First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRIS EVANS! In honor of this day, I'm posting my newest story. :)
Hello one and all. Thank you for taking the time to check out my story.
I started this before I saw The Winter Soldier on opening weekend and I have so much planned. My OC does play a large role leading up to those events so references made and hints dropped will appear throughout.
Clandestine will be an OC insert to the MCU and I emphasize that it will be slow-burn. I'm starting a few months before the beginning of The Avengers so you all can get an understanding for my to-be-named-in-a-later-chapter OC.
The relationships my OC has with each Avenger will be covered. Steve and Tony will be the most out of everyone.
Parts, such as the beginning of this story, will be written in third person narrative, with the occasional third person in dialogue only. But the majority of the story is written in first person.
Outfits for my OC will be on my Polyvore page (link on my profile since I can't link it or my sets in the story itself) so go there for those sets in Clandestine.
I will be using a translation system on my laptop for when another language is spoken. Those translations will be at the bottom of each chapter so you won't have to wonder what was being said.
Whoo! I think I covered everything. I sincerely hope you enjoy this story and if you made it to the end of this rather long AN, I thank you.
Any and all mistakes going forward are mine.
Disclaimer for all chapters: I don't own anything Marvel. The OC, original plot line and anything not recognized or affiliated with Marvel Entertainment is mine.
Chapter 1 - Pre-Avengers Part 1
December 21st, 2010
Director Nick Fury stood on the bridge of the Hellicarrier with his posture straight and gloved hands folded tightly behind his back. His one good eye looked over the dark clouds as the aircraft flew through the skies undetected. If any one asked what he was thinking about, he would tell them nothing. The truth, in fact, was a lot was on his mind; he could share that with but a select few. Nothing ate away his ease more than hoping that they wouldn't arrive at the destination too late.
"We're five miles out, sir."
"Good. Notify Agent Barton." he says as he faces Agent Maria Hill. He can tell by the look on her face that she wants to ask what they were doing in Russia. He leaves no room for such inquiries. "And prepare a jet."
"Yes, sir."
Fury walked to the launch deck in near silence, leaving his boots to make the only sounds. It was empty per his orders except for the one man whom he'd be bringing with him on this mission. They greeted each other silently. "Wheels up, Agent Barton. Time is of the essence."
"Yes, sir." Clint Barton said as he took the controls to the Quinjet. The location having all ready been given, he took off with the director in the co-pilot seat.
The weather in Russia was freezing cold. Snow fell from the skies and had left a thick, untouched blanket on the ground. Clint expertly landed the jet in a field and opened the ramp. "How far out, sir?"
"Less than a mile."
Clint grabbed his bow and quiver, strapping the latter to his back. Fury checked his sidearm before placing it back in his holster.
They were there for one reason. To bring in a known threat or to take them out before they could do any more harm. SHIELD had gotten very little on the subject over the course of the 23 months of investigation since they first caught wind of them.
During that time span, they had assassinated 14 men and women over the entire world. They didn't know what those people had in common but it was enough to bring it to the attention of the World Security Council. If this assassin was working on a way to get out like his ground contact had said, Fury knew that whoever they worked for wouldn't just let them walk away.
"Be cautious, Agent Barton. This person is extremely skilled in many areas and considered to be very dangerous. Our first priority is to bring them in. If all else fails, we take them out here." orders Nick before they headed towards the one place where the subject would be able to make a run.
They move swiftly and silently, making good time. Upon reaching a clearing Fury held up his hand, signaling Barton to hold his position as he scanned the area. From the trees they watched a figure break through the tree line in a sprint North of their position, followed by at least ten heavily armed men in close pursuit. Clint removed one of his arrows and aimed at the men, an explosion sounding seconds after.
Fury released rounds of bullets in seconds and soon the armed men were no longer a problem. Getting to his feet, Nick said over his shoulder, "Get to a high spot, Agent Barton. Wait for my signal." he quickly changed his mag and takes chase after his subject.
He followed a growing trail of blood that speckled the footprints in the white snow. It didn't take long for him to catch up. Seeing the figure a few meters in front of him, he called out, "Wait. Wait, I just want to talk."
