Chapter 10: Rule 22: When in Doubt, Know Your Way Out Part 2Summary:Skye encounters a surprising variable. Gets her nickname stamp and says parting goodbyes.
Notes:(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter TextBarging into the room where everyone had already gathered in front of Director Fury, Natasha declared, "We have to stop the launch."
"Took you long enough, Natasha. Save you a seat," Fury quipped, waving his hand, offering her a chance to take it.
"We're already planning it," Steve responded with determination.
"But I don't think the Council is accepting my calls anymore." He presented a small black briefcase, revealing its contents to everyone.
Carefully placing three identical chips, Fury surveyed the room, then turned his gaze towards Maria, signaling her to continue.
"Once the Helicarriers reach 3000 feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites, becoming fully weaponized."
"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own," Fury added.
Maria continued, emphasizing, "One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work because if even one of those ships remains operational, a whole lot of people are gonna die."
"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We have to get past them and insert these server blades. And maybe... Just maybe, we can salvage what's left—"
"We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers. Nick, we're taking down SHIELD." Steve's voice echoed in the room, cutting off Fury.
"SHIELD had nothing to do with it."
Steve leaned on the table and locked eyes with Fury. "You gave me this mission. This is how it ends. SHIELD's been compromised, you said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose, and nobody noticed."
Natasha hated being reminded about it. Having Steve say it out loud kind of made her harden her resolve.
Director Fury gestured with his only free hand, waving around them. "Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed."
"And how many paid the price before you did?" Granted, it wasn't all Fury's fault, but it also didn't solve the fact that he should have found out about it.
"Look, I didn't know about Barnes."
"This isn't about just Barnes." Natasha stands up unable to take the stress of this conversation. "What about the fallen agents who had to pay the price for our arrogance? Or the people who got involved just because we weren't careful? What about..." Skye. Her throat tightened, but she pressed on.
She looked Nick in the eye, for the first time not as her superior but as a friend. "Director. I respect you and what SHIELD has done but we need a reset. We can't do that if we don't take down the Helicarriers— for good."
"They're right." Maria's gaze remained fixed on Fury and then shifted to include everyone in the room.
Fury's face was exhausted but he was carefully yielding to the majority vote. When no one tried to step down, sighed heavily. "Fine. So how do we do this?"
"First, we need all the help we can get. That includes this," She hammered the drive in the middle of a table.
They all stare at it, a mix of confused and uncertain looks, as they stare at her for an explanation. Fury was the first one to ask, "And what exactly is on it?"
"A nasty virus."
"I know the road hasn't exactly been smooth, and some of you would have gladly kicked me out of the car along the way. Finally, we're here, and the world should be grateful," Pierce shared a toast with the other council members. They were all here to witness the launch of Project Insight, in full view with front-row seats—a seat to see the world become a better place.
In the center stood the current Director, Alexander Pierce, while four council members watched in anticipation.
Councilman Chao Yen. Councilman Jakuna Sing. Councilman Douglas Rockwell. Councilwoman Pamela Hawley. All sought-after delegates from varying countries to oversee SHIELD. Now a momentous milestone as they themselves will be part of a new dawn of protecting mankind.
Alexander Pierce had just toasted in their honor when suddenly, Captain America's voice took control of the comms halting the celebration that was too prematurely performed.
Pierce's demeanor soured as prolific American hero slash wanted criminal had infiltrated SHIELD in half a day.
"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. 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. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building." Steve's speech continued on but Pierce had already started typing on his phone to call for backup, knowing that Captain America's revelation would riot doubt within not just the SHIELD agents but for the council member as well. In the background, hidden behind rapid and brusque behavior, he fails to see Councilwoman Hawley taking extra steps to monitor him from the sidelines.
When the announcement was done, Councilman Rockwell glowered at Alexander. The bureaucrat man slinging for a punch. "You smug son of a bitch."
But he was interrupted by the arrival of agents, barging into the room. Two were lower-level agents in dark armor suits and one was an officer. Their attire and vest carry the SHIELD insignia and put ease on the council member. Councilman Singh tilted his head towards Alexander Pierce, who was not intimidated by them, and carried out orders swiftly.
"Arrest him."
The arresting officer reached for his gun as each council member smirked only to panic when it was aimed at their chest, the other three moving to pose threats.
All three wore baffled expressions at the display of treason.
Pierced chuckled humorlessly at the old bastards. "I guess I've got the floor.."
His demeanor changed—back relaxed, chin raised and eyes condescending. As if he wasn't regarding them like he always does. Now he was a ball of superior standing all the council members seethed at the expression. Unfortunately, they couldn't shout their indignation when guns were shoved into their faces.
"I never wanted this happy occasion to turn out like this. Truly" He paced himself over the table took a glass of champagne and filled up his glass to the brim, swirling it while watching them in contemplation. "I pictured it a bit more... reserve. You wouldn't have known all of this until the very first shot at the Whitehouse."
"Stop this, Pierce. You are playing with fire," Councilman Rockwell took one step but was pushed back by the HYDRA agent before leveling the gun to his chest.
