Time is irrelevant

Chapter 1:

My name is Kali Chance and sometimes I disappear. You'll find my name ironic once you know what I can do. Anyway, this is the story of how I died. I understand that it's an awkward way to begin, but there's no standard to the start of a legend.

Here it goes…

~0~

"Are you telling me that you can't keep a handle of a teenage girl and you expect me—now remember A few months ago I was the one who couldn't do anything right—to deal with her?" Fury rubbed his forehead in irritation. He stood before the Council wondering why the hell he still listened to these self-righteous bureaucrats.

"Actually, she's twenty-one." The British councilwoman spoke from her screen. Five television screens were placed in a semicircle around Fury. He had to turn to look at them.

"Oh. Okay so she can drink that's great. I'll tell Stark we can have a party. Now explain to me why I have to deal with her? SHEILD has kept tabs on her and I think that's all we need to do. She's perfectly fine taking care of herself."

"Her care is not the problem. National security is. With what she's rumored to know. And what's more she keeps going off radar. I want her seen at all times and that means in a cell." The gruff general slammed his fist down.

"Someone like her is not safe."

"What do you want me to do here? Put her in the glass case we have designed for Hulk? I'm sure that'll keep her in check. No wait—that was destroyed when Thor took a crash course in skydiving."

"It's not reconstructed yet?"

"I'm sorry, but it takes a while to make something Hulk-proof."

A collective humph came from the screens. They thought he was complaining, but he was only pointing out the obvious. If they wanted it Hulk-approved they would have to hunker down and wait a bit longer.

"Look, SHEILD is tailing her right now. I'll bring her in if I can, but no promises. Once she's here nobody touches her without my say so."

"You are not authorized to do that."

"I don't really give a damn about what I am authorized to do—" Just then Agent Hill burst through the doors interrupting him. "I thought I said not to bother me when I'm in a meeting."

"I'm sorry Sir, but she's gone. Again." Hill reported. She promptly exited, not one to get in the middle of Fury while he was in one of his meetings. They could be legendary. The council members may be shadows to hide their faces, but Fury could feel their glare. And he was pretty sure the General was twitching.

Here we go… He thought.

~0~

For a society of secret agents they sure have trouble tailing a kid without being seen. I noticed them as soon as I walked out of the Café. One was disguised as an ice cream vendor. Thing is ice cream guys don't usually scowl at little kids. Most normal people would want the kid to buy sweets from them. This guy obviously had better things to do. Another was a woman with red hair tucked under a hat. She was way too hot to be in a trench coat on the hottest day in New York City. Then of course it was the guy up on the roof top with a bow and arrows. I'd seen this happen days ago.

I would fight, but they'd overwhelm me. I wasn't much for fighting Superheroes. I would try to escape a few times and then Clint would knock me out. He would hit me just a little harder than he'd mean to. And I it'd trigger my powers. I'd disappear again. Only to come back seconds later battered as if I had just landed in the middle of a warzone. And I would be naked and bleeding in the center of New York. I'm not sure where I'd gone to make me look like that, but wherever it was I wasn't planning on going back. I had never seen myself time travel before. I figured it wasn't a good omen.

If you haven't figured it out by now… I can time travel. I can't control it. It just happens. It makes me sort of like an oracle. I go to the future, but I'm a shade. I can only watch things unfold I can't affect them while in that form. But like most things knowing your future changes it.

And that is exactly what I was about to do.

Right about now Clint was going to say, "She's on the move," into his comm.

Natasha would retort, "I can see her you know. Everyone move in."

In the future that was supposed to happen I would already be running. Like any normal person you run when people with guns come after you. Sadly, I wasn't normal. I've been alone for so long I really don't know what normal is anymore.

I stopped at the curb waiting for the light to change to the walking man telling me I could cross. Natasha came up beside me pretending she too was on her way downtown. She smiled at me. I nodded.

Maybe I should run. I didn't want to go to SHEILD. They'd do what everyone else has done with me. Test me. Stick a needle in me and take my blood to put in whirring machines that would undoubtedly determine my blood wasn't applicable. Well no duh. But no, that wouldn't be enough for them. They had to have me. SHEILD should be no different. I guess I hoped they would be though. They were supposed to be the best. Maybe they could help me or someone with them could.

The light changed but I stayed put. A file of civilians shuffled past. I simply looked down to the sidewalk and sighed. "If you wanted to take me in you could just ask. I can be agreeable when I want to be."

Natasha didn't seem surprised. "You knew."

"Didn't you read my file?"

"I did. But if you'll excuse my skepticism, it is hard to believe."

"It is harder than two Demi-gods coming to Earth? Or perhaps a fleet of trans-dimensional aliens destroying New York? No, I have a better one Tony Stark saving it? I've been wondering, how was that shawarma?"

"How did you know about the shawarma?"

"Question is why I shouldn't?" I know that doesn't make much sense, but it sounded cheeky so I just said it.

"I am sure SHEILD would like to figure that out. Will you come quietly Miss Chance?" Now was the time. These next few words would determine just how I would be going to SHEILD's base. There's always a time when what I saw could go either way. I could end up jumping to the future like I saw myself do or I could go quietly and without getting hit on the head.

"My name is Kali. And considering I've seen the alternative I think I should want to be agreeable."

Natasha put a finger to her ear and spoke into her comm. link. "She's coming. We're heading for the extraction point."

I heard a static, "Copy," come from the other side. The tense moment seemed to be over. I wasn't going to the future now.

She took me to the top of a building. Helicopter wings chopped the air. "Is this her?" Hawkeye appeared from nowhere. He yelled over the wind.

"Would I be here if I wasn't?" I retorted. He gave me a look that said he was not amused.

Natasha helped me on the helicopter. I was on my way to the SHEILD helicarrier. It was one of the last places I wanted to be. I'd heard of the stories and of Nick Fury, but we'd never met. SHEILD had tried a few times to take me in, but somehow the adrenaline caused my power to activate. I'd just disappear into another time. It was like an involuntary reflex helping me to escape.

Outside thunder rumbled through the sky. I looked up, not even moonbeams penetrated the cloud fortress. We flew ahead. Like Captain Ahab preparing to battle the great white whale I sailed into the abyss. Some things even I don't know.

Here I go…