Steve, Natasha, Bucky, Sam, and T'challa arrived in the U.S. with Fury ready to greet them. "I see you all are doing well," Fury greets them.
"We heard what happened," Steve states. "Are they really going to give Bucky a trial based on a news article?"
"The court of public opinion seems to have a huge influence nowadays," Fury retorts. "Which reminds me I have someone I like you to all meet. Meet your lawyer Matt Murdock." Matt approaches all of them with a friendly smile.
"Hello, I'm Matt Murdock," he introduces himself. "I'll be Sgt. Barnes's lawyer during his trial and I will also be the lawyer for your petition to repeal the accords."
"So, Fury hired you I take it," Natasha insinuates. Matt chuckles lightly.
"Sorry to disappoint but Fury didn't hire me." They all look at him confused. "Let's just say there is a secret benefactor paying my fees. Don't worry I'm sure you'll meet her soon."
"Benefactor? Who would pay for our lawyer?" Bucky integrates.
"Don't worry she's a friend. If she wasn't she wouldn't have written the articles," Matt points out. All their eyes widened in shock.
"Are you trying to say the High Priestess, the one who wrote the articles, is paying you to be our lawyer?" Sam tries to clarify.
"That's correct," Matt confirms. "Don't worry she has everyone's best interest in mind. If you're lucky you might just meet her. Come on let's go to my office, I have to prepare you for court. Sgt. Barnes's trial is first and then we can do the appeal." They follow him to a couple cars waiting for him. From there they drove to Hell's Kitchen.
Arriving at the law office to find Foggy and Karen organizing documents. "Hey Matt your back," Foggy greets him.
"Yeah oh I also brought my new clients." The former Avengers enter the office to find the two red heads. Foggy's eyes went wide as he didn't expect to meet them so soon.
"Oh wow it's an honor to meet you all," Foggy stutters nervously. "Matt told us we were going to represent all of you. Which reminds me," he points to the back, "Eddie is here to talk to you."
"What is he doing here?" Matt asks confused.
"He told me that he's being hounded on Mikaela's whereabouts by Secretary Ross and his subordinates," Foggy explains.
"Why are they looking for her?" Matt was sure no one had found out she was the High Priestess.
"I think we all have a pretty good idea why. Eddie also said she hasn't been in contact since she left the country. All he knew was that she was looking for something." Matt turns towards his clients.
"Please take a seat in the meeting room on the left," Matt suggests. "I'll be there in a min-." He was interrupted when someone barged into the office. It was a woman with half black half white hair. Large sunglasses were covering most of her small face. All eyes turned towards her.
"I swear they don't relent do they?" she murmurs under her breath.
"Mikaela?!" Matt asks in shock, "what are you do here?"
"Well I was running away from some government hacks. Oh don't worry I lost them about five miles ago," she brushes off. Eddie comes out of the office recognizing her voice.
"Where the hell have you been?" Eddie interrogates her.
"Calm down," she plays it down, "I got stuck in Germany for a couple days. I only got back two days ago. Oh that reminds me." She pulls out a flash drive and tosses it to Foggy. "That should help you on the upcoming trial."
"What is it?" Foggy asks her.
"A flash drive containing all files pertaining to the Winter Soldier program," she answers if it's no big deal.
"Where did you get that?" Bucky seethes. A glare clear on his face. T'challa places a hand on his shoulder so he wouldn't do anything reckless. She only turns slightly to peer at him. Fearing that he would trigger him in some way if he slightly recognizes her face.
"I hired a mercenary to steal it for me. Before that I had a contact in Madripoor who told me where to find it. I had to pay a pretty penny but it was worth it in the end." Eddie rubs his face in annoyance and exhaustion.
"I swear you are so much more trouble than this friendship is worth," Eddie complains. "I already got the government hounding me 'cause of you." He started getting more dramatic. She rolls her eyes as they had this conversation many times before. "Then you run off to another country and I have to deal with all of this."
"Well I'm sorry but they are only after you cause I lost them in Germany. How they knew I was in Germany is the real question." She turns to Fury, the man in question. "Nick?"
"Why are you asking me?" Fury questions back.
"You were the one who bought me the ticket in the first place," she points out. "And here I thought you were the spy. Do you know how hard it is to sneak out a top security prison undetected?"
"If you remember correctly it wasn't your first time," Nick counters.
"You two seem close," Natasha observes.
"I met Ms. Azure after she wrote an interesting article. I approached her offering her a job at S.H.I.E.L.D."
"She took the job I'm guessing," Sam concludes.
"Hell no, she rejected me at every twist and turn," Nick slightly scoffs, "she threw a book at me once."
"To be fair you just don't randomly show up in someone's house," Leah argues. "I even had to change the locks twice."