Meanwhile, Pierced could not care about them, taking delight in the partition of the lake opening as Project Insight was underway. "Let me ask you a question. What if Pakistan marched into Mumbai tomorrow, and you knew that they were gonna drag your daughters into a soccer stadium for execution? Would the president do anything? Will the political leaders, make the call?"
Pierce had the council members draw closer to each other while the three HYDRA agents circled them. He hands Singh another glass of champagne, a smile drawing up and mocking pressed it to his hands. Forcing him to accept it. Councilman Singh did not share Pierce's jolly expression. "Would they risk world peace? Absolutely not. They wouldn't. Because of Freedom. The American dream— or I guess, the world dream." He sighed. "We are killing ourselves. We need an upright and firm hand. That is what HYDRA would be."
"Not if it was your switch." he spat before tossing the glass aside and glaring at the HYDRA leader.
One of the agents hands Pierce his gun and the slimy old man points it at Singh, enjoying every minute the weapon was in his grip.
Like a distinguished and loyal lord, Singh took a steady breath ready for the bullet. A valiant man through and through. He puffs out his chest, looking the Director in the eyes. But the shot never came.
Not when suddenly Hawley kicks Singh away before he can pull the trigger, she seizes the hand that held the gun, delivering a punch to Pierce's face in quick succession.
During this she throws an electric shock chip on one of the HYDRa agent's necks, taking him down. Using her momentum, she swiftly guided the loaded gun from Pierce's hand and flung it toward another HYDRA officer's face. All the while she executed a ground sweep, dispatching the last standing agent to the ground.
As one foe recovered and lunged at her, she deftly avoided the gunshot, breaking his skull against the table by slamming it hard and stealing his weapon when he was distracted.
Now, Hawley stood alone with Alexander, gun leveled at his face. The blonde woman smirks with a dramatic flourish, before removing her mask to reveal Natasha Romanoff all along.
"I'm sorry. Did I step on your moment?" She jeered.
Pierce glared and only raised his hands in the air. Natasha didn't really care whether he was pissed off or not but his face left her stomach blanching. One of the source of her problems was standing in front of the Black Widow and if it hadn't been for their plan, she really wanted to arrest him now.
"Stay there," she growled. She gave her gun to Councilman Rockwell. "Please keep an eye on him."
"It would be my pleasure," he quipped.
She reached over to the computer in the command room and began overriding the system for all of the information in SHIELD, opening all files and mission history.
When all the council members had enough time to regain their composure, one of them had been curious about what Natasha was accessing.
Councilman Yen, raised his brow his suit crinkling as he walked to the screen to better see what she was accessing. "What are you doing?" He asked urgently upon realizing she was rummaging through classified files left and right.
"She's disabling security protocols and dumping all the secrets onto the Internet." Natasha rolled her eyes at Pierce. Of course, he'd phrase it like that. Still trying to sound like the generous director that he's pretending to be.
"Including HYDRA's,"
"And SHIELD's. If you do this, none of your past is gonna remain hidden." He spoke in a tone that was both demeaning and invasive. "Are you sure you're ready for the world to see you as you really are?"
Her hands paused as the thought passed her mind several times since she decided to join Captain in taking down SHIELD. Natasha stared at Pierce, then at Chao Yen, Rockwell, and Singh. They all knew her past. It was written in her file so of course they would. The Black Widow before she was reformed. Before SHIELD... before becoming an Avenger.
She couldn't confess to Maria nor to Steve, how much her past scared her. What the people who knew her would think. What the world would think? What that would mean for her.
But feeling the warm embrace of a certain hacker, her understanding purple eyes, and the odd thought that even if the world would think she was irredeemable. If at least she has one person who wouldn't think so— not quite the same as the others— then the fear would wash away.
Natasha smiled before steeling her expression.
"I am but are you?" She extracted a drive from her pockets before inserting it into the system.
After everything was set. A prompt appeared on the screen.
RESTRICTED ACCESS.
"Disabling the encryption is an executive order, it takes two Alpha Level members."
Although those words didn't deter the Widow, if anything she was amused by him. "Don't worry, the company's coming."
She looked over the window as all the members turned. Just then, a helicopter appears outside, lands, and Fury steps out to enter the building, his glare apparent even with his distance, much to Pierce's surprise. Although, he masked it quickly, with a snide of his own.
"Did you get my flowers?" He mocks when Fury is in hearing range.
The ex-director looks at him coldly. "I'm glad you're here, Nick."
"Really? Cause I thought you had me killed."
"You know how the game works."
"So why make me head of SHIELD?"
"Cause you were the best and the most ruthless person I ever met." And he probably meant every word of it.
Natasha's pockets vibrated with a subtle buzz. While maintaining a watchful eye on Pierce, she extracted her phone. Noticing an incoming call from an unidentified number, she declined it, only to find it immediately redialing. With time running short, she swiftly powered off the device.
"Natasha," Fury called for her, she raised her gun again so Peirce would comply with the retina scans. Both directors move to the scanner and a moment after the computer answers their verdict. "Alpha Level confirmed. Encryption code accepted. Safeguards removed."
