CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

( I CAN'T HURT YOU )

THERE WAS A numbness to being brainwashed. Quinn couldn't remember a single thing about herself. Nor did she even attempt to think about it. All she could think about was Alexander Pierce and the imminent dangers that always threatened him. She knew she worked at S.H.I.E.L.D., she never remembered all the dirty looks people would throw at her as she walked behind Pierce, a gun straddling her right hip just in case something happened. She knew that if it came down to it, she would take a bullet for Pierce. She just didn't know why.

Same as why she thought Captain America was an enemy to S.H.I.E.L.D. even though Pierce had explained that it was because he had killed Fury. She didn't question it, she couldn't question it. She followed closely behind Pierce as he waltzed out into the lobby of the Triskelion, humming Hail to the Chief. Her head spun as she tried to think as to why she was following Pierce, she thought she heard something about meeting a council but her mind became fuzzy after a while.

To think of anything that happened within the last five minutes made her mind sear with pain. Her teeth sank into the side of her cheek as she tried to refrain from showing any pain, for some reason her mind associated any time that she displayed any basic human emotion she was going to be disciplined. Usually, disciplined meant someone doing bodily harm to her. Although she has no recollection of anyone hurting her she didn't want to take any chances.

She absentmindedly smiles as she sees a figure with a blonde bob haircut exit a car from the outside and starts to make her way from the inside. Her hands intertwine together in front, being careful not to wrinkle the beige pantsuit that she was instructed to wear. Was she instructed to wear this or was this something she wore all the time?

Her eye twitches at her internal conflict, as she fidgets under the pressure of meeting the woman crossing towards them along with three other men. She knew these people. She knew their names. Yet she couldn't even remember hers completely. All she knew was her last name since that's what everyone had been calling her by. Or maybe it was her first name? Cruise sounded like a strange first name.

"Don't speak," Pierce hisses under his breath in her direction. She obediently nods her head once as she stops behind him, waiting for the council. He places a fraud smile upon his face as he greets the council, an outstretched hand encases the woman's hand. "And how was your flight?" he questions the woman, Councilwoman Hawley. She huffs out a sigh of frustration as she gazes into his eyes with a bored expression. "Lovely," she begins, bringing yet another smile to Pierce's face. "The ride from the airport less so,"

Pierce lets out a wry laugh, "Sadly, S.H.I.E.L.D. can't control everything,"

"Including Captain America, apparently," Councilman Rockwell states.

It was like a jab to Pierce's pride. Quinn could easily tell that the comment made him on edge, and antsy. His brow furrowed as he turned, ignoring the comment and Quinn's wandering eye. He saunters over to another guard, holding a briefcase that opens as soon as they arrive. Quinn chooses to stand next to the guard, trying her best to look as menacing as possible next to him, however, that seemed impossible.

While he was muscular, tall, and clad in a black tactical uniform, Quinn was just in her tan pantsuit and white heels to match. A handgun rests against the side of her chest inside of the blazer, she felt uncomfortable wearing it but was instructed to do so. She didn't know why she agreed to it. She was the equivalent of the secret service to the president only she worked to protect Alexander Pierce.

Each council member takes a pin from within the briefcase attaching it to their blouses. "This facility is biometrically controlled, and these will give you unrestricted access," Pierce informs each council member, a smile perching itself on his lips as he watched them pin it on. The council has no idea what the pins can do, but he knew and he would love to see what damage they can cause.

Quinn's lips still hold their pressed lipped frown as each pin is taken. She wasn't exactly told what these pins were supposed to do but she did know that they were harmful. She couldn't shake the feeling that she should tell these people that but something stopped her. It was like a searing sensation had hit her in the back of the head as she tries to find the urge to tell the council what's going to happen to them if they don't obey. Pierce notices her nervous antics, his lips pull into a slight frown.

"Agent Cruise," Pierce whispers under his breath, catching her attention. "Why don't you do a sweep and then meet me in my office," he suggests, an icy tone hints in voice. Her mouth opens for a moment as if she wanted to protest but then she firmly closes it with a curt nod, her eyes never leaving Pierce's.

A part of her wanted to protest, she wanted to stay, she also wanted to warn the council of their badges but something forced her to stop. It was something she couldn't control no matter how much she wanted to. As she turns to leave her eyes connect with Councilwoman Hawley, her gaze upon first glance was icy they held an uncertainty as she continued to look at her. It was as if the councilwoman was studying her.

