We Own It (Fast & Furious) - 2 Chainz and Wiz Kahlifa.
"If you cannot get ride of the family skeletion, you may as well make it dance." - George Bernard Shaw.
Katie watched as the world around her passed by in one, giant blur. The events of the past 12 hours were finally catching up to her. She suddenly felt exhausted.
In the past couple of hours, she found out about Project Insight. Thought Nick was on board. Found out he wasn't. Learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. - of all places - was compromised. Watched her good friend get shot. And then watched him die.
Not long after Steve took off out of the window, help arrived. They drove Nick off to the hospital. Sharon said she had business to take care of at S.H.I.E.L.D., so Katie called Natasha and informed her of what was going on before taking a cab to the hospital.
Of course, none of that mattered now anyways. Nick was gone. The one person in the world - besides her mother - that Katie actually felt could outlive her, was gone. Dead. Just like that.
Tears started to sting Katie's eyes, but she didn't let them fall. Crying meant accepting the truth. And there was no way Katie was accepting this.
She had a pretty good idea who was behind this. Steve said they had a metal arm. There was only one person Katie knew of who fit that description and who could've pulled this off. The ghost. Katie had never seen him herself before in her life, but she'd listened. She knew things. She knew about the Winter Soldier.
"Katie."
Looking away from the car window, Katie found Steve watching her with a concerned look. They were both now on their way to the Triskelion. Because Alexander freaking Pierce, of all people, wanted a word with them.
Katie hadn't said a word since the hospital. And she felt a bit of guilt start to swell in the pit of her stomach as she looked at Steve.
"You okay?" He asked her softly. Katie managed to form a small smile, but it felt forced.
"Yeah," was all she said. But it was at this moment that the car stopped outside the Triskelion, which Katie was thankful for. She was starting to feel tears swell up again. It was easier to keep them down if she had to walk through hundreds of people.
Steve sent Katie one last concerned look before they both exited the car. Rumlow lead them into the building and to the elevator in silence. He told them the floor before disappearing off somewhere. Not that Katie minded. Rumlow was a nice enough guy, but Katie really just wanted to be left alone right now.
Honestly. Being here at S.H.I.E.L.D. was the last place Katie wanted to be. She couldn't help be on guard. Continuously looking over her shoulder. And she could tell her father felt the same way by the way he stood, his back straight. Nick told them S.H.I.E.L.D. was compromised, but that wasn't a lot of information to go on. And Katie no longer felt safe in her own home.
The elevator dinged and Steve and Katie stepped out. They walked down the hall and rounded the corner to Pierce's office, where they found Sharon talking to Pierce.
"Captain." Sharon gave Steve a light nod as she walked away, but he didn't even look at her.
"Neighbor."
"Hey," Katie grabbed Sharon's arm and pulled her aside. She waited until Steve was standing in front of Pierce before looking at Sharon. "We need to talk."
Sharon nodded before speaking in a hushed tone. "Meet me at the left entrance in fifteen."
Katie nodded and watched as Sharon turned and walked away. She wanted to find out why Nick had Sharon watching Steve. She wanted to know if there was anything else Nick had been keeping from her. Maybe Sharon had those answers or not. Either way, Katie wanted a word with her.
Taking a deep breath, Katie spun on her heel and found Pierce and her father shaking hands.
"The honor is mine," She heard Pierce say as she walked towards them. "My father served in the 101st."
Katie had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Pierce always did this. Whenever he was meeting someone, he'd find a similarity between him and said person. To make him seem more trusting and friendly.
But Katie didn't buy it.
"Agent Rogers," Pierce gave her a nod. "How are you holding up?"
Was he seriously asking her this?
"Well, I just watched my friend die. So I have to say not very good."
Katie put on her best bitch face as she stared at Pierce. She could feel Steve's narrow eyes on her, but she didn't blink. She didn't trust Pierce, and she never would.
Pierce stared back for a few moments before nodding.
"I know how you're feeling. Come in." Piece gestured to follow him inside.
Katie stepped in, but not before meeting Steve's questioning gaze. She quickly shook her head, silently telling him she'd explain later.
Walking into the office, Katie went straight to the window. She stood there and watched all the agents and people on the ground from above. She didn't listen as Pierce talked to her father. She didn't care about whatever story Pierce was feeding to Steve. She was too busy thinking over everything Nick had told her. Their conversation in Steve's apartment was playing over and over in her head. She was trying to find any secret message she may have missed. Anything to explain what was going on with S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Captain," Katie heard Pierce say. She turned her head slightly to the right and listened more closely. "Why was Nick in your apartment last night?"
