the first time in hours, I moved. Turning away from the window. But staying in the safe corner. Out of sight from the outside world. There hadn't been any movements in the darkness. Only neighbors going about their morning routines.

I couldn't sleep. Too much of a risk.

What if I ended up killing the young woman I tried to save?

"I haven't figured out how to cook in this house. I'll need your hands if you want some breakfast."

In a haze, I found myself in the bathroom. Avoiding my reflection. Cleaning up automatically. Quick and efficient.

They were never patient. Take too long, and there'd be a hose.

The fridge was open by the time I entered the kitchen. There wasn't much in it. Except for bottles. Mostly sauces. A dizzying array. And alcohol too. Balanced precariously between the bottles was bread. A full loaf.

A creak sounded from behind the fridge door.

Reflexively, I peered around. Prepared for anything.

Another appliance door was now open. Something that looked like a miniature oven.

"How would you like your toast, Mr. Barnes?"

Cautiously, I threw three slices inside. Afraid. I dare not touch it. And when I stepped back. It closed. All on its own.

"Oh relax. I wouldn't close it on you. I'm not so careless. Though I must admit, my people forgot to restock the fridge in their rush. I'll have more food delivered by nightfall. If there is anything you'd like, please let me know. Unless it's something that melts. Makes keeping you two hidden a little difficult."

Her chuckles echoed through the house.

"No. There won't be any visitors."

'How did she –?! Is she in my head!?!'

"The goal is to keep the two of you completely off anybody's radar. That includes my own people. The only ones who know you're here is Val and myself. I can't risk any careless leaks."

"You've done this before." At least one of them had gone south from a leak.

"The Ayers keep me busy. Privacy is a top priority."

"The kidnapping. Last night. She mentioned... about it happening again."

"And it won't be the last. Oops. I do believe I've spoken too much on this matter. You should talk to Val if you want answers. Though I doubt she knows anything. Your toast is ready, Mr. Barnes. There's butter and jam in the fridge." With those words, the miniature oven appliance door, the fridge door and a drawer from the counter opened.

'This house is haunted.'

Instead of running, I grabbed a knife and the strawberry jam. Had to move quickly. Still couldn't trust her not to slam the door on me.

"...How does she like her toast?"

The bread slices were toasted to a golden brown. Not a single char.

"Soaked in an unhealthy amount of butter with a side of ketchup.... But it doesn't matter. She's not going to eat."

I knew it wasn't one of those sandwiches....

"Nothing to do with you making the toast. She loves butter. Even caught her eating a stick of it as a child. She'd eat that. But she's not going to eat today."

Something was off.

There was also the fact that the young woman hadn't moved. I didn't hear a thing through the night.

"If she starves to death, you're not going to help me."

"Depends on how I'm feeling. Not going to throw you to the wolves if you're worried about that. But you're correct, Mr. Barnes. I wouldn't have much of a reason to do a thing for you if Val winds up dead. There's apple juice in the pantry."

A nearby door opened.

"It's the little boxes with a picture of an apple. They came after your time.... I also doubt those bastards would be handing you juice boxes of all things. I'll have water delivered as well. My people took it all... and alcohol isn't exactly the most hydrating choice."

I shifted uneasily and grabbed a couple of the boxes.

This A.I. ghost was grating on my nerves. A deep breath barely helped my instincts. I just wanted to race out of the house. Never look back. But deep inside, I knew. I should have known. Hydra would have kept a tight leash around my neck.

"Am I...?"

"You're safe here, Mr. Barnes. Definitely safer than having you wander about. I have much at my disposal. Keeping you off the radar does not conflict with any of my commands."

The young woman wasn't where I left her. Not on the bed. The blanket was a crumpled pile at the foot. She was nowhere in the master bedroom.

'Was she taken?'

"She's... she's in the closet."

The A.I. ghost had to be in my head.

The door was opened. Just a crack. The light inside was barely lit. A soft muttering drifted out when I was close enough.

Cautiously, I pushed open the closest with a foot. There wasn't much she could do to me. But there was a lot I could do. On reflex. And she'd end up dead.

It wasn't obvious immediately. Where she was. Tucked up behind a bunch of hung shirts. A curled up ball. Rocking back and forth. Mumbling something I couldn't understand. She didn't even react to the change in her environment.

"Hey," I called out. Trying not to scare her.

No reaction. Not even a pause or a flinch.

I moved the shirts out of the way. Waved a hand in front of her face.

Again, nothing.

"Leave her be. She'll come to eventually."

I could only stare out the doorway. Searching for my words. Wondering if I should say them.

But the A.I. ghost spoke up again. "She gets a bit catatonic over certain things. She'll be fine.... I wouldn't try to move her. She's bitten a couple of people in this state."

"...." After last night, I wouldn't doubt it. Nor would I want to have my remaining limbs anywhere near her teeth.

Kneeling, I placed the plates between us. Munching on my strawberry jam covered toast.

