12: 00 a.m. - Sicily, Italy
Heavily armed trucks drove down the narrow paths, avoiding parked cars and potted plants that littered the narrow streets. Ahead were multiple agents on motorcycles, their black visors hiding their faces.
Inside, Bowman brace herself against one of the chairs, her excitement unable to keep her sitting.
"Just think that a few meters ahead," she murmured. "We'll capture Valentina."
"Yes, boss," Agent Hubbard chuckled. "And no pesky Amazons to sabotage us. This will be all us, the FBI."
"Obviously," Agent Woodson spoke up. "They're dead. Who else is going to detain Valentina?"
Bowman smirked, an unreadable glint in her eye. "Sure they are."
Hubbard and Woodson exchanged looks.
The screen above showed a red dot in one of the houses.
Back at the mansion, the girls watched the live feed with bated breaths.
"How are we seeing all of this?" Jada whispered.
"Live feed from the satellites," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. explained. "I'm able to channel that feed to us."
"Thank God people don't know about you," Laila remarked. "I know certain people who'd love to exploit you, girl."
"You and me both, sister," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. winked.
"So...the tracker?" Jada turned to Ciema. "How'd they put it on her?'
Ciema smirked. "In a market in Brazil, one of the agents disguised as a vendor, sold her a ring that contained a tracker."
"Nice," Laila smiled. "She's been carrying her downfall this entire time."
"Correct," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. chirped up.
"Now it's time for her to reap her reward," Ciema remarked with a smug smirk.
-
The trucks halted in front of a house at the corner of the street, surrounding it along with the motorcycles. It was a bright yellow house with a balcony littered in roses. An arched doorway connected to stairs.
Agents climbed out of trucks, ascending the stairs and kicked down the door. They filed into the house, brandishing their rifles.
Bowman watched on the feed in one of the trucks, eyes narrowed to focus.
Lights on, they explored every inch of the house, every room, bathroom and kitchen.
No one was within.
"There's no sighting of Valentina Esposito," Agent Smart reported.
"Keep looking," Bowman ordered. "The tracker shows she's inside."
One agent hesitated but raised his hand, gesturing agents to follow him.
"You heard her," he said. "We search every inch of this house."
They turned, and began to follow him.
One agent lagged behind.
Suddenly, someone dropped from the ceiling, wrapping her legs around his throat.
He choked, grasping at them in attempt to free himself.
She twisted them, snapping his neck.
He fell limp.
She released, letting him crumple to the floor.
Agents spun around, their lights flailing about. One of them advanced towards the sound, finding the body.
"Oh my God," she gasped, staggering back.
Shaking, she lifted her light until it landed on a woman dressed a dark blue ninja garb: uwagi tied with a belt, loose hakama, kyahan worn under, and tabi. A zukin covered her head, except her eyes.
She stared back at the female agent, irises constricted from the bright light.
She jumped down and before the agent could react—
The agent hit the ground.
The ninja lowered her leg and turned to the others.
"Fire!" The leader ordered.
The ninja threw ninja stars. The stars struck throats and eyes. Bodies dropped before shots could be fired.
The ninja stood, and pressed her earpiece.
"Hey Bear," she said, gazing at her dead targets. "You're up."
In another house, the "Bear" spat out his toothpick before drinking a cup of water. He opened his case and pulled out his rifle.
His face hidden in shadow. Mounting it on the table, he peered through the scope, eyes trained on the agents.
"Five on your right," he hummed. "Foxy."
The ninja turned. "Thanks and for the record, it's—"
"I know. Do your job," he cut in.
The ninja huffed.
"Freeze!"
The ninja turned before diving for cover. The bullets missed her by inches. The five agents went in, filing into the bedroom she dove into.
A chair knocked an agent clean out.
The second one raised his gun and fired. She vaulted backward, landing and driving her feet into the man's abdomen. He crashed to the ground, knocking himself unconscious.
The third agent swung the butt of his rifle but she caught it. His eyes widened. She brought him, kneeing him the gut before shoving him into the wall.
As she attempted to turn the barrel to him, the fourth tried to sneak up on her, but a bullet struck the agent right in the head.
