Hello again! Chapter 9 is here! Hope you all like it. But let me tell you: it was a pain in the ass to write. I had to re-read it several times because I'm horrible at writing action scenes. My back hurt so bad from hunching over the laptop all day, trying to get everything as right as I could. My pain is your pleasure! Wow... that doesn't sound normal. At all.
Shout outs: to my biggest supporters, miller330 and Texas Shewolf! And to ILoveAnime89! I can't express how much your reviews mean to me!
Comments: Hey Shewolf! I just might be able to fulfill your suggestion. I have a little something in mind. ;) BLEH! ENJOY!
After Charlie's tirade on the flight deck, she went straight to her room. Once there, she paced several times in the small living area. She needed a better way to let off steam than just pacing around alone in her room. Charlie needed to shoot something. She didn't bother using doors as she headed to the shooting range. She walked right through walls and doors, not caring who saw her.
Charlie finally got to the range and she thanked god that there was no one else in there. She went over to the gun rack and picked up a handgun. She grabbed a couple of new magazines and headed over to the first stall she saw. She placed the extra mags on the small stand that was in front of her. Charlie loaded the first of many magazines into her gun. She aimed at the target and fired until the magazine was completely empty. All bullets hit the area around the heart on the paper target. Charlie took the empty mag out, grabbed another and loaded her gun. She fired off the rounds, one after another, her anger slowly digressing. When she was done, she loaded the gun but didn't fire it right away. She just stared at the target and imagined Gabriel's face on it. She raised the gun but before she could begin firing, there was a voice from behind her.
"Wow." Charlie turned her head to see who was there. Charlie was surprised to see Natasha standing in the doorway, watching her. Charlie lowered the gun and turned her whole body to face Natasha. "You've got quite a shot." Charlie glanced back at the target and then turned her attention back to Natasha.
"Thanks. I had one of the top shots at the FBI." Natasha smirked slightly and nodded. "What are you doing here?" Charlie asked. Natasha walked over to where Charlie stood and leaned against the plexiglass wall that divided each shooting stall.
"Shootings a good way to relieve stress. Or in this case, anger." Charlie smiled slightly and nodded.
"Yeah well whenever I have to relieve stress or anger I usually take my motorcycle out and ride around D.C. at night for hours. Obviously I can't do that here." Natasha smirked again and indicated the empty magazines on the stand.
"That's a lot of rounds to fire in ten seconds."
"Yes. Yes it is." Charlie wasn't quite sure where this conversation was going. Natasha crossed her arms and let out a sigh.
"Okay. So I don't usually do the whole sappy feeling crap but God knows that you can't talk to Stark about feelings." They both laughed slightly. "But really though. Are you okay?"
Charlie gave her a weak smile. "Not really, no. I just guess… I'm still adjusting to the way things work around here." Charlie looked at the gun in her hand.
"I know how you feel." Charlie looked up at Natasha's face.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Charlie, look. Around here, keeping secrets is how this place functions. If the truth was flying around everywhere, SHIELD would pretty much crash and burn. What Fury did, yeah it wasn't right, but everything he does is for a reason." Charlie leaned against the stall wall and looked up at the ceiling. She rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. Natasha stared at Charlie with intense green eyes. "There's something else that's bothering you." Charlie tilted her head to look at her companion. She wasn't sure if she should tell Natasha or not. But if she didn't tell someone, she was going to explode.
"I… its Clint." Natasha looked at Charlie and nodded slightly, urging her to go on. "When I'm around him, I can be myself and it's nice. I don't have to put my armor up and hide. And when I…" Charlie looked back up at the ceiling and swallowed hard. "When I kissed him the other day, it felt right. But I'm not sure if I should be feeling this way about him. Ever since my parents died, I always had my guard up, never let anyone else in. When I finally did, it ended horribly and my shields were put right back up." Charlie closed her eyes and waited for Natasha to speak.
"Charlie. If you feel something, you're the only one that will know what it is. Don't be afraid to explore it a little." Charlie opened her eyes and met Natasha's gaze.
