Chapter Fourteen;
Her plan was simple, but goodness, she hoped it worked.
Convince someone to give her a car. Follow the convoy. Drive close enough to convince the guards in the back of Steve, Natasha, and Sam's truck to free her friends, and open the doors. Make the driver stop. Have the others jump out. Speed the hell out of there.
What could go wrong?
Well, so many things. It could end in disaster. But it was the best plan Delaney had – and she was not going to abandon her friends. For anything.
Delaney ran blindly, searching for someone, anyone, who she could possibly convince to let her borrow their car. So when two people – a man and a woman – approached her, Delaney thought luck must be on her side.
"You wouldn't mind if I borrowed your car for a moment?" she asked, flashing them a smile.
Of course, they'd say. That's no problem! Look out for it, please!
Instead, the woman laughed. "I'm sorry, honey, but our car's rather expensive."
Delaney froze. Her hand flew down to her knives, fear suddenly striking her in the heart.
No one had ever resisted her power before.
"Who are you?" she asked lowly, already drawing her weapons.
The woman smirked. "You'll soon know."
Pain exploded in the back of Delaney's head, and darkness consumed her.
+++
A soft groan passed Delaney's dry, chapped lips. Lazily, she wondered when she had last had any water. It would have been at Sam's, when she was having breakfast. She wouldn't have eaten since then, either. Was that why she was so lightheaded?
Delaney shifted slightly. She was so out of it, that she didn't realise something was wrong for several more seconds. Her eyes squeezed more tightly shut. Were they moving? She felt something move beneath her – fast. Her arms were in an awkward position behind her back. She went to move them to a more comfortable position, only to find that she couldn't. She bit her lip when she realised that her hands were bound.
What happened?
Her heart beating erratically in her chest and her breathing ragged, Delaney dug deep into her memories to try and recall what had happened. The highway. The Winter Soldier.
Steve! Her eyes flew open. Natasha, Sam – they'd been captured. She'd tried to save them. Before she could hatch her plan, however, she'd been cornered by two people, a man and a woman, and – and her power had not worked. They'd knocked her out.
Delaney's mouth was dry. She could barely swallow. Feeling faint, she yanked at her bonds, only to grimace as her greatest efforts did nothing.
"She doesn't learn does she, Richard?"
Delaney's eyes snapped up, for the first time, to the people in the front of the car. She caught sight of a strawberry blonde woman, and a raven haired man. The man was driving. The woman had twisted in her seat and was smirking at Delaney. Her eyes were narrow, sly like a fox, and she seemed to be looking down at Delaney with her long nose.
Delaney glared. "Who are you?"
The woman put on an expression of obvious fake hurt. "You don't remember us?"
"Why would I?" Delaney spat.
Her eyes frantically scanned the car, already formulating plans to escape. She spotted her knife belt in the woman's lap. Weapons, sorted. Though, she betted that both man and woman had guns on their person. They probably wouldn't kill her, but a bullet wound in her legs would stop any chance of her escaping. She couldn't get out of the car, either. Her hands were tied behind her back – besides, they'd notice her sitting up and moving toward the door, and stop her before she could reach over. Even if she did get out, there was a limit to how far she could run before they had her again.
No. I won't give up. I'm getting out of this situation. I know I can – I was taught by the best. I'm tough. I'll get out of this.
The woman tuttered. "My, my. We used to be on the same side, you know."
Delaney's stomach dropped through the floor of the car and was suddenly left miles behind on the road. "You work for my parents."
She definitely wasn't going to be killed. That was a small comfort. But her parents...
She had to escape. Soon. Now, preferably. Before she could be delivered back into the bloodthirsty clutches of the people who dared to call themselves her family.
The woman smirked. "That's right, doll. We're here to take you home."
If looks could kill, Delaney wouldn't even need to formulate an escape plan – the woman would be dead that instant. "That place is not my home," she growled.
"I beg to differ. That's where you were raised, wasn't it?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is my home. The Avengers are my family. Sara and Robert are merely imposters in my life."
Well, S.H.I.E.L.D. was my home. Before it turned out to be crawling with H.Y.D.R.A. agents.
"Darling, you'll sing a new tune soon," the woman chimed, examining her nails.
"Not likely." Delaney lifted her chin. "They'll come for me. The Avengers. Because there is no way I'm working for you again." She snorted. "You want the world to burn? Good luck. I'm not helping."
"You really don't get it, do you?" The woman adopted a tone like a parent explaining something to a very young child. "Your parents wouldn't send you out of their control if they couldn't keep you controlled. How would you remember the Avengers are your family, when you can't even remember them?"
Delaney's blood turned to ice in her veins. "You're joking."
The woman didn't respond. Delaney sank back into the seat. No. She shook her head, feeling slightly dizzy. No. I won't let that happen again. I can't!
"How – how did you even find me?" she croaked.
The woman chuckled. "You really are daft. Sweetie, your image has lit up the news, along with Captain America. Your last known position was the DC. Of course, your parents stationed agents here to find you and bring you back."
