Chapter Thirtyone – Why Is This Happening To You?

You feel the fear and anger building up inside you. You can’t even think straight. You can feel the tears starting to form behind your eyes. Alexander keeps looking at you. You don’t know what to say, so you just repeat yourself.

– You think I snuck out?

Alexander doesn’t say anything. He just looks at you. Waiting for an answer. You probably sound guilty, since you can’t find an answer.

– Why would I sneak out? What do you think I did?

Your voice is breaking. The fear makes your whole body ice cold. You’re shaking. Why can’t they just call Rumlow. He’ll vouch for you. He’ll tell them everything. Alexander clears his throat.

– YOUR keycard was used to enter this building last night. And since you still have your keycard, I can only assume that it was you who entered the building last night.

You shift in the chair. One of the agents puts his hand on your shoulder. Do they really think you’re going to make a run for it?

– Some information went missing last night. Information about our agents. Information that puts them in danger. If you tell me where that information is now, all I’m going to do is fire you. If you don’t…. Well, let’s just say that SHIELD has ways to deal with that!

Your Keycard was used. Your keycard? The one that went missing? Did someone steal it? You haven’t thought about that after Rumlow issued you a new one.

– I…. My keycard went missing. My apartment was broken into. Someone stole it. Rumlow issued me a new one. Rollins gave it to me. Please, can you just call them! I didn’t do this. I don’t know what information you’re talking about.

Alexander takes a breath, turns away from you. Stands there in silence for a while, just looking out the window.

– Take her downstairs, and keep her in custody, until we get this cleared out!

The agents once again, take a hold of your arms. You don’t fight back. You just get up. Tears are now falling from your eyes. They don’t believe you. Why would they. Your keycard was used to enter the building. And you still have your keycard, or well. The new one. Surveillance! Don’t they have like cameras in this building?

– Wait!

You almost yell it. The agents stops, and Alexander turns around.

– Can’t you look at the surveillance cameras or something? Then you’ll see that it wasn’t me!

Alexander comes over to you. Stands in front of you. He’s not very tall. Not very muscular ether. But his whole appearance is threatening non the less. It’s the confidence he’s showing. Like he rules the whole world, and can do whatever he wants, with no consequences.

– The cameras was turned off. There is nothing to see. And YOU as an employee, would know how to turn those off.

– I…. What??!!? I don’t know that!

– Maybe Rumlow thought you a thing or two. God knows what kind of pillow talk you made him share with you.

– He didn’t share….

– Listen Miss YLN. Until you are willing to cooperate and tell me what I want to know. I don’t need to talk to you. Take her downstairs. Make sure she can’t escape or talk to anyone.

The agents escorts you back to the elevator. Downstairs? Well everything is downstairs from here at the top of the building. But you have a feeling that Alexanders interpretation of downstairs, is really downstairs. One of the agents pushes on the wall in the elevator. And a button lights up, a button you didn’t see before he pressed it. No number on it. Nothing. A secret place in the building. Like they’re taking you away, to a place that doesn’t exist. To a place where you don’t exist. What is going to happen to you now?

After something that feels like an eternity, the elevator finally stops, and the doors open. Yep, you’re in a basement. And you can feel by the cold air hitting you, that you are well beneath grown level. No windows, no nothing. Just a few lights hanging from the ceiling. You try to look around, try to understand where you are. Is this some kind of jail? Are they putting you in jail?

You get your answer even before you finish the thought. Steal doors, concrete walls, a long hall, cells on each side. Still the agents don’t saying anything. They just stop outside a cell door, the door opens, and they escort you inside. Then they leave, and the cell door closes behind them. You can’t hold your tears back anymore. You let them pour down your face.

Why is this happening to you? Where is Brock? Does he know about this? Who used your keycard to get into the building? What did they steal? And why did they steal your keycard? The questions screaming inside your head. It’s all a big mess. And you can’t do anything. You have nothing to tell Alexander. And as long as you don’t you’ll be stuck here. He said that. All you can hope for, is that Brock will come and save you, sooner rather than later.

You don’t know for how long you cried and tried to make sense of it all. But you start to feel tired, so you lie down on the little bed you have in your cell. It takes some time before you fall asleep, even though you’re tired, the bed isn’t exactly soft, and you’re still scared.

You’re awaken by a loud sound. Sounds like an alarm is going off. At first you don’t realise, you’re not sure if the alarm is in your dream or for real. You slowly open your eyes. Sit up in the bed. What is happening? If you weren’t scared before you certainly are now. Is this a fire alarm? That would just be fucking perfect. Burned alive, trapped inside a cell.

Even before you’re done thinking about your burned body, the door to your cell opens. You sit still for a while, just waiting for someone to come inside. But no one is coming. You slowly get to your feet, and walk over to the door. Look outside. All the other cells are also open. There is shouting and yelling. Someone is fighting. Screams of pain. You don’t want anything to do with what’s happening, so you decide to stay in your cell. Just one more quick look outside to see what is going on.

You slowly look out, up and down the hallway. All the way at the end there is a guy standing over a guard. Taking something from him. Your body goes ice cold again. You can’t take your eyes away from the guy standing over the guard. Are your eyes playing tricks on you? It can’t be, can it? It’s Thomas! Thomas is in the building. He is stealing something from a guard. Did they put him in jail? Does he have something to do with your missing keycard? You quickly go back into your cell, before he can see you.