A/N: This story takes place after TLO and before the first Avengers movie. This series will extend into the MCU.

They'd left her in this stupid cell for over four hours.

Or at least, Lex was guessing it was about that long; she didn't have her phone or her watch. She was in there in nothing but the clothes she'd been wearing when they'd picked her up; a thread-bare gray wife beater and one of her oldest pairs of jeans. Her lasagna had been just about done when they'd come knocking at her door.

It had been the redhead, accompanied by her male partner. Lex had to admit; the hearing aids they were wearing were pretty cool. She was no child of Athena, but they must have been pretty high tech. When she'd attempted to use charmspeak to turn them away, they'd looked at each other, back at her, and then they were chasing her through the apartment.

Of course, Lex had fought them. They were only mortals, and she'd trained for well over a decade on how to defend herself against (non-human) assailants. But she was only half Olympian, and that meant their stupid sedatives affected her plenty. She took her eyes off the man long enough to aim a knife at the woman's shoulder, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up in this cell with a mirror on the other end of the room that was most definitely a one-way and high-tech gag around her mouth. A small piece extended halfway down her neck, and she could feel an occasional sting going through her throat.

She couldn't even mumble.

So, Lex sat. Cross-legged, in the center of the room. Staying still wasn't her strong suit, but she couldn't charm her way out and she couldn't fight her way out, meaning that left trying to follow Chiron's advice about remaining calm.

They've shown they don't want me dead. They have to take the gag off sometime, and when they do, I'm going to tell them to walk to the nearest cliff edge and then keep walking.

"She kind of reminds me of the creepy little girl in that one horror movie."

Natasha rolled her eyes at Clint's comment, the two of them standing with their arms folded behind the glass.

She had to give it to her best friend; the girl was a little creepy. She sat cross-legged on the floor, multi-shaded blonde hair now down and wavy, the ends brushing the ground. The gag they'd put on her was new, made specifically for the current threat. It was small and sleek, wrapping around her mouth and with an attached black piece that ran down to the middle of her throat. Little electrical waves paralyzed her vocal cords, making it physically impossible for her to make any type of noise.

The spy did feel a tad guilty. Despite attempting to stay calm, the younger girl was obviously scared. Her left knee was bouncing slightly, and her fingers would occasionally twitch. Her ever-changing eyes were watching them but would flicker over the glass in its entirety every once in a while. Not because she seemed unsure of where they were, but because she was drinking in everything around her.

"So, her record mentions ADHD and dyslexia." Clint observed, flipping through the manilla folder. "Guess that explains the low GPA throughout her academic career."

"Why would a kid with two of the hardest learning disabilities choose a major that requires a boat load of reading, writing, and research?" Natasha asked lowly, still observing the younger girl. "She's obviously very athletic."

"And trained." Clint snorted, "If I hadn't sedated her, she would have stabbed you." He looked over at his best friend. "I don't know of many people who could get the upper hand on you like that."

"Which means she's been training for a long time. The kid just barely turned nineteen." Nat sighed through her nose, then whispered, "What are you not telling us, Fury?"

"Don't worry about it."

Neither spy jumped upon hearing their director; they were used to him slinking into rooms. The man in question stopped just beside the pair, single brown eye narrowed as he saw the slight, gorgeous threat sitting on the floor of the cell in front of him. The black, muzzle-looking piece of machinery on her mouth and neck only added to the intimidation factor, giving her the appearance of a dangerous animal.

"Has she done anything?"

"Nope." Clint shook his head, still holding the file. "Woke up about four hours ago and just sat down on the floor, looking at us." He chuckled, "Say what you will, but she's one smart kid. Looks like she knows exactly what's going on."

"Have you told him?"

Natasha's question was calm and level, but the burning in her brown eyes revealed her concern to her boss. He shook his head.

"Not yet. We need to ensure the safety of everyone here before we can take that thing off her."

"And how do we do that?"

The director didn't answer Clint's question, only started towards the door. "Watch out for me. I'm going to speak to her."

The door opening nearly made her jump, but Lex held herself as well as she could. In walked an African American man she'd never met before, but the glare permanently etched on his face told her he didn't appear to like her very much. He was dressed all in black, with thick combat boots and leather trench coat to match. His head was completely bald, reflecting the glaring white light above them.

But maybe the funniest thing about him was the black eye-patch that covered his right eye.

"So," the man began, walking over to stand a few feet away from her. "You've caused quite a bit of trouble for my agents."

Lex sat, forcibly silent, only staring as he continued.

"We've been watching you for a while now. You ended up on our radar in a pretty innocent way, but once we saw what you could do, I'm sure you understand why we needed to keep an eye on you."

I'm going to tell you to cut out your own throat.

