I'm in This with You Til the End
Chapter 1 – One Choice
…
Peggy Carter always has a plan.
Always.
But when Panther was parading around her, showing her pictures of different hostage groups of civilians ready to fall because of her stubbornness, she has to think hard and fast.
No back up, no second plan.
Even when there were Nazi's storming down multiple corridors of the European front, even when she was branded a traitor for helping Howard Stark in the wake of New York's demise…even when there was an atomic threat in the state of California …
…she had hope. She had a plan.
But this time, her mind was drawing a blank. She couldn't believe it herself.
"You see, Agent Carter," the Panther sneered. "You may have the wit and courage to defeat my colossus of men here, but what you don't have [whispers in her ear] is the ability to be in two places at once…let alone four."
His cold breath sent shivers down her spine, and not in a pleasant way. Panther pulled out a detonator device in his hand and offered it to her. "Go on," he said. "Your eyes say you don't believe me."
Peggy stood firm in her place, surrounded by men with rifles drawn at her. Her stone cold façade was slowly slipping as she blinked ahead, determined to not let the sweaty stink of the Panther get to her. His leather armored clothing masked his muscular features well, and his suave smirk told Peggy that he was a force to be reckoned with.
Seeing that Peggy didn't budge, Panther retracted the detonator. "You're one of the very rare women who are both beautiful and smart. I'm almost sorry I have to come to these means—"
"What do you have to gain from this?" Peggy suddenly demanded.
Panther stopped his parading and stepped to the front of her. "So she does talk," he chuckled.
"You have multiple groups of hostages in the different parts of Los Angeles, loads of weapons at your disposal for mass destruction, any of this which is able to set off a detrimental wave of chaos at the press of a button, none of which I can stop. You everything set for completing your vendetta against the city. Why bring me here first?"
Panther chuckled again and reached for a radio transmitted that one of the armed men handed him. As soon as he switched on the radio, a male's distressed cries of agony roared on the static-filled transmission. Peggy's blood ran cold.
"GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
"Not the face, you dumbass. Get him in that leg of his—it should hurt real nice."
"You son of a b-AAHHHHHH!"
The screams echoed in her head continuously as worry etched onto her beautiful features. Peggy clenched her fists hard. "Daniel…"
Panther switched off the transmission and pocketed the device, striding over. "This, this is just a little insurance policy that I will get what I want."
"And what is it that you want?"
He snickered and stopped inches from her face. "You."
She gasped and took a step back. So direct and unlike any of the previous dealings she's had, Peggy had no response.
Panther stepped back and laughed. "Not what you're expecting, hm? You may have dealt with soldiers and espionage, but I doubt you have dealt with things a little more—personal, I should say. [walks around her] You think I only want to get even with LA for destroying my family? Of course it will pay—but eventually. You, my dear…you are the real reason, and you are so worth the trouble I had in making sure you and the SSR came to me. And if I get both you and score my vengeance...why not?"
"You let Daniel and the rest of those hostages go, or so help me God, I will get us all blown to hell!" she yelled, swinging her fist before Panther caught it. She instantly berated herself inwardly for slipping Daniel's name and twitching, as Panther was sure to catch the drift. Never has panic ever hit so close to home to this agent.
Panther grabbed Peggy's left fist closer, noting the wedding ring on her finger. "I see that this 'Daniel' is more than just a mere agent on this mission with you. I'm afraid, though, that this will have to come off." He reached to pull the ring off from her hand, but Peggy retracted it and punched him square in the jaw instead, landing him flat on his back on the ground.
The sound of safeties clicking off from the rifles all around the room were heard, and Peggy resolved that she didn't care anymore. Shot, killed, or not...she had bigger things to worry about. Fear of losing her husband is an indescribable tug of agony in her heart, and the worry that hostages are all hanging by a thread of her will terrified her.
Panther yelled, "Don't you dare fire! I told you all to hold you weapons until I say you can raise them!" Weapons around the room lowered, but fingers were actively still on the triggers. Panther struggled to get himself back up.
"I will rather die than for you lay your filthy hands on me, much less make me renounce my marriage," Peggy declared.
"Ah yes. I knew you would say that. See—[fixes his jaw] your kind have a sense of morality so strong, so black and white, that there is no sense of grey. But…what if I make the clear…greyer, for your taste?"
He switched on the transmission again and ordered into it. "Hey boys. Make sure the perimeters of the hostage groups are secured. And [glanced at Peggy] pay this Daniel fella a little extra, won't 'cha? Especially since his wife needs a little convincing…"
An aggravated growl came through in desperation. "Peggy! Don't do it! I'm fine—"
"Daniel-!" Peggy tried to grab the receiver, but guards were holding her back to grab the device.
"Peggy! I—AHHHHHH!"
"Daniel, you must listen me, you have to stay strong! I'll get you out…"
"No! There's—AHHH—no—AHHH—time! Peggy, the hostages…"
"I'm in this with you until the end, Daniel! Don't you forget!"
"Peggy—I—"
Panther snatched the received back and shoved Peggy back. "Give him the electrical tongs, boys."
"AHHHH—!"
"DANIEL!" Peggy screamed, tears at bay as the transmission switched off. She fell to floor gasping for air, a rare gesture that hasn't been done in ages as she swallowed the painful cries of her husband.
Panther knelt down to her level and lifted her chin to stare straight into her eyes. "Quite a romance you have with that man of yours. See, my deal is rather simple: you, in exchange for the groups of hostages in the 4 corners of LA, plus your husband. A bargain, I must say. Otherwise [waved the transmitter] there's plenty more where this came from. Plus, living with the fact that you let hundreds of people die at your one hand—it doesn't sound like something you can live with, my dear."
All she could think of was how Panther had bested her in finding her weakness, from her patriotism to her husband, and her mind was frightfully blank. Mr. Jarvis and Ana were amongst those captured, and Howard Stark was nowhere in sight. No one was coming to help her, and hundreds of lives are at her hand.
She knew what needed to be done.
…
