Faint Heart [Steve Rogers]

15. Checkmate

Reigna stares at her mother, mouth agape and eyebrows furrowed. Confusion and worry filling her insides. Of course, of course this would happen. Sure, she loved her job and the ability to be able to save the world but she hadn't really gotten used to the constant looming shadow of danger. Especially when it specifically targeted her.

The room remained quiet for a few seconds. The only audible sound being the tapping of Reigna's finger against the arm rest of the chair. "Wow. I used to think that the worst news you ever told me were that they didn't have the chocolate chip pancakes at iHop." She says with an awkward breathy chuckle at the end. Her caramel eyes meet her mother's unamused ones. Sarcasm was always her go to defense mechanism often popping in when least needed.

"Okay." Fury began, leaning on his elbows. "We need to go about this tactically. Diana, do you know anything about whoever it is that is after your daughter?"

Diana's eyebrows knit together, lips pressed into a thin line. "Not much. I've gone around to try and find something–anything– about them. All I know is they are ghosts. Hardly any trails of them are ever left behind. They kill for both pleasure and business, hardly ever missing their target." Her similar caramel colored eyes flick their gaze from her daughter to Fury.

What her mother just told her barely registers in her mind before the lights momentarily go out. Red flashing lights begin to illuminate the office. The ear piercing sounds of sirens begin to play throughout the whole building, and it's enough to make all of their insides twist.

Reigna shoots up quickly at the sound of the door opening, barely relaxing when she sees Natasha in the doorway with her handguns.

"Incoming trouble." She says, sending a short nod towards Reigna who gets the memo as she begins to leave the room in a hurry. The soft hand that encircles her arm makes her pause and turn around to face her mother.

Diana brings her hands up to her the apples of Reigna's cheeks, bringing her forehead to rest on her's. "Be safe," she mutters to her only daughter. Reigna nods with a soft smile, hands softly squeezing her mother's forearms before she heads off with Natasha.

****

It was complete chaos. The fading clouds of smoke completely filled the entire first floor. The terrified screams of the guards and workers were heard. Tony and Steve had already reached the first level but they were struggling to inch forward with the rain of bullets that threaten to pierce them.

She expected these intruders to be dressed the usual villain. All black, bullet proof vests, ski masks, etc. But they wore none of that. They had on regular clothes, but all had a similar vest. It appeared to be bullet proof vest's hotter cousin. The man in the middle stood out from them all. He was taller, and had a stronger build. His submachine gun, she assumed, was bigger than what the others had. The soulless green eyes landed on her and his eyebrows came together as a scowl formed on his lips.

Reigna grabbed a tighter hold of the forearm straps on her shield, sword in her right hand. Reigna looks down to the golden bracelets that clad both her forearms. She then places her shield back in the strap placed on the back of her suit. Following suit with her sword. Her soft curls bounce as she uses her speed to stand a few feet in front of them. She tilts her head and swings her arms up and with all her might has her forearms clash against each other, forming the shape of an 'X' in front of her chest. The forecefield energy emits from her and successfully pushes some of them back.

"It's a good thing that some of us were able to put our suits on." Tony says, sarcasm yet a hint of gratitude laced his voice.

Reigna meets one of their jaws with a flying kick, able to swiftly pull out her sword and shield, having its edge meet with his head. "You're welcome!" She yells out towards him as they all begin to fight and take out their rather rude intruders. However, the job proved to be harder even with most of their team. Thor's hammer barely had any effect when it came in contact with their vests.

"Now would be a good time for code green" Reigna suggests, looking back to Natasha.

But then everything became wobbly. A painful ringing blasted in their ears. Bodies sent flying and meeting cement walls only to then bounce when hitting the floor. Complete and utter pain flowing through them all. Everything hurt. Every breath, every miniscule movement, everything.

Reigna's slowly adjusting vision wavers to all of her teammates. Different pitches of pain but all coming from them. The deep and slow sounds of footsteps coming closer made them look up at their owner.

Their leader she would suppose. He stood in front of them, head tilted as he looked down at them. The discombobulated sound of his menacing laugh made her stomach shrink. His shoulders bobbed up and down as he almost wheezed seeing Earth's mightiest heroes withering in pain. A different gun propped up by his hand. A single whiffle of blue smoke emitting from it. "Vibranium flash bomb. Neat, huh?"

He squats down and brushes the curls that have fallen over Reigna's face. "You do not know what great pleasure this brings to me," His voice was rough and deep. It sent shivers down her spine, repulsing her. These had to be the people after her. Definitely not here to tell her iHop didn't have chocolate chip pancakes. "how naive of you think you're invicible, Reigna." He emphasizes her name and she swears she could feel her breakfast begin to come up.

"Don't– Don't touch h-her." Steve pathetically groans out. He could feel the blood run down the side of his face and the pain throb within every muscle in his body, but he did not care. He tried to push himself up but was met with a boot to the face, body falling back down.

"What do you want?" Her voice is strained, but she could see two of the men that stood behind him come forth.

"To destroy you." He says while taking a few steps back, an unpleasant smirk stretching on his lips. "Cuff her. Don't need this one getting away." He nods towards the two of them. She feels the cool metal enclose around her wrists before she get picked up by one of them. She could see her shield and sword lay on the spot where she had previously been and she tries to muster any ounce of power left within her to break the chain of the cuffs but her body seems to fall limp. No strength found within her and her body feels heavier. The world turning black.