Part of me hoped that she'd snap out of it on her own. She'd exhaust herself at this rate.

My head hurt. Too many things rattling up in there. All the information. The paranoia. I was still being used. Oddly enough, I wasn't a tool of death here.

The A.I. ghost wasn't helping. And who was this young woman in front of me?

.

. ** .

.

"Mission report."

"Your target, level 8. Do what you have to. I want confirmed death in 24 hours."

"Mission report."

"Stop."

"The timetable has moved. Our window is limited. Two targets, level 6. They already cost me Zola. I want confirmed death in 10 hou –"

"Mission report."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"Mission report. Now."

"Mr. Barnes. You're –"

"I have a mission for you. Sanction and extract. No witnesses."

"Mr. Barnes! You're not –!"

"SHUT UP!!!" I screamed. Clutching my head. Trying to block out the voices with my hands.

Even if they were inside my head.

"Honestly, Mr. Barnes."

Maybe not all of them were in my head. There was the A.I. ghost.

"You need sleep. It's been three days. Rather sure you weren't sleeping much before you got here either. You've started hallucinating."

Shakily, I rose to my feet. Water. I needed water. Stumbled into the railing. Fell the last few steps. The pantry door was already opened. Desperately, I tore out the bottled water from the plastic wrap. Downed it in seconds.

"Mr. Barnes, you need sleep."

"I can't...."

"It's not like you'd have a choice sooner or later. I'd give you another day, maximum. You'll be sleeping whether you like it or not."

"I can't go to sleep."

There was a sigh that echoed through the house. "And why not?"

"...I don't want to kill anymore," I whispered. Wanting to run from it all. Hide from what I've become.

"You're talking about the man in the alleyway...."

"How did you...?"

"You're very difficult to keep track of, but I've managed. Cleaned up the mess as well. Don't fret about it, Mr. Barnes."

"I killed a man!"

"Can't argue with that. That man's most definitely dead. Oh, it's slipped my mind, but there's an electric shaver under your sink by the first aid kit. Watching you scratch at that beard of yours is driving me insane. The head's already set up for a trim. If you're all clean cut, people will figure out you're Barnes from a mile away."

I might as well check on the young woman. Who was still in the closet. But she started to move within the master bedroom area.

For a short moment. Even ate a total of two bites yesterday. Tricked her when she tried to bite into my side. At least she was drinking. Not much though.

My feet felt like lead. Heavy as weights whenever I tried to take a step. My eyes were exhausted. So tired. I wanted to sleep. But I couldn't risk it.

"Why didn't you tell me she's passed out?"

Untangling her from the odd position she's fallen in. I tucked her back into fort of pillows and blankets.

It was the only real reaction I got out of her. When I noticed she had moved the bedding. I gathered the rest from the other rooms. She rolled herself into a cocoon.

"Cause she's not one to suddenly wake up and hunt down a Hydra Agent to punch to death. Then pass out next to him."

"What?"

"You didn't know who you killed?"

"I didn't.... What about the time in April?" After I visited the exhibit. Before I came to at the abandoned bank. "...There were three bodies."

The A.I. ghost went silent and not much else I could do here. The young woman needed sleep.

Exiting, I headed back into the bathroom I'd been using. As the A.I ghost had said. There was an odd contraption.

I grabbed it and found it slightly familiar. Pushing up a switch on the side, it buzzed to life. With a shrug, I got to work trimming the itchy beard.

She wasn't wrong there. It was itchy.

I made sure to keep my eyes away from the mirror. I didn't want to see the person looking back at me. Whoever that was.

"I can't find the bodies you mentioned. I lost you those days."

If she lost me then.... "How did you find me?" The words escaped before I could stop them.

I doubt she would answer. They never answered.

"I have measures in place and I'm not Hydra or the remnants of SHIELD. I don't have to sort through the false leads I put out, nor do I have to deal with the internal mayhem they're going through."

"You could have Hydra Agents among your own."

Maybe she could save themselves. If they had some warning. They're in danger. Ever since I crossed paths with them.

"There has been. They've been dealt with accordingly as they pop up. There were other parties as well, but mostly from Hydra.... Annoying little buggers. Though I thought of them akin to dandelions. They get everywhere.

"Oh well. Have to protect the Ayers name. That is my job, and I'm the best there is. Now, I believe I've found a solution in regards to sleep. I'll wake you if your nightmares start. Inside the night table is a bracelet. Wear it, and I'll be able to tell when the nightmare begins. So go to sleep already. I rather not have two passed out people in this house."

It felt like I was back there. In those windowless rooms. Always watched. Nothing private to myself.

"Fret not. You can remove it anytime. Might even help wake you if you're a particularly heavy sleeper. I don't know what triggers your instincts to kill, but stressing out your body isn't going to win you any favors, Mr. Barnes."

Wordlessly, I put on the bracelet. It was the same as the one the young woman wore.

The moment my head hit the pillow, I was out.

.

. ** .

.

Author's Note:

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