Ghostwalker ▷ b. barnes [2]

ii. emo pirates exist

SAM SAT IN A CELL OF SORTS. Handcuffs attached her wrists to the table in front of her, glowing blue. Some sort of Tesseract power. That terrified her more than anything else— like history repeating itself. She had to remind herself that the Red Skull was dead. Hydra was gone.

Whatever she was facing now was something new.

Sam was left alone for hours. It was an interrogation tactic, she knew. Give her time to stew, see what she did. They wanted some sort of reaction. Something to see what kind of weakness she had, what drove her, what could break her. So she didn't give them anything.

Sam only stared at the wall opposite her, knowing they were watching. She sat still and refused to so much a fidget, waiting for someone to come.

Hours passed.

Finally, the door opened.

The man who stepped through was not what she'd been expecting. He was tall, menacing, and dressed like some sort of pirate-spy from a movie.

He had an eyepatch.

Despite herself, she blinked in surprise.

"Samantha Clarence."

She raised her jaw.

"We've been searching for you for a long time."

"Could've just called."

"Didn't have a number."

She shrugged, shifting her cuffed hands. "I make a point not to give my contact information to pirates. Morals, you know?"

"Very funny."

But he didn't sound amused at all, sitting in the metal chair opposite her. Sam clenched her jaw, forcing herself to hold his gaze. His one-eyed gaze. She wanted to ask. But at the same time, that should be the last thought on her mind.

For a split second, she wished Meg was there. Despite condemning the woman earlier. This would have been a lot easier with her presence.

"Why am I here? Who are you?"

"You can call me Director Fury. We have a... problem that we could use your help with."

Sam stared for a long moment. Then she yanked on her cuffs, irritating flaring under her skin. "So what, that's the reason for the ploy? The fake mission, the test? Seriously... a little dramatic."

"We like the dramatics."

She stilled, letting the words sink in. If they needed her than that meant she had the upper hand. Not to mention they knew who she was. That alone should be enough to tell her they— whatever SHIELD stood for— were a threat. "What's this problem? And why go to all these lengths to get me here?"

Fury raised a brow. He glanced toward the door and it opened— Phil stepped through. She scowled further.

He, on the other hand, was smiling. "Samantha Clarence. The Phantom. I have to say, it's an honor to meet you—"