Chapter 7
Hey everyone! :) I'm glad I have people that like this story so far. I know it's getting off to a slow start but I'm trying to make it a bit interesting. ALSO! As some of you know, in my other story A Place to Call Home; I mentioned this story was named after the book/movie Safe Haven and I actually got a bit of my inspiration to write this story from that movie. You guys may probably see the resemblance later (If you read the book/saw the movie). Don't worry, you'll start seeing some of Nichole's past too later on! :)
I managed to lift my head as the Helicarrier finished shaking; seeing everyone on the floor. I saw Captain Rogers pushing himself up and so was Tony.
I looked over at the window; seeing Natasha and Dr. Banner had fallen out that way while Thor had rolled into the hall and Fury was coming-to.
"Put on the suit" I heard the Captain say before Tony responded. I glanced over and saw Captain Rogers helping Tony get to his feet before running down the hall.
I looked back down at the floor before pushing the hair from my hair; it only fell back down around my face and I felt very lightheaded and everything had an echo.
I suddenly felt someone shaking me and I looked up to see Captain Rogers came back in the room.
"Hey, hey Nichole can you hear me?" His voice was dull and echoed in my ears but I nodded. He helped me to my feet and within seconds my hearing was back to normal and all of my senses came back. "You ok?" He asked. I nodded before swallowing.
"Hill?" I heard Fury from behind me. Steve looked back at me and I looked up at him.
"I'm fine, go" I say. He nodded before running out of the room. I looked back over around the room; seeing Thor was gone and Fury was pushing himself up. "Stark you copy that?" He spoke up again. I swallowed and pushed the hair from my face before Fury was on his feet. "Woods" He looked to me. I stood up straighter.
"Sir?"
"Take this," He hands me something. I look at it in my hand and see that is was a com link; like the one Natasha had been using. "You'll need that" He says. I nod and put it in my left ear before I followed him out of the room.
"Coulson-" I ducked as a piece of debris fell to my left as we ran for the door; not hearing a bit of what he said. "-then get to the armory," Fury says as he walks out of the room with me following. "Romanoff?"
"We're ok" I hear Natasha's voice in my ear. Fury ran down the hall and slowed down; turning to me.
"I need you to go help Stark and Rogers get the Engine up and running" I say. I only give a nod.
"Where"
"At Engine 3" Fury responds. I give him a nod before running down the hall. It took me a good minute or two to realize I had no idea where I was going. I slowed down before pressing my finger to the com link.
"Anyone copy?" I asked. I waited for a couple seconds. "Does anybody copy?" I repeat.
"Nichole?" I heard Captain Rogers voice.
"Captain, I'm on my way to your location. Got any clues for how to get there" Wow. Damn it Nik, that's embarrassing.
"Yeah, where are you?"
"Hall way D, Level 2" I reply after looking at the plaque on the wall.
"You're almost there just keep go-" His voice was cut off and he mumbled something. "Stark, it seems to run on some form of electricity" I hear him reply. I don't bother speaking up. I guess he meant to just keep going this way?
"Well, you're not wrong" I heard Mr. Stark's reply.
Swallowing; I finally got myself moving and I looked down the walkway that was covered in debris and thick with some smoke. I started walking ahead down the hall when two men in black uniform ran around the corner. I stopped in my tracks and they stop as well; looking at me before raising their guns. I rolled to the side and pulled the gun from the back waist line from my jeans; firing several shots in their direction.
"Ok the relays are intact. What's our next move?" I heard Captain Rogers speaking. I managed to hit one of the men in the leg before I got up and ran at the closest one which I had shot in the leg; jumping and wrapping my legs around his neck before spinning and snapping his neck as we rolled down to the ground.
"Even if I clear the rotors, this thing won't re-engage without a jump. I'm gonna have to get in there and push." I heard Mr. Stark's reply to him. Pushing myself up I turned to see the other man still standing before he pulled a pistol off his belt and fired it at me. I rolled to the side before hiding behind a piece of debris; my back to it.
