[Back at the Avengers headquarters]
Maria Hill: He's all over the globe. Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place.
Steve Rogers: Fatalities?
Maria Hill: Only when engaged. Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, and something too fast to see.
Steve Rogers: Maximoffs. Well, that makes sense he'd go to them, they have someone in common.
Maria Hill: Not anymore.
[She hands Steve a tablet showing photo of Strucker's dead body with the word PEACE written in blood on the wall next to him]
Clint Barton: [Barton's talking on his cell phone] That's a negative. I answer to you. Yes, ma'am. [Steve interrupts him]
Steve Rogers: Barton, we might have something.
Clint Barton: Gotta go.
Steve Rogers: Who was that?
Clint Barton: Girlfriend. [after Steve has gathered the rest of the team he shows them the photo of Strucker's body]
"I thought you didn't have a girlfriend?" Harry asks the archer. Said man just shrugs, which really just confuses everyone but no one says anything.
Tony Stark: What's this?
Steve Rogers: A message. Ultron killed Strucker.
Tony Stark: And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us.
Natasha Romanoff: This is a smokescreen. Why send a message when you've just given a speech?
Anastasia Ivanova: Maniacal tendencies?
Steve Rogers: Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss.
Natasha Romanoff: Yeah, I bet he... [looks at the computer monitor] Yep. Everything we had on Strucker has been erased.
Tony Stark: Not everything.
[The team go through the physical files they have on Strucker]
Steve Rogers: Known associates. Well, Strucker had a lot of friends.
Bruce Banner: Well, these people are all horrible.
Tony Stark: Wait. I know that guy. [Banner passes him the photo he was looking at] From back in the day. He operates off the African coast, black market arms. [Steve gives him an accusing look] There are conventions, alright? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything. [we see the photo is of a man named Ulysses Klaue] He was talking about finding something new, a game changer, it was all very "Ahab."
Anastasia Ivanova: Oh yeah! I know him! Real dipshit.
Thor: [Thor points to the scar on the back of Klaue's neck] What's this?
Tony Stark: Uh, it's a tattoo. I don't think he had it...
Thor: No, those are tattoos, this is a brand.
Anastasia Ivanova: [mumbling incoherently] I have a couple of those too.
Many look at the girl sadly, especially her old friends. What had she gone through that they just had no idea about?
Bucky tightens his grip on his wife's hand and he kisses her forehead in comfort. Ana leans into his touch.
The one good thing that came from the countless years of torture was her relationship with Bucky. She didn't know who'd she be, or even where, without him by her side.
YOU ARE READING
Quake
FanfictionWhen the Marauders were in school they made a friend who one day disappeared, only to be pronounced dead soon after. Years later, they get a letter telling them that their friend is still alive. How will they react? Will she still accept them? Anast...