Natasha went back to the computer and leaked all the information on the web. Pressing one last key before it all went flying in the unknown. "Done... And it's trending."
Surprise washed over Natasha as every council member suddenly screamed in pain and collapsed in a heap of fumes. Natasha and Fury swiftly aimed their guns at him, but Pierce's face exuded an unsettling confidence.
In his hand was his phone set to a program to detonate a small incendiary. "Unless you want two inch hole in your sternum, I'd put that gun down."
She grits her teeth and refuses to back down, knowing she has one of the pins on her chest. "That was armed the moment you pinned it on and I would take joy seeing it blow up your lungs if you don't do as I say."
Fury was very concerned she could see it on his face. He was the first to put his gun down before urging her to do the same. It was anger and pride that made her defiant but she knew better than anyone that a person like Pierce tends to do through any of his threats. Against her wishes, she had to bite down her rage before gradually lowering her firearm. But before she had the chance, Pierce's phone rang.
"Who the fuck is calling!?"
Natasha could discern that the caller was anonymous. Peirce warns them not to do anything stupid but he quickly declines it. After ending the call, it persistently rang again. This scenario repeated twice more, with the unyielding caller refusing to stop.
On the fourth time, Pierce aggravatingly accepted it. "I am in the middle of something!"
"Wait! Wait! I'm calling from CarShield Checkerd Price. I'm here for Madam Pierce's car extended warranty." the voice echoed from the speakers, audible to all.
"Is this a prank call? My mother's been dead for 3 years!"
"Oh really. I apologize. I'm not really with Carshield. I was trying to reach someone in your building but apparently, she's too cool to answer a friend's call." The person on the other line was a woman, she had a carefree tone and was not at all intimidated by Pierce's shouting. "So since you've answered my call I'd just like to leave a message for her."
"What the fuck is it? I'm busy!"
"Okay. okay. Just tell her... to aim for the head." the call ended and both Fury and Pierce were left confused about what it meant.
Natasha found herself mostly rooted to the spot, struggling to fully grasp the message until it finally sunk in.
She lifts her gun once more, and Alexander cautions her. "Think about it, Agent Romanoff. Do you want to die that badly?"
A smirk graces Natasha's face. "Not until I kill you first."
As he pressed the kill switch button, Fury let out a scream, but to everyone's surprise, there was no detonation. Instead, the unexpected outcome was the start of 'Hairy Ass by Mick Dalla Vee' playing on his phone.
"What the?" A shot was fired and Pierce's head had a bullet in it.
He collapsed lifeless onto the ground.
"What the fuck just happened?" Fury is not prepared for that at all.
Natasha only laughed, unable to restrain herself from sobbing. "She's alive. That stupid prick is alive."
Inside Insight Helicarriers Num 3
After ending the call, Skye heaves a deep sigh. She managed to hack Pierce's phone at the last second after finding the camera feed that was showcasing all the happenings inside the command room at the Triskelion.
Natasha needed her help so she had to be creative knowing she didn't have much leeway.
But now that was taken care of. She closes her laptop, throws her phone, and destroys it to mush, erasing anything leading back to her.
Skye activated her expanding helmet to cover her face before opening the handle of the door.
Skye sniffs and walks out heading for the wings of the helicarriers planning to drag this puppy back down to earth.
After getting separated from the three, Skye used any means necessary to find out if they were safe. She infiltrated SHIELD using Jasper's passcode only to discover that something happened during the extraction and there was no sign of them in the cell or any jail compound in SHIELD.
That's good news but it does not mean that everything was well.
She does not know where they are and what they're planning to do but she does know that they still want to prevent Project Insight from being operational. She just needs to lie low until she fully knows how to go about it.
When Captain's voice sounded in the intercom she chuckled that the plan was pretty simple. Stop it from launching.
So she did so with the first Helicarriers.
Much earlier in the day, she destroyed most of Insight Num 1's engines on the left wing and some control panels. She was hundred percent sure it wouldn't fly. Unfortunately, she couldn't do the same thing on the second and third helicarriers as they had started launching it ahead of schedule.
Must be because of Captain's entrance.
She manages to sneak inside Insight Num 3 but has to delay the sabotage when Natasha's location pings on her phone. Skye was worried about the Russian spy so she tried calling. Annoyingly, said woman wouldn't pick up so she searched for any feed she could tap in the helicarrier. When she was successful she was mortified to see an ugly old dude threatening Natasha with blasting her chest open. Something she vehemently would not let happen. The amount of speed, Skye had to do to hack into the phone was mind-blowing tedious, and quick that even she was surprised after she'd done it.
Now she resumes with the destroying part.
She strolled toward the engine room, only to discover agents armed with guns. Skye was intent on avoiding a full-blown massacre, opting instead for the path of incapacitation. The brunette did so with ease.
She slams agents left and right to the walls. Breaking weapons and throwing them over her shoulders. Cracking ribs and fracture bones.
