The Valentin Series, Book 1: The Valkyrie (Captain America fanfiction)

Chapter 8: Information

"It's waterproof and weatherproof, I was thinking of making it a watch so that it's also functional, but the chance of the watch cogs making static electricity would make the film falter. It's not perfect, just yet." Tony explained.

"Thanks, Stark," James nodded at him, flexing his now normal-looking metal fist.

"Ok, ladies, we've got to go if we want to get to the town before dark," Natasha announced, walking to the elevator.

"Are we driving there?" Steve asked, following her after he said goodbye to Sam and the others, James trailing after him.

"No, silly," Nat smiled, "Hawkeye's piloting the jet, he'll drop us a kilometer or two outside the town boundaries, then we hike all the way up to Valkyrie's nest from there. If Stark was right, we'd be able to get to the barn by sundown."

They reached the helipad on top of Stark tower, where a SHIELD VTOL jet was waiting, Barton was waiting for them at the entrance of the jet, arms crossed, dressed in his Hawkeye uniform.

"Well don't you look like you could kill someone?" Nat teased as she went in.

"Where you headed, Barton?" Steve asked as he stepped in after Nat.

James just nodded at the archer as he passed him, Clint followed them into the jet and sat down in the cockpit beside Natasha who was already strapped in.

"Fury gave me an assignment after I take you to your campsite, kids," he answered, starting up the jet and taking off.

"Where you headed?" Nat asked, curious.

"Bolivia," Barton answered as they sped off, "Fury wants me to investigate what could be a potential threat to the company."

"It's the Vanguard, isn't it?" Nat sighed.

"Who?" Steve asked from the backseat of the plane, he noticed James had perked up at the mention of the name and was now leaning forward intently.

"The Vanguard was Cristoff's killer," Nat answered, "Do you know him, Sarge?"

"I worked with him once or twice," James answered quietly, "I never met the Chimera, but Vanguard was as inhumane as they could get, and that's me talking."

"To make things simple for you, Cap," Hawkeye said, "The Vanguard is like Nat and me put together; throw in a bit of the Winter Soldier over there for strength, a little bit of Angel for perseverance and drive, and the devil himself. That's the Vanguard."

"That bad, huh?" Steve asked, leaning back in his seat.

"He likes inflicting pain, he likes the killing," Nat said, "And I have cause to believe he has been after Val for a while now."

"What?" James asked, surprised, "Why?"

"He doesn't like competition," Nat answered, "Killing Cristoff meant killing off the competition, and it would draw Val out. I guess we have HYDRA to thank for keeping her under wraps and letting her change identities."

"So he hasn't come after you two, yet?" This question coming from Steve.

"We're spies, Cap," Barton answered, "It's different from being a hired killer. We get in, get the information, get out. Whatever casualties there are, they were just caught in the crossfire." He explained.

"Well, Bucky," Steve turned to his friend who had lapsed into a silence and had a fierce frown on his face, "You really know how to pick 'em, huh?"

"Shut up, punk," he mumbled as they sped to their drop site.

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"Diana!" Valkyrie called from her front porch, "Knight!"

"It's almost dark out, Val, why aren't they back yet?" A worried Andy asked from inside the house.

"I really don't know, Andy, but..." Val stopped and held out her hand, signaling Andreana to be quiet and go back in the house. Val turned to Andy and whispered for her to lock the doors and windows.

Andy obeyed and rushed to the sitting room, crouching down, she pulled out an AK47, and a Desert Eagle from under the sofa. Slinging the rifle, she took the safety off the Desert Eagle; she turned off the light in the front porch as well as the hall and sitting room. Then she took her position by the porch window.

Val was still standing there, but now she had taken off her sweater and stood there in her black bra, jeans, and bare feet. Andy whistled to tell Val that she was in position. Then Val let her wings rip out of her back, this time the pain wasn't as blinding as before, it just felt like touching an already open wound. She listened to the low growls of her dogs, they were near the river, around half a kilometer away, but with Val's hearing, and the fact that she knew every single tone of her pets' growls helped her single them out. She flew out into the sky set afire by the setting sun, and sped toward where the sounds were coming from.