"There two reason why I don't trust people. First-I don't know them. Second-I know them." Unknow

Brock Rumlow.

This was our second most likely track after the Winter Soldier. After watching the security cameras from the location of the Winter Soldier attack on Zingler, we finally managed to dig up a black box from a car parked in the street next to the warehouses.

It was mainly thanks to Arlene's expertise, of course, but we could see how the Winter Soldier was transported to the scene. And this man currently ordering his morning coffee was our track. He had been the most recognizable among the others as well as the only one having a real contact with the frozen blue-eyed shooter.

Brock Rumlow was a Shield agent and a STRIKE field team commander. I was not sure, but I was pretty sure Steve had already told me about this man. Which meant that my biggest fears were more and more likely to happen. Hence the reason I planned this little surveillance.

Speaking of Steve, things were really strange between us. No stranger than usual, but the fact that he'd taken me to this clearing the other day was enough to play with my head.

I knew-no, I was sure it was not a date.

But I just could not help but feel those strange feelings at his side.

Now I was not totally blind or even totally ignorant in terms of attraction. I knew what I was experiencing physically, but when it came to the deeper business, it was a different story. More so when it was about Steve. It could not be possible.

"Okay, remember me why we're spying on the bad guy there?" Robbie asked with annoyance in her tone before she turned to me, snapping her fingers in my face at my lack of reaction. "Hey, land to Danae! Hello ? Dee?"

I was not really listening as I could once again feel my mind becoming foggy at the mere thought of Steve.

However, the feeling of a hand on mine made me immediately raise my head to meet the irritated gaze of Robbie. "Sorry, I ... yeah, I'm here."

"Right! Can we know what's going on with you?" The brunette whispered as she caught a lock of hair behind her ear. "You hardly seem there. "

"Sorry, the last few days have been weird." I admitted, chewing my lower lip in thought before reaching back for the towel holder in which I could see the reflection of Rumlow. "Do you have a visual?"

"The guy drinks his coffee in the corner near the exit." Robbie mechanically replied with an expression of disgust at the sight of the man."He's definitely one of the bad guys."

I scooped an eyebrow at that before taking my cup of coffee in hand in curiosity."What makes you say that?"

"I heard his order. Who puts milk in their tea?" She replied with a slight thrill of horror making me smile a little despite my tense mood."Anyway, what's up with you? Why are you barely there? "

This time I gave her an incredulous look as I pointed at myself as evidence." I'm here."

"Funny." She replied visibly all but amused before giving me a sharp look.

I let out a long sigh as I dropped back nonchalantly against the back of my chair before playing absently with my mug between my fingers."I have a lot of things on my mind that's all."

"Mhm, things related to Steve?" She guessed with ease making me look up at her to see her glancing between Rumlow and me expectantly.

I knew it was not the healthiest thing for her to be on a surveillance mission with me, but she wanted to have a coffee at all costs. And I could not really pass on an opportunity to observe the guy. He was the only one who had escorted the Winter Soldier. He was definitely on my high priority list.

Until now I had gathered that he lived alone in a small apartment in the upscale neighborhoods of DC. He was a skilled ex-mercenary who had been with the Shield for some time. Hidden, cold and arrogant were the blatant features that I had discerned in his personality.

I took another look at the Rumlow reflective metal towel holder before giving Robbie a grin."I think ... well, I don't know but he could ... well ... I think he took me on a date."

Robbie literally missed choking on her cup of herbal tea as she opened her eyes, shocked."Sorry what? A date ? "

"Well neither of us pronounce the word : date but ..."

"Shocking." Robbie muttered sarcastically before straightening up as she realized I had heard her."What I mean is that you seem totally panicked at the mere mention of the word Date."

I gave her an annoyed look at her conclusion. "I have no problem with that. "

"As long as it doesn't concern you." She reminded me, pointing at her cup of tea before giving Rumlow a new look."He's on the move."

I was getting ready to follow him only I had the unpleasant surprise of seeing his place already vacant. He was nowhere in sight.

I let myself fall heavily into my seat to face Robbie in defeat. I was clearly disturbed if I couldn't even do a simple surveillance mission properly.

"I told you he was moving."

I narrowed my annoyed eyes on the suave brunette in front of me before shaking my head in frustration. "All this fuck with my brain."

