HARLOVSEN - An Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter 8 - Underestimation

Katta's eyes fluttered open. Immediately the light went on, and a female voice sounded through her room.

"Good morning, Miss Harlovsen. It is 5:00 AM."

Hectically, Katta sat up and looked around, trying to find the source. After a few seconds, it dawned to her that it must have been F.R.I.D.A.Y., Stark's AI. She got up and started stretching her tensed limps. When she felt like her body was awoken enough, Katta began venturing through her room. She opened different drawers and a wardrobe filled with different types of clothing. All her size. Damnit, Katta muttered, pulling on a set of black sports clothes. Quietly, she left her room and went to the gym, trying not to be seen by anybody.

She started, running laps around the room while listening to her thoughts. She had played through every possible scenario that could happen depending on her decisions.

She could flee out of the building. It wouldn't be challenging to make it to the next safe house, but she was pretty sure that Bruce had something done to the chip in her arm that would open it for her. Next problem, this time, they already expected her to escape, so they prepared much better.

Also, Bruce would chip her this morning to locate her whenever they wanted. On top of that, the pictures from her brothers would be published, and when that happened, only God could say how long they would live.

Katta growled as she replayed the scenarios in her head, searching for the one that would guarantee her a way out when needed.

After what must have been an hour of running, she began stretching her body before shadow boxing. Even though plenty of training devices was in the room, she had settled on training herself by just using her body weight. Katta kicked and punched in the air while breathing regularly. It had been some days since she last was able to train and she felt facilitated having a bit of structure back.

Steve stood in the door and watched Katta punching. She moved through the room like she was floating, her face clenched in the effort. Steve wrapped up his knuckles and went towards the punching bag. He liked to get up early and do the first bit of training before having breakfast. From the corner of his eyes, he watched her throwing high kicks.

"Is there something I can do for you, Rogers?" she called over without interrupting her training.

Steve turned around and faced her. "How can I be sure you're not working on a plan, escaping as soon as you can?" he asked. It was what he would be doing in her position.

"It seems you must learn to trust me," she answered with a tint of sarcasm, lowering her fists and turning towards him.

He chuckled, lowering his fists as well. "You might understand that I have problems with that after the last days."

"Welcome to reality, Captain America." She held his gaze for a few seconds before she grabbed a towel and a bottle of water.

Steve watched her, turning around and leaving the training room. Frustrated, he turned back to the punching bag. His hits increased to a level that, after a few minutes, the bag fell to the ground.

"What's up, punk?" Bucky appeared beside him and examined his face. "What's gotten into you?"

Although they had been separated for several decades, Bucky still could read his best friend's face like an open book and sensed that he was thinking hard about something. Steve pressed his lips together, thinking for a moment before he started speaking.

"When we got you back from your Hydra-self, I could undoubtedly tell that you were to be trusted because I knew you before. But who tells us that Katta is to be trusted?" he frowned, unwrapping his hands.