I probably owed Julianne Caris my life and would forever be indebted to her. I do really wish she'd given me my jacket full of my favorite knives.
HYDRA had ripped that it off of me when putting me in cuffs on the highway. Besides ruining my life, I had lost a dozen of my specialized blades and my motorcycle courtesy of the people who had tortured on me for months on end.
"None of them are poisoned tipped, but they should do the job." Hill set a black, plastic case on the table inside of an enlarged closet that had been converted into a poor man's armory. Metal boxes of ammunition were stacked upon each other with guns laying or displayed on ranks on the opposite wall. Several gadgets were scattered haphazardly throughout the assortment of weapons, most either small explosives or specialized mechanical devices keen on other forms of destruction.
Maria opened the case and laid it out before me. Several assorted knives were nestled inside, some long daggers best utilized for deep stabs. Other were significantly thinner and meant for throwing or simple cuts. A switchblade somehow made it into the menagerie of edged weapons. I couldn't deny that seeing such things did lighten my mood.
I picked up one of the daggers by the hilt, judging its weight before throwing it up and catching it with my opposite hand, "They'll work just fine."
Hill nods, seeming to go about her own business while I assess the other blades. I don't miss how she stops before the door, her movements stunted to briefly watch me. I don't pay any mind to her as I strap the knives onto my belt, waiting for her to say something. She doesn't and proceeds to leave.
I'm left to myself. Try not to think about how close the walls are, I reassured invasive thoughts as I outfitted my new change of uniform. The door opens. You aren't trapped.
Maria had given me a spare SHIELD jumpsuit to wear earlier. While it wasn't one of my tailored combat suits, seven months ago the fit would've been just fine. Now, the material was looser than it should've been. While I had gained back healthy weight since my arrival, I had lost most of the muscle mass I'd spent years training for. Malnourishment for months had stolen most of my strength and the uniform revealed a figure that was thinner because of it. That meant my fighting capability would be significantly less effective.
Hand-to-hand combat would have to be minimal. With a long sigh, I realized a few knives and a pistol wouldn't make up the difference. What I couldn't put my fist into, I could surely shoot at. I just didn't enjoy the prospect of firing on people who would be my colleagues.
Nazis, I repeated to myself, not SHIELD agents. Nazis.
My focus went to the far wall decorating by multiple choices when it came to the realm of firearms. Many were rifles with long barrels, suited for sniper work and taking down targets from farther ranges. I specifically searched the more compact choices, lightweight so carrying the thing wouldn't be a hindrance. The familiar build of a P-90 was lined up near other options of similar make and model, but I was more practiced with the submachine gun.
Footsteps came from outside while I grabbed the correct magazines and ammunition, throwing in a few rope billets for good luck. The heavy metal door gave a long creek as Sam Wilson pushed it open. He peered into the storage closet, surprised at my appearance there, "Oh, hi."
I moved back to the face him, several clips in one hand and a box full of the correct bullets in the other, "Seems we keep running into each other."
"In a place like this, it's kind of hard not to." The man cleared his throat, stepping into the cramped space to procure a weapon of his own. He set a heavy case on top of the table, which caught my attention to some degree. I became more intrigued with the large, white title EXO-7 FALCON printed across the side.
I began to load the magazines while Wilson searched for something to my left. I found the inherent awkwardness fairly palpable, considering we had barely exchanged names and rank while threatening the other on the bridge in DC. I had little to no information on the man and decided to change that fact, "So how'd you get dragged into this mess?"
Sam had crouched down beside a rack adorned with multiple pistols of varying calibers, but craned his neck over to look towards me, "This whole spy thing?"
I shrug carelessly, keeping my eyes on my work, "Not everyday an airman ends up in SHIELD business. You on active duty?"
"Nah, got out awhile back." He stood back up with his own set of twin pistols, both seeming right off the factory line in good condition, "But when two Avengers come knocking, I'd think you let them in."
I nodded at the fact, focusing back on my set of bullets and furrowed my brows, "Just coincidence that they showed up at your door or did they come to recruit?"
An amiable smile managed its way onto Wilson's face, one that I found to be rather welcoming, "Oh c'mon, you can't be telling me Cap hasn't mentioned his running buddy?"
A memory of a past exchange clicked in my mind, remembering how Steve had come into my hospital room one day after visiting the VA's office downtown, "Oh, no it's connecting now. He said he met a pilot."
"To be fair, I never said pilot."
