Corrupted - The Tigris Series Book 1

Chapter Eighteen

December 24th, 1980

The streets of New York City were busy for the holiday. Couples walked through the parks in their winter coats and fluffy ear muffs, admiring the beautiful, bright Christmas lights and the giant Christmas tree. Snow fell delicately on their cold cheeks. The sun had set, and it was only a mere hours before jolly old Saint Nick would take flight.

The Tigris lurked around one of these parks, walking down the walkways in a thick winter coat, of which was laced with multiple different kinds of guns and knives, jeans, and a nice pair of winter boots. She kept her hood up, hiding her face so she would not be recognized by her target. She had not found her just yet, though she was confident that she would be here tonight. They say that it is part of her Christmas tradition to come to Central Park on the night of Christmas Eve with her husband. They had no children, much to the couple's dismay. She was infertile.

Though, that just made this job that much easier.

Tigris continued down the path, keeping her gaze low so her golden eyes would remain hidden. She scanned the park endlessly until she spotted her.  She wore her typical attire; a button up coat, jeans, and leather boots. Her brown hair was curled, falling loosely down her back. She came without her husband, much to the Tigris's surprise. She had been completely alone, walking through Central Park with a deep frown.

Tigris cut through the snow-covered grass, ignoring the cold that bit at her toes through her combat boots. She increased her speed, reaching the other side of the park in only a few seconds. Her movements were swift and quiet, her target did not hear or see her approaching from behind. Though it would have been easy for her to stab her in the back or simply shoot her in the head, it was not her mission; her orders had been slightly different than her previous ones had been.

She slipped a syringe from her pouch, already pre-filled with whatever toxin Hydra had prepared for her. Tigris wasn't exactly sure what exactly it was, though she didn't care. She was fine with assuming that it would most likely kill her. So she stepped directly behind the woman and quickly poked her in her side with the needle, instantly emptying the contents in the syringe. The woman gasped in shock, snapping her head around as she brought her hand to her side where Tigris had poked her.

Tigris kept her gaze low, ensuring that her hood covered her face as she quickly put the syringe away and walked past her. The woman huffed in pain, likely feeling the toxin spread within her body. The Tigris slowed her steps, and slightly turned her head around to look at her target in the eyes.

If that toxin was meant to kill her, she wouldn't have been in pain.

The woman met her bright golden eyes, and instantly widened her large brown ones in horror. "W-what are you?" she muttered.

Tigris was silent for only a moment, never changing her cold, deadly gaze. She glanced at a name tag that the woman had been wearing underneath her coat. Half of it was covered, revealing only her first name.

Iryna.

Tigris brought her gaze back up to meet "Iryna's" fearful eyes once again. "Hail Hydra."

And with that, the Tigris continued walking down the lit pathway of Central Park, soon disappearing back into the shadows and out of sight.

~

It was Christmas morning when Tigris had returned to Hydra's main base. She had been escorted throughout the facility as she normally had been after she returned from her missions. She kept her gaze cold, as she normally had, but they weren't as focused as they normally were. For the first time since she had remembered, she had questions.