Shiver (Renegade 2: The Winter Soldier)

Alright, you know the drill! I only own what characters I create, including HOPE industries. Spoiler alert for captain America: The Winter Soldier. If you haven't seen it, I don't suggest you read this. I was excited to try out the new sound option, so there's a song on this chapter XD Enjoy!

Tatum's pov:

I kick open the door, the loud and familiar symphony of gunshots accompanying my retreat. I just infiltrated another top-secret base in hopes to locate Wanda and Pietro; again. And again, all I found was some pissed off guards wanting to put a bullet in my head.

Fury allowed me some "personal time", so I've been using it to do some digging. And I have zilch. It's starting to seem that my friends simply dropped off the face of the planet. Hell, with everything I've heard about Thor and Asgard from Steve... I'm not ruling it out.

I hop over the railing of the stairs that lead up to the facility, landing on my feet and continuing to run. They'll never catch up to me on foot, thanks to my handy dandy mutation. I release a groan when I hear "Bad Moon Rising" by Credence Clearwater Revival blasting from my phone; my ringtone. Keeping my pace steady, I dig my phone out of my pocket and answer the call.

"Fury, this really isn't a good time-" I begin, only to be cut down.

"I need you in DC."

I hear shouting and crashing in the background as I slam open my car door and slip inside.

"What the hell is going on over there-"

"No time to explain. These are Deep Shadow conditions." I set my jaw and nod.

"Fine. I'll need time."

"You have two hours." Fury deadpans, before hanging up. I mutter a curse under my breath and toss my phone onto the passenger seat, pulling out from my parking spot and taking off. Looks like I'll have to put my mission aside and head to DC. I thought things would die down after HOPE was taken down. Boy, was I wrong. Things are just getting started, from what Fury told me.

........

As I finally arrive in DC, I'm met by a very unpleasant sight. Several cop cars are parked outside Steve's apartment. My eyebrows furrow, wondering what the bell happened here.... And praying that Steve is alright. I pull over behind a cop car and get out, flashing my SHIELD badge.

"What happened?" I demand, two of the cops exchanging glances.

"There was a shooting. Man named Nicholas Fury. You know him?"

My stomach drops. Okay... It wasn't Steve. But... Fury? What the hell was he doing here in the first place?

"You can say that."

......

When I arrive at the hospital, the scene is less than pretty. Natasha, Maria and Steve are standing outside the operating room, watching as the surgeons scurry around inside. Nick is on the operating table... And he looks like absolute hell. There are three gunshot wounds in his chest. They have the Director hooked up to all sorts of wires and tubes... And they're trying to restart his heart.

"Don't do this to me, Nick." Natasha whispers, horror in her eyes. I never thought I'd ever see her scared, but... this is it. This is the most perturbed I have ever seen the Black Widow, and that's from working with her for about a year. I set my jaw, expression hardening. Who could have done this? Not going to lie, I used to see Nick as invincible. Seeing him here... well, it hits hard enough. None of us can escape death. Not even Nick Fury.

"Stand back! Three, two, one, clear!" One of the doctors exclaims. I hold my breath when Fury is given a shock with the defibrillator. Damnit, Nick, come on....

"Pulse?" The doctor asks from behind his mask. A nurse shakes her head. Making me swallow uneasily.

"No pulse."

"Okay. Charge to two hundred, please. Stand back! Three, two, one, clear!" The doctor says, giving the leader of SHIELD another shock. Nothing.

"Give me epinephrine! Pulse?!"

"Negative."

Natasha shakes her head, the fear in her eyes growing.

"Don't do this to me, Nick. Don't do this to me."

Her pleading is to no avail... Fury is still flat-lining. Steve turns away, expression hard as the doctor asks for the time. I catch him glancing at something in his hand... a hard drive.

"Time of death, 1:03 A.M."

I bite my lip and briefly close my eyes. I can't believe it... Oh can't accept that he's dead. Not yet. It... can't be possible. Fury was the only one I could speak with about some aspects of my past. The only one who tried to make arrangements to help me. And... now he's dead. Just when I've started to acclimate to life at SHIELD. Then again... that seems to be my life. Everyone around me tends to get hurt... or die.

At this point, I can't help the feeling that something is very wrong that is rising within me. And I've felt it before. With the death of Nick Fury... a whole new world of problems are about to be thrown our way.

Okay, the sequel is finally up! I apologize for the delay. I've been insanely busy. It's a pretty heavy chapter to kick off with, I know. But... let me know what you think!

-Vega8282