Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, the belong solely to Walt Disney and Stan Lee sadly. I only own Nicole Stephanie Stark and James Montgomery Falsworth II. James's face claim is JJ Field
Please Read and Review and no Flames!
"Chapter 1: A Plea"
The distinct sound of a fan, whirled cool air around in the creepy looking Warehouse that downtown Los Angeles had to offer. What accompanied the fan was the sound of high heeled boots vibrating off the bare walls. The two people in the building honestly felt like two kids being sent to the principal office.
Tony Stark could understand why he should be here facing a firing squad but his baby sister didn't need to be here. If anything, Nicole deserved a medal along with Pepper, with all the sheer hell he had put them through.
"Nicky calm down! I'm sure Fury won't be too hard on you or us." Tony said as he rocked back and forth on his heels with his hands in his black pants pocket.
"Tony!" Nicole exclaimed in wide-eyed shock. "You're not the one that has to work with him on daily bases."
"Thank the good lord for that!" Tony muttered under his breath. And then yelped when his baby sister smacked him hard on his left arm.
He couldn't help but wince as he rubbed the injured extremity through his designer navy blue hoodie. He had a white t-shirt underneath just to give the navy blue some pop. This ensemble was completed with a pair of black Armani dress pants and black Dolce & Gabbana shoes.
While Nicole dressed in a red and black Metallica t-shirt, pair of tight dark blue/dark stonewash jeans and black riding boots with a 3-inch heel.
The momentary reprieve that she had while she was able to extract some pain on her brother had all but flew out the window when her mind went back to the main reason that Fury brought them both here in the first place. She crossed her arm over 38d chest, then chewed on her thumbnail as her pacing began again.
Tony rolled his brown eyes and began to look around the room. He took glances at the at the various televisions that were lined in a semi-circle. He again rolled his eyes at the news channels that were being broadcast. It seemed it didn't matter how much good he did, they always seemed to judge him for his bad judgment calls.
The only saving grace this time around was that his baby sister was able to have his back. Watching her use her twin Katana swords and sais was a thing of beauty. The most heartbreaking thing was watching one of Vanko's drones grabbed the trident like daggers and turn them to scrap metal.
Before his sister left for Shield again, he would make sure she had a parting gift of his own design.
He turned from the monitors and made his way back towards the table in front him. Tony noticed the files and pulled the one on the left, closest to him, towards him and began to open it.
Nicole gave a sharp gasp and her Persian blue eyes widen. "Tony! I don't think we're supposed to do that" She exclaimed, but her curiosity got the better of her.
"He left this out here in the open Nicky. He must have wanted us to read it." Tony said as he began to stare hard at the file in his hands. "Besides, you can't deny that your curiosity has peaked."
For his teasing comment, Tony received a slap on the back of the head. His sister always had the ability to put him back on task. Tony released a deep breath and grasped the edge of the sealed folder and began to pull.
Until a set of strong chocolate colored fingers, push the folder back down onto the table and out of his hands. Both Tony and Nicole's heads shot up miffed. But when they saw who stopped their fun, they swallowed their protests.
"Are you two children? Do you two need to be watched every hour, of every minute, of every day?" Nick Fury chided the Stark siblings.
"Nice 'Harry Potter' reference Uncle Nick," Nicole said with a cheeky grin, but it immediately left her face at Fury's look.
Tony couldn't help but chuckle at his sister's antics. Nick Fury may have been his God-father like he was with his sister, but Fury wasn't his boss! Tony was his own man.
"I don't think I want either one of you reading that," Fury began as he turned the folder back towards him and took a seat in the leatherback chair and handed Tony the first file that he missed. "I don't think the pertains to either of you anymore."
He paused for a minute, trying to gage Tony's reaction to the news. But it just wasn't his reaction he wanted. He wanted to see Nicole's reaction as well. And he didn't even have to wait long. The slight grin he sported for a quick second had shown his amusement at finally one-upping his God-daughter.
