Agent Hill: New Beginnings

chapter eight

After hearing the commotion and familiar voices yelling, I had to end my communication with Tony and Bruce. The man, Vincent as he introduced himself, handed me my phone offering me a smile. I think we both got something out of that discovery. Before I quickly rush outside and into the gambling room, where Drax is on top of Groot, and Rocket is aiming a gun at Drax growling.

"Woah guys" I step next to Rocket putting my hand on top of his gun, trying to get him to lower it. Peter and Gamora enter the room, coming to my aid. As Gamora pulls Drax off of Groot, Peter stands between Rocket and Drax. "Woah WOAH what are you doing!?" Peter yells. Drax glares at Rocket pointing and pulling on Gamora who holds his arm loosely trying to keep him back.

"This vermin speaks affairs he knows nothing about!"

"That is True!" Rocket yells, making me frown, confused on why he is agreeing with Drax.

"He has no respect!" Drax continues to yell.

"Drax calm down!" I yell getting annoyed and protective over Rocket even though he continues to agree with Drax. "That is also true!"

"Hold on HOLD ON!" Peter yells over the top of their voices, while Groot stands up re-adjusting his jaw from Drax punching him. "Keep calling me verman, tough guy! You just want to laugh at me like everyone else!" Rocket yells, aimlessly pointing his gun around as his drunken words continue to spill from his mouth. Concerned I step closer placing a hand tentatively on his shoulder to steady him, he looks at me briefly before looking at Peter angry and hurt.

"Rocket, you're drunk. All right? No one is laughing at you!" Peter tries to reason, looking at me for support, before looking back at Rocket, who snarls in response shrugging off my hand and shaking his gun at Drax and Gamora. "He thinks I'm some stupid thing...He does!" Rocket says pointing at Drax.

"Well, I didn't ASK to get made!" He yells, making Peter soften, and Gamora and Drax's stance loosen as he no longer fights against her to attack Rocket. I look at Rocket sadly, reaching out again and placing a hand on his gun instead lowering it, knowing if I touched him it might make him break down. "I didn't ask to be torn apart, and put back together OVER and Over again and turned into some..." he pauses voice breaking as his eyes begin to water. "...some, some little monster!" he spits. I shake my head having enough of listening to him "Rocket, no one is calling you a monster" I say.

Looking up at me, his face almost makes me break, his devastation before he clenches his jaw and points to Drax "He called me 'vermin'!" He says, before pointing to Gamora "She called me 'rodent' Let's see if you can laugh after five or six good shots to your frikin' face!" He yells as he goes to lift his gun again at Drax and Gamora. Peter stands fully in front of Rocket now, blocking him from shooting them.

"No, no no no no!" Peter stammers sucking in a breath as Rocket aims the gun. "Four billion units! Rocket!. Come on man, Hey! Suck it up for one more lousy night and you're rich" Peter says, which makes me look at him slightly annoyed, using money to calm him down. How about showing that you care for him? Rocket stares at Peter, his chest rising and falling as his grip on his gun loosens before he calms down. Exchanging glances we all look at each, however looking at Groot lastly I see him give me a faint smile, hopefully indicating he is ok and that Rocket is calming down. The sound of Rocket's gun powering down brings back my attention along with his defeated and downcasted gaze as he murmurs dejectedly "..fine", his voice breaking showing his emotion which he is fighting so hard to now bury. "But I can't promise when this is all over, I am not going to kill every last one of you jerks," Rocket says, feigning his sarcastic facade back on. However, this makes Peter snap.

"See this is why none of you has any friends. Five seconds after you meet somebody, you're already trying to kill them!" Peter says looking at Rocket, Drax and Gamora. Whilst Groot looks over at me with a shrug.

"We have travelled, halfway across the quadrant! And Ronan is no closer to being dead!" Drax shouts annoyed, as he pushes Gamora away from him and turns around, leaving the room and storming off. "Drax!" Peter yells. "Let him go," I say, making him look at me. "He needs to cool off, I will check on him soon," I say, whilst Gamora swats her hand "We don't need him," She says making me frown, Groot naively copies her movement swatting his hand, which makes my frown soften.

The doors to another room open, whirring as a Pink lady dressed in a white dress, her hands clasped together in front of her walks toward us. "Milady Gamora. I'm here to fetch you for my master." She says before bending and turning to the side using her arm to gesture for us to enter the room. I look at Gamora who rolls her eyes and walks in front entering the room first before we all follow her inside, preparing to meet the Collector.