"Now Pierce," Katie turned around, arms crossed over her chest. "Don't tell me you think Captain America had something to do with this."
"I'm just trying to find out all the facts." Pierce looked at Katie with piercing eyes. "I don't want anything or anyone to stand in the way of me finding out what happened to my friend."
Katie didn't miss the way Pierce said 'my friend'. And it only caused her to glare harder at Pierce.
"I don't know." Steve answered Pierce's question. There was a hard edge to his voice.
"How about you Agent Rogers," Pierce looked at Katie. "Why was Nick at the apartment."
"I don't know," Katie answered coolly. "I just got back from a month long mission. I was meeting my father at his place and when I showed up Nick was there. We didn't really have time to talk before Steve showed up, and then he was shot."
"Did you know the apartment was bugged?" Pierce looked back over at Steve, turning away from Katie.
"I did," Steve spoke, an annoyed tone finding its way in was voice. "Cause Nick told me."
"He tell you he was the one who bugged it?"
"That's nothing new," Katie pointed out. She took a few slow steps closer. "Everyone knows Nick has trust issues. Plus he likes to keep tabs on the people who work for him, especially the important ones." Katie stopped just a few feet from where Steve and Pierce were sitting. "But he doesn't sit in his office all day, listening in on his agents."
"I take it you know your place is bugged also? For some years now." Pierce raised a challenging eyebrow, but Katie didn't even blink.
"Yes." It wasn't a lie. Katie found out from Nick earlier her place was bugged. She just didn't know how long it'd been bugged for. "And like my father said. Nick told me himself."
Silence fell around the room as Katie and Pierce continue to stare at each other. Until Pierce suddenly looked away from Katie's gaze.
"I want you to see something." Pierce said. He turned to the screen before him and the image of a man being interrogated came up.
"They picked him up last night at a not so save house in Nigeria."
"You saying he's a suspect?" Steve questioned with narrowed eyes."
"No, it's more compliant then that." Pierce said. He looked between Steve and Katie before his eyes finally rested on Steve. "Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star. He was connected by email and paid via wireless transfer. And then the money was run through 17 accounts. The last one going to a holding company registered to a Jacob Beach."
"Who's he?" Katie questioned.
"He died six years ago." Pierce said, as if that answered Katie's question. "His last address was 1435 Elmer's Drive. When I first met Nick, his mother lived at 1437."
"You can't be serious?" Katie let out a dry laugh. She couldn't believe it. She stared at Pierce as if he was about to jump her any moment, her guard going up more and more with every passing minute.
"You think Fury hired the pirates?" Steve looked at Pierce with the same look that was on Katie's face. "Why?"
"Prevailing theory," Pierce explained. "Was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sell of classified intelligence. Deal went sour and that lead to Nick's death."
"You are serious," Katie had a look of disbelief on her face. "You actually think Nick was selling classified intelligence."
"It's just a theory," Pierce argued. But Katie could see right through it. "And also why you two are here. You can help us trash the theory."
"How?" Steve questioned.
But Pierce didn't look at Steve. Instead, his eyes rested on Katie.
"You said so yourself, Agent Rogers. Nick had trust issues." Pierce stated slowly, standing up. "You've known Nick for a while now. And yet, he picked your father's apartment to suddenly show up at. Why's that?"
Katie didn't answer right away. She continued to watch Pierce. Before it suddenly clicked what he was saying.
"Are you actually saying that Nick trusted my father more than me?" Katie spoke, a hardness in her voice. "Because maybe he did. I've been gone for a month, and I haven't really talked to anyone since I got back. I don't know what my father, or Nick, was doing during that time. So maybe Nick did trust him more with information. Maybe my father does know more than I do. Cause Lord knows I don't know every classified bit of information that comes out of S.H.I.E.L.D." Katie stopped for a moment, her eyes narrowing. "But I trusted Nick. And I know he would never sell information or betray S.H.I.E.L.D. in any way."
Pierce held his head high as he listened to Katie's words. Steve sat there and watched Katie's face turn harder with every word she said.