"Whoa! Hold on, pump the breaks and do a 360!" Nicole exclaimed, miffed and placed her hands on her hips. "Doesn't pertain to us? Doesn't pertain, what did I do? I wasn't the one who lied that he was dying and then systematically tried to destroy said life!"
Fury never realized that his God-daughter could be an easy mark. After having a moment where he could be amused, his face that he showed the world was back in place and then grabbed another folder and handed it to Tony.
"Now this is Agent Romanoff's assessment of the both of you. Read it." Fury's voice dipped when the seriousness of the situation came to light.
Both Tony and Nicole gave Fury a wiry look as Tony opened the folder.
"'Personality overview. Mr. Stark displays compulsive behavior.' In my own defense, that was last week. 'Prone to self-destruction tendencies.' I was dying. I mean, please. Aren't we all? 'Textbook narcissism'? Agreed. And Nicole is on here too. 'Agent Stark displays a...ohhhh.." Tony exclaimed with a huge grin.
"What?" Nicole demanded. "What did Nattie have to say about me?"
Nicole looked from her older brother to her God-father and then back again. Finally having enough of Tony's childish antics, she put Tony in a headlock and wrestled the folder from his grasp.
"You play rough baby sister. I pity the man who tries to woe you!" Tony said miffed as he gently rubbed his neck.
Nicole ever so slowly turned and gave her brother a deep-seated glare. "Shut up Tony!" She snapped.
"Now let's see here," Nicole cleared her throat and began to read. "'Agent Stark displays a Big Brother praise kink'!" Nicole could only stare at the folder and then looked at her God-father in shock.
No one could say that Nicholas J. Fury wasn't a man that didn't know how to laugh. He did. He just didn't find an occasion to do it. But seeing the look on his God-daughter's face and watching Tony's shoulders shake up and down in silent laughter, well he found his occasion.
The deep baritone laughter that piped up from her God-father which quickly followed by her brother's, sent Nicole in a fit of rage but not enough for her to want to kill Natasha Romanoff. She knew her payback would come in the gym.
"I could understand this amusement of my pain and suffering from him," Nicole stated as she pointed to her older brother whose shoulders were shaking with laughter. "But you Uncle Nick! How can you find what Nat said amusingly?"
Nick paused for a moment, anything he said could set his God-daughter off and turn her anger on him. This was a delicate situation. "She was just doing her duty, Nicole. She had nothing against you."
"Oh yea, just making it look like that my sweet, innocent, tiny, baby sister," Tony paused and gave his sister a teasing grin. "Has a praise kink. And this 'Kink' could be with anyone, not just me." Tony was enjoying this.
"Yak it up you ham!" Nicole said in a mild voice. Velma Dinkley, eat your heart out!
"Oh, now Sis don't be a sourpuss," Tony said with a huge grin.
"Tony don't you dare!" Nicole exclaimed. "I'm not Rhodey. If you go down this road, there will only be a pain for you at the end of the tunnel."
Tony still amused, held his hands up in mock surrender. He then picks up the folder and began to read again.
"Ok let's see here," Tony said and quickly scanned the page. "'Recruitment assessment for Avenger Initiative. Iron Man and Elektra? Yes'!?" Tony and Nicole look at each other. "We gotta think about it," Tony said for the both of them.
"Read on you two." Was all Fury said?
"Tony and Agent Nicole Stark not...Not recommended?" Tony said. Both Nicole and Tony shared a look that was akin to shock and confusion. "How can approve us but not approve us!?" The two Stark siblings exclaimed in outrage.
"I got a new ticker. I'm trying to do right by both Pepper and my sister. I'm in a stable-ish relationship." Tony said as he watched Fury walked around and rested on the table and Tony's chair.
Before Fury could say anything, he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder the caused him to wince. He knew that his God-daughter would be pissed.
"What did I deserve to be not recommended for the Avengers?" Nicole asked, trying to keep her anger in check. "Was it because I was trying to save brother while Nat instigated his behavior? Or could it be that I wasn't good enough to join the 'Boy Band' you want to start?" Nicole gave her God-father the deadliest glare.
