New Recruits

Knocking At Death's Door

The doctors rushed around Fury in the operation room, their muddled voices shouting orders at each other. I watched on helplessly through the window, my mind barely taking in what was going on before me. Steve stood next to me, Natasha standing closer to the window along with Maria Hill. She and I had met before, but even she didn't know my last with Fury. Both Natasha and I were silently crying, not wanting to lose the man in front of us. He had helped me all those years ago, when he asked me to do a simple task to return the favour I just messed things up, I made his job so much harder.

          As Natasha marched out of the room, Steve stood behind me, placing his hands in my shoulder. I wanted to look away but I just couldn't draw my eyes away. Suddenly the machines in the operating theatre got louder, his heart moniter dropping quickly. The line went dead, and the sound of the defibrillator charging started. A nurse shut the curtains, hiding the disaster from us. Maria was the next to walk out as I placed my hands on the window, urging the man inside to live.

"Bethan, Bethan we have to go." Steve tried to push me out of the room.

"No, no, no, I can't leave him. He's done so much for me, he saved my life and now he's dying!" I was in hysterics, leaning against the glass.

"Bethan, calm down. I know that this is upsetting but you saw what he said." he started to whisper."S.H.I.E.L.D is compromised meaning that we're all in danger, especially you. I don't know enough yet but I know that I need to get you somewhere safe."

"Steve what are we going to do?" I croaked.

"I...I don't know yet."

         I hugged his waist, feeling his arms wrap around me. This was serious. HYDRA was most likely behind this meaning that it would take more than a few superheros to defeat them. They were hidden, they were already in S.H.I.E.L.D, who knew how many there were. They could be unlocking secrets, dispatching their plans to take S.H.I.E.L.D down from the inside.

Steve pulled away and took out his phone, beginning to type into it."I need you to go to this address."

My phone vibrated, receiving a text from Steve."Why? What is it?"

"Don't go to my apartment. I know your stuff is there but there are clothes already in the house."

"House? Steve-"

"It's a safe house. Tony made it for Bruce originally. You're going to stay there until I think it's safe."

"W-Will I be alone?"

"Yes. But that's the only place I can think of that's the safest at the moment."

I hesitated."I know that it's going to be really dangerous. But please be safe."

                    *~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Welcome Miss Hills." JARVIS immediately welcomed me as I opened the door. He had been alerted that I would be occupying the house for an unknown amount of time.

         The address had lead me to a cottage in the countryside, surrounded by a forest and a lake; a perfect place for a green rage monster to let off some steam. It was beautiful though I wasn't surprised due to Tony's amazing taste. But the thought of being alone whilst everyone else was facing a terrorist organization made me petrified. What if they found out everything that I had been hiding? What if they came after me?

          Arriving with just my car, phone, purse and the clothing I was wearing that day, I flopped onto the sofa in the living room, pondering how long I would be stuck in hiding. Steve had instructed me not to contact anyone and that if I was ever in danger, JARVIS would alert the others to come help me. Even though the high technology was programmed into the house, he wasn't a real person, he couldn't hold me at night when I woke up terrified, he could not comfort me some extent.

"Miss Hills, would you perhaps like me to give you a guided tour of the house?" JARVIS asked me.

"Not today thank you. But it would be nice for tomorrow. I think I'm just going to go to bed." I replied, still not quite used to talking to a robot.

"As you wish, miss. Have a pleasant evening."

"Thank you."

           Deciding to wash the clothes I was wearing after today's incidents, I explored the bedoom upstairs, only finding men's clothing. Shrugging to myself, I took out the sweatpants and a baggy top, knowing that I was lacking in sleep. After changing, I threw the clothing into the washing machine, letting the noise fill the empty space. This was my fourth home so far...

          The house was beautiful and I had no problem with it, only the lack of company. Not only was I totally alone in the middle of nowhere, I was vulnerable. I had no idea how to fight, how to defend myself in the slightest. If anyone did find me I was most certainly dead.

          Nothing was wrong with the bed, it was probably one of the comfiest I had ever slept in. My thoughts were the problem. I could feel myself shaking, not because I was cold as the heating was on, but from fear. I tried to reassure myself that This was a perfectly safe place, it was designed by Tony Stark to keep Bruce Banner in check and safe from others along with himself. Knowing that there was no point trying to force myself to sleep, I rolled out of bed, grabbing an oversized hoodie as I spoke to JARVIS.

"JARVIS, please could you give me that tour you were on about?"

"Of course Miss Hills. Are you sure that You do not want to rest?"

"Believe me, I want to rest more than anything but I can't. Hopefully this will make me tired."

"Well, you may have already had a look at the rooms but you have not seen them at their full potential."

          He took me around the house again but pointed out how to use certain things such as the tv and the emergency buttons to alert the others if I was in any danger. However, I was not prepared for what he showed me next.

"Miss Hills, if you would please run your hand along the back of the desk until you find a button, then press it just once."

         I did as he said, finding a small button near the edge. The wall next to it started to slide open, making me gasp. I had never seen a hidden room before. As I saw the inside, a number of guns were shown mounted onto the wall, some big and some small. There was one as big as my arm spam, I doubted that I could even pick it up without falling over from the weight of it.

"These are for emergencies, should one ever happen. If you press another button on the inside, the wall will close so that you may hide inside."

"I've never even fired a gun before." I mumbled to myself.

"The occasion for them will probably never happen Miss Hills. My security features will be on at all times as well, making sure that no one gets in or near here."

                    *~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two days had passed and there was no word. I had no idea what was happening, there was no news of anything strange, no attacks or threats. I didn't mind sitting around, I used to wish I could do it more often, but when you're scared for your life it isn't the same. There was no relaxing whilst fretting for your life and others.

        To distract myself, I watched re-runs of Game Of Thrones until The screen went blank, the word 'INTRUDER' flashing across. The lights went out, JARVIS started to give me instructions.

"Miss Hills, please grab a weapon and get to the hiding area."

          Sprinting to the wall, I pressed the button to open the wall, grabbing two small guns to tuck into my sweatpants and a bigger one. The wall slid closed behind me, leaving me with the weapons. I tried to make my breathing quiet covering it with my hand. I didn't hear anyone, no alarms had gone off though I suspected that it was to not alert the person breaking in. After a few minutes I was going to question JARVIS, whether it would be a malfunction in his system. However, as I opened my mouth, my eyes glanced down to see the shadow of feet walking across.

Who the hell had found me?

         My hands gripped the gun, trying to prepare myself for when I had to use it. This wasn't how I wanted to die, no one wanted to die like this. I prayed that they would think that I had left, maybe I was safe now and returned home. Those thoughts flew out of the window as the wall slid open, a tall figure decked in black with a mask, long shaggy hair and a metal arm.