Most of them had started evacuating after Insight number 2 had been deactivated and descending down meaning she didn't even have to fight a lot of people to get across from room to room.
Insight Num 2 was the lucky draw of the three. Courtesy of the USB drive that she left Natasha— which one of them must have used. She programmed it to corrupt one of Hellicarrier's mainframe flight control patterns and when it gets no more than a few hundred meters would shut off its blades immediately. A killswitch or some sort. Unfortunately for her coding. It would only work for one Insight Helicarrier as she hadn't known there'd be three of them. She wasn't given the memo that there'd be three aircraft of mass destruction. Thus, Its kill switch would only follow one single mainframe and at best just delay the last one.
Having brought down two aircraft, she now focuses on the remaining one. She better hope she can disable it before it starts firing.
Skye jogs along the corridor, scratching her head as she forgets where the left-wing engine room is. "Dammit. I should have taken the pamphlets."
She enters a room that has been recently abandoned by staff. Upon stepping in, she observes a disarray of items scattered around—files, chairs, and numerous bullet magazines. The walls bear signs of a recent altercation, with visible dents and scratches. However, the discovery of blood spatter in certain areas alerts her to a dangerous presence.
She cautiously entered, eyes turning from side to side. She heard a groan on the far side of the room, behind the center table. Skye turned the corner to see a woman who was clutching her stomach, a big gapping hole in it and was trying to prevent blood from flowing out. Skye quickly came beside her, trying to see if she could maybe close it.
The woman's mouth had blood dripping on the side of her face. Muttering the word 'blue' over and over again.
"Shhh. I need you to calm down for me. I'll try closing it, okay?" In a deliberate manner, Skye spoke while scanning for any cloth she could find. "I need you to conserve your energy."
"Blue... blu— monster." the woman continued to say like a mantra.
Skye ignored it and found a rag lying on the floor. She took it and began putting pressure on the wound. "Come on, Lady. You can do it."
"Blue... monst... behind," In a hushed tone, the woman spoke, accompanied by a subtle clicking noise from behind her.
This forced her to use vibrations to locate the source and sure enough, someone was behind her. Jolting back up, Skye grabbed a chair and threw it.
The metal chair clattered before a hand grabbed it mid-air and flinged it on the wall, destroying it easily.
Skye's breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes deceiving her.
"Karjom. How..."
The name slipped out of her lips. The owner of it, took two long strides so she could see him better. Tall, he towered over Skye by more than 18 inches of height, wearing normal clothes that highlighted his favorite color— which was red. Yet he looks like a sore thumb over all the grey around them. His hair was longer and braided like a Viking, and his signature stoic face that she'd complained about time and time was nearly identical to the ones she was used to before, save for a slight scar on his lip.
It was him.
"Hello again," He said with only a hint of emotion. "Commander has been looking for you for a long time."
"Commander? And who's it now? Chimson-Wen? Sturr-Treg? Or is it that asshole Fy-Et?" Skye's eyes bore a lifeless scowl directed at him. With her arms raised, poised to end him on the spot, but Karjom remained unfazed.
"It's Commander Neva,"
It had been quite a while since she last heard her name, making her question the truth of his statement. Despite the distraction, she couldn't afford to reveal it. Concealing her surprise, she lifted her chin and issued a threat. "That's great, Good for her. Other than the fact that it should have been impossible for you to be here. What do you want?"
The whole room shakes her nerves on overdrive. "Any wrong answer and you'd be paste."
Karjom only looks away before walking to the door. "I am here only to see if you were really alive. I had believed we were chasing a goose chase with a ghost and yet, you are standing in front of me. Better than ever. Lucky for you though, we're not here to take you in... just yet."
"As if I'll let you out of here alive," she growls the ship continued to tremble under her shockwaves.
"I know. That's why I have this." He raised his hands to show her a small device, no bigger than a thumb. "We'll be watching you."
Skye, understanding the consequences of letting him activate it, was ready to eliminate him. However, the woman beside her unexpectedly screamed and tried to tackle her. This distraction provided him with the opportunity to press the button, unleashing three electric waves that struck her chest forcefully, propelling her back with such force that she left denting the walls. Her body smoked, and her skin tingled from the impact.
Skye panted, deactivating her mask so she could breathe properly but she found that she couldn't take in anything. Fuck, he deactivated my podes.
The ship intensified its shaking, and as she teetered on the brink of losing consciousness and her ability for control. She needed to restart it. Leaning against the walls, she identified the section with the most wiring and began shaking it, mindful to conserve what little breath remained. Once the task was complete, she identified the embedded installation, seized one of the wires, cut it from its casing, and swiftly affixed it to her chest. Bracing herself, she screamed as electricity surged through her.
She fell to the ground soon after, fatigue-stricken and sore. She waited for half a second before she started coughing as her podes could take in breathable air again.
She lay on the ground as she had not expected that shit trip to happen so abruptly. As she looked at the woman, her eyes bore a profound blackness, crying dark puss, likely a side-effect of forced control from an ability user.
"I'm sorry," Skye sadly mutters. She checked for any pulse and unfortunately, she died from blood loss and the perforation of her gut.