"Paratrooper?" I went to the next conclusion, thinking of the practicality of the mechanical wings and what they'd be used for.
Wilson's attention had abandoned the guns, palms pressing against the edge of the table as his smile found a different demeanor, "You want my social security number too?"
"Hm?" My sight hadn't left the task at hand, but I jutted up one eyebrow at the insinuation, waiting to see his reaction to my interview.
"I know when I'm be interrogated." The comment was said with good natured intent and a smile, but also served to inform me he wasn't dumb to the true purpose of my inquiries.
"This is just a conversation, getting to know who I'm working with." The corner of my mouth twitched up as I inclined my head. I could understand how he'd become wary of spies in the last few days, "How many tours?"
Wilson decided to indulge my questions, going back to loading his weapons, "Two, both in Afghanistan."
"So around a year in country." I estimated, hooking a full magazine to my belt when I finally looked up to him. I nodded towards the folded contraption, "You have that thing on your back the whole time?"
"I think that's more than just a 'thing'." Sam defended, tapping the case before bringing it closer to himself. He flipped up the locks that kept the wings together.
"No offense intended." I watched as he began to strap on the armor of sorts over a bulletproof vest, devising to air my finalized guess with the information I'd collected, "I've never seen anything like it. Experimental, probably a prototype to try and keep up with Stark tech. You had to be doing Special Ops to get your hands on this. Stealth work. You've been out awhile, so that means you were part of the night raids in Bakhmala, 2011."
He fastened together the last buckle to hold the wings onto his back, nodding at the accuracy of my assumption, "You super spies know your stuff. I was one of the only people crazy enough to try out for the program."
"Well it's cool." I commented while recalling my absolute surprise upon first seeing his dramatic entrance on the highway, "Had to do a double take when I saw it."
That made his grin grow significantly bigger, "This coming from the girl who hangs out with Iron Man, I'll take 'cool'."
An image of Tony critiquing the overall design and weapons capabilities of this 'knockoff suit' brought an interesting and amusing thought into my head.
"You are that Avenger right?" Sam inserted a clip into one pistol, flicking his gaze back up to me, "The one they never identified?
Ah, so he had tried to flip my tactic back onto me. I brushed back a loose piece of hair behind my ear before reaching for a band around my wrist, "Thought I was asking the questions."
"Just a conversation."
Touché
I obliged to answer as he had with me after tying off my ponytail, "Yeah I'm her, whatever they're calling me these days."
"Got any hidden powers that'll help us out? Don't tell me you get angry and turn different colors too."
Weird alien energy that keeps me alive, but no. No extraordinary abilities to speak of besides my fighting regime and odd healing ability, which he didn't need to be aware of at the moment. I cocked my head to the side, "Sorry to disappoint. As human as you."
"Little comforting being around regular people, besides the whole super secret agent part. How long you've been with this?" Wilson gestured towards the armory of weapons around us and I guessed that meant the organization we were planning on destabilizing.
I kept my tone even, trying not to think again of the agency that practically raised me was the same one that lied to me about my own DNA for years and was actively trying to commit a massacre. That discomfort hadn't left me since Fury's 'death' and the first implications of SHIELD's compromise, "A lot longer than I'm willing to admit."
"How long since you've been back from HYDRA?" The man said the sentence with as much ease as all the others, but his friendly expression wavered under my sudden scrutiny. I had no doubt my facial features revealed my reservations on discussing that subject, but also my slight surprise at him being aware of my disappearance months ago. He quickly explained himself, "I know stuff too. Cap said he had a partner in the hospital after being MIA for months. I pieced together the rest myself."
I shrugged my shoulders, knowing the math too well after over a thousand hours stuck in the same bland hospital room confined to a bed, "Just over a month and a half."
"You feeling up to this?"
I racked back the slide on the sub machine gun, double checking to make sure the chamber wasn't loaded. When I found it to be safe, I slung the strap across my chest and adjusted the length to make sure the gun was fitted to my back. My eyes went back up to Sam, not giving any hint at a prior weakness despite the fact I couldn't walk without several aching muscles and a pained cut across one thigh, "Why wouldn't I?"
"Fair point." Wilson reached for the handle. Another long creek sounded throughout the room whilst the heavy door turned on it's rusted hinges, "You're a superhero after all."