Quinn quickly brushes off the small interaction as she strides forward, facing the opposite way of the council and Pierce. A light sigh escapes her lips as a stinging sensation flows through her veins. The woman's eyes seemed so familiar yet she didn't recall ever meeting Councilwoman Hawley. She can't recall meeting anyone in the building, even the people who shot her glares as she passed by. Especially an Agent Thirteen, she was the one who gave her the fiercest glare. She forces herself to suppress the urge to question why she shared hateful glances yet her mouth stays shut. It was against her directive to speak to anyone in S.H.I.E.L.D.

She was only given the order to protect Pierce and when she wasn't protecting him she was protecting project Insight. From what she understood, Insight would help eradicate any terrorist organizations as they became a threat to national security.

It irked her and had her questioning why Captain America wanted to destroy the program, while she was willing to put her life on the line to protect Insight. She thought he was all for freedom and peace, she had been told that that's what Insight was going to bring, perhaps Captain America was worried that he was going to become irrelevant without the threat of war.

Quinn nods her head at a couple of agents who pass by her as she swipes her card against a key fob, allowing her access to the helicarrier launchpad. The sleek helicarriers were teeming with agents beginning to board, ready for take-off as soon as Pierce gave them the go-ahead. That was part of the plan. Have Pierce woo the security council, release Insight, and then go down in history. Hopefully, she could stop working after today.

Although she can't remember much of this place her gut drops to the floor with every step she takes on the hangar. Something about it seemed so familiar to her, yet the memory was convoluted and a hazy mess. Another shock runs through her body, causing her to physically jump midstride. Her hand instinctively lands on the back of her neck where the shooting pain came from, gasping at the sudden electricity.

Once the pain dissipates, she swivels her head from side to side to see a few agents giving her questioning looks as they continue to load up the helicarriers. A sheepish smile threatens to make an appearance on her lips, but she quickly finds the nearest exit and pushes her way through it. Her head is pounding, as her ragged breaths fill the empty echoing stairwell. This was something she's never experienced before, was it a panic attack? Something wasn't sitting right with her.

She knew she had memories of this place, why couldn't she remember? She takes a moment to somewhat compose herself if Pierce or any STRIKE agent found her like this she knew there'd be a punishment. She forces herself to climb up the stairwell, away from any place she knew would be littered with agents, yet close enough to a door where she could easily exit if Pierce needed her.

Once she feels she's climbed high enough to get away from everyone and everything she places her cheek against the cool cement wall of the stairwell. Compared to the rock her cheek feels as if it was on fire, almost as if she had a fever of some sort. It killed her to not know who she was or what she was doing here. She wanted to know how she came to be Pierce's most trusted guard desperately. She wanted to know the training she went through to have a connection with some of the agents. Most of them treated her like a genuine outcast.

Although this hurt her and rocked her to her core she was instructed to show no emotion towards anyone or anything, so whenever she heard the whispers of how out of place she looked being next to Pierce or asking why out of everyone she was working in the higher-ranked agents she had to hold a blank slate. Which most of the time she could do, sometimes her mind would just zone out and she wouldn't even remember getting to the point she was at when she came to.

The sweat on her palms become more apparent with each moment she spent in the stairwell, sinking to the floor as she tried to collect herself. Whoever she was she knew deep down she was way in over her head.

The door to the stairwell above her slams open with a metallic thump, a blast of cool air running through the dank area. She rises to her feet, alarmed at the voices that seemed to be bickering between each other about a plan. She narrowed her eyes at the figure who starts making their way down the stairs, only to stop in their tracks once they make eye contact with her.

Her mind flares with an aching pain as she recognizes the man to be Captain America. This is the man that Pierce instructed her to keep away, he was a fugitive on the run and hoping to destroy Insight. Yet his eyes held an emotion that she had never seen before. It almost was like they flashed between relief and regret as he continued to gaze at her.

She winces at the ringing sound that came to her ears as she tried to recognize who he actually was to her. She knew that they had met, his features let her know that they have. Despite wishing to know who he was to her, she knew what he was doing here. "Steve," Sam warns as he watches Steve lower his defenses. All he gets in return was a mild glare from the Avenger before his attention is back on Quinn. He could handle Quinn alone, besides he didn't want Sam or Maria hurting her. He was going to try his best not to.