"I don't like you." Katie started plainly at Pierce. "I don't trust you. So, if this meeting isn't of any more importance, I'm going to meet with Agent Hill now. To plan a funeral for my friend."
Katie glared at Pierce for a moment longer. Her eyes then flicked towards Steve. "I'll meet you in the lobby when you're done."
Steve nodded. And with one last look at Pierce, Katie turned and marched out of the room. She didn't stop as she entered and made her way down the hallway. It was only after she entered the elevator and directed it to take her to the lobby that she stopped to take a breath.
She couldn't believe this was all happening. More drama and problems occurred in the past 12 hours than it had on her month long mission. This thought almost caused Katie to laugh out loud. If she had the energy. What she wouldn't do to be able to get some sleep right now.
The elevator dinged, causing Katie to left her head as the doors opened to reveal the main lobby.
Katie scanned the crowd for a quick moment. Everything seemed normal enough. She stepped out of the elevator with her head high. It was easy for her to blend in with the crowd as she made her way over towards the left entrance.
It didn't take her long to find Sharon. She was causally leaning against the wall, appearing to be very busy on her phone as Katie started approaching her.
"Agent Rogers."
Katie froze mid-step as a man suddenly appeared in front of her. He was in about his mid-thirty's. He had hazel eyes with dark hair that was already starting to fade to grey. He was a few feet taller than Katie, causing her to look up at him with curious eyes.
"Dylan," Katie tried to keep the surprise out of her voice, but it didn't really work. "What are you doing here?"
Agent Dylan Taylor was an agent who Katie considered a friend. She'd worked with him for about a year now. And he didn't treat her any different because she was the Golden Girl and her father was Captain America, like some of the agents did. He was one of the handful of agents that had gone on the mission to Canada with Katie. If there was an agent Katie trusted, it was Dylan. He was also one of the few agents on that mission that had a family. A wife, a son, and a newborn daughter. And seeing that they only got back from the mission yesterday morning, Katie was surprised to see him at S.H.I.E.L.D.. She figured he'd be spending time with his family.
Dylan didn't respond however. He glanced over Katie's shoulder for a split second before looking back down at Katie.
"Come with me." He spoke is a hushed tone. He looked around once more before heading off, gently grabbing Katie at her wrist and pulling her along.
Katie sent Dylan a confused look as they weaved through people.
"I'm actually on my way to…" Katie looked over Dylan's shoulder, expecting to still see Sharon by the wall waiting for her, but she didn't. In fact, as Katie looked around, she noticed more and more agents leaving the lobby, the space around them suddenly becoming emptier.
Then, Katie's phone went off in her pocket. Katie pulled out her phone, coming to a stop just outside the door leading to the garage. Looking down, the words CODE WHITE stared back at her.
Code white. Basically all agents return to your offices, stations, etc. and wait for a direct order.
Looking up from her phone with confused eyes, Katie noticed Dylan also looking at his phone. However, when he looked up, the blank look he first wore was gone. Now, it was replaced with a look of hard determination.
"Come on." Dylan looked around once more before heading into the garage, giving Katie no choice but to follow.
"What's going on?"
Dylan didn't reply however. He walked past the trucks, jeeps, and bikes, heading straight towards the cars. He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked one of the many cars. The beep echoed off the concrete walls and the headlights flashed orange.
"I can't leave," Katie spoke, but she couldn't help but keep her voice low. "I'm supposed to meet my father in a minute."
"I don't think that's going to happen," Dylan walked over to the driver side door. He looked up and met Katie's eyes. "Get in."
He spoke in the same hushed tone as earlier. And Katie didn't like it. It gave her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Dylan was always the fun one. He always held laughter in his voice, no matter if he was being serious or not. Hearing him talk in this darker tone made Katie glance around the garage as she stopped at the passengers side door.
"Dylan." Katie spoke up just as Dylan opened the car door. He voice mimicked his tone. "What's going on."
Dylan's had determined eyes soften a factor as he rested his hand on the hood.
"I'll explain once we're out of here," He all but whispered. And Katie was sure he was using her super-hearing to his advantage right now. "Get in."
Katie didn't know what it was. If it was his tone of voice. His nervous tick as he tapped his finger lightly on the hood of the car. Or the way his eyes showed just a hint of fear, almost like he was betraying his best friend's biggest secret. But Katie found herself nodding her head before opening the car door.
Dylan was only a second behind her as Katie closed the car door. He placed the keys in the ignition before speeding out of the garage and down the bridge.
