27. There's A Reason Behind Every Action

Immediately, Gloria nods, and she doesn't doubt to run out of the tube-room. In just a few seconds, she's already that far that her footsteps aren't heard anymore.

The handler leaves the room, too. Just then, Elisa allows herself to gasp in panic. How the hell will she find Hazel, Cha Cha and Vanya? And how the fuck will she get out of the commission when everyone is alerted?

A chuckle is heard in the hallway, and Elisa immediately presses her hands against her mouth to stop herself from gasping again.

Grinning, the handler walks inside. She heard Elisa. Once again, Elisa shrinks. She stops breathing, too. But none of these things help. The handler knows she's here.

"Oh, Elisa." The handler chuckles softly. "You are so predictable. I did attempt to raise you better than that."

Elisa doesn't answer. She stays where she is.

"Please." The handler rolls her eyes. "Show yourself. We both know you're here, little one."

Defeated, Elisa stands up. Her eyes narrow at the handler, but that only causes her smile to widen. Elisa has been found. She can't help but wonder what'll happen now. Well, she doesn't have anything to lose, does she? "What'd you do with Vanya?"

This question makes the handler chuckle. "Nothing yet, little one," she answers immediately.

"What are you going to do with her?" While the handler's face only show joy and amusement, Elisa hers shows anger. Her eyes are extremely narrowed the handler, and when she doesn't answer, Elisa clenches her jaw.

"That totally depends on you." The handler shrugs.

"What?" Elisa her eyes widen. Now, she frowns at the handler.

"I truly thought you would've found out already." The handler points at her. "But you're still completely oblivious."

"Oblivious to what?" Elisa asks, truly confused. It isn't clear . . . otherwise she would've known already.

"Everything I do has a reason behind it, Elisa," the handler starts to explain.

"I know," Elisa snarls.

"But do you?" The handler laughs, cocking her head to the side. "Why do you think I took you home with me after you murdered your parents?"

Elisa flinches, but she deepens herself in her thoughts, too. For her whole life, Elisa had known the excuse of the handler was a fake one. She wouldn't care if Elisa had been sent to an orphanage. "Because you wanted an assassin that you could trust completely. . ." Elisa trails off, realizing that this thought had been created by herself. The handler never truly agreed. She just believed that it was true, but is it?

"I do have to admit," the handler starts, "that was very handy. But it is not why I took you in."

With a shaky breath, Elisa swallows. Why else would the handler have spent years to train Elisa? Why did she take a toddler home? Again, Elisa her eyes narrow. Because she had powers.

"What do you want with . . . me?" Elisa asks, preparing herself for a fight if necessary. Would she be able to fight the handler? Yes. A hundreds of times yes. That won't be a problem. Would she be able to kill the handler? That Elisa is not sure of.

"Finally!" The handler smiles a cruel smile. A shiver goes down Elisa her spine. "Think, Elisa. Find out the truth yourself."

Elisa does, but no more answers come to her. What would the handler want with her powers? Why would she need them? Elisa is a living bomb, but . . .

The apocalypse.

The end of the world is coming, Elisa.

Could it be? But no. Elisa shakes her head. The handler herself told that Mor would be the cause of the end of the world, of the apocalypse. Mor is dead. The apocalypse won't come. What part does Elisa have in it now?

"You know it." The handler her cruel smile widens.

"I don't." Elisa continues shaking her head, unwilling to realize.

"Accept it, Elisa," the handler pushes. "Accept your fa-"

"What part do I have in causing the end of the world?" The words leave quicker than they should. At first, Elisa is not even sure she said them correctly, but when her eyes fall on the handler again, she knows that the sentence came out just fine.

"You are the cause, Elisa," the handler says.

"I am not," Elisa growls. "You said Mor-"

"She could have been part of the cause, yes." The handler uses overdone hand gestures as she starts to explain. "I needed something—or someone—to trigger you. To trigger the bomb inside of you. But Morgana wasn't enough, it seemed. I had to find another way . . ."

Elisa stays quiet. Every word the handler says, breaks her more and more. Her whole reality is gone. Everything she knew is fake, is based on a lie. Her life . . .

"That is why I told you that Five was the one to give you the serum," the handler continues. "But again, it didn't work out the way I wanted it to. The way I needed it to. Then I figured, Five wouldn't do the job."

