Over a few cups of coffee and some pastries Reina made earlier, Steve told her about the past few days. From rescuing hostages on the Lemurian Star, to seeing Project Insight, going to the Smithsonian exhibit, and visiting Peggy. Reina had sat silent, letting Steve spill all this insecurities and doubts. Reina didn't know what to think either. She knew Shield was into some shading things, like using the tesseract for weapons, but the more Steve told her made her even more doubtful of Shield. This wasn't the idea that Howard and Peggy created. Shield had officially became something totally foreign to Reina.
"So..." Reina finally spoke when Steve had finished. "What are we going to do?"
Steve looked to her. "We?"
Reina smiled slightly, sitting back in her chair.
"What, you think I'd let you go at this all alone?" Reina asked.
"Reina, you got out of this life"
"No. You're never truly out" Reina shook her head. "What's our next move?"
"I'm not sure…nothing for now. I need more information"
Reina could understand that. She hoped that this was all just a misunderstanding. But she highly doubted it.
"Let me know, Steve. I want to help" He and Reina stood. "Not only for you, but for Peggy and Howard too"
!
Reina hadn't heard from Steve in a few days, making her worry. She had went over to his apartment, but no answer. She tried his cell multiple times, leaving voicemail after voicemail with no reply.
"I'm sure he's just busy"
Reina looked over to Sam as he set the coffee mug on the table in front of her. He had been trying to calm Reina's worries the last few days.
"Yea…" Reina had left it at that.
The two sat there, eating the breakfast Sam made for them. There was a sharp knock at the door, Reina looking to Sam.
"…You expecting someone?" She asked.
He looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed. "No" He stood, walking to the door.
Reina's hand instinctively went to the holster at her waist, standing. Sam opened the door, his shoulders relaxing as he spoke to whoever was out there.
"Reina" Sam called behind his shoulder, moving out of the way so she could see who it was.
Reina watched Steve and Natasha come into view. The two were smudged with grim, Natasha leaning against Steve as she breathed heavily.
"Guys…" Reina hurried to them, looking to Sam.
Sam gestured them inside, Reina taking hold of Natasha as she limped. She helped her to the couch, sitting her down. She looked back at Steve.
"What happened?" Reina straightened. "I haven't heard from you in days"
"Fury is dead"
"What?" Reina looked down to Natasha, she nodded her head to confirm.
"And Shield is compromised. It's Hydra"
"What" Reina quickly looked back to Steve.
"Reina" Sam's voice drew her attention to him. "Let's give them a chance to clean up before we start with the interrogation…"
!
Reina sat at the kitchen table, her arms crossed over her chest. Thoughts raced through her mind in quick succession. All the memories from 70 years ago coming back to her as she remembered Hydra and the things they did. They had thought they wiped out Hydra, but it had only been working in secret. Under the guise of Shield. Reina uncrossed her arms, leaning forward to set her palms against her forehead.
"You ok?"
Reina looked up as Steve walked into the kitchen, looking a lot better than a few minutes before.
"Yes…no…" Reina shook her head. "I can't tell yet"
Reina sat back again, watching Steve sit. Reina shook her head.
"I told them…I told them Operation Paperclip was a huge risk and a mistake" Reina shook her head. "When Colonel wanted to recruit Zola into Shield…"
Reina couldn't even finish the sentence, her rage bubbling up in her throat again.
"After what he did to me…to Bucky…" Reina shut her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose to try and quell the tears that were forming.
"Reina…"
Reina looked to Steve.
"None of that was your fault"
Reina scoffed. "If I had stayed in Shield. Hell if I had ran the damn thing after Peggy and Howard retired like they wanted me to. Maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe I would have been able to catch on to Hydra's control"
Reina quieted down as Natasha and Sam joined them. They sat around the table, Reina sitting up.
"Alright…what happened" Reina prepared herself.
!
"So, who in Shield could launch a domestic missile strike?"
"Pierce" Reina and Steve said at once. Natasha and Sam glanced between them.
"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world"
"Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star, wasn't it?" Reina asked.
"Yea, and so was Jasper Sitwell" Natasha nodded.
"So the question is, how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a Shield officer in broad daylight?" Steve asked.
"The answer is, you don't"
Reina looked back to Sam, not even noticing he had left the room and came back. He dropped the file onto the table. Reina looked at it, peering up to Sam.
"Sam. Are you sure?" She asked.
Sam nodded, Reina nodding her head and sat back.
"Alright. Well, your team of two just became four" Reina looked to Steve and Natasha.
"I can't ask you guys to do this" Steve shook his head.
"Captain America needs my help" Was all Sam said.
Reina laughed, pointing to Sam. "What he said"
Natasha picked up the file, flipping through it. "This is Bakhmala. The Khalid Khandil mission, that was you?" Natasha looked up to Sam.
Steve picked up the picture, looking at Sam and Riley.
"Is this Riley?" Steve asked.
"Yeah" Sam nodded.
"I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of RPGs. What did you use, a stealth chute?" Natasha questioned.
"No, these" Sam turned the page, showing the Falcon suit.
"I thought you said you were a pilot?" Steve asked.
"Never said pilot" Sam smirked, crossing his arms.
"Where can we get our hands on one of these?" Steve asked.
"Fort Meade" Reina tapped the table.
"Behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall" Sam bobbed his head.
"Shouldn't be a problem. Let's go" Steve set the file down, standing.