A/N: No Bucky or James in this one. Sorry, but I still hope you enjoy it :)
Big thanks to: ajblake, RoseWolf21, PaintingTheRosesReddishPink, AnimeLoverInfinity and TMNTGirl for following/favouriting. Thanks a million, guys! Means a lot :)
Review Response(s):
Lara Barnes: Don't forget that Daphne's and James' timelines are running a little different, based solely on the time gap between them. I'll try to make it clear how much time has passed between each little 2014 section, but let me know if it confuses you.
TMNTGirl: I'm saying nothing. Spoilers.
angelAnabiel: Yeah, I hated doing that to James, but it's a good writing opportunity nonetheless. Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you're enjoying it.
7 - So Much For Anonymity
Amazingly, Agatha let me up about the whole shooting-the-guy-in-the-hand thing, and she seemed woefully unconcerned about the rest of my dark past. In fact, if anything, she seemed more and more eager to meet up with me. She would be constantly pestering me on information about James, which I flat-out refused to give because, despite the fact James and Bucky were so different, the thought of Bucky dating another girl was not one I liked. The first time she brought it up I chose to remind her that she already had a guy of her own. At which point she admitted she'd broken up with him half a month before.
Damn. One excuse down.
Two weeks to the day after the diner disaster (as we'd come to call it (which was her idea, by the way)), Agatha approached me with a strange question.
"Can I come and see you work?"
I stared blankly at her. "What?"
"I want to see how you train the guys at Fort Hamilton," she said simply.
"Why?"
Agatha frowned. "I've been thinking about what you said... about the war and how bad it's going to be. And I've decided I want to help. I've signed up for military medical training. I don't know whether I'll get in yet but... I wanted to see what it's like in a base camp."
"It'll be very different for you," I told her. "The nurses and the soldiers have very different jobs and very different working environments. They might as well be on two entirely different planets."
"Please, Eve, I just want to know what I'm getting myself into."
I sighed through my nose, before saying, "Fine. I'll see if I can get Miller to let you in. What day?"
"Uh, Friday...?"
"You don't sound so certain."
"I can do whenever, really, since I'm currently unemployed. I didn't want to go too soon and seem... I don't know... desperate, I guess."
I nodded. "Alright. I'll ask Miller which day is best, and relay that onto you. Deal?"
"Deal."
As it turned out, Miller didn't really care who I did or didn't bring onto the base, as long as they stayed out of the way and stayed out of trouble. The 69th was a company of pretty respectable men, so I didn't anticipate any problems. So I brought Agatha in on the Friday, having dropped by her house and all but forced her to change out of her pale blue, flowery dress and into something more suitable. She clearly wasn't a trousers and t-shirt kind of girl. I bluntly told her that she'd probably have to get used to it if she wanted to be a nurse. She'd stopped complaining after that.
I told Agatha to wait by the side of the line while I addressed the guys.
"As I'm sure you've noticed, I've got company today," I said, getting straight to the point. A few men mumbled the affirmative. "This is Agatha Kendall. She's here just to observe for today, as she's signed up to be an army nurse. I want every one of you to treat her the same way you treat me, is that understood."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good." I turned to Agatha. "Since you are only observing, you are not to get in the way of any of their training, okay? They aren't to be distracted."
Agatha pursed her lips, no doubt at my I'm-not-taking-any-crap tone, but nodded her head. "Yes, ma'am," she said, her voice strong and firm. I offered her a quick smile, before turning to my men.
"We're moving onto firearms today," I informed them. "Head over to the firing range and take a look at the guns. Don't pick out the biggest or the heaviest just to make yourselves feel better. Think about which ones will be best suited to you. My runners and agility guys will generally be best suited for pistols, subs or assault rifles, but if you find something else that you're comfortable with, by all means, pick it up. You can all choose whatever suits you best. I can only advise in this case. And don't worry if you don't find one that suits you just yet - some people (myself included) have a penchant for slightly less... modern weaponry. If that's the case, just come talk to me and we'll sort something out. Now go."
Later, after training had ended and I'd debriefed with Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, I went in search of Agatha. I thought she'd be with the other nurses, but when I entered the nearly empty mess room I found her laughing along with my two favourites from the group.
The Frye twins. Jack and Edward. Which I found hilarious because in my head they were secretly pirates and assassins.
Apparently my nerd roots could never be eliminated.
They were fraternal twins, both possessing dark brown hair, but while Jack was tall and buff, Edward was quite lithe in comparison, though it couldn't be denied that he knew how to throw a punch. During training, they'd both opted for BAR M1918A1s. A choice I could relate to, because I liked those guns as well.
"Of all the people in my group, the infamous Frye brothers would be the last pair I'd imagine you becoming friends with," I said teasingly as I neared them, all three grinning at me.
"I think perhaps you just know a different side of them, Eve," Agatha stated simply.
I scoffed. "Oh, sweetheart, I know every side of these guys. It's a blessing and a curse, I'll say that much."
"You know, I don't really appreciate the slander, boss," Jack said with an easy grin.
"It was a half-assed compliment; take it or leave it, Frye."
The two exchanged a glance, shrugged, then turned back to me and nodded. "Alright, thanks, boss."
I rolled my eyes. "You guys are ridiculous," I grumbled. I turned back to Agatha. "I'm ready to leave whenever you are, so just say the word and..." I trailed off, my ears picking up a foreign sound.
"Evelyn, are you-"
"Shh!" I hissed, holding up a hand, straining my ears harder.