Katie couldn't bring herself to speak. It was only when they were off the bridge and on the main highway that she finally turned to Dylan.
"What the hell is going on?" Katie questioned with narrow eyes. "I was supposed to wait in the lobby for my father-"
"He wouldn't have made it to you." Dylan was gripping the wheel with both hands. He glanced over at Katie before sighing at her confused face. "If you waited there, you wouldn't have made it out of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Dylan. Explain." Katie really hoped he was just being very cryptic at the moment. But the words 'SHIELD COMPROMISED.' just kept flashing before her eyes.
Dylan slowed down as they came to a red light and he looked over at Katie as if to apologize for everything he was about to say.
"I got a call this morning. From S.H.I.E.L.D." Dylan started to explain. "Said it was mandatory for all agents to report to work. No matter if you were given days off or not."
"Why?" Katie tiled her head slight, but Dylan just shrugged.
"I don't know. But when I got there, everyone was just going about their business as if it was any other day. So that's what I did. I really was doing my paperwork." A sparkle appeared in Dylan's eye as he said that. But just like that, it was gone again. "I was passing through Pierce's level when I noticed Rumlow and some other members of the STRIKE team. And they were acting… odd."
"Some agents, they've been on edge lately. A lot more than normal. Something just isn't adding up."
Natasha's words from the day before rang in Katie's ears. And she really wished this was a coincidence.
"Odder then normal?" Katie watched as Dylan nodded his head.
"They were just hanging around the hall. As if they were waiting for something." The light turned green and Dylan turned back to the road. "We were having a chat. That's when you came marching out of Pierce's office." Dylan glanced over at Katie for a moment. "The moment Rumlow saw you, he told me he had work to do and walked off. The last I heard was him talking into his ear piece saying that you were heading down to the lobby."
"So," Katie started slowly. "Rumlow was sending agents after me?" That was all Katie could really pick out from what Dylan was saying.
"Not just you," Dylan said. "I took the west wing elevator and managed to get to you before whoever did. But Rumlow and his STRIKE team buddies stayed on Pierce's floor." Katie took a sharp breath as Dylan looked at her. "You weren't their main target."
"Steve." It took not even seconds for the connection to be made. Katie turned complete in her seat. Her hand was on the dashboard as she watched Dylan, his eyes straight forwards.
"We just left him there?" Katie want to yell, but she kept her voice low. "Agents were after him and we just… We should have gotten to him… Somehow…"
But Katie knew. There was nothing they could have done. Even if they managed to fight off Rumlow and the STRIKE team, there was no way they could have made it in time. Besides, this was Captain America they were talking about. And Katie had to remember that. There was a possibility that Steve got out of there.
"I'm not worried about Captain America," Dylan spoke. "What I want to know is why Rumlow and the STRIKE team would be sent to capture you and your father. I mean, if there was ever two people who would never harm S.H.I.E.L.D-"
"Because S.H.I.E.L.D.'s been compromised."
It was the first time since Nick said those words to Katie that she spoke them out loud. And suddenly, everything became real. Nick was really gone. S.H.I.E.L.D. really wasn't safe. She was really running from S.H.I.E.L.D. All of it, it all hit Katie like a ton of bricks.
Katie expected some reaction of Dylan. But when she looked up at him, he just continued to look straight ahead, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter.
"You knew." Katie stated, and Dylan shook his head slightly.
"I knew something was up." Dylan corrected her. "These past few months, things have slowly started changing. I've been with S.H.I.E.L.D. for a while now. Been around the same few people for years. You start to notice these things." Dylan then glanced over a Katie as they came to another red light. He raised his eyebrow slightly. "What about you? You knew?"
"Yeah," Katie said softly. She nodded as she turned to look out the windshield. "I was told last night."
"By Director Fury." Dylan stated and Katie nodded. The light turned green again. By now, Katie realized that Dylan was just taking random left and right turns. "I figured. It's no secret he was at Captain Rogers's apartment last night."
Katie couldn't help but huff and roll her eyes. This didn't surprise her at all. Not one bit. Of course everyone knew about Nick being at the apartment last night. S.H.I.E.L.D. was worse than high school when it came to keeping secrets. Pretty soon - if not already - everyone would know that Katie basically blew up in Pierce's face at the-
"Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?"
