"What's that?"
"Getting some information." Yet before any of them would question she raised her hand. "I promise I'm not after some missle, secret weapons or whatnot. I'm looking for someone and I think the information I need is linked to Shield. So no need to worry. Also, I kind of consider that you guys owe me a ride to Tom's River now."
Natasha chuckles and Steve looks disturbed at Skye's collected demeanor. "Okay fine. So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington to kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"
"The answer is: you don't." Sam walks in front and drops a file in front of Steve.
"What's this?"
"Call it a resume."
Chapter 9: Rule 22: When in Doubt, Know Your Way Out Part 1Summary:Natasha can't help getting closer to Skye. Skye gets to meet her third merc. Steve is worried if Skye is a hacker Lord.
Notes:So this chapter was supposed to be posted on Sunday but I wasn't done typing and editing everything that I just said screw it and delayed the posting. Also, this is supposed to be a one-long chapter but I'm not sure what you guys prefer so I cut it into two. I'll post the half tomorrow.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextAdmittedly, for the longest time, Skye hadn't taken the time to visit themed parks.
It's not that she hates going to themed parks but because she's busy—well, as busy as she could be—and the thought would usually cross her mind when contemplating places to visit next.
Skye could hear her heart beating out of her chest. Her senses could feel a lot of things all at the same time. The car horn blared from three different angles, emanating from three different cars, more unsettling than the alarm bells in her head. Tire screeching because there was no steering wheel, turning the tires into a decorative plate rather than a functional set, as she was pushed along the tarmac like a bowling game with herself as the ball.
Lastly, guns fired off behind her because who doesn't like bullets chasing after you?
Pff...
It all serves to emphasize that she doesn't need to go to theme parks because... What could beat a tumbling car that's spinning in the middle of the street and is about to crash into another vehicle in under 4 seconds?
It was exhilarating all the same except, this one came for free.
Her hand reaches for impact as the whole car turns itself on its side. "Ahhhh!"
She screamed as the whole vehicle spun, and glass shards, metal panels, and car seats all converged toward her as their center before everything went dark.
She'll be sure to wear a seatbelt next time.
6 hours Ago
"Do you need help with that?" A soft voice appeared behind Natasha. She was startled somewhat but did not react. She looks behind the mirror to see Skye, observing her back and noticing a small but deep cut along her shoulder blades.
"I know you're not fond of me but that thing looks nasty if you don't clean and close it up."
She had been contemplating ways to mend it, but it's hard to tend to a wound she can't reach. So, when the brunette offered, it seemed like the most logical thing.
"Okay. Do you know how to close up a wound?"
The hacker didn't hesitate to nod, her face accustomed to seeing cuts, and she merely bit her lip."You got a sterile needle and thread?"
"I have it."
Skye closed the bathroom door, taking easy steps behind her. The spy could feel Skye's warm hands as she tried inspecting it. A tingle somewhere where her hand touched.
The brunette sterilized the area with iodine before taking both needle and thread in her hands.
Purple eyes searched blue in the mirror, asking if she'd be okay. Natasha nodded, and Skye started closing it.
"I don't hate you, you know."
Skye snickered behind her but there was no bad blood in the way she did it. "You could have fooled me. I may not be a some expert body language reader spy thingie but I do know the word passive aggressive exist."
"It's by no means personal. I was looking out for me and Cap."
"I know. I know. That's why I didn't overly get confrontational because you had your reasons but you should really be more nice-ish." The needle was closed and it slightly pinch the skin, Natasha hisses. "Sorry. I'll be careful."
Natasha appreciated Skye's being genuine about her stitching and felt bad about how she treated her before. "I guess we got off on the wrong foot."
"Oh, I didn't, the wrong foot is all yours." Skye jest and Natasha gave her a pointed look. "Fine. Concede. That Darth Vader stare trick is doing you finely, I might add." She looked away to concentrate on the wound and Natasha hides a smile.
Natasha clenched her fist when the needle went deep again and let her mind wander somewhere else. "So you're name is Natalia. Really beautiful."
"Call me Natasha. I prefer that. Is yours really Skye?"
Skye smiled, the crinkles on her forehead slightly defined. "It is. It's the name I choose for myself so it's as legit as any."
Natasha appreciated what Skye was doing. Which was to keep her distracted while she stab her skin and pulled on the thread.
She wasn't wasting the opportunity to know more about the hacker though, asking questions as well.
"You have any family Skye? Brother or sister maybe?"
"No. Only child, you?"
"A younger sister. Although I'm not sure where she is right now. I only hope she's alive."
"Let's hope for the best. I'm a bit interested though what a younger Natasha would look like." A bit teasing.
She smiled thinking about the brass blonde girl. "She doesn't look anything like me though. She's still stunning."
Skye laughed. "I guess gorgeous genes just run in the family."
"Not exactly."
After a beat, it was Skye's turn. "So not to assume but Russian? I don't hear it as much in your accent."
"I'm good at masking it but yes. You're a New Yorker?"