He raises his hands at his sides as he slowly descends the steps, closing the space between them. "I don't want to fight you," he calmly states. She scoffs at this remark, shrugging her shoulders. "I have no choice," she replies in a low tone, before launching herself at him. Steve narrowly dodges it, remembering that she's novice in any hand to hand combat. He can tell she's changed a little in her training but she's still no match for him.

"I don't want to hurt you," he reiterates, as she attempts to kick him. He easily blocks her, with his shield causing her to call out in pain. His eyes shoot up to look at her as she grabs on to her ankle, wincing. "Quinn," he mumbles out under his breath, his tone sounding concerned. Too concerned to even notice that her frustration was shooting through the roof, and to slow to react to the foot that connects to the bottom of his jaw, causing his lip to bleed.

As he tries to make sense of what just happened Quinn sucker punches him in the gut, knocking the air out of his lungs. As her fist retracts to punch him while he's down he holds up his hands in defeat, before kneeling down before her. This notion confuses her. "I'm not going to fight you," he simply states, his breathing a little ragged from the leftover sucker punch that was sure to be a bruise on his gut.

There's a hint of question in her glare as she looks down at him, still poised like a coil ready to snap at any moment. "Your name is Quinn," he begins, earning a widened look from her. The name did sound familiar. Her mind starts to ache as she tries to search for anything related to her with the name Quinn. Her eyes stay locked on Captain America's as he continues, "You went to college for law enforcement. You never pursued it because you made a promise to yourself that you'd be there for your mom. You made a promise to me that you wouldn't get hurt,"

"And just like you, I made a promise to myself that no one would hurt you, and I let you down," his voice is starting to falter at the mention of her well-being. This makes her even more confused. Why would someone she's trying to kill care for her? Why would she be associated with someone who is trying to stop S.H.I.E.L.D. from doing the greater good?

"You have to see what they've done to you," Steve continues, drawing her attention back to him. "They've changed you, Quinn. You were never an agent. You were in I.T. You were my friend," This makes her mind ache even more. She can see flashes of their time spent together but all of it seems vague and distant almost like a dream.

"You mean more to me than just a friend. I'm not going to hurt you, I don't think I could,"

Her brows furrow in confusion at the confession. She had previously had feelings for Captain America? The butterflies in her stomach were undeniable. She shakes her head from side to side to clear her mind. Confessing feelings wasn't going to keep her from her orders. In a notion that comes as second nature to her, she grips the handgun from inside the blazer and points it at him. Steve flinches for a moment, placing his shield up to protect his head from the blast.

The shot never came.

His eyes peer over the edge of his shield curiously, watching Quinn as her hand trembled along with the gun. She strained, letting out a small gasp as if she was choking as she points the gun at him once again. Something stops her each time her finger is on the trigger. She didn't know if it was the look of fear in his eyes or if it was because she knew this was wrong.

Within a moment's notice, her hand releases the gun, letting it sputters down the flight of steps. Tears begin to run down her face, leaving long trails of warmth down her cheeks. She grabs her head within her hands, her body trembles as she fights the urge to hurt Captain America. A part of her wanted to believe him, that they once had a life where they were friends, where they were more than friends.

Her mind catches moments of their time spent together, making her senses crash every time she saw them together. A small part resented him for bringing this to light. Killing him was her directive. She couldn't go against orders. Her knees buckle beneath her as she gives way to a heart-wrenching sob that rips through her chest. She feels as if she was on fire. The pain was immeasurable.

Her eyes flutter open to see Captain America crouching down in front of her, worry stretching across his face as he scanned her features. "I can't," she sobs out to him. "I can't let you in. I have directives,"

In a moment's notice, her feet swipe underneath his knocking him flat on his back. It takes him a moment to realize what had happened. By the time he comes to realization, Quinn is lunging towards him. In a swift motion, Steve kicks his feet up from under him and plants them directly into Quinn's stomach. He pushes back, sending Quinn flying into the wall, knocking her head back with a solid thump.

