CHAPTER 3: First step to freedom

-Stand back. Move away please, move! - director Fury bellowed, entering the room - Wanda, what's going on?!

-I-I think it worked, sir.

-Did she say anything? - Fury asked with restlessness.

-Her name is Katelin Ravenwood. That's all we know for now.

-Katelin? - Nick approached her slowly - Look at me, this is very important. What do you remember? Are all your memories back?

Kat still couldn't calm down. All trembled and still in shock, she tried to sit down on the bead. As soon as she lifted her head, the pain forced to lay down again. Taking a few deep breaths, she saw the way everyone was looking at her. They wanted to know. Kat closed her eyes for a brief moment just to sort everything out and try to understand what the hell just happened.

-No, only small part. - she said after a long while, opening her eyes - Most of them are just blurred images that I cannot read. But yeah, I do feel fine, thanks for asking.

-Forgive my directness, I'm really glad that you're ok, but if there's anything specific that you would like to share with us...

-No problem, I got used to that. And believe me, if there was something important for your 'war' I wouldn't hide it. Strucker and his assistants never let me in on the details of their experiments. They only told me things vital to my survival. - Kat replied emphatically.

But none of them should be of your concern.

Kat's shaking body finally calmed down and she started getting used to her present state of mind. She was able to remember small pieces of her past, but she felt like the rest is just to reveal. They were in her mind, not blocked anymore but too deep to be remembered that quickly. It was sort of irritating, knowing but not remembering. But Kat didn't care. Actually, she felt better than for the past 15 months that she had spent in HYDRA's base.

First step to freedom... - Kat couldn't help smiling.

-Katelin, I'm so sorry for that. I was just about to stop when... when it all... - Kat just realized that Wanda, standing in Pietro's embrace, was still staring at her on the verge of hysteria.

-Oh, Wanda, please, don't be. - Kat sit on the bed slowly, making sure that the pain won't come back - I'm alive and what's more I have some of my memories back. You can't imagine how grateful I am, I owe you a big favorite. - Wanda seeing Kat smiling, calmed down her nerves and sighted with a relief.

-You scared the hell out of me, don't you dare to do that again! - she said quickly taking Kat's hand. She didn't expect that direct gesture. Sitting like that for a second, Katelin saw Pietro out of the corner of her eye. He was smiling. At her. She couldn't believe how devastatingly handsome he was at that moment.

What is wrong with this guy? At one moment he acts like an ass and a few minutes later gives me that... smile - she felt like melting and she didn't like it at all. She hated her reactions to handsome man, always the same.

-You must be really exhausted - said Fury, as always at the worst possible moment.

-I agree that I would be happy to have some rest.

-That's unfortunate because we have a very important case to talk about. Follow me -director led her out of the room, helping her to walk. They heading towards the lift and leaving everybody, including Pietro, behind.

Calm down, you stupid idiot!

Always the same, she was too soft. Definitely.

Katelin and director Fury entered the lift. There was some stupid tune playing in the background. He didn't say a word making this ride really awkward. Kat looked at her reflection in the big mirror on her left hand-side. She looked as if she was run over by a train, as usual of course, but better then before. After a short while, the lift stopped, what greatly pleased Katelin. They were on the highest level. Fury led her through a grey corridor and and than, through a big door. They found themselves in a pretty luxurious and modern office, belonging to Fury, as Katelin supposed. She wasn't mistaken. Director sat beside a huge desk and pulled out of the drawer a file of documents.

-Once I have lived up to our agreement, let's talk about the Avengers initiative. - Kat knew this was coming. Despite she knew that it was all about her powers, not herself, she was flattered by Fury's eagerness to have her in his team.

-I'm all ears - she replied, gladly sitting by Fury's desk.

-I know that you are very talented and that your gift is very special. I believe you, but still I am waiting impatiently to see them.

At this point Kat realized that her powers aren't bounded anymore. She wasn't sure how much she could show him in her state. So taking a deep breath, Katelin rubbed her palms. She raised one hand and Fury saw something looking like a violet-blue flame. It's shape was still changing, turning into all the geometric figures. But not only he could see it, he could hear it. The sound wasn't very pleasant but with every new shape of the flame, the sound changed. It was a combination of wishing, cracking and squeaking. But there was more to it. Somewhere in the background, he could hear music. As if it wanted to reveal it self but it was too weak.

-You wandered how sound looks like, right? - Kat said smiling - I'm not sure how that's going to end, but I'll try. Do you like Vivaldi? - she asked not even waiting for Fury to answer.

With one flick of her wrist the flame exploded into millions threads, every one of them made a different sound, but together they created music - Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Just as instruments, the violet-blue threads 'played' the theme that Raven told them to. Kat's hands and fingers were moving gently as if she'd been controlling every single move of all the threads. The themes kept changing from one to another together creating fluent sounds, which in Fury's brain turned into the most beautiful music, Fury has ever heard. A big smile grew on her face when she saw Director's face. - You didn't expect that, did you? - she said, when the threads begun to return towards her palm and the music started to fade, when it completely died away.

