Chapter 59 - ch 7, ch 8

Chapter 7: Of Bread crumbs and CoincidenceSummary:Skye finds a lead while also trying to get the mercenaries off her back.

But there's something as coincidence and she doesn't know what to do about it.

Notes:This time takes place in Captain America the Winter Soldier.

Chapter TextSkye skidded back and arched her back to avoid the corndog. She saw it pierced the wall as if it were a nail hammered in wood.

This revelation left none to be desired. She has trouble in her vicinity.

She hunched down on the floor motionless trying to hear traces of sounds outside her room. Skye broke the lights to better hide herself. But quickly realized it was useless. She swiftly rolled to the side, dodging playing cards that invited itself in after just a minute of respite. Hitting the ground in a sequence and even shattering glass when it hit a mirror.

Her breath stagnated, waiting for another round of objects to hurl her way but it stopped. The hairs on her arms stood up on alert, hearing the pitter-patter of someone coming in the busted door. 

The clothes she had on had holes and cuts in them, barely avoiding the ones heading for her vital parts. Had she forgone using her vibrations to tamper with its aim, she'd be sure to feel them in the morning. 

"Wow. What a charming little hideout you've got here," a man strolled in, utterly unfazed by Skye's defensive stance.

Unfortunately, even with her attempt to break the light bulbs, she failed to destroy the lamp in the corner. 

It shone not too bright but they could see each other. Both hovering on different targets. Skye quickly assessed who she was dealing with. 

Odd. She quickly surmised. 

His whole body was covered in a black suit that hid most of his skin and head. White striped along his neck and with a white belt that contrasted his overall dark-themed. He also wore white gloves with metal wristbands and a bullseye tag on his forehead. 

But it was his wide mocking grin that spoke the loudest for Skye. Big white teeth, crescent eyes, and red tint on the cheeks. A lunatic if she's ever seen one.

The get-up made her question her eye's credibility. 

"Who are you?" She warned, her attention never leaving his fingers where he had more than cards. A ray of knives, clips, and pens. Things you'd never expected someone to use to kill you. 

With the exception of the knives though.

"No need for introductions. You'll be dead by morning." She didn't expect his voice to be slightly high-pitched. 

"Technically, it is morning," Skye retorted, refusing to be intimidated by a walking bullseye.

Skye's eyes steeled. "I am warning you. Attack me again and I will not hold myself back!" 

He chuckled. "That's good. Because I won't hold back either." 

The motel room was a dimly lit battleground, the air heavy with the scent of lavender from her air freshener and stale dust. Skye and Bullseye locked eyes, a silent acknowledgment that only one would leave this room unscathed.

The man, a grim determination etched on his face, reached into his belt and withdrew several switchblades. With a menacing flick, he sent the blades slicing through the air toward Skye. She didn't flinch. Instead, she channeled the vibrations around her, causing the blade to vibrate violently in mid-air before disintegrating into a cloud of metallic particles.

She smirked at his stunned expression but she quickly took it back when his emotion turned creepy flustered. "Oh, I like that very much!"

Unfazed, Bullseye grinned and hurled a barrage of broken glass shards next taken from the shattered mirror. Skye stepped back to recover but responded by turning the glass into razor-sharp projectiles of her own, sending them back at Bullseye with deadly accuracy. The room became a chaotic dance of shimmering shards and paper clips, the combatants weaving through the deadly storm.

"Hahahaha! Killing someone so normal won't be as interesting! Come on, show me what you've got!" 

Skye, fueled by a determination born of stubbornness, focused on a different aspect of her power. If she continued fighting him through back-and-forth shooting then it'd be useless. His eyes were as fast as his hands, she had observed.

He was even able to accurately hit the ones she's throwing at him in equally footing and that takes so much precision that she needs a change of perspective.

If I can't outdo him. I just need to destroy the playing field. 

The very foundation of the motel quivered under her control as she intensified the vibrations in the walls. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the flickering lights threatened to shatter.

Bullseye, momentarily disoriented, stumbled as the room seemed to rebel against him. "Wha?"

Seizing the opportunity, Skye manipulated the vibrations to create tendrils of energy that snaked across the floor, entwining around Bullseye's legs and restricting his movements.

Bullseye fought against the invisible bonds, his movements becoming sluggish. In response, Skye intensified the vibrations, causing the very floor beneath him to crack and crumble. He grunted, desperately trying to maintain his footing.

He attempted to hit Skye but because of the shaking all it did was put his whole body down.

With a guttural roar, Bullseye flung a chair at Skye, who responded by creating a shockwave that shattered the chair into splinters. The room quaked as the battle reached its crescendo. Skye, fueled by the gritty determination to finish this nonsense, focused her powers on the very essence of the motel room. She could hear the noises of a car alarm outside. 

The walls screamed in protest as they vibrated violently. Bullseye, struggling against the unseen force, found himself overpowered. In a final, desperate attempt, Skye unleashed a surge of energy that sent Bullseye crashing into the disintegrating walls.

The dust settled, revealing a subdued, defeated Bullseye amidst the wreckage. Fully unconscious. "Here I thought you liked me being feisty." She commented with a snort.

Skye walked over to the slumped man, hunched over his body, and grabbed his wrists. A wave of her vibrations ran through his skin and muscles. So aggressively she blew his wrist ligaments in both hands. 

*crack*

He didn't register this at first before he screamed in anguish. "Ahhh!"

This startled him awake and his first response was to headbutt Skye, who jumped back and savored the red swimming behind natural blue irises, snickering at his unbalanced anger.

Her guest must have finally found his consciousness back and grasped what had happened to him. He kneeled on the floor his body remembering the exhaustion of the previous attacks. Yet all he could care about was his hands. His hands that wouldn't lift upright no matter how he wiggled.

"What did you do to me?!" He roared as he tried moving it again to no avail. A flopping mess of limbs.

Finally! Skye was waiting for this man to realize that he wasn't the one in a hunt. She was the one stepping on an ant. After destroying her evening, she'd surely pay the same in kind. 

Her eyes held disgust as she looked outside the window and used her powers to destroy the car alarm as the noises were slowly irritating her ears. After that, Skye spared the man a glance. "Don't worry. You're still alive. It's just the nerves. I don't think you'll be able to use them like you did before. It's too much of a danger to keep." she responded noncommittedly.

Skye approached him at a steady pace, legs taking each stride assuming he'd still retaliate. She knew he was enraged by what she'd done. It wouldn't be a surprise if he continued to engage in a fruitless fight... and he did.

He lunged himself at Skye, his feet raising to aim at her rib. Yet, even that was predictable.

Skye immobilized him by putting a small burst of quake in which time his feet came just a smidge inches on her body. What met him was a small barrier that was combustible and swiftly broke his talus. He wailed and stumbled back.

Skye chuckled. Breaking bones, usually with normal humans, was so easy to do that she had to prompt herself not to overdo it. So she restrained herself since she needed information on why they were even here, to begin with.

She watches him on his ass, hands flopping and ankle pointing where it shouldn't while he screamed. The brunette kneeled this time, making sure he really couldn't fight back before grabbing his throat and slamming him down on the ground without mercy.

She hovered over him. 

"Now tell me, why you're trying to kill me?" She puts all her weight on his stomach to keep him there. 

She expected his face to contort as it would usually do with her victims. Eyes glazed with fear or even sputtering obscene insults her way. What she didn't expect was Bullseye's turning red, his tongue swiping his lip in a flirtatious grin.

"Mind taking me to dinner first before we get freaky?" he quipped. His humor is not lost even when he flinches every now and then below her.

She has to hand it to him. He's got integrity. But that doesn't mean, she's going to let him have his fun with her.

"Not if I get to the foreplay first" She placed one hand on his biceps and blew the muscle strands on his arms. Skye restrained his body as he twitched and groaned, seeing blood poking out.

"You're a hitman, aren't you?" She continued to interrogate him, parting his mask away to reveal a roguish-looking man who was not half bad at all. If he could stop grinning so crazily.

"What gave it away? The knives or the corndogs?" he cackled, spit hitting her face. He hissed as the hand on his neck tightened, the buzzing under Skye's fingertips should have been his last warning if he had brain cells left to comprehend.

"Don't make me do your other arm. Answer my question, who sent you?" Skye pressed.

They were both lying there on the ground, none was giving anything until the man, gave a slight nod, his complexion turning pale. "I'm so sorry to say this, hot cheeks but I don't know who hired me. It's not like it's a private contract anyway. What you have is a bounty on your head. 5 million to bring you alive in three days in Washington." Skye's eyes widen. 

So there's more people coming after.

"Before you have your panties on a bunch. It's not a private contract that's true but it's not given to just any mercenary. There's at least... I think two more who are willing to take this bounty. Ain't that good news,"

"Do you know why they put a target on me?" She eased up on her grip.

"As if I care to ask. I don't suppose you're the one who fucked some dusty old crone and blackmailing him for child support, right?" Skye couldn't stop her vibrations from fulfilling her promise as her irritation won over her restraint. His arm broke in three sections, his body jolting from pain.