She felt bad she couldn't save her but she wasn't sure she could have anyway.
Glancing up at the ceiling, Skye sensed the ship shaking once more, but this time it wasn't because of her. The realization hit her that someone else was likely single-handedly bringing down the ship. For a moment though, she didn't think about Project Insight but at the Kree individual that she thought she would never see again. An impossibility, just like her.
Meaning she wasn't the only one who stepped over the verse.
"They're here." Her chest rises with each thought.
"Neva is here."
~oOo~
"Bucky, don't make me do this!" Steve's voice echoed through the turmoil as every sinew strained to hold his friend in an arm lock, his fingers grappling with the chip blades in a desperate attempt to prevent breaking it.
"Drop it!"
Despite Steve's efforts, Bucky persisted, leaving him with no choice but to dislocate his shoulder. A gut-wrenching crack echoed, and Bucky's scream of pain mirrored the anguish in Steve's heart. Yet, Bucky remained resolute about obliterating the chip. Steve adjusted his hold, taking Bucky to the ground and encircling his arms around his neck.
Steve constricted Bucky's airway, silently counting to ten, his own body feeling the weight of the act. Reluctantly, he released his grip, a mix of relief and sorrow in his eyes.
Retrieving the chip, Steve ascended to the control panels. "One minute," Maria's voice resonated in his earpiece.
Clinging to a metal pole, Steve felt a searing pain in his leg as Bucky, now awake, shot him.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Steve pressed on, each climb bringing him closer to the server blades. Another bullet grazed his arm, momentarily distracting him, but he persevered, reaching the rails and hauling himself onto the platform. "Cap, only 30 seconds."
Limping toward the server blades, Steve prepared to insert the chip when a sudden impact pierced his gut, rendering him immobile. He crumpled to the ground, hands clutching his stomach in agony.
In the pilot room
"We've reached three thousand feet. Sat link coming online now." Two men were on the bridge, one manning the controls and another looking to meet the leader's commands.
"Deploy algorithm."
"Algorithm deployed."
"We are go-to targets." On the screen, the algorithm started pinpointing targets. Washington, the White House, the Pentagon, Stark Tower, and over 700, 000 addresses and locations, all being monitored by Insight firing weapons.
"Target saturation reached. All targets assigned." The weapon's tech confirmed.
"Fire when ready."
"Firing in, three, two, one." The weapon's tech went for activation but instead of a barrage of explosions the screen monitor went static and the speakers suddenly cracked open.
[Ayy it's my birthday and I ain't gonna pick up the phone.
Ayy it's my birthday, ya'll should just leave me alone.
It's my birthday, it's my birthday.
I ain't picking up the phone on my birthday, hey]
The music played on and on getting louder and louder as the column increased.
"What the hell is going on?!"
"I'm so sorry, sir! I can't access anything. There's a virus ranging on the programming!"
"Yo, Captain! You need a hand?"
Steve gazes upward, finding a woman with tousled short hair, clad in a black coat and sporting an unconventional helmet concealing her face. Striding confidently onto the platform, she eventually kneels to inspect his wounds.
"Okay. It's deep but.." she puts a tentative hand on his stomach. "... it's good that it didn't hit any vital organs. Put this on and keep it still." He hadn't noticed she had brought out pieces of bandages. "Found it on my way here."
She put on a stopper and started bandaging his wounds. "Who are you?"
"A good guy... or good girl—woman?— Anyway! I'm here to help." She rambled on before stopping herself mid-way and tightening the bandages into place before patting him on the knees. "Don't worry about the countdown. We got an extension."
She helped him up and he went to put the server blade into the panels but she cleared her throat sounding fiddly. "That won't work, Cap. I want to take a guess but it's a locking system?"
"I'm not sure I follow."
"Is it so the helicarriers are going to shoot each other, right?"
"Uh, yeah. I think so."
"Yeah, but as you can see. There's only one operational. The other two never made it into altitude." As she began to lift him by his shoulders, she offered an explanation.
"How do you know that? Why are you even here?"
"Let's just say, a friend asked for help. She was very adamant about it. Said you were stopping some evil aircraft and HYDRA agents. I wasn't going to get dragged in but she said it was important."
"A friend?"
"Yeah, you recently met her, remember?"
"Skye. How is she?!" He grabbed her arm after hearing who sent her, chest heaving from a different kind of suspense.
"Alive." The relief washing over him knowing Skye was safe and breathing kind of took the pain away for some brief moments. That's some good news.
"Now we don't have much time. Stand there while I take the ship down."
"You can do that?" Steve did not know this woman. Her voice kept on changing from time to time, hiding what she really sounded like under her helmet.
"I can. Just give me 10 minutes, and this will all be reduced to scrap metal," came her reassuring tone, accompanied by an unseen but sensed smile. With raised hands, the ship tilted, followed by a resounding explosion, then another. The entire Helicarrier was collapsing right before his eyes.
