Thanks to The Literary Lord, who along with a friend has started a TVtropes page for this and The Super Friends Squad. I appreciate it and am genuinely amazed my story has garnered that sort of attention!
Chapter 26: For the Greater Good
'Bringing down SHIELD. Adora's Father really is a bold man..' Catra thought as she left the bunker to get some fresh air. She leaned on the railing that overlooked a nearby cliff and sighed deeply. 'Adora's holding herself together a lot better than I would have thought. Neither of us exactly emotionally stable.' As if on cue, Adora was suddenly beside Catra, leaning on the railing as well. "Hey, Adora."
"Hey Catra." Adora said, looking over at her.
"How's it going in there?" Catra asked.
"Fury's working with the others to plan our moves out more specifically." Adora admitted. "Dad said he had something he needed to get. I've got the rendezvous coordinates so when you're ready we can head out."
Catra nodded. "Going head to head with SHIELD. My god this is gonna be rough." She deadpanned.
"Was that worry Catra? Oh wow it is the end of days." Adora quipped, trying to lighten to mood.
"Hey, I worry about you Adora." Catra admitted. "You've been through a lot this week."
Adora grimly chuckled. "More than you realize Catra." She admitted, looking at Catra. "I just found out while trying to patch Nat's bullet wound that she's my mother." Catra's eyes widened and Adora explained, "Turns out they used a sample of her blood….guess Dad's wasn't preserved good enough to be a complete DNA sample."
"Adora you seriously won the fucking lottery for parents, y'know?" Catra deadpanned. "The first ever Superhero and the ultimate Super Spy." She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "And who do I end up with? Some nameless guy and a HYDRA scientist who spent most of our lives puppeted by some evil freaking god."
"Maybe when this is done...you can go through SHIELD's files." Adora asked, optimistically. "Clearly Zola had our files, so there's gotta be something in there about who your real dad is."
"That's the plan Adora." Catra chuckled. "Fingers crossed that he's not some nazi douchebag."
As the two laughed together, Adora caught sight of Steve in the corner of her eye and smiled. "Wow. You're actually breaking out that old number." She laughed. Catra was rather interested in what Adora meant and turned to face Steve. She was very surprised to see Steve wearing his old World War II uniform. "I hope you plan to return that to the museum, Dad."
"Well, when I'm done with it." Steve admitted, shrugging. "Turned out my SHIELD uniform had a tracker. Plus...I feel Bucky would recognize this."
"Dad…" Adora started, trying to find the right words to say without sounding cruel. "How do we know Buycky's even still in there."
"We don't. But like I said about Catra….when you have a friend like Bucky, you do NOT let him go." Steve told her. "I have to try."
SHIELD was on high alert, as Project Insight neared completion. In a few moments, as far as they knew, they'd be making the world a better and safer place. So why did Kyle feel so uneasy?
The last week or so had been completely insane for the young Agent. Nick Fury was murdered. Captain America, Adora and Catra were named as traitors. And To top it all off, Jasper Sitwell was found murdered on the freeway very recently. Furthermore, STRIKE agents seemed to be preparing for war. Carrying this unease, he went to meet up with Agent Hunter, just to have someone to talk to.
"You're being paranoid." Artemis told him, looking out the windows.
"Artemis, you can't tell me none of this feels off." Kyle retorted. "Captain fucking America turns traitor and Pierce won't tell us why? Catra and Adora turning terrorist despite absolutely no indication of them doing it?"
"What are you suggesting…?" Artemis asked, quietly so as not to draw attention.
"I'm saying it sure feels like someone is tying up loose ends." Kyle replied, giving her a sharp glare.
"Attention All SHIELD Agents." A voice called out over the intercom, startling both of the agents. "This is Steve Rogers."
"Steve? He's alright? Thank god." Kyle said with relief.
"You've heard a lot about me and my daughter the last few days, Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down." Steve continued. Artemis listened intently, Kyle's words causing her to question what she thought she knew for the first time in years. "But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader."
"Son of a bitch." Artemis growled under her breath. She looked over at Kyle, who was already checking the safety on his gun, and nodding to her. The two quickly began to bolt towards the Insight command room.
"The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you." The two rounded a corner just in time to see a few STRIKE agents rushing down the hall. The STRIKE agents barely had time to react before the two gunned them down. "They almost have what they want. Absolute control." Kyle quickly picked up one of the dead Agent's rifles and the two continued their charge. "They shot Nick Fury. And it won't end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone who stands in their way….unless we stop them." The two agents kicked open a door to one of the command rooms, where they saw several STRIKE agents attempting to execute the technicians who were refusing their orders, and Kyle opened fire with his rifle. Artemis rushed in and helped escort the unarmed technicians out of the room.
