Becoming a Fugitive (2) >> Steve Rogers

19- Confessions

Natasha and I had headed back inside the building to see Nick up and seated at a table. The two of us join him and so does Steve, Sam and Maria.

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize" Nick says tossing a picture of Pierce onto the table. "He said, "peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility" see it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues" he continued.
"We have to stop the launch!" I say.
"I don't think the councils accepting my calls anymore" Nick says as he opens the case, inside are three computer chips.
"What's that?" Sam asks.

"Once the helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized" Maria explains.
"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own"Nick says.
"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die"Maria says.
"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades and maybe, just maybe we can salvage what's left" Nick tells us.

"We're not salvaging anything, we're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD" Steve says a stern look on his face.
"SHIELD had nothing to do with it" Nick defends.
"You gave me a mission, this is how it ends. SHIELD has been compromised you said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and nobody noticed" Steve tells him.
"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed" Nick says back.
"And how many paid the price before you did" I say to Nick.
"Look I didn't know about Barnes"Nick says to Steve.
"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? SHIELD, HYDRA it all goes" Steve says.
"He's right" Maria tells Nick. Nick looks at me, Nat, then as Sam.
"Don't look and me, I do what he does, just slower" Sam says.
"Well looks like your giving the orders now, Captain" Nick says.

We then make our plans, I was to go with Maria, Sam and Steve while Nat would infiltrate the meeting that was to take place at the launch. Steve was hesitant at me fighting cause of my wounds and power flickering but I insisted I could hold my own and Sam promised to have my back. Maria had a spare cat suit and weapons for me. I got changed and noticed Steve wasn't around.
"He's getting some air" Nat tells me when I look for him. I head outside to see him standing in a bridge. I could see he was a million miles away and walk over him, taking his hand and squeezed it.

He looks at me and smiles, "He's going to be there you know" I say talking about Bucky.
"I know" he says.
"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy his is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop" I tell him.
"I don't know if I can do that" Steve tells me.

"Well, he might not give you a choice. He doesn't know you. But I do, and I know you will try your hardest to make him remember" I say to him.
"I'm sorry Cassandra" he says to me.
"Why, you aren't to blame for this mess we are in. I signed up for this that day I went and met you at the gym. I'll follow you wherever you go Steve. I like you a lot if you haven't noticed from the kiss earlier, and will do anything for you. I think that's why my powers acted up. I was scared you were hurt and panicked. You don't need to tell me how you feel. I know you have a million other things on your mind. Just know I'll be ready when you are" I tell him, feeling like a weight had lifted off me.

Steve places a hand on the side of my face, cupping it. He then gently kissed me on the lips. He pulls away, "I like you a lot too"
"So after all this want to go for a coffee?" I ask smiling at him.
"It's a date, now go get your things it's time" he says.
"What about you, you gonna wear that?" I ask him.

He lets me go, "No, if you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform" he smiles and walks away.

I head back into the building, a big grin on my face. "You told him" Natasha says seeing me.
"Yeah I did" I tell her.
"And.." she says.
"If we make it out of this we are going for coffee" I tell her.
"That's great" she says. We all finish getting rest for what's to come.

Steve come back wearing his original uniform we had seen and the Smithsonian.
"Looking good" I smirk at him. We go over the plan once more before parting ways with Natasha. I head out with Maria, Sam and Steve. I take Steve's hand as we make our way towards the Insight launch giving his hand a small squeeze letting him know it's gonna be okay.

We manage to sneak our way into the building. Maria uses a device to cause a loud noise to ring through the headsets. We wait as the door opens and a agent stands there. He sees us and he immediately puts his hands up.

"Excuse us" Steve says as the four of us enter. We head to a room and Maria hacks on allows Steve to use the intercom.

"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers, you've heard a lot about me and Agent Austin over the past few days, some of you were orders to hunt us down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we though it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Hellicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it, but I'm willing to bet I'm not"