Steel Hearts

- 5 -

After successfully retrieving the wing pack, we devise a plan to get Sitwell alone. Sam driving, Steve in the passenger's seat, with Natasha and me in the back.

"I call using the laser pointer!" Natasha, Sam, and I shout simultaneously as he drives away from his house, following the GPS on Nat's phone.

"No," Steve interjects, dealing out orders, "Sam, you lead him to the car. Ella, you stay in the car to drive."

"Why do I have to lead him to the car?" Sam whines at the same time I ask, "Why should I sit in the car?"

"I mean, you could get a guy to follow you anywhere, Ella," Sam notes.

"Oh please. You flatter me," I wave him off, not catching the look Steve gave Sam, "So I'm staying in the car, Sam's calling Sitwell, and Nat gets the laser pointer. Got it."

We all stay silent until Sam parks the car around the corner from where the GPS leads us, Sam and Nat both getting out and taking their positions outside of the building Sitwell should be exiting. I switch seats from the back to the driver's, joining Steve in the front.

"You know I was kidding about never being fugitives with you ever again, right?" I turn to face him, throwing my braided hair over my shoulder.

"I knew you were," he smiles, "I can also tell you're kind of freaking out."

"I mean, I just found out that my mom was possibly murdered and not actually in a freak accident. So I guess I'm doing as well as can be expected," I shrug, my smile faltering and I nervously bite the inside of my cheek. My heart pounding in my chest, anxiety setting in about the entire situation. Everyone we know is actively trying to kill us.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I promise," he places his hand over mine, gaining my full attention once more.

I offer a weak smile and nod at him, "Thank you."

He smiles back at me, "And who knows, maybe after all this maybe you could-"

"Hey! Watch it!" the ghost of a voice snaps from outside the car. All of a sudden the door to the back seat behind Steve was ripped open. Sam shoved Jasper Sitwell into the car. "Cohen? Rogers? Oh, for Christ sake-"

"Shut up." Steve and I quickly snap at him, switching into our professional personas as quickly as possible. While pulling the car into the road, I smirk at Steve briefly before glaring at Sitwell through the rearview mirror. I drive around several city blocks looking for the tallest building nearby. Steve, Natasha, and I took Sitwell to the roof using the emergency stairs while Sam stayed in the alleyway with the car.

Steve kicks open the door to the rooftop, roughly shoving Sitwell through. Every step Steve took toward him, Sitwelll shuffled backward.

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm," Steve demanded.

"Never heard of it," Sitwell readjusts his glasses, still moving backward.

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?" Steve demands again, moving closer with Natasha and me in his tracks.

"I was throwing up. I get seasick," his head whips every which way, searching for any possible way out of this situation.                                      

"Why were you on a boat in the middle of the ocean if you get seasick?" I ask, brows raised, backing him to the edge of the roof where he stumbles backward. Steve grabs his suit coat roughly and pulls him forward.

"Is this little display mean to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof?" Sitwell tries to make it seem as if he isn't scared, but I can see right through it. He's terrified. "Because it's really not your style, Rogers."