"What do you mean by that?" Elisa asks as the first tear slips down her cheek.

"That is why I was forced to take Vanya." The handler finally stops using her hand gestures. Now, she only looks at Elisa, scanning her face. Every sign of emotion might cause the end of the world. "It appears you would do everything to get her back. Look at you, Elisa."

"You raised me to destroy the entire world," Elisa speaks up again. Her lips tremble. Her hands are shaking. The handler notices this. "You never wanted to protect me—you never loved me. You only saw me as a . . . as a weapon."

This time, the handler stays quiet.

"Well." Elisa clenches her fists. "I am not your weapon. I'm my own. And I will use myself to protect the ones who do accept me for who I am."

"They think you're on outcast just like them!" the handler raises her voice. "You are no outcast. You are created! Your powers are mine, and they will always be!"

"It could've gone like that," Elisa agrees. "But you raised me too well. You made me strong, and now I'm going to use that against you."

"I know." The handler her voice softens again, surprising Elisa. She thought the woman was going to explode herself.

Elisa frowns at the handler who straightens her dress. "You're not mad at me," Elisa states.

"You're acting like I knew you would." The handler shrugs. "You acted like yourself. I always wanted you to become like me, but it seems you're tough to break. Don't worry, little one. I will break that armor of yours. I will. It does not matter if that means I'll have to take away everyone that you love."

"Why is this apocalypse so important?" Elisa raises her voice now. "Why do you need me to cause it? What's gotten into your head?"

The handler her smile fades away. Instead, a scowl leaves her lips. "The world is corrupted," she starts, "Every human is like a weed, and I plan on killing them all."

"But what then?" Elisa asks. "There'll be nothing left."

"Perhaps not," the handler agrees. "But I've got great plans."

Now, Elisa realizes that if this woman lives, there will always be the end of the world. She will always try to kill every single human being. Oh, Elisa knows what has to be done, but she doesn't want to accept it. She isn't a murderer. She isn't the handler.

"Now, follow me, little one." The handler starts to walk.

Tears stream down Elisa her cheeks, but she forces herself to speak, "Where to?"

"Outside," the handler says, making Elisa look at her again. "There's a surprise outside . . . for you."

"What kind of surprise?" For all Elisa knows, there could be tons of corpses there. You never know with the handler.

"I'm sure you know." The handler smiles. "The girl."

"Vanya," Elisa breathes. Dead or Alive? Elisa doesn't dare to imagine Vanya her corpse in front of the commission. But she does know that if she goes with the handler outside, only bad things can happen to Vanya. The handler cannot go outside. She can't ever go anywhere again.

With her whole body trembling, Elisa looks around. There's not much in the room—except for tubes. Fucking tubes. Elisa would curse, but she doesn't want to show any sign of weakness to the handler ever again.

She grabs a tube. It is rather large to take in her hands, but she handles it. Plus, it isn't heavy. Elisa carries the metal behind her back, following the handler in the hallway.

"There you are." The handler her smile widens. "Thought you wouldn't come."

"I don't have another choice, do I?" Elisa her voice breaks several times. Naturally, the handler thinks Elisa is speaking about her having to come, but she's very wrong. Elisa does not have another choice but to kill the handler. To kill the woman who raised her.

"I don't think you have," the handler agrees, not knowing she is only making sure that she'll die today. Now.

A cry leaves Elisa's lips as she aims for the handler's head. Because of this sound, the handler turns around in order to face Elisa. She isn't in time. The metal tube hits her right in the head.

Shocked, the handler falls backwards. She isn't dead, obviously, but Elisa knew the tube wouldn't do its job. Now, she only watches Elisa standing only a step away from her. Elisa her cheeks are wet, and even more tears are falling down with every sob.

"I am not your weapon," Elisa whispers with audible pain in her voice, repeating what she has said just a few minutes ago. "I am my own. And I will use myself to protect the ones . . . I love."

With these words, the handler realizes what is about to happen. Her eyes narrow. "You wouldn't-"

"This will solve everything." Elisa sobs. "You won't be able to manipulate me  anymore. You won't be able to kill off anyone I love."

"I will always have an effect on you," the handler snaps. "And believe me, I will find a way to manipulate you even after death."