I scoffed at the ridiculous title, a low chuckle on my breath. I had managed to dodge the whole 'hero' stunt with not being publicly revealed as an Avenger, but some who knew still managed to tease with with it, "Coming from the guy who literally flies, I'd say you fit that bill better than me."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Unless this guy also managed to be revealed as some horrid Nazi or double agent, to which I had no evidence at the moment, I settled on the idea that this Wilson guy wasn't so bad.
~~~~~~~~~
"How long until they kick in?" My face had contorted into a wince while I resisted the urge to gag on painkiller pills that were larger than I first theorized. I dry swallowed again, realizing taking them with water would've been a better idea.
Meredith's posture was slanted to one side, which accentuated her poorly concealed limp that she had earned in the time between my escape from the hospital and her appearance here. Never less, this didn't deter her usual pose of putting both hands on each hip and having a striking resemblance to a scolding mother, "Without anything to metabolize? Over a half hour."
Renning brought up the next item to our eye level, a silver wristband, "I think this is a communicator of some sort. Nick said this was a better option than an earpiece for you."
Considering the numerous times I'd managed to break my comms, I figured a different method probably would help solve the problem. I fastened it around my wrist, posing a quick question, "Are you joining Fury later?"
"The man can barely breathe, let alone walk, without pain." Meredith stated, "If he collapses and breaks his stitches, I have to be there. And having a doctor in the middle of this is a good idea."
It was easy too notice the fear in her voice, but a confident tone valiantly fought to keep that hidden. It was ultimately in vain, but the woman's dedication to her work was not. In what could predictably become a bloody mess of bodies, it would help.
"Now please don't die, because I've spent a lot of time making sure you didn't. I don't like my work being ruined." She finished with a pointed stare, showing her caring in her usual stern way.
The edges of my lips twitched up, knowing I had grown on her despite my mostly bitter demeanor as her patient, "I'll do my best. Stay safe."
The doctor's cold gaze found something of a warmer temperature before she turned back towards the facility. I found myself sending a quick prayer for her safety, also adding Layla to the list of people who should be protected as the oncoming fight played out. If the man upstairs was listening, I expected him to at least do something to watch over the Renning family.
Meredith dispersed inside and I turned away to look upon the thick forest that shield is from enemy eyes. Hill joined me to walk across the bridge, checking her watch, "We're running short on time. We'll head out as soon as Rogers shows back up."
My eyes studied the woods around us, spotting a rustle amongst the foliage and the appearance of faded red, white, and blue, "Then it's best we get a move on."
She was quick to notice his arrival as well, tossing a glance over her shoulder to Wilson, "Let's go."
The three of us reached the end of the bridge and began on a beaten trail to the east. Maria took point to lead us in the right direction, adopting a fast walk to get to the Triskelion quicker. Sounds of branches breaking and bushes being disturbed followed us for a few yards with the occasional flash of an outlined star before Steve jogged down a slight incline to join us.
I observed the obviously worn outfit he had on, making a mental note it didn't seem to have all of the protection his SHIELD issued one was equipped with. The fabric wouldn't even slow down a bullet, "Suit still fits?"
"They kept it in good shape. 'Shoulders are a little snug, but not bad." He glanced down at the patriotic attire, readjusting the uniform slightly, "Didn't think I'd be in this again anytime soon."
It only took one glance his way to notice his poorly concealed uneasiness. It displayed itself in a tightly set jaw and a rigid walk. When his eyes darted over to me, I had no doubt he sensed my own troubled manner. I had yet to rid myself of the feeling crawling across my skin and knitting my guts together in apprehension.
The trek took us through a green trail that skirted the edges of the city. The wooded hike to the Triskelion was a quiet one, none of our group making an effort at conversation besides an exchange about route or how we would enter such a fortified building. Soon the white citadel came into sight, a sprawling base that was filled with hundred of agents with orders to subdue us. It quickly put into perspective the magnitude of what we were going up against. The rising eagle etched into one side seemed to mock me, the seal of the agency nothing more than a mask for HYDRA the last few decades. It was the same insignia sown onto patch that I bore on my shoulder. Every person I went up against today would wear the same.
I tried not to think too much about it, instead reprioritizing the enemy. I was fighting Nazis. The same people who kidnapped me and cut me open. Most likely the same people who let a mad man stuff alien energy into a dying newborn.
Keep it together. Focus on the mission.
Significantly more time than a half an hour since we'd embarked (might I add the painkillers hadn't done much), we had infiltrated the Triskelion. Our footsteps echoed across the vacant hallway with murmurs of far off agents spilling in from other rooms. We hadn't been detected yet, but Wilson and Hill each had drawn pistols. I'd settled for a knife, moving the blade between my fingers to warm up the muscles and leave the other hand free if I needed to reach my gun.