"Maybe you should not fight it so much in this case." Robbie suddenly suggested making me look up at her. "I mean, I know why you don't want to feel most of the time. It's complicated with ... well ... Ben-"She paused to measure my reaction before leaving a smile as she went on."See? Three months back, you couldn't bear to hear about Ben without wincing. I support what I said, Dee. Steve does you good. What's wrong with letting you go again?"

I jabbed my jaw at the mere thought before swallowing nervously. "Apart from the fact that he makes me vulnerable. Maybe the fact that I lie to him."

"It's supposed to be like that, Dee." She said, tilting her head to the side."As for the lies ... well, I know you. You will not tell him anything if it's a case in progress."

I licked my bottom lip in response before shrugging my shoulders. "It's not an ongoing business problem, Rob. The problem is that he may lose everything and I can't stand the thought of knowing that I will be the only one to bring him the news."

Robbie paused at this new information before taking a sip of her tea. I hastened to imitate her before grinning at the sensation of my cold coffee.

I hated cold coffee.

Clearly pushed back, I rested the cup before starting to scratch the label with my thumb in nervousness.

It was definitely not what I planned when I agreed to let Steve in my life. I thought he would be one way to get through my dark days. And then he turned to be out a lot more. He had taken me out of a personal hell little by little. And now, I could not help but question the boundaries between us.

"Maybe you should give up this case." Rob suddenly suggested, causing me to immediately lift my eyes in disbelief. "Just an idea."

I rolled my eyes at her suggestion before deciding to simply change the conversation. It was useless to drag on such a subject when we both knew that I was definitely not ready to accept no matter what happened between Steve and me.

It was thus that Robbie agreed to have fun with my questions about her pregnancies and her latest ultrasounds. She took care to consider the evolution of her baby shower while I tried not to roll my eyes every time, she asked me to add more Captain America decoration. It was obvious that she was doing this intentionally.

Finally, after more than a morning of planning and talking girls, she and I said goodbye. I had immediately made my way to the cashier to order me a new coffee with an extra for Jay before heading to his apartment.

He and I decided to share our research on Rumlow.

After losing sight of the Shield agent, I sent him a text asking him to take over the surveillance. He kept me updated during all my meeting with Robbie. Not that she knew about it.

There were things that were best kept out of her reach. She was pregnant after all. I could not fully include her in this kind of sordid affair in her condition. I knew Davis would have my head if anything happened to Robbie or the baby.

Anyway, I was soon to see the detective's building letting me step up to the sight of his familiar back hovering at the entrance of his apartment block.

"Khallahan." I heckled the brown to turn on his heels to accept his coffee."New on the target?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. He walked a couple of blocks after taking his coffee before heading to the Shield."Jay said earnestly before leaving a sigh of contentment as he took a sip of the beverage still hot. "God bless those who invented coffee."

I left a scoff over my cup as I gave him a flat look. "Always in excess, Khallahan."

"Well, I didn't hear any of my partners complaining about an extra touch." He replied, waving his suggestive eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes at his legendary arrogance before following him into his building as he walked towards the elevator. "I thought that this case would put a brake on your extracurricular activities."

"Well, looks like I'm full of resources." He retorted as he pressed his floor before giving me a smile worthy of the Cheshire cat.

I shook my head as I rested against the elevator wall with my ankles crossed over each other before taking another sip of my coffee.

I let the liquid permeate my taste buds in thought before swallowing it as I turned my attention to Jay seriously. "What are they preparing? They killed Zingler because they were worried about what he could say. What did he know about bringing out the Winter Soldier?"

"Is not that what we try to discover?" Jay replied rhetorically, rolling my eyes before following him down the hall as the metal doors slid.

"What I mean is that Zingler scared them." I remember as I stopped by Jay's side to allow him to open his apartment. "There is something that is not added here."

Jay finally opened the door of his apartment, letting me follow him again with boredom as he gave me a look over my shoulder. "Maybe you should ask your best friend the Captain."

"I'm afraid the Captain Rogers is out of reach."

Jay let out a absurd yelp to the intruder in his apartment while I hastened to unsheathe my gun to point at the man in front of us. The latter was currently before Jay's window facing the street with his hands crossed behind his back in a military position. He was bald and fully dressed in black from head to toe. An elastic thread was across the back of his skull, letting me imagine a kind of pirate style band.

