The Monster Within - Avengers

Chapter 7

    The window was cold as I pressed my cheek against it, trying to ignore the murmurs coming from the living room. I watched rain drum down onto the earth and heard the soft beat of drops against the glass. It was comforting somehow, gazing out as the clouds gathered in grey harmony, listening to the rumble of fading thunder in the distance. I wrapped my arms around my legs and hummed quietly to myself, but suddenly, I felt a force pulling at my head, trying harshly to break down the walls I had put up around my mind. Looking over to the couch, I saw the girl staring at me, red energy hovering around the hand that lazily hung over the back. When she saw that I had noticed her, the crimson faded and she turned around to the others, who talked in low voices so I couldn't hear. One of them gave a glance at me every once in a while.
    I stood, making my way through the living room towards the elevator. When I passed the girl, who Steve had called Wanda a moment before, I stopped.
"Don't you ever try to get inside my head again. I swear on the Gods you'll regret it."
    The rest of them stared at me until I got into the elevator, watching my every move, and I was sick of it. But, I wouldn't be here for long.
    I packed lightly, taking a single pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, along with my stuffed lion and wad of cash. I wouldn't need much else. I heard whispering by the door and quickly shoved my bag under the bed, walking quickly to the bathroom, but the voices faded and I relaxed. I took a hairbrush, toothbrush, and a tube of toothpaste out of the cabinet and shoved the items into the small space on the top of the backpack. All I needed was food.
    I left the pack under my bed, making sure the comforter covered it, and made my way to the door. Taking a breath, I tugged at the light of the hall and wrapped it around myself, making my body completely invisible to the world around me. I had to do this quick, before they noticed I was gone. I had one shot at this, and if I blew it, I might as well say hello to Tahiti.
The kitchen was barren as my undetectable body walked in. The lights were dimmed and the island was clear of the pizza boxes and plates we had used for dinner. I silently crept over to the enormous pantry, where I knew the fruit and non-perishables were kept. As soon as I opened the doors I began to grab things, bending the light around them quickly and bundling them up in my sweatshirt pocket. I had taken three apples and two muffins and just shut the pantry door when I heard it. The sound of two pairs of feet just outside the door. I froze.
Clint and Natasha walked in and I walked as silently as I could over to the open door, longing desperately to get out of the room, but after hearing what the archer said, I stopped.
"I still can't believe the Director wants us to tour Tahiti in two weeks."
Now, eavesdropping had been in my nature since I was a child, so I couldn't help but listen to their conversation.
"I think Echo was supposed to be there when we toured though. I assume that was Fury's point, to show us a new 'super-soldier', but I think now he just doesn't want to risk canceling the visit."
Clint sighed, "I still don't understand why he would turn a sixteen year old into a killing machine. I mean, did you see her with Strucker? What the hell did they do to her?"
"Well," The redhead took a bottle of wine out of a cabinet, along with two glasses. "Children aren't born with the instinct to kill. He probably forced it on her when she found her abilities. You know, her aunt was just like her too."
"Her aunt?" Clint pushed for answers as she poured the wine into the cups. Natasha passed him a glass and continued.
"Her aunt was a Shield agent, like her parents, but she was a special kind. After Echo found her powers, Fury came up with a name for their kind. Everyone called them shadows."
"Why shadows? She can control lightning, not light." The archer took a sip of his wine, sitting down at a bar stool.
"Yes, she can control lightning, but lightning is simply a form of light, and if you can control light, you can control darkness as well. Her aunt, Shiloh, could bend light around herself until she became invisible. I bet Echo could do it too, if she wanted too." Natasha took a seat next to him.
Clint looked mildly worried now, looking around fearfully, for me I assume. "So you're saying, she can become invisible? What's stopping her from leaving then?"
"The fact that I don't think she knows she can do it. She knows how to manipulate lightning, but she probably hasn't discovered the full extent of her abilities, and I hope she never does."
"Why?" Clint asked, finishing his glass and putting it in the sink. "Echo could be a useful member of the team if she learned to control her powers."
"Yes, that is true. But even so, all that girl is is a damaged child who Fury manipulated to fulfill his needs. Her aunt was killed because Fury was afraid she had become too dangerous, and she no longer obeyed his orders. I don't think we should condemn a child to the same fate."
I had stopped listening after she said that. I had known about my aunt and how she worked with my parents, but not that she had abilities. My mom had told me she died on a mission, and I had believed her. I was wrong to trust people, even family. I don't think I ever would again.
I packed my provisions quickly and bent light around my bag, slinging it over my shoulder. After saying goodbye to the room I opened the door and crept into the hall. It was around midnight, so the halls were deserted and I had no chance of running into any Avengers. I didn't need to worry about agents, they were only here with Fury, and they had left with him as well. I dimmed the lights as I ran, careful to make my tread light. The less light, the better. I wanted to save energy, and wasn't going to waste it on hiding my shadow.
After traveling down several flights of stairs I came upon the door that led to the outside. I took a second to compose myself and set my bag on the ground. I took a ponytail off my wrist and tied my hair up and pulled my hood over the silver locks. Readjusting the backpack on my shoulder, I took a breath and pushed the doors open. And as the alarm pierced the air with its shrill cries, I ran into the pouring rain.
In that moment, I remembered sitting in the rain as a child with my dad, and how I would tell him about my day at Shield, since they let me go home after training for the first few weeks, and how everyone said I was damaged and broken after my sister's death and would never amount to anything. He always said, "But my dear, damaged people are the most dangerous. They know they can survive."
And I would. One way or another, I would.