The third agent stared in shock before she pulled with her to the ground, using her legs to push him into the other wall.
He groaned, hitting the wall hard. He slumped to the floor.
The fifth agent backed away, arms shaking.
"Scared?" she asked him.
He nodded.
She scoffed before pulling out a pistol with a silencer. One single, muffled shot to the chest.
"I lost that fear years ago," she said darkly.
"Nicely down foxy," the marksman said on the line.
Her eyes narrowed. "It's not Foxy. It's Antiope."
He said nothing as he worked the bolt.
"Do the rest of your job, Bear," she ordered.
"Aye, aye," he grumbled, peering through the scope.
In the kitchen, Agents swarmed inside, eyes scanning the area. Lights illuminating the silverware. Suddenly, one of them fell.
They turned, looking for the culprit.
The Bear fired, the bullet bouncing off and struck another agent in the head.
A third agent fell
And a fourth.
The last agent listened carefully, breathe hitched. He turned, and came to face to face with Antiope.
"No..." he trembled.
"Yes," she said, eyes wide.
The Bear fired from his hiding spot.
The agent's gun clattered to the ground as he pitched forward, dead. Blood pooled, inching toward her feet. She stepped back, eyes narrowed.
"Good enough," she murmured.
The Bear worked his bolt again. He scanned the house, landing on agents in the living room.
"How many are there?" Antiope asked.
She got no response.
"Don't make me feel like I'm talking to a ghost," she whispered as she ran off.
-
In the truck, Bowman paced the space, eyebrows furrowed.
"Come in Omega Squad," Bowman ordered. "I said, come in."
She huffed, lowering her hand. "Something's wrong."
Woodson squinted at the screen. "We've lost contact with Omega Squad, and Alpha Squad."
An agent chuckled.
"And that's how you get fired," Woodson glanced at her.
The agent fell quiet.
"I swear..." Hubbard ground her teeth. "If the Amazons are behind this..."
"They aren't," a voice spoke.
"Who's intercepted this channel?" Bowman demanded.
"A friend," the voice replied. "Well...we weren't exactly friends but you know what I mean."
"Well, who are you?" Bowman insisted.
"The woman who's killed your entire team."
Bowman's eyes widened.
Antiope barged into the living room, dodging gunfire behind a couch.
The Bear's bullets broke through the window, piercing agents' flesh and skulls. Antiope emerged from the couch and tackled one of the agents to the ground.
He sat up and reached for her throat. She drew a knife and sank it into his chest, right for his heart.
He stilled, choking as blood came to his mouth.
He fell back, eyes rolled into his head.
She pulled it out, and wiped it on her uwagi.
"Gross," she frowned.
"You still haven't told me who you are?" Bowman's voice echoed in her ear.
Antiope sighed, then got up.
"Fine," Bowman listened carefully. "Then deliver his message to Jaiden— "
"Я приду за ним," Antiope whispered with a snarl in Russian. "И это будет медленная и мучительная смерть."
Bowman's eyes widened, mouth fell open. Not in shock. Or surprise.
But in horror.
Antiope turned to the window.
The Bear lifted his head, squinting right at her.
She nodded before running toward a window, arms crossed. Glass broke as she barreled through the window, shards slicing her forearms as she shielded her face. She landed on the truck with a thud, rolling to her feet.
She slid down and leapt off the hood, right into the seat of a motorcycle. Revving the engine, she drove off.
"Who was that?" Woodson asked.
"Should we pursue?" Hubbard turned to Bowman.
Bowman blinked, before shaking it off. "N-No. Not yet. Move out."
She glanced at the hesitant agents. "Now!"
The trucks roared to life, removing the barricade they placed around the building as they drove off into the night.
The Bear hummed, lifting his rifle. He placed it back into his case and got to his feet.
"Ma'am," he spoke, British accent thick, as he pressed his earpiece. "They've withdrawn."
"Good..." Valentina's voice purred. "Meet me at the hotel. We need to talk."
The Bear walked toward the exit, humming a tune. He opened the door and headed for the stairs.
Checking his watch, he took the first step down, unhurried.