I listened for several seconds until I heard the noise again. It was a voice. Low in pitch. Speaking German. "Ja, sie ist hier. BestÃĪtigt." Yes, she is here. Confirmed. I'd never been more grateful that I'd chosen to learn German after arriving two years ago. There was a brief pause, during which time I started to move closer to the entrance to the mess hall. The voice was distant - probably in the treeline not too far from where I was standing. "Permission to shoot?" As soon as my mind translated those final words, I rushed from the tent, grabbing a pair of pistols from the pockets of the guys closest to me and ignoring their indignant protests. I raced towards the treeline, following the direction of the voice as the guy continued to speak. "Aim to kill or to injure?"
I launched myself into the trees, pistols help firmly in my grasp, and it was less than two seconds before I found the man in question, holding what appeared to be some kind of phone. The man stared up at me in absolute horror as I pointed the barrel of my gun at his forehead, tucking the other pistol into the waistband of my combat trousers. I held out my empty hand for the device, and he slowly placed it into my waiting palm. I placed the machine by my ear. "Just a warning..." I said, the German falling as easily from my tongue as Russian did. "If you try to attack someone while I am nearby, you will always lose. Keep that in mind, because if you do it again, I might just decide to come after you. And I always find my targets." I then dropped the communication device on the floor and crushed it under my boot. I turned back to the man in front of me, whose skin had become incredibly pale and who was sweating buckets. "Do you speak English?" I asked with a pleasant tone.
"Uh... A little," he answered with a heavy accent.
"Good." I pressed the barrel of the gun against his head, and he flinched. "Who were you after?"
"You."
"Why? On whose orders?" He looked blankly at me. I growled and repeated the question in German.
He flinched again. "You are vanted... uh... dead. My leader find out about you. Has people after you."
"Why?" I repeated, pressing my gun more firmly against his skull.
"He vants to... uh... rekrutieren."
I frowned. "He wants to recruit me?"
"You are... dangerous. Powerful. He vants power on his side."
"Who is this man? Your leader, who is he?"
The man's eyes whizzed around, suddenly searching for a way out, even though we both knew there was no way for him to escape. "He is a... wissenschaftler. A man of science. Und... mythen."
My mind connected the dots far too quickly. "Johann Schmidt," I growled, and, somehow, the man paled even more, nodding slowly.
"Ja."
I could feel the fury burning through my blood, but I kept it contained. I grabbed the man by his collar and pulled him to his feet, before pushing him back towards the camp, leaning down to pick up his gun as I did. A significantly sized crowd had gathered in the centre of the base, staring towards the trees as I nudged the German man forward with his own weapon.
Miller stepped to the front of the crowd, wearing a disapproving frown. "What is the meaning of this, Moore?"
"Thought you'd like a chat with him," I said, shoving the man forward with no restraint. He sprawled on the dusty floor, shaking. "He was sent by one Johann Schmidt. Trying to take me into custody."
"What for?"
I rolled my eyes. "I think that's something you should be asking him." I nodded to two of the guys in my group. "Get him a chair and some chains. Keep him away from anything he could use to escape." The two men hurriedly did as ordered. I turned back to Miller. "I need to speak to Colonel Phillips. Urgently."
"The Colonel is busy, as of four days ago," Miller informed me blandly. "I can have a message sent to-"
"No," I said sharply. "It has to be done in person. Where is he? If he can't come here, I'll go wherever the hell he is now."
"You can't go without official orders, First Sergeant."
"The hell I can't!" I snarled. "You may not understand the gravity of what just happened, sir, but I do. He came from a group I know all too intimately. Now tell me where Colonel Phillips is or so help me God I will find out in ways we can both be sure you won't like."
I was standing almost nose to nose with Miller, my eyes narrowed, that scolding anger still fizzing in my blood. Miller's eyes were hard as he returned my gaze, but clearly he saw something that satisfied him, because he stepped back and said simply, "Colonel Phillips has gone to Camp Lehigh, in New Jersey. But I warn you, Moore, if you talk to me like that again, there will be serious consequences."
"With all due respect, what the army considers to be 'serious consequences' are nothing compared to what I've had to face in the past."
Miller sighed, but, apparently giving up, he said, "Well, if you insist on leaving, I want you gone within three days."
I smirked. "Sir, I'll be gone in an hour." I then turned around and walked through the crowd of men, who happily made a pathway for me.
"Evelyn!" I heard Agatha's footsteps long before she drew level with me. "What's going on?" she asked, frowning in concern.
"That man was from Hydra," I said simply, and her face suddenly dropped. Grew ashen.
"And you're going after them?"
I shook my head. "You don't know all the things they did, Ags," I told her softly. "Not even I know that. But I know a damn sight more than you do, and if it's in my power to help prevent some of those things from happening, then I'm going to do exactly that. I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"No," she agreed, "I don't. But I just want you to be careful. You're not going into this with a clear head."
"I'd be making the same decision even if my head was clear, Ags," I admitted, slowing down my fast pace until it was little more than a crawl. Shaking my head again, I placed a hand on Agatha's shoulder and gave her a wan smile. "Look after yourself. Stay out of trouble. And I swear to God, if I hear you've being trying to hook up with Bucky, you and I are going to have more than just a serious talk the next time we meet."
Agatha giggled. "No, that's fine. Barnes is off-limits, I understand that. Besides, while he's sweet, he's a bit too... audacious for my liking."
I snorted. "Yeah, I can understand that." I patted her shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Agatha."
"Yeah, you too."
