The Curious Tales of Evelyn Stark

The Winter Solider

"Fury's dead," Steve stated, staring past Evie. Not meeting her gaze. "He's gone Evie."

"Why was he at your apartment Steve?" Evie asked, her phone weighing her down. She planned on telling Steve, until her phone rang. She'd spent the day in bed with Sam, ending their physical relationship, and figuring out their new friendship. "Who attacked you two?"

"I don't know. He was about my height, metal freaking arm, he caught the shield and was deadly with a rifle. Faster than I've ever seen. Agile," he said.

"Think he's like us? Howard couldn't have been the only one to attempt Erskine's formula. Look at Bruce. We know Zola had plans with Red Skull," she hissed.

Steve sighed, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "SHIELD is compromised."

"I'd heard things while I was away," she said, biting her lower lip, "Steve I think I know who it was that killed Fury." She looked down, "There's a reason I've been traveling."

Nat stated coming up behind them, no one else was that silent, "You're not the only one with intel.I know who killed Fury. Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists. The ones that do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited for over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years."

Steve looked at Nat, "What was on the drive Nat?"

"Intel. It was my mission to bring it to Fury," Nat stated, crossing her arms.

Steve pinned her up against the wall, "What aren't you telling us?"

Nat looked passed Steve, "I'm not the only one with secrets Rogers."

Evie flinched, "Not the time Nat."

Steve whipped around to look at Evie, "What's she talking about Evie?"

"I retired for a reason Steve," she stated, meeting Steve's blue gaze, "Loki said something to me about a situation that I thought was long resolved. Only it turns out the bastard wasn't playing me."

"What situation?" Steve asked.

Evie looked at Nat, shooting her a deadly glare. "Loki tried to bait me. About James. Whether we actually looked for him or buried an empty casket."

Steve stared at her, "What are you saying?"

"I think James is alive," she stated.

"Evie. I saw him fall. There's no way," Steve stated.

Evie exhaled, "Steve there were tulips on my doorstep. There were only two people alive, that know I love tulips. You and me. And James." She pulled her phone out of her pocket, pulling up the picture JARVIS sent to her phone. "JARVIS sent me these yesterday."

Steve stated at the photos. "It could be someone messing with you."

"Do you really believe that?"

Steve shook his head, "Neither one of us are supposed to be alive right now. What about SHIELD though?"

"Steve SHIELD was my baby with Peggy since forty nine. I was director of intelligence for sixty two years," she said, "I need to pursue this. Even if you don't." She reached up on her toes to kiss Steve's cheek. "Find who did this to Nicholas. I have my own mission." She waved to Nat before leaving the hospital. What Steve didn't realize is she slipped a key to a safe house into his pocket.

Steve watched her walk away leaving him alone with Nat. Nat sighed, "Why was Fury in your apartment Steve?"

"I don't know."

"You're a shit liar Rogers."

"The only person I know I can trust just left. Earn it Natasha," Steve snapped walking off. He'd come back for the drive he'd hidden tomorrow.

***

Evie sat on her perch watching Alexander Pierce. She'd never trusted the bastard. Her scope and rifle trained on him as he spoke to a man with dark hair, and shot his maid. She noticed the pistol laying between the two of them. She knew what that gun was for, her finger had been on the trigger when Pierce reached for it. It would have given her joy to put the slug into him. She'd proven she was faster on the trigger, the first time she'd shot the son of a bitch. Should've killed him then, she thought bitterly.

That was the major difference between her and Steve. Sometimes you couldn't believe the best in people. Ninety years of life had taught her that. She focused on the asset, as she had learned the Winter Solider was called. Pierce was smart, but she was a genius. It had taken her two minutes to disarm his security system and bug his house, before the asset got there. She was recording everything. And she knew who she needed to go after next. It would just take some time.

She faced her rifle towards the asset as the lighting changed in the house. Her suspicions were confirmed. James.

"Hydra thanks you for your service."

Mother fuck. Zola the formula. Forty Three. The 107th. She was tempted to barge in murder Pierce and save James. Her conscious, aka Peggy's voice, told her to wait.

She decided to tail James once he'd been ordered to return to the facility. Only he took a detour. To her neighborhood. She watched him stand outside her townhouse, watching for movement. She signaled for the lights to turn on. She asked JARVIS remotely to project a hologram of her in her bedroom, the windows faced the street. Hologram her stood at the window, before perching on the window seat to scan a holographic tablet. Sometimes her nephew impressed the hell out of her. She almost believed it was her.

James watched her for a few more minutes. She could tell he was confused. That was one of the things she had loved about him, she always knew what he was thinking by his eyes. He had no idea why he was outside of this mystery woman's home. Or why he'd left her tulips. Or why tulips were even important to her.  To them.

James shook his head, he glanced up at her one last time before going to the facility. She now knew their location, and wasn't surprised to see Rumlow standing guard.  Another one that Fury should have never trusted or approved. 

Evie watched Rumlow stop James. "She's looking for you. It's funny you're right under her nose and the world's greatest spy has no idea," Rumlow sneered.

James just stared at him.

"You can speak," Rumlow snapped.

"Who's looking for me?"

"Evelyn Stark, your next mission. You're going to have to bring in her head," Rumlow laughed.

Evie rolled her eyes. Yet again you under estimate me. She watched James go inside, before heading home.