The Unknown Enemy ∘ Marvel [3]

Chapter 23: Set In Motion

Natasha steps forward from her spot against the red brick wall, cutting me off from my rebuttle, "Sienna, this isn't some regular mission, and if it was you still wouldn't be allowed with your health, freaky recovery or not."

"I know it's not, and that's why I have to come. You of all people should know pushing me to the side on important matters doesn't work. I can help with whatever's going on and I will." May I remind them of how I was initially rejected from the Avengers, but still ended up on the ground team because I won't take no for an answer, especially not when it considers the agency I've given my life to. Yes, I'd endanger myself more if I didn't go with Layla, but that was my job.

Steve opens his mouth as if he was going to add yet another reason why it was a terrible idea, but Natasha beat him to it, "You not joining us is helping. Splitting up is our best option and it'll make SHIELD's job that much harder. If all of us are in the same place with the drive, if we're captured, it's all gone. This can all be swept under a rug. Nick's death, the corruption, whatever evidence is on this drive just disappears by locking us up. Right now we're the only ones who have any idea of what's going on. If they catch up with me and Steve, then you're still out there. You could still fight this."

Goddamnit, I usually love it when she's right. Now I despise it because it makes a whole lot of sense. My frustration is shown in the lapse of silence created by my lack of a comeback against her reasoning. Natasha knows she's won, she knew it even before she proposed the logical response because that would be the only thing that would shut me down, "See the point?"

Begrudgingly, I have to agree, "I guess it is one way to solve-"

"It's the only way that makes any sense." Steve chimes, which earns him a deserved eye roll from me.

"I still don't like that you've brought Layla into this. She's a genius, but she's not trained for something- anything like this. The poor girl has anxiety and asthma. The last thing we should be doing is endangering her." I try to derail the topic of conversation away from myself, but I genuinely fear for my friend. Meredith is already paying the price for merely treating me, the last thing I need is her sister ending up in the same position for trying to help.

Rogers shrugs, knowing involving another Renning isn't a good idea, but defends the premise, "Who else could we go to in this little of time? The other Avengers are being constantly monitored and the second we reached out, SHIELD would know."

"Hill's been off the radar since Fury's death, May's team is on assignment, and anyone else we could even try isn't in D.C. We don't have too many options in terms of people we trust." Natasha is becoming tried of me exhausting any possible reason not to separate with them, her tone growing irritated as time runs thin. Her glare has become more poignant and clear cut. Any chance I had at changing her mind has vanished, "Look, you're not coming with us. Not only because of you're condition, but because if something goes wrong, you're the backup plan."

My jaw clenches, not wanting to repeat my disagreement with this whole thing once again because it won't do any good. I hate this. In other circumstances where I wasn't an amnesiac with an anomaly in blood, I'd be okay with similar orders. It makes sense. Yet all I've done the past month is nothing as everything else happened beyond my control. I want to find my mentor's killer. I want to expose whoever is taking over my organization and find some closure on why I am the way I am. Now, I just end up being sent away without a chance to do anything of value concerning any one of those problems.

Behind us, a car turns off from the main road. A white SUV begins to pull into the small parking lot in front of the bookstore. Nat seems to be relieved by the sight, and I can only assume Layla has arrived, "She's late, but that was expected."