"The Avengers Initiative?" I asked after Fury told his plan to me and Natasha.
They shut the program a long time ago and they had their reasons.
"That could work." I added, and I truly believed in it. All the mightiest heroes around the world. Only if we could work together as a team…
"Agent Romanoff is going to find Dr. Banner and Agent Coulson is going for the Captain." Fury continued, but I was confused. I have the ability to control others feeling. It would be much safer and easier if I go.
"With all respect, sir, I would disagree. I think I should go to Dr. Banner."
"Do you doubt Agent Romanoff's skills?" Fury asked provoking me.
"I would never do that, sir." I admitted it a little embarrassed. Of course I trusted her abilities, she trained me for what I am today. There was nothing she couldn't handle.
I glanced over Natasha, but she was not offended, instead she tried to hide her smile.
"I thought so…" He muttered. "All right then." He ended the conversation and my weak attempt to convince him. "Don't waste any time!" He ordered then left me and Tasha in the room alone.
I sighed loudly. It's not enough we are at war, but Clint is missing, and we have no idea where Loki is.
"Sometimes Fury has his own way to get things done. I'm sure, he has a good reason, why he is sending me. Maybe he doesn't want him to feel being played out or manipulated." She comforted me. She saw through me easily like she always did. I had no secrets in front of her.
"You are right, I just… It's Clint first and now you. I don't want to lose you too." I admitted.
"You won't. I promise." I felt her hand on my shoulder. "And we are going to find him safe and sound."
"I know." I smiled at her. "But now we should really go, we have a date…" I smirked at her, then we both left the basis.
I found the Captain in the gym which I wasn't surprised about. He was beating the shoot out of the punching bag. He was really upset I could tell without reading him.
His muscles tensed even more with every hit he made. He had a perfectly toned body. I just watched him for a second…- everybody deserves a little eye candy - but then the punching bag came off and landed almost in the other corner of the room.
"Trouble sleeping?" I asked him with a half-smile as I walked closer to him. He looked up at me before answering.
"I could ask you the same." He changed the punching bag for a brand new one, he wasn't planning to stop.
"Training is never enough, is it?"
"I slept for 70 years, ma'am..." He responded politely then started to punch the bag again.
"Then why aren't you out seeing the world?"
"When I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say, we won. They didn't say, what we lost." He hit it harder and harder, he was about to zoning out again, so I stepped forward and caught the bag, so it couldn't move.
"We made some mistakes along the way." I started, and he finally glanced at me. His azure eyes enchanted me in a moment. "Some, very recently." I added cautiously.
"Are you here with the mission, ma'am?" He realized why I am here.
"I am. Agent Coulson." I introduced myself and we shook hands.
"Steve Rogers. Director Fury sent you?"
He walked to the bench, grabbed his towel and wiped the sweat off of his forehead.
"He did, indeed." I confirmed as I walked to him again.
"Trying to get me back to in the world?"
"Actually, trying to save it." I confessed it in the end, while handled him a dossier. He took it, and opened it right away. I saw he got confused a little.
"HYDRA's secret weapon." He frowned as he recognized it from the old times.
"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy." I explained.
"Who took it from you?" He concluded immediately.
"He's called Loki. He isn't from around here. But there's a debriefing packet waiting for you back at your apartment." I told him "Or we can have a drink while I'll inform you. There's a lot we will have to bring you up to speed on if you're in." I offered him my company. I could really use a drink, it was a long day. Honestly I would go to the pub either way.
"Reading can wait." He agreed smiling, then continued "I have beer at home, if you like it." He begun, and I grinned.
"The great Captain America is already inviting a girl in? I must say, you are not as old-fashioned as everyone tell." I teased him by which he got instantly embarrassed and tried to explain.
"No, no, ma'am. I meant I would like to have a shower first… and there is more private… for talking, of course. I would never want to…" He gabbled but he just made it worse. According what he said, he didn't think I'm pretty enough to spend a night with. I know he didn't intend to offend me, but he got scared. "Gosh, I mean you are really beautiful and pretty, I just…
"That's ok. I got you." I giggled as I watched him struggle with words. He even blushed a little, but he was really cute though. "Let's head to the apartment, shall we?" I offered a way out and he gladly took it.