As soon as her head hits the wall her vision goes dark, her shoulders begin to slump as exhaustion takes over. "Quinn!" She can hear Captain America shout. For some reason, this all seems familiar to her. Feeling him comfort her as she shuts her eyes to go to sleep as her head throbs in pain. They've done this before. Before she drifts off she can barely make out the muffled words of her attacker. "I'm sorry,"

Steve watches as her eyes glue shut, her body becoming weak and lifeless. Panic soars over him as he calls out her name with no response. He places two fingers at her neck to feel the faint beating of a pulse coursing through her. Relief washes over his nerves, he had merely knocked her out. It's not what he had intended on doing but if Maria or Sam were to face off against her, things could've gone worse. They wouldn't have any feelings towards injuring her or possibly killing her.

All he felt was the extreme guilt of letting this happen to her. Yet, even though she was brainwashed like Bucky she still looked peaceful as she slept. It was like looking at the Quinn he knew. How peaceful and gentle she looked while sleeping as if she didn't have a care in the world while she slept.

A hand places itself on Steve's shoulder, reminding him that he still had a mission to do. He looks up to see Sam giving him a reassuring look before holding a hand for him to take. Steve helps himself up, not uttering a single word as the three continued to descend amongst the stairwell towards the communication hub. They knew their mission. He had to complete it, no matter the cost.

"You're sure that whatever you're doing will jam the system?" Sam calls over his shoulder to Maria who is fiddling with a USB in her hand. She raises her brows at the slight doubt that Sam held towards her. "I'm jamming the frequency, not the system," she corrects him, holding a discouraging glare towards Steve's new friend. "Besides, this is what we use on the field all the time. Hasn't flunked out since the system update,"

Steve stops at the door of the communication hub, making sure to stand back a few feet just in case someone came too close to the door to hear them. Maria and Sam follow behind, quickly tensing up just in case a fight breaks out. Steve throws a playful smirk towards Maria. "Then let's see if it works," he challenges, earning an eye roll from the agent.

She doesn't break the smug eye contact with Steve as she presses the button on the device, a sea of groans erupting from the communication room. The device must've worked. Steve merely nods his head as he turns to face the door. A job well done. Maria stands by his side, gun out, ready to blow anyone back who threatened them.

The door in front of them swings open to reveal a scrawny tech, his headset places upon his shoulders, a surprised look appearing on his face as he takes in their presence. Maria trains her gun on the tech's head, making him whimper with fear. Treat everyone as if they were Hydra. Fury's words sink into his mind as he continues to stare at the tech.

"Excuse us," he says in a low, authoritative tone. The tech holds his hands up and steps aside to let them enter. Steve crosses the room filled with tech's each of their hands raised in the air as Maria points a gun at each of them, while Sam also follows closely behind. Unsure of who is Hydra and who is loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Steve shoots a glare at every tech in the room as he approaches the P.A. system. They were the cause of his friends suffering, they were going to be behind Insight's massacre. No doubt he was on the list of people to kill along with the other Avengers. He clears his throat before placing his thumb on the switch of the P.A. system. It hisses with static before becoming silent. "Attention, all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. This is Steve Rogers," he addresses, causing most people in the building to perk up at the sound of his voice.

"You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by Hydra. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are Hydra as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control,"

"They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, Hydra will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not,"

The intercom switches, leaving the whole building in a state of shock and awe. Mostly betrayal. The same of which Steve was feeling all at the moment. He peered over towards Maria and Sam, who held a slight smirk on his face. "Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?"

~BOOK ONE: THE WINTER SOLDIER~

QUINN'S HEAD WAS fuzzy as she felt herself coughing from the burning sensation coming from her eyes and nose. Her hands claw at her face to find a wet substance sprayed across her face. As she opens her eyes she blinded by the light from the stairwell.

A figure crouches in front of her, a can of Narcan in the palm of his hand. Her mind was still swaying as she looks over at the man clad in his STRIKE uniform, the badge on his chest reads "Rumlow". He pats her shoulder in a reassuring manner as he leans into his mic. "I got her, bringing her up," his voice is muffled. There's an aching in her neck and a throbbing pain coming from the back of her head. It completely confines her motor skills as she groans in pain and leans back down.

"Come on kid," Rumlow addresses her, standing up at his full height. She has to squint against the light to see his facial features. He holds his hand out for her to take. "We got a code red. Pierce needs protection,"

Her eyes widen at the mention of the code red. She hastily clamors to her feet and begins climbing the stairs with Rumlow to the closest elevator. Pierce was in trouble.