Mirror Universe: The Worst Betrayal

Posted on Monday, 13 September 2021 - 9:43am by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

---A few years ago---

"Do I make myself clear?" Adrianna hissed in the ear of a tall Russian man, currently tied to a chair and looking very beaten and bruised. His six o'clock shadow looked more like a scabby mess from where nose a nose bleed and a split lip.

"Crystal," Constantine gasped from what may have been a broken rib making his breathing feel restricted, "now let me out and let's get the hell out of here. Promise I'll listen to you more often."

Adrianna nodded with a smile as she quickly started untying the man, "that's wonderful to hear." She wasn't as beaten, infact, her bruises were mainly from being grabbed or held in place to watch Constantine be beater.

Constantine got up stiffly, looking around, "alright, through there." He pointed down through the warehouse-like building.

Adrianna nodded, grabbing some weapons off of the side that their captors had left. She then looked to Constantine and put an arm round him, "we'll support each other. I have a plan."

Constantine groaned at the arm round him as it hit a few painful spots, "at least I took the brunt of this. I don't know what I would do without you, Adie." He kissed the top of her head before they started hobbling out of the building together as quickly as they could. "What's your plan, Mrs Romanov?"

Adrianna couldn't help but smile at the reminder of their recent nuptials. "That way out I was telling you about. I contacted them and they said they could use us both in Intel. We both know a lot. It's just a bit of training and then we have guaranteed safety away from this nightmare. I want a safe future for us, one where we can grow old together, maybe have children."

Constantine nodded silently and in an almost guilt ridden manner, processing something before asking, "so, you were serious about becoming a fleeter?"

Adrianna nodded, not paying attention to her husband's expressions, but more focused on both of them getting out alive.

"What did you have to give them in return," Constantine asked.

Adrianna looked up to him confused. They'd discussed this; they'd discussed it several times. She stopped walking and released her hold on the man taking a step back, "what did you do?"

Constantine pulled a phaser from the base of his spine and aimed at Adrianna, "I did what was right."

Adrianna raised both her hands as a defensive move, slowly and cautiously, "I was thinking of us. You seemed on-board with this. You even went with me to a few meetings so that I could hand over information. You kept an eye out to keep me safe. You wanted out. I even started making friends so that our transition would not feel as hard hitting. I did this for us."

"You betrayed Baciami," Constantine replied, "I made a better deal."

"You can't make a fucking deal with Don Baciami. Are you insane!? The man is power hungry and has a screw loose" Adrianna could feel herself panicking.

"It was you or me, Ade," Constantine gestured with the phaser for her to get on her knees as some people walked in, armed and all aimed on Adrianna.

Adrianna got on her knees slowly, "you set this up? You almost got yourself killed, just so I would confess to selling information to Starfleet? I thought you loved me?"

"I do love you, Adrianna," Constantine's voice broke a little, "they wanted a pound of flesh for every mission that got busted because of information passed. You didn't have enough flesh, Ade. They then wanted to sell you off to that guy on Freecloud. Do you know how much someone would make for renting out--the only daughter of Dario Baciami? I didn't want you to go through that. They threatened to kill my family if I didn't help them. What would you have me do? At least now, you will be shown mercy by not having to endure your actual options of death or hardly life."

"Constantine, please, I--," Adrianna begged.

"Do it Mr Romonav," a familiar voice interrupted the scene. A well dressed, Italian man walked in behind Constantine, "I cannot stand a member of my flesh and blood to still be breathing when they have betrayed us all."

"Yes, Don Baciami," Constantine replied as he stood behind the kneeling Adrianna, unable to bring himself to look into her eyes as he betrayed his wife.

Adrianna looked to the Italian, "Giovanni, we can figure something out. You don't have to do this. What would Papi say? He'd teach me a lesson, but then would lock me down to being a mere wife like Momma. We don't have to resort to this. Giovanni, please!"

Giovanni held up his hand. His expression was cold and his tone filled with a controlled but murderous rage, "and where did that get him? He's dead because of Momma. I am not as weak. Constantine! Get this over with."

"I love you, Adrianna," Constantine whispered.