"No. I guess I was mostly brought up in Nebraska. Spent a lot of time in the middle of nowhere. You should spend time vacationing there. Great scenic views."
"After this whole world-ending thing. Maybe."
"Okay. Done." Natasha looked at the mirror Skye offered and it was mended pretty well. "You've done this before." She touched the stitch and it was firm but not constricting. Each close was done double-looped.
"Self-taught," Skye admitted while handing the equipment back but not before washing her hands.
Natasha looks over Skye's clothes. She was always wearing things that were too big for her and never without sleeves. While she was hunching over the sink, Natasha spotted scars on her neck and down the inside of her shirt.
She had no idea where she got the will to ask but she went for it. "Were you abused before, Skye?" She could see the predictable stiffness and the attempt to hide her flinch.
"I don't know if that's the word I'd use but I guess it's close to it." The brunette dried herself before leaning on the sink beside her. The two shoulder to shoulder.
The hacker sighed and rubbed her neck. She turned and looked down at Natasha, mulling over her words and she didn't interrupt for the sake of startling her back.
"Where I come from, the weak are punished. They were basically treated as nothing. A bug. At a young age, we learned that we needed to be the best. The strongest. I learned the value of survive or be damned." Skye was thinking about it before she made up her mind about something and stared offering her right arm to her.
Natasha wasn't sure was she meant by it, but she held her arm and slowly pulled back the sleeves. She gasped to see long scars running along ivory skin. Some thick and sharp other small and copious. The spy hesitantly but gently touched it. All the bumps of it lies horrible memories for Skye, she sure of it.
Although, Skye didn't look affronted and only offered a sad smile before pulling back her arm to hide it. "Time and time again we have to improve by any means necessary. Half centuries of unending expectation and whatever I do was never enough for the people who raised me. If I didn't meet their expectation, I wouldn't be acknowledged. I'd be rejected. To prove to my mentor and to everyone I meet that I should not be thrown away... I had to survive. That's how I got it. I'm sure you wouldn't like the gory details but every cut and bruise, I used to display as my trophy. Now I just hide it because no one needs to know how fuck up my childhood is." Skye was being honest with her and Natasha kind of relaxed when she could not spot any inflection to her words.
No pretense.
"So not a normal childhood?"
"Not a normal childhood." She answered disparagingly.
"I was the same." Natasha wanted to pay in kind to Skye's story. It wouldn't have been easy for her to say something personal. And she found out that it was easier to confess to the brunette.
"I was kidnapped when I was young, taken from my parents, and trained to be an assassin. To be the best there is. Use any means necessary to pass any test and give results according to their wishes. That's how the KGB used me. I have lost the times I broke every bone in my body. Felt all the feelings on my hands disappear, only to be brought back again to work. I guess the difference is I had been groomed and brainwashed that I didn't know who I was till it was too late. So I think my tenacity was overly misplaced."
"I could imagine," Skye said and placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. "You're in a much better space now though."
She raised her eyebrows as if to say 'You've got to be kidding me,' and Skye blanched
"Not what I am saying. I meant you're not trapped in the mindless brainwashing thing and that's definitely a plus, right? Come on, agree with me here or I'll look like an ass."
Natasha chuckles. "I guess compared to before. Where I have no autonomy then yes. I guess I prefer where I am now."
"That's the spirit!"
"You're not put off that I lied to you?"
"I have secrets. You have yours. I also think it's in your job description to lie, not that it's justifiable but I understand why you had to."
"And you still trust me regardless?"
"I do. I'm a sucker for strict bitchy redheads." Natasha rolled her eyes before playfully bumping shoulders with Skye, smirking.
"Look at you. Getting over your flustered phase. Now I'm really going to miss making you stutter."
"For the record. You're awfully too forward for a first meeting."
"And you on the second." They both laughed.
"You know. If we make it out safely and you're done with whatever it is you need to do back in New Jersey. Do you want to a tour of the Stark Tower? Think of it as a thank you from both me and Steve."
She could see apprehension in Skye's eyes. "Is it okay to let a total stranger in Stark Tower? I hear it's pretty exclusive."
"It's fine. I can talk to Cap and we can smuggle you in there somehow."
"Now I can't help thinking that both of you are going to chuck me in a bag or something." She sounded worried.
"That's a good suggestion actually."
"Please don't."
"Okay. I'll think of something."
Natasha felt really light talking to Skye. She wasn't a shield agent who saw her as a rank officer nor an avenger who saw her as a colleague. She doesn't sound like she cares much for who Natasha was as opposed to who she is now. She knows Steve and Clint are the same, even Laura is like a sister to her.
Skye on the other hand, likely was a mystery that doesn't have to be taken seriously, just relish.
"Hopefully it's not something that'll get me into a lawsuit battle. I'll leave you to it."
Natasha frowned as she was leaving but not before turning to her one last time. "Also your jean has a slit. I can see your underwear. Nice lacy panties. Really niche." And she winks.
"What?!" Natasha turned to look in the mirror but the brunette had run away laughing and she knew why. Because there was no slit at all.
