A/N: Ok so quicker update for chapter 14. Can you believe we've only got another 7 chapter to go after this? I'm so excited. Thanks to the awesome person whose name I do not know that has been reviewing in the past day or so, you're the best. And to the rest of my gorgeous readers who are equally as amazing because they actually wasted time reading this. Anyway on with chapter 14, and as always, read, review and enjoy.
Phoenix walked down the crowded streets of New York City as calmly and carefully as possible. She wanted to blend in and be invisible. With no doubt SHIELD would be hunting her, so she kept her dark hoodie up so it covered her face from cameras.
As she rounded a corner onto another street she paused slightly to look around for anyone that might be following her. It looked all clear. Quickly, quietly and inconspicuously she dashed into an alleyway and moved fast. At the end of the alleyway there were boxes stacked up in a corner. She knocked them aside and opened a panel in the wall to reveal a keypad.
She typed in the correct code and something slid out of the wall next to the keypad. Phoenix put her eye up to it and a red light scanned her eyes up and down. With a beep it shot back into the wall and a section of the wall slid sideways. Then lift doors opened and with another quick look around her surroundings, Phoenix shot inside.
The interior of the lift was plain silver with a panel on the left. There were five buttons she could press. There was Ground, which was where she just came from, and then levels one, two, three and four. Phoenix pressed level 4, the lowest level.
She leant against the cold hard surface of the lift as it descended further downwards. When she reached the right level the doors slid open to reveal a dimly lit room with the other kids seated around a plain grey table. They all looked up in fear once she stepped out of the lift.
Phoenix however did not observe their change in mood, all she saw were allies in a familiar cause. There was only one person Phoenix could trust in the grand scheme, only one person she could ever rely on. Words a wise man had told Phoenix as he explained to her the plan if SHIELD ever captured him. Now that they had and he had escaped, the next phase of the plan would have to be put into action. It was now the time to learn that plan and enforce it.
"Where is he?" Phoenix asked them, looking around the room and scanning it's inhabitants.
"Through there," Sam told her pointing to the door at the opposite end of the room.
Phoenix gave them all a glance before walking into the room. It was even more darkly lit than the room before it. Phoenix however managed to make out the shape of a long table. She stood at one end, wrapping her fingers around the corners and gripping it tight.
The lights in the room turned on as Doctor Blake pulled the switch and Phoenix finally laid eyes upon her Master again as he faced her from the other end of the table.
For a man growing close to age 60, his hair was not as grey as one would expect, instead it was dark, with only few streaks of lighter colour in it. Usually kept short, a period of time without a haircut left it longer than it should've been, his fringe reaching near his eyebrows. He was tall but not thin or gaunt, more or less ordinary looking. Not exactly a person you would look twice at. But he was Phoenix's Master, and that made him the most important figure on Earth
The Doctor hesitated for a moment, and then beamed at her the way a proud parent would. "Phoenix," she stood up straighter as he acknowledged her, and felt satisfaction at being reunited with him. He had a calm, but loud and firm voice, he talked like a professor, but gave commands like a true Master, after all that was what he was. "You have escaped. Excellent job. Now, did you get the information I asked of you?"
"Yes sir," she replied. Then she reached a hand into her mouth and yanked on her false tooth, pinching it between her index finger and thumb, she pulled it out of her mouth and clicked it open. She removed the memory card and placed it into the Doctor's outstretched hand before pushing her false tooth back into place.
"Excellent work. Did you tell them everything I asked you to?"
"Yes sir."
He nodded and directed Phoenix's attention towards a map or the world that was laid out in front of her on the table. It was very plain but it was highly detailed with state, country and continent lines and the capital cities in bold writing. She reviewed the map and then looked up at the Doctor.
"I believe you have heard of the word peace before." Phoenix nodded in response and he returned the gesture curtly. "Then, being the intelligent girl you are, you would know that it simply does not exist. There will always be Conquest, War, Famine and Death. Four things that are currently ruling this world. Even the Christians knew this, and predicted that when these four things walked the Earth the world would fall. The world has already fallen, everything is being destroyed. Now my question is, why is the world falling?"
"Greedy tyrannical governments controlling people and taking away livelihoods," Phoenix answered automatically.
"Correct, and what is SHIELD?"
"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. They purposely wanted their acronym to spell SHIELD because they are trying to convince us that they are protecting mankind, when really they have no care for mankind, only power. They would rather see us dead then let us help the human race," Phoenix responded with the words that she had always been taught.