"Well if that thing gets up to speed you'll get shred-" Several shots that whizzed by my head cut the sound of the Captain's voice off. I looked around; trying to find my gun but it wasn't anywhere near me.
"That standard control unit can reverse the polarity long enough to disengage maglev and that should-"
"God damn it Stark, speak English. No one knows what the hell that means" I snap. It got quiet from both of them and I had to smirk.
"And on that kind note from Woods, Cap- you see that red lever?" It was quiet for a few moments. "It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out, stand by it, wait for my word" Mr. Stark finished before it went quiet.
It took me a couple of seconds to realize that the firing has stopped. I looked up before seeing that the guy had walked out towards the open area of Engine 3. I looked farther before seeing Captain Rogers was about to jump over to where the red lever was on the right side of the carrier wall, or what was left of it. Seconds later he jumped over; his eyes on the level and the man in front of me ran out into the open area with a gun in hand.
"Crap" I muttered. I ran out and immediately felt the wind slamming into me from the outside. It was a bit harder to breathe with the high winds but I tried my best to calm my breathing before I ran up to the guy; kicking his feet out from under him. I didn't see though that he had a grenade in his hand... He threw it up towards where the Engine was but Captain Rogers jumped back over and kicked it down; it exploding only meters away from the under part of the carrier.
Within those few seconds, the man and I were both on our feet and he threw a punch that I blocked before I suddenly got dragged back by something. An arm was pulled around my neck and I was dragged back towards the hall. I saw Captain Rogers jump down onto the same platform we were on about 10 feet away before he punched the one guy that had the grenade. A second man had run past us along with a third and ran towards him but he kicked the gun from the second's hand before kicking him in the chest; making him fly back a couple feet from where I was. The third tried to throw a punch but Captain Rogers easily blocked it before grabbing him by the vest and throwing him off the carrier. As he was fighting those men off I had brought my hand back and grabbed the back of the man's neck; using my body weight to push off him before tucking and rolling down; making him hit hard on his back.
I pushed him off before kicking him in the jaw; making him groan and fall unconscious. The click of a safety being turned off made me turn to see another guy with a gun. I was about to act when I was pushed to the left and out of the way before Captain Rogers was hurling a piece of metal in his direction; it slicing right into the back wall of the carrier hallway. He gave me a nod before nodding up. I looked up and grabbed the railing of the next-level platform; using my upper body strength to pull myself up before I got up to the platform. It only took a few seconds later for the assailant to come around the corner and start shooting at us. The Captain jumped up to where I was before; grabbing the gun that was lying on the ground of the narrowed part of the platform. I backed up several feet until I realized I was standing next to the lever.
I looked up and saw the assailant firing several rounds up towards us before Captain Rogers started to fight back. He backed up a bit; about 4 feet in front of me before he fired several rounds again, glancing back at me before looking back over at the opponent.
Realizing he was giving me cover so I could pull the lever I quickly decided to keep an ear open incase Mr. Stark had anything to say about when.
I looked over; seeing the assailant come into view again before firing several rounds a bit to close I could say for comfort. He fired back but the projectiles went in all directions; I could tell he wasn't exactly experienced with "today's" firearms.
"Here, give me that" I sigh before taking the gun from him; stepping farther out -almost next to him- before aiming. As soon as I saw him in my line of sight by just a hair I pulled the trigger... Nothing happened. "You emptied the magazine" I mumble before looking at him.
"I'm sorry that wasn't exactly my first thought when trying to act on this situation" He replies in a tone that I would have; at first, thought of as hostile. But that's somewhat understandable after what happened in the lab- what the hell, this wasn't the time or place to discuss in my head.
I opened my mouth to tell him a plan when we both looked over; hearing and almost seeing the bullets piercing the walls around us before I fell to the right; feeling something penetrate my leg. I heard metal slipping before I was able to lift my head and see the Captain fall off the carrier.