Maria led us towards the door end of the corridor. That would ultimately lead to the central room that controlled the headquarters main communications tech. The deputy director had us halt, not planning on breaking in. She retrieved a device from one of her jumpsuit's pockets and quickly began typing on it's screen. This took a moment's time as I turned to watch our flank, not spotting anyone on the nearby stairwell.
It took under a minute for Hill to complete her task, "Just sabotaged the dish."
Nothing immediately dramatic happened after her statement. That was until a beep was heard on the opposing side of the door and the locking mechanism clicked. The handle turned and the door opened into the communications center. The unsuspecting tech agent that had come to check out the dish malfunction became very surprised. His eyes widened into saucers upon seeing a costumed superhero and the three armed people that accompanied him, but made no move to counter.
Steve moved forward, offering a calm, "S'cuse us."
That's exactly what the tech did and promptly moved out of our path with hands up to indicate surrender. I lazily spun the blade in my hand, surveying the room full of fairly appalled communications officers. Upon seeing the four of us, none seemed particularly eager to incite any altercation.
"I need that console." Hill stated, gesturing to agent closest to us with the barrel of her weapon. The man scrambled out of the chair, eyes wildly darting between her and the rest of the personnel as she sat down. Maria immediately began to bring up the statistics on the helicarrier launch to the screen, working with urgency to gain as much control over the system as she could.
The rest of the technicians were detained to an adjacent room (Wilson was pretty convincing while holding an assault gun). Hill brought up the nearest security camera feeds to the screen to keep tabs on the nearby hallways while working to set up a broadcast for the entire base's PA system.
"How much longer we've got on the clock?" I peered over her shoulder to spy a look at the count down that determined when Project Insight went into effect.
"If everything keeps going the way it should, looks like two hours. Pierce'll probably cut that down once he realizes we're here. Hopefully Romanoff buys us some time." Her eyes watched her work intently, typing on the control panel as fast as she could. A glance at one of the camera's feed to see briefly stunted her pace, "We've got company coming up that stairwell."
Of course we do. A security team of four, unknowing of our presence for the moment and most likely sent to check on the earlier problem with the dish.
"Will it be a problem?" Steve stepped up to the console to see the small hiccup in the plan.
"Not if it's taken care of." I answered quickly, sheathing my blade. I glanced over to Wilson, already making for the door, "Everybody contained?"
He curtly nodded while regrouping near the main console, "All locked up tight. Holler if you need help."
Not likely.
I gave him a face that was perhaps a touch too arrogant for my taste and slid the card to unlock the door. When given the green light, I opened it and slipped through. Quietly, I gently pushed the heavy metal door back into place as to not make too much noise. The clamor of several heavy sets of boots leisurely climbing the stairs alerted me to what floor they were on and I deduced I had a good ten seconds before I was found. Their incoherent mumblings bounced off the hallway walls as I squatted down in a shadowed corner to be just out of their direct sight, hoping the element of surprise would aid me.
My hand rested on my first holster, patiently while the team took their sweet time coming up to the room. They obviously didn't think much of the alert at all and were just doing mandatory check in on the dish breach. That left just enough time for me to slow my heartbeat and remind myself these weren't colleagues; these were the bad guys.
A long whine came over the PA system, which immediately caught the attention of several guards, who briefly stopped their steps. One questioned immediately, "What was that?"
"Did we get a breach in the main system?"
Steve's voice came through clearly a moment later, dominating what I believed to be everyone in the building's conversation as it sounded throughout the whole facility, "Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers."
"Damnit!" One figured out the unfolding situation rather quickly, "That's no satellite breach. It's Captain America!"
Their pace quickened immediately and there was no time to hesitate. I arose from my darkened hiding place brandishing a pistol and fired off a warning shot down the stairwell. This haltered their pace and the four men braced against the wall, looking for the assailant when their focus found me.
"You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down." The beginning of what I was sure would be a theatrical, resounding speech echoed throughout the corridor while I hollered down to the guard team a flight below.
"Turn back and I won't harm you!" I warned, giving them a chance to turn away from infiltrating the control room in case they weren't fascists.
Their quick reaction to fire back was a sufficient answer.
"But I think it's time you know the truth."