-No, I didn't - after a while Fury managed to answer. - That was very beautiful, but can you explain me how can this be... well, dangerous?

-How good are you with physics? - Katelin asked, smiling.

-Clearly not good enough to understand your power.

-The sound is a wave, obviously. So, creating a very powerful sound wave can push away trucks or bring down buildings, which I have yet to learn - Kat smirked. - But for now it... - at that point Katelin stammered. She remembered all these innocent lives she had been forced to take and all the pain that she caused. - For now I'm strong enough to kill with such waves. Or knock people down with some low ultrasounds.

Director listened without interrupting her and once she finished, Fury passed her a briefcase, still without saying a word. Kat opened it and looked through the papers. Conditions, regulations and other boring stuff.

- What am I supposed to do with it?

-Read and sign it, preferably. In the living quarters there's a room waiting for you. Once you sign it, you will be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

-What does it mean, actually? What will I have to do?

-We'll give you two days to accommodate and than you'll begin training. If you are to be a part of the team you need to know and learn how we fight. The time between training is to your deposition, in the facility or outside.

-Everything's great... but do I have to read it now? - she asked with resignation looking at the bunch of papers.

-As soon as possible. You're not really allowed to be in here if you're not a S.H.I.E.L.D agent. But given your state I think I can make a small exception.

-Thank you, director. Is that all?

-Yes. Agent Clare Forren will lead you to your room and let you in on all the details.

The doors opened and Katelin saw a short, blonde woman with a doll face. By appearance, Kat would have never suspected that she is a well trained assassin.

-Hello, Raven, it's lovely to see you - she smiled. - Let's go than, no time to loose - she greeted her with a high, melodious voice.

They had a pretty long way ahead. Clare answered every question Kat asked. Mainly it was about the details of The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's work and also other team members. Yes, she wanted to know more about Pietro and she found it exceptionally pathetic. But before Clare mentioned Maximoff twins, Katelin knew everything about the rest of the team. Unfortunately, when asked properly, agent Forren could talk for hours. And accidentally, Kat asked this 'proper' question. But still she preferred listening to a story of how Clare worked under cover as a model than talking about her shitty past. Yeah, that was not so bad.

-...and than there's Wanda and Pietro Maximoff - Katelin suddenly started to listen to what Clare was saying - their history is a long one. They've joined us after the battle of Sokovia, I've told you about before. Well, Pietro actually got shot, few times. He was really close to death, but we managed to save him, what was really difficult, given that he had like 12 bullets inside his chest. - Kat looked at Clare with eyes wide open, but she didn't seem to notice that.

-Wait, what? How is that possible?

-Well, I'm afraid that this is top secret. - Clare smirked - and I'm afraid that I will have to finish another time, we have reached your room.

Well, just in bloody time - said Kat to herself realizing that apparently they've been walking too fast.

Clare opened the door and they entered a small, cozy room. The walls were light grey and on the floor there was a navy-blue carpet. On the wall opposite the door there was a panorama window, looking out on a big forest. Beside the window there was a couch, two armchairs and a small table. Katherine was amazed with a room that she was given. All furniture were very modern in colors of grey and blue with some red accents.

-There's a bathroom. - said Clare pointing on the door on the left - In the closet you'll find some clothes, they should fit you. I have to go now, I have plenty of work to do. It's 6:38 PM right now, nobody will disturb you until tomorrow, 1 PM, ok? You'll have time to rest and read through these files. In case, just call. - she said throwing Kat a cellphone - Yes, it's yours, keep it. You'll need it. - smiling she left.

-Thank you... - that was the only thing Katherine managed to say before being left alone.

Holly shit.

Nothing else came to her mind. Standing like an idiot in the middle of the room, her room she looked around again. S.H.I.E.L.D. was full of surprises. After a while she moved and put the files and her phone on the table and looked through the window. It was cloudy and must have rained not long ago, because raindrops still remained on the pane. It was Katherine's favorite weather, sad and melancholic. Still looking out, she spotted a small training area. There was Steve Rogers training with some recruits. She knew him really well from Clare's stories. Kat watched them for a good while when she felt her eyes closing. Kat looked at the watch on the wall - 7:12 PM.

For more than half an hour I have stood looking out the window. God, what's wrong with me? - sometimes she was just tired of herself. - How am I supposed to be an Avenger if I such an wimp?

She stepped back and headed to the bathroom. It was bigger than she supposed. There was a bath but Kat preferred a shower, she was too lazy to wait for the water fill entire tub. She stripped quickly, minding not to look at the mirror, she was really scared to see her reflection right now. It hadn't been five minutes when she was out, searching the closet for some loose t-shirts. When she found one she put it, brushed her wet hair and walked straight to the bed. Before she layed down she picked up the phone to set an alarm clock.

Knowing me, I'll break this damn phone in a few days.

She put the phone on the shelf beside her bed and before she could realise, she was already asleep.


So, for a brief moment, we're leaving this heavy atmosphere ;) In the next chapters I'll focus more on... well, you'll have to read it yourself!

Please review, it's getting a bit lonely in here!