Chapter Twenty Three

Steve woke for his morning routine, Kay only grumbled something incoherent and rolled over taking all of his blankets. He came back and gave her a small kiss on her cheek as she mumbled something about him calling in sick. He stroked her temple til she fell back asleep and then pulled on his normal bike jacket to go to work. He put on his sunglasses as he noticed Nat leaning against his car.

She smiled as she held up his keys to his bike which was parked nearby, "I tuned it up."

"Gee, thanks," he said as he saw her smile. It was strangely creepy. He slid into the passenger seat the same moment she slid into the passenger. He sighed, "go ahead. Ask."

She pretended to be uninterested as he started the car, "traffic on the way up. We'll be on time though if we leave right now."

He starred at her, "we'll go when you get whatever you're itching about out of your system."

She almost lost her cool by cracking another smile, "well, how was it?"

He pulled the car out of the spot, "how was what? Dinner, nice but I think I overwhelmed her."

"No, not that," she grumbled. "Did you seal the deal?"

"Sounds like a bad mission name."

"God, you're infuriating."

"Like I've said before, you want to know details you ask her," he smiled and she grumbled something about saving his ass far too many times to be treated that way.

"A gentleman never tells his lady's secrets."

"Ahah! You're lady?"

"Do you have to micro analyze my conversations every morning?"

She shrugged and reached into the back seat, "well, you should read the tabloids? Man they print them fast."

They came to a stop light and he glanced over at the tabloid in her hands. It was a picture of him opening the car door with her, with bold red, white and blue writing, 'Mrs. America? Meet Cap's New Gal!'

He glanced away and focused on driving, "you tipped somebody."

"Oopsy."

He sighed.

She put the tabloid in the back seat, "in other news, guess who got us access?"

"Maria?"

She nodded with a smirk, "she's brilliant."

He drove quietly the rest of the way, although he could feel Natasha smirking underneath the ten layers of stoic cold Russian spy she put on. As they got the facility, she asked as he got out, "can I ask one thing?"

He shrugged.

She slammed the door, "did she like ninja turtles?"

He snorted, "you'll have to ask her."

"Aw come on, that's low," she complained as she walked after him as he handed her the keys.

Maria was waiting for them at the door. She was starred at him, "I hope your date went well."

Steve replied with a smile, "it was great."

"You tell her?!"

Maria rolled her eyes at Natasha, "are you jealous that you aren't his number one anymore? Agent Romanoff?"

Steve kept his eyes forward.

She tilted her head, "you know, I was at first but I think she might have more skills that I do."

"Oh," Maria teased. "By the way, I like Kayura's descreet cover."

Steve replied, "she doesn't seem to mind it. I think she might have subtle plan to make Tony pay for his wandering love interests."

Nat grinned, "that'll be nice."

"He can't grab her anymore either," Steve almost grinned.

"See I told you, he's vengeful," Nat hissed to Maria loud enough for him to hear.

Maria pretended to whisper back, "oh boy, Pepper is not going to like it."

Steve just ignored them.

Maria realized she should get to business, "so we've got an appointment today to see the Black Cat. We're going to take Rhodes and Wilson."

"Why not Vision and Wanda," asked Nat.

"Liabilities," she said with a pause. "And part of our protocols with him. The stuff in his head is worth more with him dead than him alive."

Steve asked, "then why do you keep him? It sounds like he's dangerous all around?"

"Same reason we have you both," she replied honestly. "Although you are worth more dead, there's a risk that keeping you alive will all make it worth it in the end."

"Isn't she lovely first thing in the morning," Nat cooed with sarcasm.

Steve added, "glad I'm useful for something around here."

"Anyways, he's currently in the Sate Library."

"The library," asked Natasha and saw Maria roll her eyes.

"Don't ask, just meet me and the two fly boys at the hangar in ten," she ordered as she walked.

Natasha sighed, "if she was this bossy with those kids, no wonder they're head cases."

Steve ignored her comment, "I'll meet up with you."

Nat shrugged, "hey, if this doesn't compromise us you owe me details!"

He ignored her again as he went to find Wanda, she was where she usually was. Training her 'magic' against moving targets. She asked with a thick accent, "you better not be involving yourself."

"Can't help it."

She turned around, "even though Kay specifically asked you not to?"

He scratched his eyebrow, "yes, well...I care don't I?"

"Hm," she said softly and he could feel her judgements. "Just don't be stupid. Remember Socovia when you told us to walk off death."

"Yeah..."