I fled to the cover of the aforementioned corner from the shower of bullets flying my way. After a quick inhale, I glanced down to see the now running team bounding up the stairs. Still crouched down, I took a few shots at the leader. A cry of pain let me know I hit my target.
"SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well."
They were just a security team. That means they were only issued pistols. As I suspected, they slowed down their firing to conserve ammo and wait for a clear shot of me. I counted the slight risk and thought through the angle briefly before rolling away from cover. Still on one knee, I pulled the trigger several more times as they rushed up.
"I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you." The PA system still blared overhead. One down, another wounded. One was nearly upon me, gun drawn but not ready to fire yet. He was waiting for the right opportunity.
My fingers grasped around a knife and when the first guard reached my floor, I let fly. It buried deep in his hand that held the pistol and momentarily shocked him enough for me to sprint forward and kick it out of his grip.
"They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there."
Two things I realized in an instant; those painkillers did not work and I definitely should've stretched this morning.
The muscles of my thigh constricted in pain, but I still completed the maneuver and disarmed the assailant. Deciding not to kick again, I pulled my pistol and sent two rounds into his gut at point blank range. When the next guy hurried up behind him, I shoved the body his way to throw him off balance.
"If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them."
When the guard narrowly dodged the human projectile, I threw the available blade towards him. The weapon sliced deep into the side of his arm, grazing him before falling to the ground several yards away. The man exclaimed a yelp of pain, but continued on.
Knowing it was no longer loaded, I took the stock of my gun and pistol whipped him across the face. I followed this up with a punch and went for another, which the agent barely blocked. Another guard was coming.
"I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high. It always has been."
A more quick hits were traded between me and the man before he moved to go for a headlock. I sent a jab to his ribs, but he persisted as a strong arm wrapped around my throat and he pulled me back with surprising strength.
"Get them to open the door!" He shouted at me as I struggled for air, but he had neglected to secure my hands. Once I procured another knife from my jacket, I stabbed it into his leg. His cry of pain drowned out my partner's voice when I ripped the blade out of his flesh.
"It's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."
I tipped over, letting gravity take him when his own weight sent him over both my head and the railing. I gasped for air when the pressure was relieved from my neck, but the breather was only for a moment. I briskly turned to face the last attacker and swiftly cut deep across his stomach before he laid a hand on me.
As he doubled over with a scream of pain, I jammed my elbow three times into his head to help his descent. I finished it off with a final kick to the head when his knees hot the ground, finishing the fight and knocking him unconscious at my feet.
I really should've stretched earlier.
I took a few steps back to lean on the railing. My heaving chest took several concentrated rhythms of breathing to slow, as well as the rampant sound of my heart pounding underneath my skin. Yeah, I'd have to stick to guns instead of physical combat until completely necessary if I wanted to outlast my enemies.
Four down, only a few thousand more to go.
A click from the locking mechanism sounded to my right. I stood back up just as Wilson and Steve filed out into the corridor in a fast manner. I greeted them with a nod whilst Wilson took in the dead or unconscious bodies lying haphazardly thought the hallway, "Guess you didn't need my help."
"Just a warm up." I stated, shifting my weight back onto my feet while I still regained my breath. I gestured towards the speaker that had been directly above my head for the duration of the short match, tipping my chin towards Rogers, "Hell of speech though. Little dramatic, but I don't expect anything less."
Steve lowered his head to put on his helmet, looking back up at me when he fastened the strap, "I just hope it gets us some help. We're going to need all we can get."
Suspiciously on que, a great tremble rocked the base's foundation, the quake originated deep under the grounds of the building. That signaled only one thing; the carriers. Pierce cut the time down just as Hill predicted.
Maria's hurried tone relayed the message just after we had began to sprint, "They just launched! Go, go!"
hello there kids it's rose and wow lots has happened since i last posted
umm so this is a real late update and hopefully okay quality even if it a tad shorter than usual. basically life has been.....real crazy lately and i haven't been as active as i liked
hopefully that changes soon and updates come more frequently because i have a lot pre-written beCAUSE YOUR GIRL HAS SOME REVEALS STILL COMING
*que long sigh from readers who are tired of life changing revelations by now*
but honestly y'all a LOT is coming and sienna, who is currently stuffing down every single emotion possible to try and focus on saving the world, will hopefully get some sweet sweet revenge somewhere in there if she doesn't pass out or overload from the constant stress first
also there all some real cool action scenes coming beCAUSE steve and sienna being partners again with sam and all of them fighting together??? Quality™️ ot3
till next time loves!!!!!