"I know I'm asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high. Always has been." Adora listened proudly to the announcement, sneaking on board one of the Helicarriers with Catra. The two climbed along the side of the Helicarrier, and Adora grabbed one of the STRIKE guards and threw him over the railing. Catra leapt past her and tackled the other guard, slashing his neck with her claws. "And it's a price I'm always willing to pay." Catra helped Adora to the deck, just as a few more guards rushed over. Adora rolled into cover as Catra dodged their gunfire gracefully. "And if I'm the only one, then so be it." Adora kicked the box she was hiding behind as hard as she could, throwing it at their attackers and launching them overboard.
"Showing off, Adora?" Catra quipped.
"Shut up Catra. Come on." Adora replied, them sneaking into the Helicarrier to continue their mission.
"But I'm willing to bet that I'm not."
"No Dad, you're not." Adora commented to herself as she and Catra begin their sabotage.
"Here's hoping Natasha and Fury can deal with Pierce." Catra commented.
"Mom's gonna be fine." Adora replied, smiling. Right up until the Helicarrier's launch sequence began. "What the hell?!"
"Oh fuck me someone's overriding the launch!" Catra yelped. Adora quickly jammed in the blades and literally grabbed Catra, rushing with her to the deck. The two leapt off the ship and barely made it to the walkways before the Helicarriers began to lift off. As they recovered from their landings, they overheard someone demanding the Bay doors be closed, only to be silenced by STRIKE forces opening fire on them. Catra hissed with rage and leapt over the railing, tackling one of the operatives and delivering a leaping kick to another. The soldiers turned their guns on her, when Adora jumped down, landing on one of them, and stomping his spine. She quickly picked up a rifle and returned fire. Catra continued to use her speed to dodge around the soldiers, even making a few of them shoot one another.
Adora quickly activated her earpiece. "Dad they're launching early!" she shouted, firing at the soldiers.
"I know, Adora. Sam and I are moving to take them out. Did you and Catra reach your objective?" Steve replied, sounding like he was running.
"We got the blades in. What about Mom?" Adora asked. Steve was quiet a moment, so Adora clarified. "Nat."
"Haven't heard back from her yet. Where are you right now?" Steve asked her.
"In a shootout with STRIKE in the hanger."
"Can you make it to Pierce?" Steve asked.
"We'll do our best dad." Adora confirmed, headshotting an agent who attempted to strike Catra with his Stun rod. "Come back alive, you hear me!"
"Same to you Adora." Steve replied, cutting the call and rushing off to stop the last two helicarriers. Asn the conversation ended, Adora was finally out of bullets for her rifle, and she and Catra had easily cleared the room. They quickly checked for any surviving SHIELD loyalists.
"Alright….now what?" Catra asked with a shrug.
"I'm going to make sure Mom's alright." Adora said, rushing off before Catra could stop her.
Outside, in the streets of DC, Kira was walking with her parents, enjoying her day. She hadn't told a soul about encountering Adora and Catra earlier in the week, nor did she intend to. Watching the sky, her eyes caught the sight of three Helicarriers beginning to rise. "Look at that. Think SHIELD's doing some kinda demonstration?" she asked her parents.
"I'm not sure, Kira." Her mother replied. "They're flying...strangely." As if on cue, the Helicarriers suddenly opened fire one one another and began raining debris down on the streets, causing a mass panic.
One of the debris began falling right towards the family, and as Kira was about to scream, her father stepped forward. "Stay close to me!" He yelled out, making strange hand gestures, the sight of which calmed Kira down. As he made a circle motion, he opened up a magic portal above himself and his family, warping the Debris away from them. His wife and daughter hugged him, thankful to be alive, and that he had the training he did. "...The Ancient One's gonna be pissed I used a spell publicly." the apparent sorcerer sighed.
Pierce was furious.
First, he's outed as the head of HYDRA, then the World Security Council turns on him, then one of them turns out to be Natasha Romanoff wearing a Photostatic Veil. Then, Nick Fury turns out to be alive, and helps Romanoff upload all of SHIELD and HYDRA's secure files to the internet. And even when he thought he had things under control, killing the World Security Council and using Romanoff as a hostage, he was forced to watch the Helicarriers being destroyed.
