Nightingale | An Avengers Tale

Flashback

"This is boring!" Lily exclaimed as she slammed the S.H.I.E.L.D. handbook down on the table and glared up at Mary. "Why do I have to read all of this?" She motioned down at the book.

Mary sighed. Daily, she was being reminded of why she had not become a teacher. "Mr. Garret wants you to know everything about S.H.I.E.L.D." She began.

"He also wants me to go undercover. How am I supposed to appear normal if I'm stuck reading this junk?" The little girl exclaimed, shaking her head back and forth, making her two braids fly back and forth. "Normal kids are watching Disney channel and I'm stuck here." The little girl let out a deep sign. "Besides, I already know all of this." She motioned at the handbook.

"Ok." Mary let out an exasperated groan. "How about, I quiz you on this?"

"Ok!" Lily cheerfully exclaimed. "And then can I go see Mr. Rumlow? He's been teaching me how to shoot guns."

"He's been what?" Mary exclaimed in horror.

"Not real ones." Lily laughed. "Sleepy guns."

"Sleepy guns?" Mary questioned, unsure what Lily was referring to.

"Yeah. They make you fall asleep, and then you wake up with a really bad headache." She bit her lip. "I accidentally hit Mr. Rumlow last time." She smirked. "It was kinda funny. Even Mr. Garret laughed, but then he yelled at Mr. Rumlow when he woke up." 

"Who founded S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Mary asked hoping to get the girl's attention back on her lessons.

"Agent Peggy Carter. She was friends with Captain America." Lily paused. "I don't like him very much."

"Why not?" Mary questioned as she glanced up at the little girl.

"My daddy said he's just a self righteous, frisbee player in a skin tight suit." Lily seriously replied.

Mary began to cough to prevent a grin from spreading across her face. "What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for?"

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division." Lily proudly replied.

And who was the first S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent to die?"

"Agent Daniel Sousa." Lily sadly replied. He looked so nice in all the pictures; it was really sad that he died. "He was Agent Peggy Carter's ex-boyfriend." She paused. "Why did they breakup? He looks so nice, and she looks really nice too."

"I don't know." Mary sadly said. "You'd have to ask Agent Carter."

"She's still alive?" Lily excitedly questioned. "Can we go see her?"

Mary laughed at the little girl's excitement. At first, she had been hesitant at teaching her S.H.I.E.L.D.'s history, but the child's enthusiasm for learning was almost infectious. And, as Mary had spent more time with her, she had begun to question the feasibility of Garret's plan. Lily was innocent and compassionate; no one could dispute that. A few days ago, she had found a cricket in the compound and had insisted that Rumlow take her outside to release it.
Mary couldn't imagine the child ever hurting anyone if she felt that strongly about a small insect.

Even the Winter Soldier, who even most Hydra agents displayed some fear around, seemed to respond warmly to the child. Mary had seen him on a vicious rampage, but all it took was Lily to run into the room and happily call him Buckaroo, for him to calm down. And yet, Garret's plan remained for Lily to be the one to murder the current director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury.

Fury, himself, had become skeptical of some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s recruits and had personally selected Mary to infiltrate a small group that was believed to contain the last of Hydra's loyal followers. When she had finally gained access, she had been shocked to learn that Hydra was not a small band of followers as originally believed, but was instead a now massive organization still bent on achieving global domination.