My first Avengers story! Yes, I'm excited. I've had this plot screaming in my head since I saw The Avengers the day it came out. And seeing it twice within a week, didn't help anything. So I wrote it.

This is set after the movie.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers, sad day. I know. I'm just using them for a lil bit.

Chapter 1

She slowly walked down the New York street, adjusting the shoulder bag that held her assignment. The sun was setting and dark clouds began to move in as she quickened her steps.

Her task was simple: get a photo of Victor Garcia, a drug kingpin who is wanted for the murder of a NYPD Detective, as he did his dirty work.

Garcia liked worn down warehouses near the river, where he always made sure to have a boat ready in case he needed to make a quick escape. And he always made sure that his deals got done in under 10 minutes. If the buyer didn't make a suitable offer in the appointed amount of time, Garcia would walk (sometimes leaving a bloody scene in his wake).

She knew she had to move fast.

Checking her watch, she saw that the deal would be going down in a few minutes. She made her way to an escape ladder and climbed to where she would have the best view.

-xxx-

"How much are you willing to offer?" Garcia asked his current client. A man dressed in a tailored suit stood before him. He was a little bit shorter than himself, but he stood his ground. Garcia only knew him as 'The Dealer', because that's all he ever did. Victor Garcia was excited to be making a deal with him.

"I am willing to pay 84 thousand," The Dealer said. "but," he paused and let his words hang in the air, "I want in on your, how do you say, side project."

"I'm not sure I-" Garcia was abruptly cut off.

"Don't play dumb with me. I know all about your plans. You don't come off as just a drug dealer, for you have something bigger going on behind the scenes. Much bigger." the Dealer continued. "I'm willing to pay another 100 grand, that is, if you accept my standing offer."

Garcia looked at his watch. He had less than 5 minutes. "How do I know I can trust you?" he asked.

"Let's just say that you won't be disappointed in my work and what I have to offer you."

2 minutes.

"And you can promise me success in my work?"

45 seconds.

"Yes,"

30 seconds.

Victor Garcia held out a hand and waited for The Dealer to grasp it in his own. When he did, he said these simple words.

"Then it is settled. Meet back here on Thursday night and I will show you first hand my newest work."

-xxx-

The next morning, she awoke to her phone playing Thunderstruck. It was a just after 6 and she didn't need to be at the office until 9 that morning.

Rolling over, she blindly pressed the TALK button to accept the call.

"Hello?"

"Dakota, are you awake?" Why must her friend be an early bird?

She sat up and let her feet touch the cool wooden floor. "I am now," she held back a yawn. "What's up Hannah?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to catch breakfast with me before you went to the office. There is this new place on State Street that's suppose to be pretty good." Hannah said.

Hannah Smith had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. Dakota grew up in the System until she was 18 when she got a job working at The Weekly Journal, for Hannah.

Born Samantha Dakota James, her journey started a few weeks after she was born. Her parents died when she was very young and she didn't have any other known family. They told her that they were killed when they were on their way home to New York from Wisconsin when their plane crashed due to engine failure. She didn't know any thing about her parents.

She was never adopted, but bounced from foster home to foster home. All she knew was survival.

Today, she wrote articles and took photos while Hannah ran the place.

They were very close.

"Sure. What time do you want to meet? I have to be at the office before 9:00, so I can talk to Mr. Green about my current assignment." Dakota asked.

"How's 7:30 sound?"

"Perfect. See ya then."

Dakota got out of bed and made her way to the shower, knowing that a long day was awaiting her.

-xxx-

She woke up with a start and a pounding headache. She didn't know where she was or how long she was unconscious. Slowly, she stood to her feet and took in her surroundings.

It was dark. Too dark for her likings. She could hardly see her hand in front of her face, when suddenly the room lit up and two men in white lab coats and goggles walked in.

As her eyes adjusted to the new light, the sight before her sent a chill down her spine.

Dakota was in a giant container of some sort. Wires and tubes were connected to it as it hung a few feet above the ground.

Startled, she staggered back until she felt her skin come in contact with the glass. She looked down and saw that she was dressed in black light weight pants and a white tank top. A white bandage was wrapped around her left bicep that she hadn't noticed until now.

The two men in white lab coats walked over to a desk that held a couple computers. One of them began to type in the keyboard and the container that held Dakota started to shake.

She pounded on the glass and shouted at the men.

"Hey! What am I doing here?" The men paid no attention to her and went on working and typing things into the computers. "Let me out!"

Little did she know that she was about to find out first hand what was going on.

Suddenly the two men stepped away from their work and made their way over to where Dakota was being held.

They removed their goggles and masks that she didn't notice until now and stood in front of her.

Victor Garcia and The Dealer stood and stared at Dakota. Their fake smiles plastered on their faces, as if something amused them. She knew something wasn't right. After a few seconds of admiring their newest prize, Garcia spoke up.

"Ah, Miss. James. Nice of you to join this," he paused, searching for the rights words to say, "get together." Victor Garcia stepped closer to the space that held the young woman and smiled a sly smile. "I assume that you find your arrangements, soothing enough?"

It was a stupid question, really. Of course she didn't like being held in a glass container of some kind against her will for crying out loud. So, she just looked at him and let that be her answer.

While Garcia was busy "talking" to Dakota, The Dealer had made his way to the back of the container. He removed a cover that was near the top and replaced it with a thick hose. After tighting it and checking that ever thing was secured, he walked back towards the front of the room, back to the computers.

Meanwhile, Garcia was telling Dakota about his little project. And how she was in the center of it all. What she failed to realize was that Garcia was distracting her, from the real work that the Dealer was doing.

"What do you want with me, Garcia?" Dakota asked angrily. Part of her wanted to believe this was some sick joke of some sort, but she knew deep down that this was far worse. They must have drugged her because she couldn't remember anything after her talk with Hannah. Hannah!

"Where's my friend?" Dakota yelled, slamming her hand onto the think panes of glass. "What did you do to her, you sick bastards!" it was more of a statement than question, but she got her point across regardless.

Garcia smiled again, oh how she was getting tired of that, and simply said, "She's been taken care of,"

Staggering backwards a few steps, shock began to take affect on her. But she didn't have time to process the new information.

All of the sudden, The Dealer calmly shouted from the computers and said, "All is set. We can begin." He only said six words, but those six words drew fear into the heart of the young woman.

Garcia bowed towards Dakota while saying "my lady," and went over to join his partner in crime. Placing their goggles back on, they typed a few things into the computed and selected START as it flashed across the screen.

As all that went on, Dakota James pounded effortlessly against the glass, screaming at the men to let her go.

Soon, the lights began to flash around her as a gray cloud of smoke entered the space she occupied. She could feel herself slipping away, but tried her best to stay awake. Seeing that the young woman was a fighter, Garcia gave the order to increase dosage.

More smoke was pumped into the container and Dakota felt herself falling. She slowly sank to the cold floor as the smoke completely engulfed the air around her.

Giving into the bliss of darkness, she knew no more.

How was that? Please Review! I love finding out what people who read my stories think.

I have a bit of this pre-written in my notepad, so I just need to get it on my computer before I update. Review help me update faster though. ;)

xoxo

The Raven

Avengers Assemble!