Chapter Twenty-Five: Point of No Return

Welcome to the next chapter of this series, wow, I have a lot of cliffhangers in this story but I just can't help it, they're so easily accessible with this story so I just have to. And I know I haven't had Shay and Steve interact much with each other but that'll be coming up soon and be prepared for Shay's constant pushing away. Trust me, she has a good reason for doing it though. I still have a lot planned, in fact I haven't even reached the climax yet so strap in for more chapters! Be sure to comment and favorite and tell me what you're most looking forward to finding out.

ALSO: What do you think about The Ten Rings and HYDRA team up? (Originally I wasn't going to include them but then I realize they could be useful for this plot and a possible sequel, I haven't decided if this story will have a sequel but if you all have any ideas on what one could be about, I'd love to hear it)

FLASHBACK:

"At the warehouse we found a note, one telling us to go to the railroad tracks," I speak up, lowering my hands slightly. "We have a proposition for you, one that I think HYDRA would love to hear."

"And what would that be?" he asks, seemingly uninterested in what I have to say.

"We want to join HYDRA," I say, and Rumlow glances up, surprised while I keep my emotions in check, showing nothing and giving nothing away. Play it off as the one in total control, that's the way to win the war.

Brock Rumlow narrows his eyes and Tarben and I before giving a low, humorless chuckle like he doesn't believe a word we say, well, word I say as Tarben has yet to say anything to me since we arrived here. Sideways glaces and subtle facial expressions are the only method of communication that we have used since arriving at this HYDRA base and it's understandable why that is.

All guns are still trained on us but they seem to be waiting on Rumlow's orders so for now we're in the clear, as long as he doesn't decide to kill us right now before we are allowed to leave. I have to convince him to hear me out so I can lay my cards out on the table and give him my reasoning for wanting to aid HYDRA in their mission of world domination.

"Before you make your decision on whether or not to kill us here and now at least hear me out. I have my own personal agenda in all of this, of course, but not for the reason you might think," I say, attempting to sway him into listening to my reasoning.

Without moving the gun from its aim her speaks. "Explain before I decide to not be so kind."

"As you and the rest of HYDRA probably already know, I have a team of six, he and I included, but we have lived in the shadows for over a decade but only recently we've be purged from the shadows that we would have much rather remained in. While my team and I would naturally be considered a threat to HYDRA, I would like to say we aren't."

"And why would I believe a word you say? HYDRA is already aware that you are currently staying at the Avengers Tower where our enemies reside and you have given HYDRA no reason to want to put its faith in you."

I give a slight grin with no emotion behind it. "Not by our choice might I add, we broke into Avengers Tower to tell," I give a sour scowl at his name. "Maria Hill to leave us alone for the final time as we wanted to live in peace, like any normal civilians yet she and the shattered remains of that pathetic organization just couldn't leave us be."

Rumlow lowers his weapon while still having the other HYDRA agents keep their guns raised in case we're still bluffing and I don't blame him for that, how can he trust me and how could I possibly trust him? Continuing as though he hasn't moved his gun, I continue on my explanation.

"Had it not been for the constant interference of the remaining shambles f S.H.I.E.L.D. then we never would have come out from the shadows, all we want is piece of mind and now things with the Avengers are getting to close for my comfort," I pause. "They want information from us and that is their only reason for keeping us around and while I see it, the rest of my crew does not, they are blinded by fantasy."

"Go on," Rumlow replies, he seems to have settled a bit, easing into a comfortable association for now and I fully intend to keep it this way, and so I continue talking about my motives for showing up here today.

"Tarben," I motion to him, standing at my side. "Is the only one of my crew who is not been warped into an illusion that after their precious Avengers gain the information they crave, that they'll still want to be associated with them and I, being the closet thing they've had to a parental figure, naturally don't want to see them get hurt by the grim reality that will fall into place once everything comes out."

"What happens after HYDRA prevails and the remainder of S.H.I.E.L.D. falls? HYDRA won't risk potential threats and if you and your team really are as valuable to the prolonging future as you have claimed then you are a threat to HYDRA and we need to have a reason not to take you and your team out as soon as we get the chance," Rumlow chimes in, his voice still cold and void of emotion but filled with interest.

"After HYDRA prevails my team and I will fade away, back into the shadows, never to be bothering you and the rest of HYDRA while you and your organization reinvent the world in HYDRA's image. All we want is to be free from constant harassment and never being allowed to live in peace, if we wanted to do something, we most certainly would have done it by now but S.H.I.E.L.D. forced my hand."

