Russo Convenience Store

 

“Yo! Been waiting long?” I waved my hand as I greeted the wary blonde agent. “You’re late,” Sharon grumbled. “No, I’m not. You are just early,” I shrugged. I sat down on the chair opposite Sharon, “Did you get anything?” I asked. “Get to the point. Talk,” Sharon demanded. “Whoa, no need to be so hostile,” I held my arms up in a joking manner. My eyes squinted as my expression turned serious, “If you want me to talk, turn off all of your bugs.” Sharon pondered for a moment before taking out two tiny devices from her pocket. She crushed them with her hand, “I’ve done it. Now explain.”

 

“I told you all of it. That included the one on your phone, bra, pants, and your boots,” I pointed. “Don’t push it,” Sharon let out a soft growl while pointing her gun from below the table. “If you want to know the truth, you will do as I want. If not, I will leave straight away,” I’m not backing down on this one. Sharon bit her lower lips, pondering for a few seconds, “Sigh, fine.” She then removed all the bugs on her person, including the one I didn’t point out.

 

“This is all. Happy?”

“Ecstatic. Before we start, do you mind if I grab a drink? I’m thirsty,” I looked at Sharon’s glare that could kill a person and decided not to. “Okay, where do I start? Oh yeah, how much do you know about Nick Fury's shooting?”

 

===

 

“It can’t be!? HYDRA? I thought they were all dead?” Sharon’s eyes bulged out in complete shock. “Shh, not so loud. You never know where they might be hiding,” I warned. “Oh, okay, sorry. But, if what you said is true, then SHIELD is indeed in big trouble,” Sharon rubbed her chin. “Yes. And that is why I need you, Sharon. I need you and your skills,” I said. Sharon looked me in the eyes, “So, why me? Why trust me with all of this?” she asked. “Why you? There’s plenty of reason. First, you are one of the people Fury considered trustworthy. He apparently rated your skills highly,” I explained.

 

“Secondly, your eyes,” I pointed.

“My eyes?”

“Yes. Even though you’re a spy, your eyes are honest and shine brightly.”

“Is that all?” Sharon furrowed her eyebrows. “Yup, pretty much it,” I shrugged.

“Not because I’m Peggy Carter’s niece?” Sharon scrutinized me.

“There’s a little bit of that factor, but that’s not the main point.”

Sharon lowered her head, “Is that so?”

 

“So, how about it? Do you accept or not?” I offered. Sharon pondered for a second before nodding, “When do we start?”

 

=== 

 

A few hours ago,

Steve looked at the bed-bound Nick Fury getting operated on. Just then, Black Widow arrived with a pale face. “Is he going to make it?” she asked Steve, worried for her boss.

 

“I don’t know,” Steve replied

 

Natasha looked at Nick Fury and then turned to Steve, “Tell me about the shooter.”

 

Steve pursed his lips, pondering for a second before speaking, “He’s fast, strong. Had a metal arm.”

 

Maria Hill approached the operation table window, lining up with the two. She had a worried expression, concerned about her boss.

 

“Ballistics?” Nat asked at the newly arrived Maria Hill.

 

“Three slugs, no riffling. Completely untraceable,” answered Maria Hill solemnly

 

Realization dawned on Nat. “Soviet-made,” she uttered

Maria Hill looked at Nat, surprised. “Yeah”

 

Not long after, the doctors, much to everyone distraught, declared Nick Fury to be deceased. Natasha broke down crying while Maria Hill covered her mouth. Steve left, staring outside, sighing. He looked at his hand, holding the flash drive Nick Fury gave to him before Nat called out to him.

 

Together, they both see Nick Fury lying on the bed, lifeless. Both felt saddened about this, but it hurt a lot more for Natasha Romanoff. Nick Fury was one of the people who gave her everything when she had nothing. Because of Nick Fury, she now had a place she could call home. Now, one of her benefactors was dead. She both felt anger and frustration, and yet it was sadness that came out. She even shed a tear, something she thought she no longer had.

 

“I need to take him,” Maria Hill said to Steve.

 

The top agent of SHIELD, Black Widow, looked at her benefactor one last time before following Steve outside.

 

In the hallway, Black Widow held Steve on his shoulder, “Wait. Why was Nick Fury in your apartment?”

 

Steve struggled to answer as Nick Fury’s last words echoed in his mind. “I don’t know,” he replied. Then, Rumlow interrupted the two, “Cap, they want you at HQ.”

 

Steve stared at Rumlow, “Later,” he said.

 

“They want you, now,” Rumlow insisted.

 

Sighing, Steve replied, “Alright,” Rumlow nodded then walked away

 

After seeing Rumlow was gone, Nat smirked at Steve, “You’re a terrible liar.” She left the hospital, leaving Steve as he stared at her back.

 

 

===

 

 Harlem, New York City

 

“Why are we here?” Sharon asked.