I knew it. Delaney closed her eyes. I bloody knew this would happen.
"Aren't you clever?" she seethed.
The blonde winked. "Your parents always were. You'll remember that soon enough, my dear."
Delaney glared. The woman snorted and produced her phone, typing furiously. Somehow, Delaney doubted she was playing Candy Crush. Every so often, she would raise her eyes to look at Delaney.
Being a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent wasn't just about knowing to smash your way out of a bad situation – Delaney had learned from Natasha how to act, to come up with a believable lie, and to make people buy that lie. It would cost her some extra time, but it would ensure that they bought it.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, barely noticeable at first, but gradually increased it to more obvious movement. The woman continued to shoot her looks with increasing frequency – she was noticing.
After a time Delaney deemed long enough, she looked up helplessly at the woman and whispered, "I need to relieve myself."
The woman rolled her eyes. "Nice try. Do you think we're idiots?" However, there was a frown on her lips. Delaney smirked inwardly. She's falling for it.
Delaney screwed her face up. "Please," she begged, allowing herself to sound as desperate as possible. "I really need to go."
"Nicola, what can she do?" the man, Richard, sighed. "Look at her. She's tied up. She can't use her greatest weapon. You're armed, she's not. And this car is new. I am not having it ruined."
Nicola shook her head. "Fine. Pull over somewhere."
Richard did so. Nicola stalked out of the car and threw open one of the passenger doors. "Get out, honey." She practically dragged Delaney out – Delaney had to bite her lip to suppress a cry as she was unceremoniously yanked to the ground.
Nicola made sure her gun was visible as she marched Delaney out of sight. They came to a stop after about a minute of walking.
Delaney bit her lip and looked down, hiding her face with her hair. "Could you turn around?" she asked in a small voice.
Nicola sighed, as though Delaney was the most exasperating person she'd ever dealt with. Delaney had to work hard to suppress a smirk. You've totally fallen for my little plot.
"You can't run off," Nicola scoffed, but she still turned around.
But you won't see this coming.
As soon as Nicola had her back turned, Delaney whipped around and jumped. Nicola cried out and reached for her weapon, but Delaney already had her legs fastened around Nicola's neck in a thigh choke. Grinning, and reminding herself to thank Natasha double later on, Delaney brought Nicola to the ground. Nicola coughed, and Delaney kicked her gun from her grasp. Before Nicola could stand again, Delaney pinned the blonde to the ground, a knee on her chest.
"But I can take you out," she whispered, smirking. "And don't even think about screaming," she snapped, when Nicola opened her mouth. The blonde glared and closed her mouth. Delaney smiled sweetly. "Very good. Now. Where are the keys for my binders?"
Her fake sweet voice couldn't cover the soft threat in her words. Nicola clenched her jaw, but nonetheless reached into her pocket and produced the needed keys.
Delaney beamed. "I rather miss circulation in my hands. Can you take these cuffs off, please?"
Nicola looked ready to punch her. But still, with great reluctance, she stood and unlocked the cuffs around Delaney's wrists. Delaney bit back a cry of relief as the metal cuffs fell to the ground.
Nicola was not as pleased. "When I get my hands on you," the blonde seethed, as Delaney rubbed circulation back into her wrists.
"You won't," Delaney said simply. Without warning and kicked Nicola hard in the abdomen, who let out a winded choke and collapsed to the ground once more. Delaney kneeled by her side, and made no effort to hide how her fist was clenched, ready to fight should Nicola even raise her hand.
"Now. Talk," Delaney growled. "My parents. Mino del Infeiro. Tell me all you know."
Nicola laughed out loud.
"You think your parents idiots?" she scoffed. "That memory was wiped from our minds in case we were caught, along with countless other key facts. We only know a rendezvous, where they'd drive us to your parents."
"Well, tell me all you remember."
Nicola glared, but nonetheless talked. Delaney couldn't help but feel disappointed when she was supplied with such a meagre amount of information. Her parents had been thorough.
Though, she did learn some interesting things, which she kept filed away in the back of her brain. A description of the environment and location of the base, which narrowed down where the base was located; additionally, many people were part of the group, their objectives, and, most importantly, how the hell they managed to block her powers.
When Nicola exhausted all of her information, Delaney grinned. "Thank you, for your cooperation," she said sweetly. "Now I'm sorry, but I need to save my friends."
With that, she knocked Nicola out. Delaney stared at the woman's unconscious form for a second before she dashed to the woman's weapon, took it, and sprinted back toward the car.
Richard was still sitting in the driver's seat. He wasn't looking her way – instead, his eyes were closed, his head leaned back. Delaney levelled her gun and spent several seconds aiming before she fired.
Her shots hit home: hitting him in both arms. She could hear his agonised yell from where she stood.
"Thanks for the ride," Delaney quipped, as she pulled the man from the driver's seat and took her seat. The car door slammed as she stepped on the accelerator, and the car screeched as she drove it forward, pushing it past the speed limit without care. Her grip on the wheel was so tight that her knuckles were white.
Hang on Steve, Nat, Sam. I'm coming.