"I thought I had asked that this case be conducted in the biggest of secrets." He declared coldly without ever turning around, letting me tighten my hold on my weapon in mistrust.

"Who are you ?" Jay asked suspiciously as he took out his weapon in turn.

The man finally turned his head to gauge us with his only eye over his shoulder before giving a barely impressed look at our unsheathed weapons. "If you don't intend to shoot then put away your weapons."

Jay immediately gave me a puzzled look at the confidence emanating from the man before placing his weapon in uncertainty. Conversely, I kept my weapon centered on the back of the man in irritation. I was seriously starting to lose patience with those people breaking in.

Finally, he turned on his heel to face us allowing me to take a step back without ever letting go him of my sight. He raised a simple eyebrow at the sight of my weapon still centered on him before advancing a little more in the living room.

I kept my weapon up all the time as I recoiled in response to his movements before reaching out to me as he signed Jay's ajar room."You have not been dragged. I am almost impressed. And believe me, I rarely do."

"Is it supposed to reassure us?" Jay asked stupidly forcing me to hold a roll of my eyes.

The man with the covered eye gave an apathetic look at Jay in response before turning his attention to me by signing my weapon. "I don't think it will be useful, Commander Dimarco."

"And I think I'll be the only judge of that." I replied coldly before waving my weapon at him impatiently. "Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Nick Fury. I'm the director of Shield." He presented himself as he stepped back into Jay's living room as if the place belonged to him. "It's also me who sent Agent Romanoff."

I jabbed my jaw at the mention of Natasha before following any of his actions in anticipation."What proves to me that you speak the truth? "

"I could have made you stop. Or worse." He rekindled without a hint of hesitation despite being on the other side of a gun. "But I decided to have a leap of faith. I think it's time you do the same, soldier."

I could feel my hands stiffening against my weapon as he signed my weapon with a nod of expectancy. I could feel Jay's reluctant gaze at my side before putting the safety of my weapon back before putting it in my jeans belt. I pulled off my shirt to cover it before straightening my denim jacket as I turned my attention to the man-Nick Fury with suspicion.

"I'm no longer in the army." I recalled with irritation to his use of my military titles."And I'm sure like hell that I don't owe you anything."

Nick Fury supported my determined gaze with an arched eyebrow before quickly returning his gaze barely amused by Jay's ridiculous statement. "Sorry to break this little fight of look but there is something that disturbs me. The eye patch ... it's a real one?"

I restrained myself from hitting my forehead with the palm of my hand at his request before displaying a disillusioned look as Nick Fury turned his attention to me as if to ask me if he was serious.

"Jay ... can't you just be… here?" I begged as I waved my hand in the hustle and bustle.

"Wait? What?" He exclaimed at once in the objection. " You're not serious ? You want me to leave you with this guy?"

I raised my head with an impassive expression before crossing my arms on my chest in impatience.

The brown gauged me a moment longer before sighing, waving his hands in frustration. "I don't leave you with this guy."

I was forced to watch him settle on the couch with a pout worthy of a petulant child before shaking my head in desolation as I brought my attention back to the man with the eye patch. The latter seemed to look closely at our exchange with a simple arched eyebrow as a question.

I finally rolled my eyes in response before taking a seat alongside Jay on the couch. "Okay, I'm starting to understand your thing to you spy. Just tell me the gig and disappear."

It was barely five minutes and I was already tired of this man.

At the sight of his closed expression, I assumed he was not really used to being so openly speaking. And I did not really have a hard time believing it. Honestly, this man was sweating intimidation and demanding respect. But I was clearly frustrated beyond words and I did not even mention my constantly tense mood.

I needed a break.

Unfortunately, it did not seem like I was going to have it any time soon as Nick Fury spoke again as he ran his hand under his black leather trench coat. I immediately stretched myself in anticipation. I could feel Jay doing the same on my side forcing the super spy to slow his movements before he showed the two files he now held in his hands.

I arched an eyebrow for interest on the manila files before straightening up as he nonchalantly threw the folders on the coffee table between us."This file will not teach you anything more than you already know."

