Steel Hearts

- 1 -

The consistent humming of people drums throughout every floor of S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters, The Triskelion, when I arrive. Hundreds of people make their way in their separate directions like ants in a colony. Feet slapping the tile floor, I walk to the elevator with a sense of hastiness and press the button for the top floor; said elevator gives off a soft ding when it arrives.

"Romanoff, will you pick up Rogers? We've got an assignment!" I call to her from across the bullpen while making my way to my desk to put together the file so Rumlow can debrief on the Quinjet, knowing full well that she's already been informed about it.

Not even thirty minutes later, Nat comes walking in with Steve Rogers and I call to the S.T.R.I.K.E. team, "Suit up guys, wheels go up in fifteen." I spin my chair around after moving the debriefing file onto a tablet before making my way to the armory to get my stealth suit. After zipping up the all-black ensemble I pull on my thigh holsters and utility belt then make my way out to the landing strip to the Quinjet with the eight-person team following closely.

✪  ✪  ✪

About ten minutes out from our destination, I gather the team in the head of the Quinjet for my second in command, Brock Rumlow, to debrief everyone while I slide the information for our mission from my tablet to the screen on the wall. All of us actively studying the blueprints of the ship, the Leumerian Star, listen to Rumlow.

"Target is a mobile satellite launch platform, the Leumerian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, ninety-three minutes ago."

"Any demands?" Steve asks.

"Billion and a half," I cross my arms.

"Why so steep?"

"Because it's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s," Rumlow answers for me.

His face said it all, sour and knowing all at the same time, "So it's not off-course. It's trespassing."

"I'm sure they have a good reason," Natasha says, giving him a pointed look.

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor," Steve grumbles in response.

"Relax. It's not that complicated."

He turns to me and asks, "How many pirates?" All eyes snapped to me in response.

"Twenty-five. Top mercs led by this guy," I swipe my finger across the screen, tapping to bring up a photo of their leader, " Georges Batroc. Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice and he's not very popular with the F.B.I. either. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

"Hostages?" Steve questions, wanting to know what to expect when we land.

"Mmm they're mostly techs," I guestimate, swiping past the many Interpol photos of said hostages, "But it's strange, there's one officer: Jasper Sitwell."

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" he mutters and I give him a curt nod, letting him know to give assignments, "All right, Ella and I are gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get them out. Let's move."

"S.T.R.I.K.E., you heard the Cap. Gear up," Rumlow says and everyone moves in response.

I take a step closer to the screen to inspect the blueprint of the ship, wanting to get a good idea of a landing point to start sweeping. While doing so, I make sure I have enough ammo in both clips of my guns plus a few clips on my belt just in case.