"Yes, sure. Here" He told and led the way. Then grabbed his stuffs and we were outside of the building.
"Do you need a ride?" He asked me, as he stopped in front of his motorcycle.
"Maybe next time" I shook my head. "I parked over there." I showed him the direction and pointed out my car. A black Maserati. I really like speed and his motorcycle seemed a pretty great deal.
"Nice." He commented on the car. "Ok, then follow me." He put on his crash helmet and he got on the vehicle.
"Aye-aye, Captain." I obeyed, then left him. I run to my car, hopped in then turned the engine on.
The traffic wasn't that bad, so I could easily follow him. We've been driving for ten minutes when he pulled aside and stopped the motor. I did the same, and got out of the car. The building was in a nice neighborhood and looked like a typical Brooklyn-house. We went upstairs and he opened the front door.
"Well, it's not a big deal." He said as we stepped into the house. "But it's enough for me."
"It's cozy, I like it." I ensured him smiling.
"Thank you. I will take a quick shower and I'll be right back." He told me then hurried to the bathroom.
I decided to explore the house: it had a bedroom, a smaller living room, a bathroom, which was occupied and a kitchen. When I looked out from the kitchen's window, I discovered a little patio so I went outside. It was cute and tiny, but you still could see the sky and the stars from there. Or at least some of them. I sat on the ground and just stared at them for a long time. It always calmed me down. Knowing no matter, what happens, they stay there and shine.
"I like them too." I heard the Captain's voice behind me. "It's something that haven't changed." He explained while sitting next to me then handed me a glass of beer. His skin was still half-wet from the shower and I could smell his cologne's fresh scent.
"Thanks." I took it, then opened it. "I guess it's somewhat rear for you."
"You could say that." He agreed then sipped his beer. "So, what is it about the Tessaract?"
I sighed. I didn't know where to start. Maybe the beginning will do it.
"You know we started to experiment with it ages ago. But yesterday one of our professor perceived that the cube was misbehaving. Something was clearly wrong, it was like it turned itself on for some reason. Then this guy, named Loki came from a portal, and attacked us. He claimed, it belonged to him now, and basically that he will destroy us…Or like he said, he will free us from freedom. He is completely insane."
"It's worse than I thought." He muttered under his nose.
"Tell me about it, when he finished, he destroyed a whole facility, almost killed Fury, and everyone else."
"We have to stop him." He declared firmly.
"So you are in?" I asked him hopefully.
"That's my duty." He nodded like it is the most obvious thing in the world. I had to giggle.
"The Captain is always in charge and always fully responsible."
"Is that a bad thing?" He asked me a little offended.
"No." I answered becoming serious. "Not at all."
We stared into each other's eyes for a second, then I broke it sipping my beer.
"So, you have night terrors?" I asked him, but I could have just simply say it. It was clear.
"Who told you?" He seemed a little surprised.
"You." I responded. "Killing yourself at the gym at 1 a.m."
"Fair enough." He accepted my deduction, but didn't tell me anything else. We both sat in silence drinking our beer.
"I've heard a lot about you." I broke the silence. "My Dad is a huge fan." I smiled as I remembered how excited he got when Fury told him we possibly will work with the Cap. "But I guess you get that a lot."
"Yeah, everybody seems to know me, but most of the times it's one-sided." He confessed.
"It must be hard." I felt for him. I scarcely can imagine what would that like, waking up in a completely new world absolutely alone.
"It's getting better with every day."
"You will find your place eventually, I'm sure." I comforted him. "If you need any help, just tell me, after all, we are in the same team." I smiled and got up from the ground. It was time to go.
"Thank you." He stood up too. I just nodded, and walked in followed by him. He opened the front door for me as I wanted to leave.
"Thanks for the beer." I stopped for a moment.
"It was my pleasure, ma'am."
I shook my head smiling, he was so different.
"Please, call me Lily."
"Only if you call me Steve." He insisted.
"All right, Steve, then, see you tomorrow." I said goodbye to him.
"Good night, Lily." He used my name as I asked him to. I nodded approvingly.
"Good night" I told him, then walked to my car and drove to my hotel ready to get some sleep. I wondered how Tasha's meeting went.