"I don't want anything or anyone to stand in the way of me finding out what happened to my friend."
"Pierce." Katie felt like punching the window out. How did she not figure this out sooner?
Dylan raised an eyebrow at Katie. "Pierce?"
"He wanted to know why Nick was at Steve's apartment last night," Katie explained. She couldn't stop herself from letting out a laugh. "And we wouldn't tell him."
"So he sent STRIKE after you and your father?" Dylan said this as if Katie was crazy. "It seems pretty extreme."
"He told me he didn't want anything or anyone standing in the way of finding out what happened to Nick," Katie explained before looking over at Dylan. "Extreme or not, Pierce can twist this anyway he wants. He can tell everyone we're hoarding valid information for all I know."
"And people will listen?" Dylan questioned. "People will actually believe Captain America and the Golden Girl are basically wanted fugitives?"
"He already has STRIKE apparently," Katie stated. "Lord knows who else he has. It doesn't matter anymore. He's in control."
Silence filled the car as they slowly came to another stop. Katie just really wanted to hit something. Or someone. Pierce would be lovely, actually. She didn't know how she missed all this. She knew she was being too hard on herself, but she couldn't help it. Dylan said he noticed small changes because he'd been with S.H.I.E.L.D. for so long. And yet, Katie - who's been with S.H.I.E.L.D. since the start - missed everything. She didn't notice anything. Any odd behavior. None of it. And now look at the mess they were in.
"Now what?" Dylan asked softly as the light turned green and they were off again.
But Katie didn't reply. Because she honestly didn't know. She didn't know where to go from here. She couldn't for the life of her think of her next move.
"Pull over." Katie said suddenly. And though Dylan sent her a look, he didn't question her as he followed her order.
Dylan pulled into the first parking spot he could find. Katie closed her eyes for a moment as she sighed before turning to Dylan.
"Dylan." Katie tired to keep a clam and level voice. But it didn't work as well as she thought it did. Because Dylan narrowed his eyes slightly at her. "Dylan, thank you. Just… Thank you-"
"You're leaving." It wasn't a question. Dylan's eyes shifted to Katie's hand, which had slowly itched to the door handle, before looking back at her face. "Where are you going to go?"
"I don't know." Katie was beyond irritated at this point. She rubbed a hand over her tired face. "I don't know. I don't know where I'm going to go. I don't know what to do. Really, I don't know what's going on at the moment. Hell, I don't even know where my father is."
It's been a long time since Katie felt this helpless. And for the second time in the past 12 hours, Katie felt like she might break down at any moment.
"But what I do know," Katie took a deep breath as she looked over at Dylan. "Is that you have your family at home to think about. And you can't keep driving me around D.C.."
"I also can't just throw you out on the streets." Dylan shot back. "Katie, you of all people know S.H.I.E.L.D.. They wanted you captured, and for good reason." Dylan passed for a moment, studying Katie. "There's a chance your father escaped. And if he did or didn't, you know it's very likely that S.H.I.E.L.D. is tracking you right now."
"And the moment I step out of this car, I'm screwed." Katie ran a hand through her hair. She really wanted some sleep.
"All it takes is for you to be in the background of someone's selfie."
Dylan was 100% right. No matter what happened to her father, she was screwed. Even if Steve did manage to get away, S.H.I.E.L.D. would just start looking for the both of them.
"You're right," Katie sighed. She looked out the windshield before turning back to Dylan. "But I can't stay here either. If they haven't found out by now that you aren't there, then they will soon. And every S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle has a tracking device."
"And ditching this car and stealing one is out of the question." Dylan sighed, and Katie nodded as she pulled out her phone.
Katie was only down to steal a car if it was the last resort. The owner could - and would, probably - file a stolen car report. And if S.H.I.E.L.D. was pulling out all the stops on finding Katie right now, then that would just basically be leading them right to her.
"None of this matters anyway unless I can find out what happened to my father." Katie throw her phone on her lap in frustration.
She was hoping for a text, email, anything that would tell her about her father. But she got nothing. And honestly, this didn't surprise her one bit. Even a simple text could give them away.
"What about Agent Romanoff?"
Katie's head snapped up in surprise. She narrowed her eyes slightly at Dylan, the wheels in her head starting to turn.
"What about her?"
"Well, if your father did escape and he couldn't get do you," Dylan started to explain. "Wouldn't it be a safe bet to say that the next person he'd go to is Agent Romanoff. I mean, they're partners and good friends, ain't they?"