"Well, if you get killed, walk it off."

He said, "keep an eye on her. Alright?"

"Not hard, considering her new identity," she said with a smirk as as he walked out to go change and grab his shield.

Steve found Rhodes and Wilson grinning at him as he approached the quinn jet and Steve groaned, "what did Nat say?"

"Juicy details," Wilson said knocking him in the shoulder as they walked up the ramp.

Steve scowled, "what exactly?"

"In the car," Rhodes asked with a gasp.

"On the roof," added Sam with an exaggerated smirk.

"In the living room," Rhodes cooed.

Steve was doing his best not to let his cheeks turn red and Nat smiled, "in the bath tub."

Maria growled, "if you four are done acting like foolish teenage hormonal boys, then can we leave?"

"I take offense to that," Nat complained, "foolish hormonal teenage girl is much better."

Steve sat down quietly as Rhodes barked out a laugh and took the co pilots seat. Sam sat next to him, "you know we were only teasing."

Steve nodded, "I know."

"You have a good time?"

Steve knew he wasn't asking about specifics, "she's better at dancing than I am."

Nat glared at him from across the plane and he smiled with a wave. Sam said, "she's going to kill you if you mess this up, y'know."

"Which part, this? Or Kay?"

"Both," he paused. "But mostly Kayura, I think she actually enjoys seeing you twitterpated."

Steve shook his head.

The rest of the flight was rather quiet, although an occasional snark from Sam or Rhodes made Nat burst out laughing. They landed on a nearby roof and very carefully made their way to the library. Maria hissed at Rhodes and Wilson, "stay here, no one in or out. NO ONE."

They saluted her as the three headed in.

Steve saw the old man sitting a table with books piled high. He had a cigar in one side of his mouth and his feet kicked up on another chair. The man was probably in seventies, but he looked very good. He wore all black, and seemed to be very muscular. He flipped a page as they approached and Maria said, "Black Cat."

He rolled his blue eyes up, "you must be the S.H.I.E.L.D agent who bartered for my temporary freedom."

She nodded, "I'm..."

"I know who you are," he smiled as he looked at the other two. "Very well in fact."

"Black Cat, if you please," Maria said straining to keep polite.

"Walter,"he insisted closing his book and standing up. He walked past her and straight to Steve, "it's very nice to meet my boyhood hero. Walter Hardy."

Steve shook the man's hand, realizing Felicia was his daughter, "I assume you don't need my name then, sir."

"No, not with a trap like mine," he said tapping his temple and smiling at Natasha. "Miss Romanoff, you are even more lovely in person."

He kissed her hand and Nat smirked at Steve, "now that's charming."

Steve rolled his eyes.

"Not now," Maria hissed at Nat.

The older gentleman looked at the woman again, "and yes, Miss Koji. I know you as well."

She paused, "how..."

"Come now," he said as he returned to his seat. "I've known a lot of brilliant people in my life, I know the eyes that belonged to my friend."

Steve looked at Maria who seemed stunned.

"Yes, I only asked you to bring them along for...curiosity purposes," he said crossing his arms. "It intrigued me when they said that a S.H.I.E.L.D agent was interested in a photo that as far as anyone else was concerned, was just a military photo. How is Miss Kitten by the way? I hear she's married."

Maria nodded, "sort of. That's complicated."

"As are the hearts of people," he said with a smirk. "Clever little Kitten is better at hiding things than she lets on."

"So Hoshi knows where the shard is," Steve asked.

"Why is the shard of any concern to you, it's just an artifact. Leave it be."

Maria rolled her eyes and dropped a photo of his daughter in his lap, "because a very precious asset is following in your shoes and brought said item to very exclusive party."

Walter looked at the picture of her, "Felicia has grown into a fine young woman. How did my daughter come to follow in my footsteps. Miss Koji?"

Maria scowled, "someone paid her."

"Wilson Fisk," he said.

They all frowned.

"Many years ago, he fancied wanting a relic of Japanese lore, a mirror of some sort," he said handing the picture back. "He had many thieves out there looking for items that contained these vibranium shards. I was one of many thieves who was paid handsomely..." He turned to smile at Steve, "and I met the most intriguing young woman who went by Ogre. Clever little demon she was."

Steve saw Nat give him an eye.

"Did you run into an Akuma?"

The three were quiet.

