Love and the White Wolf - Book 3

2. Requiem (Sexual content)

James made the decision to stay at the compound for an extra week to investigate how Walter Norton, aka Walrus, had maintained back door access into the Friday AI. His hacking of it had shown it was possible to interfere with the time frame and the video capabilities of the program. Back when Tony Stark had first created Friday no one else knew it as intimately as he did. Any changes or updates he made were organic almost as if he just thought it and it happened. After his death it took a team of IT experts just to maintain it. In a meeting with the team, the head of IT, and Nick Fury, James openly questioned their commitment to protecting the integrity of Stark's vision. Although they were angry with him he pointed out how this most recent breech had resulted in the death of a suspect, the death of an MP, the injuries of three others, and his own arrest on false charges. They agreed to perform a full diagnostic and assessment of the program to identify any potential issues.

The death of MP Sgt. Tom Patterson weighed heavily on James in that week after it happened. The false evidence had persuaded the investigators to arrest James for the murder of Jared Hauser. In the process of transporting him to a secure facility at the military base the vehicle transporting James, Patterson, a CIA agent and an FBI agent had been attacked. It had all been so unnecessary. The three mercenaries each opened a car door, shot their targets, then dragged James out and tasered him three times before dragging him onto their vehicle. Patterson had died instantly.

FBI agent Terence Jones and CIA agent Charles Goode were critically injured and had been transported to the nearest trauma centre. Two days after the attack James received word both men wanted to talk to him. They were in the CCU at the same hospital. Goode shook James hand, thankful he had been rescued. He committed to keeping the lines of communication open. Jones apologized for not being open to other suspects in the murder of Hauser. Both Goode and Patterson had misgivings about all the convenient evidence pointing the finger at James but he had persisted in his belief that James was responsible. Jones committed to being a more sceptical investigator in the future. James returned back to the military base near the Avengers facility in time to attend the ramp ceremony for Tom Patterson. He wore his official Army uniform of Chief Warrant Officer as the coffin for Patterson was loaded onto a military aircraft bound for his hometown where his grieving parents and two surviving brothers would bury him.

James received a request to speak at a special memorial service for Patterson planned for the first week of February. His funeral had been private but his parents had decided to hold a public memorial for all of those who had known him. As one of those with him when he died they asked him and the agents who survived to speak about him. He wasn't sure what he could say but he agreed. He asked me to accompany him. I wondered whether we should take Steve but James was undecided.

Because James stayed at HQ, so had I, Steve, and Sam. Alison flew back early on a commercial flight. Other Avengers returned to their homes and life returned to normal around HQ. Sam and James did resume their old routine of working out together. When video of the dance was finally sent out they laughed at the footage of all the kilted men mooning those around them. I had missed it, of course, being dragged away by Hauser at the time. There was footage of us slow dancing among the frenetic energy on the dance floor. Whoever had edited the footage had made sure any footage of Hauser and his murderer had been edited out.

When the week finally ended Nick Fury told us a private jet had been offered by an old friend to transport us home. Upon arrival at the military airport James and Sam both recognized Baron Zemo's jet, with Oeznik waiting with the pilot.  He explained it was an offer of support out of friendship and respect. He also informed us of his intent to try and track Sharon Carter's whereabouts now that she had escaped custody. On the flight back James sat with Oeznik discussing the search. There was a promise to share information and a promise from both men to stay alert. When we landed Oeznik saw us and our luggage off the plane then reboarded and took off with just a wave.