To the outside world, Evalina Devin is seen as an average women. She works at a café in New York and that is all she does, but that's what others see. Evalina is no ordinary girl, she was born with not so normal powers that she wants to hide and a p...
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The car ride back to the headquarters was excruciating. Not only was there a tense silence between Steve and I, the pang in my chest from Natasha pushing me away was aggravating. I know that my girlfriend needed time, but I did not expect those words from her.
I know that it was probably just in the moment, the anger and hurt speaking for itself. Just hearing those words though was not the greatest thing to hear.
Once we got to S.H.I.E.L.D, Rumlow had Steve and I follow him to Director Pierce's office. Another man I am not so fond of.
Before we make our way to his office, Steve and I both stop to change into our uniforms. "Evalina," Steve says as I come out of the room.
"Yes, Rogers?" I ask as we follow Rumlow the rest of the way.
"I'm sorry."
I don't say a word, not feeling the need to respond at this moment. We walk into a hallway and stop at the beginning of it when we see Pierce talking to Sharon. Out of the corner of my eye I see Steve slightly glare at her. "Captain Rogers," Kate says as she walks to us, "Bluejay."
"Neighbor," Steve says sternly as I nod in her direction.
"Oh, Captain," he says shaking Steve's hand.
"Sir, it's an honor," Steve says and I hold the urge to roll my eyes.
"Agent," Pierce says nodding in my direction since we already met each other through Fury.
"Come in," Pierce says and we follow him into the room.
Once we get into the room, I sit in one of the chairs as Steve stands next to me. After a few minutes, Pierce hands Steve a picture of him and Fury. "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met, when I was in state department in Bogota. E.L.M rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took hostages," Pierce says as he goes through folders on the table, "Nick was deputy Chief of the S.H.I.E.L.D station there."
Pierce makes his ways towards us, but keeps a string eye contact with Steve. "He came to me with a plan," Pierce continues, "He wants to storm the building through the sewers and I said 'No, we'll negotiate.' Turned out the E.L.N. didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement and what did they find? They find it empty."
Pierce then sits in the chair across from me and then Steve sits down in the other one, "Nick had ignored my direct order, and carried out unauthorized military operation on foreign soil, and saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter."
"So you gave him a promotion?" Steve asks him.
"I never had any cause to regret it. Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?" Pierce asks Steve and I look towards him.
I can see the wheels turning in his head. Thinking of an excuse because I know he has a reason. "I don't know," Steve responds.
"Did you know that it was bugged?" Pierce asks him. I tense slightly, but then slowly relax.
"I did because Nick told me," Steve responds. Nick most of told him when he was in the apartment.
"Did he tell you that he bugged and your friend here knew?" Pierce then asks him and Steve slowly looks in my direction. I look down at my lab, but I can still feels Steve's eyes on me.
"I want you to see something," Pierce says and I look up right as Steve looks away from me.
A video then pops up on the large screen in the room. It was George Batroc. "Is that live?" Steve asks the Director.
"Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers."
"Are you saying he's a suspect? Assassination isn't Bartoc's line."
I hold the urge to counter Steve. How could that be a coincidence that he gets away and the next day Fury is shot.
"No, it's more complicated than that," Pierce responds as Steve and I look at the screen, "Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star. And he was contacted by email and paid by wire transfer, and then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts."
Steve and I quickly turn to look at him at his last words. "The last one was going to a holding company that was registered to Jacob Veech," Pierce says handing Steve the folder.
"Are we supposed to know who that is?" I ask him.
"Not likely, Veech dies six years ago. His last address was 1435 Elmhurst Drive," Pierce says as I look at the folder with Steve.
"When I first met Nick his mother lived at 1437."
"Are you saying that Fury hired the pirates? Why?" Steve asks. I don't think Fury would do this, but maybe he did so Natasha and I could get the intel.
"The prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence," Pierce says and my heart stops at his words, but I show no emotion.
Steve sighs pretending he doesn't know the truth. "The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death," Pierce says.
"If you really knew Nick Fury, you'd know that's not true," Steve says sternly.
"Why do you think we're talking?" Pierce asks and then he stands up. Steve and I follow his movements.
"See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to, but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists," Pierce says as he walks to the large window, "We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, that to build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down."
This man and his theories. I swear.
Pierce then looks towards Steve and I. "And that makes enemies. Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in mud and try to build something better. And the idea that those people could be happy today makes me really angry. Captain, you were the last one to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident. And I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask again. Why was he there?"
I don't move an inch, but I know Steve is contemplating what to respond with. "He told me not to trust anyone," Steve replies after a few seconds.
"I wonder if that included him."
"I'm sorry," Steve tells Pierce, "Those were his last words. Excuse us." Steve starts to walk away and I quickly follow him not wanting to be stuck in this room.
"Captain, somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why," Pierce tells Steve, "Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it. Anyone."
"Understood," Steve tells him.
Steve turns to walk out and I trail behind him. There is something wrong with Pierce.
~~~
Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter even though it is short. Maybe I'll do another update depending on what I think. Don't forget to comment, vote, and stay safe!
