Chp 1
The alarm clock was annoying me, but I got up anyway. I set an hour early because this was my first day as one of the STRIKE team at SHIELD. Even though I was still sleepy, I was excited. I went to the bathroom and showered. Afterwards, I dressed in black shirt with a SHIELD logo and black camouflage pants. I combed my short hair neatly. I made myself a light breakfast and a cup of coffee before leaving to SHIELD headquarter called Triskelion.
I was a bit early and I was put under the leadership of Brock Rumlow. Yeah, I'm the only chick here. I went on the tread mill and I didn't realize Rumlow was next to me.
"Rookie, slow down", he said, surprising me till I lost my steps and stumbled backwards. I could hear Rumlow laughing like crazy. "Wow, you're eager", said Rumlow.
"Well, I should've set my clock a little bit later, sir", I said as I stood up and give him a salute.
"At ease, soldier", he said, ceasing his laughter, "Go shower before the boys come in. I hang your uniform already. Once you're dressed, walk with me".
I showered again and put on my STRIKE uniform. I joined him outside, but this time with the rest of Rumlow's unit. "Alright, when we got the call, we must act fast", said Rumlow.
"I won't slow you down, sir. I promise", I said.
"I didn't say that, Takashi", said Rumlow.
"You don't, but his face says it all", I said as I focused on Rumlow's deputy, Jack Rollins. Rumlow sighed and shook his head.
"Ignore him, he's always like that. Don't judge a person by his facial expression. The guy is a toughie on the outside, but a softie in the inside", he said, "Don't tell him I said that". He gave me a directory and told me to memorize it by the day. "That's all I want you to do for today. Got that, Rookie?", he asked. I nodded and saluted him. He dismissed me and I walked out, earning a side glance from Rollins. Before my foot set out, Rumlow called me back, "Oh, and Director Fury wants to see you afterwards…, or whichever you prefer".
I headed towards Director Fury's office first. When I came in, he was going through a file, which I suspected was mine. I knocked and he gestured me to come in. "You called for me sir?", I asked.
He finished looking through the file before setting it down and turned his attention to me. "Sergeant Neko Takashi, decorated soldier, tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. What brings you here?", he asked me.
"I was recommended here, as I recalled, sir", I said.
"I know that, but you've applied before, correct?", he asked again.
"Yes, sir", I said.
"Rejected a couple times too", he said.
"According to the rejection letter, I was inexperienced", I said.
"You went to Afghanistan and Iraq, you even fought with the X-Men at the Alcatraz before you were enlisted", he said and sighed. "Sit down, sergeant", he said again. I sat down as he stared with his one eye. "Professor Xaviers seem to think that you're better off working here than at the military, saying that they called you names and often left you in the battlefield one too many times. Reluctantly, your CO said you were one of the best and you didn't even use your power at Afghanistan or Iraq. You're the type that couldn't sit still and a workaholic, but are you sure you're in the right place?", he said.
"Sir, my mum left my dad; knowing that he's a mutant and when she found out that I have powers too, she left me at Professor X's footstep. All I know is that my father used to work here and he's dead. I'm merely following his footsteps", I said.
"I know that. He was one of the best SHIELD operative that I have. Do you know what was his last word to me?", he said. I shook my head. "He said: Sir, if my child ever joins SHIELD, can you make sure he or she stays outta trouble?", said Director Fury, reciting my father's last words, "I owed him a lot, Sergeant Takashi. I expect a lot from you too. You have a reputation and his reputation to maintain. Don't let him down or any of us for that matter".
"I won't let you or him down sir, that I can promise you", I said, "But…, may I know the matter of his death?".
"His troop was ambushed. Everyone escaped, but him", said Director Fury. I nodded. Then, he opened a drawer and presented me a dog tag. "You can have this. It was his", said Director Fury. I wore it as I stood and gave him a salute. "As you were, Agent Takashi", he said before dismissing me.
That scene I played out for you was a few years back. If I was going to tell you my years in SHIELD, it'll take forever to finish and I might bore you to death
My name is Neko Takashi. I was born in Brooklyn, New York. My dad was Agent Minato Takashi, worked as an agent at SHIELD and was gunned down during a black-ops mission. I don't remember much about my mum, beside the fact that she left after finding out that dad was a mutant and dropped me off at Xavier's Institute in the crack of dawn after finding out that I was a mutant too.
I can absorb people's power without affecting them. I enlisted myself and I was the few women who get to go on tours. Maybe they hope that I won't come back alive I guess. Professor X was kind enough to recommend me at SHIELD. At least I have some closure in my life. I served for a few years with STRIKE before I was sent to be a part of the Coulson's BUS team. Rumlow protested at first, saying that I was one of his best operatives, but orders are orders. I told him that I would come back and you know what he said to me, "If anyone gives you trouble, call me and I'll kick his ass for ya, ok?".
Rollins and I were like enemies. Whenever we have the chance to spar, we fought hard, till we got banned from sparring with each other. When I was about to leave, he said, "I'm gonna miss you, Rookie". He meant it.
My new leader was Agent Phil Coulson. I looked at him with curiousity and said, "Didn't that Asgardian guy killed you, sir?".
"It was just seconds before they detected a life sign in me", he said. I helped out, usually during undercover missions. But this mission made me realized that not everything you see in front of you is the actual truth.
