The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 43

She held her tongue, deciding to pay attention to where they were going and what the men sitting in front of the car were saying. Information was her best friend, right now. If she could ascertain what was going on, before she had to act, things might go her way. If they were taking her to see Mr. Marino's boss, that would mean that she was being called before the Don. For what purpose, she was not yet aware. As far as she knew, the rules stated that women were not to be touched, but then again, she was also preforming actions that most women within the mafia framework would not. She had not heard of a woman who willingly stepped before an enemy of the Families, willing to take them on, taking the fight to them.

But perhaps she had unknowingly broken a rule of the Costa Nostra. That might be it, if the Don was seeing to her properly, rather than sending an errand boy. Or sending the message through Mr. Marino. She was well aware that a lot of people, Steve included, assumed that Mr. Marino was the head of the whole shebang. When in reality, he was a Capo. Maybe close to being an underboss, but not yet high enough in the organization to really protect her, if the Don decided that she needed to be removed.

She wanted to pull out her phone, to message Mr. Marino, Junior, even Kitty, with instructions for Steve, should she not come home tonight. But she knew, if she did that, retaliation would be swift. And she definitely did not want to push the panic button, and bring Steve into this. The less he was exposed, the better. It was one thing for Mr. Marino to be aware of her connection to Captain America. She had faith that Mr. Marino would not use that connection for nefarious purposes. The Don, someone she had never met, nor had a gauge on, was not someone she wanted to have anything on Steve. It's one thing for the Costa Nostra to have their claws in a former HYDRA asset, but if they ever got them into Captain America, she wasn't sure if that would end well, for anyone.

The car slowed to a stop, at the side of the road, and Brooklyn took a moment to pin point where they were. The man in the passenger seat turned back to her, holding out a black bag.

"Just gotta make sure you don't know where we are going." He said, almost apologetically, leaning back to slip the bag over her head. "I would much appreciate if you would cooperate and leave it alone. Otherwise I gotta bind your hands. And I don't want to do that."

She breathed, feeling the heavy fabric on her face, and waited for the car to start moving.

"You know how to tell where you are, even if your captors don't. Things move at a pace. Count. Keep track of how and when you move." She heard her father's voice telling her.

She began counting. She kept her body loose in it's seat, swaying with the car. When the car turned, she moved with it, marked her number, and started counting again. Every time the car turned, she moved with the turn, then began counting again. The car sped up, the sound of traffic passing it, indicating high speeds. The freeway? It exited the freeway, before taking a few more turns, each time, she started her counting over.

Eventually, the car slowed to a stop. She stopped counting, marking the number she was on. She waited, as the driver and passenger got out of the car. When the door to her right opened, she slid over, allowing the hands grabbing her arm to help her out, and walked forward with out issue, as she was led. She could smell tainted sea water, hear the clangs of the harbor bells. They were at one of the many waterfronts of New York. She dragged her feet for a moment, letting her heels scuff the ground. Gravel moved and clicked as she did. Then the gravel gave way to the sound of softened boards, wood that had been left to the elements, then the unforgiving feel of concrete.

"Your surroundings tell you everything you need to know. How to move, how you are going to be able to fight. Most people never pay attention to where they are. You must, if you want to survive anything that might come your way."