Chapter 17- Suspicions Raised and Survivor's Guilt
Nick Fury stood in front of his windows mulling over what Captain Rogers and Markova had said. Both had raised good questions about Project Insight; questions Fury had thought himself if he could be honest about it. His friend, Alexander Pierce, had said that Project Insight would be beneficial to S.H.I.E.L.D., but the shocked look on Rogers's and Markova's faces said it was anything but beneficial. "Secure office," Fury said. The lights dimmed and he plugged the flash drive Romanoff gave him into his computer terminal. "Open Lemurian Star's satellite launch file," Fury said.
"Access denied," the computer said in an unemotional voice.
"Run decryption," Fury said, stepping out from behind his desk. a whirring sound filled the room as it cycled through the large computer screen that had come up on the wall.
"Decryption failed," the computer said.
"Director override. Fury, Nicholas J," Fury said.
"Override denied. All files sealed," the computer said to Fury's alarm.
"On whose authority?" Fury asked.
"Fury, Nicholas J," the computer said. Fury had to control his frustration or he might say some words he'd regret. He swallowed hard and went to the elevator.
"World Security Council," Fury barked out an order.
"Confirmed," the voice in the elevator said, leading him up to the room where Fury met with the Council. Pierce was in the room, talking to holographic images of the members of the World Security Council.
"May I help you, Director Fury?" Pierce's secretary asked politely.
"I need to see Pierce," Fury said, looking at his old friend's face. Since they had been friends a long time, Fury knew when his friend was upset by something and was trying to cover it.
"Yes, Sir," the secretary said. She went inside and whispered in Alexander's ear. He looked towards where Fury was and walked out to meet him after the Council members disappeared.
"I work 40 floors away and it takes a hijacking for you to visit?" Pierce said in a slightly teasing voice.
"A nuclear war would do it, too. You busy in there?" Fury asked, looking to the now empty room after shaking Alexander's hand.
"Nothing some earmarks can't fix," Alexander said casually.
"I'm here to ask a favor. I want you to call for a vote. Project Insight has to be delayed," Fury said reluctantly. He hated asking favors, but the more he thought about how Captain Rogers and Markova had reacted to the idea, the more he felt they were right.
"Nick, that's not a favor, that's a sub-committee hearing. A long one," Alexander said.
"It could be nothing. It probably is nothing. I just need time to make sure it's nothing," Fury said.
"But if it's something?" Alexander asked.
"Then we'll both be darn glad those helicarriers aren't in the air," Fury said. Pierce didn't answer for a few seconds.
"Fine. But you got to get Iron Man and the Winter Soldier to stop by my niece's birthday party. She thinks a man who flies and a 14-year-old girl who carries a sword are cool," Alexander said and he shook Fury's hand.
"Thank you, Sir," Fury said.
"And not just a flyby and a quick in and out of the crowd for the girl. They've got to mingle," Alexander said as he turned.
"I'll ask them. Stark might come and mingle, but Yelizaveta keeps to herself mostly with the exceptions of hanging out with Barton and Rogers," Fury said as he turned and left.
Pierce looked up as Rumlow came in with a man wearing a mask. "Do you think Fury will cause trouble?" Rumlow asked.
"Probably. He's been listening to Markova and Rogers if what they said in the helicarrier bay is anything to go on. Soldier, you are to stop Nicholas Fury before he tries anything and I want you to bring me this girl. Her name is Yelizaveta Markova. She is one of our more dangerous agents at S.H.I.E.L.D. and she defected from HYDRA when she was almost nine. She carries a sword," Pierce said as he pulled up a picture of Yelizaveta Markova. There would be some small chance the Asset wouldn't recognize his own daughter and that small chance proved accurate.
"Where does the traitor go?" The Asset asked in a gravelly voice.
"She was seen last with Captain America. Our spies at a nursing home said she was going to visit a new friend and Captain America was going to cook for her. But when you find the girl, I want her alive to accept punishment for her betrayal," Pierce said.
"It will be done. The girl won't die," the Asset said and left the room. Pierce felt a smug sense of satisfaction and guilt at killing Nick and making the Asset bring the girl to him. But once he had the young Winter Soldier, he could make her be like her father and not betray him or HYDRA ever again.
"The thing is, I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week. He thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED," a woman with long, dark-red hair said as Steve and Yelizaveta walked into the room.
"Some stuff you leave there. Other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase, or in a little man-purse? It's up to you," Sam said and on that note he dismissed the meeting.
"I'll see you next week," the woman said as everyone was walking out the door.
"Definitely. Look who it is, the running man and girl," Sam said by way of greeting to them as he straightened some leaflets on a table.
"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense," Steve said.
"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret," Sam said.
"You lose someone?" Yelizaveta asked. Sam nodded.
"My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission. Standard PJ rescue op. Nothing we hadn't done 1,000 times before. Until an RPG knocked Riley's dumb butt out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch," Sam said. From the look on Steve's face he was remembering how he lost his friend Bucky the same way.
"I'm sorry," Steve said.
"After that, I had a really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?" Sam asked.
"But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve asked. Sam looked around.
"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, heck, yeah. Are you and the little one thinking about getting out?" Sam asked with a smile.
"No. Not really. I don't know. To be honest I don't think me or Steve would know what to do with ourselves if we did," Yelizaveta said with a wan smile.
Sam shrugged. "Ultimate fighting?" Sam asked. Yelizaveta and Steve started to laugh.
"For heaven's sake, no. Don't even go there," Yelizaveta said between the laughter.
"Just a great idea off the top of my head. Seriously, you both could do whatever you want to do. What makes you both happy?" Sam asked.
"I don't know," Steve said.
"I thought I did," Yelizaveta said as she wrinkled her forehead as she thought about what Sam had said.