This is the last Elisa can handle. Tears burn her eyes as she—for the first time—accepts her abilities. Warmth rushes through her body, but nothing happens on the outside. Elisa gasps as a new energy fills her.

"This is what you wanted isn't it?" Her eyes shine, and the color changes. Now, there's only a mix between orange and yellow left. "You wanted me to do this my whole life." Elisa gestures at herself. Her hands warm up, surprising herself. But she doesn't burn. It doesn't even hurt a little.

A ball of fire appears in Elisa her palm, making her frown. For the first time in her life, Elisa doesn't feel afraid of the powers inside of her. No. She never should have. She can control them, and it's easier than she thought it'd be.

"Elisa." The handler attempts to stand up. "You're not this kind of person."

Elisa watches the fire in her hand, tilting her head a little to the side.

"You wanted me to follow in your footsteps," Elisa says, attempting not to let it show how her heart is breaking right now. "Well, I'm just making sure my path is free."

The handler's eyes widen when Elisa points her hand at the handler. The fireball leaves her palm, flying right at the handler. When it hits her, it explodes—like a bomb. A gigantic fire erupts, taking over the whole hallway.

Elisa expected the piercing screams of the handler to sound, but they don't. Instead, her laugh sounds, making Elisa frown. She wants to turn her back on everything and leave, but she doesn't. Elisa forces herself to watch what is happening. These images will haunt her forever, and they should.

"I'll always be with you, Elisa!" the hoarse voice of the handler sounds. "This action made that clear."

Tears stream down Elisa her cheeks. It's true. This action did make it clear that the handler has raised her. Elisa her lips tremble when she realizes what is happening. What she is doing.

"No," she breathes. Starting to shake her head, Elisa squeezes her eyes shut. The fire lessens. It doesn't disappear immediately, but it does shrink immensely. When Elisa opens her eyes once again, no more fire is to be seen. Only smoke remains.

Elisa is not like this. She refuses to be like this. How could she have done . . . this? She almost burned the woman who raised her to ashes. Her knees tremble, but she doesn't allow herself to fall down on the ground. No, she has someone to rescue. Vanya.

"You-" The handler her breathing is quick, and her voice sounds hoarse. She gasps for air as she watches Elisa. "You-" Again, she does not finish her sentence. She is not able to. But Elisa knows what she attempts to say. The handler did not expect Elisa to act this way, either. This is a shock to them both.

"I'm sorry," Elisa whispers, daring to look in the handler's eyes. "I don't know what got over me."

"I know." The handler looks down at herself. She leans on the wall, careful not to lose her balance. She doesn't look burned. Actually, it looks as if the fire hasn't even touched her. The handler notices Elisa's worrying and says, "I don't feel a thing, really." She shrugs, but she does look so, so fragile. "It's more the shock, I suppose."

"How did the fire not . . . burn you?"

"I don't know," the handler admits, furrowing her brows. "It was so close. The heat was almost unbearable, but I did not actually burn. I think you stopped the fire just in time." She straightens her dress as if nothing happened. "Let's resume the activities-"

"No." Elisa narrows her eyes. "I won't allow you to ever lay eyes on anyone I love."

"And how will you do that, little one?" The handler cocks her head to the side, making the strange anger inside of Elisa come back again. But this time, Elisa succeeds in stopping herself from starting the fire again. "I've got Vanya in my power, and-"

"And I will take her out of it." Elisa growls. "I won't allow you to leave this hallway."

This makes the handler laugh. It's a piercing laugh, really. Again, Elisa does her utter best to leave the building anger inside of her alone.

"Unless you do burn me to ashes," the handler starts, "I will go to your precious Vanya."

A smirk comes onto Elisa her face. "Oh, I don't need to burn you to make sure you stay in here. A normal human like you can't go through fire, am I right?" The handler shifts uncomfortably, making Elisa her smirk grow. "Ready to feel the heat again?"

Elisa her eyes burn. Her whole body warms up, giving Elisa this peculiar feeling. Peculiar, but powerful. Very, very powerful. Elisa rubs both her palms together, forming another fireball. This action feels so natural. One would never know that she accepted her powers just today.

A gasp of the handler's sounds as Elisa points her palm to the handler again.

