My Saving Grace
Part One
“Barton, Fury has been trying to get you to his office for twenty minutes. He’s not happy with waiting.” Natasha Romanoff approached me from across the lab, looking concerned. “He said it was very important.”
“Yeah, no earpiece in the lab. Oops.” I shrugged, stripping off my lab coat and hanging it by the door before crossing the large hovercraft that was currently home.
I can’t lie and say I wasn’t a bit aggravated that Fury had called me from my research.
A little more than a month ago, I had been exposed to some strange radiation when Earth was invaded by aliens sent by Loki, some dead beat from Asgard. Since exposure, I had learned that I had many new… abilities. I was much faster than I used to be, with catlike reflexes. I had gained more strength, though not quite super human. Oh, and I could become invisible if the need arose. I had been studying my new genetic make up trying to see if the radiation was going to affect my life span or any other aspect of my life. So far my efforts had come up empty.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” I asked, falsely polite as I entered the director’s office and sat opposite him.
Nick Fury was a rather tall black man with only one eye. His eye patch really only served to make him more intimidating. And I knew that he saw right through my act of politeness.
“Agent, I’ve got a rather important mission that pertains directly to you. You’ll need to leave immediately.” He sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest.
“May I ask the details, sir?”
“Your brother has been compromised on his intelligence mission in Moscow. I thought it would be best to send you to fetch him. It shouldn’t be a difficult task, consider it a test run for yourself of sorts. You’ll have a partner of course.”
“Right, so I’ll round up Stark and we’ll be on our way.” I stated matter of factly, rising from my seat to leave.
“Not so fast.” Fury interrupted, causing me to sit back down. “You won’t be working with Stark. Take The Cap.” He instructed.
I furrowed my eyebrows together in anger and confusion. I had always worked the best with Tony. Our personalities were just similar and we shared the same attitude towards life and work.
“With all due respect sir, Rogers will only slow me down.” I objected calmly, trying to hide my indignation.
I had never really gotten along with Steve Rogers, or Captain America as he was known by the public. For all his old school chivalry, he was still a bit lost on how to talk to a proper woman. And our personalities clashed, I think he thought I was much more brash than any self respecting woman should ever be.
“Agent, while this mission shouldn’t be difficult, discretion is key. Make no mistake, draw too much attention and you jeopardize the whole mission and your brother’s life. And you and I both know discrete in not in Tony’s vocabulary.”
“Well when you put it that way.” I huffed, glaring at him before rising from my chair and putting my hands on my hips. “When do I leave?”
“Half an hour. There’s already a jet on deck equipped with coordinates. The Cap has already been briefed on this mission. He will meet you on the top deck.”
“Thank you, sir.” I replied, not quite able to hide a grumble as I turned to leave.
“Agent Barton. Wear your earpiece while you’re out.” Fury called after me.
As I made my way across the carrier to my temporary quarters, I was joined by Tony Stark. While he was a pompous ass, both as himself and as the infamous Iron Man, he was by far and away my favorite colleague at S.H.I.E.L.D.
“So Moscow huh?” He smirked as we stepped onto an elevator. “Better bundle up.”
“How did you know?”
“Hacked security feeds.” He shrugged. “I was curious as to where you were off to and why I wasn’t invited. Evidently I’m not discrete enough.”
“Fury’s got your number, Tony.” I chuckled as I opened the door to my room.
I moved to the tall cabinet in the corner of the room and began pulling out guns and securing them to
my person.
“Hey, that one’s mine!” Tony declared indignantly, reaching over my shoulder to snatch a gun.
I smacked his hand away and he yelped. Sometimes I tended to forget I hit harder than your average bear. I was still adjusting to the whole super human thing.
“Don’t touch.” I reprimanded as I strapped knives around my calves and slid some throwing knives into the pockets provided on the ribs of my uniform.
For a finishing touch I crossed two long blades across my back and holstered them across my breasts. Even before my exposure, I had been an extraordinary marksman and swordsman. It must have run in the family, my brother was remarkably accurate with a bow and arrow.
“Well. I suppose that’s it.” I sighed, running a hand through my strawberry blonde pixie cut hair and turning to face my friend sitting on the edge of my bed. “Drinks when I return?”
“You know I’m always up for it.” Tony nodded, smiling.
But the smile was strained, and I could see the worry creasing his face.
“C’mon, walk me out.” I demanded, moving to leave my room and deciding it was best to ignore the emotion on his face.
We emerged from the lower levels of the craft onto the top deck to see a sleek black jet waiting at the end of the runway. Captain America stood next to the jet, waiting in all his blonde haired glory.
“One of yours?” I questioned Tony of the jet, quirking an eyebrow at him.
“Yep. Just out of prototype.” He nodded.
“Nice.”
The tension was killing me. Things were usually so carefree and easy between us. He was my best friend.
“Be careful, kiddo.” Tony commanded gruffly, pulling me to his chest in a tight hug.
“Tony, seriously. I’ll be fine.” I chuckled at his sudden worry.
“Just wish it was me going for your first mission and not the Star Spangled Doofus.” He grumbled, pushing me away and ruffling my hair. “Now go on. Have fun.”
As I approached the jet, I saluted Captain America sarcastically and then rolled my eyes when he glared at me.
“Take a joke or this is gonna be a long trip.” I suggested as I settled myself into the pilot’s seat.
He took the copilot’s spot next to me as I began flipping switches, preparing our plane for takeoff.
“Nighthawk, you are clear for takeoff.” Agent Hill’s voice rang through my earpiece.
