Chapter 1
Agent Jonathan March was a brilliant man and an excellent agent. His shock of dark hair and piercing blue eyes had won the hearts of many through his workplace and ensured his glittering career. That had all been before the accident that hadn't been his fault. It hadn't been his fault that the woman had ignored his warnings and walked right into the firing zone and had been killed; but it had given The Director reason to doubt him, not to mention exposed the doubts of those who knew about the Area. Jonathan had been berated for not being thorough enough and had been knocked down a few pegs in his career, he now needed to prove himself again.
Area had been founded by the Director after the Alien attack on New York to help combat dangerous forces. They didn't believe in superheroes, they believed in real people being real saviours and their sole purpose was to combat those who they considered enemies. Jonathan joined when he was rejected from SHIELD, very few people knew about Area but those who did were the most important in the world. SHIELD didn't even deem them important enough to keep tabs on but to Jonathan they were the future; and he was helping to shape it.
He dismissed Vanessa, his second in command, from the room and had her close the door behind her. He then flipped a switch behind his desk and the room went dark as a large screen was unveiled on the opposite wall to his desk. He leant back in his chair and tried to breathe deeply to calm his nerves. When the Director had called a meeting between the pair of them, Jonathan had to admit that he was nervous about the future of his job. He'd not been given any new cases since the incident, he'd been made to fill in paperwork, confined to his office. When the Winter Soldier incident took place and SHIELD's headquarters was infiltrated and exposed to be controlled by Hydra, he had been sat idly by filling in reports. He'd desperately wanted to be part of the action, part of the team that had gone in to track down the Winter Soldier and bring him in. But there was nothing he could do but tick boxes and type up interviews.
The screen was unveiled and sprung into life, a faint blue illuminated the screen as it awaited the Director's call which Jonathan knew would be precisely forty-five seconds later than arranged. In this waiting period Jonathan sat up straight in his chair and leaned his hands on the desk, cracking his knuckles and taking a deep breath to steady himself for when the Director's call came in and her face filled the screen opposite him.
'Director.' Jonathan greeted his boss formally in his silky voice with a smile. He doubted that this call was about something positive in his future, but he was determined to keep fighting to acquire any position that was better than the one he was in at that moment.
'Agent March.' The Director replied with no hint of a smile at all. She was serious and business-like, her crinkled face and stiff hair barely moving and Jonathan wondered if she'd ever had any work done.
'How can I help you today, Director?' Jonathan asked in the politest tone he could muster and the Director sighed.
'I want to talk to you about the Winter Soldier situation. You know that Area is attempting to track him down to either terminate him or recruit him?' She asked and Jonathan nodded, his smile unwavering as he began to relax. Hope crept in as he suspected that perhaps his forgiveness was beginning and he would potentially be rewarded with an assignment.
'Yes, ma'am I am aware of these efforts. I would be glad to assist in any way I can.' He replied and he thought he saw her eyes narrow slightly but he couldn't be sure.
'Don't be ridiculous, March. There's no chance of you being in the field again yet. However, the Soldier is causing problems for us. Unless we can bring him in or kill him, he is going to continue to cause problems for some of our more esteemed agents.' She explained and Jonathan did his best to keep his composure but his hands tightened around one another and he gritted his teeth. His polite smile turned into more of a grimace.
'If you don't want me in the field, ma'am, then why are you consulting me about this?' He asked and she paused for a moment as if trying to decide whether he was being insolent or impatient. Only one of those traits appealed to her.
'The Board and I have devised a programme of sorts.' She explained and Jonathan was silent, waiting for her to continue. 'The Winter Soldier himself is from a programme of this caliber. Our scientists have developed the technology we recovered from when SHIELD was destroyed and have developed a sort of variation of the super-soldier serum that Captain America and The Winter Soldier both used. We want to use this variation to create our very own soldier to combat both of these foes and prove to the world that superheroes do not exist.'
'You want to tell civilians and the world that this person is ordinary.' Jonathan confirmed.
'Yes. We want someone who won't be missed. Someone who will appeal to everyone and make the world see that we are the superior protectors instead of their so-called Avengers. And most of all, we want them to take out the Winter Soldier.'
'I'm sorry, ma'am, but I still don't see where I come into this?' Jonathan said, leaning forward and looking at her quizzically.
'We want you and Agent Note to head the programme. Find someone, train them, and have them become the next hero. I've sent you the details.' She said and Jonathan's computer beeped at that moment to signify that he had received a new email.
'Don't let me down March, it would be such a shame.' She said and before he could reply she disappeared.
Jonathan paused for a moment in the shock of her sudden departure and the abrupt darkness. He then flipped on the light and blinked a few times to adjust his eyes to the light. He opened the email that had been sent to him and briefly scanned through the details of the programme. It was brutal and hard-hitting, it was perfect for Jonathan.
'Vanessa!' He yelled suddenly, knowing that she would be waiting outisde the door for him to have finished his meeting with the Director.
Agent Vanessa Note was equally as good-looking as Jonathan. Her hair bounced around her waist and curled effortlessly, her eyes were always half closed so she looked like she was looking down at you and she walked with a saunter which proved she was better than you. Her lips were set in their usual pout and Jonathan believed that he was the only person she had any respect for in the entire Area.
'What did she want?' Vanessa asked, collapsing into a chair opposite him once she shut the door.
'She gave us a new assignment. We're heading a programme.' Jonathan told her and a glimmer of interest sparked in Vanessa's eyes.
'What kind of programme?' She asked excitedly, sitting up straight in her chair and giving him her full attention.
'First thing's first. We need to find a candidate.'
'For what?' She asked irritably and he sighed and turned his computer screen towards her. He waited whilst she scanned through the details herself and watched her as a smile formed on her lips. If anyone was more interested in tough love than Jonathan, it was Vanessa.
'Intersting.' She mused. 'Do you think it'll work?'
'I think that once we're through with them it will. We'll turn them into the most ruthless solider there is.' He replied with a smile and she grinned back.
'But where are we gonna get them?' She asked and he turned the computer screen back towards him.
'Vanessa, my dear, this place was founded after the events of New York of two thousand and twelve in order to combat any enemies necessary. Avengers, aliens, soliders. But, those events destroyed so many lives, took away homes and lives and businesses. It turned what was once a thriving city into a place where people were fighting to survive!' He said to her and she rolled her eyes but allowed him to continue.
'That's where we go. Find someone who was affected badly by the events of the attack and someone who's thirsty for revenge. Someone from the place that started it all. If that doesn't impress the Director I don't know what will.' He said as he began to type into his computer. Vanessa waited patiently whilst he typed and muttered.
'It needs to be someone who won't be missed. Who can go large and won't be recognised. Someone who can be the face of the Area.' He muttered and Vanessa cleared her throat.
'Some homeless kid.' She said and Jonathan looked up at her suddenly.
'A homeless kid such as this one?' He said and turned the screen again to show her to Vanessa. She was thin with dirty blonde hair and wide, green eyes. She held up a number in her mug shot, she'd been arrested for squatting.
'She's perfect. What's her name?' Vanessa asked as Jonathan reclaimed the screen to admire his new project with a sadistic smile.
'Hazel.' He told her. 'Hazel Trigger.'