Katie reminded slightly as she turned to look out the windshield. She actually hadn't thought about Natasha until now. But Dylan was right. Natasha was the next person Steve would run to, right after Katie. She was a safe bet. Plus, Pierce and S.H.I.E.L.D. would have no reason to be tracking the Black Widow right now. They only wanted Katie and Steve. And if Katie could get a hold of Natasha, she could find out about her father and maybe make a plan.
The only problem that stood in their way right now was actually getting a hold of Natasha. Katie still couldn't use her phone. It was an Apple - she was still waiting on her Stark phone that Tony had yet to give her - meaning it was easier to track if Katie made a call or sent a text.
The wheels were turning in Katie's head. She finally started to feel like she had a plan as she turned back to Dylan.
"You wouldn't happen to have a burner phone, would you?"
Dylan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"No," he shook his head before looking out in front of him. "But there has to be a place around here that sells them."
"I hate to ask this," Katie sighed. "But can you go find me one? I can't leave the car and you're my only other option."
"Katie," Dylan sent her a reassuring smile. "It's fine."
But Katie still couldn't help be feel guilt swelling in the pit of her stomach for dragging Dylan into this mess.
"Just don't take too long," Katie said as he reached for the door handle. "We don't know how much longer we have until S.H.I.E.L.D. finally tracks us down. Oh, and get me a black hoodie."
Dylan stopped to turn around and give Katie a questioning look, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he just nodded before pushing the car door open and closing it quickly behind him.
Katie watched through the windshield as Dylan blended in with the crowd. She kept her eyes on him until he turned the corner. Katie sighed as he disappeared. She turned to keep her mind busy. She didn't want to count the seconds that Dylan was gone. Also because she knew every minute he was gone was a minute closer to S.H.I.E.L.D. finding them. So instead, Katie quickly got to work with disabling the tracking system in the car. It was harder to do, given the fact that she didn't have a lot of tools to work with. S.H.I.E.L.D. hid their tracking systems in the stereo. So after some fiddling around and using the few tools Dylan did have in the car, Katie managed to get the tracking system out and smash it. She then took her phone and turned it off before placing it on the dash. With the end of one of Dylan's small screwdrivers she smashed the screen in, destroying the phone all together.
It felt like hours had passed before Katie finally saw Dylan walking back towards the car, two bags in hand.
"Here," Katie took the two bags out of Dylan's hands as he climbed back in the car. "Drive."
They had spent way too long in one place. Far too long for Katie's liking. So Dylan didn't question it as he pulled out of the parking space and started down the road again.
"Finding the phone was no problem," Dylan explained. "It was the hoodie that took forever. Do people not make plain black hoodies anymore?"
Katie pulled said hoodie out of the bag. It was a few sizes too big and obliviously for a male, but it would have to do. She stripped out of her leather jacket, throwing in the backseat before pulling on the hoodie.
She then pulled out the burner phone before turning it on. She entered Natasha's number before hitting talk and bringing the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Nat!" Katie had never been so happy to hear the red-heads voice. "It's me."
"Hey!" Natasha replied in an over-exaggerated voice. Katie couldn't help but let out an airy laugh. She loved this woman. "What's up?"
"Is Steve with you?"
"Oh yes," Natasha let out a laugh. "We're at Tower City Mall actually."
"Tower City Mall?" Katie glanced up at Dylan. He gave he a nodded before changing his destination and heading towards the mall.
"Yeah! But we're actually just leaving there now. Want us to pick you up?"
Katie started to rack her brain for areas around the mall.
"Meet me at the coffee shop just fifteen minutes from the mall," Katie looked down at the clock on the dashboard. She glanced up at Dylan and watched as he started to speed up slightly.
"Sounds great," Came Natasha's reply. "Anyways, I better go. You know how much Scott sucks at remembering where we parked. So now we're walking around the East Parking Lot like idiots."
"They're leaving now," Katie told Dylan before going back to the phone call. "I'll be standing outside the coffee shop."
"See you then!"
Katie hung up after that and turned off the burner phone. The moment she got the chance she was dumping the burner and her phone. She wasn't taking any chances.
The drive to the coffee shop was silent. And it was only when they turned down the street and Dylan pulled into a parking spot that Katie broke the silence.
