Stark Struck | The Avengers

Chapter XV: Collateral Damage

Chapter Fifteen

Everyone stared at Steve with wide eyes. Not even a day and Red Skull's escaped. There was only one word in my mind, but I couldn't bring myself to ask it. Luckily, I didn't have to say anything. Bruce and Tony spoke at the same time, "How?"

Steve shook his head, still slightly panting. "I think it was HYDRA."

Natasha and Clint both looked at each other. Clint ran a hand through his short hair while Natasha sighed. "Steve," Natasha started, "HYDRA's infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D."

Steve took a step back, a horror-stricken look plastered itself across his features. A bit of anger rose in his voice the next time he spoke. "For how long?!"

"Since S.H.I.E.L.D. began?" Tony said questioningly, "That's what we've guessed."

Steve ran both hands through his blonde hair, looking more stressed than I've ever seen him. He looked at all of us, and it seemed like he was counting us off. He looked down, letting out a deep breath. Both of his hands were firmly placed on the table, the table was cringing under Steve's anger. He let go after a while, the rest of us watched his actions. "What if it was HYDRA-S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that let the Red Skull out?"

"Probably exactly who it was," I said, "Isn't the Fridge like top-secret, hidden, and hard to get out of?"

Everyone stared at me for a second, and then slowly moved away from me. "Yeah, probably shouldn't have told you S.H.I.E.L.D. information..." Tony said aloud.

"Of course it was you who told her, Stark." Natasha muttered.

Steve shook his head, along with his hands in the same manner. "Look, it doesn't matter anymore. With HYDRA being in S.H.I.E.L.D. for so long, we can't trust anyone," he looked at all of individually, "Us and a few others are most likely what's left of the good part of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"So what do we do?" I asked. I'm guessing since I knew so much, there was no way of getting out of this mess now. No going back home to see my parents any time soon.

"Great question, Alex." Steve said pointing at me; his eyes told me that not even he knew the answer to my question. None of us had ever had to deal with something this big before.

Clint drummed his fingers on the whitewashed café table. We all sat in silence for a while, listening to the bustling streets of New York City. I couldn't help but look around; I saw a lot of people staring at us. Some directly looked at me, whispering and pointing. Probably 'who the heck is that?' "We could go into hiding," Clint finally said, looking at all of our skeptical looks, "It could work."

"I've always wanted to go AWOL." Tony joked, we all gave him glares– some deadlier than others.

"This is our lives and S.H.I.E.L.D. at risk, Tony," I remarked, looking at him, "This isn't a time to joke."

He held his hands up in defense. "Sorry. Just tryin' to lighten the mood."

"But dropping off the grid, that's not a bad idea," Steve commented, "It could work."

Everyone thought about it for a while, and I hesitated for a bit. "But for how long?" I wondered aloud. The Avengers looked at me, "Seriously."

Natasha was the first to speak up, which surprised me. "However long we have to, I suppose."

I stared wide eyed at her, then looked at all the others, who were almost all staring at Natasha– possibly silently agreeing with her. I couldn't help but be shocked, a master assassin– from what I've heard– practically giving up? Sure, this is the Red Skull we're talking about, he gives me the creeps, and he was also part of Hitler's army. But these six people were giving up? Was someone from HYDRA blackmailing them or something? These guys defeated Loki and an alien army. I stood up, pounding my fist on the table; perhaps a bit dramatic, but hey, couldn't help myself. "Sorry," I lifted my fist from table, holding it with my other hand, "Just wondering: do you hear yourselves? You guys don't sound like the Avengers I've come to know. You're supposed to be all high and mighty. Heck! Especially you, Thor! You're part god!"