"Sweetheart, it's not like that at all." Nick began. "We saw how much work you had to do to keep your brother safe and out of trouble. That's why Natasha kept instigating your brother's behavior, we wanted to see how you would handle the pressure."
"And did you get your answer?" Nicole asked quietly. She dreaded knowing the answer.
"Mm," Nick said with a nod of his head. "You passed with flying colors sweetheart." The pride in his voice caused Nicole to beam.
"And watching Tony not only make it right between Pepper and himself but honestly try to repair your guy's relationship," Nick paused watching the reaction between Tony and Nicole.
"This only leads us to believe at this juncture we'd only like to use you as a consultant." Fury finished as he stood and held his hand out to Tony.
Tony stood as well and grasped Fury's outstretched hand and gave it a firm shake as he pulled Fury closer. "You can't afford me!" Tony said cheekily.
"Then again, I will waive my customary retainer in exchange for a small favor. Rhodey, Nicole and I are being honored in Washington and we need a presenter." Tony said, hoping that Fury read the mischievous look in his eyes and knowing who Tony wanted.
Fury gave his honorary God-son a slight grin as he nodded his head. "I'll see what I can do." Fury said and then turned towards Nicole. "Oh and Captain," Fury said firmly.
Nicole immediately stood to attention. "Sir!" She said. Tony stared at his sister in shock.
"As soon as you're done with your ceremony, report to the Triskellion for orders on your next assignment," Nick said before he left.
"Yes, sir!" Nicole said as she gave her God-father a sharp salute which he returned, then turned on her heel and began to leave the building with Tony hot on her heels.
"Nicky, I didn't know you were in the military!?" Tony exclaimed.
"Let's go home Tony and on the way, I'll explain to you about my military career because tomorrow you get to see me in uniform." Nicole teased.
Nick could help the chuckle that escaped as he watched his godchildren leave the Warehouse. Stern wasn't going to know what hit him. If that poor bastard thought of working with Tony was bad, wait until he met his sister.
~Washington~
The mid-morning sun began to beat down as the press and spectators began to fill in along the steps of the Congress building. A black limousine pulled up to the red carpet that had been rolled out for the event. The back door opened and Tony stepped out in his crisp grey Armani suit while Lt. Colonel James 'Rhodey' Rhodes followed in his pressed Airforce uniform.
As they moved out the way, they each held out a hand for the last occupant in the vehicle. All of sudden a sole black pump poked it's way out. Followed by the rest of the body attached. There standing in between Tony and Rhodey for all the world to see, in a Us Army Class "A" officers dress uniform, was Nicole.
The press began to eat it up. Nicole was dressed in a: a black blue coat, a crisp white shirt, a black-blue skirt to match her coat, the traditional tap that went around her neck, black pumps, her army commendation tabs, her medals, her 107th insignia, her Captains bars and this was finished off by her cap.
Tony still couldn't get how beautiful she was. Just watching her come down the stairs that same morning, wearing her uniform, she reminded him of mom. He was so proud of her. Even if she traded her morals and joined the underworld that was Shield.
But with all of that, he was still proud of her. She did the Stark family proud.
When she was settled in between them, the trio made their way down the red carpet towards the steps of the Congress building just as Senator Stern was stepping out.
As they made their way up the stairs they each gave Stern a respectful nod, even though both Tony and Nicole wanted to strangle him as they moved to stand behind him. But one look from Rhodey put a kibosh into that.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," Senator Stern began. "It is my honor to be here today to present these distinguished awards to Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, Captain Nicole Stark, and Mr. Tony Stark, who is, of course, a national treasure." Stern finished with a pained grin.
He picked up the first medal and made his way to Rhodey. "Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel, for such an exceptionally distinguished performance. You deserve this." He said as he pinned the medal on Rhodey's chest and shook his hand.
"Thank you, sir," Rhodey said modestly.
Stern then moved down the line to Nicole. The sick smile he gave her made her skin crawl just like it did at the Senate hearings. "Thank you, Captain, for such an exceptionally distinguished performance. You deserve this." With that said, he turned and grabbed the medal then pinned it to her chest. But before he pulled away he squeezed her left breast and then shook her hand."
