So it goes with saying that only things I own with any connection to MARVEL I bought on Ebay or Etsy. MARVEL COMICS & MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE are their own creatures and I have nothing to do with either of them aside from the fact I enjoy reading or watching them, and am grateful for the ability to play in their world. I claim nothing, and I receive nothing for this, expect the pleasure of putting something out into the world.
You can also find this story on ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN under the same title and pen name along with a place to post suggestions.
Don't forget to check out the Photobucket album listed on my profile page too. (My apologies. I didn't realize FF removed the links. I have corrected the problem in what way I can, so for those who like the visual additions, feel free to check them out.)
DAY THREE
CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE
THURSDAY, MAY 3RD 2012
1342 HOURS
S.H.I.E.L.D HELICARRIER
INTERNATIONAL WATERS OFF EAST COAST, USA
STEVE
Something was... Wrong. A lot of people consider me a simple man, and in that they aren't wrong. I like things to be straightforward and uncomplicated, but where most people misunderstand me is when they think simple means simple minded.
The technology of this new century is still a bit overwhelming to me, but it's not the unfathomable level a lot of people think. I was a friend to Howard Stark, a man who made a car fly, even for a few seconds, and that seems to be something they haven't been able to do since, or at least that's what every car in Time Square tells me.
Another thing people seem to forget about me is I'm not new to the spy world. I wasn't actively in it, but some of the best information we gathered during the war was from the brave individuals who were willing to lie, cheat, and sneak their way into enemy territory, often without even a weapon to defend themselves if their cover was blown.
I also know what a secret looks like. Loose lips might sink ships. I'm counting on you! Don't discuss: troop movements, ship sailings, war equipment. I remember posters like that and more. Just like we had people in enemy territory, all over Europe, and even in America there was the concern of enemies and sympathizers with open ears and good memories.
It was an atmosphere of paranoia, and it wasn't one I was immune to. Even if the intelligence world moved on and got more complicated in my absence, I still know what cold shoulders, stone walling and furtive glances look like.
Part of me understands it was an issue of clearance. While it was S.H.I.E.L.D who found me, housed me and provided me with my document and bank account since I woke up, I'm not actually one of them. Ever since I woke up, I've just been Steven J. Grant, a civilian trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life now.
The Director said he was willing to wait for me to decide if I wanted to get back into the field, or not. That was until I was the only one left alive who had any experience with a very powerful and stolen item. I'm a 'consultant' here as far as they are concerned.
But I'm not asking for files, I'm asking for information about my friend, and after the last agent said he didn't know anyone named that, and then a minute later someone else occupied his station before he walked out of the bridge, all I can think is something I thought before. But nobody tries to avoid talking about someone who doesn't exist. And the dread is settling like cement.
No, Nora is okay. This is just a big organization, so not everyone would know each other, and that man leaving was nothing nothing to do with Nora, I'm just falling into old habits. I'm just not asking for the right people. Nora told me she was only a level one, but she also told me that after I looked for her, her S.O sat her down to make sure she understood 'Captain America's' importance. She said his name was Phil something, I just need to remember what his last name was. She used first names most of the time, but I'm sure she said it once, I think it started with a K. The next agent stopped, I ask if he knows any agent named Karlson.
THURSDAY, MAY 3RD 2012
1344 HOURS
S.H.I.E.L.D HELICARRIER
INTERNATIONAL WATERS OFF EAST COAST, USA
NATASHA
Karlson, wow he is getting really close. "Attention all agents there is now no agent Karlson anywhere in S.H.I.E.L.D, if that's your name get creative."
Now that everyone has been squared away, I'm standing in the hallway overlooking the bridge with a gatorade in my head, a bluetooth in my ear, Agent Coulson ordered to remain at my side, and Steve Rogers in both our view.
I can't help but grumble at how stupid this all is, because honestly it's only a matter of time before he remembers the name he is looking for. Phil introduced himself when he picked up Rogers at the airport, and the closeness of his last guess makes it pretty clear he was told it once before.
Nora wasn't supposed to use last names outside of S.H.I.E.L.D personnel. There are a lot more Phil's, Clint's, and Natasha's in the world then there are Coulson's, Barton's, or Romanoff's, but Nora also was never truly trained as an agent.
So when he does remember, Phil unfortunately will have to stop hiding, and go tell his hero a lie of omission.
Once we were airborne, it didn't take Fury very long to make the doctor comfortable enough to start getting to work, and then my job as an escort resumed once again. Since Banner spent a good portion of his adult life being anywhere but a government facility I had to help him find the right place, and then I also had to stick around while his team got comfortable with him.
