villain | STEVE ROGERS 18+

t h i r t y n i n e

November 6th 2013
Somewhere in NYC
[ Four years ago ]

Turning eighteen had been a relief. Leaving foster care was the best thing that could ever happened to her. She heard stories about people that got lucky, they found real families and real parents. But everywhere Ember had stayed, no one really ever cared for her. They just took her in because it was their job,

The busy NYC streets had quietened down by the time it reached 3am in the morning, she had ventured into a rather rundown area, and the only people around were middle aged men coming home from their night out getting completely wasted. Every person she had passed so far completely reeked of some sort of alcohol substance.

She hadn't really thought through what she'd do once she packed her bags and left, leaving her days of foster care behind. She hadn't thought further than getting out.

She assumed she'd just go hunt for a job, maybe as a waitress, or use one of her IDs and work as a barista, and rent a motel room until she could afford an apartment.

She had no cash on her. No wallet, no phone, nothing.

When she passed different bars and restaurants, she didn't see anywhere she found properly hide out in until sunrise, but she eventually passed a bar, with an alleyway that went down the side, separating it to the apartments next to it, with a staff side door left slightly ajar, and some heat escaping. She figured that on this cold, wintry night, this might be the best she could do.

She slid down the alleyway wall, and sat. Watching the drunks pass her buy, and listen to the commotion going on inside the bar, the heat from the slightly open door being all she got. She was so distracted with her thoughts, and her own mind, she didn't notice the door opening wider and two men stepping out of it.

"Your parents around?" The man asked, scanning the area for any other people who could be a potential threat. He had dark brown hair, and wore some sort of tactical gear that Ember wasn't familiar with, an octopus symbol on the shoulder sleeve. But she could tell that he wasn't here for drinks.

Ember let out a laugh, she hadn't even realised she looked her age, everyone told her she looked much older. "Bold of you to assume I have parents."

"I like this one." The other man said, "Bring her in."

"Bring her in?" Ember stifled a laugh, "What the fuck is this organisation you run here? For fucks said, this isn't some sort of lame kidnapping your attempting here, right? Y'know my second set of foster parents put me into karate class— I made it as far as a green belt. I was going for brown but then I got moved from... I think they were from Chicago... To somewhere else, dunno, I lost track."

The two men rolled their eyes as they listened to her talk, taking in the information to use it against her whenever they could.

"You sure about this one, Garret?" The man asked.

"Yes. I'm sure. She'll be good for the programme."

"You wanna test on her?" The younger one asked, "Are you sure that's a good idea?—"

"I've been in this business a lot longer than you have, Grant. Just trust what I say."

The younger one stiffened, "Yeah... Yeah, John. Of course."

Ember raised her eyebrows, she found this whole situation very amusing.

Two men threatening to take her away shouldn't have been so funny, but she couldn't help herself from her sense of humour.

"You guys know I'm... Right here, right? I can hear everything your saying?"

The older one nodded his head, "We don't want to kidnap you. We don't do that here— Unless necessary, but this won't be necessary, because once we explain to you, we have a feeling you'll willingly join our organisation."