"What are you going to do-" The handler stops herself when the fireball gets aired at her. Immediately, she goes through her knees. The fireball does not hit her. That is how Elisa wished the situation to go, after all.

A fire erupts behind the handler on the spot where the fireball has landed. The handler's eyes widen when she realizes what Elisa her plan is. "Don't-"

Too late. Elisa has already let another fireball escape her grip. Both sides of the hallway are now burning. Instead of growing, the fire remains calm, controlled. It is what Elisa is ordering it to do. Its job is to keep the handler in her place. It does its job. The handler can indeed not escape the hallway.

"Stay," Elisa commands.

In response, the handler scoffs. As if she has another choice.

"Sit." Elisa smirks.

"I will do no such thing-" But the handler doesn't have enough time to finish her sentence. Elisa has already left the hallway, ignoring the handler. With eyes furrowed, Elisa walks through the commission. She ignores the screams that are heard.

"Fire!"

"There's a wing on fire!"

A familiar face comes into Elisa's view. Herb rushes himself toward her. "Have you heard?" he pants. "The commission is burning!"

Elisa knows the commission is on fire, of course. She doesn't have to be told. "I know." Elisa nods. "I was the one who started the fire." With that, she turns his back on the tiny man. He watches her with his jaw dropped to the ground as Elisa continues walking away. They will try to extinguish the fire, but it won't work. Elisa is the only one can do so. That is why their laughable attempts will be no succes.

A hundred thoughts and worries are troubling Elisa. She almost killed the woman who raised her. And now, she's heading to Vanya. If she succeeds in rescuing the woman, Elisa can take her home. But that does not mean that everything will be fine. The handler will still do everything in her power to cause the end of the world. She will still mess with Elisa her life, and Elisa does not know what to do.

Narrowing her eyes, Elisa ignores the many stares she's getting. She squeezes her body through the many persons, ignoring them all. So much has changed in just . . . minutes. The handler won't be laying eyes on Vanya any time soon, and the path is almost completely free to Vanya. She is just through the door, and then Elisa will have to handle with Cha Cha and Hazel. She has fought Cha Cha before. She shall do so again without a problem, too. But Hazel might be a problem. Elisa has grown a liking to the man. He might even be her only friend here. Her only friend. And now she has to fight the man if necessary.

Elisa places her hands on the latch, and then she throws the door open. Outside, the light blinds her. For a moment, Elisa even squeezes her eyes shut. She recovers herself soon, though. Once her vision sharpens again, Elisa notices only three figures outside.

Cha Cha. Hazel. Vanya.

Hazel is standing next to Vanya, clawing his hands around her arms. Cha Cha her eyes are right on Elisa. She's waiting until the handler will join them outside.

"If you're waiting for the handler, don't bother," Elisa says loudly. "She won't come."

"What have you done?" Cha Cha raises her voice. The hatred is rolling off her lips.

"What was necessary." Elisa shrugs. "Do me a pleasure, and take a step aside from Vanya."

This causes Cha Cha to snigger. "Never. I don't take orders from you, miss Brookle."

"Then start now," Elisa tells the woman. "Take a step aside, or get forced to do so."

"Forced?" It is Hazel who speaks up. He frowns at Elisa. "Elisa, what are you-"

Elisa needs him to shut up. It's already hard enough as it is. The anger is still inside of her-ready to take over at any moment. if Elisa loses control-even for a single second-then the worst scenario can happen. She will murder someone . . . again.

"Hazel, do as I say." Elisa does not look at him. Her eyes stay on Vanya. Vanya who her glossy eyes are on Elisa. After having spent quite a while at the commission, Vanya doesn't look very different. Perhaps Elisa had feared that the kind woman had turned in an assassin as well. She feared for what happened to Morgana. But the handler had other plans. Clearly, Vanya would never have been the perfect assassin, but neither did Mor.

For a second, Hazel doubts. He looks at Elisa, scanning her face very well. After doing so, he does not step away from Vanya. Instead, his grip on the woman tightens even more.This action makes Elisa her smirk fall. Her lips form a thin line now.

"Be very careful, Hazel," Elisa begins to walk forward again, approaching the lot. "I do not plan on sparing you if the situation . . . roughens."