"It's a valid guess!" He bellowed at the brunette, who didn't care.

"An unnecessary one. How did you track me?" She was sure she'd erase her face everywhere she went. Any video camera would have been nonexistent unless someone took a picture through their phone without uploading it. 

"It's very easy. Your ugly van is an eyesore" His wide grin was etched with blood, his drool coloring the motel's carpet. 

The brunette could feel that he wasn't going to tell her anything anymore. She's done here.

Skye has had enough of his mouth and concentrated before blowing up his vocal cords. His eyes flashed pain and started vomiting blood.

The brunette's eyes didn't change, she hardly cared if she paralyzed this man in four different ways. She went to get wires and tied him up for good measure.

Skye sighed at the chaos they left in the room. "Man, the hush money I'll be given is going to be expensive" she groaned.

She needed somewhere else to stay.

Skye gazed down at Bullseye exhaustedly. "I really want to throw your body somewhere the light down shine but... I'm still very gracious. Stay there while I clean up your mess. Then we'll scram."

It took half a day before Skye could clean up the mess of her first hitman issue. After paying for the damages and also bribing them for hush money against police interrogations, she sneakily took the man who tried to kill her to the hospital. With his injury, he wouldn't be able to use both his mouth and his hands and expose her for some time. Maybe after two days there, she can get him discharged and put him somewhere he can never make trouble. 

But that would be for later. 

Currently, she was standing on the side of the road waiting for a car that she could hitch a ride to. Apparently, the ambulance goes one-way, and that's only to the hospital, and by the EMT's definition We are not a taxi'. There's an exclamation there somewhere.

It was a good thing most of her things fitted a small backpack she bought the other day. She asked Veronica if she could visit, and stay for a bit and she agreed. It was just that she said she lived in Tom's River. A few miles from where she was. With no van and no taxi in sight, she has to risk it all for human hospitality.

It was evening now and she was still hiking on the side of the road, thinking that at this point she may arrive there on foot.

Skye walked occasionally to get some distance but she had her arms raised and thumbs up for any kind passerby. "This must be an intro to those crime documentaries." she mused. "Alone and single woman hiking on the side of the road looking for a ride." She muses.

There were three trucks and two cars that passed her so far so she didn't have high hopes for the blue 2023 Chevy Silverado either. Yet, she still had her arms raised as a manner of trying. Skye was lost in her thoughts, whistling away to pass the time while taking in the beauty of nature.

When the screeching tire stopped just a few meters from her. She didn't expect it. 

"Hey, need a ride?" 

Skye stops walking to take a second take. She turned her head to see green fox-like eyes, short red hair, and a stunning fixed smile that was both approachable and distant to anyone who saw it. 

Pretty. That was her first thought.

She took another minute to judge if she was actually a normie or a mercenary out for her head. But she looks legit. Especially when she smirked at her. It looks genuinely teasing and flirty that Skye had to force herself to concentrate.

She thinks she's safe... and the woman doesn't seem like the serial killer type. 

But she does seem familiar.

Skye was so lost in thought she didn't realize she'd been looking for a very long time. The woman's lips quirked up and she couldn't stop herself from blushing.

"Can I hitch a ride?" she asked embarrassingly. Avoiding her eyes.

"Where you off to?" Skye noticed there were two of them actually. After snapping her attention from the redhead, she noticed the man on the wheels and greeted him with a small polite nod. 

"To Tom's river but anywhere near there is fine with me." 

"We could drop you off in the closest town and get you a cab. If that works for you?" The man asked.

He was a dashingly good-looking blonde man and had a disciplined vibe to him that she couldn't point out. 

"No problem." she grinned. "If you guys need gas money I can also split with you guys."

"There's no need. Hop in," He said kindly. 

Skye got into the backseat of the truck and rested her bag beside her so she could lean better on the seats.

Thank god she can rest her feet.

.....

"Where are you guys off to?" Skye asked after what felt like thirty minutes of silence.

Neither of the two talked and Skye wasn't about to keep it that way when their expression changed from lax to serious to downright disconcerting in a flash and she wasn't even sure if it was because of her.

"Off on a honeymoon trip?" She guessed lightly.

Both of her hospitable saviors were none too easy to start conversing with. Both were highly attractive yet looking so preoccupied that she could feel some tension in the air. Not the good kind nor the sexy kind. She chalks it up to maybe a couple's quarreling but there wasn't any malice nor irritation reserved for toxic couples. Just complete awkward tension. 

It didn't help that they were peering at each other's eyes, a silent conversation there.

Skye let's it because since she was the odd one out. 

"Business more than pleasure... and we're not together." The woman responded courtly. "What about you?" Her green eyes dawned on Skye and she whirled her eyes at something else. 

Skye contemplated her words. "Visiting an old friend, I guess." Skye rubs her cheeks wondering if Veronica is a friend. She's more like an acquaintance than anything. "My van got some beating back at the bridge and I'm waiting for it to get fixed but I didn't know the bus rarely passes through here so I was in a pickle on how I could get there," Skye explained. 

Skye could still feel the redhead staring and she tried her hardest to ignore it. 

"That's a bummer." The man commented. "Punctured tire? Battery died?"

"Umm... I think the mechanic said something about an Alien Inator?" She tried recalling.

She heard him snort and Skye felt happy these two weren't robots at all.

"I'm sorry. I think he said the alienator of your van," He smiled good-naturally. Skye didn't take offense and nodded. "Yeah, that one. He said he could fix it but might be for a week."

"You know about fixing cars?" The other woman asked, finally turning away from looking at her. She lets a small sigh. 

"A bit," he said his eyes flashing something sad. "My friend and I used to help old man Jenkins with his motor. I learned a bit. Fixed a couple— but I'm not an expert per se. I just know the basics," 

"You should learn from Tony. He knows a lot about mechanics," The redhead spoke. 

Skye's eyes widen at the use of the name. Tony? Not the Tony she knows, right? She shakes her head about her absurdity.

There are billions of people on Earth. Mr. Stark does not have ownership of his name. She should really start thinking realistically.

"I don't think he'd like teaching me. I have an impression he'd just get annoyed if I didn't understand the first few sentences coming out of his mouth. Besides he's busy. You know about the..." There was a slight silence followed but someone clearing their throat. 

"I know." 

Skye kept quiet as they actually forgot she was there.

She didn't mind though. She'd rather listen to people talking about mundane things than hear silence while sober. It's worse in her opinion. It makes her think.

"Anyway, what's your name?" Skye was pulled out of her musing when they remembered she was there. She was so still and silent, that Skye was blending in the background before she sneezed when they hit a bump, bringing back their attention to her.

"Skye." She said a bit guilty she cut off their flow.

"Name's Steve." 

"Natalie Rushman" The redhead spoke and smirked at the mirror again, making Skye shyly look back at Steve, who was sparing the other woman a disappointed look.

Why does she keep looking at me?!

"Nice to meet you, guys." she bit her lip as the two nodded and went quiet again.

She knew this would happen.

"You know you don't have to worry about me. I'm very recluse, I don't have that many people I know and I hardly gossip about other people's lives. You guys can continue to talk to each other. I'll just stay here and muse about my lack of organized planning or maybe sleep" Skye insisted.

"It's not that, Skye. Believe me. We're not talking not because of you. It's because Natalie is just not that talkative," Skye was confused. Just a few seconds ago you were talking about funerals and Group Sessions about army veterans. She's even sure she could feel something in the air. 

Bit of light teasing. If she could say that.

"Excuse me. I think what Steve meant is that he's bad with the latest trend to carry a conversation with someone younger." Natalie teased. "He so bad at it. He once had a girl leave a date after he can't answer if her dress was dope or nah."

Steve wasn't laughing with her. "Low blow. And for the record I thought dope was a slang for drugs. I mean it used to mean drugs but I guess it's not now."

"How does that even go with a dress?"

"I didn't know! That's why I was confused."

But Skye did giggle with her. "So you're single?"

"I'm afraid so. Too busy with work and maybe it just feels off sometimes, you know, with all the fast-paced things happening." Steve answered, his demeanor still calm and collected. 

Skye slowly moved towards him to give him a pat on the back before sitting back down. "I knew a person once who patted my shoulders whenever I told him I failed to ask someone out as well. I think he did it to antagonize my meager attempt to pick up people but I think he does it out of habit, or maybe to say it's okay. I will say, Steve, the one will come the least you expected it."

Steve appreciated it but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "... or I've already missed them."

She doesn't comment. 

"What about you, Natalie? Anyone significant?"

She was more flexible with her answer. She twisted her body, her finger playing with the zipper while giving Skye a kittenish look. "Hmmm... It could be you if you want," she said huskily. 

Skye had to hold her breath before looking back at Steve. "You like baseball? I like baseball. Only I don't know any baseball teams. You could give me one and that'll be my favorite" she rambles to prevent herself from proceeding with the redhead's blatant teasing.

She could hear Natalie laugh in the background and she had to stop her cheeks from turning red. Dammit, Skye. Get a grip! She's messing with you.