Charlie smiled. "Thank you." Natasha smiled back and pushed off of the wall.
"Anytime. I'll leave you to it." Natasha left Charlie alone in the range. Charlie bit her lower lip and looked at the gun in her hand. She looked at the target and raised the gun. She fired once and the bullet hit the target right in the head. Charlie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She set the gun down on the stand and went back to her room. When she got back, Charlie kicked off her converse and plopped down on the couch, flipping through TV channels. She stayed in her room for a while and was falling asleep when there was a knock on her door. Charlie moaned and cursed when she had to pry herself off of the comfortable couch. She straightened her sweatshirt out and padded over to the door. She pushed the button that opened the door and it slid open. Clint was leaning on the door frame with his right shoulder, hands shoved in his pants pockets. He smiled when he saw her on the other side of the door and she returned it.
"Hey" he said.
"Hey." She leaned her shoulder on the same side of the frame and crossed her arms across her chest. Their faces were so close but Charlie didn't mind. She had kissed him after all.
"I'm sorry." He said sympathetically. Charlie closed her eyes and shook her head. She let out a sigh.
"It wasn't your fault, Clint. You didn't know." Clint placed a hand underneath her chin and tilted her head up. She opened her eyes to stare into his blue ones.
"I still can't help but feel a little guilty." Charlie gave him a weak smile.
"Well don't. It's alright. I think of what Fury did as a motivator." She removed his hand from underneath her chin and held it in hers.
"Do you need to let off some steam?" He asked, grinning at her. Charlie laughed.
"Sorry. Already did that."
"Oh come on. What I have in mind is way better than being stuck in that lab all day." Charlie looked away and shook her head, smiling. Then she remembered something.
"Oh wait. The lab. I left my glasses in there. I have to go get them." Charlie went back into her room and put her converse on. She grabbed her ID and walked back to the door where Clint waited for her.
"I'll come with you." Charlie pushed the button to close the door and started to walk down the hall.
"Be my guest." Clint smiled and followed her to the lab. They got to the lab and Charlie found her glasses where she had put them. She put them on and she thought she heard Clint laugh. She looked over at his grinning face and raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing. I just love it when you wear your glasses." Charlie blushed and looked away.
"Thanks." She mumbled. All of a sudden, an alarm went off from the main computer. Charlie looked up at the screen and saw an image blinking on it. She tapped on it and the image was of Gabriel. Time stamped at one minute ago. "Clint! Come here! It's him." Clint strode over to stand beside Charlie. He tapped on the screen and pulled up the location.
"It was taken at a wharf at Belle Île, France." Charlie was already out the door and running to find Fury. She heard Clint call her name but she didn't stop running. She burst through the doors to the flight deck and of course, she found Fury standing at the head of it.
"Fury!" She called from the doorway. "We found him!"
(****************)
The jet ride all the way to Belle Île seemed to take forever. Charlie's foot tapped nervously and she bit her bottom lip until it bled. She was finally dressed in the official SHIELD uniform and she wore bullet proof body armor underneath it. She had a gun strapped to each of her thighs and had some other equipment tucked into her belt. Her dark curls were pulled back into a pony tail. She sat in a seat next to some of the other agents that were sent along. Steve was wearing his official Captain America uniform and Stark was in his Iron Man suit, helmet off for now. Clint sat in the co-pilots seat and he was also wearing his uniform. A quiver of arrows strapped to his back and his bow in the black case that was by her feet. Charlie got up and stood behind the co-pilots seat.
"How much longer?" She asked Clint.
"Not long. Hey Cap! You might want to start going over strategy now." He called over his shoulder. Charlie turned to face Cap, who stood at the back of the jet with Stark.
