Seeking Answers [Flashback]

Victoria was in one of her moods on this day. It had been 1 year since Little Arrow had left S.H.I.E.L.D. Victoria had taken it upon herself to find her former partner but for once in her life she was having trouble. The agency was performing at less than satisfying levels for her. How could an agency in charge of policing the supers of the world have trouble finding one lone human? Maybe it was the simple fact that he used to be one of them, which is the most frustrating thing of all.

Victoria was in one of the interrogation chambers of the facility, a large dimly lit steel made room. In it were 4 men who were currently active S.H.I.E.L.D agents, known to have talked with Little Arrow on a weekly basis. She was taking it upon herself to perform her own investigation within the agency for clues to where he could be. SOMEONE knew where he was and she was tired of the agency turning up empty handed. It made no sense to her and she was going to get to the bottom of it all.

"Someone in here is going to tell me what they know about the whereabouts of Red Arrow," she would say as she would pace across the floor in front of the line of chaired agents. Her green eyes piercing their very souls as they sat confused by her words and assumption that they knew anymore than she did.

"What are you talking about? No one knows where Red Arrow is?!"

Victoria would stop in front of the man that had spoke those words. She would lean down, bringing her face inches before his. She was not wearing her gas mask this time, so their lips were close to touching. Such a close proximity with a beautiful woman like herself would make any straight male a bit uneasy and unsure how to react. But this was not an act of flirtation by Victoria. No this was an act of intimidation as he stared directly into his gaze that he soon tried to avert.

"I feel like you know something," she would say in a low, serious tone.

"Do you hear yourself? You're losing it woman!" Another agent would say but Victoria would only give him a glance before returning her attention to the man directly in front of her. Her eyes would lock on his and slowly would melt from their vivid green to a deep black that would swallow her entire eye. A new ability Victoria was keen on practicing and putting to use in her search for Red Arrow.

"Tell me what you know about Red Arrow's current whereabouts," she would say almost hypnotically. The man would gaze into the dark abyss that were her eyes and find himself lost in their darkness.

"I...I don't know anything about Red Arrow's current whereabouts," he would say slowly.

"You're lying! Allow me to be more specific: Did you have any contact with Red Arrow after he left the agency?"

"No."

"Did you speak with him prior to his defecting about him defecting? Did you have any hand in the treason?!"

"No."

Victoria was getting flustered with the responses, finding nothing to be the way she wanted. Her frustration would continue to grow and disrupt her concentration with the new ability.

"See, he doesn't know anything. None of us do! Now leave him alone before you damage him or something!" One of the men would say as they watched Victoria use her mysterious ability to interrogate the agent. However she only glanced on him once again before giving her attention back to the man right in front of her.

"You're lying."

"I'm lying," the man would seem to repeat.

"You know where Red Arrow is now."

"I know where Red Arrow is now," he would repeat.

"Now tell me."

"I......don't know," he would say in a revealing tone.

Victoria's face would twist in frustration as she would come to understand that she was losing her rationality and allow it to affect her use of her ability. She would release all the men from their restraints and permit them to leave. She would be alone in the room and would reflect on her actions and how she was losing her composure.

Victoria would punch the wall in anger, cursing Red Arrow in her mind for doing this to her. Had he never defected, she would not be feeling like this. Which is why she was going to find him and make him pay. She vowed it. She was going to find Red Arrow if it was the last thing she did.

[Words: 789; Push Obtained]