"Like I said she rejected my offer. However, every once in a while I'll ask for a favor. She is the best at getting information in the unlikely of places."
"That's because I'm more likeable and people like to talk to me." She looks at her watch noticing the time. "Well I must get going, places to be people to meet." Giving a mock salute before leaving the law office.
"Please excuse her antics," Eddie tries to explain away, "she's more known to speak her mind with no filter."
"It's fine," Steve brushes off. "This question might be a little out there but do you know if she has a family member named Leah?"
"Yeah she has a grandmother named Leah. She was a nurse or something." Steve and Bucky turned to each other a silent conversation going on between them. Mikaela was "related" to Leah. However, it only led to more questions than answers. What happened after the war? Who did she marry? Were any of her children still around? Is Mikaela the only grandchild or is there more?
Natasha was wondering about something completely different. From the information she gathered Mikaela knew a lot more than she was telling. Her theories were that either Leah or one of her descendents is the High Priestess. The other theory is that Mikaela was the High Priestess. Her nonchalant attitude towards certain subjects seems a little off for her just to be the average investigative reporter.
"Does she pop up and disappear whenever she wants?" Sam questions.
"I would say you get used to it but you don't," Eddie admits. "Don't worry about it she's harmless. Just don't steal her chocolates. She hates it when you steal her chocolate."
"Like Mr. Brock says she's harmless," Matt confirms. "Lets see what she decided to give us." He turns towards Eddie. "Can you come back tomorrow, we'll talk then."
"Yeah no problem I have to go look into something anyways," Eddie agrees. "Let me know if you need anything. I'll also keep you updated on Mikaela just to keep you on your toes."
"Thanks Eddie, I'll see you around." They both shake hands and Eddie leaves the law office. Matt turns back towards his new clients. "Lets see what's on this flash drive shall we." Foggy plugs it into his laptop only to get a lock screen.
"Huh how odd," Foggy observes, "we need a password. Uh maybe we should text Mikaela for it."
"How many letters?" Matt asks.
"Four, we can try to guess." Foggy looks to see if there were any clues. "Wait there's a password clue." He clicks on the icon and a question pops up. "What was the name you called me when we first met?-Leah," he read. "Any idea what she's asking about."
"Doll," Bucky answers. "When Leah and I first met I called her Doll." He chuckles softly. "She rejected me when I tried flirting with her. She hated the fact I called her doll." Foggy types it in unlocking all the files.
"Well that worked," Sam comments. "Wonder why she picked that as the password." He turns to Steve. "What did you call her?"
"Ma'am," he answers truthfully.
"She intimidated you or something," Natasha teases.
"He was intimidated by any woman," Bucky adds with a slight smile.
"Alright that enough," Steve scolds them. He turns back to the laptop, "what's in the files?"Foggy starts clicking on them.
"Looks like these go back quite a bit like the 50's," Foggy observes. "Copies of written notes and everything."
"Seems like anything pertaining to the Winter Soldier program was included," T'challa states noticing files labeled test subjects."
"There also appears to be video files. How much info did this girl get?" Sam questions.
"Enough that you all can win your cases," Nick states firmly. "I trusted her to get you a win and it looks like she succeeded."
"Why did you trust this girl?" T'challa asks slightly suspicious of the man. "Out of anyone you could have trusted to gather information you asked her. A simple reporter to help us with this case. She knew exactly where to find this information. So much so that she hired a mercenary to get the information for her as she did something else. Who is this girl really?"
"She is a girl of great integrity," Nick defends. She didn't make any promises about this information. Look I've known the girl for a long time. I went to her because I trust her and you all should trust her too."
"Did you know about Leah?" Steve questions Nick. "Did you know about Leah's connection towards us." He points between him and Bucky. Nick lets out a sigh.
"Not at first. She keeps a low profile so there was nothing much about her. When I did a background check all information stopped at her parents. Someone went out of their way to make Leah disappear once the war ended. Why I don't know, I don't even know who helped her disappear. Look I know this is a lot to take in but believe me she is not our enemy just give her a chance." Nick knew the real truth but wouldn't admit it. He understood that it would be too shocking that Leah and Mikaela were the same person. That Leah helped create the super soldier serum. She also hinted that S.H.I.E.L.D. may not be what it seemed. It was better for Leah to reveal all instead of him. Bucky had a feeling Nick was hiding something. Everything was lining up too much. A woman appears who is "related" to a nurse he met back in the 40s during the war. Also to happen to have information relating to his entire time under Hydra's control. Then there's the case of the High Priestess who wrote the articles and is paying for everything. All of this isn't making sense for him.
Even with all this confusion he still feels as if he can truly trust her.