The Other Barton | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter Ten

" I made breakfast. If you eat that sorta thing.." Sam told us, standing in the doorway. I was drying my hair while Nat was now laying on the bed. "Crazy as it sounds, we are human." I answered back, hanging up the towel in the bathroom. Then walking to the kitchen.

We all took a seat at the dining table, adding a little something to our plates. "So the question is, who at shield could launch a domestic missile strike?" Natasha asked, while adding butter to her slice of toast. We all sat thinking about who the who was, "Pierce." Steve answered with no uncertainty.

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." I added in.

"But he's not working alone. Zola's algorithm was on the Lemuiran Star."

"So was Jasper Sitwell." Natasha realized. I looked up at her, unsure if we were talking about the same person. "Why would he be on a ship? Isn't he more computer?" I quizzed. "Exactly." She answered back.

"So the real question is, how do the three most wanted people in Washington kidnap a shield officer in broad daylight." Steve followed up.

"Two most wanted people, I'm still considered dead." I corrected back.

"You were wanted by the FBI before they considered you dead."

"Okay, I can't argue with that." I laughed out.

Sam walked over to the table, placing a manila folder down. "The answer is, you don't." He followed up.

"What's this?" Steve asked, picking it up. "Call it a resume."

I picked up the photo inside of it, "Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandil mission, that was you?"

"You didn't say he was a pararescue." Natasha said to Steve. Also observing the photo I was holding.

"Is this Riley?" Steve asked him, looking at the other man in the photo. "Yeah."

"I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use? A stealth chute?" I questioned, which was answered with, "No," and him handing another manila folder.

"I thought you said you were a pilot?" Steve said, once opening the folder.

"I never said pilot." Sam countered back, chuckling.

"I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason."

"Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in."

Steve passed the folder over to Nat and I who observed what looked to be a mechanical version of those parachutes people fly around the grand canyon in. Like a bird suit almost. "Where can we get our hands on one of these things?" Natasha asked Sam.

"The last one is at Fort Meade. Behind three guarded gates and a 12-inch steel wall."

Natasha and Steve looked at each other and then at me, "Shouldn't be a problem." Steve assured him.

"Woah, what was that look? I know that look. No way man." I rambled on to the two who had a silent agreement on what they were going to do. "Brie, just like you said everyone thinks you're dead. So put on a military uniform and go take the wings. In and out." Steve told me. "No, absolutely not."

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Natasha and I were in a parking garage across from a hotel where Sitwell was leaving. I had a sniper rifle reading to be aimed at him once Sam gave the sign. "I can't believe you guys made me do that. And Steve, I really thought he had morals." I complained to Nat. "If money was involved you wouldn't be complaining right now." Nat theorized. "You're right. Because if I go to jail for impersonating someone I like to have a loaded bank account."

"Your assets get frozen when you go to jail." She corrected me.

"Not if it's a foreign bank account." I mumbled, matter of factly.

"Sitwell is alone, line it up." Natasha confirmed it over with Steve. I looked through the scope pointing him out from the crowd as the only man left in a suit. I turned on the laser, making sure it was aimed right at his tie. Making it difficult for him to not notice. "Sam's got him. We're good." Natasha told me. So I turned off the laser but left the gun where it was. Wasn't practical to carry around a sniper. Nor was it practical to carry a stolen sniper.

We walked up to the top of the building, where Steve would bring him and Sam would be waiting below. A few minutes later the door slammed open with Sitwell rolling across the floor. "Tell me about Zola's algorithm." Steve demanded, as Nat and I followed behind him. "Never heard of it." Sitwell protested.

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?" I then asked him. "I was throwing up. I get seasick." He countered while still walking backwards getting closer to the edge of the building. Nat has stopped walking, while Steve and I pressured him to the edge. He hit the back of the ledge losing his step but Steve grabbed him by his tie.

"Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not your style, Rogers." Sitwell started rambling, nervousness clear on his face. "You're right. It's not. It's hers." Steve answered, letting go of him. While he and I stepped back. Natasha then walked forward, kicking him off the edge.

"You know, that was kinda hot." I admitted. "The guy getting kicked off part or the fact he thinks he's gonna die?" Steve asked, which the second option baffled me. "Nat kicking the guy off, Rogers." I answered back laughing. The scream of Sitwell echoed back as Sam brought him back up to the roof, with his bird system.

We walked forward to him, where he held his hand up insinuating he was done. "Zola's algorithm is a program for choosing Insight's targets."

"What targets?" Steve asked.

"You! The brunette. A TV anchor in Cairo, the Under Secretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa City, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to Hydra. Now, or in the future."

"In the future? How could it know?"

Sitwell began laughing, "How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught Hydra how to read it. Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores! Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

"And what then?"

"Oh my god. Pierce is gonna kill me."

"What then?"

"Then the Insight helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time."

"This may be bad timing, but I don't want to die...So what's the plan?" I followed up, only to be met with Steve looking upset, while Sam and Natasha stifled their laughter.