Red Room, 2008
9 years later

Katerina laid flat on her back on the metal gurney. Her hands were clutching the white gown they had given her. Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. She knew this was coming, but it was finally happening. The final step in her graduation from the Red Room. The sterilization.

Katerina stared up at the ceiling as the doctors strapped her body to the gurney. She wouldn't have been able to try and move anyway. She was frozen in place with fear. She tried to listen to what the doctors around her were saying, but with her mind racing a mile a minute she couldn't comprehend anything.

The feeling of being moved made Katerina flinch. She looked to her sides to see the doctors rolling her out of the room and down a dark hallway. Tears began to swell up in her eyes. She bit down on her lip so she wouldn't accidentally let a cry slip out. She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to calm her breathing. She knew there was no way out. She had already tried failing the tests, but Madame B had figured out she her plan.

⠉⠉⠉⠉

Katerina stood in front of the tanned-skinned girl. She had watched the girl fight the others before her. She was strong. If just watching her fight wasn't enough proof the blood on her knuckles was. That's why Katerina was glad it was her turn. Fighting her would make it look like she actually lost.

"Идти!" (Go!), Madame B shouted.

The girl charged at Katerina reeling back her fist. Katerina let her hit her cheek, and stumbled back a few steps. The girl hit her again this time right in her stomach. Katerina started to fight back, but pulled her punches. She got a few hits in, but nothing that was enough to slow the girl down and give Katerina the upper hand.

Madame B narrowed her eyes at Katerina as she watched the two fight. She had watched Katerina's train since the day she had arrived. Katerina was a good fighter; One of the best. She knew what the girl was doing, and she wasn't going to let her continue any longer.

Katerina was kicked in her chest, and she fell back onto the mat. She opened her eyes to see Madame B standing above her with her usual stone-cold expression.

"Get up." Madame B demanded kicking Katerina's shoulder. "And fight." She said moving back off the mat.

Katerina stood up and glanced at Madame B one last time before turning back to her opponent. She took a deep breath before charging at the girl. She had to win. Madame B saw right through her plan.

As Katerina locked her arms around her opponents neck, she took another deep breath. Maybe surviving wouldn't be all bad. Living meant she could still look for Natasha and Yelena. She wasn't sure whether either of her sisters were even still alive, but she wouldn't give up that little ounce of hope left for them.

The slight nod of Madame B's head gave Katerina the go to finish her task. Katerina had done this a bunch of times, but she still couldn't believe herself. She couldn't believe she was being forced to end another person's.

After her opponent was on the floor unresponsive, she walked back to her starting place, and waited for Madame B to call out the next name.

⠉⠉⠉⠉

The hallway felt miles long as the doctors rolled Katerina down it. The only sound that could be heard around them was the wheels rolling on the tile of the floor.

Katerina felt the urge to throw up, but she swallowed the feeling down. She felt hot tears flow down her cheeks and drip onto the gurney. She tightened her fist, and internally begged. She didn't know who she was begging, but kept repeating to herself.

Please, don't. Don't let this happen.

A small part of Katerina figured she deserved what was going to happen to her. She took a bunch of other girls lives for her own. Why would she deserve to continue living on without any consequences?

The doctors pushed her into a room, and placed the gurney in the center of it. Katerina looked around the room to see various machine, and a platter with sharp tools lined up on it.

A small gasp slipped passed Katerina's lips when she felt a latex covered figure grip her jaw, and forced her head straight. A clear mask was placed over her mouth then a couple seconds later she felt her eyes grow heavy and she fell asleep hoping when she woke up she'd somehow be back home in her bed across from her sister.

𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐗 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐒:
Act One is officially completed!
I was going to give act one another
chapter, but I feel like this is a good
place to end it.

I'm very happy with how this act turned
out, and I hope you all enjoyed it as well!
I will have the first chapter of Act Two out
asap!

I hope you enjoyed this. Don't forget to
comment and vote please! Thank you for
reading 💜