"I've got orders to follow." Hazel his expression saddens, too. He even looks at his feet. But yet, his grip doesn't lessen a little.

"Orders from a woman who is not here," Elisa remarks. "I'm the next in line. Surely you understand what that means?" Quietly, Hazel nods. His eyes still don't meet Elisa's-or Cha Cha's.

"Please do shut up," Cha Cha snaps at Elisa. She scrunches up her nose. "At this very moment, you're still nothing to us assassins, Elisa Brookle. Nothing. And we will fight you."

Suddenly, Elisa stops in her tracks. Her face lights up again. Well, her eyes. The fire burns again, but no actual smile comes on her lips. "That is what I'm counting on."

Taken aback, Cha Cha gasps when she notices the change. Elisa her eyes are literally burning. It really does look as if there is a fire in her pupils. "This is different from last time," she whispers.

"It is," Elisa agrees. "This time, I'm in control of it. I feel fire rushing through my veins. I know that it's just waiting to explode, to get freed. And your face, Cha Cha . . . Oh, I'd like to see it burn."

Cha Cha does take a step backwards now. Even though Elisa is still several steps away, she already looks very terified. Just the reaction Elisa wished for.

"Elisa." For the first time it is Vanya who speaks up. It was a mere whisper, but it did catch Elisa's full attention. Immediately, Elisa her expression softens. A weak but actual smile comes upon her lips this time.

"I knew you were here," Elisa whispers as her smile widens in the meantime. "I knew it."

"Don't fight." Vanya shakes her head. "The woman . . . S-she told me what she wants you to do. I'm begging you, Elisa, d-don't fight. The end of the world-"

A growl escapes Cha Cha her lips. There's no sign of the fear she felt a few seconds ago. She approaches Vanya, and her hand raises in an attempt to hit Vanya her cheek.

"Don't you dare!" Elisa yells, and her body heats up again. "Don't lay a single finger on her."

Fire appears in Elisa's palms again, and when Vanya notices this, she gasps. "Please," she begs. "Elisa, she wants you to c-cause the end of the world! Don't! No matter what they do to me-"

"I won't allow them to do anything more, Vanya," Elisa says. "This is all my fault."

"I don't care!" Vanya exclaims. "Just get me out of here."

Glass breaks, and for a moment Elisa doesn't know from where it's coming. She has the right to be confused and overwhelmed. The sound comes from everywhere around her. The commission's windows break, and assassins jump through them. Elisa doesn't recognize any of them. That is until another window breaks.

As always, the handler adores frightening entrances.

Elisa frowns at the woman. "How did you-"

To this, the handler only laughs. "You see, Elisa," she starts, "You did make sure I couldn't go through any doors, but you never payed much attention to the windows, did you?" When Elisa doesn't reply, the handler chuckles. "What is happening here?"

"She was about to use her abilities on us, ma'am," Cha Cha explains.

"Oh, Elisa." The handler chuckles. "I do love you using your abilities, but you've proven yourself quite enough times already. Although, you can always use your powers to-"

"I won't do it." Elisa shakes her head aggressively. "I won't cause the end of the world for you."

The handler pouts. She raises her hand, gesturing for Hazel to losen his grip on Vanya. He does so imediately. The two assassins take a step away from Vanya, making Elisa frown.

"I knew you'd still not want to," the handler tells Elisa. "Don't worry, little one. I've got a solution for everything."

Not doubting, Elisa narrows her eyes at the handler. "Solution?" she echoes. Her eyes don't leave the handler, but they should have.

One of the persons standing amongst the many assassins takes off in a sprint. In the corner of her eye, Elisa notices this. That is why she turns around, but she isn't in time to stop what is happening.

The man runs up to Vanya, carrying a dagger in his hand. It doesn't take long until he is with Vanya. Until his dagger is against her throat.

"Don't!" Elisa screams, already panicking.

The man does not respond. His eyes stay on Vanya. But Elisa does recognize the man. It is Riden. It is the man she heard getting tortured by Cha Cha for a whole night.

"Cause the apocalypse, or watch her die, Elisa," the handler says in a stern voice, but Elisa shakes her head. She doesn't want to accept this. This or that. This or that. This or that. Why can't it be happiness for once? Why does it always end up in death? In sadness? In endings?