Come Back To Me

15

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm!" Steve demanded with a coldness I had not heard from him in a long time. Not since he spoke to Redskull. We were gathered on a rooftop. Steve, Natasha, Jamie, and I. Nat had been right. Agent Sitwell was working closely with Hydra leaders, including none other than Alexander Pierce. I should have known. I always had a bad feeling around him, and I finally understood why. Steve gave Sitwell a hard shove, the agent tumbling back on his rear in the pebbled rooftop.

"Never heard of it." he lied. I felt my body tense with rage. He was going to give us information whether he wanted to or not. Steve may not like brutality and bloodshed, but when it came down to protecting my daughter from Hydra, I was willing to do anything.

"What were you doing on the Lumerian Star?" Natasha stepped forward. I didnt know what she was talking about, but I assumed it came from a mission I wasnt apart of and it was part of why she had suspected him in the first place.

"I was throwing up. I got seasick." he defended, standing up slightly and holding his hands out in defense. Slowly he backed away, but Steve raged and stormed forward, grabbing the agents collar and pushing him toward the ledge of the roof. One push and he would fall. Steve growled in his face and the man chuckled nervously. "Is this little display ment to get you to throw me off the roof? Thats really not your style, Rogers." he spat. Steve's tense shoulders relaxed.

"You know what? Its not." Steve said calmly, releasing Sitwell and brushing off his coat where Steve had held him. "Its hers." he said, his voice suddenly going dark. Nat went to step forward to push him over the edge, but I seized the opportunity.

I stomped forward, shocking Nat who stood beside Jamie, and smiled at Sitwell. His face fell and the color drained out of his cheeks with terror and I prepared my arm for a punch. I brought my fist down across his nose, hearing a crack that brought an evil smirk to my lips as he tipped backward, losing balance and falling with a terrified scream. I smirked with pride. I took a step back from the ledge as a whoosh off air blasted my hair back. Sam flew up at high speed, Sitwell dangling from his grip unharmed. Just as planned. Sam dropped Sitwell down in the middle of the roof and landed, his wings retracting into his pack.

Sitwell looked pale and sweat beaded down his face as he looked like he was going to throw up. He knelt down, holding his hands up in surrender. "Zola's algorithm is a program to choose targets!" He gasped for air.

"What targets?" Steve took an authorative step forward.

"You... Steve Strange... A high school valedictorian... I dont know. Anyone who poses a threat to Hydra. Now, and the future." he panted.

"The future? How could it know?" I took a step forward as Nat hid Jamie behind her back.

Sitwell struggled his feet with a small shrug. "How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught us how to read it. Your bank records, medical history, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores... Zola's algorithm evaluates peoples past to predict their future." he glared intensly.

Jamie cautiously stepped out from behind Natasha and chewed at her finger nails, her knees wobbling as she did so. "What then?" her small voice croaked out. We all turned our attention to her. I didnt want her involved in this, but Sitwell's voice broke me from my thoughts.

"Oh my god, Pierce is going to kill me. Literally." he muttered under his breath, but I still heard it. Jamie's question was valid, and I wanted to know the answer.

"What then?" I raised my voice, stepping closer to the man who cowered away from me.

Suddenly birds crowded around his face, pecking at his bald head as he shouted and tried to swat them away. "Jamie, enough." Steve said sternly. My eyes moved to my daughter and she opened her eyes, the birds fleeing the area.