"Arhh!" Steve snapped from the mysterious woman's otherworldly feats of display and peered over the rails. Bucky was crushed under pillars of metal, likely from the ship being destroyed, and is unable to get out. "Bucky!"
The pain in his abdomen was still stinging, but knowing his best friend was going to die a second time if he didn't help felt even more devastating.
"Captain!"
He fell down and managed to get himself upright, limping his way to Bucky.
Once he got to him, Barne's face was still cautious but Steve was more interested in lifting the heavy thing off and saving him.
"Captain, what are you doing?!" The woman leaped from the platform and joined him below the low-lying metals and rubbles. "I am not leaving him."
"He tried to kill you,"
"He's my best friend!" Steve roared as the pillar slowly gave way, creating a small gap for Bucky to crawl out. Steve set it down, his stomach hurting even more from the exertion.
He gasped and looked at a tired Bucky Barnes, a bit grateful his unexpected helper hadn't interrupted.
"You know me." Steve started still trying to reach out to him.
"No, I don't!" Captain took a punch to the face, simultaneously signaling the woman with a raised hand, advising her not to get involved. She seemed to heed the warning, stepping back and resuming her task of dismantling the carrier instead.
"Bucky... you know me your whole life." His friend was hesitating but there was still the darkness stepping in as Bucky punched him again and he backed away. "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes..."
"SHUT UP!" He hissed and let his metal arm throw a jab that he guarded with his shield, both pulling back from the collision. Steve wasn't getting through. Bucky was so lost in his brainwashing that he didn't seem to have any recollection.
In his frustration, he takes his helmet and really stares him in the eyes. "I'm not gonna fight you."
To show his complete trust, he lets go of his shield falling into a hole towards the lake. "You're my friend."
Bucky hesitated, contemplating his next move. Steve discerned a glimmer of clarity before Bucky tackled him to the ground, reopening the wound. Gripping his collar, Bucky raised his arm. "You're my mission."
Then the onslaught began. One. Two. Three... Steve lost count by the fifth, the only words he could hear being 'he was his mission.' At that moment, he didn't care if Bucky completed it.
"Then finish it." He said in a weak wisp.
Bucky finally ceased. Though Steve was content to see him again, even under unfavorable circumstances, he felt a sense of joy to see him in his last moments. "Because I'm with you to the end of the line."
Steve shut his eyes, anticipating Bucky's decisive move, only to sense the sensation of falling. Opening his eyes, he discovered that the edge they were clinging to had collapsed, leaving the ship unrecognizable. In the distant periphery, he spotted a woman skydiving toward him.
"Got you, Captain," she whispered with care, one arm supporting him while the other gestured below. Their descent decelerated until he plunged into the water, reminiscent of the gentle dives his mother used to do when he was a child. The experience felt so surreal that he couldn't shake the feeling that he might be dreaming.
The next time he opened his eyes, he saw the woman dragging a half-livid Bucky ashore as well. She placed him beside Steve and he couldn't help but look at Bucky's face, happy he was alive.
"Wowee. You guys need to lose some pounds. You're heavier than you look." She said while she squeezed out water from her sock, sitting on a big rock, her helmet still in place.
It wasn't long though, Bucky awoke and promptly positioned himself as a guard for both of them, his gaze fixating on him more.
The woman made a move, but he intervened. "Please. Don't. Release him."
"I wasn't going to." the woman moved but only to squeeze the water from her other socks. "He's not my mess, anyway."
Bucky stood there, observing Steve on the ground, utterly drained. After ten minutes of quiet observation, while the woman dried her hair, he departed, disappearing into the forest.
Steve was sure to meet him again and until then, we would make a promise to himself to get Bucky home.
"Swell guy. Heavy on the eyeliner but he's got that devil may cry thing going for him."
"He's not bad. He was brainwashed." He explained closing his eyes to relax.
"Is that so? Then I'm sorry to hear that..." she said genuinely. He heard footsteps before his body was being hauled and he was on someone's back.
The woman though smaller and shorter than him, easily fitted Captain on her back as if he were a sack of potatoes. Though because her arms were still soaked, she needed a firmer grip lest he fall but he knew she meant we'll. "Oopsie Daisy. Be careful back there, I have a slippery grip."
He gazed down and saw they were moving. Very slow. One step at a time. Weirdly, for a person he'd just met, there was no alarm ringing in his head.
"You don't have to do this. They're going to find me."
"Sure. But I don't think it's wise to leave you out in the open drenched while you're also injured. It might not be winter yet but hypothermia can still kill, you know."
"I don't think this much cold can kill me. If you've heard I was on the Ice for years." He attempted a joke that was flat for delivery but the girl still found it a bit funny. "Of course. How could I forget that? You're the OG popsicle man."
She did not stop though, carrying him with as much care as he would to another person.
"What's your name?"
"My name..." Her voice buzzed under her helmet, a slow chuckle thereafter. "I don't give out my name."
"Are you Predator by any chance?" Steve questioned after remembering Tony and Natasha's insistent retelling of the girl who blasted an alien giant worm out of existence. Pretty much the same for a large ship like Insight. But it was mostly her helmet that made him put two and two together.
