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4- Andra Matar

"Agent 55! I thought you had today off."

My hand resting on my knife, which was strapped to my belt where a gun would usually be, I spun around, debating briefly if I was going to tell the truth when Danny undoubtedly asked me why I was here. "I did too. Yet here I am."

"Did you get called in for an operation?" My fellow agent asked. Men are too predictable. Though, it could just be me. I improvised my entire life, which stands out and has a very different outcome than planning and logical questions

"Naw... home was too boring." I passed off, the lie prepared long ago.

"You have talked about this day for two weeks." Danny laughed, knowing me all too well. "What happened?"

"I missed working too much." I tried, hoping he would just drop it. I liked to pretend my mother didn't exist. It was happier that way.

"I honestly don't believe you."

"Can I tell you a secret?" I said, deciding to change the way I went at this.

"Yeah?" Danny stepped towards me in earnest, foolish enough to think I would open up to him. I was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. We tend to be layered onions rather than open books.

"I came in because I couldn't bear to be away from the boss."

With that, I spun on my heel and left for the central control room. Needless to say, it was very hard not to laugh at the man's expression.

Working was the perfect distraction from brooding over my problems. You either focused or paid the price with a bullet wound. It's a dangerous world, and my job was to protect it, to make it a better place.

I entered the control room. "Boss!" I called.

The agent in charge, Stewart Mince, a balding, stoutly man who hadn't been in the field for several years, glowered at me. "Agent Matar, could you explain to me why you're here?"

"I chose to report for duty today, sir. Home was too... quiet." I lied smoothly.

"Things are quiet here as well. We don't need you today. Go back home." Mince said, looking slightly annoyed.

"Sir, I would prefer to stay here." I said,
hoping he would abide to my wishes. What would I do? I was married to my job. Ninteen and I don't even want to take a day of rest.

"Fine." He said, eyes narrowed. "We'll keep you posted."

Which told me I was going to spend the next hour or so spinning around in an office chair.

Mince was not unfamiliar with my stubbornness. Yes, it was pestering and unhelpful, but it was for a good cause. Boring and stressful days are tragic. Besides, it's not like I could do any harm. I would sit and wait, which, now that I think about it, is what I would do at the aparment. Oops. At least I have S.H.I.E.L.D. office life to watch.

I sat down towards the back of the room, listing to tidbits of chatter, comparing rhe experience to losing Call of Duty. Not sure which was better. Oh, well.

The whole of it wasn't enough to keep me awake. One of the useful skills I learned during my S.H.I.E.L.D. training was how to act during a controlled situation. If nothing is about to attack you, sleep. You might need the rest the field.

Sure enough, I dozed off, those instincts automatically kicking in.

And strange dreams followed.

***
The feeling of exhaustion, like I'd just run a long race. Disorienting sounds, like slurred voices and blurred faces. I could not fathom where I was, or who was with me. I knew very little, but this did not scare me.

I was being cradled in a woman's arms; they were holding me close, desperately. I'd seen this before--when someone was about to die.

Although, this time, I wasn't the spectator. I was the one dying.

The exhaustion. The aching pain thoughout my body.

"I'm so tired." I murmured. "Make it end."

The voice of the woman holding me responded. "You sleep now. You've done so much." Her head was bowed in grief. I could barely make out tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hair sweeping was around her face, voice breaking.

So close. So near the end.

Footsteps. Boots on metal. The pained voice of denial. It was male.

Others. Murmurings of condolences.

The blackness. Closing in. The world was gone, my eyes closed.

The last thing I heard was a heartbroken wail.

***
Then my eyes opened. "Woah. I cannot eat before I sleep." That had to be the weirdest dream I'd ever had. It occurred to me that I was maybe drugged, which made no sense as it only effected my dreams. The other possibility was my subconscious felt especially strange today. And knowing my subconscious, it was the second one.

My roommate and friend threw a crumpled up piece of paper at my head. "No slacking, Matar!"

I scowled at her, almost actually angry. "You know I have to pay you back now. Paper is dangerous."

Ava shuddered in mock fear, teasing me gently in return. "I'm terrified."

"You have no idea what I can buy on Amazon." I threatened.

"Oh, no! Poison with free shipping!" She exclaimed, laughing.

My cell phone rang yet again, buzzing in my pocket. I answered, unsurprised at the caller.

"Pepper!" I said with mixed emotions.

"Andra." My half-sister greeted. "How are you doing?"

"Delusional, so about normal. You?" I said.

"About normal too, only annoyed and stressed. Tony is acting like a complete child, and I'm trying to organize a dinner." She complained. I winced with sympathy, my patience for Tony Stark gone the moment I met him.

"Tony is a kid. We've established this." I argued, wondering how my sibling ever fell in love with him.

"I know that. He's can be such a pain sometimes." Pepper sighed.

"Have you ever considered-" I started, but she had heard this before.

"No, I have never considered child leashes." Pepper snapped, her stubbornness matching mine.

I scratched the back of my neck innocently. "All I'm saying is, they'd work."

"Andra-" Pepper protested. Tony and I never got along, leaving Pepper in the middle, a very unhappy place to be.

"You should check Amazon. They're probably cheap." I attempted.

"I haven't given up just yet."

"Tell me when you do. Though that isn't the reason you called." I detected. "What's up?"

"Well, like I said, I'm trying to plan a nice night. A couple of people at the Avengers tower, dinner..." Pepper trailed off. "And you're welcome to come."

I was taken aback. "Really? Who are these "couple people" you speak of?"

"The Avengers, and possibly a few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents."

"And I would have to wear a dress?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"It would be formal." I suppressed a sigh. When you wear dresses, you usually can't hide weapons in your clothing, something I dedicated time to.

"Does Tony know I'm coming yet?" I interrogated, guessing it wasn't his idea to invite me.

Pepper avoided the question expertly. "You'll get to meet Steve Rodgers."

"What time should I be there?"