"Skye, get back here!"
"That was easy..." Sam muttered uneasily.
Sam walked out of the gate, hearing the beep of it closing. He gazed at the man waiting for him behind the tree lines listening in on the earpiece.
"Too easy." Steve quipped, joining him towards the car parked a few meters beside the mall. They spotted the car and peered inside.
Natasha and Skye were patiently waiting for them. Natasha listened as Skye listed objects she could see. The two guess they might have been playing I Spy for 30 minutes.
Skye was multi-tasking. She was drinking her 12 rounds of beer, typing on her laptop, and still trying to guess the object Natasha had chosen.
Steve was happy Natasha felt comfortable with Skye. She had her eyes closed, leaning on the headrest, body lax, and smiling while Skye monologued her way to every object around them.
If anything, Natasha was more comfortable with Skye than she had been with him.
They both got in the car, Sam putting the large box beside him in the backseat while Steve got into the driver's seat.
"Oh hey, guys. How was it?" Skye's ranting stopped upon their arrival and started asking. Natasha also wanted to know but didn't move much. She opened her eyes and calmly regarded them.
Now that he'd been reminded about the quick task of stealing a government weapon in a very rigid and guarded facility with nothing more but a meet and greet, his smile disappeared.
Steve frowned while looking at the brunette. "We didn't encounter any issues. Tell me Skye, how can you do all of this with just that?" Pointing at her small laptop. She looked affronted but then sported a grin realizing that in his own words, it was a compliment to her hacking skills.
"That's a secret."
"Girl, you are a witch with that thing. Easiest steal I've ever done." Sam praised, very impressed.
"You bet your asses, that was easy. Their system was like a toothpick. Put in an authorized command from General Talbot. A collection for Sam Wilson and they practically handed it to you." She laughed.
"You are scaring me," Steve murmured looking over at the passenger seat.
"I'll try not to."
"Makes me wonder, do you have any criminal history, Skye? Cuz If you do, I'd hardly question now why someone is trying to kill you." Natasha was giving her a raised eyebrow but was still smirking.
"I hack yes but I usually don't do it like this. I'm not very active in the illegal industry" And explained herself further. "Okay I do for criminal organization but I funnel, not leak."
"If somehow there's some international conspiracy about a hacker taking over the world. I'm gunning for you." The redhead added.
Skye awkwardly laughs. "Calm down, Natasha. I'm not even that good." She insisted because she didn't want Natasha really trying to kill her. It'd be a complicated fight if that were to happen.
After hours of returning to DC, the car was parked alongside others in a parking lot. Natasha grabbed her gun and other equipment and donned her gloves. Sam had attached his wings and hid them with a leather jacket, as for Steve he decided not to bring his shield as it might get unnecessary attention.
"So you two know the plan?"
"Yep. Get the guy, scare him for information then get him back in the car." Sam recounted their plan.
"Can I go?" Skye asked. She was looking at them with puppy dog eyes. Wanting to witness the scare tactic Natasha suggested earlier.
"No. Stay here where you're safe. Besides you're not done with the algorithm." Natasha's voice this time wasn't joking. She was firm and narrowed her eyes at her, knowing she tends not to listen to reason.
She pouted. "You know I'm not defenseless, right?"
Natasha glared hard. "Fine! I'll stay. Bring me back some kombucha, okay?"
"I mean it, Skye. Stay here." The door slammed shut, but the spy gave her one last warning look before they all disappeared.
"Damn. She's even more stricter than before and she likes me now. That's not fair at all." But Skye conceded. She really wasn't done opening the objective file on Zola's algorithm. She was chipping it layer by layer. She's gotten the project name though. Project Insight. But has still no idea how that would correlate to the programming.
...
Snores. *Bubble pops*
Skye jolts awake, realizing she fell asleep in the car while playing Sudoku. She yawns before stretching. "Shit. I really need some sleep."
She hasn't slept for two consecutive days now. Promising herself a week of sleep after this, even if it means IV-dripping sustenance.
Shaking her head to wake up, she wonders what to do since the kidnapping wasn't done. She practically chucked the sodoku paper in the backseat and dangled her hand outside the window. Occasionally she peered at the program running on her laptop and whined about it still not being done.
She groans, "And I'm still sober," she complains.
She grabs her beer bottle in the cupholder, puts it to her lips, and tips it over. "Huh?" She finds it empty, yet she barely feels tipsy.
Goddam, alien genetics. She rolled her eyes and looked outside the car for any store where she could buy some booze.
"Oh, there's one." She got out of the car, made sure her system was still running, and started walking to the store.
She entered the small joint and found all kinds of foods, snacks, and drinks. Although not many customers. Just another guy with a shearling jacket and really strappy jeans, giddily eyeing the snack shelves like a kid on Christmas.
She quickly beelined to the drinks sections, ignoring any other inconvenience. She pursed her lips to see the options available.
"I could try something else. Not like the taste will be better. Let's see which alcohol content is the highest. Lucky little Alamo!"
She selects her go-to poison.
