Intertwine

9 - Flecks of Blue

I squeezed my eyes shut, ready for blaring siren, or maybe to get shot, I wasn't quite sure.

"Ah. I have found the way in." I looked up. Thor was standing next to a doorway in the concrete.

I rolled my eyes and pressed my communications device on my ear, turning it on. "We've found an entrance but no guards."

"Good for you!" Came the reply from Steve, who sounded out of breath. "We weren't quite so," the sounds of some shouts and then silence, "lucky."

Tony's voice came next, "Chop chop kid, get your ass inside that building."

I nodded and followed Thor inside. It was like any basement lab. A series of tunnels with bright white lights on the ceiling and metal doors at regular intervals. As soon as we passed the entrance the wall closed behind us. I swung round. There was no sign it had ever been there.

"This feels too easy." I whispered.

"I agree, stay alert." Thor replied gruffly before setting down the corridor.

"I agree stay alert," I mimicked, "and then you leave me? Jesus." I shook my head and took off behind him.

As I got to him I slowed down to a walking pace.

"Which door are we looking for?" I asked.

"Did you not look at the brief?" Thor asked.

"I mean.. I memorised the maps..." I sighed, realising I must not have read all the brief, "No."

"I did not read the brief either." Thor admitted.

Just as we got to a door a click sounded. We stopped dead still and looked at each other.

"Was that you?" I whispered. Thor shook his head. I looked around us. It was faint but coming out of the air vents at the top of the wall was a light vapour that looked like smoke.

"Thor..." I said slowly. "I think we should back up." As soon as I took a step backward the gas came in full force filling the space with a massive cloud of smoke. My eyes stung and I began to take hacking breaths.

"Cap," I wheezed into my radio, "it's booby-trapped. We got gas."

"Check your belt." Nat's voice came through my ear.

I fell to my knees, my eyes streaming. I could hear Thor coughing, but not as badly. My lungs were on fire. I felt around the attachments on my belt, my fingers badly co-ordinated from my lightheadedness. Finally I found something that felt like a mask. I pulled it on. It fit perfectly to my face. I could finally breath easier, though my eyes still stung.

"It was designed after the Winter Soldier's." Nat's voice came through the radio. "Won't help vision loss though."

"Vision loss?" I asked alarmed. I staggered up, arms reaching out. I felt Thor's body in front of me and grabbed his arm, pulling him to me. "Thor we have to-"

Only it was not Thor. It was a six foot man holding a machine gun. Great. Still holding onto his arm I kicked him in the head, and swung around so I behind him. Gun shots went off, I'd been around gun fire many times, but it always shocked me how loud it was. More gun shots. I zigzagged down the corridor, trying to avoid bullets. I felt one skim my thigh leaving a burning sensation in its wake, forcing me to let out a low hiss. I was just praying to God he only had one gun. I shot a wooden spike behind me. I must have got lucky because I heard a grunt. Then another grunt but no more shots. He must have run out of bullets. I silently thanked whatever guardian angel was looking down on me. Now it was fair game. I ran back the way I came, in the direction of the guard's voice.