Chapter Nine:
How to Outsmart Your Enemies
Third Person POV:
Natasha Romanoff wasn't one to take idle threats seriously, especially not from a fifteen year old.
However, it did occur to her that maybe it wasn't the smartest move to make. The girl, whose name is still unknown, didn't sound like she was bluffing, there was a hint of annoyance in her brown eyes. The type of fire that radiated determination and challenge. That spark in her eyes was oddly familiar, she felt like she should know where from, but the name keeps slipping away from her tongue.
When the name does click, Natasha know's she'll feel like a total idiot once it's revealed. It's obvious, but too far out of her reach.
Filing the unknown figure for whom the girl resembles away for a later date of contemplation, Natasha is surprised by the silence over her comm. Usually she can hear the responses of various agents and Director Fury responding. Tapping the ear piece, she waits for response.
Nothing.
Then, the sound of Nick Fury. "Agent Romanoff, we have a problem. Meet me on the bridge."
"I'm on my way."
Not hesitating, Natasha abandons the conference room where Director Fury and Steve Rogers were formerly meeting at. Apparently, from what Fury had confided to her, Rogers was planning on joining S.H.I.E.L.D. much to her surprise. Though she hid that well. Maybe it shouldn't be that shocking, Rogers had been a soldier during the war and being a special case as he is, the only logical place for him would be S.H.I.E.L.D.
Not to mention that his ex-girlfriend was one of the founders.
By the time she reached the bridge, Agent Maria Hill, Clint Barton, and Steve Rogers were already there. Nick Fury was pacing back and forth, that's never a good thing. The dark look in his eye showed his frustration and annoyance.
As for Maria Hill, she was hunched over a computer screen. It showed a diagram of the Helicarrier, sections of which were glowing red.
"What's going on?" Natasha asks, slipping silently next to Agent Hill to take a look at the screen. Clearly something was wrong in those sections of the ship, though rather than being a steady glow that would be there if it was damaged, the red faded out and in.
"The systems gone haywire, doors are opening and closing on the staff, computers are opening tabs on their own, music is playing over the inner comms in the medical wing, not to mention that the hidden files were hacked and rifled through," Maria said in one breath. She's typing furiously on the keyboard, seemingly trying to override the hacker.
"Who would want to hack S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Steve asks the obvious question.
"Just about everyone and their grandmother," Clint replies, seemingly amused by the thought of an elderly woman seated at some dinosaur computer hacking into a secret organization. "Better question is, who has the most reason to and what motive."
A bad feeling settles in Natasha's stomach. Just before she was leaving the girl in her holding cell, there was a gleam in her eyes and then... she smirked. The sight was unsettling. Would that girl really be stupid enough to hack the Helicarrier?
"Stark?" Steve throws out the name, not even aware of Natasha's current dilemma. "He was doing plenty of hacking when we were dealing with the Loki threat. Not to mention he's done it before so a second time wouldn't be a stretch."
"Not likely," Director Fury says, halting in his pacing. "While Stark did hack into the systems to find out about Phase 2"—Steve stiffens at that—"he wouldn't waste his time messing with the crew like this, especially without being here to see it in person. It's more likely for the hacker to be on the inside."
Maria Hill, who has been tuning out the others conversation, gives the computer screen a light grin before turning to face Nick Fury and one third of the Avengers. "I've figured out where the signal's coming from."
"Where's it coming from?" Clint asks, turning to Agent Hill.
"One of the lower levels, near the labs."
"Then the four of you should go pay our little hacker a visit, right?" though the tone Nick Fury uses make the the words sound more like a statement than a question.
With that the four of them made their way down to the lab, Fury opting out as he had more important matters to attend. Through various halls they went, passing the medical wing, and the engine room where Steve didn't have very fond memories of, and finally reaching the lab where all hell broke loose.
Where Earth's Mightiest Heroes all behave like children, shouting hateful and hurtful things at one another.
Stepping past the room, Agent Hill leads them to another room next to the lab. It's another computer room, there are at least a dozen of so that sit on the white table pressing against the steel walls. One computer screen is lit up. From the doorway, it's apparent that whoever hacked the system wants to send them all on a wild goose chase.
It was intentional. That's why Agent Hill was so easily able to track down the signal, that was the plan and they all fell right into it. Though Natasha Romanoff suspected that Director Fury was aware that this wouldn't be so easy. Though she had yet to inform everyone of her suspicion about the girl in holding.
Natasha takes a seat at the computer, looking over the pop up.
Written with a digital sticky note on the screen was only a few words written in the worst of all fonts, comic sans.
Having fun yet? XP
That sealed in for Natasha Romanoff, it was the only logical explanation. Not to mention that all this so-called hacker has done is mess around with the crew, nothing dark or nefarious. Just an irritating teenager with an intellect far beyond her age with far too much time on her hands.
If the hacker was dangerous, why would they leave such a silly note for her to find. So the girl wasn't bluffing after all, she was indeed smart enough to hijack control on the Helicarrier if she desired. Interesting. Not many people are intelligent enough to hack through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system, the few notable being Tony Stark and presumably Bruce Banner if he cared enough to do so.