She took only one because it was easier to hide from Steve and Natasha and also bought a plastic bottle that had a blue tint on the outside.
Going to the registrar, she put the two things on the counter and waited for the cashier to show up. She taps her hands, getting agitated that no one seems to man the front.
"Hello? Anyone here? You guys close?" She rang the bell plenty of times yet there was no staff. She was beginning to feel something was wrong.
The only other customer inside the shop also came to the counterarms full of junk foods and drinks.
She looks at him to see a very gorgeous man. Dirty and rugged but deeply attractive. He had a scar cut on his right eyebrow and sported a three-o'clock shade on his chin. Under his jacket was a low-dip shirt with Bea Arthur's face on it and she wanted to tell him that he had great taste. Yet, she was beaten to the curb as he addressed her first.
"Hey there, Skye! Long time no see. I was just admiring the fine selection of snacks in this joint. They have Doritos, Cheetos, and ohh! Fritos. Gotta have that. By the way, you might notice a distinct lack of cashiers. They're on strike for better wages... or maybe I tied them up in the back. You know, potato-potahto. Anyway, what brings you to this fine establishment of questionable legality?"
Skye had to slow down and understand each of the words coming out of his mouth. Frankly, a lot but she did get two things from him.
"You know my name." She did pose it as a question and more of a statement because it is. But given the guy hadn't pulled a gun to her head, she could maybe sweet talk him or vice versa. "Hi. Nice to meet you, Mr. Assassin number Tres. You're my last mercenary, aren't you? I know because the last two were not so subtle but you obviously take the cake. Although, I do like that you at least introduce yourself or at least talk to me first. So... here to take me in as well?"
The man chuckles. A genuine one. "Well, aren't you a keen observer?" He puts all his food on the counter and then leans on the counter to level eyes with her. "You know, subtlety is overrated. Some people just don't appreciate the art of surprise. And here I thought I was being all sneaky with my incognito look. But yes, Skye, the one and only Wade Wilson is here for you. Lucky you, right?" He said with a show of hands. "Now, let's make this as painless as possible. Any last requests? Snacks? A selfie? Perhaps a dramatic monologue about the complexities of life?"
Wade does a mock serious face, then breaks into a grin again. Skye has half a mind to think if he's as crazy as the other three. Maybe even more so.
But she wasn't worried.
"Well, I do want the not dying part if it's possible. I know the bounty was told to kidnap me and deliver me to Washington but that wild wild west woman named Outlaw kind of went for the dead aspect of dead-or-alive thing. Can we discuss that first before you go all mama-sita on my ass?"
His jaws moved but he was still very much amused with her and that's a good sign, right?
"Not dying? What a novel concept! I like the way you think, my sexy brown target. Kidnapping, on the other hand, is a bit old-fashioned, don't you think? I'm more of a 'let's chat over chimichangas' kind of guy. And Outlaw? Oh, she's just jealous of my impeccable fashion sense. We can definitely discuss the not-killing part. Maybe negotiate a bonus for me being all merciful and stuff. What's your pitch?"
Skye was relieved about that. At least she wouldn't be destroying another good small business due to assassination troubles.
So she went for it. "I was thinking... I pay you more than the bounty on my head... You don't kidnap me, you leave and you spend it all on whatever you want. The end. Don't tell me that doesn't sound nice at all?" she pursed her lips, took a KitKat from one of the booths, and slid it to him. "And I'll throw in a KitKat bar, what do you say?! ahh! pretty good offer right?"
Genevive once told her she was a terrible negotiator, but she argued she was just more creative.
Wade stroked his chin in exaggerated contemplation while Skye had to stand there in silence as she saw the gun strapped to his waist. "Hmm, you drive a hard bargain, Skye. More money, no kidnapping, a sweet KitKat bar, and a smooth exit. I like it. It's like a business transaction but with more potential for explosions. You've got yourself a deal! Just to seal the contract, throw in a high-five and promise not to badmouth my impeccable fashion choices to anyone. Deal?"
Wade gladly took the bar of chocolate, opened it, and took a bite. He hums really loving it and raises a hand for her to slap.
That actually worked? Skye was waiting for him to take his promise back and start shooting but all he did was give her a pointed look as if saying his hand was waiting for a high-five. "You do know what a high-five is, right? Like..." He reached for her hand to clap his. "do this. Like this. Okay? Now you do it."
"Huh. Are you really okay with that? Isn't your employer going to be mad? Like really okay with that? Not saying I'm not happy but I kind of expected more bargaining and more punching to get my way." She snickered as Wade was still forcing her hand to demonstrate the high-five thing, clearly enjoying himself.
"Ah, Skye, you underestimate the power of negotiation. Bargaining doesn't always have to involve punches, you know? Sometimes it's all about finding common ground. And as for my employer, let's just say they're a big fan of surprise endings. Keeps things spicy. Now, about that high-five..."
