The Other Barton | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter Fourteen

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize." Fury broke the silence that followed us all piling into a makeshift debriefing room. "He said, 'Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility.' See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues." He threw a photo of Pierce that was in his hand down onto the table. Now being able to realize the man in total control was head of Hydra.

Just like I'd always claimed, something was off about the man. Everything he did was closely coordinated, happening just at the right time. Like his new deal with Tony Stark. Of course I had nothing against Stark, just a playful batter at the incorrect title of 'Founder of The Avengers'. But it all made sense. Wanting to locate missing and exploited shield agents. I doubt any on his list were actual agents.

"We have to stop the launch," Natasha stated, breaking my concentrated thought on the photo in front of me. I turned my head giving attention to her, clearing away my pointless bambling on the corrupt man. Fury moved for the black box adjacent to him on the table. Opening it and turning it for us to see the content in it. "I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore."

There were three chips that laid inside cushioned by some protective foam. I'd never claimed to be technologically advanced but even I knew that was well above a desktops job to handle. Where they'd even belong didn't register.

Sam, who'd been quiet as a church mouse, seemed to be just a clueless, "What's that?"

Maria took joy in now being able to explain the mystery devices use. "Once the helicarriers reach 3,000 feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites, becoming fully weaponized." Using a program on a laptop to visualize what was being explained to us. "We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own." Fury added in.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational, a whole lot of people are going to die." Maria continued explaining keeping heavy eye contact on Steve and I. The two who'd just found out were the main targets.

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is Hydra. We have to get past them, insert these server blades. And maybe, just maybe we can salvage what's left."

"No, terrible, terrible idea." I cut off Fury unsure if he'd lost some brain cells during his staged death. "We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down shield." Steve then cut me off.

"Excuse me, that is not what I meant." I turned my head to Steve, who was at the end of the table, to my left. Without shield I would have been on the FBI's top wanted list for countless other reasons. They saved me from a much worse path and gave me hope I could be a better person.

"Shield has nothing to do with it," Fury backed me up just as annoyed by Steve's demands. Steve wasn't backing down from this argument, "You gave me this mission, this is how it ends. Shield's been compromised, you said so yourself. Hydra grew right under your nose and nobody noticed."

"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed," Fury sarcastically answered. "And how many paid the price before you did?" Steve angrily countered. It was clear what Steve's real issue was. It was Bucky. Hydra had Bucky and Hydra was shield.

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes.." Fury tried to reason with him, in a softer, more reasonable tone. A much better approach than my outburst earlier.

"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too?" No one acknowledged his further outburst. It was a dead end that would get us nowhere. "Shield, Hydra, it all goes." Was Steve's final thought.

Maria spoked up with an opinion I'd not expected, "He's right."

Fury looked around at all of us, hoping for someone to back him up. As much as I didn't want shield to end, it needed to. It was too dirty to stay working. Even Sam wouldn't back him up, "Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower."

"Well..It looks like you're giving the orders now captain." Fury gave up, relenting power to Steve.

Steve was quick to agree on a plan with Fury. Given that most of the plan was already laid out other than taking down the organization itself. The only way to truly expose the organization for what it really was, I wasn't as keen on. Dumping everything shield had, secrets, files, reports, all of it on the internet.

Even with not being okay with it, it needed to happen. My past being exposed was a little bit of a much bigger load being exposed. Natasha had an even more questionable past than me and was on board, so could I really complain? We'd be giving up a life we'd built. Our lives would change for better or worse. But if worse did come at least i'd have Natasha there by my side.

Steve gave everyone a role, even for those deemed incapable of actually joining the more dangerous part. Me. Steve wasted no time in leaving once everyone understood their roles. He'd left to go to the museum where his old Captain America suit was laid out on display. The newer rendition wasn't accessible at the Triskelion. Arguing with him about fighting in normal clothes was useless. He'd lived through world war two so if he wanted his uniform, who was I to judge?

Still capable of holding a weapon with my good arm, I had slight use. I'd be backing up on Fury's role. We were to fly in on Pierce's meeting with the council to reveal the very alive Nick. And two injured people equals one non-injured person anyways.

Personally I believed Natasha's role was the most risky, but Maria claimed my opinion is biased. She was to use shields scary technology that allowed her to look and speak as anyone she chose. Her role with the tech was to be councilwoman Hawley. Natasha enjoyed scarring me with the cutting-edge technology, trying to flirt while under a different voice and face. My reaction alone sold the deal on realism.

It was terrifying to know how close Natasha was going to be to Pierce. The reasons why were logical, keep him distracted while Steve and Sam took care of the Helicarriers. But with the new found knowledge of Pierce's involvements, who knew if he had altier plans already set. The last thing I wanted was for our plan to turn into Die Hard.

Maria had already left, retrieving Hawley for Natasha to take her place. We couldn't have two of the women going into the council meeting. She'd hang out with Fury and I in the dam until we'd have to leave then she'd stay there alone.

Until we had the green go, all we'd do was wait. At the table we were previously at hand. Laptops in front of us tracking the mission from abroad with ear pieces to contact one another. Maria, who'd successfully gotten the councilwoman was to now be the center of operations. Head to the control room at the top of HQ to manage what needed to be managed while Steve and Sam took the Helicarriers down and Natasha would spill out shield's secrets.