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(It Will Rain-Bruno Mars)
When the team returned to the Tower, Natasha and T'Challa joined them on the roof. Tony, Rhodes, and Steve came out first with grave faces. "Is everyone ok," Natasha asks with a worried face. "More or less," Steve answers and looks behind. Bucky comes out while carrying Alexi; Heidi, wobbly from the nausea, follows behind. T'Challa rushes to embrace Heidi. "I had to come as soon as I heard," he said in a low voice. "I had to…there was no other way," Heidi's voice hitched. "I know dear. I know. I'm sorry you had to do it yourself," he responds while comforting her by running his hand through her hair. He finally let go and turns to Bucky. Tears welled in his dark chocolate eyes and he pets the beast. "He was a good companion. His spirit will run forever in the afterlife," T'Challa said solemnly. "I can take him with me back to Wakanda...have him buried in the palace gardens." "No," she said roughly and gives her friend a cold look. "We'll burn his body but there's something I want to do first." T'Challa nods. Everyone went inside the Tower. Heidi took the leopard and disappeared for a while, after stating she wanted to be alone. Tony went to inform Bruce about Heidi's sickness and the pair waited for her in the lab.
A few short hours later, Heidi joins them in the lab. Her eyes were red from crying but the guys didn't say anything. "So what do we need to do? A blood test?" "That would probably be best. I can see if it's the Formula acting up," Bruce remarks. So they took two vials of blood from her. Tony took one while Bruce took the other. "We'll text you when we have results," Tony says to her. Heidi nods and leaves the lab. She went to T'Challa and the two made tea and sat together on a balcony, overlooking the city. "Thank you for coming. Who told you?" "Would you be surprised that it was Barnes?" She was.
"Really?"
"Yes. I don't think he would want me to tell you that though."
"I wasn't sure how I would have told you."
"I understand. But Heidi," T'Challa states and shifts his gaze to her from the view, "Don't let your anger destroy you. You WILL find Hydra and you will have justice. But don't let it corrupt you. Don't let it change who you are." Heidi didn't respond right away. She kept her vision at the sun setting over the city. "It's hard. Steve and the others try to rein me in but…I don't know…I lose myself and before I know it there are dead bodies." "You were never like that before." "I know…that's what scares me." "Don't be afraid to open yourself up to others. Granted you and I have known each other a long time, so I know what goes through your head…but don't be afraid to let someone else in…He might surprise you." Heidi finally turns to her friend. "Who do you mean 'he'?" "I think we both know who I mean." They were silent for a moment and then they made small talk. Shortly after, T'Challa mentioned that he had to return back home. She escorts him to his chopper waiting for him on the rooftop. They embrace and he kisses her on the cheek. "Take care of yourself," he said. "You too. Thank you again for coming." "Always here for you." She waves goodbye to the King of Wakanda.
A few days later, the team got another hit on a Hydra spy. This time, Heidi was determined to catch him. Along with her usual black leather suit she added another accessory. Alexi's pelt wraps around the right side of her hip with his collar attaching the head to the hind leg on the other side of her hips. The tail portion trails behind her. Her suit felt complete to her. This time, they found the spy in D.C. Heidi, Natasha, and Sam were able to catch him. What disturbed them was how easy it was. Once they have brought him to the compound for questioning, they met up with Steve. Natasha gives him a file of the spy's information. "His name is Schmidt Parker. He used to be an intelligence officer in Germany but after being dishonorably discharged he joined Hydra," Natasha explains to Steve as they watch their hostage through a double mirror glass. Sam was trying to interrogate Schmidt but no such luck. After trying to get information for about an hour, Samgave up and left the room. "He's not going to crack any time soon." "Let me try," Heidi suggests.
Steve cocks an eyebrow. "Why? So you can kill him. We need him alive." "I understand that. But let me try," she urges. She stares intently at Steve until he sighs. "Okay. But if you step one toe out of line, you're done." She nods and enters the room. Bucky goes in too but stands by the door in case she goes too far. She takes her position in front of the spy. He just glares at her. "What were you doing in D.C. Schmidt?" she starts. Nothing. "Look we can do this the easy way or my way. It's entirely up to you." "Let me guess…if I don't talk you'll kill me?" the man finally spoke. Heidi smirks. "Oh killing you would be the last thing I want to do…at least for a while." Schmidt looks her up and down and recognition filled his eyes.
"You're Tamer…" "What's it to you?" His smile creeped her out. "It means everything…you know you're looking a little on the green side." Getting tired of playing the word games Heidi pulls out a pocket knife and plays with it. "Schmidt, if you don't start talking in the next two minutes I'm going to have to start peeling off some finger nails." "So you don't have a clue, do you?" "What are you talking about?" she questions. The man snickers and glances at Bucky. "What's it like with that tight ass?" He jerks his head at Heidi. "I bet she's a screamer." Bucky backhands the spy so hard that he fell over in his chair. Heidi comes over and pulls the guy back up. She slips the knife over his throat from behind and leans close to his ear. "Where is Hydra hiding?" "He's that good, huh…he must be if you're willing to shack up with Hydra's deadliest asset."
"Shit," Steve mutters.
Heidi pulls the knife away only to smash the man's face on to the table a few times before releasing him. Despite the fact he was spitting out teeth the spy began to laugh. "Did I strike a nerve?" "Where is Hydra hiding?" "We're everywhere…" "That's what the last one said. Give me a location." She grabs a hand and aims the knife to his thumb to pluck out a fingernail. The man screams and grunts. "Give. Me. A. Location," she said menacingly. She pulls off another one. He screams again. She was about to take off another one when Bucky grabs her arm. Her head snaps at his direction. Bucky shakes his head. "That's enough," he said in a low voice. In a flash she slips her knife back in her pocket. She uncurls her fingers and rolls her shoulders back to calm herself. Heidi backs away to face the mirror wall. "We're done here." She and Bucky leave the bleeding spy in the room to himself. But by the time they reached the door Schmidt yells out, "Steiner sends his regards!" Heidi freezes at the name. "He says he misses you, his favorite girl!" Bucky grabs a hold of Heidi before she could make a move. "Keep going," he said as he pulls her to the door. Heidi was shaking by the time they reached Steve and Nat. "He's not going to talk. What do you want to do with him?" Bucky remarks to Steve. "We'll have to find another way. In the meantime," he gives Heidi a look, "he has to stay alive." She scowls at him but nodded. "Understood." A moment later, she received a text from Bruce telling her to come to the lab. "I've got to go."