"Thank you, sir," Nicole said through clutched teeth as she discretely kicked the senator in the shin.
Tony shot his sister a proud look and wink before he turned back to face Stern. "Mr. Stark. Thank you for such an exceptionally distinguished performance. You deserve this." Stern gave Tony a smug grin as he pinned the medal on his chest and dug in causing Tony to wince.
"Oh, sorry. Funny how annoying a little prick can be isn't it?" Stern said in a semi-sweet voice. "Let's get a photo."
With that out of the way, Stern moved in between Nicole and Tony and wrapped his arms around both of them and smiled as the cameras began to flash. Tony and Nicole shared a look over his head.
When they faced the cameras again, Tony threw up a peace sign at his side while Nicole placed hers discretely on Senator Stern's left shoulder.
After the photos were taken and Senator Stern once again shook their hands, he turned and went back into the building. Once he left Tony, Nicole and Rhodey shared a shudder.
"Oh my god! I need a shower after that." Nicole said as she made her way back towards Tony's limo. Happy moved from the front seat and popped the trunk as he saw her approach.
Nicole moved towards the back and took out her bags. She then turned back towards her brother with a huge grin. She placed her bags on the ground just as Happy closed the truck.
"Well, I guess I'll see you later," Nicole said with a melancholy sigh.
Tony sighed and made his way over towards his baby sister and pulled into a hug. "We've said it all before Nicky. Hell, we said it last year when had my Afghani Enlightenment. So we're not adverse to saying goodbye." Tony said. "But how about, instead of saying goodbye like we always do, how about we just say 'I'll see ya when I see ya'?"
Nicole gave her brother a watery laugh. "I'll see ya when I see ya!" Then laughed again when she said it.
"There you go," Tony said with a cheeky grin. Then pulled her into another hug.
"Man, stop hogging the woman!" Rhodey exclaimed. "There are other people here who wished to say goodbye." He said as he pulled her into a large bear hug. "Don't worry about this crazy loon, I'll keep an eye on him." Rhodey gave a cheeky wink after he said it.
"Ok, ding, ding! Your times up. Let go of my sister! Don't you have Colonel stuff you should be doing." Tony said as he pulled Nicole back into his arms, causing her to laugh. "Here's an idea Rhodey, find a way to get my armor back."
At the comment, Rhodey gave Tony the bird-or as he called it, his way of communicating. She shook her head and grinned. She still maintains that Rhodey got that from 'Top Gun'.
All of sudden a roar of an engine sounded causing everyone to jump and turn. There pulling up into the parking lot followed by an unmarked SUV was 2010 Audi A6 Coupe Sport in her favorite color red. When the junior agent stepped out and handed her the key-less remote.
"Thank agent," Nicole said in a Superior voice. "You didn't put a scratch on my baby did you?" She asked sternly.
"No ma'am!" The agent said. "She was handled with care."
"Very good! You're dismissed!" She said as she gave the junior agent a salute which he returned then spun on his heel and made his way towards the SUV and drove off.
Tony looked at his sister, then the car, then back at his sister again. He made his way over and gently and reverently placed his hand on the hood and gave it a gentle rub. After Nicole finished putting her bags in the backseat, she backed out and gave her brother a cheeky grin at Tony's reaction.
"I had to keep up with family tradition," Nicole said, her cheeky grin grew larger with her brother's reaction.
"I have taught you well baby sister," Tony said as he wiped a fake tear away and then pulled Nicole into a big bear hug. "Take care of yourself baby sister. And know that I'm always a phone call away."
"I will." She said with a sad grin. "Keep Pepper safe until I get back."
With one last hug to her brother, Happy and Rhodey, Nicole climbed into her Audi and sped off just like Tony. She rolled the window down long enough o give them a backward wave.
"I 'Really' taught her well!" Tony sad mournfully, which caused both Happy and Rhodey to laugh.
