The regrets of Katherine Barnes

Chapter 23

Ren stands behind the car tapping her foot. She looks to the sky. The sun has barely risen. Around them still is dark with little light.

"Okay," Ward says standing," If she's not here in 5 minutes we're leaving without her."

"No!" Ren bursts," She's my sister, we wait. She's my last blood related family. Just watch," She looks at the forest, "She'll be here."

Almost as if they rehearsed it, Riley and Logan comes running out of the trees waving her arms like a mad man. The sounds of laser guns (like the one in Star Trek, sorry I don't know what they're called) come from the forest. Ren ducks as she sees a little beam and blue light headed in her direction.

"RUN LIKE HELL!" Riley screams rushing down the road.

Ren, being stupid, runs into the forest. She races through the trees as a distraction for the group.

"ARE YOU CRAZY YOUR GOING TO GET KILLED! WE DESIGNED THOSE YOU'LL BE DEAD IN ONE SHOT!" Simmons screams pointing at Fitz when she says we.

"Go I'll meet you in the city, you need a distraction," Ren says. Turning around to face the group, giving a little salute with two fingers.

She races through the trees occasionally dodging a beam of electric blue. She hears a squeal next to her. Ren's head looks next to her to see Luna running beside her. Ren's eyes widen.

"Are you crazy," Ren shrieks. Luna thinks for a moment before nodding.

"Need help?" Ren hears an obnoxious fire child beside her. She turns her head to her right to see Johnny, in flames, flying beside her.

"Why are you helping us," Ren asks facing forward, "You're with S. H. I. E. L. D!"

"Actually," Johnny admits, "I kinda figured out they were going to um... expire you since they think you went wacko. So I flipped a table and flew out of there."

Ren's eyes widen. Before she could respond the tree neck to them explodes in blue fire.

"Talk later," Ren says with wide eyes, "First, fire blockade."

"Got it," He says lighting the trees behind them on fire. The trees quickly went up like torches.

The continue to run like their lives depend on it, because it does.

•••••••

Ren's worn out running shoes hit the cracked pavement as they run down an alleyway.

"I...hate...running!" Ren exclaims through breaths. Her hands rest on her knees as she bends over. Her eyes look at Luna as she ties her bleach blonde hair with a green streak up in a ponytail.

"How...are...you...not...tired...we just....ran two miles with fire chasing... our tail?" Ren asks sitting on the floor wiping the sweat off her forehead. Her thick head of hair not helping with the heat she feels.

"Before the world turned to hell, I did track," Luna says with a smile, "Where's Johnny?"

"I swear if that as-"

"What were you going to call me Barnes," Johnny says with a smirk as he lands. He crosses his arms as his flames die out.

"Oh you know the usual," Ren says as she starts to count off, "Goof, annoying, child, immature, asshole, thick-headed-"

"I get it, let's just find the group," He says. Ren smiles and nods. She holds out a hand for Johnny to pull her up, "You insult me, then ask for my help?"

"Pretty much all my friendships," Ren says shrugging, "Ask that one." She points to Luna who is staring at the graffiti. She turns around to face us.

"Huh?" Ren rolls her eyes and stands up herself.

"Nevermind, let's just find the group."

•••••••••••

They walk down the street, heads down avoiding people at all costs. Ren stares at the floor, thinking of everything. She doesn't hear Johnny saying her name. He finally shakes arm, on reflex she grab the arm and punched his nose. Her hands fly to cover her mouth as she gasps.

"Sorry, reflex!" Ren says quickly. Johnny takes his hand off of his nose to see it covered in blood.

"Great," He says sarcastically, "Thanks I needed that."

"Oh you did," Ren confirms, "For breaking my sister's heart three years ago."

"Are you still hung up on that," Ren nods.

"Shut it both of you," Luna whispers looking back over her shoulder to see around the corner of the red brick building they're behind. "I think I see some Hydra soldiers. They're coming down the street!"

"Luna disappear, Johnny go fly on top of that building don't get seen," Ren points to the building at the end of the alleyway, "I'll run up and see you up there."

Luna hides behind some trashcans and turns invisible, Johnny 'flames on' and lands on top of the crumbling building, and Ren super speeds up there.

A troop of Hydra soldiers march down the street. Dressed in old style outfits with the masks and dark suits. Ren stays low and covers her mouth as if she breaths out they'll hear her.

Luna moves her body just a little to get more comfortable. Her foot hits the trashcan, which causes a chain reaction of cans falling and crashing onto the floor. The sudden noise scares her out of invisibility. All the soldiers heads turn to look at her. The closest row raises their guns powering them up. They found her.