An Assassin Never Tells

T H I R T Y - T W O

June 1st, 2011

The "satellite" radiated a magnetic power; it pulled me towards it. I was monitoring its activity to see just how dangerous it was, and I guess I must've been staring and inching closer because Dad said, "Rosemary, back away from the 0-8-4."

"Sorry," I sighed, backing away slowly, "but if I could just pick it up, get a feel of it, maybe I could figure some stuff out about it."

"Lots of people have tried to lift this, kid. What makes you think you'll be any different. I'm not trying to crush your spirit, just making sure you don't get too far ahead of yourself."

"I don't know. I just have this feeling that I can do it," I thought back to my mother's letter; I had spoken those exact words. She hadn't described the time of day or anything, but I knew then, at sundown, was when I was meant to lift the hammer. I took a step closer and said, "My mother, she wrote to me about this. She said I could lift it. What if she's right?"

"What if she's wrong?"

"It can't hurt to try, can it?"

"I guess not," he sighed, "alright, go ahead."

I approached the hammer carefully. As I got closer, closer than I had ever been, I realized how old it was, older than anything I had had the privilege of studying. Its magnetic force only got stronger as I got closer. I reached my hand out and grabbed hold of the handle, and pulled. I used more force than necessary, and my hand flew upwards with the hammer in it.

"Woah."

"Woah is right, kid."

I quickly put it back. It felt wrong in my hands like I wasn't meant to be holding it. It settled back into place, and it looked like it had never been disturbed like it was trying to erase me holding it from history.

"I didn't like that. I'm going to go inside, take a break."

I left before he could respond.

~~~

"Agent," I heard through my comms, "Agent, there's been a breach. We need your assistance if things go south."

I groaned and headed to the command center.

"What's the situation?"

"We need you to head towards the 0-8-4. Things might get real ugly real fast."

"But what's happening?"

"Just get there."

"Hello? Hello," I sigh, "damnit."

I ran over towards the 0-8-4, dodging agents who were heading towards the threat. I reached the object before the threat did, thankfully, which meant less work for me.

"Agent," it was my dad through the comms this time, "Barton's in place. Talk to me."

"I am standing by at the 0-8-4, awaiting instruction."

"Don't engage unless necessary. We want to see what he does first."

"Understood. What are my orders for if things do get ugly?"

"Check his mind. See if there's a need to take him out. If there is, send a signal to Barton to shoot. If not, knock him out. We'll take him into custody."

"Got it."

And so I sat and waited for the threat to arrive, which wasn't long. One of the temporary walls was ripped away by none other than the "Asgardian" man from the diner, Thor. He approached the 0-8-4 with a smile, like he knew something we didn't or that he was happy to see the object. He went to lift it and was shocked that he couldn't. I entered his mind, just as I was instructed to. He was hurting; as he backed away from it, everything left his mind, but rage and anguish and hurt. I installed one of my work-in-progress mental trackers so that I could keep track of his emotional state, location, and vitals, just like I had done on Tony. Thor fell to his knees and screamed out. He was angry at himself; he felt like he was a failure.

"Alright," dad sounded disappointed, "shows over. Ground units, move in."

Thor was handcuffed and taken into a containment room. I followed closely behind.

~~~

"You made my men, some of the most highly trained professionals in the world, look like a bunch of minimum-wage mall cops. That's hurtful," dad was doing the emotionless interrogation thing that he does, and I was watching to supervise Thor. "In my experience, it takes someone who's received similar training," he gestures to me, "to do what you did to them. Why don't you tell me where you received your training?"

Thor remained silent. He looked ashamed.

"Pakistan? Chechnya? Afghanistan? No, you strike me more as a soldier of fortune type. Where was it? South Africa? Certain groups pay very well for a goof mercenary like you. Who are you? One way or another, we find out what we need to know. We're good at that."

"This would be great and easy," I sighed as I stood up, "If you would talk to us. But, fine, have it your way. We'll sweat it out of you," I motioned with my head for dad and me to leave.

"Rosemary, 'we'll sweat it out of you,' are you serious?"

"Yes...not really. Look, I met this guy at a diner this morning."

"What were you doing at a din-"

"Not the point. What I'm saying is: I don't think he's a mercenary. He says he's from Asgard. It's a place from Norse myths. Not to mention his name is Thor, and I'm pretty sure that that's his hammer, Mjolnir."

"Right, got it. New angle," we went back inside.

"Goodbye," Thor said.

"Goodbye," I laughed, "but we just got back."

"Now," dad continued, "Where did we leave off?"

"What's your purpose, oh mighty Thor of Asgard," I circled him, "Why have you arrived here, now, after all the believers of your stories have died out? That is if you truly are who I've been told you are?"

He stared at me.

"I don't like being ignored, Mr. Odinson. So, please, tell me what it is you're doing here?"

Nothing.

"I've killed men twice your size, and yet you are cooler than a cucumber," I laughed.

"And I have killed creatures and monsters much smaller than you, but with much more power, and yet you don't seem worried."

"Touché, Thor, touché."

"Sir, Agent...he's got a visitor," Agent Sitwell said as he entered the room.

"Damnit, Sitwell, I was just getting him to talk," I exclaimed as I stormed out of the room to go meet the visitor.

"Rosemary," dad called after me, "go chill out."

"But-"

"No buts. Now go, or I'll have Fury relieve you from active duty."

I sighed, "fine."

A/N: Hello everybody!! Happy August 1st. I hope July went well for everyone! Thank you for reading this book, voting on it, and adding it to your reading lists; it means a lot and motivates me to keep writing. Having said that, next week's chapter will be the last regularly posted chapter as I start school on the ninth. Love y'all!!! <3 :)