Electric Storm

Chapter 15: What They Think

'Sit down.' Dad orders angrily. He begins pacing up and down the room, sighing and muttering.

No one can hear us but they can see in and I don't like that. Stalking back and forth to get a glimpse of the secret girl, whispering to each other, wondering if I'm real. This treatment from the CIA, the restraints on my wrists, they're acting like I'm going to go off and kill everyone. They're treating me like I'm a monster. 

I'm not a monster. Am I?

'What the hell were you thinking?' Dad slams his hands on the table. 

'That I had to help Steve. Bucky is his friend!' 

'Bucky?'

'James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier.'

'Exactly.' Dad folds his arms. 'He's a known criminal.'

'He saved my life.' 

Dad shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'Maybe, but that doesn't mean you can go running in now. It's illegal.'

'I know. That's why I didn't get involved after dropping Steve off.' 

'Thank goodness you didn't. I don't know what I would have done.' Dad goes off again, mumbling to himself about rules and regulations. The silent anger is the worst. It digs right into my core and starts ripping it up. It's scary when he's like this. I fear he's more angry than he was after Washington. After all, his daughter is sitting opposite him, arrested and cuffed. 

'Katy, you signed the accords for a reason.' Dad's voice raises again. 

'Technically, I didn't sign them.' I mutter.

'But I did.' His voice cuts through. 'There's consequences now Katy. Real consequences for our actions.'

'There's always been consequences.' I fire back. 

Dad's face drops. He knows what I mean. The people around us, close and distant, are always in danger. Our mental health has always been in danger. We are always in danger. 

He sighs again. 'Katy, do you remember why we have to sign?'

'Because we'd be criminals.' I mumble.

'Yeah, not fun is it?'

'No.' My eyes drop to the floor. 'Dad, I know we need to sign. I tried to follow it as much as I could but our freedom-'

'We shouldn't have that much freedom. Look what happened in Lagos, Sokovia!' Dad throws his hands in the air. 

'I know I was there.' I grit. 

'I'm just trying to avoid another public outburst. You've been in school, you know what the world thinks. We have to gain their trust back and we need to be accountable for our actions.'

I sit up in my chair, leaning forward challengingly. 'Is that what this is about? You apologising for your weapons? For Ultron?' 

Dad's eyes narrow. 'Don't pretend like Ultron wasn't your fault.' 

'I don't, and I pay for that every day.' My voice shakes. 

Dad sighs. 'I know you do.'

I'm liking these accords less and less. The price for my freedom is losing my freedom. But there is no other choice. 

Sometimes, I think it would be easier to be the villain in the story. 

'I'm going to sign dad. You know I agree with the accountability.'