INERTIA ↠ AVENGERS FANFIC

FOURTEEN- FEAR

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

---

"Zara," called Steve as the woman paced down the hallway. She did not turn to look at him- she didn't feel like talking in this given moment.

However, Steve chased after her, finding her pace annoyingly fast. "Zara," he repeated.

"What is it?" she sighed. "I've got things to do, apparently."

Steve ignored her bluntness. "Yes. About that. I- we- thought that maybe you'd like to run a mission with us. Once we find out where Ultron is. If you want to. I know it would be nice for-"

"You don't have to pretend to like me, Rogers. The only thing worse than a coward is a liar." Zara didn't stop walking, nor did she make eye contact with Steve. She didn't want to be there in the first place, and the least that the Avengers could do while she was with them was leave her alone. "You know, I actually underestimated Ultron. I underestimated how desperate he's made you guys. Desperate enough to turn to me for help. Me! After all I've done, you'd think I would be the bad guy."

"You were," Steve said, to his dismay as Zara ignored him.

"I mean, seriously. What's to stop me from joining Ultron and killing you?"

"Trust," Steve said which made Zara stop in her tracks.

She laughed a little and continued walking. "You've got to be mad to trust me, Rogers. I'm a murderer, Steve. I fight and I kill. You Avengers think I'm a better person than I am."

"We like to have faith," Steve replied. "And if that means trusting you, you can be sure that's what we'll do."

"Consider this a warning. You really shouldn't trust me."

"Ah, there you two are," said Maria Hill, looking stressed as ever. "He's all over the globe. Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs. Reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place."

"Fatalities?" asked Steve.

"Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories and worst fears, and something too fast to see."

The thought of old memories made Zara's stomach churn. Avoid Wanda at all costs.

"It makes sense he'd go to them, they have something in common." Steve said, referring to Strucker.

Maria handed Steve her tablet, open to a picture of a dead body with the word PEACE smeared in blood. "Not anymore."

"He killed Strucker," Zara said, though not at all surprised. He was the one who made the Maximoffs. It makes perfect sense.

Maria nodded. "Let me know what you find. I'm off to find Fury."

As Maria turned down the hall Steve and Zara continued in silence. "You're being uncharacteristically quiet," he observed.

"I've got things on my mind," she said, thinking of what would happen is Wanda got to her. It almost made her tremble.

"Nothing I can help with, I assume." Zara shook her head as Steve looked down the next hallway, finding Clint on the phone with someone.

"Barton. Might have something." Cling hung up his phone. "Who was that?"

Clint smiled weakly. "Girlfriend."

Zara rolled her eyes and made her way to the rest of the team, the two men following her soon after.

---

"What's this?" Thor asked as Steve handed him the tablet, then slapping it harshly to Tony's chest earning a humored smirk of the assassin.

"A message. Ultron killed Strucker."