"Alright people, listen up. Gabriel Menard is the target. We all know what he looks like. He was spotted at a wharf on the island of Belle Île. This specific wharf has a warehouse that we think he has been hiding out in for the past couple days. We shoot to kill, got it?" Everyone nodded. Charlie wanted to be the one that pulled the trigger and she would make sure of it. The jet landed as close as it could to the warehouse without arising suspicion. Stark took off to the skies and he would keep in touch through the coms they all shared. Cap led the way to the warehouse with Charlie and Clint right behind him. The other agents were dressed in black gear so that they blended in with the night. They silently jogged up to the entrance of the worn down building. The place looked like it was about to collapse any minute. Charlie thought that this was definitely the place to hide to stay off the radar.
"Okay. Alpha team 1 round left and Alpha team 2, flank to the right. Enter through side entrances and send men to the back to enter there. Hawkeye, Charlotte and I will enter though the front."
"You sure about that, Cap?" Clint asked.
"Very. Let's move people." The teams dispersed, silently moving through the night. Clint took an arrow out of his quiver and set it in position. Charlie already had a gun in her hand and Cap was ready with his shield.
"Cap?" Charlie whispered quietly.
"What is it Charlie?"
"Maybe I should look in first. Make sure he doesn't know we're already here."
"I don't advise it." He said shaking his head.
"Cap. I got this, don't worry." He hesitated and then nodded. Charlie walked over to the wooden door and slowly walked through it. When she was on the other side, she kept her back against the door and looked around. It was dark and the only illumination was the moon. Everything was silent which meant Gabriel had no idea what was coming. Charlie poked her head through the door and whispered, "Good to go." Cap nodded and spoke into the com.
"Is everyone in position?"
"Alpha team 1 is in position."
"Alpha team 2 is ready to infiltrate."
"Okay then. Let's go." Charlie opened the door quietly from the inside and let Steve and Clint in. Cap led the way through the dark and dank warehouse. There were puddles of water on the floor that soaked Charlie's boots. The occasional sounds of animals scurrying around them filled the air. "Anyone spot anything yet?"
"That's a negative, sir."
"Same here."
Charlie was beginning to wonder if Gabriel was here at all. He had to be. He just had to be. Just then, as the three of them quietly walked down a hallway, a tall figure darted across the end of the hall. "There!" Charlie exclaimed. She fired off two bullets and Clint shot an arrow but they both hit the wall.
"After him!" Steve yelled. They all took off sprinting. "Alpha teams. Target had been spotted. I repeat! Target had been spotted and we are in pursuit." They chased him up a steel staircase. "He's heading to the upper levels."
"Alpha team 1 copies. Heading up now." Charlie, Clint and Cap got to the top and stopped. They were all breathing hard and looked around.
"Where did that bastard go?" Clint said aloud. Charlie looked around frantically, afraid they would lose him. All of a sudden, they heard gun shots.
"Alpha team 1 has spotted target and has engaged in fire."
"Alpha team 1, where are you?" All of a sudden there was static on the other end of the com. "Damn it!"
"We need to split up!" Charlie exclaimed over the gun fire.
"No, Charlie. It's too dangerous!" Clint said.
"Clint. I have been through worse situations than this when I was a Marine. We need to split up." Clint shook his head.
"Hawkeye, she's right. And standing here arguing about it is just wasting more time. We need to move. I'll take the corridor to the right. Charlotte you head down to the left and Hawkeye, you go straight." Charlie nodded and Cap headed down the corridor. She turned to leave when Clint caught her by the arm. She turned to look at him.
"Charlotte. Be careful." She grinned at him.
"You too." He let go of her arm and they both ran their separate ways. Charlie could hear the gunfire getting louder and was pretty sure she was headed in the right direction. The hallway dumped her out onto a catwalk that over looked the ground floor. Charlie looked across the open area and to the catwalk on the other side. Several SHIELD agents fired at a figure that hid behind some crates. Gabriel. Charlie looked to her right and saw the catwalk wrapped around the whole way. She could easily get to Gabriel. Her boots made clanking sounds as she sprinted towards him. She rounded the corner just as Gabriel looked up. He saw her and darted for a doorway.
