TO CRASH AND BURN
*****
Sadie sat in a chair in front of the S.S.R. meeting room. Her arms and legs crossed as she narrowed her eyes at Colonel Phillips and a few high rank officials that sat around the circular table, facing Sadie. Along with them, Peggy, Howard, Steve, and a few other agents sat in the back of the room, watching the whole ordeal in concern. But in a way, they were not surprised Sadie ended up in this situation.
"What am I going to do with you, Monroe?" Colonel Phillips asked in a frustrated tone.
"I didn't do anything." Sadie replied, lying through her teeth.
"Private Lorraine says you used your power against her." Colonel Phillips said.
"That's a lie," Sadie gritted through her teeth. "I would never use my gift to hurt others."
"She says you waved your hand." Colonel Phillips continued to say.
"There was a fly."
"And everything in her area comes crashing down." Colonel Phillips said, ignoring her comment.
"Coincidence?" Sadie asked, sarcasm heard in her tone.
Colonel Phillips remained silent, his arms crossed as he stared at Sadie.
"Gust of wind, maybe? There has to be a breeze in the building somewhere." Sadie said being sarcastic again, but tried acting serious at the same time.
"Enough, Monroe," Colonel Phillips barked at her. He sighs, almost fed up with her. "You really enjoy annoying me, don't you?"
"Well sometimes it's fun." She said and huffs out tiredly as she looks away.
Colonel Phillips leans forward in his seat, lacing his fingers together. "Remember when I told you about your slip up issue, Monroe?"
Sadie glanced back at Colonel Phillips, raising her eyebrows at him.
"So this counts as treason? It's not my fault you recruited a walking hormonal machine that winks at everything with a heartbeat." Sadie retorted sarcastically.
A snicker is heard from the back of the room. Sadie, Colonel Phillips, and the officials look back and notice Howard leaning forward in his seat, elbows on his knees as he covers his face to prevent himself from laughing aloud.
Colonel Phillips turns back around to Sadie. "You're fiancé thinks you're funny."
Sadie smiles proudly.
"Well I do aim to-" Her smile dropped, realizing what Colonel Phillips just said. "Wait, fiancé?"
"Monroe, I'm sure you're aware that Mr. Stark and I had a meeting earlier this morning." Colonel Phillips informed her.
"Yes, I'm aware." She answered as she looked behind Colonel Phillips, catching Howard's eyes and glares at him.
"We discussed a number of things and the topic of you came up." Colonel Phillips stated.
Sadie glanced back at Colonel Phillips. Her eyebrows furrowed. This led Colonel Phillips to continue this speech.
"As it pains me to say this, you have been a valuable asset in assisting us in the war. You help with several projects, designs, and you're incredibly fast on a typewriter, fastest I've seen since never. But nevertheless, Mr. Stark and I have come to realize that with your gift you could-"
"Did you just say "gift," Colonel?" Sadie asked, interrupting him as she smiles widely.
"In this situation, I am." Colonel Phillips continued. "As I was saying, with your gift, you could do some real damage to HYDRA. We want you in the front lines next to Captain Rogers and his team when we wipe HYDRA off the map."
Sadie was silent for a moment, contemplating his words.
"You're joking." She stated after a while.
"I never joke, Monroe. That's your job." Colonel Phillips answered.
"Well I was kind of hoping for a "just kidding" or a "ha-ha" at the end of that speech." Sadie commented, trying to control the anxiety she was feeling.
"Why would I joke?" Colonel Phillips asked.
"Maybe to test out a new jollier personality." Sadie replied, almost sounding upset.
"This is not a request, Monroe. Unless you decide to count intimidating Private Lorraine as a slip up and in that case, you'll be escorted out of the building and you will no longer be helping out the Army or the S.S.R." Colonel Phillips said in a serious tone.
"No need for an escort. I'll meet you upstairs." Sadie retorted, upset about the predicament she was now in.
Sadie stood up from her chair and storms out of the meeting room. She walks down the hall to Howard's lab to fetch her things. How did she not see this coming? She knew that once they saw her gift's true potential, they would use that to their advantage. She's not a soldier; she's just an assistant with a special gift she chooses not to use for violence. Sadie knew she could do some "real damage" as Colonel Phillips lightly words it, but she can't hurt people with her power; she's not an evil person. She doesn't want to become that person. Again, she's not a soldier, not equip for war. Sadie has no fighting skills, nor skills using a weapon. She would be killed the moment she steps onto that field. Sadie huffs out in frustration as she continued to make her way to Howard's lab.