"So you're getting out this time." Once again, this was a statement more than a question.
The sound of the blinker ticking could be heard as Katie sighed.
"Dylan, I really appreciate everything you've done for me." Katie said. A small smile made its way onto her face. "But I've dragged you into this enough. Go home. Get your wife and kids, and get away. At least until all this blows over."
Dylan looked like he wanted to argue with her. But he couldn't. Not when it came to the safety of his wife and children. And Katie knew that. So she sent him a reassuring smile.
She knew this had to be hard for him. Dylan's job for years was to getting to the bottom of things. To complete his mission. And what Katie was telling him to do was basically leave and run away. And Katie knew, that if she was in his shoes right now, she'd pick the mission over running away. But this wasn't Dylan's fight. This started with Katie and Steve. Nick came to them for a reason. And they were going to be the ones to finish it.
Finally, Dylan sighed as he ran his hand through his hair.
"You be safe, okay?" Dylan gave her a pointed look. And all Katie could do was return to look with a smile.
"You too." Katie told him, her hand on the handle. "Now go to your family and get out of here."
With one more odd and a smile, Katie pulled her hoodie up over her head and got out of the car. She stood there, on the sidewalk, as she watched Dylan pulled out of the parking spot and drive away.
Taking a deep breath, Katie tired to clear her head for a moment. She pulled her phone and the burner phone out of her pocket. She threw them into a garbage pin before stick her hands in her pockets and walking over to stand in front of the coffee shop.
She may have looked really odd, dressed in all black and leaning against the wall with her head down. But she didn't care. She just stood there, peaking up through her lashes as she kept her eyes on the lookout for her father and Natasha.
She didn't have to wait long. Because soon, a big black truck pulled into a parking spot a few cars down. Katie froze on the spot, her first thought was S.H.I.E.L.D. before she realized how jumpy she was being and how that was not a S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle.
Katie could see a flash of red head in the passengers side. She pushed herself off the wall and casually walked towards the car. She saw Natasha flash her a look in the side mirror before she quickened her peace slightly. She reached the truck and jumped in the back before Steve took off again.
Katie wanted to give a sigh of relief, especially seeing that her father was safe. But she couldn't. The air around them felt tight as everyone sat on edge. They all scanned cars and trucks as they passed them by. Especially the black ones. Keeping an eye open for S.H.I.E.L.D.. And no one spoke for the longest while. And it wasn't until the houses and buildings around them started to become fewer and fewer that Katie finally sighed lightly.
"Well isn't this a mess."
Natasha snorted. She looked pretty relaxed in the front seat with her feet kicked up on the dash.
"I'd say."
"Are you okay?" Steve glanced back at Katie through the rearview mirror. "How'd you get out of S.H.I.E.L.D?"
"Long story," Katie unzipped her hoodie slightly. "But Agent Taylor managed to get to me before Rumlow's team did. He got me out of there. How about you?"
"Wasn't so lucky," Steve explained, eyes on the road. "STRIKE cornered me in the elevator. I managed to take them out, but I had to jump out of the elevator and fight a quintet to get out of the Triskelion."
"And then what? You ended up at the mall?"
"I went back to the hospital to get the flash drive," Steve explained. It was only now that Katie remembered the flash drive that Steve hid in the vending machine before heading to the Triskelion. "That's where I ran into Natasha." Steve glanced back at Katie. "She has an idea on who did this to Nick."
"Know about the Winter Soldier?" Natasha glanced over her shoulder at Katie.
"Unfortunately." Katie let out a breath. She figured the Winter Soldier was behind this. But having Natasha think so too basically confirmed it. "So then you decided to take a trip to the mall."
"We needed a computer and a crowd of people," Natasha explained. She pulled the flash drive out of her pocket and held it up. "So we could see what was on this."
"And?"
"We got a location."
"A location?" Katie raised an eyebrow. "All that's on that is a location?"
"Well, we were working around a nine minute window, with STRIKE being after us and Captain America basically being a wanted man." Katie couldn't help but roll her eyes at Natasha's tone of voice.
"Alright then," Katie leaned forward. "So where are we headed then?"
Steve looked back at Katie in the rearview mirror. And there was something in his face and voice that Katie couldn't quite pinpoint as he spoke.
"New Jersey."
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So it looks like updates will still be weekly and shorter. Though as you can see from this chapter, the length will just depend on what's really happening in the chapter.
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