❝Being alone is easy, it's the loneliness that'll kill you.❞
❝I can deal with the noise. I don't mind the noise. The quiet is a different story.❞
In which both Mara Reyes and Steve Rogers have no fucking idea what they're doing with t...
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CHAPTER ELEVEN Fighting Cage
"YOU'VE GOT TO be shitting me." Andy said as she rose her eyebrows.
"Nope. It's your turn." Ryder exasperated, pushing his hair back. "If you're back in the game, you'll have no problem showing us what you got."
Andy narrowed her eyes as she nodded her head to the cage. "You're strong." She noted. "Inhumanly strong. Let me guess that's what Top Man trusted you with? Successful human experimentation."
Ryder didn't bother denying it as he merely smiled at her. "My cousins are still pissed about it."
"And you voluntarily agreed to have it done?"
"Like I said, power is power, M. The more power we have, the more we can expand without anyone stopping us– not the government, not the Avengers. We'll have powers and abilities that will match theirs. I know your mother failed in trying. But the Hammerheads will be the ones to succeed and with you here now, you're more than welcome to join us build an empire." Ryder said. Andy could tell instantly they weren't his words. He was just repeating them.
She stiffened slightly and forced a smile. "I could get on board with that."
"Good. But first, you're up." Ryder prompted, pointing to the cage.
Andy scoffed. "I'm still hurt from where your dumbass goons shot me in the leg."
"It was a graze." Ryder pointed out.
"I still have stitches." Andy replied, irritated.
"You're such a pussy." Ryder snarked.
Now there was the Ryder she knew.
Andy knew she shouldn't have let him goad her. But pride was a real thing that had her by the throat and since she needed some other way to let her pent up anger and frustration out somehow.
"Fine." She gave in with a ghost of a smirk as she shrugged off her leather jacket and tied her hair up in a bun. "I could do with punching someone in the face. Multiple times."
Ryder looked shocked. Andy could tell he really didn't expect her to go in which satisfied her. He quickly shook off his surprise as Andy dumped her jacket on a chair.
"I'll place my bets on you." He said with a smirk. "What do I get if you win?"
"My respect." Andy grinned smugly.
She climbed in the cage, wrapping boxing gauze Ryder handed her around her knuckles, her body tingling ready for a fight.
She felt nervous and whenever she did, her mother's words echoed in her head: fear and nerves is natural. It's how you deal with it is what gives it meaning.