"Why do people call me that?"
"So it is you."
"No that's not my— you know what? Sure. Call me whatever you guys want. Not that I can give anything better."
"Thank you... for helping me and not killing Bucky." If it had been anyone else, maybe they wouldn't have made the same decision, she did. Not only to save Bucky but also to give him time to joggle any memory from him. Although, he wouldn't have thought the woman would let him die anyway.
He had an inkling feeling the cause for the explosion at the last moment was her own intention.
"Hey. I can't kill Captain America's best friend. That'd be like killing George Washington's best man, which is Alexander Hamilton. Man's a treasure." she said with a light-hearted laugh and he smiled along with her.
"Although, if you're planning on tracking him, he may not remember you. If there's a way to brainwash someone then there's a way to refresh it and do it over and over again. Deprogramming him might work but that needs professionals" The woman made it into a clearing, soft grass, and a small area with trees with supports. She softly put him down and started making fire a few inches from him.
"That won't stop me. I'm going to bring him back if it's the last thing I'll do." He swore to himself and to Bucky. He wasn't going to give up on him.
The woman made no comment, only putting pieces of wood as the fire started warming him up.
"Then get some rest first. I'll keep an eye on you til they get here."
Steve observed Predator with a far-off look.
"Why don't you stay? We'll need all the help we can get."
"Not my thing. I have... some problems I need to settle as well." She sat down on the grassy ground and stretched. "But if somehow you need my help. Although it's not a guarantee, leave a letter at 41310 Elsmere Rd, Elsmere Nebraska. Give it to an old wacky dude living in a barn— depending on if I'm busy. I'll get the message."
"41310 Elsmer Rd.... Noted."
"Now, sleep. You need it."
"Thank you."
Steve closed his eyes, his breathing evening out.
Several days After
Skye quietly hums to herself sitting on the farthest part of the bar, her hand twirling over a glass while she listens to the news report about the incident that happened with SHIELD. All their information leaked, repercussions about state classified business also in plain view of the masses also took some heat, and government officials going after several agents that worked for HYDRA were also being investigated.
She crunches up her nose at the mess left behind and wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those reporters.
What happened with SHIELD was unfortunate. To know such an organization hell-bent on protecting people, getting dissected from within and now burning as if presented after a witch trial was a bit disappointing.
However, she couldn't deny that she got something out if it. With information from SHIELDS getting leaked, it was easier to find the information she was looking for. Ironically, the desired effect was also dissatisfying. She was no closer to finding Mary as she was figuring out how Neva got to this verse.
But that can wait.
The brunette scrolled on her phone, reading an article about Steve getting intensive care in a hospital after getting praise for his heroism.
She was happy that Captain was healing well. She left him in the forest just half an hour before Natasha and Sam arrived. At the time, Skye wouldn't risk being interrogated so she hid at a distance, observing them.
For however long she'd met the Avengers, she'd found them to be easy company. Really dedicated and a bit unfortunate for all the things that they've been through. If fate permits it she'd meet them again. Hopefully in better circumstances.
She didn't need to say goodbye to them. Natasha and Steve knew she was alive and that was enough. She wouldn't be able to explain how she survived the crash anyway so it's best to avoid the confrontation.
Minimizing her contact with them would also lessen Neva and her group messing with the Avengers. She has no idea what those shits are after and if she can take them down before they do then that would be her best action. Them ever meeting again should be a last priority thing so her secret stays secret.
She'd done some digging, however. Natasha was now working full-time under Tony and by default is going to work with Captain. Both individuals she trusts to stand good by her. Sam will be taken under Steve until he gets better and considering the reputation Captain has been received, he'd be back doing his own missions with his own team, under his own direct command. A fitting set for someone like him.
Skye guessed it all worked out in the end.
And she back in some bar by her lonesome. A fitting conclusion, indeed.
"Louie another glass, please!"
"Sure. Coming right up!" Skye plops her head on her hand, mind running up a game plan on what she should do next. The seat next to her had been vacant for most of the night. Not since she destroyed the last man's hand when he got too handsy with her bum.
In spite of all the complaints she'd been making about secrecy and such, she really wanted someone to talk to. "Is this seat taken?"
Skye raised her head to say a court 'no' when the words got stuck in her throat. A slow but teasing smile on a familiar ex-shield spy greeted her like a train track under the ocean. A marvelous surprise.
Her mouth opened and closed, mind unable to process it as she saw the woman in a low-cut black dress that fitted and complimented her curves. It was a bit unfair that she couldn't voice out her thoughts because the woman in front of her was none other than Natasha Romanoff.
"Not really. No," she said straining her eyes away from Natasha and turning to her empty glass instead, hoping she didn't offend her.
The redhead elegantly sat on the bar stool, keeping her hands on the counter, and ordered as well.
The bartender spared the hacker a smirk, eyeing the woman beside her and mouthing a 'go get her' encouragement to which she rolled her eyes to.
"Here you go, Skye," Louie said with a chirp, still egging her.
"Thanks, Louie." Skye ignored the big guy and took it with small sips.