The person turned around. In the moonlight that shone through a hole in the clouds above, Fury could make out the face of a girl who had be around the age of 20. Her dark colored hair covered half of her face and she was favoring her left leg. "You're friend in the trees tells me otherwise." she says through the howl of the wind.
Fury furrowed his brows in wondering how she knew where Barton was. "Barton, stand down." he says into his comm, knowing well enough that in this situation Barton wouldn't. He turned back to speak to the girl. "You've been on SHIELD's radar for a long time. It wasn't until a week ago that we got a location on you. You're a hard woman to track down."
"If this is your attempt at trying to recruit me into some secret organization, I'll pass." she turns and starts to limp away. "Thanks for the help back there. Have a good life."
"I can't just let you walk away." Fury takes a couple of careful steps towards the girl. His hand hovers over his gun. "I'm giving you a chance to change. To have a new life." He let it go without saying that he would have to take her out if she didn't accept. He wanted her to know that she had a choice; he wanted to give her a chance to do the right thing.
"That's the same thing they told me, over all of those years, the same lies." she paused for what felt like eternity, hanging her head as she thinks back. "I just took control of my life. I'm not going to let anyone else take it from me."
With the light from the moon, Fury was close enough to see the rage on her face, he could hear the venom of hatred in her voice as she looked at him. Then an unknown object appeared in her hand.
He takes a step back. "Let us help you."
"I don't need anyone's help."
Just as he gave Barton the signal to take the kill shot, a flash lit up the night sky and a loud echoing noise brought both men to their knees. Their eyes burned and a sharp ringing noise vibrated loudly in their ears.
"Agent Romanoff, status." Fury said once he could hear. His vision was still blurry from whatever the girl had set off. He could see Barton stumble towards him and knew that the archer was in the same amount of discomfort as he was. Maybe even more since he had fallen out of a tree.
"I'm seconds away." came Natasha Romanoff's reply. "I saw the entire thing. She's in the wind."
"Agent Barton, status?"
"Ugh, my sight is shot; everything is blurry." came a grimaced reply, followed by a string of curses. "She got away?"
"This time, yes." Fury sighed deeply as he pulled himself to his feet. "We'll be better prepared net time."
Agent Romanoff flew the Quinjet back to the Hellicarrier and helped a complaining Clint to the MedBay. While the archer was getting his eyes looked at, Natasha had a conversation with Director Fury.
"Think we'll find her again?"
"I do. It might not be any time soon, but eventually, she'll surface." Fury pursed his lips before adding. "And when she does, we'll be ready for her."
"Does the Council know you want to bring her in, not kill her?"
"Its... very unlikely, Agent Romanoff. This one I want kept under wraps. For now, just the three of us know about her. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
March 27th, 2011
Why is it snowing in March? Just, why? It's spring!
The cold air numbed my face as a drizzled breeze flew through the overcast England skies, making the air thin. The clouds were growing darker with each passing hour and the smell of a storm hovered over me.
God, I hate the cold. But I ignored it.
Like I was trained to do.
My long hair was tussled slightly beneath my hood, brushing my face. It did nothing to distract me from the task at hand. I adjusted the binoculars a few clicks so that I could see further into the room I was surveilling.
The woman I was watching, a professor at Oxford here in London, was sitting at a desk with her back to the window. I've been watching her since dawn, following her to the school she teaches at, then directly back here to her apartment. No trips to the store, or tea with a friend. She had business here.
From the get go it seemed too perfect, too easy. None of the others I confronted prior to this were as easy and I frowned at its simplicity, not liking it one bit.
Because she knows I'm coming.
Hours passed by without her doing much. I spared a quick glance at my watch before peering back through the binoculars. The woman had crossed the room now, away from the window and out my line of sight. Regardless if it was a trap of some kind or not, it was time to move.
I slid out of my thicker coat, then scaled down the roof ladder and crossed the empty streets before taking the main stairs up to the top floor. After checking my surroundings, I walked down the hallway until I reached the room I needed.