We selected a small team of agents, four, with various skill sets in the scientific field to help Dr. Banner. He would be doing most of the work, but they were there to be extra hands, and to speed up the process. They were also nervous as hell, both with a degree of academic hero worship, and the the memory of the Culver footage.
But once I was sure no one was going to pass out or pee their pants I quietly slipped out to let the scientists get to work. My presence isn't exactly a comforting one.
That and I knew I had my own meeting to get to. There was a certain gleam in the Director's eye when he told me to show Banner to his lab, and I knew I was in for a talk. The figure of Agent Coulson at his side made it pretty clear what the topic was going to be.
The council found out about our 'breaches of conduct'. His when he sent me the files about Nora's kidnapping, and mine when I discussed my 'sister' with Dr Banner. They were not happy, and if we weren't in the middle of a potential global catastrophe, we would probably be facing a suspension.
Not that I'm too worried about it, because if Fury really didn't want it to happen, the first byte that file transfer would have burned my clearance in the system, and it wouldn't matter what device my fingertips touched, I would be locked out from everything. Fury knew just like we did how motivated the Captain can be if it involves his people.
Unfortunately the Council does too, but while we think it will make him try harder, they think differently, and to avoid the Captain acting recklessly, they intend to remove him from our 'response team' if we persist. They would rather arrest Captain America then let him rescue his friend.
They don't want to prevent a repeat of history, and I understand that. But I think they are underestimating the fallout they will have on their hands because of this. Nora is one of the first, if not the only person he has really connected with since he woke up. If he finds out we hid this from him, after the fact, if something happens to her. We're probably going to lose Captain America for good.
THURSDAY, MAY 3RD 2012
1346 HOURS
S.H.I.E.L.D HELICARRIER
INTERNATIONAL WATERS OFF EAST COAST, USA
COULSON
Tapping a short sequence on the handrail again I finally succeed and fight down my obsessive behavior. Captain Rogers is still going to be there even if I take my eyes off him for a second and beside, its just a ticking countdown to when Agent Romanoff tells me I have to go talk to him again. How did things go so wrong that I actually don't want to do that.
Instead I distract myself by pulling out my phone and reopening the browser history. I still have a small charm in my pocket that's been weighing me down, and its intended owner takes up my focus rather well.
Nobody really knows what happened to Miss Elaine's pet. The agent I fired for failing to find either of them didn't know, and since then the team that secured her home and removed all the evidence connected to us hasn't learned anything either. That's why I've been checking my phone.
While I was able to adjust her privileges to allow her to keep the cat Captain America gave her for Christmas, I wasn't able to adjust S.H.I.E.L.D's policy on animals in general. All domesticated animals, rather they be personal or government property are to be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated.
It's the microchip that I'm interested in. While I consider the kitten to be a national treasure, I couldn't successfully get it listed as a government animal, so I wasn't able to add a GPS tracker to the requirements, which would make it much easier to collect the lost frightened stray.
However since he was microchipped, if any kind soul finds him and has the sense to scan him for a chip, then that information will be put up on the microchip lookup site and all I need is the microchip number, which I memorized even before Miss Elaine did.
"She told me you were attached..." The fact that I missed the start of Agent Romanoff observing me is only mildly noted and filed away with little alarm, at this point I expect as much and would be more disappointed if her skills fell so far that I actually did. "...I didn't think it was this serious."
"Well, he is very cute." I add back in my defense and angle my phone so she can see it easier. "Did you know she framed me a picture?"
"I do." She lets the words roll out before she goes even farther and plucks the phone out of my hand completely by the top corners. "I heard she had the Captain in it. You planning to auction it?" The offended edge to my incredulous tone is impossible to smoother.
"Absolutely not." That's like auctioning the statue of liberty, you just don't do some things.
"I also know you bought it a present." The fact Natasha knows about the trinkets in my pocket doesn't surprise me either, though it does make me a little uncomfortable because she probably knows I bought the collar around Valentine's Day, it was on sale. That doesn't make it make it weird at all, and I was waiting for a good time to give it to her.
I also know that's Natasha's way of asking to see it. The charm and collar are quickly exchanged for the return of my phone.
That trade also buys thirty seconds of respectful silence as she lets her fingers trail across the woven threads and smooth plastic. "The collar might be a little small now. When we get them back..." She starts as she returns the collar to me, the charm jangling softly as it lands in my hand. "...You're giving her that right away."
"Yes ma'am." I nod in agreement as I wipe off the fingerprints and carefully fold it back inside its handkerchief, unaffected by the slight raise of her eyebrow and subsequent smirk. The next window I open on my phone I Google as I start scanning for a larger version of the collar, and decide to buy multiple sizes this time so the cat can grow into them.