It was, of course, an empty mental threat. She was forbidden from hurting mortals unless in self-defense or defense of another demigod or mortal. But still. Who in the hell did this guy think he was, ripping her from her peaceful life and stuffing her in this cell? She'd never hurt anyone before! She just wanted to live her life away from monsters. Sure, she used her charmspeak to get the occasional discount on her sandwiches or get the customer she was waiting on to give her a bigger tip. But only if they were being assholes for no reason!

"Now," the man folded his hands in front of him, "let's get down to business. I'm getting a little tired of this one-sided conversation, and I'm sure that piece of equipment is more than a little uncomfortable." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a sleek black case. He popped open the lid and reached inside, pulling out a small, silver bracelet. It looked like a thick bangle, but with one thing different. On one side was a small black square.

"This is a piece of technology I had designed by a very smart man. It's something we're going to use to allow you to walk around without that muzzle on without being worried that you're going to turn everyone in this building into your puppets."

Lex raised a mocking eyebrow at the man, but the truth was, she was glad half of her facial expression was covered. She wasn't entirely sure she had the power to control everyone there; it sounded like they were in a building with a lot of people, based on how he was speaking. The last time she tried to charmspeak more than two monsters at a time, she was left with a gushing nosebleed and ended up passing out for almost two days.

Not that he needed to know that.

The man set the case down and offered his hand, indicating his assistance. But she only raised her eyes to meet his and purposefully stood without the help. The man chuckled and nodded at her hands.

"If you want that thing off, I'll need one of your hands."

Lex hesitated. She trusted this man about as much as any other strange man on the street. Who the hell knew what he wanted from her? Who sent him? What did he know about her? And what if that bracelet caused her a lot of pain? But even as she sat there, she could feel herself getting desperate. The little stinging sensation in her throat and her inability to speak or shift any part of her lower face was getting extremely annoying, and even painful.

Maybe it was the strong, impatient part of her, but she didn't bother to think about it any longer. She thrust out her left hand, ready to talk her way out of this and flee the state. Maybe she could move to the Midwest. Nobody lived out there, how could they find her?

The man took the offered hand and hit a button on the silver cuff. It swung open, and he clasped it around her wrist, the black square pressing against the inside of her arm. It was a snug fit, but not enough to be uncomfortable. She'd expected it to feel cold and hard, but the inside was lined with something soft. At least, most of it was. The part under the black square was cold and hard.

"And now," the man pulled out a small, silver cylinder. Lex realized with a start that it was a key. "If you'll move your hair, I'll take the gag off."

Eagerly, Lex gathered her blonde hair into one hand and turned her head to the side, hearing a soft click! Right after, the muzzle loosened, and then it was gone.

Elexis couldn't stop herself from gasping softly, reaching up to massage her throat. The spot in the center still stung a little, but the ability to breath easier was heavenly. Looking up, her lips twisted into a snarl at the blank look on the man's face.

"If you actually know who I am," she told him lowly, "then you realize how stupid that really was."

The man shrugged. "I'm not sure I agree."

"Don't worry." Lex smirked, preparing her voice. Cocking her to the side, she began, "In a few seconds, you won't even remem-"

She couldn't finish her sentence. Right as the first notes of charmspeak started to leak onto her tongue, a sharp and intense pain shot through her body, starting at her wrist. It was so painful, Lex screamed in surprise and agony, her body jolting. She nearly lost her footing, and her left arm was trembling. She could barely move it.

Lex raised her eyes to the man in front of her, panting, then looked back at the cuff. "What the hell…"

"Like I said," the man told her, a triumphant gleam passing momentarily through his eye, "designed by a smart man, and specifically for you. See, when we were watching you, we go the chance to monitor your vital signs. They change when you use that nifty little trick of yours with your voice. So," he nodded at the cuff, "while you're free to speak, you aren't capable of talking your way out of this."

Elexis could feel her rage bubbling up inside her, burning her skin. She breathed deeply through her nose like a bull, fists clenching, "You son of a bitch-"

"You can call me names all you like, Miss Hager, but it doesn't change anything. I haven't brought you in to cause any harm to you, but I need to ensure the safety of everyone here before I can let you start walking around."

"And where is here?"

The man didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to the door and opened it, nodding at the hallway outside. "If you feel like cooperating, I'd be happy to explain everything to you."

Elexis didn't hesitate this time. There wasn't much of a point; she didn't have any other choices.

The building was large. The windows extended from ceiling to floor, and the floors seemed freshly waxed. She could see her reflection perfectly in them. The shallow part of her winced; there were huge bags under her eyes and her hair was frizzy.

The man and woman that had kidnapped her went with them, bringing up the rear. Neither of them seemed to like her, and she couldn't stop the proud smirk that brought her.

