Silhouette in the Dark

V.

                                                                  [2015]

Natasha dropped a newspaper on the table in front of Steve. He set his coffee mug down and picked the paper up to read the front page headline. "She's back at it apparently," Natasha commented, taking the seat across from Steve. He didn't say anything at first, skimming the article that accompanied the headline Mysterious Figure, Clothed in Black, Spotted in Upstate New York.

Finally, Steve laid the paper back on the table and looked up at Natasha. "That's the third sighting in a month. She's spending a lot of time up there."

Natasha reached across the table for the paper and tossed into the growing stack of articles and papers dedicated to the mystery woman known as Silhouette. "But she hasn't attacked anyone. We've confirmed at least one attack at almost every location she's been to since the 80s, but she's not really doing much nowadays."

"Maybe she knows we're onto her." Steve took another sip of his coffee before continuing. "That time we tried finding her in Pennsylvania, we weren't as subtle as we should have been."

"And the people in that town weren't as open as they could have been. They knew more than they were letting on. I'm still convinced of it."

"Well, going back there will only be suspicious, especially if she really is onto us." Steve's phone buzzed as a text came in. He picked it up and read the message. "Sam's here. I'll be right back." A few minutes later, Steve was back with Sam Wilson in tow, both carrying food and drinks.

"I figured you guys could use some brain food while you hunt down our little friends." Sam placed a pizza box and two-liter of lemonade on the table in front of Natasha. "How's that going by the way?" Natasha snickered around a mouthful of pizza. "Not good, huh?"

Steve poured himself a cup of lemonade and downed half before answering. "We know where one of them is, so that's a start."

"Okay, so when are we going to get them? I'm ready for some more action!"

Steve raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't like coming with me, because they always wind up shooting at you, too." Sam shot him a dark look as he helped himself to the pizza. "No, it's not that simple. She's camped out in upstate New York—like upstate, upstate—and she seems to be aware that someone is trying to find her. She hasn't done anything worth noting, other than some petty theft."

"You guys haven't been watching the news much, have you?" Sam asked, his eyes pinballing between his two friends. Natasha pointed to the stack of newspapers in the corner of Steve's apartment. "No, like actually turned on the TV and watched the evening news."

"No... why?" Steve grabbed another slice of pizza from the box. "Is there something we ought to know about?"

Sam stood and walked over to Steve's television set, turning it on and raising the volume as he walked back to the table. On the screen was a basketball game. "Wrong channel." He placed his pizza on a napkin and flipped to a news channel, where a special report was being broadcast.

"Although no one was injured, the fire is under investigation," the news anchor was sharing. "Some eyewitness reports state that the mysterious woman known as Silhouette may have been the one responsible, as a figure dressed in a black suit similar to what she wears was seen leaving the scene soon after the fire started. With the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D. a few months ago and the release of secure documents to the public, it is revealed that this Silhouette, who has gone by many other names, has been linked to a number of attacks on agents of the former Nazi science division known as HYDRA. While it is unclear if Silhouette is another Winter Soldier—perhaps one turning against her handlers—the government has made it clear that she is not working under their orders and is considered highly dangerous. We'll bring you more on this story as it comes in."