Author's Note

Nothing from the Marvel universe is mine. The fact that this story is on this site obviously implies that I am a fan writing fanfiction. Because if I did own them, then I would be on my own private yacht in the Mediterranean sipping sangria from a goblet made of diamonds. The OC, Sydney, is my creation.

Mature content, language and themes in later chapters. Beware of spoilers.

~ Refictionista, June 28, 2014

§ Prologue §

Sydney was driving down I-25, on what she considered the beautiful stretch of the highway between Denver and Colorado Springs, when her mobile phone started buzzing from the passenger seat, interrupting her private jam session with Alanis Morissette's latest album. The phone's annoying tone ceased after just one ring.

Smiling knowingly, she pulled over to the road's shoulder and lowered the car stereo's volume. Sydney then reached for her Motorola StarTAC and flipped the phone open, whistling at the clam shell style device with the sound effect of a Star Trek communicator. She leaned back and started dialing.

"Bergström to Sato. Come in, Sato."

Sato Eriko started giggling. "You're such a dork. What'cha doing?"

"Right now? I'm pulled over in the middle of nowhere, returning your call and staring out the window looking at some goats on a nearby hill."

"Goats?"

"Yeah, goats. Four legged animals that look like sheep but have adorable beards and look somewhat amused." Sydney couldn't help getting sidetracked with sharing Eriko's ever light-hearted attitude, and the little goats were cute. "I'm heading down to my Aunt Blanche's house for a book club meeting."

"Cool beans." Eriko seemed to stretch those two words out and then became taciturn. Sydney could tell her best friend and roommate was hesitant to say something.

"Is everything okay?"

"Sort of... I don't know," she took a deep breath. "Something kinda weird just happened like two minutes ago." Sydney could hear Eriko fiddling with a window's mini-blinds in the background. "No. Make that officially weird. Those guys are now just sitting there, watching the house from a car across the street."

"Eriko, I have no idea... Wait, what? Guys are watching the house? Our house?"

"Yeah. I was getting ready for work, and these two guys in suits with badges knocked on the door and started asking questions about you. Oh, and they wanted to find you, as in like yesterday. Now, they are sitting in what looks like a rental car across the street. Hmm, I wonder if they can see me spying on them spying on me."

Sydney was even more bewildered. Confusion itself was not an usual occurrence with her bubbly friend, but currently it was a definite hindrance. "Badges? What agency? Why were they looking for me?"

"I don't remember." Eriko became indignant when she heard Sydney's huff. "No, that isn't me being an airhead. It was like this really, really long government agency name. You wouldn't have remembered it either, little miss smarty pants." She exhaled audibly, "Well, maybe you would have being freaky brain smart and all. Anyway, they wouldn't tell me why they were looking for you, just that it was, and I quote, 'essential' that they find you as soon as possible."

Sydney didn't retort. Eriko wouldn't have snapped at her if she wasn't stressed out. She unlatched her seat belt and leaned over to get her book from the back seat. "Eriko, I am sure everything is okay. Don't worry, I'll figure it out when I get to my aunt's condo. Did they leave a business card or anything?"

"No, a card would have had that agency name on it." She could tell Eriko was trying not to sound agitated. "Listen, I'm going to call in sick at work because..." Eriko never finished her sentence, because suddenly the connection cut out at the same time that the car's engine died. Sydney stopped reaching into the back seat and turned forward to stare at the blank cell phone screen and then her unlit dashboard. The vehicle was unnaturally quiet without her friend's voice and the stereo playing.

She glanced at the car charger, which she was sure that she plugged in over thirty minutes ago. No, it must have been loose and was then so low on power that, when the car died, it did, she reasoned snapping the phone shut. That really doesn't make sense, but what else could have happened? Sydney brushed aside the worrying thought to deal with her current dilemma. She tried to start the car back up, but nothing happened. She turned off the radio and the AC, checked to make sure that the lights weren't on and tried the key again. Still nothing. Bugger, she cursed silently to herself. Well, first things first. Sighing, Sydney got out of the car to get the cables. Hopefully, a Good Samaritan would stop soon and give her battery a jump.

Before she even reached the trunk, she heard a helicopter. Looking around, she saw one as it was landing in the field up ahead. The goats on the hill next to her stopped munching on the grass and were staring at it as well.

It was black and sleek looking, with perhaps what was a stylized eagle painted on the side. The whooshing blades never slowed down as a door on the side opened. Two men climbed out and one waved at Sydney, who stood frozen with the key in her hand poised over the trunk. She supposed they didn't seem too menacing as they started half jogging over to her. If anything, she was curious.

They hopped over the field's fence with relative ease and then walked over more placidly. The taller of the two who had waved at her earlier was a black man with kind looking eyes under short dark curls, he smiled. "Miss Bergström?" Sydney couldn't decide what to say. "Miss Sydney Gina Bergström of Englewood, Colorado? Ma'am, I'm Agent Nick Fury, and this here is my partner, Agent Tim Dugan. We realize you find this unorthodox, but we would appreciate it if you came with us."

"Please, we aren't here to hurt you." As he reached out a hand invitingly, she noticed the gun holstered at his side under his dark leather jacket. Alanis Morrissette's voice popped back in her head. Finally, something that could actually be considered ironic, she thought.

Sydney released the breath she was holding and gracelessly dropped her keys. As she took a tentative step backwards, Agent Fury grabbed her arm. His expression was still somewhat pleasant, but his features were now firm, his eyes unrelenting. The broad shouldered Agent Dugan brought his hand up to his face and then spoke into his wrist, "We have her."