𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 | 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

𝟎𝟎. 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 was furnished comfortably and the temperature was kept constant, but it was still a prison. The issue was that her captors had deemed themselves her saviors and didn't seem to grasp the concept that a golden cage was still a cage.

There was a 'thud' and a 'clang' against the steel door which she had come to recognize as a knock. She lifted her head from her flattened pillow and raised an eyebrow as the routine for the week changed.

She had expected the peephole to open with the announcement of mealtime before a metal tray was harshly slid under the door. Most would have found the action demeaning, but she knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. believed they were only taking the right precautions when handling her... especially since she had already shown signs of belonging on the index.

The door opened with a long 'creak' that was then followed by an awkward silence. Most would have viewed the agent that entered the room as intimidating as he towered over six feet tall, but instead she tried to size him up.

She paid no attention to his calloused hands or muscled physique that seemed excessive even for a soldier. Instead, she focused on the cream-colored, glass plate that held what she assumed to be a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich.

The agent gently set the plate down on the cold steel table before placing a glass of milk beside it. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but decided to go against her better judgement and accept what seemed to be a peace offering.

She took a seat at the table and ignored the agent for a moment to appreciate the meal. It was simple, but the sweet jelly mixed with the savory peanut butter melted on her tongue. She couldn't help but release a pleasured sigh.

"Are you going to breathe between bites, Crystal?" the agent asked with an amused grin. "You act like you haven't been fed in ages."

"I haven't been fed decent food in ages," Crystal retorted with her mouth full. "The cafeteria serves slop and calls it steak." She swallowed, took a quick swig of milk, then wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her standardized S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Agent Pierce? I thought we weren't scheduled to meet until Friday."

"As much as I enjoy our little talks..." A frustrated look crossed the agent's face as if recalling a bad experience, but the look was replaced with a stoic expression just as quickly. He moved one of the stools then took a seat beside her. "Director Fury believes that you're ready for the field."

"I take it you disagree." Crystal leaned back in her chair and kicked her feet up on the table.

"You're untrained, unprepared, and quite frankly, unpredictable—"

"Stop, I'm blushing," Crystal interrupted. She rolled her eyes, but quieted once she noticed the displeased look upon Agent Pierce's face. She cleared her throat. "You said Fury had a mission?"

"Against all advice, yes," Agent Pierce agreed with a nod of his head, "Fury has decided that it's time to test you out in the field."

"So... it's a test."

"With Fury, everything's a test." Agent Pierce picked up the empty plate and glass, and began to make his way back over to the door. He paused before leaving though and called out over his shoulder. "Who knows? Maybe if you're good, Fury will grant you some more playtime in the lab."

She frowned at his degrading demeanor, and continued to glare even after the door was closed. Even if she was just a kid, she hated to be reminded of it every bleeding second. She was more capable than anyone ever gave her credit for, all she needed was a chance to prove it.

Once she was certain that Pierce was gone, she walked back over to her bedside. She skeptically checked her shoulder. She was certain there was a security camera somewhere in the room, watching her every movement. Unfortunately, she had yet to find it so she was forced to secrecy in the one place that they expected her to call home.

As much as they tried to make her comfortable, she would always be skeptical of their intentions since she knew that everyone had an angle. She may have been overly cautious, but only because she'd been caught in similar situations before and had no plans of returning to the place that haunted her nightmares and daydreams.

She bent down to the ground and slipped under the bed to retrieve the backpack she kept hidden below. It was the only thing she had kept from her life before S.H.I.E.L.D. and probably the only thing she considered of sentimental value.

She took a deep breath and slung one of the straps over her shoulder before walking over to the door. Of course it had been locked after Pierce left, so she was forced to knock in order to be let out. However, once the door was opened she was almost hesitant to leave. She took a deep breath then took her first step toward freedom.