A/N: Thank you for reading my first ever published fic! This is a slight AU that takes place pre – Winter Soldier but post – Avengers. Events in the MCU before my story will be pretty close to canon, I may shift some pairings to my liking, but hey, this site was literally invented for us to change stuff. I own nothing! Enjoy 3
Chapter 1
Steve was trying to get caught up.
Natasha especially had been extremely helpful, leading him to the archives of SHIELD and giving him the documents he needed to piece together what all had happened since he'd gone under. However, that was only the save – the – world – and - don't - trust – anything side. For the non – intelligence side of things, there had been a friend that he never would have expected.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_"On your left," Steve panted as he ran past his new running partner. Sam could tell that the Super Soldier was unsettled by something. He was running hard and fast, pushing himself more than a normal morning run would merit.
"Hey, you look stressed," called Sam. "you wanna run through Conson Street and finish at the bakery? (I know no actual street names; this takes place in New York but many places will be entirely fictional)
"I'm fine, I just didn't sleep well last night," Steve responded from behind. "The Bakery does sound good, though. I'll take you up on that offer."
"Great."
"On your left!"
"One black coffee, one coffee with cream, one Double Breakfast and one chocolate glazed doughnut." The waitress delivered their food, and after a minute or so of just eating, Sam began to prod.
"So, you didn't get enough sleep."
" Nightmares. Read a few reports from way back when. Stirred up some unpleasant memories."
"Y'know, normally I would give a speech about avoiding known triggers, but in your line of work that can't really be helped. Did you do your homework?"
"I did. The album was pretty good, I really think Beyonce lives up to the hype."
"Alright, now that you've listened to some classics and some current pop, I think you should ask your friends for their favorites. Work playlists, dancy stuff, whatever."
"Are you sure? Tony listens to death metal and half of Natasha's stuff is Russian…"
"You'll be fine. Start with Maroon 5, they're great."
The men talked for a bit longer, then Steve's phone went off. "I guess I should get to work, I'll see you." Steve finished the last of his breakfast.
"Alright, I'll see you around." Steve and Sam parted ways.
Later that day, Steve had picked up where he'd left off. Maybe he should have gone on to a different section rather than expose himself to painful memories two days in a row, but Steve wasn't the type to leave stuff half finished. He'd been going through relatively mundane papers when he stumbled across a folder stamped with black inked warnings on every surface. Having never been one for bureaucracy, Steve opened it.
Issue: Agent Missing
Urgency: Top
Overview:
This part was written in ink, as if an agent who'd been part of the mission had filled it out.
Director Peggy Carter and myself were in charge of an infiltration mission; we only had to observe & retrieve. It would not have merited the Director of SHIELD to be on the mission herself had it not been that we were directly infiltrating a faction of HYDRA itself. We got inside and retrieved the papers, as well as made some key observations about the facility itself. However, on our way out, we were ambushed. As if they had been waiting for us. Both Director Carter and I fought to the best of our ability, but there were more of them than there were of us. As I was the one with the goods, Director Carter gave me explicit orders to complete the mission, and fought for long enough to get out. As soon as I had left, she was overpowered and taken to a holding room. We were in the Experimental Treatment wing at the time, looking for clues as to their Human Experimentation efforts. I fear that Director Carter may have been taken into those efforts, and I implore the agents above me to make quick action towards a rescue mission. Please.
Agent Jack Yates
Another piece of paper fell to the floor. Steve supposed it was one that he mission had retrieved, but right now, he was thinking of anything but that. Peggy had been taken, and now , after all these years, he was in a position to help her.
"Natasha!" He called, as he left the archives, with paper in hand.
Sorry for the cliffhanger! I needed to have a sort of 'prolouge' chapter, and now the story can really get started ;) Please R&R!