"Don't worry, Skye. She's messing with you." Steve parroted with a chuckle, poking fun at her flustered cheeks.

She rolled her eyes trying to tell him, she knew that. 

"Nat, stop that. You're going to scare her." 

"I'm sorry. You're fun to tease. Makes me remember of a certain someone," Natalie said pointedly. "I can't help it. But regarding any significant other, I don't have one. My work is my partner. There's no one else like it."

"I hear ya. Not that I have a steady job but if it's a passion you really love doing, they say you'll never work a day in your life." 

Natasha hums. "I don't know if I can say if it's a passion but it is something."

"Oh? What do you do?" 

"I modeled before but I'm a secretary now"

"Great, anyone I know?" 

"Tony Stark." 

Huh? Tony Stark? Skye was unable to say anything for a few minutes, looking at Natasha a bit more familiarly.

"Don't tell me you're a crazy fan of his? Or better yet— an anti-fan?" The redhead adjusted to look better at Skye. 

She had her mouth open before she recollected herself. "No... not like that. I just.." she waved her hands. "I didn't know I was sitting next to Tony Starks's secretary." She recovered quickly. "Must be nice!" she cleared her throat to better speak. 

"He's snarky, egotistical genius. That's too much to reel in at most times, making it a horrible combination for the press and media." Skye could only chuckle awkwardly.

What a coincidence. The brunette leaned more in her seat to keep herself comfortable. Hoping Mr. Start didn't say anything about a dead woman's name in passing. Not that they would connect it to her but that's the better alternative.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were his secretary. I'm not good at knowing influential people— it's just in general. I'm bad at knowing most things."

"Me too. It's just hard to navigate with all this new technology. Confuses me so much," Steve quipped.

"I'm pretty behind in the sense there's too much news in the world for me to keep up. Hard to keep track of everything. One fad arrives another one replaces it," Skye murmured.

"I know, right?" Steve agreed. "Get this. They have this Vine thingie that shows short clips of videos. 6 seconds before it loops again and I can't understand the concept."

"A what?" Skye asked lost as well. Not knowing that was a thing.

For a hacker, she was so not in trend with the latest fuss these days. It's harder to do when she's more shitfaced than actually on social media Although she does know Facebook, she barely uses it. Twitter is a box of angry people and would only add to the fire and Reddit is a slew of fairy tales and drama that she does, sometimes, enjoy.

Natalie looks bewildered as she looks her up and down, Skye still uncertain under her gaze. 

"How old are you?" 

"Um...," Skye said. "Old enough— I promise."

"Nice. So I'm dealing with two trend illiterates."

"Hey!" the two said in unison.

"I'll have you know. I may not be as up to date but I am a hacker!"

Skye cupped her mouth the moment it left her lips. Both Steve and Natalie raised their eyebrows at her, showing disbelieving glances. Which did alleviate her worries but still annoyed her that now they don't even believe it.

"Oh, Kay~ we got ourselves a hacker," Natalie said teasingly. "Should I hide my social security number? Or maybe you want my cookies?"

Skye rolled her eyes at her. "Ha.ha. First of all, you should— not that hiding it from me can you do anything— and two, that sounded highly inappropriate." Skye painted the second part in a joking manner but the redhead only winked at her and now Skye wants to have a drink to distract herself. 

"On a side note. Have we met before?" Steve asked eyes traveling to the road then back to her. 

"Have we?" She really should take down notes on people she's bumped into. They keep on saying they've met her but she's not sure it's her or Mary. 

"Not quite sure." He sounded sincere so she tried to recall if she did. 

She's met a lot of hot blondes before. But one with a nice chiseled smile? Hmmm. "Wait. I do remember something" Skye said and snapped her fingers as a lightbulb sparked in her head. 

"That's right the cosplayer at the shawarma joint back in New York!"

Steve also remembered a second later. "Oh yeah! The grill girl!—Wait what's a cosplayer?" Steve asked. 

"Grill girl?" She also asked back. 

Steve shrugged, realizing that he might offended her with the nickname. "I'm not saying this to hurt your feelings but at the time. You smelled like you were working three grills simultaneously" She crunches up her nose. Must be from the smell of monster flesh on her. It did take her a few days to get the smell off.

"None taken. That aside, I really dig the costume you had on. I didn't know who you were but I finally realized you were cosplaying Captain...." Skye's voice slowed down as she stared at the man again and at the video circulating in the news. Before it hit her who he was. Steve... Steve Rogers! Captain America!

She turned to Natalie and finally recognized it was the damn woman she was looking for. Stabby stabby woman!

They also noticed her brisk demeanor, the redhead's hand moved resulting in a glimpse of a gun.

"Uhhh..."

"Hey, put the gun down. We can explain, Skye." 

She wasn't sure what to say about the situation. Not when there's a silhouette appearing out of nowhere, standing in the center of the road. 

"Stop the car,"

"Skye, there's no need for that were not going to hu—"

"Stop the car!" She pointed to the woman in front holding a gun. The three all grabbed hold of something the feeling of the car rolling over as the tires burst and the car lights were shot. 

Skye hit her head but managed to keep herself upright as the car stopped abruptly. 

The brunette's ear rings before the dizziness went away and she could register seeing Steve climb to the backseat, rummaging under the seat of the car. Seconds later, he took out a shiny shield. 

"Wow. Is that the... you know... captain shield. I guess it's just a shield to you since you're Captain America and all"

"Skye..." a warning tone from him. Skye shut up but continued to marvel at the thing. She wanted to touch it, yet refrained knowing both Steve and Natalie were tensed about their unwelcome barracade.

"How did they find us?" Natalie began to take the safety off her gun while Steve shook his head. 

"Let's prioritize how to handle this first. Nat, protect Skye. I'll take her down."

"She doesn't need protecting," Natalie said before pushing the door open on her side and pushing Skye out. "You run. This isn't your fight. They won't chase you. Go!"

Skye wanted to protest but couldn't destroy her cover so she left bolting away into the trees.

Steve and Natasha got out of the car, prepared to defend themselves but they noticed that there was no one there to meet them. The blonde woman with a cowboy hat and rifle had disappeared.

"It's Skye she's after!" Steve put the puzzle first but it was Natasha who ran faster.

The first time they saw a lone brunette walking on the side of the road. Natasha assumed she was a Hydra spy. It's just how her brain works. 

Natasha had opposed giving the girl a ride because of the situation they were in but Steve was so stubbornly a gentleman that he couldn't think of letting a single woman walk on the side of the road at night, even with her saying that she could be a spy or a serial killer.

She still had the same opinion even after getting to know her more. Admittedly she was telling the truth most of the time but there's an awful lot she was suspicious of. Natasha felt like she'd met Skye somewhere. And considering her line of duty wasn't precisely rainbows and butterflies, made her paranoid. Because she was sure she didn't meet in normal circumstances. Her instinct tells her it's from a previous mission. She was just not sure about the exact details.

She couldn't recall... and that's a problem. Because that would mean she may have met her either as an enemy or a target. Both are not good options.

When Cap also pointed out that they've met. It only grew her speculation. How can one woman whom they've coincidentally met before act as if she hasn't?

Nonetheless, knowing a dangerous person was after Skye, her priority would also be to protect her. She can question later.

"Skye!!"

"Where are you, Skye?!" 

The sun was already out and it made it harder to find someone through the forest with all kinds of trees sticking out and not enough light. 

Steve and Natasha followed the trail Skye went running to. Suddenly, they heard the first gunshot. Worry exuded from both Avengers and rushed towards the source of the sound.

They arrived at a clearing where their supposed enemy was shooting in a mass of bushes without thought.

"Stop! Stand down," Steve ordered his voice booming over the forest. 

The woman in a cowboy hat stopped shooting and turned to greet the two Avengers with a tilt of her hat.

"Well, look at you, all shield and guns hopping. Hope you brought your sense of adventure, 'cause things tend to get a mite wild around these parts. Name's Outlaw. What brings you to my neck of the woods, partner?" Her blue eyes were playful. The rifle still held tightly and the hat swished along the winds as if glued on. 

"You have a friend of ours? I believe she's your target. We don't want any trouble but I advise you stop hunting her." 

"Well, ain't this a twist. Was fixin' to have myself a little showdown, and here y'all come, stirrin' up the dust. This bounty of mine must be real special for you two to be causin' a ruckus." There's tension in the air as the trio faces off, their weapons drawn in alert. Waiting for the first move.

....

The forest was alive with the chaos of conflict, a symphony of gunfire and crackling energy. Outlaw, a devilish grin etched on her face, twirled her guns with a swagger that betrayed her confidence. Skye, at least that's the name given to her— her elusive bounty, stood within reach, hiding behind a tree, a prize just waiting to be claimed.

Days before, she got a call. She was offered a picture and instructions to kidnap the girl and where to deliver her. Usually, she doesn't do abduction but for 5 million, she'd practically deliver the girl dead or alive. At least there was incentive if she were alive but there was no clause against killing the target. 