It had taken me months to reach this point. I had searched all of central England for this person who was rumored to have answers to the questions that had racked my brain for as long as I could remember.
During my life, I'd lived knowing one thing; that I was a weapon whose sole purpose was to kill.
I studied different styles of combat fighting and self-defense early on, knew how to assemble countless numbers of weapons before my 12th birthday, endured various mental and physical torture techniques, had my first kill was at the young age of 15... the list goes on.
All in the name of being the best assassin. Their best weapon.
It wasn't until four months ago that I finally managed to break free of my... employers; who they were, who they are, I still don't know. I was never told who they were or who I worked for. I made it my mission to find out the truth about my life, to get revenge on those who took so much from me.
In those four months since my search began, I've come up with nothing. No leads of any kind.
Obviously, that was easier said than done.
This wasn't the first lead I had gotten since I'd escaped. But it was more promising than those before and there was no way in hell I was going to let it slip out of my hands.
Without wasting another second, I picked the two locks on the door, my weapon drawn and ready as soon as it clicked open. Once entered, I scanned each room in a thorough haste, eager to find the woman. Reaching the office where I saw her last, I waited a beat before breaking the threshold.
There she was, standing in front of her towering bookshelf, the smell of a fireplace filling the room. I knew that it was only a matter of time before someone tried to contact her; a woman of her importance never went long without talking to someone about something. Plus, I needed answers fast as time was not on my side. I've already been in London for far too long.
I closed the distance between us and placed my weapon against the back of her head roughly.
"I knew it was only a matter of time before you came knocking down my door, Eleven." she says calmly in thick Russian. I narrowed my grey eyes. "Most people thought it'd take you weeks, months even, to get to me. They don't know you like I do."
"Shut up! I want answers! I know Eleven, or K, isn't my real name. Those are just bloody numbers and letters to you sick people." I ignored her comments not wanting to be there longer than needed. I pressed the gun harder. "No more lies! Start. Talking."
"My dear, you don't know what you're doing."
I grabbed her shirt and turned her so that she could see me. I didn't waver and moved my weapon to just under her chin. "Я знаю точно чего я делаю."
"Do it. Kill me; I can see it in your eyes that you want to. Its all you know." the woman made a ticking sound and then laughed. She was stalling. But for what? "You'll never make it out of England alive. It was all a set-up to get you out in the open. But you knew this. You're just a girl desperately searching for things that aren't and will never be there. Right now there are people looking for you, hunting you, like the animal you are. They'll get what they want and in the end, we'll win. Just like we always do."
"That's not for anyone to decide but me. I know you'll never give up. But know this; neither will I." I shove her aside, hard into the bookcase. Items tumble to the ground but she doesn't waver.
Even while I was at a slight loss at what to do next, I didn't lower my weapon from her head. This was what I spent countless hours and sleepless nights searching for? A pawn? A trap? I was still sure that she knew something that could help me but I was out of time. I couldn't play mind games with her.
"You won't talk, fine." I smirk when I see a small hint of fear in her eyes. She knows what I am capable of, what I can do. I relish the thought of knowing that they haven't forgotten what they made me into. "Я как раз сделаю пример из вас."
All of the sudden, a flashing movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was enough of a warning to tell me I had to move. I turned and jumped over the large wooden desk behind me just as a projectile sailed past me. I'm fast but not fast enough as a burning sensation on my arm tells me. I looked up to see an arrow embedded into the wall.
"Come out! There's nowhere to go!" yells a voice.
Something wasn't right; her people didn't use arrows. Yes, they were trained in nearly every weapon known to man, but I'd never seen arrows used in the field. It just wasn't right.
This had to be a third party.
But the question was, were they here for her or me?
Translations from Russian to English via SysTran
"Я знаю точно чего я делаю." = "I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Я как раз сделаю пример из вас." = "I'll just make an example out of you."
Hope you follow and favorite and review; I'd love to hear your thoughts. This is only the beginning.
Next chapter:
"Well, your man killed my only informant. If I see him again, it won't end very well for him."