Note: First off, I apologize for not uploading for a couple of days. It takes a while to write these- what takes 10 minutes to read takes about an hour to write. Thanks for understanding! Also- I'll probably upload another chapter today. Maybe. So look for that, if you want.

The people of New York loved the Avengers. The press loved the Avengers. The government, however, did not.

"These so called heroes have to be held responsible for the destruction done to the city. This was their fight. Where are they now?" inquired Senator Boyton, appearing on the news.

Tony switched off the T.V. While many people on the news had sung their praises, not all of them did. "Does he not realize you fixed everything for the city?" he grumbled.

"Well," Harry answered, "I'm sure he does, but it's politics; he's turning a blind eye to it, to paint us in a worse image, and to make him sound more righteous."

Tony understood, but it didn't mean he had to like it. Maybe he could get some lawyers for a defamation lawsuit, as this Senator's allegations were towards him as well...

xxxXXXxxx

"On your left."

The man nods as Steve jogs past him on the left.

A few minutes pass. "On your left."

The man looks at Steve incredulously. "Uh-huh, on my left. Got it."

More minutes pass. Steve pulls up besides the man.

"Don't say it! Don't you say it!" the man cries, exhausted.

Steve smirks. "On your left."

"Come on!" the man cries.

The man tries to catch up with Steve, but tires and sits to rest.

Steve follows. "Need a medic?" He inquires.

The man glares, but he obviously wasn't really angry. "I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like 13 miles in 30 minutes."

"I guess I got a late start," Steve remarks.

The other man scoffs. They continue talking for a while, and Steve learns that the man is Sam Wilson, a fellow veteran.

Steve gets a notification on his phone, alerting him to a mission. He excuses himself, and leaves Sam. Natasha pulls up. After some friendly banter, he hops in the car.

xxxXXXxxx

Much of the hype over the Avengers had died down. While the press still sometimes debated over the name of the mysterious cloaked Avenger, the Avengers were not mentioned much anymore. Harry was absolutely fine with that fact- but the fact that he himself was now a huge figure across the nation as people tried to give him a "superhero name" was unbearable. He needed to get his mind off it. His phone rang, as if to answer his call for a distraction.

"Hey, Steve!" He greeted. "What's up?"

"It's Fury," Steve replied, short and concise. "He's been shot. My place. He didn't make it."

Harry stood up immediately. "What happened? Who shot him?"

"Unknown," Steve replied. "All we know is he's a guy with a metal arm, Soviet weaponry."

Harry nodded, though the gesture was useless across the phone. "If you get any additional information, relay it to me, please."

"I will," Steve said. "I'm going to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ for questioning right now. I've got a bad feeling about this. I'll tell you the second something happens."

"Alright," Harry said. "Stay safe."

Steve hung up. "Everything all right?" Tony asked. They were currently in Tony's lab in the newly renamed Avenger's Tower. Tony had graciously offered Harry a room (more of a penthouse floor, really) and Harry had accepted.

"Fury was attacked. He's dead."

Tony was shocked. "Who? What happened?"

"Steve is currently looking into it," Harry replied. "He'll fill us in as he learns more."

Tony nodded, looking extremely troubled. Fury might have been a cold bastard, but he was still a familiar, almost a friend.

"Jarvis, run a scan for anything strange related to Fury in the past... two weeks."

"Right away, sir."

xxxXXXxxx

"I'm going to go, Mr. Pierce. You need anything before I leave?"

Alexander smiled. "No. Uh... It's fine, Renata, you can go home."

She smiled. "Ok. Night-Night."

"Good night," He replied, smilingly. As soon as the door closed, the smile disappeared. "Want some milk?" He asked. A figure steps out of the shadows, but doesn't reply. Pierce sighs. "The timetable has moved. Our window is limited. Two targets, Level Six. They already cost me Zola. I want confirmed death in ten hours."

Renata walks back in; "Sorry, Mr. Pierce, I forgot my phone-" She notices the large, imposing man. A man with... a metal arm?

"Oh, Renata," Pierce sighs. "I wish you would've knocked."

The gunshot rings loud in the air.

xxxXXXxxx

"Hey, Steve," Harry said, answering the phone. "Got more intel?"

"Yes," he replied, seemingly out of breath. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised. They just sent a missile at Nat and I. We're laying low at a friends place, but we're gonna need help soon."