It was difficult to figure out where she was since they only supplied that she was in New Jersey and nothing else. She could have given up after the first few days of coming up with nothing when she got a ping from a connection about an incident happening at a motel. A man was sent to the hospital and the girl got away scot-free. She visited the hospital to see Bullseye hospitalized and heavily injured. 

It only cemented the idea that her target was dangerous. Taking the direction the guard said she went, she found her target hitching a ride and the rest was history.

She just needs to land a bullet in her head and she'd be done.

But then, two annoying individuals showed up. The great Captain America and Black Widow. 

"Let the girl go and we won't have any trouble." She smiled as he really was as they say. So quick to command.

Outlaw tipped her hat and shot back with a sly grin, "Well, ain't that noble of you, Captain. But see, I've got a job to do, and this here gal's got a price on her head. Now, I'm all for avoidin' trouble, but reckon we'll have to find some common ground 'fore we go singin' Kumbaya. So, how 'bout you and Black Widow give up your case, and we'll see if we can reach an understandin' without lead flyin'?" The tension hangs thick in the air as the standoff continues.

Captain raises his shield, his stance guarded. "I'm afraid we can't do that. That only means we'll have to do this the hard way"

Outlaw's eyes narrow, "Well, Captain, looks like we're dancin' the hard way, then. Just remember, you asked for it." With a swift movement, Outlaw's hand hovers over the holster, ready to pull the trigger.

Without reaching a concession with Outlaw, Captain America advanced, his shield raised in a gigantic display of a guard. A provocation that Outlaw paid in kind.

She shot at him as he ran towards her.

The rhythmic clang of bullets meeting vibranium echoed through the trees. Outlaw's trigger finger danced with practiced ease, each shot aimed at exploiting the chinks in Captain America's iconic defense. Gotta hand it to him, he's good. But so am I.

They were now in range as Captain began to throw a barrage of punches, that Outlaw was careful to avoid.

Meanwhile, Black Widow emerged from the shadows, a lethal dance partner in this forest ballet. Outlaw, ducking and dodgin' Captain America's punches, throws a wry smile at Black Widow, "Ha! looks like the party just got a whole lot livelier. Didn't expect a two-for-one special today. Hope y'all can keep up!" The fight kicks into high gear, as Outlaw brings out another pair of pistols and begins to shoot Captain America and Black Widow at face value.

Captain raised his shield up but Natasha didn't have such luxury and only had to step back to avoid getting hit.

Explosions rocked the forest, a calculated move to disrupt the Avengers' rhythm. Outlaw reveled in the chaos, the satisfaction of seeing her foes disoriented. Gotta keep 'em guessing.

The electrified whips crackled to life, a weapon of her own design. Let's see how Cap deals with a little shock therapy. The whips sliced through the air, creating a pulsating barrier that danced between danger and spectacle while she aimed at his feet.

He parred with his shield, pushing the whip out of contact. As Captain America closed in, Outlaw couldn't help but admire the tenacity in those steely blue eyes. 

The forest became a battleground of light and sound, a cacophony of conflict that seemed to drown out everything else. Amidst the chaos, Skye made her move, attempting to slip away. Outlaw's internal alarm sounded. "Not so fast, sweetheart. Your bounty's mine."

But that was a mistake on her part. Going after her bounty made her lose her focus on her two opponents, as the shield collided with her back and she felt the impact smash. 

Disarmed and outnumbered, Outlaw's bravado wavered. Well, shoot. Looks like the party's over. She realized this when her foot tripped and the hand holding her pistol was shot at by the redhead.

Black Widow's lets another strike which landed with precision, and the world blurred as the electrified whips fell silent.

She fell with a thud, her head confused as she saw blood in her vision. 

As the agents secured her, Outlaw's thoughts echoed in the stillness. "Huh, ain't that a humdinger. Seems like you two are a tough nut to crack. But don't get too comfortable. Outlaw's got a knack for risin' from the ashes. Next time, the cards might shuffle different, and we'll see who's left standin'. Enjoy your triumph while it lasts, Avengers. This dance ain't over."

Black Widow punched her straight in the face and she slowly lost consciousness.

.....

"Yeah. Yeah. Save it for when there's a next time." Natasha said with a roll of her eye. 

"You've secured her?" Steve came beside her to see the woman named Outlaw had given them more trouble than it was worth.

"Skye you're safe now!" Captain looks around the night forest, seeing a head poke out of the bushes. "Is it over?"

"Yes. You can come out." Natasha said and gestured to Captain that they should go. 

Skye steadily approached them and stared at the mercenary with slight interest. "Hmm... do all of them have loose screws? She sounded too happy fighting you guys,"

"Most mercenaries are demented," Natasha said her eyes looking over Skye to make sure she wasn't hurt. 

Once they were back at the car, they found one of the tires needed change.

Steve put the hood of the car back in its place, he explained that there were no bullet holes or any damages. A small victory. "Just give me an hour," Steve sighed and put his shield back inside the car.

Skye weaved through the truck and sat in the back, leaning on the panel and prompting her head on the railing to watch the stars twinkle. Obviously tired.

Natasha was perched on the side, her eyes on the girl inspecting her for any foul play. Still not fully convinced about her being innocent. 

"So... you guys are the Avengers," Skye said after feeling the car move as Steve tried to put the jack. "That's great. I never thought I'd met one" she continued.

"It's not that great. Believe me." Steve commented.

"I can imagine."

Natasha squinted her eyes as the girl didn't seem like a threat but so was a puppy before you knew it was highly rabid.

"I don't pay much attention to the news but occasionally I do get some info here and there. The last I heard was about the Mandarin thing." Skye sat up as Steve was moving the car more. Her purple eyes singled out Natasha as Steve was too busy.

"Oh, about Tony." The redhead raised her chin and crossed her arms defensively. 

"Yeah...." Skye nodded and scratched her neck before looking up at the heavens, eyes glazed over. "Why weren't you there?"

"Huh?" Natasha did not expect the girl to ask such a question. Usually, they'd gush over the fact their an avenger or even insult them because they are one. It's either a love or hate relationship. Even so, the question sounded particularly invasive.

The question was directed at both of them since Skye was also pointedly peering over Captain. "Why weren't any of you there when it happened? Just curious," 

"I... I was doing something important in another country." Steve sighed before standing up.

"And you?"

"That's classified information and it doesn't concern you at all." She barked back as this mysterious girl was starting to go over boundaries. 

Skye's face turned to a grimace but then smiled bitterly. "Yeah, it doesn't but I thought you guys were a team." The brunette laid back down again. "I just thought, you'd care enough to be there for him." 

Natasha could see Steve frowning from where he was. Surely, he also wanted to help Tony at the time but he knew about the news quite late. Months on mission does that to you. When he did care enough to visit, Tony was still glum and said he didn't want to delve into it. Meaning Steve was pushed out unilaterally. Natasha would have tried as well but given they're not as close as Steve is with him, she didn't need to know her efforts would also be brushed off. 

It helped when Pepper said he just needed time. So they gave it to him.

"It's not that we didn't care." Steve's voice cracked. "A lot is going on in the world, we can't just abandon our mission. We knew Tony could handle it and if he really needed help he would have called. We can't know everything." 

"True. A lot can happen... and it's so hard to prevent all those things from not happening at all. But if you were given the choice, what would you guys pick? Your loved one or the world?" Skye probed again.

This time Natasha didn't like the passive-aggressive way Skye was stirring the conversation. Steve was obviously affected by it and she doesn't need to comfort him when they're currently in a precedent issue already. They could mope about this later. 

"This is useless." Natasha pipes up. "You're distracting us from the bigger picture here. Why is someone trying to kill you?" 

She stirred the conversation to the topic worth inspecting instead. The big question they both wanted to know.

The girl was still nonchalant about it, which did not help Natasha in vouching for her. "I have no idea. Truly. I've been thinking about it after the first guy and I still don't remember if I did something?"

"Wait... There was someone before this one?"

She shook her head and let out a sigh. "Yeah. The guy had some bullseye on his forehead, throwing corndogs and paperclips. Really freaked me out how very kinky he was." 

"Bullseye tried to kill you?" Natasha asked incredulously. 

He was known in the mercenary business. Able to finish a bounty 90 percent of the time. Can accurately shoot any object as a lethal weapon. She once heard he killed someone using a playing card and sliced his head open. She was still reeling from the fact this girl met him as a target and lived. Making her more suspicious.

"Is that his name? I didn't know. I bribed him with money and he left. I don't suppose I can do that with the next one right?"

"There's more?" Steve asked exasperatedly at the calm woman. 

Skye shrugged. "He said there's going to be two more and since the wild wild west woman had her lights out cold, I'd say there's one more chasing after my head." 

Natasha's eyes widen as she knows what's going to happen. She struck Steve a look, warning him not to do it. He knows him well and he knows he has too much principle to ignore this glaring issue. 

She told him not to do it. But his eyes were clear and she knew she lost this argument before they could even breach it.

"You should stick with us, Skye."

Natasha slapped her face and walked away to blow some steam. "Steve, we have a mission here! We can't drag a civilian. Someone is already hunting us."