She shrugs and concedes with him. She high-fives Wade as he pumps his hand. "Ah, the sweet sound of a deal being sealed! Pleasure doing business with you, Skye. Here is my bank account." He gave her a small card with a small dick drawing on the side. "I'll be waiting in a fortnight. Now, let's get out of this aisle of questionable life choices and find a more scenic spot to part ways. And who knows, maybe we'll cross paths again in the future, preferably in a less dramatic setting."
Wade slides out of the counter and is heading for the door, Skye bites her lip before turning to look at his back. "Hey, Wade! You're a cool guy! thanks!"
"What's that? Did I hear someone say I'm a cool guy? Why, thank you, Skye! You're not so bad yourself. Just remember, if life ever gets too serious, add a dash of Wade for that extra flavor."
"If I do need your help. How do I contact you?"
He pauses mid-stride, hand on chin. "Ah, the classic 'How do I reach you when I'm in trouble?' question. You've got guts, Mathilda. I like that. Tell you what, just keep an eye on the skies for a giant floating chimichanga. If you spot that, it means I'm nearby and ready for action. Or, you know, you could try sending a message via carrier pigeon. They never get the credit they deserve. Catch you on the flip side."
She laughs but appreciates the mercenary's leniency when she remembers the alcohol she still needs to pay for, and there's no cashier. "Dammit, do I just leave the money then?"
The door opens and Wade comes back to hand Skye her wallet back and she catches it. "You don't have any money on you. Not even a card."
Skye laughs. "Sorry, I keep my money in a safe place." pointing to her breast pocket.
"I wanted to try but I got myself a girl already. Also cute kid. Name him after me!" Before disappearing again.
Skye snorts, "'I guess that's a tip."
Skye slammed the door of the car and a disappointed face greeted her. "Skye, where were you?"
"Geez, Captain. Just getting a drink" Skye shook the plastic bottle containing alcohol she had pitched in.
Skye's eyes darted to the crammed backseat. A bald guy with glasses was perched nervously beside Natasha.
From his attire to his demeanor, he embodied the elusive target they were looking for. Despite the distrust gleaming in his eyes, he met their gaze with defiance.
"Oh hey, Satwheel. See you decided to join us. Heads up. Natasha's a bit tense she tends to push." The spy narrows her eyes in a warning and that gets Skye to back off.
"Skye opened the lid, took a sip, and sighed deeply. "Now that's the shit! Oh hey, the code is done!"
"You are awfully behind, Skye." Steve started the car and began driving.
"Oh my god! It's an algorithm for mass genocide. By a fucking large spaceship!" Skye exclaimed and read through the command prompt.
"Yes. That's what we're going to tell you. Zola's algorithm is to eliminate any person in the world who will oppose Hydra. Me, you, a kid from Boston. Anyone." Steve explained while passing multiple cars at a speed that should have gone the average speed limit.
"But we have the algorithm. It's hard to go complete drone apocalypse if we have their algorithm."
"So sorry to burst your bubble, Skye but what we have is a copy."
"A copy?" She cursed. As the gravity of the situation sunk in, Skye took another swig from her drink.
"Don't worry. We have a plan." Steve's hand clenched the string wheel, eyes hard and taut. Skye could basically feel his emotions bursting out of him.
"And it's launching in 16 hours. We're cutting it a little bit close here." Natasha pipes up, which is a good point to make. "Do you think we can make it?"
"We'll have to." Captain encouraged. "For now, we can use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the Helicarriers directly. Skye, you know a way?"
Skye hums. "I might. Natasha, get me his wallet and make him tell us his passcodes. I can duplicate his access profile as a storage copy, that you three can use to get in Shield security lock. What's his clearance level?"
"Clearance six." Natasha quickly grabbed his wallet and threw it at Skye's head. "Hey! Gentle!"
By this time, their dynamic had passed provocation. Natasha didn't even bat an eye at Skye's glare, knowing there was nothing behind it, and continued to focus on Jasper. She cocks her pistol and aimed it at his head. His eyes widened and his breathing was short. "Your passcode please."
Her voice left no room for complaints.
Skye pressed a button and began recording. The redhead cock her head to the record and pressed the gun to his temple.
"Now!" she growls.
"Override. Sitwell, Jasper. Number 22301-RedCl6"
"Thank you." Skye took the recording and began to do her thing.
"This is a terrible, terrible idea!" It must have dawned on him that he had betrayed his organization, his mind running in all possible options. "HYDRA does not take well on leaks!"
"I would presume so," Natasha replied still aiming her gun at him.
Suddenly a thud sounded above the car. The wave sent directly onto Skye's skin. It was a person, heavy, and possibly armed. The thundering above picked up, ushering her senses from danger.
"Nat!" The brunette reached over Natasha's collar and pulled her back just in time for a metal arm to break through the glass, its fingers reaching over anything he could touch. Unfortunately for Jasper, he was in the line of reach and he was effortlessly, tossed out of the car to be thrown in the middle of a bustling highway.
They all heard Jasper scream before a disgusting crack knowing the truck had mostly squished him dead.
The whole car gestured into action, hearing a clock of a gun. The first bullet was shot but Natasha pulled Sam out of its direction and only hit cotton seats stuffing before going after Skye next.
