Second Chances

02

Flying over the Indian Ocean, the three were with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, led by Brock Rumlow.

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star," Rumlow informed. "They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago."

"Any demands?" Steve asked.

"A billion and a half."

"Why so steep?"

"Because it's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s."

"So it's not off-course, it's trespassing."

"I'm sure they have a good reason," Natasha and Gracie reasoned.

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor."

"Relax, it's not that complicated," Natasha told him.

"How many pirates?"

"Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy," Rumlow told them. "Georges Batroc." He showed them a photo of Bartoc on the monitor. "Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

"Hostages?"

"Uh... mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell." He pulled up Sitwell's photo on the monitor. "They're in the galley."

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" Steve wondered. "All right, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, Gracie, you'll both kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get 'em out. Let's move."

"STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up."

As they were getting ready to dive off the jet, Steve said into his radio, "Secure channel seven."

"Seven secure," Natasha stated. "Did you do anything fun Saturday night?"

"Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so... No, not really."

"Coming up by the drop zone, Cap," the pilot said over the radio.

Natasha looked at Steve. "You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, she'd probably say yes. Gracie might say yes."

Gracie's cheeks flushed. "I think we have more pressing matters at the moment."

Natasha shot her a smirk and Gracie frowned.

"That's why I don't ask," Steve shot back.

"Too shy or too scared?" Natasha asked.

"Too busy!"

"Was he wearing a parachute?" the STRIKE Agent asked.

Rumlow smiled. "No. No he wasn't."

---

After jumping after the jet, Steve dove into the water, climbed onto the ship, then beat everyone on the deck swiftly before anyone could raise the alarm when they were interrupted by one of the pirates pointing his gun at him.

The first French pirate said, "Bouge pas! Bouge pas."

(Don't move! Don't move.)

He was shot dead by Rumlow as he parachuted down onto the deck behind Steve.

"Thanks," Steve said.

"Yeah," Rumlow replied. "You seemed pretty helpless without me."

Natasha, Gracie and another agent parachuted down onto the deck.

Natasha turned to Steve. "What about the nurse that lives across the hall from you? She seems kind of nice."

"Secure the engine room, then find me a date," Steve instructed, glancing at Gracie who didn't notice.

"I'm multitasking." She jumped to the lower deck.

Gracie saluted and jumped down after Natasha.

Steve moved quickly to find the hostages in the control room.

"Status, Natasha? Status, Gracie?" Steve asked.

"Hang on!" Natasha and Gracie cried as the pirate attacked them and they quickly knocked him out before saying into their radios, "Engine room secure."

"On my mark. Three. Two. One."

The STRIKE team started shooting at the pirates and Rumlow quickly killed the head pirate.

"I told you, S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't negotiate," Sitwell said.

Steve smashed through a window using his shield, but Batroc managed to escape.

Rumlow said to Steve, "Hostages en route to extraction. Romanoff and Peterson missed the rendezvous point, Cap. Hostiles are still in play."

"Natasha, Gracie, Batroc's on the move," Steve informed. "Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages."

There was no reply from Natasha or Gracie.

"Natasha! Gracie!" Steve called.

Batroc attacked Steve. They fought on the deck of the ship, with Batroc quickly getting back on his feet.

"Je croyais que tu étais plus qu'un bouclier," Batroc said.

(I thought you were more than just a shield.)

Steve put the shield on his back and took off his mask.

"On va voir," Steve replied.

(Let's see.)

The men resumed fighting. Steve managed to knock Batroc down by smashing through into one of the rooms where Natasha and Gracie were downloading something from the computer.

"Well, this is awkward," Natasha said.

"Quite so," Gracie agreed.

"What are you two doing?" Steve asked.

"Backing up the hard drive," Natasha replied. "It's a good habit to get into."

"Rumlow needed your help," Steve told them "What the hell are you two doing here?" He went over to Natasha and Gracie and looked at what they were backing up. "You're both saving S.H.I.E.L.D. intel."

"Whatever Gracie and I can get our hands on."

"Our mission is to rescue the hostages."

Gracie glanced at Steve. "No. That's your mission."

Natasha and Gracie finished backing up and the former pulled the drive out before saying, "And you've done it beautifully."

As Natasha and Gracie went to leave, Steve grabbed their arms and said, "You two just jeopardized this whole operation."

"I think that's overstating things."

Batroc rose and threw a grenade at the three as he ran off. Steve deflected the grenade with his shield, grabbed Natasha and Gracie and jumped through a window before it exploded.

"Okay. That one's on me and Gracie," Natasha said.

"You're damn right," Steve shot back, getting up to leave.

Natasha made a face, angry at herself that she'd caused Steve to distrust her.

Gracie sighed. "What'd you expect?"

"Well obviously not that," Natasha retorted.

"Let's go. I'm sure Steve will come around."

"Yeah, he is. You okay?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah."

"Come on. Let's get out of here." She pulled Natasha up and the two made their way to where they'd be exiting.