I immediately pulled the folder containing my name to me before opening it to browse with a deep sense of discomfort. I did not particularly like reading the info they had managed to gather on me. They even did an analysis of my psychological profile, letting my teeth close at the mention of anger problems and a self-destructive approach to death's contacts.

As a result of my profile was my military achievements listed carefully by date and by medals. I quickly scanned this section before turning a new page simply to pause at the sight of a photo. I took this last between my thumb and my forefinger before feeling my breath again be cut at the sight of Ben in his military uniform. I immediately raised my dangerously icy eyes on the man with the patch just to meet his impassive gaze. He sat in one of Jay's chairs and watched the action unfold in a disturbing silence.

He seemed too comfortable for my taste. There was no doubt he had studied my file accurately.

I reject the photo between the pages with aggravation before closing the file concerning me with more force than necessary.

"What's the point of all this?" I asked in irritation.

Fury signed the other file instead of answering me forcing me to take it while Jay went through my file."Do you know what this is ?"

I opened the front page suspiciously before quickly frowning as I came face to face with a series of military fleet images. Or rather, the Shield. I let my eyes take in the information with slight confusion and interest before turning the second page to come up against a summary of the situation. It was a fleet based in the Indian Ocean. It was supposed to contain information about the Shield. A kind of database on the sea.

Jay closed the finished file before throwing it back at the coffee table. "What do you want us to do with this file? Our research is mainly based on the Winter Soldier and the Shield."

"As I've already said. The Lemurian is the Shield." He reminded in an enigmatic tone making me pause.

I chewed the inside of my cheek as I supported his gaze by tilting my head to the side to try to pierce him up to date. He was definitely a mystery difficult to resolve. He gave absolutely nothing to show and seemed strangely comfortable doing so. Obviously, it was a habit at home.

Realizing that he wouldn't give me more information, I took a deep breath before releasing it by crossing my arms over my chest. "What are you waiting for? You want us to hack this fleet ... or whatever."

It seemed to get his attention as I almost swore a small smile had curved his lips. Only this was not possible. It must have been the adrenaline of this game that played tricks on me.

"See? I told you that you were more than just a civilian." He declared confidently as he pointed at me."I told Captain Rogers that you would be a great asset in the Shield."

I immediately left a disdainful snort before continuing with sarcasm. "Right, it was before or after you learned that the Shield was actually Hydra."

"Okay, joke apart." Intervened Jay visibly agitated as he signed the man in impatience. "What do you really want? What's the purpose of this visit? "

Fury barely recognized Jay's question as he turned his attention to me again."You followed one of my employees, it seems to me."

"Rumlow." I admitted between my teeth. "He's part of the tactical team."

The man with the skin as dark as that of Robbie soon arched an eyebrow in the realization of my allusion. It was obvious that he was working with Steve. A fact that had a lot to worry me about.

He shook his head as an answer before focusing all his attention on me. "You remember the terms of our agreement."

"There was no agreement between us." I said at once as I abruptly rose from the couch in annoyance. "I don't work for you."

"But you work in the benefit of the Captain." He suggested intelligently.

"What?" Jay exclaimed at once visibly exasperated at the mere thought before turning to me."Wait, all of this is for the guy in the tights?"

I swallowed as I clenched my fists at my side with my eyes squinted on Fury before shaking my head in the hustle and bustle. "It has nothing to do with Steve. "

"Really? Because he seems to think otherwise." Jay jabbed as he stood up, pointing Fury.

The latter seemed again a simple spectator clearly happy with the discord he had just established between Jay and me. I chewed the inside of my cheek visibly more and more frustrated with the man in front of me before turning to Jay in a last ounce of patience.

"I said it had nothing to do with Steve, okay?" I muttered indignantly.

Jay paused as he took a deep breath before hissing as he passed me. I did not even have time to do anything that he took his jacket before slamming the door behind him.

This left me alone again with the man in black leaving me arching an eyebrow with my arms crossed over my chest in the realization. "You provoked him on purpose."

"He doesn't really like Captain Rogers." He commented with satisfaction.

"He's sensible." I replied sarcastically before pinching the bridge of my nose in impatience."What do you really want ? "

"I wanted to see for myself." He replied, immediately raising my head to gauge him in confusion. "You would be an excellent agent in the Shield. "

I immediately left a scoff as I rested my hand at my side. "And work in a corrupt organization? No thanks."