"Oh no you don't!" she yelled. She ran and crashed into him so hard that they both fell over the railing of the catwalk. They struggled in the air as they fell to ground. They hit the dusty ground hard. Charlie landed beside Gabriel and rolled to her side letting out a moan of pain. She sat up and looked over at Gabriel's unmoving body. Had he died from the fall? Charlie reached over to check his pulse. Suddenly, his hand reached up and grabbed Charlie's wrist. She cried out in pain and he pulled her close.
"You're the one that's caused me so much trouble." He growled in a thick accent.
"Maybe you should have given up on me then!" Charlie punched him in the face and he let out a yell, letting go of her wrist. Charlie quickly got to her feet and drew her gun. Gabriel lay on the ground, laughing as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his hand.
"Charlie!" Charlie turned her head to see Cap standing a couple of feet away from her. "Wait. Don't shoot him." Charlie's face contorted.
"Why?! He's a murderer and a psychopath!"
"Charlie. Just listen to me. Stark found a bomb. It's rigged to blow this whole place down. I'm pretty sure he has a detonator." Charlie turned her head to look back at Gabriel, who was now standing. He gave her a wicked smile and dug something out of his pocket. He took out a skinny black detonator with his thumb hovering just above the button.
"I'm so glad your friend found the bomb. Now I can get out of here alive. It must be so hard to come this far and leave unsuccessful. How sad." He said in a mocking tone.
"You're despicable, you know that?" Charlie said, her gun still raised. His horrible grin never faltered.
"You see this, Charlotte?" He ran a long boney finger along the scar on his jaw. "Your mother gave it to me. The bitch didn't die in the accident so I had to smother the life out of her!"
"Go to HELL!" Charlie shot him in the arm that held the detonator and he dropped it.
"Charlie!" Cap yelled. Charlie didn't listen to him. She stood over Gabriel and put her gun up to his head. He looked her in the eyes and laughed.
"Do it!" He spat at her. She looked into his eyes with rage. Her finger twitched on the trigger and her heart raced. Before she could pull the trigger, she saw something flying towards her out of the corner of her eye. It was Cap's shield. She didn't pay any mind to it though. It would go right through her.
But it didn't.
The shield knocked Charlie off her feet and she hit the ground. Gabriel quickly grabbed the detonator and got to his feet. Charlie grabbed her gun and sat up, aiming for Gabriel's heart. Gabriel backed away slowly, thumb just above the trigger. Charlie felt someone kneel behind her and a hand was placed on her shoulder.
"Charlie. Don't do it. He will blow this place up with all of us in it." It was Clint. Something broke inside Charlie when she heard his voice. She removed her finger from the trigger and lowered the gun. She watched the grin on Gabriel's face widen and she felt the urge to raise the gun again but she resisted.
"Fools." Was all he said as his thumb pressed down on the detonator.
"No!" Charlie yelled at she raised her gun and fired several rounds that all missed. Gabriel was gone. Charlie quickly stood up and started to run after him but Clint wrapped his arms around her waist. She struggled in his grasp. "Let me go! He's getting away!" The sound of explosions in the distance was all around them.
"No, Charlie! We need to get out of here! Now!" Clint started to drag her away as she struggled. "Captain! Get out of here! I'm right behind you!" Steve nodded and ran for the exit. "Oh my god! Charlie, stop struggling! He's gone!" Charlie closed her eyes and shook her head fiercely. He's right, Charlie. You need to save your own ass now. Charlie calmed herself and stopped struggling. Clint unwrapped his arms from around her waist and grabbed her hand. They ran out of the warehouse together as the sounds of explosions chased after them and Charlie could feel the rumbling ground underneath her feet. They finally got outside when a blast of heat hit both of them square in the back and knocked them off of their feet. They flew several feet off the ground and landed yards away from the now destroyed warehouse. Charlie had a painful ringing in her ears and her back ached. She slowly opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows. She watched as the warehouse burned to nothing.
Gabriel was gone.