~Triskellion~
The journey through the streets of Washington towards Shields headquarters building was very refreshing for her. It had been a while since she had been there. She had spent most of her time all of this year and the year before in Malibu.
In her heart of hearts, LA California would always be her home. But like her brother, Nicole had been born in the State of New York. But that was just the place of her birth it never really was her home. LA was home with Washington coming in a close second.
Most of her friends were Washington and were spies!
Such was the lot of her life. They say you can take the girl out of the game but you couldn't take the game of the girl. A spy was a spy. And if Nicole were honest with herself, she loved working with a Shield.
They saved her when she needed them. Her past was a touchy subject and it was because of her past that she didn't get to close to a man to have a personal relationship. But there was one. Her mystery man as Natasha and Maria called him.
A guardian angel that came out of nowhere in Nicaragua when she was being held hostage in an unknown facility and pumped full of drugs. Drugs that Shield still didn't know were doing to her.
She shook her head and pulled herself out of the memories of her past as she crossed the Potomac bridge and made her way to the first gate.
"Afternoon ma'am!" The Sargent said with a friendly smile as Nicole searched for her credentials and then handed them over with a friendly grin of her own.
"Afternoon Stubb." She answered with a grin. "How's the wife and kids?" She asked.
"They're good. Liv wants to have you over for dinner sometime this week because, in my wife's mild-mannered opinion, you're not eating enough," Stubb said with a grin with Nicole laughed. "Dylan asked me to tell you that he has a football game in two weeks wants to know if you'll be there and Marcy said to remind you of your promise to teach her surfing." Stubb finished.
Nicole chuckled. "Tell your wife that I would be happy to have dinner with Y'all. Also, tell Dylan that I will be at his football game with bells on and tell little Miss Marcy that I wouldn't miss our surfing lesson for the world." Nicole said with a huge grin.
"You're good to go, Captain," Stubb said as he handed back her creds. "I will be sure to tell them."
"You have a great day Stubb," Nicole said as she drove away.
She let out a contented sigh as she made her across the bridge towards the Triskellion's underground parking garage. As she found her designated parking spot, she grabbed her bags and as she started to exit her vehicle, she nodded to the people coming and going.
She never had a problem with the other agents, maybe that was because Clint, Natasha, and Maria kept the undesirables away. But whenever she was alone with the Strike teams, she had to suppress a shudder.
Nicole never had a problem with Brock Rumlow, Strike team Alpha's leader, but it was his second in command Jack Rollins that would always make her stay close to her friends, even her Uncle Nick became a human shield whenever that man was around.
She shook her head. Now was not the time to think juice inducing idiots and their little pricks! With her bags in hand, Nicole made her towards the elevator and then hit the button for the top floor.
She glanced out the Plexiglas window and the cars travel back and forth on various streets either going to lunch or some going back to work. With the afternoon sun hitting Potomac, it sparkled like a huge sapphire. Nicole gave a contented sigh.
When Nicole reached the top floor and stepped out of the elevator in her uniform, her fellow agents and some of the junior ones as well couldn't help but stare at her. She had to roll her eyes.
"What's the matter with you people?" She exclaimed. "Haven't you seen a woman in dress uniform before?!"
"Not the gorgeous ones." A junior agent muttered under his breath but Nicole heard him plain as day and spun back towards him.
"What was that Agent!" Nicole commanded.
"Nothing ma'am!" The agent responded. Looking abashed.
"That's what I thought. As you were." She ordered as she continued on her way towards Nick Fury's office.
As she made her way down the long hallway, she stopped briefly at Fury's assistant's desk but told him not to let her Uncle that she was here. It was surprising! He nodded and let her on through. Nicole grin grew larger the closer she got to Fury's office.
This was the day! She was finally going to one-up her Uncle Nick, who was the ultimate spy.
When she reached Fury's door, she squared her shoulders back and barged in.
"Hey, Uncle Nick! The fun has as arrived...Hello!" Nicole said with a large grin then immediately threw her hand over her eyes.
"God my eyes!" She complained. "I'm blinded for life."