 

“I, I, I, I am staying alive, staying alive, staying alive. I, I, I, I am staying alive,” ignoring Sharon, I continued my singing. “Can you please stop?” Sharon sighed. “What? Is it annoying you?” I grinned. “Yes, it is annoying me. Can you please answer me? Why are we here?” Sharon grumbled. “To look for a historical site. There, we have arrived,” I pointed at Pops Barber Shop. “A barber shop? Are we here to get you a haircut?” Sharon squinted, “To be fair, you need a haircut,” she jabbed.

 

“I do. But not today. Come,” I rushed past Sharon. “W-wait,” Sharon chased me around as I circled Pops Barber Shop. “Hah, hah, hah. Don’t suddenly run away from me,” Sharon complained. “I thought you were an agent. Why are you tired already?” I smirked. “Y-you!” Sharon was about to rebuke me when she saw a lot of trash cans around us. “You’re taking us here?” she raised one of her eyebrows. “Patience, patience. You SHIELD agents are all the same, getting fooled by this simple illusion technique,” I shook my head.

 

“Watch,” I clasped my hands together, “Light, reveal my path!” I chanted. The trash cans around us disappeared, and replacing them was the end of an alley with a latch on the ground. “Come in,” I turned around only to find Sharon with her mouth agape. “You better close your mouth if you don’t want a fly flying in,” I teased before opening the hatch. Sharon woke up from her stupor as she chased me inside angrily, “Get back here!” I stood before a large bunker door at the edge of the path. “Took you long enough,” I smirked. “How…. Are…. You… So fast….” Sharon panted. “Let me catch…. How in the…. Where the heck are we?” Sharon gawked. “Underneath New York. Let’s go in,” I cranked open the large metal handle.

 

“It’s dark in here,” Sharon commented. “It is. Let’s light them up,” I clapped my hands, “Light, reveal.” The lanterns inside the room lit up brightly. “Whoa…. What is this place?” Sharon awed. “Welcome to my hideout,” I said. “Please, feel free to take a look around,” I offered. Sharon nodded before proceeding to roam around.

 

“What is this place? Did you make all of this?” Sharon asked.

“No. I actually stumbled upon this place by accident. I just repurposed it to my liking,” I answered.

 

“There are all kinds of weapons here. Did you make them yourself?” Sharon asked while grabbing a dagger. “Yeah, I know a bit of blacksmithing. Try the staff over there. You’re going to like it,” I said. “Huh, how do you know I liked staff?” Sharon squinted before happily grabbing the staff I pointed to. “Is this an extendable staff?” Sharon twirled the short staff in her hand.

 

“Yes. Give it a good yank, will you?”

 

“Hmm,” Sharon observed the staff before swinging it hard. “This is a good staff,” Sharon commented with a smile. “I know, right? Oh, and try twirling it fast, then point it at the wooden dummy over there,” I pointed with my thumb. “Quit telling me what to do,” Sharon quipped, but she did it anyway. As Sharon twirled the extended staff, it suddenly glowed bright, and when she pointed it at the wooden dummy, a beam of light shot out from the staff's tip, blasting the wooden dummy’s torso to pieces. “Huh?” Sharon stood dumbfounded, “Is that… A plasma beam?”

 

“Surprised? It’s amazing, right? How’s it handling, by the way? Good? Not too light and heavy anywhere?” I asked. “No, no. It handled perfectly,” Sharon replied, her eyes glued to the shattered wooden dummy. “Nevermind about that. How in the hell did you make this? Is there any power capacitor on this thing?” Sharon inquired. “Nope, just pure power,” I replied. “Pure power? You mean energy?” Sharon squinted her eyes. I approached Sharon after changing my clothes, “Yes, this energy.” I gathered my light energy on my fist, “Ha!” I punched toward the remains of the wooden dummy from afar.

 

BOOM

 

The remaining wooden dummy was blasted to pieces leaving Sharon’s mouth wide open.

 

“You, you, you…. You’re an enhanced!?”

“You just realized this now?”

“How am I supposed to know that? Are you registered with SHIELD?”

“Nope. Fury made sure that I was not registered at all. He told me I’m his insurance,” I shrugged.

“I see. You two must’ve been close,” Sharon said with her head down.

“No, not really. Fury found me one day after I apparently fell down from the sky. But I am grateful to him, though,” I said.

“Fell down from the sky? Wait…. Are you the rumored person who fell down the sky after the battle in England?”

“I am. You didn’t know?” I raised my eyebrows.

“No. The official reports were redacted,” Sharon replied.

“Fury must’ve done it. How touching…. It seemed there’s another reason I should be grateful to him,” I rubbed my chin.

 

“Anyway,  here. Get dressed and prepare,” I tossed a jacket at Sharon, “Bring that staff with you too. You’re going to need it.”

 

“Where are we going?” Sharon asked while stretching out the jacket.

 

“To where it all first started.”