Eventually the group took her into a small room. It was cozy, with a small oak table in the center with two black chairs on either side of it and a soft rug over the hardwood floors. The man held out his hand, indicating that she enter first.

"After you."

Lex did so, keeping her head high and settling into one of the black chairs with as much dignity as she was capable of. The man with the eyepatch sat in front of her while the man and woman stood by the closed door. Guarding it.

It's like being in juvie all over again.

"So," the man gestured with one hand towards her before lacing his fingers in front of his face on the table, "go ahead."

Lex decided to start with the obvious ones. "Who are you? And where am I?"

"My name is Nick Fury. I'm the director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." Nick Fury told her, "Right now, you're in our New York headquarters."

"Why?"

"Like I told you, Miss Hager, we've been watching you for a while now."

"How long?"

He shrugged. "A few months, give or take."

"And why were you watching me?"

This time, Fury didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned to the people behind her. "Barton, Romanoff. Some privacy, please."

They both nodded and stepped out, the door shutting behind them. As soon as they were gone, Fury leaned his elbows on the table, staring the young girl across from him down.

"I know about your parentage, Miss Hager."

Lex stopped breathing.

Her heart went straight to the floor, and the room suddenly felt extremely small. Her chest tightened, and she found herself praying to her mother before she could stop herself.

Please, for the love of Aphrodite, help me lie my way out of this.

Even without charmspeak, Elexis prided herself in being good at getting out hard situations. So, she only scoffed and leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. "What? That I'm the daughter of a single, very dead father?"

"No, I meant your mother. But then again, you knew that."

"I don't even know where my mother is." True. "She could be anybody." Also true. "And I've never even met her." Ok, minor lie. She'd been guided by her mother before but had never spoken to her in person.

Fury chuckled. Actually chuckled at her. Lex felt her stomach turn in anger. Who the hell did he think he was, laughing at a daughter of an Olympian?

"I gotta hand it to you, Elexis," his use of her first name made her fists clench, "even without your little superpower, you're pretty convincing. But I'm a very informed man, and I happen to know for a fact that your mother is someone a lot more important than most people realize." He cocked an eyebrow. "It explains a lot about you."

"I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Enough." His voice was sharp, and his single eye narrowed. "I'm done playing games. There's a lot to be done in the future, and I don't have time to argue with a teenager. I know who you're the child of, and I know what you can do. You're a guest here for now-"

"Prisoner." Lex butted in, unable to stop herself.

"-and I think I have something you'd like to see." Fury continued like she hadn't spoken. "My files say your dad died when you were eleven."

Lex swallowed. She shifted in her seat, avoiding Fury's gaze. "Yeah. It was an accident."

"Elexis." She had to look up at his tone, unable to stop herself. His voice had changed, and for just one second, he didn't look so intimidating. "I know you didn't kill him."

"And how do you know that?" She asked, a rueful, angry smile taking over her face. "You don't know much about me that's not on paper. I could be a serial killer; I could have used my talents to force a bunch of different people to commit suicide. You'd never be able to track me."

Fury stared at her for a second, then smiled and shook his head. Lex scowled and sat back again as he spoke.

"Man, you're good. You almost had me convinced. But I think you're forgetting that we've been watching you very carefully for the last few months. If you'd killed anyone, or told anyone to kill themselves, we would have seen you."

"Why have you been watching me?"

This time, Fury pulled a manilla folder out of his coat. "Well, that actually has to do with the other side of your family." Opening the folder, he set it in front of him. "Your father is the only child of your grandmother, correct?"

"Yeah?"

"She was tracked by S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time. Lucille Sarah Hager nee Smith?" He looked up. "Were you close?"

Lex bit her lip and shook her head. "No. I mean, I tried, but I'm sure you knew she had early onset Alzheimer's. She said wild stuff sometimes, and she would forget who I was a lot. It made having a relationship with her really difficult. My dad took care of her until she died when I was around eight."

"What did she say?"

The question caught her off guard. She looked back up at Fury, cocking her head. "Huh?"

"When she had Alzheimer's. What would she say?"

"Um," Lex narrowed her eyes, "why?"

"Humor me."

Sighing, the blonde rolled her eyes, but spoke. "All sorts of things. She talked about knowing people like Howard Stark and since she was a nurse in the war, she would forget what time she was in. Always talking about the soldiers she treated like they were still around."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah." She couldn't stop the fond smile on her face. "Out of everything she said, the craziest was her family. Dad told me she was an only child, but she used to be convinced that Captain America was her brother."

But Fury wasn't laughing. He was only staring at her with a blank look, and her chuckling died. "What?"

"Miss Hager," Fury turned the file around, "your grandmother was under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection, and for a very good reason."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for one, her maiden name wasn't Smith."

Next up: A family reunion that Elexis didn't ask for and we get to see some things from Steve's perspective.