Fury rolled his eyes at his God-daughter's antics. "Oh stop being so dramatic." He said sternly, causing Maria to laugh.
Nicole pulled her hand from her eyes and gave her uncle a cheeky grin.
"I knew it! I knew it!" She exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air. "I just won $200 each from Coulson and Barton. Oh, I love you guys so much." Nicole said as she ran over and gave both Fury and Maria a hug.
"Well, Nicole doesn't seem to shock," Maria said with an amused grin. Fury grinned and shook his head at the woman he loved.
"Nooo! She's still shocked. But she can put that in the back of her mind because she won money." he said with a cheeky grin.
"That's true." She said with a mad smile. "And I'm willing to put my shock and mortification to the side for you guys happiness and the cash that Coulson and Barton have to pay me." She gave contented sigh. "Now that excitement's over, I'm going to change and then Uncle Nick you can explain to me why you asked me here in the first place." With that, Nicole turned and made her way towards her uncle's office bathroom.
"Well, I'll leave you to it," Maria said with a smile as she gave Fury another kiss. "I'll see you later."
When Maria left, Fury let out a sigh of relief. He honestly thought that would be a lot worse when Nicole found out him and Maria. She took it rather well but with a side of Tony thrown in there for good measure.
The bathroom door to his left finally opened and his wayward niece stepped out. Gone was her Army dress uniform, in its place was: a blue tomato BT blue camo raglan, a pair of tight black jeans and black Supra Vaider black high top skate sneakers.
It was one of the reason's that Nicole loved working at Shield so much, the relaxed dress code. Meaning, men, and women could wear what they wanted.
"Now there's the girl that I see every day." Fury said with a grin as he to his niece slung an arm over her shoulder and led her towards his desk.
"You're a real flatter Uncle Nick." Nicole teased as she sat down. "So what's the sitch?"
Fury picked up a folder off the edge of his desk and slid it across to her open hands. "Everything you need to know is that file right there in your pretty little hands." He said with a swagger snap of his fingers.
Nicole gave him a sly grin as she opened the file and began to read. Halfway through she became confused and then shot her uncle with a confused look to match. How was she supposed to understand the file if it was all redacted?! Including her targets name.
"Really Uncle Nick?" Nicole asked as she showed him the file with a huff. "Talk about sending someone in blind. You didn't leave me much, not even his name." She stated as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I didn't leave you that blind sweetheart," Fury said. "The brother has a name!"
"Where?" Nicole asked as she leaned forward and Fury pointed to the top of the file. "Agent, X23! Really?! That doesn't ominous at all."
Fury chuckled. "I know I'm not leaving you much but for the sake of this mission baby girl, the less you know the better." Fury said as he stood and Nicole followed him as he started for the door.
"Well let's go let the sewer rats know the plan." Nicole teased.
~Assembly Hall, Shield HQ~
"Ladies, Gentlemen, follow Agents, attention! Director Fury." The bespectacled agent said, as his loud clear voice rang throughout the assembly hall.
"Thank Agent Sitwell." Fury said as he moved towards the podium. Sitwell for his part preened like a prancing peacock.
"Ass-kisser!" Nicole coughed as Sitwell walked by. And of course, she said it loud enough that most of the agents in the audience were covering their laughter with coughing. Fury even covered his amused grin.
Theo Jensen, who was one of the members of Strike team Alpha, had to pound Rumlow's back because he was on the cross between laughter and a coughing fit. But it was the tears of mirth that Nicole saw Rumlow rubbing his eyes that caused her to let out a little giggle.
Sitwell spun towards her so fast that she had to take a step back from the hostility radiating off his body. She never thought that Sitwell could be so hostile, even with her. This was why she had such a problem with men.
Especially if they were or are potential dates. Nicole shook her head. Sitwell never really got over the fact that she shot him down.
"Now that entertainment portion of debriefing is over," Fury stated in an amused voice, "Maybe we can concentrate on why we're really here." he finished as he shot both Sitwell and Nicole stern looks.