"What a waste." he growled in anger at the sight of HYDRA's dream going up in flames.
Natasha smugly smirked. "So, you still on the fence about Rogers' chances?" She asked Pierce, subtly removing the false access badge she had been given, which had been used to administer a lethal shock to the other members.
Pierce was undeterred, readying the badge on his phone and moving close to Natasha. "Time to go 'Council Woman,' Come on." He stated, motioning for her to move, intending fully to keep her nearby as a hostage. All he needed to do was go off the grid, and HYDRA can rebuild. "You're gonna fly me out of here."
"You know…" Fury said, looking away. "There was a time I would have taken a bullet for you."
"You already did." Pierce deadpanned. "And you will do so again when it's useful to me-" He was cut off from his gloating as Natasha shocked herself with the badge. Everything happened at once then. He panicked, trying to get his control back up and running. Fury dove for a weapon….and a gunshot rang out. A sharp pain shot through Pierce's midsection before he even noticed the bullet wound. Pierce's first instinct was to look at Fury, but noticed he hadn't fired yet. Looking towards the doorway, he noticed Adora was staring coldly at him, holding a smoking handgun. "Tch...brought down by Baby Captain America."
Adora narrowed her eyes. "You forgot one thing." She said with an eerie calm, before firing several rounds from her gun into Pierce's chest, slowly approaching him as she unloaded her gun. He collapsed weakly onto his back and she took aim once more. "I was raised to be a killer." She fired her final bullet directly between Pierce's eyes, finally ending the life of HYDRA's leader. As she stared at Pierce's body, Catra finally caught up with her and was left silent.
"Romanoff." Fury's voice shook Adora out of her anger and changed it to worry. She quickly ran over to Natasha's side and checked her pulse. "Natasha!"
"Mom, please be okay…" Adora said quietly, Catra coming over and resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Ow…" Natasha groaned, opening her eyes. "Those really do sting."
"Not to interrupt but…..Those helicarriers are coming this way." Catra commented. "We may wanna get the fuck outta here."
Days Later….
"You two sure you're gonna be okay?" Adora asked Kyle and Artemis, walking with them briefly before he met up with Catra.
"We should be fine." Kyle reassured. "Sharon, me and Kyle managed to get jobs in the CIA with our credentials."
"I mean you both earned it. You saved a lotta lives." Adora told them, smiling fondly.
Artemis sighed deeply and put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, Adora… I'm-"
"Don't apologize." Adora told her, patting the hand. "You were following orders. I understand that. Unfortunately." Artemis smiled back as her as her and Kyle started to walk off.
"What'll you do now anyway Adora?" Kyle called as they were walking off.
"Well, be a full time Avenger, obviously!" Adora replied. "But first, I made a promise to Catra about something…"
Catra and Adora began to sift through the SHIELD files that had been uploaded publicly, as soon as they could before the American Government inevitably covered it all up. All of the files about Doctor Santos's 'Neo-Winter Soldier' were fairly easy to find. They quickly scanned over everything they could, scrolling until they came across Catra's file.
"Here we are…" Catra said quietly. "Catra Claudine Santos. Birthday, Bloodtype, everything's here." The two read through the notes quickly. "Subject adapts to the Feline DNA well. The doctors theorize this is because of the genetics of the Male donor-" Her voice was caught in her throat as she read the name. Even Adora was stunned silent.
"You've gotta be kidding me." Adora said quietly. "That's so many layers of screwed up. Catra gulped, and continued reading.
"The Male donor, Sergeant James "Bucky" Barnes….whose genetic material was harvested during one of many surgeries to perfect the original Winter Soldier project."
To Be Continued….
Twist Ending. That someone ALREADY saw coming apparently. I really hope that reveal is taken well, it was a lot harder to hint at than I thought without making it obvious.
On that note...this arc. This fucking arc. Why is it that Winter Soldier, one of my favorite MCU movies, was such a BITCH to adapt to this story!? This arc felt like the embodiment of burnout to me and I am terrified that it shows in my writing. The only thing that kept me going was the support of my readers, and my excitement at future arcs. I really did feel like I ended up having to shoehorn the two into this story…
On a happier note, I hope you all enjoyed the Cameo this chapter. He's gonna be important in the future.
I do not own the MCU or She-Ra.
Please leave a Review if you enjoyed, I really appreciate it.
NEXT TIME: I'm not sure if I'm gonna do filler or jump directly into Age of Ultron.