"I'm not saying we're going to include her in our problem but given the last mercenary, we could probably keep her safe, get what we need in Wheaton, and leave her to someone I trust until this all blows over." He replied.

Why did she even try? Noble as he is, he will never stand up for anything less than what he believes in. Not that Natasha would let the woman be killed but it shouldn't have been their problem to begin with. They're just making it worse for her. 

"Fine. But her head falls on you, Steve. I'm not going to take any blame for it." She pointed at his face and whipped her head to walk out of her frustration.

"Guys, it's really alright. I can solve this problem on my own. I just need a ride. It's my issue anyway."

"No, Skye. Let's do this safely. Please." Steve was done changing the tires and putting the tools back in the back. "I'll tie you up if I have to."

"A really hot offer but there's no need. I know when I'm beaten." She sighed. "Although can I have those words recorded in my phone.... for business purposes,"

"Skye." 

"Sorry." 

Chapter 8: When Help gets you killed, you still continue to help.Summary:Skye gets a peek and she gets too close.

Notes:Still takes place in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Chapter TextThe car stopped in an abandoned military area. The fences rose up to 8 feet, multiple compound buildings, and a flagpole pointed towards the sky.

It was a small ghost area of a military base, and she had no idea why they were there. But Skye was adaptable as she was flexible. She doesn't need the whole picture to cooperate, not when she needs Natalie's clearance.

"So... Am I going to stay here or follow you guys?" She asked because Steve and Natasha were glaring at each other, unsure of what to do with her. She really didn't want to be left behind in whatever mission these two had. 

Being left behind would be a waste of an opportunity.

"Skye. Promise me whatever you see you will never tell anyone." Steve cleaned his neck, meeting her eyes and hopeful that she wouldn't defect.

Considering they also have no idea about Skye—not even the whole general gist—she would say it's appropriate that they don't trust her,

"I can promise that but I want guaranteed that Natalie isn't going to kill me." A frown appeared on the other woman's face.

"Steve. We can't do this. Where not even sure if she's telling the truth and not making this bounty up to tail on us."

"I just have this gut feeling, Nat. If Skye turns up to be Hydra. I'm going to put her down myself." 

The idea of Captain America killing her with a shield... it's a complicated feeling."

"Umm... Guys. I can hear you. I'm here." She waved her hand to remind the two Avengers.

But given that conversation. Hydra is a bad organization. Okay, don't mention it at all. 

Skye has always been a freelancer. She may have joined a few on several projects but has never been part of a group. She really hopes she hasn't been involved with them without meaning to. 

"We know, Skye. Follow us and don't wander off." 

Skye brought her bag and began following them inside the compound. Steve and Natalie started talking amongst themselves, talking about coordinates and Captain being made in the same area. She stood on the sidelines just admiring the place, although she couldn't understand what the hell they wanted here, she was well-behaved and didn't take one step where she shouldn't. As she promised. 

She followed closely behind Steve like a baby duck does its mother. She preferred him because Natalie turned 180 in a span of a few hours. 

From flirty to a stern sergeant, keeping a close eye on her most troublesome private. It was a bit frustrating but it wasn't the first time someone had to pretend to be someone else to her face. 

Heck, she does it albeit not that good.

One step. Two steps. Sits down. Followed again and then waited. Sitting occasionally if they take too long. They keep on waving a device in the air, checking for something. It looks like they were trying to pick up a signal of some sort.

Skye wanted to help, actually, but Natalie would occasionally peer at her shoulder like the brunette would do something illegal right then and there. That's why, even if she wanted to be productive, she stayed very very quiet.

After repeated inspections of the compound, they ended up sighing in the end.

"This is a dead end. Zero heat signatures, zero waves. Not even radio." Natalie pockets the device as it is basically useless. "Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off."

Based on those words, Skye could discern that they were looking for... A thing, perhaps. Something that can emit, heat, waves, and frequency. A device. A computer maybe?

Her abilities might not be close to a technopath but she's good with locations.

Frequency she can do. Maybe not in the way, they've been using it. Skye closed her eyes and kneeled on the ground to feel for anything that was out of the ordinary. Her hand felt the soil here very dense, lot of moisture, and went she dug deep, Skye was a bit surprised to discover cement underneath the earth. A building. An underground building. 

Now they really were after something interesting.

"What is it?" Natalie asked, Skye opened her eyes and jerked up, afraid she was caught red-handed but the redhead's attention wasn't anywhere on her but was concerned with Steve.

"I may know where to look." He started to walk to the magazine building.

Right in the money shot. Skye didn't even have to point to anything as Captain was more accurate than the device Natalie was using.

Skye followed after them, her steps excited and wary.

"Army regulations forbid storing munitions within 500 yards of the barracks." He explained and stopped. His large hand touched the heavily enforced doors with a gentle swipe. "This building is in the wrong place." 

Yeah, because it's a base, not a storage facility. 

"Step away." Captain used his shield to break the lock and what they found was a stairs leading inside a dark cave.

"Shoot. Does anyone have a flashlight?" Skye said while peeking into the dark evil tunnel with a complicated disposition. 

"Don't need to." As Steve walks right in, with Natalie not far behind.

"You guys should be more wary. It looks just like those scary attic movie tropes. Instead, it's a military base." Skye complained as she walked in. "Any of reckoning there are zombies here?" She rambles as her vision adjusts while keeping one step at a time with the stairs. 

"You watch too many movies," Natasha commented back.

"Not enough to my liking." She watched movies that were in her universe and half the time she was only waiting for them to correct her because she couldn't fact check everything. 

When her feet stepped on solid ground, she jolted at the sudden flip of the light. She raised a hand and squinted. When everything became clear.

The room held an afterglow. There were multiple desks scattered along the large open room all in a line, chairs, and a few storage cabinets that filtered along the walls but the most impressive thing was the large logo placard on the far side engraved on the wall.

The brunette already knew what she was going to find but not entirely to whom it belonged. Looking at an older version of the eagle and shield, she was a bit stunned at the beauty of it. 

"Wow," Skye muttered stunned.

"This is SHIELD." 

"Maybe where it started."

Skye walked towards one of the old desks and saw the dust settle in like a layer. She found the image quite sad and empowering. For an organization to stay strong for many years. It's something to be proud of. 

Skye could feel her chest constrict at how many people who have worked for this kind of peace stay in place. 

She wished she could have done the same.

"Skye," she felt someone grab her shoulders and for a moment she was prepared to burst their artery before remembering who she was with. 

She let go of the breath she was holding before looking at Captain with a smile while he was worriedly inspecting her. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I was just in over my head."

"Hopefully, not because you're plotting something against us" Natalie quipped. 

This irritated her.

Okay, she gets Natalie not very trusting of her. She surmised that in the last 2 hours after her attempted assassination, it might be because she thinks Skye's an enemy spy.

Truly, she understands and doesn't fully blame her assumptions but could she be any more sharp about her words?

Well, if she's going to be like that, to hell with formalities.

Skye smiled forcefully and faced the redhead. "I love the oak style of the desk but I'm pretty sure, admiring something, is not an illegal activity, is it?" She responded with a sweet tone which gave her a pointed look from the redhead.

This time she didn't back down, she smiled and raised an eyebrow. Well, two can play at that game. 

Captain Rogers must have felt the strain and was the middleman. Getting himself in the middle of Skye's sight. 

"We need to stay in line with our objective." Steve in a firm tone.

Yet, she had no idea what those objectives were and she didn't get the opportunity to ask before he turned his head away. "Come on, Skye. Follow us or you might get lost."

She nodded yet her face creased. How could she get lost in such an easy flooring plan? The first floor was basically one big open facility. She could probably see someone from the other side of the room and could guess if he was picking his nose or sleeping on the job.

After some walking, they found themselves in the file storage without any files. Just rows of empty metal shelves where cobwebs and dust had resided. Skye was gazing at a picture of three people. A man who looks so much like Mr. Start, an old dude, and a woman.

They were on the right track, though her vibration gave her a map of where to go. However, she couldn't say that she wholly understood why they were now starting to quarrel.

"Is this it? There's nothing here. Not even a damn phone."

"We just need to keep looking. That signal brought us here for a reason and this is SHIELD's base."

"Well, there's nothing and we are on a tight schedule as it is."

Skye rolled her eyes. Both desperate and tired, she could assume. 

So she slowly walked to the shelves found the one spot that had a gap with an inch of each other and called out for them.

"Ahh guys. I found something." Skye felt the two pair of eyes, inquiringly. "It's not bolted to the walls like the rest." She pointed out so they'd believe her.

She steps back to give Captain room to push the shelves back to reveal an elevator behind it. 

"You guys keep a lot of secret rooms." She puts her hands in her pockets. To have a secret elevator in a secret base is beyond preparedness.

What's next, another secret bunker inside a secret bunker on top of it? 

"You have no idea," Steve commented.

Natalie cracked the password for the elevator and they were now descending underground. Skye leans on the walls watching the lights flashing every few seconds.

"For an old facility, the machines are still in good condition. Makes one think if someone is maintaining it."