Fury waited for Sitwell to take his before he continued. He took up the clicker and pointed at the screen behind him. "Serbia, Russia as of a month ago. Intel suggests that this facility didn't exist up until that time. Whoever is running the show, is doing it from the shadows. Which means people, that we have to go in darker." Fury explained and then clicked the next slide.
"Agent Stark you have the floor." Fury said as he handed Nicole the clicker and then stood to the side.
"Thank Director Fury." Nicole began. "We have received intel reports that up to 15 to 20 military vehicles have been seen coming and going from this building at least from the last month. Traffic was steady." She said and then switched the next slide.
"That was until 3 weeks ago. The traffic began to pick up more and more. Our contact has told us that exactly 3 weeks ago, around this time, a special opp van showed up with a man." Nicole then turned the next slide and an unknown man appeared in a military desert uniform, hands bound and face covered. "This is the only clear picture we have of our target."
"Our inside man couldn't get us pictures from inside the facility, but our target is described as 6'1", Light brown curly hair and cerulean blue eyes. He also said that our target is heavily sedated." Nicole finished.
"How accurate is this intel Stark?" Rumlow asked. His eyes not missing a beat.
"Very Agent Rumlow!" She said with a grim expression, memories of her capture started to come to the forefront of her mind.
Before she could delve far into the painful memory, a lone voice spoke up from the crowd. "Well, why don't we get to this 'Great' plan of yours, Princess?"
Nicole's head spun towards the audience and began to search for the voice of the bastard who opened his mouth. And she knew it was a man! But finding him was a whole other matter.
Rumlow raised his eyes heaven word, begging for any strength that the good lord could give him as he turned swiftly to Rollins and punched his shoulder hard to shut him up.
"Jack sit there and shut up!" Rumlow harshly whispered. Rollins was always a first-grade asshole but this time he took it up a notch. He still hadn't gotten over Nicole punching him in the face when he first met her and tried to hit on her.
"Back off Brock! This bitch is going down one way or another." Rollins said loudly.
Rumlow sighed and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Ok pal. But it's your funeral if this backfires." He said with an amused grin.
Brock Rumlow decided to sit back in his seat and watch as this situation blew up royally in Jack Rollins' face. He knew Nicole could handle this asshole, so he wasn't going to save the bastard from his punishment. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, he was going to be the first one to stand up and cheer.
Nicole shook her head. She should have known that Rollins couldn't sit still for very long. He would always find some angle to worm his way through her walls and into her pants. Or in this case, her bed.
'Yea like that would ever happen!' She thought. Someone had to put this misogynist bastard in his place.
"Agent Rollins, front, and center." Nicole chuckled darkly. Rollins stood up and shot Rumlow a smug look.
If there was one thing that Nicole hated more than anything, was men who were so engrossed in their own masculinity that they would force their own ideas on women. Rollins in her mild-mannered opinion was a mega misogynistic
son of a bitch!
Even though her past wouldn't let her get close to Rollins, she herself never really trusted Jack Rollins. Her stomach would churn every time she was left alone in the same room with him.
"Finally got a moment alone Princess," Rollins shot her a smug grin as he walked by, she shuddered as the words fell from his and hand brushed her arm.
"You wish Rollins!" Nicole all but growled. "Stand sideways towards me with your right foot in front of your left." She ordered. She was having a hard time trying to keep the sheer glee off her face. When in doubt, channel Aunt Peggy!
"Ohhh! Are we going to wrestle Babygirl!?" Rollins said, not knowing when to shut up. She going to enjoy wiping that misogynistic smirk off of Jack Rollins' pretty face.
She gave a Rollins a sweet smile, even batted her eyelashes playfully at him. Just as Rollins moved in to touch her hair Nicole caught his wrist in a flash and twisted it, almost breaking it. While he was caught off guard she swung her elbow catching him in the solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him.
As he doubles over, Nicole spun and struck out with her right arm catch Rollins' nose with the heel of her hand. The loud and significant CRUNCH could be heard throughout the hall.