“Let’s get this show on the road!” I exclaimed, pushing the throttle forward, easing the small jet down the runway.
“Yeah, no earpiece in the lab. Oops.” I shrugged, stripping off my lab coat and hanging it by the door before crossing the large hovercraft that was currently home.
I can’t lie and say I wasn’t a bit aggravated that Fury had called me from my research.
A little more than a month ago, I had been exposed to some strange radiation when Earth was invaded by aliens sent by Loki, some dead beat from Asgard. Since exposure, I had learned that I had many new… abilities. I was much faster than I used to be, with catlike reflexes. I had gained more strength, though not quite super human. Oh, and I could become invisible if the need arose. I had been studying my new genetic make up trying to see if the radiation was going to affect my life span or any other aspect of my life. So far my efforts had come up empty.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” I asked, falsely polite as I entered the director’s office and sat opposite him.
Nick Fury was a rather tall black man with only one eye. His eye patch really only served to make him more intimidating. And I knew that he saw right through my act of politeness.
“Agent, I’ve got a rather important mission that pertains directly to you. You’ll need to leave immediately.” He sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest.
“May I ask the details, sir?”
“Your brother has been compromised on his intelligence mission in Moscow. I thought it would be best to send you to fetch him. It shouldn’t be a difficult task, consider it a test run for yourself of sorts. You’ll have a partner of course.”
“Right, so I’ll round up Stark and we’ll be on our way.” I stated matter of factly, rising from my seat to leave.
“Not so fast.” Fury interrupted, causing me to sit back down. “You won’t be working with Stark. Take The Cap.” He instructed.
I furrowed my eyebrows together in anger and confusion. I had always worked the best with Tony. Our personalities were just similar and we shared the same attitude towards life and work.
“With all due respect sir, Rogers will only slow me down.” I objected calmly, trying to hide my indignation.
I had never really gotten along with Steve Rogers, or Captain America as he was known by the public. For all his old school chivalry, he was still a bit lost on how to talk to a proper woman. And our personalities clashed, I think he thought I was much more brash than any self respecting woman should ever be.
“Agent, while this mission shouldn’t be difficult, discretion is key. Make no mistake, draw too much attention and you jeopardize the whole mission and your brother’s life. And you and I both know discrete in not in Tony’s vocabulary.”
“Well when you put it that way.” I huffed, glaring at him before rising from my chair and putting my hands on my hips. “When do I leave?”
“Half an hour. There’s already a jet on deck equipped with coordinates. The Cap has already been briefed on this mission. He will meet you on the top deck.”
“Thank you, sir.” I replied, not quite able to hide a grumble as I turned to leave.
“Agent Barton. Wear your earpiece while you’re out.” Fury called after me.
As I made my way across the carrier to my temporary quarters, I was joined by Tony Stark. While he was a pompous ass, both as himself and as the infamous Iron Man, he was by far and away my favorite colleague at S.H.I.E.L.D.
“So Moscow huh?” He smirked as we stepped onto an elevator. “Better bundle up.”
“How did you know?”
“Hacked security feeds.” He shrugged. “I was curious as to where you were off to and why I wasn’t invited. Evidently I’m not discrete enough.”
“Fury’s got your number, Tony.” I chuckled as I opened the door to my room.
I moved to the tall cabinet in the corner of the room and began pulling out guns and securing them to
my person.
“Hey, that one’s mine!” Tony declared indignantly, reaching over my shoulder to snatch a gun.
I smacked his hand away and he yelped. Sometimes I tended to forget I hit harder than your average bear. I was still adjusting to the whole super human thing.
“Don’t touch.” I reprimanded as I strapped knives around my calves and slid some throwing knives into the pockets provided on the ribs of my uniform.
For a finishing touch I crossed two long blades across my back and holstered them across my breasts. Even before my exposure, I had been an extraordinary marksman and swordsman. It must have run in the family, my brother was remarkably accurate with a bow and arrow.
“Well. I suppose that’s it.” I sighed, running a hand through my strawberry blonde pixie cut hair and turning to face my friend sitting on the edge of my bed. “Drinks when I return?”
“You know I’m always up for it.” Tony nodded, smiling.
But the smile was strained, and I could see the worry creasing his face.
“C’mon, walk me out.” I demanded, moving to leave my room and deciding it was best to ignore the emotion on his face.
We emerged from the lower levels of the craft onto the top deck to see a sleek black jet waiting at the end of the runway. Captain America stood next to the jet, waiting in all his blonde haired glory.
“One of yours?” I questioned Tony of the jet, quirking an eyebrow at him.
“Yep. Just out of prototype.” He nodded.
“Nice.”
The tension was killing me. Things were usually so carefree and easy between us. He was my best friend.
“Be careful, kiddo.” Tony commanded gruffly, pulling me to his chest in a tight hug.
“Tony, seriously. I’ll be fine.” I chuckled at his sudden worry.
“Just wish it was me going for your first mission and not the Star Spangled Doofus.” He grumbled, pushing me away and ruffling my hair. “Now go on. Have fun.”
As I approached the jet, I saluted Captain America sarcastically and then rolled my eyes when he glared at me.
“Take a joke or this is gonna be a long trip.” I suggested as I settled myself into the pilot’s seat.
He took the copilot’s spot next to me as I began flipping switches, preparing our plane for takeoff.
“Nighthawk, you are clear for takeoff.” Agent Hill’s voice rang through my earpiece.
“Let’s get this show on the road!” I exclaimed, pushing the throttle forward, easing the small jet down the runway.
I Absolutly loved the whole story!!
7/28/15