A fifteen year old girl who's that smart and who has been alone for five years? That was odd.
Something's wrong here...
Panic's POV:
Hopefully Romanoff found my little note, it'd be a shame if I went through all this trouble for nothing.
After convincing some unsuspecting intern with a tablet that I really needed to use the rest room, I managed to knock them out, tie em up, and hide them in one of the many empty rooms aboard this flying death trap. It wasn't a total lie. The restroom I mean. Considering I'm currently taking refuge in an empty stall in said restroom on one of the lower levels.
It's worth it though.
What satisfaction for me. Sending the great Agent Romanoff on a wild goose chase is a wonderful pastime. Maybe I should make this a hobby? It's sure to be a riot, well, it there was anyone around for me to use it on of course...
Banishing the dark thought to the back of my mind, I tap at the tablet resting in my lap. How dare she? My anger at Romanoff keeping the sorrow and guilt away. How could anyone dare to underestimate me! Sure I'm no rich celebrity or vigilante running through the streets in brightly colored spandex, but that doesn't mean that I should be taken lightly.
S.H.I.E.L.D. has a lesson to learn about people like me. Never underestimate a pretty girl. Though I'd assumed that'd be a lesson they already learned, with Romanoff being the deadly assassin she was, but apparently Nick Fury and his cronies aren't nearly as informed as they think they are.
Plus, I'm happy to teach the under-educated.
It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it. Punishment for thinking that some shady organization bent on lying to the mass population about super-people certainly have it coming. Smirking as I override the systems for the fire alarms, the blaring of sirens and flashing red lights is all the warning given. The sound of nearly fifty gallons of water pours down from the sprinkler system.
Tucking the tablet under my arm, I've just hauled myself up over the stalls and am ready to slip back into the ventilation ducks when the bathroom door swings open. Natasha Romanoff is soaked from head to toe, her bouncing red curls flat against her face like a drooping plant.
She hides it well, but I notice the slight twitching of her left eye every twenty-five seconds apart.
"You managed to obtain a tablet, hack the entire S.H.I.E.L.D. network, set off the sprinklers, and now what?" she asks, her tone not expressing an ounce of her true emotions. Impressive.
"Well that's the thing, I set up one more little thing..." I seemingly wince with embarrassment and hold my thumb and pointer finger an inch apart as I said that. And it should be starting any moment now.
"And that would be...?"
Over the intercom, the speakers roared to life.
"I'M A BARBIE GIRL IN A BARBIE WORLD, WRAPPED IN PLASTIC, IT'S FANTASTIC. YOU CAN BRUSH MY HAIR, UNDRESS ME EVERYWHERE..."
"You've got to be kidding me..." Natasha seemingly said, sighing to herself as the upbeat pop tune continued in the background. I would have picked a much funnier song, but hey, I'm three hundred feet in the air and working off a stolen tablet in one of the most secure facilities in the world. I think I'm doing pretty damn well if I do say so myself.
Romanoff rings out her red hair with a glare on her face and if looks could kill, I'd have been doused in gasoline and set ablaze.
A couple hours later, I find myself seated in the same interrogation room from earlier. This time it's empty and there's no scary pirate to welcome me with his lively personality. I snort at the idea of Nick Fury cracking a joke or lightening up.
Apparently the crew aboard the Helicarrier wasn't to happy with my taste in music because it took the tech team three and a half hours to shut it off. Though it was pretty funny to see Nick's eyes bugging out when Romanoff escorted me though the hall. Unfortunately she didn't let me keep the tablet. I'm on the verge of falling asleep when the door opens.
Nick Fury strolls in with an ominous glint in his dark eye. The feeling immediately kick starts my fight or flight reaction and I try desperately to silence the urge to flee. He seems to be looking at me like a fly in a jar.
"You're good, I'll admit it. Very good and impressive for your age. Not many people are capable of hacking into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network, but you made it seem like a cake walk. Surprisingly better than my tech team, but they're not half-backed hackers either, Panic."
I smirk. "You've got my name, congrats."
The amusement in his eye doesn't fade. "You don't seem surprised by the news. I figured as much, you knew we'd find something, but only your first name. No surname, relative, birth date, nothing. It's like you don't exist."
"Hmm, maybe that's the way I like it. No name, no trace, no drama."
Fury laughs, it's not at a joke. "Maybe we don't have your official surname, but I'll take a shot in the dark Ms. Stark."
In that moment, I felt like I'd been dropped in liquid-nitrogen. I froze and the air in my lungs felt like a fire threatening to burn me from the inside out. "I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about..."
"You might be able to outsmart nearly everyone around, but you can't outsmart DNA." Nick Fury holds out a piece of paper, one with two samples of DNA, mine and none other than Tony Stark. "I thought you seemed familiar, do you want to explain yourself to me or should I shall daddy-dearest?"
I say the first thing that comes to me. "Shit..."
A/N:
Here it is, sorry this took so long, but I've been having issues with my eyes and staring at computer screens too long so t's taken me awhile to finish this. I'll try to get the next one out sooner, but I can't promise anything. Anyways, till next time!