He gives a slight smile before it falls away and he steps back slightly. "Well, if that's the case then you have made the right decision to choose the winning team, clearly you can see the turning tides, we won't trust you right away, but if you do as told, you could work your way up through the ranks. We'll have you tested to see if you are able to be trusted with holding HYDRA's secrets. We have certain... Precautions and punishments for traitors."

"I understand completely but Tarben here will not be as involved as I, he'll be the one keeping eyes on the Avengers as we don't want to blow my cover with the team otherwise they'll prohibit me from aiding HYDRA's agenda, he'll be our eyes and ears on the inside while I'm out on missions to help HYDRA, is that alright?" I ask, tilting my head slightly.

He nods slowly as if thinking about all the aspects of what I have just asked of him and HYDRA. "Seems logical to be able to keeps your cover if you have a man on the inside who will keep his attention on those who cannot be trusted as of now. Our main concern now is getting you in and out of Avengers Tower at the dead of night without the Avengers catching on."

"I think I know a way to do that, I'll trick Tara, another of my crew, who is really into technology try to fix the device we used to escape the tower and say something like: 'now that we're surrounded by all these supplies, you could finally finish that device'," I say.

"If she isn't one of those you can trust then it won't be the best idea for you to get her to build something, otherwise she may get suspicious as to why you've asked her to fix it."

I grin. "Not if she thinks the whole thing was her idea which shouldn't be that hard to convince her of, it'll take me a couple of hours as most, I'm hoping that it's a quick, simple fix because the sooner we get the Avengers taken down, the sooner my crew and I can disappear."

"My boss with probably want to meet with the both of you before we can come to any formal decisions so, lets go before he's in a bad mood," with that he waves for us to follow and we do. All the HYDRA agents lower their weapons but still keep a firm grip on them as we maneuver through the hallways towards where HYDRA's leader resides.

I'm already thinking over what I'll say to him when we arrive, while he might ask the same things that Brock Rumlow did, I highly doubt that he would seeing as he'd be more interested in me and why I would do something as such and while my reasoning is logically that does not mean that the leader of this organization will believe me right away.

On top of it all, if he doesn't believe me then he can give a direct order to have both Tarben and me slain in his sight and that is not my intention at all, I want to survive this encounter and while I know if they attempting to kill us we would certainly fight back to the best of our ability but being in a HYDRA base surrounded by their agents doesn't necessarily put the odds in our favors.

Just like before, we travel through a twisting maze of turns, door, and hallways that all appear exactly the same and have no rhyme or reason and just are. It's feels like a long walk before we finally arrive at a door that Rumlow explains is the HYDRA leaders office. Rumlow knocks a code on the door, no known code to anyone and when the return of someone knocking on wood, her turns to me.

"He'll see you," he says to me, then Taben, and back to me. "Only you."

Nodding I tell Tarben it's fine just when he's about to protest my entering the room by myself. I'm more worried about Tarben being out here alone with all these HYDRA agents then I am with going in to meet their leader myself. At least if this goes sour I'll only have one main enemy to face off with in there but out here is where the rest of the HYDRA agents roam.

Stepping into the room, the doors shut behind me the second I step through. Behind a big bulky wood desk in a man with light brown hair shaved close to his head, a monocle over his right eye, and dressed in a black, almost turtleneck, looking attire with buttons down the shirt center. He glances up at me with distant eyes that seems not to care that I'm here at all.

Like I'm just some nuisance that he has to take care up and if that is what he wants to think then there's nothing I can do to stop him. He says nothing just waves for me to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk which I immediately do.

"Before this goes any further..." he pauses, looking down at some lone white piece of paper attached to a wooden clipboard in front of him, wooden pencil inside the clip. After briefly looking the unknown sheet of paper he glances back up and me and slowly finishes his thoughts with a subtle but obvious threat in his words. "Give me one real reason for why HYDRA and myself should put our trust, and faith in you, Miss America?"

Before I allow myself to think about all the reason, before I let myself get to wrapped up in all the possibilities to that question, I say the first thing that comes to my mind and it scares me just how truthful the answer truly is. "I hate Captain America and he's ruining everything..."

A/N: There we go, so what do you all think of this? Why do you think she hates him so much, because I already know but I'm sort of curious about what you all think and what about Shay joining HYDRA, crazy right? Anyways as always comment below and tell me what you think's going to happen next with Shay, Tarben, and this whole HYDRA scandal.