Chapter 9

Seeing the Thames River winding through London below them caused Peggy to nearly sigh with relief. Stark landed the helicopter on the roof of a former SSR facility in Greenford. The large, blocky, beige building was just one of many in a neighborhood of factories.

Two guards emerged from the stairwell with rifles at the ready to greet the helicopter. Peggy alighted first, flanked by Belenko and Parker.

"Identify yourselves," the guard on the right yelled over the slowing beat of the rotors.

Peggy still wasn't capable of producing more than a stage whisper, so she waited until the noise of the helicopter abated. "Margaret Carter of S.H.I.E.L.D. I have five agents, one of whom is injured, one civilian, and one prisoner. I should hope MI6 can provide temporary assistance."

One of the guards pulled out a radio and moved out of earshot. When he returned, he nodded to his partner, who lowered his weapon. "This way, please."

The inside of the facility was mostly unchanged since Peggy, Howard, and Steve had last been there five years earlier. The lighting was dim and the space was designed for utility, not comfort. Fortunately, the medical bay was still staffed, and Parker and one of the guards accompanied Pearson to the doctor.

"I thought you said one prisoner," a male English voice said from behind them. Peggy turned quickly to see an average looking man in a brown tweed suit. "A pleasure, Director Carter. I'm Agent Smythe."

"This woman is the prisoner," she replied, gesturing to Reed, who was being detained by Dugan. She didn't miss Smythe's glance at Steve's cuffed wrists.

"I'd appreciate a secure location as a precaution," Steve said. His matter-of-fact attitude accompanied by handcuffs only perplexed Smythe.

"A separate location from our prisoner," Peggy added hastily.

Smythe nodded to the remaining guard, who escorted Reed down the hall. "I trust you can explain your unusual circumstances?"

"Need to know. You know how it goes."

Smythe's genial attitude started to slip. "May I remind you this is no longer an SSR facility. I'll see to it your agents are well cared for, but we need to talk."

Smythe led her to his office where a large desk held a porcelain tea service on top. He rounded the desk and gestured for Peggy to sit in the chair across from him. He silently poured a cup of tea and handed it to Peggy.

"And now I'd like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. has shown up at my door."

Peggy held the warm teacup without drinking and began to recount a highly edited version of the events of the past week. Smythe listened quietly while he sipped his tea.

"I suppose we ought to thank you for putting a damper on their nuclear weapons program," Smythe commented when she was finished. "However, I trust you won't be staying long."

"We are all quite anxious to get home."

Smythe looked satisfied with her answer and insisted she see the doctor, personally accompanying Peggy to the medical office where a man with graying red hair was wrapping a clean bandage around Pearson's shoulder.

"How are you holding up, Agent Pearson?" Peggy asked. His face was pale, making the fading purple and yellow bruises on his face stand out in stark relief.

"I'm doing better, ma'am."

The doctor tied Pearson's arm in a sling. "A few weeks of rest, and you'll be good as new." He turned his attention to Peggy. "That's quite a bruise you have, my dear. Have a seat. You're my first attempted strangulation this month."

Peggy looked at the doctor curiously but perched on the edge of the exam table while the doctor, who introduced himself as Bennett, examined her throat and eyes. "I don't see any broken cartilage. I'll give you something for the swelling, but you need to rest."

"I need to check on my team, doctor," Peggy replied as Dr. Bennett rummaged through a cupboard of vials. He removed one and filled a syringe. Peggy held still while he administered the injection.

"That's the problem with all you agents. Too much work and no rest. I'll have someone find you some fresh clothes, and you can wash up."

"Another member of my team was injured. Smythe will know where he is."

"I'll see to him as soon as we're done here and you promise to rest."

Peggy wanted to protest, but she was suddenly feeling very tired and lay back on the exam table.

"Apologies, my dear, but it's the only way agents like you ever take a break."

Some time later, Peggy woke up in a private room by herself. She groggily got to her feet and shuffled to the door, finding an attached bathroom with a shower. A pile of clothes lay neatly folded on the countertop next to a soft ivory towel. Peggy picked up a small object from the top of the clothing pile and her fuzzy mind identified it as lipstick. Some kind soul included a fresh tube of Victory Red. She still wasn't going to forgive the doctor for drugging her, but a hot shower sounded better than slugging the doctor at this point.

The shower did more for her than any drug the doctor could give her. She towel dried her hair as well as she could and donned the stockings and royal blue dress that was just a little too big. She cinched the belt tight and pulled on her black boots that didn't go with the full-skirted dress at all. With a swipe of red lipstick added, the face in the mirror looked like her own again...almost. She pulled the collar of the dress up higher to try to hide the dark bruise spanning her throat.

She walked back through the room to a door on the opposite side, assuming the hallway lay beyond. Peggy took a few wrong turns before getting her bearings. She wasn't sure where to find Steve or her agents, but she had a few ideas, starting with the brig.

Steve was in a barred cell with handcuffs still attached. He hadn't had the luxury of a shower, but someone provided him a shirt that was clean, albeit a bit small. "This really isn't necessary," she told the black-clad guard sitting in a chair beside the cement wall. She was relieved to hear her voice returning to normal.

"I asked them, Peggy," Steve interjected before the guard could answer. "Reed is in a locked solitary room where she can't cause trouble."

"Then you should be fine," she replied with more confidence than she felt. She stepped right up to the bars but Steve backed away. "Are you okay?"

"I could have killed you," he said in a low voice, ignoring her question. His eyes went to the dark bruise on Peggy's neck. "How do I apologize for that?"

"You don't," she replied briskly, placing her hands on the bars. "What happened wasn't your fault. Did you wish to hurt me?"

"Of course not," Steve said in horror. "It was like I wasn't in control of my own body."

A slight scraping noise to her left indicated the guard standing up to leave them in peace. She waited a moment for the sound of footsteps to recede. "But something stopped you."

"I could hear you, and I tried to fight it, but this," he reached awkwardly with both hands to pull something out of his pocket. "This brought me back." He opened his fist to reveal the golden compass.

Peggy stared at it thoughtfully. "It also triggered your memories before. Perhaps something was built into the programming as a safety switch."

"Maybe it's safer with you for now." He held out the compass to her, but Peggy grasped his hand firmly.

"We will fix this. S.H.I.E.L.D. has a number of brilliant scientists, and I promise you I will do everything I can to help."