"Hey!"
Her protest was ignored as the agent pushed the laptop off her. Natasha replaced the thing on her lap to hug her head away from the bullet's aim, Skye's face squished beneath her collarbone.
Steve was not spared as two bullets came down from the roof but he had already expected it and initially angled his body away from the lineup while keeping the car from pivoting to the sides.
All shots fired were premeditated. Done to kill.
"It's him." Natasha puffs out and shares a look at Steve.
"Him. Who's him?" Sam asked.
"The Winter Soldier. A very undisclosed assassin that has operated for more than 50 years under HYDRA. Now his target is us."
More movement as the person on their roof began pouncing. They needed to lose him. Steve pulled the emergency break, pushing the car to an abrupt stop.
The assassin went flying but survived it with an easy maneuver of his body. Like a cat on steroids, he quickly balanced himself upright. His metallic hand grazes the ground while sparks fly to steady himself further.
Skye watched the supposed assassin with trepidation. Skye observed the Winter Soldier, a mysterious figure of flesh and metal, captivating attention with the air of a warrior she had seen once before. His physique hinted at a life shaped by missions, etched into the lines and scars that adorned him.
The rugged, resilient contours of his form whispered tales of a life lived on the edge. His eyes were devoid of anything but conviction. A metallic appendage, cold and unyielding, coexisted alongside sinew and flesh, blurring the boundary between man and machine. He was almost a robot with a mission directive and nothing else. Skye felt conflicted about how to gauge the emotionless husk.
He straightens back up, body perfectly unharmed.
She felt Natasha stiffen on her lap, fury frisking out of her. Knowing she and Steve might have already met him once before and nothing from their encounter panned out, predicted that they all had some unfinished business with each other. The Avenger got her pistol out and was going to shoot at him when a third party arrived, guns blazing behind. With more firepower than the assassin in front of them, she might add.
The collision sent their body bolting at the surprised attack. Skye pressed Natasha close to her, preventing her body from striking the dashboard. Unfortunately, it wasn't over. The car behind them had seized control of the accelerator, coercing them to move forward against their volition.
"Captain, any day now?!" Skye exclaimed.
"Hold on!"
The cyborg killer jumped when they were in range and reattached himself back to the roof of the car as if it were a hermit crab.
"Keep me still." The redhead shouted to Skye who only nodded. Natasha started looking for her pistols, which she had dropped during the collision, while Skye kept her from falling on the legroom. More thudding sounds before the asshole punctured the windshield, and went straight for the steering wheel in one pull.
"Shit!"
Natasha finally got her gun and started firing the assassin off their roof.
But that didn't erase their next issue. Now they had no way to steer. Moving only by the force of the vehicle behind and leaving it to Lady Luck on where the car is going to end up.
Natasha pulls away from her to get back in the backseat, trying to shoot the HYDRA car behind them. Skye observed Steve thinking of a way to get out of this mess but she knew that any moment now, the car would swerve. Not when they were getting closer to the median barrier while they were sitting ducks.
"Steve, get your shield. I have a plan." Since there was no more purpose for a driver, he went in the back to grab his shield.
Skye took two hard breaths before setting on a plan. "Okay. Place your shield on the door, and grab hold of Sam and Natasha."
"And you?"
"Don't worry, Steve. Just do it," Her voice took on a different tone, a departure from her usual one. It mirrored the commanding tone she once used with her soldiers, back when she led a team of her own.
Steve's eyebrows shot up in surprise, caught off guard by the unexpected emotions swirling in the brunette's face. Nevertheless, he obediently grabbed hold of the two people. "Now what?" he inquired, curiosity mixed with a hint of bewilderment in his voice.
"Buckle up!"
"Wait!"
Skye smiled sadly. "We're aware you've got only two arms, Captain. I'll meet you guys on the other side." As the car collided with the barrier, her foresight played out. It sent the vehicle into a spin, eventually landing on its side. With precision, Skye seized the headrest at the opportune moment, propelling them clear with a well-timed kick. The door handle yielded just in time for a skid along the ground, Sam and Natasha secured in their places.
Now, Skye found herself alone in the spiraling car, utilizing her powers to mitigate the impending damage.
....
"Skye!"
The car careened in a relentless series of tumbles, each rotation more violent than the last. Twisted and mangled, it seemed beyond the bounds of belief. An agonizing silence enveloped them as they held their breath, the harrowing thought of Skye trapped within.
Natasha for the most part laid still, unable to move. Her mind struggling to grasp the grim reality that unfolded, felt a sudden jolt as if time itself had returned, then the chilling stillness echoing the rapid thud of her heart that Skye did not jump out.
No. She's... Skye's not...
She hated how she couldn't dwell on her thoughts for too long as, moments later, a military vehicle arrived, disgorging armed agents clad in full-body suits. Among them, two agents wielded a grenade launcher, passing it seamlessly to the Winter Soldier. With a swift motion, he aimed the weapon at Captain and her.
"We need to split!" Steve roared to Natasha before pushing her away from him. He took the force of the projectile and flew over the bridge.
