To The End [Steve Rogers]

1 - To Every Change

Jessica glances towards the sky. Her knowledge of Boston weather is minimal against the warning of her natural instincts. The whimsical puffs of whites and blues that had streaked through the sky this morning now resemble a pallet of ashy grays. For Jessica, it's an omen of good faith.

"We know you stole weaponry from that warehouse. Just tell us where it is and we'll leave you alone," David Donovan, her partner on this particular case, offers the man before them. "This doesn't have to get any uglier, Minor."

Chev Minor, an underground arms dealer they have been chasing for the past six months, struggles against the rope holding him to the chair. He's calm—much calmer than Jessica would have expected to see from a captured fugitive, but that could just be a persona. He hasn't been threatened, yet.

"I don't mind ugly," he spits, "but you might want to remove the lady before we get started."

"Gross," David kicks the chair as a warning before coming to stand beside Jessica. Her back is turned to the interaction happening behind her, leaving her view open to the landscape that the rooftop provides. When she doesn't say anything, David runs his fingers through his overly greased hair, "We could get this over with quickly, you know. Maybe get some lunch?"

She shrugs, "I'm not hungry."

He looks back at Minor for a second, then leans in closer to whisper, "This guy is solid. Over a dozen specialists have tried to crack him and nothing. It would look really good for us to get a win here."

Her lips form a closed smile that is only a little short of mocking, "Do you need me to step in?"

David chuckles as if she's said something hilarious. He really is the most arrogant of all the men she has met in her field. Though he is only stationed at a level three clearance level, he spends most of his time trying to prove his superiority over higher-level agents. Jessica has been excluded in this taunting but has rather become the target of his pick-up lines instead.

"Look," he starts again, circling Minor's chair menacingly, "they found your base. It was pretty impressive: ballistics, machinery... even some old Stark tech. That's not what we're after, though."

Minor rolls his eyes, "I know what you're after."

"Yeah? Then tell us where it is, or we'll leave you up here with the lightening."

A cell phone vibrates, and David takes a step backwards to pull the device from his pocket. Jessica finally turns away from the skyline long enough to see an untouched Chev Minor staring at her.

"Are you the big guns?" He asks coolly.

She shrugs, "Hardly."

David suddenly extends the phone to her, and she takes it from him, "This is Agent Torres."

"Why are you letting Donovan make a fool out of himself?"

"Nick," she greets him, recognizing the voice instantly. "You can hardly blame me for that."

"Finish the job and get down here. I've got something bigger for you," he states.

She hangs up and turns back around. Her heartbeat quickens as she peers over the edge of the roof at the street below. Nicholas J. Fury stands in the shaded alley. His one uncovered eye stares back up at her.

Jessica sighs. She hates rushing into things, especially when it comes to interrogation. It's not that she's incapable of completing her task in a short amount of time, it's the method in which she uses to finish it. The only reason doesn't put up a fight is because the Director of Shield is standing a few feet below them.