"It wouldn't be a farfetched idea," Natasha said. "But I hope you're not going to come here again without any authorization." 

"I'm not going to. I stand by my belief that there's a zombie just trapped in one of the rooms you have. Just remember aim for the head."

Natasha was still serious but Skye could see a slight smirk that she was hiding. Skye sees it as a win but who knows. 

"Since this is taking too long, mind either of you telling me why we're in an old SHIELD headquarters? You don't need to elaborate. Just the gist of it. You know, do I need to expect someone shooting for my head or something?"

"We're here... because we need to figure something out. Something important that might endanger everyone if we don't act."

"Since either of you aren't here for a lecture. I reckon it's classified information. Bummer. Then I really can't ask."

The elevator door opened, and they steadily stepped off. Lights began to open on their own which added to the weird factor Skye was already feeling. 

They walked to a short hallway and reached a small room that had seven stacks of monitors—very old analog versions. Three big ones and four smaller ones are attached to the panels. 

"This can't be the data point. This technology is ancient" Natasha pointed out upon finding the whole thing questionable.

However, Skye was smiling from ear to ear. Knowing how impressive everything really is. "Yes, but it doesn't mean it's unworkable." Skye quipped before walking towards a large metallic box and began wiping the glass panel to clearly see its inside.

"Everything you guys see here is top-of-the-line technology back in the late 50s up until the early 70s. At least the 50s, 60s and 70s I know of. See that..." She pointed at the panel in front of Natalie "... I could vaguely see the entire set-up had inspiration from NEAC 2203 control panels. And considering the power source is pretty big" pointing at the other side of the room. "... might have been based on the original supercomputer which was the Atlas computer system, and this thing I'm touching might even be the RCA Spectra 70 line of electronic data processing equipment. It had its modifications done but it's marvelous to look at and even harder to comprehend that it seemed to be in good condition based on the fact that none of the equipment had rusted." 

"Wow, You know your stuff, Skye" Steve looked confused about what the EDP equipment would do while he scratched his chin at it.

"Yes but does it still work?" 

"Good question." Skye unlatched herself from the wiring panels and walked towards Natasha. She noticed something. "Um, guys. Do you remember what I said that someone should have and would have to maintain the whole elevator thing? Because someone must have visited. This here.." She pointed at the multiple USB adapter. "Is very modern. Too modern." 

Natalie stood beside her to also point out that there was a small area in the panel where dust was swiped haphazardly. The only part where there wasn't any dust collection. "Someone was here."

Skye wanted to question if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Natasha took out the USB and inserted it into one of the ports. Suddenly the room came alive as all the devices turned on, Skye was stupefied, with her mouth open. "This is cool. Really cool. They're working!" 

Natasha sees Skye step back to marvel at everything. She situated herself beside Skye in the offset something dangerous happens she can cover her. Steve was on the right side of the brunette, also looking wary.

Suddenly the excitement was short-lived. The surveillance camera perched on the largest monitor started to move. Turning its head to look at them. 

A command prompt appeared on the screen but it only typed the words, along with a weird robotic voice.

INITIATE SYSTEM?

Natasha looked at the two and no one wanted to be the one to respond to it. The redhead stared at Skye and the girl backed away. "Na uh. I've seen Terminator. Skynet does not chill out. If you sent humanity in a robotic apocalypse, it won't be because of me." 

She rolled her eyes. "Again. Too many movies." she taps on the key in a steady manner. 

"Y-E-S spells yes." 

INITIATE SYSTEM?

YES.

She looks back to see Skye giving her a mocking look. "What?"

"Y.E.S spells yes. What's next? You going to teach me the alphabet?" she chuckled while Natasha glared. "So what if I like to spell it out?" 

"A.M.I.G.A. No problem, amiga." Skye continued to tease which got her a flicked on the forehead. "OW!"

"Stop it!" Steve got in the middle of the two bickering women. He was holding off one woman who looked irritated and another one who looked wronged about her small injury. 

They were pulled back into the situation when the computer started flicking and a voice reverberated through the speakers.

"Rogers, Steven. Born 1918." The shape of a face came into view. A man who had tea glasses with a voice eerily disturbing. German dialect while it spoke English.

They all noticed the camera shift from Captain to her. "Romanoff, Natalia Alianova. Born 1984."

Natasha was taken by surprise. No one was supposed to know that. 

"Wait you're 30 years old!?" Her thought process stopped when Skye spoke up and cut off the daunting demeanor the computer had going.

Natasha groans; she hates amending her age, and that's why she doesn't celebrate it with anyone if possible so no one would ask. "Yes, I'm 30! What's wrong with that?"

"I pictured you a bit younger. I don't know 28-ish." 

"You didn't react to Captain's age?!" she protested.

The fact that she should have been more bothered about her using a fake name but isn't, rather confused the spy. Usually, when they found out who she really was, they'd look hurt and that's a given since she lied to their face so she can get them to trust her. Yet, all this mysterious brunette did was question her age. This may just show her that Skye seems to have her priorities skewed in her head. 

"But he got iced and I think he's still in his 20s. Late 20s sure but still in his 20s." Skye explained which made her want to flick her forehead again.

"Ahem," the evil robot voice was now looking at Skye. "And you... I don't know you."

The taller woman calmly addressed it. "Skye. No last name. Don't know which year I was born but hello," she waved at it politely. 

The computer didn't know how to respond to that. So Natasha tried inspecting it. "It's some kind of recording." 

"I am not a recording, Fräulein—" he was cut off when Natasha turned to Skye and huffed. "See even a weird-speaking computer is calling me young miss."

"I'm not saying you're not young. I just didn't picture your real age to be 30" 

"Guys. This is not the time." Steve intervenes once again.

The computer continued. "As I was saying. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945... but I am." One of the monitors turns on and shows a picture of an old-looking man with thinning hair, wearing tea glasses, appearing to be in his mid-50s.

Natasha could see the recognition swimming in Steve's face. An alarming revelation for him as well. "You know this thing?"

"Him. He said he's a man." Skye quipped. Natasha glared and the brunette surrendered. "Fine. I'll shut up."

She took her bag off her shoulder, began taking her laptop out, and plugged it into the port as well. Natasha ignored whatever Skye was going to do and put her attention back to Steve. "Armin Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years."

Steve strode down the lower ground and began inspecting the computer's backside, maybe also to see if it had no other compartment or other tricks nearby. 

"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body. My mind, however, that was worth saving on 200,000 feet of databanks... You are standing in my brain."

"Oh that explains the high-grade tech," Skye mutters while continuing to type on her laptop, keys clattering.

"How did you get here?" Steve asked as he was done looking over.

"Invited."

She remembering reading something about it.

"It was operation Paperclip after World war II. S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited German scientists with strategic value."

At the corner of her eye, she noticed Skye pause typing for only a brief moment before continuing again.

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own." Dr. Zola hinted a smile.

"Hydra died with Red Skull." Natasha believed that was the case when she read the mission profile with Hydra. 

"Cut off one head. Two more shall take its place." Armin Zola had a way with words. More disturbing if one were to think more about its meaning. 

"Prove it."

"Accessing archive." The computer screen shows them old footage of Johann Schmidt. A.K.A. the Red Skull in all his glory. Then it showed the original SHIELD founders.

"HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed." The screen showed how Hydra agents started getting employed by the very same organization that took them down. Seemingly invisible assets that rose from the ground.

Natasha felt sick looking at all the news articles of promotion after promotion. Missions within missions.

"Guys..." Skye pipes up, but they ignore her.

"That's impossible. SHIELD would have stopped you." she insisted. Because that was their truth. Nick Fury would have long found out about it and put a stop to the madness of these snakes. 

"Accidents will happen." Natasha looks on in horror as the screen shows them a news article about Howard and Maria Stark dying in a car accident. Before it pans to Director Fury's recent death. It seems it's not an accident at all. 

"Guys! This is really important!" 

"Not now, Skye." Steve grits out totally fuming in anger at Armin Zola.

"HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum."

Natasha pulled Skye away as Steve couldn't control his anger and punched the monitor, breaking it. Shards of glass flying everywhere.

"As I was saying..." But it was nothing as another monitor clicked open. 

Skye pulled away from her and quickly packed her laptop back into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Steve, on the other hand, was still focused on Zola. "What's on this drive?!"

The computer was about to answer when Skye cut it off, pulling the driver out of the port and shouting at them. "We've got no time!" 

"Skye!" they were both going to protest when the brunette took hold of their clothes and began pulling them into the elevator with so much force that they couldn't pull back.

"Shut up, Captain! We have a missile headed for this bunker! That damn AI sent an order hit and I couldn't intercept it because it was guarded by S.H.I.E.L.D. security system!" Skye pushed them in and began to hit the button of the elevator. 

That seems to snap the two back to reality. "How... how did you know?"

"Because I'm a hacker, remember? While his brain can override surprisingly easily into a guarded system like SHIELD, he doesn't have much safety in transparency. His actions are logged into a mural and I saw the order command put in. It was authorized less than a second after." The elevator opened at the same time, and Natasha's phone began ringing.