"So, how'd you find me?" She took the plunge to ask first since Natasha had been silent since she sat.
"Oh.. well. I took some liberty to borrow some of Tony's resources to hunt you down. I have to be honest you're quite a hard person to find. Given your capabilities to hide your social footprints, and you're also a nomad. But I remembered when you were taking out your wallet you had a membership car to this place. I wasn't sure you'd really come so I had this place staked out for when you did. I was even more surprised it worked. By the way, is that a hobby of yours?" She eyes the expensive drink in her hand.
Skye chuckles. "It keeps me calm. Keeps me from overthinking. Also lets me sleep more comfortably."
"Is that so." Her voice was so far away. There was another beat of silence between them. And she was just waiting for the inevitable questions but she didn't. Instead, she was concerned for another reason.
"So... you left. You didn't even properly say goodbye to us."
Skye taps the edge of her glass, contemplating what to say that wouldn't result in the spy slapping her face. "It was best if I had done that... for mine and your sake. You must have figured out that, I'm not exactly some run-of-the-mill hacker."
"Oh, I figured that out. Skye Abeline." Natasha slowly turned her body to her, finger brushing over the scar on her wrist. Both of them ignore the blatant touch. "Running off without saying anything seems to be a forte of yours" she commented lightly.
Skye exhaled before chuckling. "Sometimes I forget that you're a spy."
"Yeah. A lot you don't take into consideration." Natasha downed her shot in one single gulp before paying, her other hand had not left Skye's skin before fully grabbing her in a firm grip. "Walk with me?"
Skye felt her throat dry before finishing her set and paying as well.
She didn't mind letting Natasha pull her out of there. It's been hours anyway.
As the two of them walked side by side, Skye noticed how taller she was compared to the redhead, although not a lot but enough to strain her neck a bit. She made sure their hands weren't dangling in an uncomfortable way and walked in sync with Natasha.
It was night and very cold, she saw her shiver. Skye had enough decency to offer her jacket since she was already wearing a cotton long-sleeve shirt. They continued to walk steadily hand in hand until they reached a small park.
She stopped and Skye waited for what she wanted. "Where are you going to go next?"
Skye hates how she couldn't tell Natasha. So far, she tried not to lie to her because she enjoyed the camaraderie they shared but there was no way she could be straight with her. "You know... here. there. Nowhere."
"Does nowhere mean outside and far away from New York?"
"Maybe."
Suddenly the hand gripping hers intertwined their fingers and it felt really really warm. Surprising Skye and a bit startled of what to make of it. "Be safe, Skye. I meant it. You might seem put together but I figured out that no one is that composed. There's always something underneath that calm bravado and you're no exception." Natasha's blue irises show sadness that she didn't think the spy could make. And because of her, no less.
"Can I hug you?" It was twice now that the redhead had acted really uncharacteristically. But Skye wasn't going to say no to that. She slowly got closer to her and wrapped her arms around her shoulder, Natasha returning it with a soft plop on her chest.
A thought made her laugh.
"What's so funny?" Natasha spoke but did not pull away.
"I don't understand you at all. You first flirt with me, then you acted like you had a stick on your ass, then you mellowed out, got stricter again and now you're initiating hugs. I don't know which one of you should I take seriously." Skye leans in to hug her more.
"Well. It's your fault though, You're so fucking infuriating." She chuckled, her breath visible from the cold.
Her skin warmed more into the embrace. Totally touch-depraved for so long, that she'd forgotten what it felt like. Bella used to hug her occasionally when she could but it was always filled with rants and it took only a second before she felt uncomfortable.
The last time she'd enjoyed someone's presence this much was... Genevive.
As if a bucket was thrown over her head, she felt her whole body turn cold. Skye stiffens before slowly pulling away from Natasha. Even stepping back as her ring finger itches out of nowhere, guilt flowing in her chest.
She couldn't meet her eyes as she faced away from her. "So you came here to say goodbye to me?"
"Yeah." She could hear the disappointment in them. "Based on what I've gathered. You never stay for long. I was lucky you didn't yet." Natasha clutches the jacket on her shoulder.
"I had to visit a friend, remember? But yeah. You're right, I am leaving and might not return for a while."
She nodded. "If you visit New York. How about you give me a ring? We can go for some coffee or something."
Skye knew she couldn't promise that. Now that she knew Neva was after her.
"I'll think about it." The sad look Natasha gave her wounded Skye as well but she took it with grace.
"Wait. Can I have your number? I don't know... Maybe I- or I might visit. Not sure but it doesn't hurt to have it."
"You're a hacker Skye. If you want to reach me you'll do it regardless if I do give it or not."
That made her guilt even more apparent knowing that whether she does or not would show if she wanted to.
She nodded to show she understood.
"Goodbye, Skye."
"Bye, Nat."
She saw the spy leave, her jacket still on her shoulders. While that was her favorite, she didn't have the heart to take it back since... the leather jacket suited her just fine.
Notes:So I won't be updating for next week because I'll be out of town but I'll be back after that.