"I take that as a yes," he smiled as he rummaged through his large stack of books and pulled out one. He dusted it off, "so the maiden, traumatized by the mean things her friends said hid herself away in the cave of eternal darkness. The world suffered cold and dark like none other. The gods knew they had to bribe her to come out and light up the day. So Susanoo gave her a sword but she did not come out. Raijin gave her a jewel but she did not come out but it took the god of fields decided to give her a gift like none other. He called her from the cave to take his gift and she starred into the mirror and lit up the day. She realized she was beautiful and the darkness and cold was taken away forever. Sounds lovely, doesn't it?"

The group was quiet.

He slammed it shut, "its bullshit."

"Why do you bring this up," asked Maria.

"Your grandfather hated that story," he said. "You see I think you come here on the premise that you would be helping your little friends who run around in the dark with swords, and bows, and knives but you might be surprised how much your two worlds are intertwined."

"So far none of this making much sense," Nat mumbled.

He crossed his arms, "Captain Rogers, do you think that the tesseract was the only mystical item that Hydra was interested in?"

Steve paused, "I suppose not."

"It was the easiest to get to," he said as he found a bottle of scotch between the stacks of books. "But they had a lot interests in a lot of arcane and absurd, non canonical literature about subjects. One of which was a book called the 'Legend of the Five Armors'."

Maria gulped as he smirked at her.

"After you disappeared, Captain, and the world went back to what it was for a few years, there were strange tales within S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents who had been under cover in Japan helping clean up Hiroshima told stories about demons," he said as he flipped through the books. "Demons in armor, who protected a shrine deep in the forest of were four S.H.I.E.L.D agents who were stationed there. Professor Koji, Spencer Smyth, myself, and a young man named Genichirou Hashiba."

Steve raised a brow.

Walter noted his reaction, "the reports were strange. Anyone, who entered these sacred shrines were either left terrified out of their minds or dead. Those who lived said it was 'demons'. Mr. Koji procured a book while he was in Eastern Europe, he was one of many agents like myself who were known for our nimble fingers."

Maria watched him wiggle his hands, "grandfather, never told me how he came across a lot of his information."

"Only young naive Gen believed the tales the book told, perhaps, he recognized his families crest," he paused. "And we saw ourselves a demon like none other. A set of sentient armor without a man withing, sounds like something Stark would make. It nearly blew our heads off."

Nat asked, "so Rowen never knew his dad was an agent?"

"Nah, Gen was an egghead, he went back to MIT and met Howard and decided to open a rival company because he dislikes the guy so much," he paused. "Koji became obsessed, and Smythe seemed to believe it was a trick."

Maria crossed her arms, "so the book."

"I sent that when he turned eighteen, figured he could use some useful knowledge," Walter laughed. "His Dad insisted on keeping him in the dark."

Maria realized he didn't know that Rowen was a ronin warrior.

"I left S.H.I.E.L.D because they started using Hydra scientists," he paused, "one was a young man named Baron Von Strucker. In that mean time I took to thieving, after all, its what I do best when another young man became interested in the same things we were all so curious about as a young team. At that time, I thought nothing of it, until one of those shards summoned a beast like none other which instead frightening Fisk, enticed him. He paid nicely, so I kept hunting until...Tokyo happened and I went off grid. Little Miss Nakano saved my ass in Afghanistan when I tried to swindle a terrorist group."

"So, how did you meet the Ogre," asked Nat glancing at Steve.

He smiled, "now that's how I got arrested again."

Maria shook her head, "she tied you up in the Moma. You were the one who swiped the Rauschenberg."

Steve complain, "why a Rauschenberg, he paints color splotches."

Walter couldn't help but laugh, clearly realizing the man's disdain for the Black Mountian College, "I had heard you were an artist. Guess you weren't one for the Greenberg and Rosenberg papers."

Steve shook his head.

"I hid a shard in it years ago, realizing no one would dare look for an artifact hidden in a modern painting," he paused. "I guess Wilson realized it. By now, he should at least have a whole mirror."

"But he's in jail," said Nat.

"Not the first time someone has manipulated minions from jail," he said. "How do you think gangs in California work?"

Steve made a mental note about not heading to California with Kay.

Maria nodded as she turned to leave, "thank you, Walter for your help."

Walter smiled at Steve as Nat turned to follow Maria, "I miss Doctor Eskine. He was a nice guy."

Steve asked, "you..."

Walter looked at a book and tossed it to him, "he enjoyed this one."

Steve looked down at a book called Momotaro: The story of Peach Boy. Steve looked up at the man but he saw some agents walking him off. He opened it up and saw a drawing of young boy holding a sword to an Ogre twice his size.