"Shit, she's right. We got a bogey. Short-range ballistics. 30 seconds tops!" 

"Then you guys better run faster!" Skye screamed as she was the first one running out. Natasha and Steve followed her. 

Once they were out of the building they could see the missile flying at record speed. They were outside but with the range, they would still be affected. Steve also knew this.

He pulled Skye back to him and dragged Natasha before shielding them both from the explosion.

Skye had to create a shockwave ten inches from them to support Captain's shield. The explosion knocked them over. Regrettably, she didn't consider ground support. The moment the bunker was hit, the earth below them also gave way. Rolling them down a few meters.

Skye's hand managed to grab hold of the ledge but the other two were not so lucky. Steve acted fast, wrapping his body around Natasha planning to take the brunt of the fall.

Not wanting to see Captain get severely injured. Skye used her vibrations at an angle that cushioned their fall just in time for them to hit the uneven and crooked rubble. She sighed as it worked and they were still breathing— although very heavy and fast— but still breathing. 

She trusted in her subtlety, hoping they didn't notice what she just did.

"Hey, you guys alright?" She shouted down.

She heard Natasha groaning while Steve coughed.That's a good sign, right?

"I hate to break it to you guys but that Zathura whatshisface also pinged our location to someone. I don't know who but they might be here any minute." 

"Good to know Skye." Steve slowly stands up. His lip busted and his clothes roughed up. "Natasha, are you okay?"

"Yeah, just... a headache." The redhead said taking Steve's hand and slowly stood up.

"Um guys, can you catch me?" Skye nervously interjected, aware that her grip was firm but the object she was holding onto wasn't.

"Ah!" 

"OW!" Skye's back kind of hurts. Hitting pure muscle is not as soft as one would think. Not when she wasn't caught properly and actually hit Steve's chest as opposed to falling in his arms. But the action did stop her descent.

"Sorry. I wasn't ready." 

"We need to move." Natasha urged knowing they could hear people slowly filing into the compound. "Steve, Carry Skye."

Skye felt her vision turn upside down as Steve carried her like a ragdoll on his shoulders and started running. The up-and-down motion made her feel seasick. But when she saw men in black suits pointing guns. She has an odd feeling they won't hesitate to put a bullet in her head, not that it's effective but it'll hurt like a bitch. So she was all for the running-while-being-carried thing.

"Run like you've never run before, Captain! I don't want lead in my head!" She could hear the first sound of a gun firing off. 

"You fucking cunts!" Did they just shoot at her?! "Aim better you son of a gun! You can't outrun the mighty Captain America!"

"Skye!" She heard two different kinds of her name being shouted. But it's not like she's wrong. 

They arrived at a house. A very normal-looking house. Steve and Natasha were looking left and right for any Hydra agent.

The only one of the three who wasn't hypervigilant was Skye, who had started mumbling incoherent things as she seemed to have gotten seasick beyond comprehension after being carried on Captain America's shoulders for hours.

"Are we there yet?" "But they guess, not enough to stop asking that question for the 30th time.

Natasha patted her thigh. "Hold on there Skye." 

After the Armin Zola explosion incident, Natasha finally started trusting Skye. Not only did she save them, but she also proved that everything was all a coincidence. Them meeting and all. Once that was established in her head, she wanted to be nicer towards the loud-mouthed brunette as a form of apology for being too strict with her.

But that was hard to do when she found the girl to have such a mouth on her. 

Steve knocks on the door and an African American man opens it. Good stature, a pencil horseshoe mustache, and a bald fade. She doesn't recognize him from SHIELD so maybe a soldier but if Steve trusted him to ask for help, she wouldn't complain. Not that they had a lot of options.

Steve's friend stared at them weirdly, especially at Skye.

"Hey, man." He nods his head to him, "I hope this isn't what I'm thinking." Again his eyes were on the green girl.

"I want to puke." Skye slurred suddenly.

"No, Skye!" Steve quickly put her down as the woman quickly went to the rails and vomited over the bushes. "HUUUURGGEHH!"

Natasha pats Steve's arm signaling him to explain on their behalf while she slowly caresses Skye's back, comforting her.

He sighed, "It's not what you think, I promise. We didn't kidnap her. The thing is..." he sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I don't know how to say this but we need a place to lay low."

Natasha tried to help. "Everyone we know is trying to kill us." 

Skye tried to help as well.

"Na~uh. Noat mew.." Skye managed to breathe out. "I have ohaane perwson tryieng to kwell me. One!—HLEEAAHHHurkurkBLLEAAHH!" [AN:(Na uh. Not me) (I have one person trying to kill me. One!)]

Emphasis on tried.

She patted her back again. "Vomit first. Talk later," Natasha reprimanded as the hacker was still barfing chunk after chunk.

The man stood there by the door, nodded at Steve, and made his choice. "I'm not everyone then." Stepping back to let them in.

....

Steve thanked Sam for everything. Even kind enough to offer one room for the three to rest for a while. Skye basically ran in and plopped face-first in the bed the first chance she got, groaning while calming her seasickness. Natasha was in the bed as well, next to the brunette, fixing her clothes and hair.

Steve decided to clean himself up as a form of getting things under control. He had taken off his jacket and went to the bathroom to wash his hands marred with dirt and soot. Then proceed with his face. 

The water continued to run but the sound of his thoughts was deafening. He took one then two deep breaths and stared at the mirror. His weariness didn't display on his face but he wanted nothing else but to take a nap. 

But he can't rest yet. Until Pierce gets his comeuppance.

He closed the tap and wiped his face. As he gazes back at the mirror, he notices it by accident. It wasn't that he was stalking but he saw the look on Natasha's face. She was bothered by something.

I can't be the only one overwhelmed by this turn of events.

He knew everything they'd uncovered was a lot to take in. At the same time, they still had no idea what was in the flash drive, Fury was still dead and Hydra was planning a world-ending event. Steve understood more than anyone that they were taking over something both of them were not prepared for. 

He walked out of the bathroom and slowly breached the awkwardness. "You okay?"

"Yeah." 

A lie. 

Steve threw the towel into the hamper and sat on the bed across from Natasha. The bed dipped, and Skye groaned again, reminding Steve that she was still here, still lying nauseated beside them

Steve really found Skye more of a conundrum and a surprise than anything. A hacker who's traveling out in the open while mercenaries are chasing after her bounty. Yet she cared less for that than she does almost dying hours before. He didn't know how to handle the brunette's total lack of a reaction. 

She didn't even pry on the issue about the drive, about Armin Zola, and about Hydra. She just took it at face value and called it quits. 

But one thing both Natasha and he had learned from the time spent with Skye is that the girl just has a lot of extra something that is better to ignore than point out.

It seems to be working out for now so he doesn't want to question it. 

He faced Natasha as she was his friend who needed an ear.

"What's going on?"

...

Natasha knew her face must have looked... not okay for him to be this concerned. To be honest, she was too exhausted mentally to put up her walls on him. Everything was so hectic. So messy. So unexpectedly cruel.

She bites her lip before looking down at her hands, thinking about her words carefully. "When I first joined SHIELD, I thought I was going straight. But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA." Her hand tightened on the towel. Years being controlled she thought she was free from the brainwashing she was afflicted with. SHIELD was her home for a long time, a second chance to undo what she's done— be better. Yet, who would have thought that hidden in its shadows was none other Hydra? That was what she couldn't accept, the fact that what if any of her missions before was so it would inflict more harm than good, and she didn't even know. 

"I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but...I guess I can't tell the difference anymore," She confessed, her voice cracking.

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business." Natasha hears him say her very own words to her and she smiles faintly at the meaning of it. 

Maybe she was in the wrong business.

"I owe you." and she meant it. 

While Captain was also very hard to work with if their values clash, there's a good side to it. He fights for his version of justice. She couldn't help but think, it wasn't bad. She hopes she can learn from him. 

"It's okay," He smiled.

Always the reliable Captain America but in this room— at this moment, he was Steve. The honest-to-god golden boy... and it made her think.

"If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust me to do it?" 

"I would now. And I'm always honest." She smiles at that but still can't be entirely convinced. A part of her always wondered if they would still say the same thing if they knew her past.

But unless she's ready for that, she doesn't think she'll get a convincing response. So she smiles, "Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing."

"Well, I guess I just like to know who I'm fighting." he leans back, and based on his expression, he was overthinking again. He stands up after, "I'll help Sam. He was gracious enough to let us stay. I'll see if I can help him with our food."

"I'll be there," She said and continued cleaning her hair. 

She rubbed the wet towel to get the gunk on her hair, her mind elsewhere.

"It's not your fault, you know" Her hand stilled and did not expect Skye to move from her side until she was half sitting beside Natasha, her face extremely solemn expression. One she wasn't used to seeing the childish hacker make.

"Excuse me?" 

Skye raised her eyebrows. "What? You guys expected me to sleep in the first five minutes of laying on a bed? I'm not that exhausted"

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping, then" 

"Oh as if you didn't know I was listening in. You're a spy. You know if I'm awake or pretending to be." That was true but the brunette's breathing was so even, she mistook that was her actually asleep.

