the dark sapphire -Bucky Barnes-

64

Only one door opened, the passenger door of the frontmost SUV, and a blonde woman about Ally's age got out. she was wearing jeans and a Tshirt and a bulletproof vest. "Sam, Bucky,....." she nodded to the men as her gaze suddenly lingered on Ally. "Ok, I didn't expect to see you here" she gave Ally a puzzled look. "Your contact is Sharon?" Bucky asked Sam, confused. "Surprised to see me, Bucky?" the woman crossed her arms in front of her chest and grinned at Bucky. "Yeah, last time I saw you, you still were an enemy of the state and hide from the government" Ally looked at Bucky startled. Hadn't Sam said his contact worked for the government? "Funny what you're suddenly forgiven for when Captain America put in a good word for you" Ally was totally confused. Who was this woman, how did Bucky and Sam know her and most importantly why did it look like the woman knew her?

"I think we'll sort everything else out later and get you out of here for now" the woman brought Ally out of her musings. She raised her hand and immediately several doors of the SUVs opened and out of each car got two fully equipped guys, in bulletproof uniforms with helmet and gun in their hands. Ally, totally overwhelmed, let one of the uniform guys take her to one of the SUVs while the other carried her bag. Confused, she turned to Sam and Bucky, who were also being taken to cars. "You'll be split up for safety, and you'll each take a different route to the washtub," the blonde woman explained before getting into the fourth SUV. Ally gave Bucky a worried look before she was put in the car and one of the uniform guys took a seat on each side of her. What the hell did she mean by washtub?

Ally didn't know the area she was driving through squeezed between the two guys, but could also only look out the front windshield since the other windows were blacked out. She was relieved when the car finally pulled into some kind of underground parking garage and the guys got out next to her and escorted her, bag in hand, to an elevator with Bucky and Sam already waiting in front. "Someone want to explain to me what's going on?" Ally hissed to the two as the uniform types disengaged from her side.

"Welcome to the washtub. I think we'll answer all the questions in the conference room" the blonde woman reappeared and sighing Ally followed her into the elevator with the others. She finally wanted answers and if that meant following this mysterious woman, then that's what she was going to do.

"So..." the woman dropped into one of the chairs at the large conference table and gestured for the other three to sit as well. They had ridden the elevator about six floors and were now in the fourth floor, none saying a word, and then followed behind the woman down a bright white hallway into the conference room. "...I guess I'll introduce myself first" the woman smiled at Ally after everyone had sat down.

"My name is Sharon Cater, former S.H.I.E.L.D agent, then I was with the CIA for a few years and after my pardon they put me in charge of that department" "Carter? As in Peggy Carter?" Ally gave Sam a questioning look. "Yes, she was my great aunt" Sharon replied to Ally's question. "Does that mean she's my cousin?" Ally asked Sam surprised and confused at the same time. "Your cousin? Why would I be your cousin? I think you must have something mixed up" Sharon looked confused too.

"No, Sharon, she's right. Theoretically you are cousins and related" Sam intervened. "How, I mean I don't understand" Sharon eyed Ally closely. "She's Peggy and Steve's granddaughter" Sharon stared at Bucky in shock. "What....how...is that possible? I mean, at least now it makes sense why Steve hired me to track you down, but...." Sharon looked stunned. "You were the one Steve hired to look for Ally?" Sam asked, surprised. Sharon nodded. "He gave me a photo of a man named James, a child's photo, and told me to please find him. Was that Steve's son?" she asked and Ally nodded. "Yes, James Taylor was Peggy and Steve's son" she replied.

"Wow, I mean I asked who it was but Steve just said it was the son of an old comrade. I found him but there were no parents listed, just a daughter. Alison Taylor, you" Sharon looked at Ally. "my condolences in the case.... for the death of your parents" Ally smiled at her gratefully. "When I told Steve about the accident, he told me to find out everything I could about James' daughter, then I never heard from him again. Has he contacted you?" Ally shook her head. "I received a letter from him after he died, that's how I joined Sam and Bucky too" Sharon nodded.

"And you went into hiding with her? Why?" she turned to Bucky and Sam. "Were you guys afraid that someone would figure out who her grandparents were and that would put her in danger?" Sam shook his head and looked at Ally questioningly. "May I?" Ally nodded. "We had a hunch that someone was targeting her, but not because of her family" "who did you suspect?" Sharon asked tensely. "Hydra and we were right" in a short summary Sam told Sharon everything they learned about Ally, as well as everything that had happened in the last few weeks. Sharon's expression changed from shocked, to surprised, to overwhelmed.

"Wow, there's more to your call than expected. Hydra back, experimenting on people and superpowers again? But it's a good thing you reached out to me. The FBI gave me this department as a way to assist the Avengers in cases like this" Sharon explained when Sam finished. "so you're doing the work here that S.H.I.E.L.D used to do?" Sam asked and Sharon nodded. "The Washtub is also an old S.H.I.E.L.D facility. The name comes from the fact that the entrance used to go through a laundromat. Today, the first two floors are a bank, but it's not really in operation. However, the agents who work here go through the main entrance disguised as customers or employees, so no one gets suspicious" Sharon explained further. "So you can help us defeat Karpov?" Ally asked and Sharon nodded. "But I think you guys should take it slow. I'll show you around the facility today and we'll see tomorrow, okay?" all three nodded.

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