"Ahh!" Rollins screamed as he grabbed his now broken nose. Before he could react, Nicole dipped into a crouch and spun kicked his legs out from under him. When Rollins hit the floor all the wind left his body. "You Goddamn little bitch! You are dead, you hear me whore."
"You first Rollins!" Nicole said with a wink and then gave him a mischievous grin.
Fury had a hard time trying to keep a straight face. He knew his God-daughter could be a vindictive hellcat but you never wanted to be on her bad side because you never knew when she would strike. She was vicious in her payback, he taught her well. At this moment he felt like a proud father.
"Well Agent Rollins, it seems that Agent Stark has been showing you the finer points about being a field agent." Fury sardonically. "Get your ass off the floor and back to your team leader and then wait for further instruction from him." Rollins nodded at his boss and slowly began to stand.
Before anyone could blink, Fury was on the floor and in front of Rollins just as he stood upright. "By the way Rollins; if you ever threaten my God-daughter again in front of me, I'll make what she did look like Little League. Are we clear?" He whispered menacingly in the bruised man's ear.
Rollins nodded his head, white as a sheet. Let it not be said that Special Agent Jack Rollins, Strike Team Alpha's Second-In-Command, didn't have the fear of God put into him. Nicolas J Fury made a full grown man of 33, want to cry home to his mama.
When Jack finally made it up the stairs back to his team, Rumlow couldn't stop laughing at his expense.
"Shud Tup Bumlow!" Rollins growled with a lisp. Rumlow stared at Rollins for a good minute before he burst out laughing again.
"If there is nothing else, you know your jobs people. Let's get to it." Fury ordered as the hall began to disperse. "Agents Rumlow and Stark, can I get a moment with you in my office?"
At that moment, Brock and Nicole shared a looked at each other as they were leaving the hall. They were going to the principal's office.
Fury looked up from his laptop as his two Senior field agents entered his office. Before the full agency debrief in the Assembly Hall, he noticed the subtle look that his God-daughter shot him when she looked over the file he had handed her. Even though they didn't say it out loud, he silently agreed with her.
He would be crazy to send not only one but two Strike teams as well as God-daughter into a situation where they were going in blind but just a description of their target. But that description could match hundreds if not thousands of men in the world.
So after the debrief, he reached out to his contact. He was NOT sending his God-daughter and his other best field agent in without a clear picture.
"You wanted to see us, sir?" Rumlow asked as he spoke for both himself and Nicole as they entered Fury's office.
"Come here you two." Fury said as waved them towards the front of his desk.
There was no bothering with them sitting because as they left his office, they were boarding a Quin-Jet and heading for Russia.
Rumlow looked at Nicole who looked back at him just as confused as he was. "Uncle Nick, did something happen after we finished the meeting?" Nicole asked concerned.
Fury sighed. "Just thoughts baby girl. Thoughts that should have been focused on when this case was first brought up." He said as wiped his hands over his tired face. "I've lost more agents going into a situation where they are less prepared then if they were and that's not happening on my watch."
With the said, he reached for the glossy photograph that he printed off and slid it across the desk face down towards his God-daughter and his Strike team leader.
"After some coaxing on my part, my contact came through. He managed to send me a photo of Agent X23." Fury explained as leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers and watched his God-daughter's reaction.
When Rumlow handed Nicole the photo, she thought she would be prepared. Thought she could control her emotions. But nothing could prepare her for the shock as she took her first look at the photograph. As soon as she saw, she all but collapsed into the seat behind her.
"Is this legit Uncle Nick?" Her voice shaking with every word.
"As real as it's gonna get baby girl." Fury said, the sympathy in his voice ut the blow just a little bit. "I wanted you prepared when you went in Sweetheart and not blindsided."
All Nicole could do was nod her head. Her throat seemed a little-closed off and her Persian blue eyes sparkled with emotion that she didn't know she had.
"The two of you are leading the rescue mission for Shield Agent, Major James Montgomery Falsworth II." Fury stated with a grim expression.
God help the group that tried to stop his God-daughter from saving his favorite Major.