"So what, you want to say it's not my fault I let some nasty people fool me to doing their shitty orders. Because I still did it. It doesn't lessen my hand on it." The redhead wanted to walk away from Skye. Her eyes so full of empathy that it repulse her instinct.

But she grabs her wrist. It wasn't tight but it didn't leave Natasha room to pull out. 

"Can you hear me out for a sec?" Her voice tender while she gave a small smile. 

Natasha stared at the hand holding her and didn't exactly hate the touch. So took five minutes to decided before sitting back down again.

The brunette's short hair fell on her shoulders while she scooted closer to her before she took something from her pockets. 

Natasha stiffened but she only snorted. "Chill. It's not a weapon." 

She was still alert but when Skye took out her wallet. She open it and took a small picture and handed it to her. 

"You sure?" she asked if she should take it. The hacker only shrugged and placed it on her hand. 

Natasha looks at it. A picture of a small baby blonde boy. Maybe 3 years old, wearing cute bear onesies while a woman was holding him in her arms, eyes looking intently at the baby. "He died. He died 6 months after I took that photo." Skye's voice was so low she could barely hear it. 

"He had cancer on his bones." Natasha spared Skye a look and the brunette looked worn out. A smile but it was hardly happy. If anything she could see regret in those purple eyes. "His mothers... were devastated of course. One of them particularly was so broken over the news that she blamed anyone she could find. The doctors who couldn't save him. The nurses who couldn't deliver the correct information for an early diagnosis... and even god." 

Natasha lets her hand graze the picture. A handsome and cute baby boy, who was putting his whole hand on his mouth, blue eyes, and an innocent dazzlingly smile.

"She wasn't even that religious but she hated god out of spite— or maybe because she was out of options on who to blame. She hated everyone. Then she discovered something."

Skye exhaled. "Most cancer cells would be triggered by an increase in health risk and then there are just others who had unseen circumstances. But he... his cancer was triggered by a foreign entity that was introduced in his bloodstream by accident. What's more that same foreign entity was his own mother's blood. His mother's blood that had ruinous dynamic that compromised his immune system and even encourage the production of cancer cell. Had it never had happened it was believed he could have lived longer. She found out it was her fault all along." Skye's tone turned oddly sunken. Devoid of anything but sadness.

"She killed her own son."

"No." Natasha stared back at Skye seeing the bittersweet smile gracing her lips.

"She didn't know." The spy said so tacitly, they were whispers. As if she was trying to make a statement that wasn't even a decree but all the same firmly placed.

Skye shakes her head. "It doesn't change the fact that if she wasn't so reckless then, her son's life wouldn't have been cut so prematurely." 

"She couldn't have known." 

"No. She wouldn't have." Skye takes the picture from her hands before putting it back in her wallet. "It took her a great deal trying to forgive herself even if she doesn't deserve it. So I hope you do as well, Nat." 

"What?" There was a knowing look in her eyes as if she was being stared at nakedly by the brunette. Her hand changed from her wrist to her hand. Skye squeeze her hand more reassuring than she did with her.

"I hope you don't blame yourself for something you don't have control over. I know I don't have the whole picture of what's going on and we just met hours ago. You might even still think I'm an enemy spy. But I still want you to take my words seriously and I do hope you'd take this to heart." 

"Remember... HYDRA, KGB, or even SHIELD is not you. Has never been you. You might have done things— horrible things for them. And I wish that could all be washed away. But you need to know who you are and where you stand for shouldn't be for them. Because the real betrayal is forgetting yourself. You're a good person, Natasha. Whether you're a shield agent or not, a black widow or an avenger. Whatever you choose to be associated with, you're more than that. Although you're not perfect— not even close but I know you're good." 

"You don't know me. What I've done. What I will do in the future. Can you still say that to my face once you know the truth?" 

"Personally, I'd be a hypocrite If I were to blame you for the horrible things you've done when I'm no better. Justifying it would also been horrible since doing something bad is bad nonetheless. But what makes me sure about my assessment of you is because you've never liked doing it, right? Hurting an innocent person? Pulling the trigger on those who were misguided? Killing a kid?" Natasha's breath hitched on her throat. She didn't know what to say but Skye did. "You didn't want to do it. You didn't know. You regret it and that's what makes you different from the other mercenaries. You care." 

"And do you know how I know that? Because you showed me the same courtesy. Even if you suspected me being a possible Hydra agent or a very big risk, you still came into my rescue, front and center. You were looking for me before you joined the fight with Outlaw, you made sure I was alive first. You pulled me out of harm's way when Steve attacked doctor Zollala.. And don't say I'm lying because I saw everything."

Skye silently hugs her and whispers in her ear. "I know you also bear a lot of regret in your life. Mistakes you wanted to be forgiven for. In time you'll make it right." Before sliding out of the bed and to the bathroom. The sound of running water encompassed every other sound in the room.

Natasha was deep in thought for the rest of the morning. But she wished she knew what to say back to Skye.

After some lengthy explanations to keep Sam and Skye in the loop, they ate breakfast. 

After eating, they cleaned, washed the dishes, and waited for what to do next.

They were all in the kitchen facing each other in different areas of the room, trying to get themselves comfortable before they started discussing. 

The only one not in the same mindset was Skye, fiddling with her computer, French music playing in the background while she bobs her head to the beat. None of them asked what she was doing 

Sam wasn't very used to Skye so he was looking behind her. The brunette didn't mind the extra eyes on her though. 

Natasha started them off since none of the four was talking. "So, the question is: who in SHIELD could authorize launching a domestic missile strike?" 

Because while Zola had admittedly entered the strike, it should have been approved to be shot from the launchers. 

Steve didn't even hesitate to answer. "Pierce." 

She disgustingly agrees. "Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." 

"But he's not working alone, Zola's data was on the Lemurian Star." Natasha was thinking about it and realized. "So was Jasper Sitwell."

Captain nodded. "We need him in order to know what exactly is in the drive and what it all means."

"Not exactly on the first part." Skye perks up from her laptop as her hands stilled and pushed it to let them see her screen. 

"I finally bypassed the firewall on the drive." She said with a grin and the two were surprised. 

"I thought you were playing a game," Steve said.

"I thought you were writing a fanfiction about this whole situation," Natasha added. 

"Okay, fuck you two," she replied in a deadpan voice. "I get it. I'm not the clearly the serious type but I am." She turns her head to Sam. "Do you have alcohol, I think I need a boost."

"Well, I do have some beer, will that do?"

Skye shrugs. "Sure. Can't be picky." Then went to face the two again.

"As I was saying. I bypassed the firewall and found this." She pressed three buttons on her keyboard.

It showed running sequences of numbers and words all jumbled in a compact but in-order format. All flowing alive in its scape. 

"What exactly are we looking at, Skye?" 

Skye looks away from Captain to see an open beer on the table. The brunette thanked Sam and took a sip before responding.

"Well that Captain is an algorithm. A complex and highly perceptive Algorithm." She took another sip of the beer before pulling back her screen and began typing again.

"It was designed to examine all profile info of every person on the planet. Their SAT scores, medical history, family lineage, family background, bank records, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, and a lot more. It's deeply terrifying, to be honest. It has a series of checklists that were put up to determine which person is in their interest. I'm still not sure what they intended to do with the ones that match their requisites but I don't think it's good. I still need more time to figure it out."

"Wow. That's amazing." Steve complimented her. 

The brunette looks pleased but Natasha pats Steve's arm. "Don't encourage her. She'll become some evil hacktivist if you do."

Skye sputtered at the offhanded comment and began grumbling under her breath like a child being told no. Natasha laughed. "Sorry. Sorry. I can't help it. You're annoyingly efficient."

"And you're annoying" Skye sulked. 

Natasha rolled her eyes but was still smiling. "So what now?"

"If you guys want a shortcut for what this algorithm is needed then kidnap someone who does."

"Straight to kidnapping?" Sam asked Skye. 

"It's not like these two can walk up to someone and ask for help without bolting the other way or better yet shooting their faces." Skye showed her phone to him. "I managed to get the name of who Zathura Armaggedon sent the location of the bunker we were in and came up with Rumlow. A shield agent. I'm guess you guys are wanted then?"

"It's not for the sake of trying. Hydra, which is a very dangerous evil organization managed to get into Shield and is now pulling the wool over everyone's eyes in SHIELD. With the previous director killed, Hydra spies have gotten the reigns." Steve explained. 

"Messy," Was all Skye could say as she finished the whole bottle and looked back at Sam. "You have another?"

Natasha asked. "So still a go for Jasper? Because it can't be a coincidence why he was in the Luminar. He knows something."

"And if you needed clearance to get back in SHIELD, you need him." Skye points out. "Or at least I need his passcode and I can wing it from there." 

"You know Skye. We've never asked this before but you don't need to help us. We're basically going to put you in danger if you come with us."

"Don't worry, Cap. You're not forcing me and there's also something I can get from all of these shenanigans." Skye perks up again when another bottle of beer is placed on the table.