"Exactly," he grabbed several different flags and placed them onto the map. Phoenix recognised them as Nazi, American and English flags. He placed them all in their correct countries. "When Adolf Hitler brought along a new regime to Germany, he did things that caused havoc across the world. All of these events happened one thing after another and the next thing they knew, it was World War Two. America came to the aid of Great Brittan," he moved all the American flags over to England. Except for one.
He held up the remaining American flag for Phoenix to see. "Captain America was the greatest hope for the war. He was the perfect soldier, just like you Phoenix. You are the only hope for our dying world. But you will not wear a flag on your chest and fight for a government just as evil as the one they commission you to fight. No, you will fight for what is right and just."
He handed Phoenix the American flag and she looked over it carefully, and then looked back up at the Doctor. "What is your plan?" she asked as she watched him remove the Nazi flags from the map and put all the American flags back in their right country.
"To kill your enemy you must first make him bleed, and to make him bleed you must wound him. First we will wound our enemy, to do this we will defeat The Avengers and let everyone across the world watch us kill their only hope. This will make the government bleed, and that is when we will deliver the final blow," he knocked the American flags off the table with a fierce backhand. "America is the backbone of the world. Without a backbone, the rest of the world cannot function, and they will be vulnerable. With one strike our enemies will be defeated."
Phoenix furrowed her brow. "I'm not sure I understand," she spoke. "You plan to save the world by destroying it?"
He nodded. "The world will fall. Then humanity will rise from the ashes into its new life. Exactly like a Phoenix," he smiled and walked towards Phoenix, putting his hands on her shoulders. "With you at my side, we will conquer the world and everyone will see the truth."
Phoenix puffed out her chest and held her head high. It was all she wanted, to be at Doctor Blake's side as, together, they healed the world. Of course the others would be there as well, the thought led her onto another question
"Will Heather have a part in the plan?" Phoenix asked.
The Doctor sighed. "I don't think I will ever have the heart to kill Heather. But she has made her choice. I only hope that when she sees the true evil in this world she will change her mind," he looked saddened for a moment and then brightened up again. "That however is not the concern at the moment. Phoenix I believe it is time to ready the others."
"Yes sir," she turned and began to walk away, heading in the direction of the other room where the others were waiting.
"Phoenix," he called her back and she stopped immediately, turning to face him. "While you were at SHIELD who interrogated you?"
"I was interrogated twice," she replied. "The first time by Captain Rogers and…"
"Steve Rogers?" The Doctor interrupted her by exclaiming loudly. "You were in the room with Captain America? Tell me, what was he like?"
"He was practically the same as you described him to me," Phoenix was a little off set by the Doctor's sudden change in attitude. It was reasonable though, he had already clearly stated his respect for the American hero. "He is a great man but he's been misguided and is fighting for the wrong cause."
The Doctor nodded, absorbing what she had said into his mind. "You said you were interrogated twice, who questioned you the second time?"
"She was present at both interrogations but we were along together without Rogers for the second interrogation," Phoenix explained. "She goes by the alias of Black Widow. Do you know her?"
The Doctor nodded, something changing in his facial expression. Phoenix of course only saw Doctor Blake, but to any other trained and observing eye it could be clearly seen that the usually self-conserved Doctor had a darker glint glide across his facial expression and there was a subtle hint of fear that glimmered only for a second in his eyes.
"Agent Natasha Romanoff," Phoenix couldn't even pick up on the fact that his tone became darker as he spoke. "I've heard many stories. Phoenix you must promise me that when the time comes down to it you will leave her to me. She is world renowned for being manipulative and trying to twist things into your mind that aren't real. Remember that she is one of SHIELD's best agents and that makes her deadly."
"She's already tried to play her game with me," Phoenix told him. "She kept saying things to me and trying to tell me that you were lying to me. She said they found a notebook that you'd written and in it you had called me Test Subject 7. It was an absurd lie and I know the truth. Obviously they're attempting to get me to turn, which I swear to you I will never do."
Doctor Blake tried to hide his panic at Phoenix saying the words Test Subject 7, if she ever, but there was no concern. The girl believed only what she wanted to believe. Her naivety was almost sweet. He smiled down at her, proving his worth, and she foolishly bought it. "You did excellent. But now it's time for the next stage in our plan. We must forget the main picture and focus on our next goal."
"Is it time for the warning sir?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes Phoenix, I believe it is," he picked up a drink from the small table next to him and held it up high. "Remember Phoenix. Strike your enemies not only in their body, but in their heart and mind. Do this and they will fall."