Harry had already stood up, and put on his cloak. "Alright, Steve. Whenever, just call."

Steve hung up. Tony, who had listened in on the conversation, got up. It was time he tested out his new suit, anyways.

xxxXXXxxx

Jasper Sitwell reconsidered his life choices as he plummeted to his death. Was HYDRA really worth his life? It was a shame he would never be able to change anything, because he was about to die. He could see the ground now, the concrete, hard and unforgiving-

"Oof!" Sitwell was grabbed and lifted back to the top of the building. Sam Wilson, the Falcon, glared at him.

Sitwell decided to talk. "Zola's algorithm is a program- for choosing Insight's targets!"

"What targets?" Steve glares.

"You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city, Avengers Tower. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future."

"The future?" Steve asks, confused. "How could it know?'

"How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it. Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

"And," Steve asks, "Then what?"

"Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time."

Steve glances at Natasha. It was time to call in the cavalry.

xxxXXXxxx

"Thor's offworld," Harry said, grimly. "I don't know where Bruce is. Clint's on vacation. It'll have to be just me and Tony."

"That's good enough," Steve said. "Meet us at the Triskelion." He hung up.

Tony and Harry walked out to the heli-pad outside his penthouse, and headed towards Steve's location.

xxxXXXxxx

A metal arm smashed through the windshield of the car, grabbing Sitwell and flinging him away, killing him. The man behind the arm pulls out a gun and starts firing on the car, until Steve brakes suddenly, throwing the soldier off. The Winter Soldier leaps at the car, breaking the steering wheel. Sam, Nat, and Steve hop out and start running, but HYDRA Agents come forth, aiding the Winter Soldier. The Soldier leaps towards the car Natasha is at, raising his rifle, but Natasha dives away. Steve lunges at the Soldier, grappling with him. Punches come from every direction, kicks fly, until Steve manages to pull off the Soldier's mask. His eyes widen. "Bucky?"

"Who the hell is Bucky?" The man snarls. In his moment of distraction, Natasha manages to grab the Winter Soldier's grenade launcher and blasts him. In the cloud of smoke made, it's impossible to see him.

"Drop the shield, Cap!" Brock Rumlow yells, leading a team of "S.H.I.E.L.D." Agents towards them. "On your knees! On your knees now!"

Steve looked at the fresh reinforcements. There was no way Sam, Nat and him could take them down. He motioned to put his shield down.

"Looks like you could use some help!" Tony called, flying in and blasting Rumlow away.

Steve grinned. They had some reinforcements of their own now! Harry flew in right after Tony, firing off multiple spells. Quickly, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents turned HYDRA were all down, some dead, others unconscious. Slowly, one more agent showed themselves from behind a car. All weapons were instantly pointed towards them. They put their hands up, and slowly took off their helmet.

"I'm with you," Maria Hill said.

Natasha stowed her gun, but the others looked hesitant, not trusting her.

"It's okay," Natasha said. "I trust her. But if she does something..."

Maria nodded. The message was clear.

xxxXXXxxx

"About damn time," Fury growled.

They were at a secret facility Hill had brought them to.

"You died," Steve said, frowning.

Fury scoffed. "Nah, just got a lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache."

The medic next to him chimed in. "Don't forget your collapsed lung"

"Ah, yes," Fury said, rolling his eyes. "Let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good!"

Harry cleared his throat, and everyone looked at him. "I might be able to help with your injuries."

Fury looked at him incredulously. "Alright. Come on over here, then."

Harry walked over, and pulled out his Mokeskin Pouch. He grabbed a bottle of Skele-Grow (For Fury's spine and collarbone) and a Blood Replenishing Potion. "Take this. It'll fix your bones, and replenish your blood."

Fury looked skeptical. The medic laughed mockingly. "And who do you think you are, to be giving out these 'magical' drugs? Are you high?"

Harry glared at him, and released a bit of his aura. The medic shut up. Fury nodded at Harry gratefully, and downed the potions. He would need to be in good shape when they retook the Triskelion, and hopefully, took down Project Insight, and HYDRA.

Note: That's it for now, folks! Thanks for sticking with me and this story! I appreciate it. Reviews appreciated. Also- lastly- would y'all prefer more often updates with shorter chapters (1.5-2k words) or less frequent updates (Maybe every week or so) with longer chapters (8-10k words)?