No Second Guesses, No Regrets (A Captain America/Avengers Fan Fiction)

Chapter 19 - Portal To The Past

They packed their things and Rogers drove the SUV back to the compound. Taryn plugged in her MP3 player into the radio and sang along to most of the songs.

"You have quite the eclectic music taste..." Rogers observed. The player contained anything from 1940's to 1980's, classic rock, new pop, even some metal.

Taryn grinned. "Yes, I do. I've always liked different genres."

Steve found himself tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to a few of the songs. Some of this modern stuff wasn't bad. Some of it was just... out there. Some of it he wouldn't even consider music... He thought perhaps it was just his age. Even though he was biologically 28 years old, he'd been born over 90 years ago. Life was definitely different back then. Some days he longed for those simpler times. He glanced over at Taryn who was singing and looking out the window. He could see her fitting in well during that era. But he was torn because this time was his home now, and he wouldn't have met her otherwise.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh just thinking about music..."

Steve pulled into the garage of the SHIELD facility and he unloaded their bags from the back. They got a few steps when Natasha met them and led them to a conference room.

No rest for the weary, Taryn thought, setting her bag in the back of the room. A meeting was already in progress regarding new Intel they received on the information that McKenna and Romanoff were able to download. There had been some suspicious activity down in Central Park. Photos were displayed of people milling about measuring areas, jotting notes and taking pictures.

"We think that HYDRA is trying to build their project here. They haven't started anything yet but we don't think it's far off." Natasha clicked through several more photos.

Taryn squinted at one of the pictures. "Is that Leo Alphonse?" Alphonse was a known HYDRA agent and one that his research showed was extremely interested in time travel. "I ran across him several years ago before I retired. Brilliant, but not quite all there, if you know what I mean."

Tasha zoomed in on the photo and the computer ID'd him as Alphonse. She turned to McKenna. "Knowing his history, do you have any insight on what he may be doing in the Park?"

Taryn shook her head. "I know he was big into believing in interdimensional travel and time travel. A lot of his research hinges on those themes. If he is behind Project Eradicate, then the project has something to do with taking out a target either in the past, or another dimension. I'm more inclined to believe it's the past."

Stark raised a brow. "You think this nut job is building something to kill someone in the past?"

"Sounds like something he'd be looking into at least."

Sam rubbed his chin. "Is that even possible?"

Stark pointed to Rogers. "Stranger things have happened."

Steve glared at Tony, then turned back to Taryn. "Did you get any kind of idea who the target was from any of the files?"

McKenna shook her head. "No. Nothing listing a target or a time frame or era..."

"Maybe I should scout out the area," said Sam. "Do some aerial reconnaissance."

Tasha nodded. "Good idea. Suit up, and give is some photos."

"In the meantime, I'm going to unpack," stated Taryn. "I'll be back."

Two days later, as she was having a cup of tea when she was called back to the conference room. Tasha had photos on display that Sam had sent back. In the Park, HYRDA had the pylons set up and there were fields of electricity surrounding them. Rogers made the call and had everyone suit up to head out to the city. They all met in the hangar. Thor was back from Asgard for a brief time, so he would follow them to Central Park to help take down the pylons.