"Steve!" I yelled before going to push myself up; seeing he had grabbed a cable and had not yet fallen. I don't know why I yelled his first name, I had only called him that once or twice I think⦠like ever. I looked down at my leg; seeing that I was hit... Damn, this was a first. I had only been hit in the leg by a bullet once in my thigh. But I hadn't had one in the calf before, all I can say is it stings like hell. I went to push myself up before bullets were speeding by all around me. I was forced to drop back down to the ground.
Well this is just great. I could not have gotten myself into a worse situation.
"Cap hit the lever." I heard Mr. Stark's voice over the com link; sounding tired out.
"I need a minute here!" I heard him yell to my right and also in my com link.
"Woods? ...Someone, lever... Now!" He yelled. I heard a slight bang in metal and I saw Captain Rogers had gotten a hand back on the platform.
"Uh oh" I heard a mumble from Mr. Stark; making me speed up my painful pace as I heard a ton of clanging metal over the com link from him. I had started to somewhat army crawl over to the lever; reaching up for it without having to put a lot of wait on my leg. Round after round of deadly projectiles started to fire all around him and I before I finally got a handle on the lever at the same time as he did, before we quickly pulled it down.
It felt like forever went by before the Captain went to push himself up. I could tell he was a bit weak and tired; he probably wasn't able to breathe when hanging off the side of the carrier with those high winds blasting by.
The assailant seemed to have several magazines of ammo and I finally heard the sound of engines in the distance and next thing I knew; Iron Man was flying into the carrier and ramming the guy that had been a pain in our butts for the last 5 minutes.
He rolled off the now unconscious body and his suit died out. That was all I saw before I started to realize how weak I was feeling now before I finally sat up; against the wall about 2 or so feet away from Captain Rogers; he was looking at the ground and breathing exceptionally heavier than I was. I didn't really do much of anything though... That just shows how much help I am of here and proves my point of why I don't work for SHIELD.
I finally took in a couple deep breaths before looking over at where Mr. Stark was. He was getting to his feet before I could see the Captain doing the same out of the corner of my eye.
Biting my lip I used the railing to pull myself to my feet. I couldn't keep the painful grunt from escaping my mouth as I put too much weight down on my leg. Mr. Stark and Captain Rogers both ended up looking at me but I think the Captain was the first to see my leg.
"You were hit?" He asked; taking a couple steps over. I just nod.
"I'm fine" Was all I said in assurance through clenched teeth before taking a few limping mini steps.
"Do you need any help?" He asked. I look back over at him before realizing we had to get down a good 7 foot drop to get back inside the carrier and over to where Mr. Stark was. I swallowed before glancing down at my leg; realizing I could barely walk at the moment.
I finally give a small nod. He gave me a nod in return before walking over. I lifted my arm and he put it around his shoulder before helping me get over to the farther side of the platform that was a bit narrow. As we slowly got over there I heard someone speak into the com and I made an abrupt stop.
"Agent Coulson is down." Fury spoke.
We all froze where we stood and I completely forget about my leg as I suddenly felt weak and vulnerable.
"A medical team is on its way to your location-" An agent says quickly.
"They're here" Fury replied. There was a pause. I felt my breathing get shallow and I felt like I knew what he was about to say... And I was right...
"They called him"
Please review if you liked it :) I was about ready to shed a tear as I had to type those last few sentences. That was so sad; I remember what it was like watching it in the theater. All I could hear were gasps and shocked voices... It was so sad though! :,( But thank God Coulson is alive now XD
ANYWAY! Sorry I ramble a lot. I always end up putting a lot in the author notes cause I like talking to you all XD So yeah, please review if you liked it I love seeing what you all think and I really am hoping that this will turn out to be a god story! I have big plans that won't end any time soon. So I hope that will be good news to your all's ears! XD