Once she made it to Howard's lab, she takes off her lab coat, hanging it on the coat rack. She grabs her purse and coat and starts walking toward the exit. Howard, Peggy, and Steve enter the lab, looking at Sadie.
Howard starts to walk up to her. "Doll-"
"Don't Doll me! This was YOUR idea?" Sadie asked angrily.
"...Yes." Howard answered, frowning at Sadie.
Sadie glared at Howard. "This is a new low, Howard."
"Sadie," Steve began to say. "It's not-"
"Shut up, Rogers!" Sadie yelled, glowering at Steve.
Peggy stepped forward, frowning at Sadie. "Sadie, you can't talk to Captain Rogers like that."
"I can talk to him however I want to talk to him! I'm not a soldier! This is between me and Howard!" Sadie said to Peggy as her glare dropped, almost frowning.
"No, it's not, Sadie," Steve answered, but pauses for a minute before continuing. "Yes, it was Stark's idea, but I agreed with it and I want you to assist me and my team with the HYDRA raids. Your gift could come in handy and it could help stop HYDRA. We can win this war with you by our side."
Sadie frowns at them, still upset at Howard, but frightened at the idea of her out on the front lines.
Howard reaches out for her to rub her arm comfortably. "Doctor Erskine said that you could help make a difference, Doll."
"He didn't mean it like that!" Sadie gritted through her teeth as she pulled away from Howard's hold.
"Then let's pretend like he did."
Sadie shakes her head at Howard in disbelief, upset that he didn't tell her this insane idea he had in store for her, to endanger her life for the sake of the war.
"I can't believe you would do this." Sadie uttered softly as angry tears start to pool her eyes. She quickly pushed back the tears, glancing back at Steve and Peggy.
"I'll do it. Since I'm being forced to by Colonel Buttshine and Brains here," Sadie stated, referring her "friendly" nicknames to Colonel Phillips and Howard. She sighs tiredly. "I-I need some air."
Sadie begins to walk past them when she felt Howard's hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She shoots him daggers as she forcibly pulls her arm away from his grasp.
"Leave me alone." She growled before she started walking away, but she turns back to face Howard, seeing a frown on his face. "By the way, my answer is "no." Good thing you didn't buy the real thing to make it official or else I would have had something to throw at your face."
Howard stood crushed and speechless as he watched Sadie turn to walk away. She turned a corner and disappeared from his sight. He looks away, trying to rid the heartbroken frown he had on his face. Howard turned around, facing Steve and Peggy, not making contact with them. He looks down at his shoes, frowning, and huffs aloud.
"What did she mean by that?" Steve asked curiously.
"It means she doesn't want to marry me, my friend," Howard answered, not meeting Steve's gaze. He walks toward the nearest workstation. "I have to get to work."
Peggy put her hand on her mouth, feeling bad for what just occurred between Howard and Sadie.
Steve frowned, seeing the sadness across Howard's face. "Mr. Stark, I'm sorry it came down to-"
"No worries," Howard answered quickly, still not looking at Steve or Peggy. "I guess I can put my full attention on my work now."
Howard picked up one of his tools that was placed on the work table. He glanced down at it before suddenly throwing it across the lab angrily. Steve and Peggy jumped at Howard's outburst.
"Dammit!"
__________
Sadie made her way inside a telephone booth that was a few blocks away from the S.S.R. base. She inserted a few coins into the machine, quickly dialed an American telephone number, and waited until the person she needed to talk to answered in a soft tone.
"Hello?"
"Emmy?" Sadie asked as she held the phone to her ear.
"Sadie?" Emmy answered excitedly. "Oh, it's so good to hear your voice! How is my lovely sister?"
Sadie frowns. "Recontemplating my decision on working for Howard."
"What do you mean, love?" Emmy asked curiously.
"Did you ever tell Il Duce about me getting drafted or being in the front lines when she asked about me that one time?" Sadie asked.
Emmy snickers over the phone. "No, I told her you were your usual self. Why?"
Sadie sighs sadly. "Well you should have told her about the front lines part. I'm leaving for war tomorrow."
**AUTHOR'S NOTE**
Looks like Sadie is joining The Howling Commandos and you know who's making an appearance in this next chapter, our very own BUCKY BARNES, of course! Yes, I'm super excited to edit and type up the next chapter because I've decided to add a hint on what's to come in the upcoming sequels. Thanks for reading! :)
COMMENT & VOTE! <3