Making A Deal

(Steve POV, Narrator)

Steve doesn't know how Hydra found out about Maria being their spy but they did, they attacked and tried to kill her, luckily she got away. He wasn't sure but he had to assume they set up their last mission and followed him. He was completely off guard when that Hydra agent attacked him. He almost died and would have if Iris hadn't stopped him. He was shocked and confused that they were trying to kill him, as far as he knew they wanted him alive to brainwash him, are they just getting desperate now?

If they had killed him that was one thing but they were also still trying to kill Iris and they almost did. When he saw that gun fire and she fell down, he thought she was going to die. He was someone that normally wouldn't kill but when it came to Iris or his friends he would have to resort to deadly violence. He kneeled down and saw that she was just grazed, he sighed in relief. He quickly took her out of the cabin and Maria told him about another cabin that use to be a safehouse for Shield. He bandaged her wounds and wouldn't leave her side until she woke up.

After he talked to her and she fell asleep he couldn't stop thinking about how close she was to dying, this was the second time. He could not put her in danger anymore, this had to stop but knew it never would. He took a deep breath walked outside to have some privacy and made a phone call he didn't want to make but knew he had to, it's dialing.

"Secretary Ross, you better be calling to tell me the job is finished."

"What job would that be? Killing my girlfriend?" He only says.

"Rogers?" He snarls.

"I'm sorry, were you expecting someone else...because if you were I'm afraid he won't be answering your call...he's kind of dead."

"You son of a bitch!"

"You will not stop at nothing to turn or kill me, are you?"

"I have no idea what your talking about, I want to find you because you are a wanted man, your a fugitive, a traitor." Ross says with confidence.

"I'm the traitor? Cut with the bullshit, I know everything."

"Rogers, I have no idea what your talking about...but you do have one point...I will stop at nothing to find you."

Steve was hoping he would give himself away when he called but he wasn't falling for it. He could tell that Ross was starting to get suspicious and was going to hang up. He knew at this moment that he might have to do something that he didn't want to do but had to in order to free her from this dangerous life.

"You want me so bad? Fine, let's meet." Steve suddenly says, "Just me and you."

"You want to meet? How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"You don't...but this is the only time I am going to make you this offer, are you going to meet me or not?"

"...Fine, just you and me."

He gives Steve the address and they hang up. He goes inside her room and leans down in front of her, he strokes her head softly, "Don't worry Iris...you'll be safe now..." He whispers, she stirs a little bit by his touch, "I love you." He finishes saying as he kisses her forehead gently.

He walks out and he sees that Sam and Natasha finally arrived, he gives them a little smile, "Is she okay?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah...she's fine." He softly says.

"Maria will be underground for a little while but will keep in contact with us." Sam says.

"Okay..." Steve replies, "Guys...I need to go somewhere...please stay with Iris...protect her."

"Steve...what are you going to do?" Natasha asked suspiciously.

"Nothing...just I have to go somewhere."

"I'll go with you." Sam says starting to walk to him.

"No...I gotta do this alone...Iris needs you more then I do right now...just please take her of her."

"Okay...we won't leave her side." Natasha says, still unsure of Steve's choice to go alone.

"Thanks...thanks for everything you've done."

"Steve...are you okay?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"Yeah...I'm fine, I'll be back soon." Steve replies not sure if he is lying or not, giving them both a little hug.

Steve drives 3 hours away to meet Ross, he's emotionless the whole way, he just thinks about Iris the whole time. He comes into a empty warehouse, he sees Ross standing there all by himself.

"Finally..." Ross says with a smile.

"Are you so desperate to brainwash me that you would kill innocent people?" Steve asked.

"Oh Rogers, we are way passed brainwashing you. Why do you think my guy was trying to kill you tonight?" He snarls, "After everything you've done...killing my men, taking down my bases and destroying everything that I rebuilt. I want you dead and I would do anything even killing your precious girlfriend." Ross glares, Steve knew it was just a matter of time before he tried to kill her again. In that moment he knew what he had to do.

"...How about we make a deal?" He speaks after a few minutes.

"What deal?"

"You leave Iris and my friends alone...you can have me..."

"I'm not falling for it Rogers." Ross said with an eye roll.

"I'm serious...kill me and spare them..."

"You won't fight back?" Ross asked with a smirk.

"No." Steve just says.

"You've got a deal, I will leave your girlfriend only."

"And my friends."

"...And your friends." Ross agrees.

Ross whistles and 5 men with guns surrounds Steve, "Tie his hands." He says as two men tie Steve's hands behind his back, Steve doesn't try to stop it, he's keeping his word. "Before we finish this...we're going on a little trip first." Ross says with a smile.

They shove a bag over Steve's head and put him in a windowless van. Steve couldn't tell how long he had been in the van but they eventually pulled him out and shoved him in another vehicle, he could hear right away that they were on some sort of jet and again he didn't know how long they were up in the air but eventually he was pulled out and they took the bag off his head. They were standing by a bridge and he immediately knew exactly where they were.

"Do you recognize this place?"

"Of course I do, I could never forget Germany" He said with a smile, Ross backhands him in the face.

"This is the exact spot where you were responsible from us taking back our ship! You have no idea the trouble you caused me that night you son of a bitch!"

"So there was something on that ship that proved you were Hydra?" Steve asked.

"Yes, you forced us to destroy everything!" Ross snarled while Steve just smiled.

"I'm just glad the last two years wasn't a complete waste." Steve replied as Ross backhand him again, Steve spits a little bit of blood from his mouth, "How long have you been Hydra? Since you helped create Abomination?"

"Long before then." He answered with a grin, "I will eventually find and get my hands on Banner too."

"Good luck with that." Steve rolled his eyes as Ross glares at him.

" Finish it!" He shouts to his men.

All 5 men surround Steve and start beating him up, all taking turns, kicking his face and body. Steve's hands are still tied behind his back, he's not trying to fight back. He goes on his knees and he sees Ross nod his head as one of his men stands in front of him and shoots him 3 times then all 5 men pick him up and shove him off the bridge into the freezing water, Ross looked down and saw him drift to the water below.

"I finally got you!" Ross says with a smile.

"Are we going after his girlfriend sir?" One of the men asked.

"No...I always keep my word, besides with him gone she's useless now, she won't be a problem at all and without him interfering we can finally rebuild everything he destroyed." He smiles, "let's go before someone sees us."

Oh no! He sacrificed himself! Is he dead? Could it be true?