The Devil's Keeper - Blackhill

Chapter 15 - It Hurts To Become

[April 28th, 2007 – Helicarrier, location classified]

Maria was summoned inside Fury's office urgently and without explanation. She got there as fast as she could, fearing a turn for the worse in Clint's condition, or a security footage leak depicting her and Natasha's kiss the day before.

When she walked inside and closed the door, Fury turned a laptop towards her and she feared that her latter guess might have been right.

"One of our land facilities got called in by the FBI on a case of kidnapping two hours ago. The kidnappers said they would only talk to a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."

"Do you need me to bargain with them?"

"Our agents got there and talked to them already. They said they would only consider surrender if put in contact with someone specific. They have an elementary school locked down, two of their agents at every exit, armed with assault rifles. They said if someone gets close, they'll start shooting the kids."

"Do you want me to get in? Rescue the kids?"

Fury shook his head. "We've agreed to let their boss talk to this person in exchange for the civilians' freedom." Fury pressed a button on the laptop in front of Maria and a video feed started playing on the screen. "The line is secure, they won't be able to trace it back to S.H.I.E.L.D. Once you start talking to him, you have to make clear we won't bargain your life for the kids. We don't make deals with terrorists, the United States Government has a very strict policy about that."

"Me? He wants to talk to me?"

"Once you're done, we'll know what he wants and the cards he hold, and we'll decide what to do. You know how to do this, so good luck."

Maria frowned but sat down in front of the laptop, still confused as hell, but knowing it wasn't wise to keep a terrorist with hostages waiting. She pressed the button and she could instantly tell when the man started seeing her face on his screen. He was wearing a ski mask, but his accent was unmistakable.

"I'm Commander Hill."

"I know who you are." The thick Russian accent ran down Maria's spine like a shiver. "I asked for you. You're the one who has single handedly taken down a handful of our facilities."

"You're with the Red Room."

"You don't sound surprised."

She could feel her hands starting to sweat a little. She was usually well put together, but even Maria Hill was unsettled with children being involved in something like this. And because of her, nonetheless. She tried to stay calm, to keep her voice even.

"Let the children go, you're talking to me as you asked."

He looked at her for a moment longer, then gestured with his head to one of his men, who proceeded to disappear from the video. Fury, behind his desk and out of the frame, immediately started making a call.

"I have another request. You come here, to us, willingly."

She would do it, to save a school full of kids. She would. But if he held his part of the deal, she wouldn't have to. It made no sense to her.

"Let me guess. Unarmed and without back up?"

She tried to stall him while Fury got the confirmation that the kids were being evacuated.

"You can come armed, it is not a problem. There are too many of us. But yes, you have to come alone. After all, you brought down so many of our facilities alone, why change now?" His tone was bitter but smug at the same time.

"Because now you're expecting me."

Fury nodded and gestured for Maria to keep him on the line, to keep talking to him. They were letting the kids go but it would take a while.