Now, that left Sam and her. Natasha's heart raced, a frantic drumbeat of anxiety. Bullets poured down like a merciless storm. Trapped on the wrong side of the shattered car, the Hydra agents blocked any path to reach Skye.
She screamed in frustration as she could only watch as stray bullets ravaged the hacker's direction.
"I need to focus." She had to swallow the thumping of her head before heading to the other side and away from the car accident, her feet heavy and her chest hurting.
She caught a glimpse of the Winter Soldier aiming the grenade launcher directly at her, realizing that unless she escaped his line of sight, he would unleash a barrage of explosive rounds. Thinking on her feet, she improvised. Just as the small missile was unleashed, she leaped over the bridge, narrowly evading the ensuing explosion.
Vaulting over bridges wasn't a novelty for her; she'd conquered higher ones before. Natasha swiftly raised her arm, activating the grappling hook to gracefully descend, seamlessly blending into the chaos of the street below. Amidst the panic-stricken crowd, she aimed to slip away unnoticed.
"Come on, Natasha. Concentrate. Concentrate." she told herself over and over again. Even if her mind was still reeling over Skye, Steve needed her help.
She turned the other way, looking for a vantage point under the bridge to retaliate against the assassin. She saw her chance when she spotted a shadow overhead holding a rifle.
She shoots at him without hesitation, pouring her anger on the trigger.
Skye woke up to the distant wail of sirens. Shaking her head, she felt a wave of dizziness from the collision. Coughing, she waved her hand in front of her face to disperse the dust. Taking a moment to clear her head, she assessed the situation.
The hacker's body lay crushed between heavy metal and the dashboard, feet trapped under car parts that would have severed limbs if she were a normal human.
Despite some bruising on her shoulders and calf, Skye found herself relatively unharmed, albeit a bit nauseated from the tumble. Using her powers, she wriggled free from the vice grip of weight and dents, crawling out ever so slowly.
She did not appreciate the rollercoaster ride. Not at all. Once out of the car, she surveyed the wreckage surrounding her.
Cars were ablaze, bullet holes riddled pavements, barriers, and vehicles; broken glass scattered amidst billowing smoke. And the smell of something burning and dying.
She coughed from the amount of it and stepped away, still trying to get her bearings back. The sirens grew louder, drawing her attention. She sneaked a peek.
"Fuck me," she muttered to no one else in particular.
Multiple SHIELD agents arrived and were arresting Natasha, Steve, and Sam in the middle of a street. Their guns were ready to take a shot at them but their leader was adamant on killing the wanted trio, maybe because of the camera broadcasting live hovering above them.
Skye scanned the scene but didn't spot the Winter Soldier anywhere. Either he had left, or he was hiding in the chaos.
She slapped her forehead and cursed herself for being late to the gunfight.
"Shit. Now what do I do?"
Skye considered all her options for saving them, realizing all of it would require using her powers. "I guess doing this old style is the only way." she surmised. "I need a change of clothes."
One moment, they were fighting for their lives against the Winter Soldier and undercover Hydra rats; the next, Maria Hill had rescued them.
"We need to get Skye!" Natasha forced out through bated breath, the pain from the bullet in her shoulder making it difficult to concentrate.
In the van heading to a remote, safe facility.
Sam helped Natasha plug the wound, but she was still losing blood. Although that was admittedly the last thing on her mind.
"We have hundreds of eyes on us, Nat. If we go back now we're going to compromise our location and the fact that we just got you out of that mess, we'd be putting ourselves into danger." Maria reprimanded from where she was driving, peeking at the rearview mirror in distress over her condition.
"She saved us! She didn't need to buy she did! We need to go after her." Natasha looked at Steve, who still looked pretty shaken. Not only from seeing Skye eviscerating herself but also meeting his best friend, who should have died years ago, now a brainwashed assassin.
"Natasha, I didn't want to tell you this but when I tried getting my wings back in the car. I tried checking on her. She was crushed in between the seats and some metal panels. I wasn't even sure if she was breathing. I tried calling for her name but there was no movement. I don't think her ribs could handle that much force." Sam remarked keenly over her panting. Her hands clenched as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She froze for a moment, looking away and wishing she hadn't heard Sam's cruel recollection.
"I'm so sorry," Sam whispered, holding back his own torn voice.
"This is my fault. I shouldn't have offered the ride. I should've said no when she offered help. She was a hacker! Not a soldier! I-" Steve was equally broken as he couldn't finish his words.
Natasha continued to block everything and began to think. "It's not your fault." She said after a beat of silence.
"She— she's..." The spy felt her hands cold and leaned back on the seat.
"She's losing a lot of blood. Hand in there, Natasha. I'm not losing you too."
The chances are, she missed the remaining words because she couldn't shake off memories of the talkative brunette... the same one who managed to give her a headache in just one day... while also the same person who made her feel like she was normal and worthy of being rectified.
It wasn't anyone's fault, but the pain persisted whenever the mental image of her trapped under piles of metal and boards would swarm her mind.
