Heavy is the Crown

08

Shortly after he returned home from his morning run, Sam heard a knock at his door. He opened the door to see Steve, Gianna and Natasha.

"Hey, man. Hey, Gia," Sam greeted.

"I'm sorry about this," Steve apologized. "We need a place to lay low."

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us," Natasha and Gianna said.

Sam paused a moment before replying, "Not everyone."

Sam looked around, making sure they hadn't been followed, and let them enter.

LATER

As Steve and Natasha were cleaning up, Steve noticed Natasha looking sad and thoughtful.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Natasha replied.

"What's going on?"

"When I first joined S.H.I.E.L.D., I thought I was going straight. But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA. I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but... I guess I can't tell the difference anymore."

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business."

Natasha smiled faintly. "I owe you."

"It's okay."

"If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust me to do it?"

"I would now. And I'm always honest."

"Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing."

"Well, I guess I just like to know who I'm fighting."

Sam popped his head in and said to Steve and Natasha, "I made breakfast. If you guys... eat that sort of thing."

Sam knocked on the bathroom door just as Gianna opened it. "There's breakfast if you're hungry."

Gianna nodded. "Thanks. And thank you for letting us crash here. I know it's unexpected."

"Yeah, well, when everyone you know is trying to kill you, it's nice to have a safe place to stay. How did you end up on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hit list anyway?"

"I became friends with Steve Rogers."

Sam laughed. "That'd do it. Wait. Does that mean I'm on their hit list?"

"Probably. But hey, at least we'll die like Bonnie and Clyde, right?"

"Are you ever going to stop referencing famous gangsters?"

"Don't think so. But seriously, thank you Sam."

He smiled. "You already said that. Go get some breakfast."

"Breakfast does sound pretty amazing."

"There's plenty for you to get your fill."

LATER

They sat in Sam's kitchen and Natasha said, "So, the question is: who in S.H.I.E.L.D. could launch a domestic missile strike?"

"Pierce," Steve replied.

"Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world."

"But he's not working alone. Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star."

"So was Jasper Sitwell," Natasha and Gianna stated.

"So, the real question is: how do the three most wanted people in Washington kidnap a S.H.I.E.L.D. officer in broad daylight?"