"And yet, you're there. To collect information for this organization." He reminded himself with a smirk on the corner of his face before motioning me to sit down again. "Fine, you have some problem of trust. I have some too. I have plenty actually."

I rolled my eyes to his little act of sharing as I settled on the sofa again before narrowing my eyes on him. "Are you really the director of Shield?"

"If you don't believe me, I'll tell you to ask Rogers, but we don't really want to come to that."He replied, shrugging his shoulders as he made himself more comfortable in the seat. "I started as a soldier like you. I finished as a colonel before being a spy during the Cold War."

I arched an eyebrow at his act of sharing personal information before crossing my arms over my chest. "There is a point to this little act of sharing?"

"I'm not really a spy anymore. I like to share." He declared with a nonchalant shrug. "Your turn."

I signed my file on the coffee table with platitude. "You already know everything about me."

"I prefer honest conversations." He explained simply. "More, you remind me of my past. She's impetuous like you. Not adept at easy trust."

"Do I want to know who this girl is?" I asked in boredom.

"Not really, she's not really around anymore." He said with a wave of his hand before giving me a sharp look. "For now, but she could come back at some point."

I scowled at his enigmatic tone before leaning my head to one side. "So, it's not an old conquest."

Nick Fury gave me a flat look at my suggestion making me sketch the shortest smile.

The leather of his trench coat creaked as he readjusted himself against his seat before he pointed to me with a wave of his hand. "Like you, she was not afraid to talk to me. This is a quality I have not found for some time."

"It must not be new. Sure enough, Romanoff is not a fan of bows." I said sarcastically.

Fury smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "Agent Romanoff is more complex than she seems."

"I thought I understood." I cringed, gritting my teeth before giving him an impatient look."Will you continue to tell me about your moods or tell me why you're here?"

"I have already said it. I want to see for myself." He called back with an arched eyebrow before signing my file. "Tell me something that this impersonal record doesn't mention. "

I arched an eyebrow with apathy at his request. "You want to become personal."

He shrugged his shoulders as he crossed his arms against his chest as he motioned for me to surrender.

I took a breath annoyed by this endless game before raising my chin with confidence. "I was in a rebel phase. I pledged to go against my grandmother's beliefs. She preached the image of the woman at home. Realized that I loved my job and rigor. I climbed the ladder alone. I finished Commander in the Navy."

"Why become a Private Investigator?" He asked curiously.

I shrugged my shoulders keeping the minimum of information. "I wanted to find a job that kept me busy. I didn't really have a degree other than my degree in photography. It seemed to me the best choice."

He nodded silently before giving me another questioning look. "Why embark on this case? You knew it wouldn't be safe."

"I would not be engaged if I was expecting a job out of danger." I replied without a hint of hesitation.

"Fair enough." He agreed as he straightened up before pulling the files back onto the table. He hid them again in his trench coat, letting me get up in my turn. "The information on the Lemurian Star is related to a Shield project running. The Project Insight."

I frowned my brows with interest as I crossed my arms over my chest. "The Project Insight?"

"This is a project that is supposed to eliminate threats based on meticulously collected data. Our analysts draw a profile and our Hellicariers placed in orbit get rid of the threat even before having suffered the attack."

I composed my expression in disbelief and indignation at the simple explanation. "You want to become omniscient now?"

"It's a sure way to keep the world safe." He defended with little conviction. "Unfortunately, you can understand why I have some reservations for the latest discoveries."

I could easily see that he was not only telling me this to inform me but to send me a message somehow.

I looked away as I tried to digest the information before resting my eyes where the files were."If anyone learns that you share all that with a civilian ..."

"We will both be in big trouble." He finished with his eyebrows raised in agreement.

I swallowed as I nodded in realization before biting my bottom lip."Why don't you leave it to Natasha? Or better, why keeping all this from Steve?"

"Something tells me that they will know at one time or another." He stated in a strangely mysterious tone before going past me to the exit. He stopped right beside me with his head spinning in my direction. "As soon as they know who you are, they will send him to finish what he started."

I swallowed at the mention of the ghost before bringing my hand in spite of me on my shoulder as the mere mention seemed to awaken my scar.

I silently nodded my head in agreement before finally slacking my breath at the closing door.

I knew for sure now that I was screwed.