They reached the hideout after some time. She was carried in and heard Maria shouting for someone to get her blood. She didn't register anything after she was told that she needed to see someone first.
The curtains were drawn to show Director Nick Fury alive. Strapped with tubes but alive.
He saw them and his eyes blinked. "About damn time."
Natasha listened as Nick listed all his injuries while a doctor closed up her wound. But she was more interested in how he survived.
"They cut you open. Your heart stopped."
"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him but we found a use for it."
"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?"
"Any attempt on the Director's life had to look successful. Can't kill you if you're already dead." Fury closed his eyes. "Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."
Natasha looked away, conflicted and a bit disheartened that he would question her loyalty. After years of working under him, he still had his agenda and interests. She was the same but she'd thought he'd risk it. Although she remembered what Skye said. She needed to stand on her own. Know who she was for her own benefit and as much as she respected Fury.
Skye was right. She can't keep following SHIELD as it stands now.
"I'll lay down for now." She said as she dismissed herself from the group.
...
"You okay?" Natasha didn't flinch when Maria came to look for her.
She was in one of the rooms in the facility. It looked like a gym yet it hadn't been used in a while. Natasha looked up, seeing as she was lying on the mat, dazed and adrift with her thoughts. So painfully loud.
"No."
"Huh. Didn't think you'd actually admit that yourself?"
"What did you expect I would have said?"
Maria walked around her, arms crossed but in a languid way. "Well, for one, I thought you'd be in this brooding mode you usually do when things go south. Then if I asked how you're doing you'd deflect, either tell me to mind my business or shrug it off with a 'yeah, why wouldn't it be?' way. Then ignore me or anyone for the next few days. It's became a specialty of yours. The many times I have to warn anyone in advance that you'll run off because something was bothering you is one too many."
That's one mystery solved. She's always wonder why Bruce, Clint or Steve would suddenly start looking for her whenever she starts wanting to sneak away from the Tower.
Natasha took deep breaths and placed her arm over her eyes to clear out any distractions. She ignored Maria for five minutes. Five minutes just recalling the brunette's wayward look again.
She sounds like a jerk. Skye wasn't far off her rant. What hurts more was that, she really wanted the hacker to say it to her face that she was being mean again. If not so she can retaliate back.
At least then, she'd know she was alive.
"She told me I was annoying," Natasha said over the beat of her chest. She took her arm off and peered over Maria who was being patient with her. "She hinted that I was old and continued to rub it on my face" This time she cracked a small smile. "She can't help intruding into serious topics with her own wild offhand comments."
"She apparently watched tons of movies and referenced them at inconvenient times." Her voice slowly lowers. "But then, she's also genuinely sincere. It was so easy to connect with her. Making it feel like I matter. And she..." She stopped, remembering the photo of a cute baby.
"She said it wasn't my fault... She didn't know the details, of course, about Budapest but she figured I was guilty of something. She said it wasn't my fault and I believe her." She sighed back into being depressed again.
"Know that I was very suspicious of her at first. It didn't help that she liked to talk back to me because I was being too stern with her so I thought I'd be a bit more... nicer? no— I think honest would better fit."
Maria taps her foot before responding to her. "Yeah, I heard it from Steve. The girl was a hacker. Helped you get out of the bunker and hack the drive. But I believed you've only met her for a day at least."
"You ever heard of the experiment that tries to see if a couple of strangers fall in love in an hour?"
"What? Are you telling me you're in love with her?"
Natasha sits up and shakes her head. "No. But she's easily a likeable person which is funny since she has a mouth that spews nonsense if she likes it. Not even amusing nonsense. Just straight-up nonsense. She also have no self restraint for her own safety. So I don't know why..." She didn't know why she was so sad whenever she thought about her. dead— in the middle of the street. Alone and forgotten. "She didn't deserve to die like that."
"No one should."
But they still need to finish the mission. She'll have time to wallow in her confusing thoughts some other time.
"Don't worry. I won't compromise the mission. I just needed time to think about things." She said as encouragingly as possible.
"I understand. Talk to me if you want someone to listen."
She doesn't reply and Maria leaves afterward.
Getting enough time to sort out her priorities, Natasha steadily sat up but felt something in her pockets. Natasha wasn't sure what it was and took it out. "huh?"
In her hand was a blue flash drive. "Why do I have this?" She didn't have any other flash drive on her. Just the other one that had Zola's algorithm, but this was a small model and light in color.
"Skye." She didn't know any other person who could have given this to her. "But why?"
Knowing Skye, that blockhead must have given it to her for a reason.
She also found it in her left back pocket. Which should have annoyed her now that she remembered the little hacker had coped a feel. Which she also hopes was because of this and no other reason.
Natasha hurriedly looked for a laptop and find out what the brunette had in mind.
Notes:So I have a poll that you guys can vote for. It's mostly so I know how many of you guys prefer longer or shorter chapters. I'll have it set up for five days and see.
Thanks. Just seeing which guys you prefer.
Here's the link: https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/sYSOsx5X