Just like you

Mission gone wrong

June, 2015 Seattle, Wa

Panting hard, SHIELD agent and head of the new STRIKE team, Katherine Blake kept her M249 tight to her shoulder with both hands as she slowly made her way forward from her hiding spot in the half cleared out office of this abandoned building that used to belong to Hydra. Keeping her eyes and ears alert for the surprise opposition they'd come across she shuffle-stepped through the open doorway and out into the darkened hall preparing to defend herself against the few strangler agents that were still loyal to the now deceased Alexander Pierce. Not seeing anyone Katherine reached up to her throat to readjust her throat mic that had shifted out of position in her haste to take down the dick who'd juked her before she shot him just under his left eye.

For the last year her and her team had been on a convert assignment to go through the bases and offices used by the pieces of shit traitors and terrorists that the Avengers hadn't had time to hit. Every now and then they'd run with Captain Rogers and the others, but there'd been fewer and fewer instances as time went on. He didn't trust them after Rumlow and she didn't blame him, but she was hand picked and vetted by Fury and Hill themselves. She wasn't some newbie, Katherine had fought, been shot by the Captain's bestie and had lived to tell the tale that day at the Triskelion.

Hell she hadn't held a grudge. It was hard to do when she'd found out the truth about who he was and what had been done to him. But still she had hoped that her new STRIKE team would show Rogers, Stark and the others that this is what you got from real loyalty. So she had taken to Nick's assignment with a single minded purpose. Her team took out every former base of operations, office and hidey hole that had a hint of Hydra's stench attached to it. In thirteen months they'd collected more information, arrested thousands and taken down even more than the famed heros had. Take that Rogers.

Letting out a breath she shook her head to clear it as she swept the hall for either her team or the fucks who had been using this building as a base of operations. Keeping her voice to a whisper she tried to get a sense of whether she was alone or not. "Anyone near the southwest corner on the second floor?"

Static came through her ear piece as she waited for any of her team to reply. After a few long tense seconds Katherine nervously whispered for her number two to answer. "Tommy, do you copy?"

Harsh breathing came through her ear piece as Thomas Barclay's English accented voice came through loud, clear and very pissed off. "Pinned down on the seventh floor with Charlie. Could use some assistance, Boss."

Being careful as she neared the end of the long abandoned hall Katherine peaked around the corner and saw that it was empty. As her eyes scanned she saw the door that led to the stairwell. Making her way quickly and silently over she cautiously opened the door keeping her finger on the trigger. Once inside and on her way up she told him to sit tight. "Give me a minute I'm on my way. Corral them towards the stairwell and when I give the signal hit the deck."

"Copy that, Kit Kat."

Racing as quickly as she could up the winding stairs Katherine paced her breathing so as to not get winded. Butt and thigh muscles tight from stress and added exercise she thought to herself that she was really regretting skipping out on leg day this week. The sounds of muffled shouts and gunfire getting louder let her know that she was close. Pushing herself harder and faster Katherine finally reached the seventh floor. Pausing for half a second to catch her breath and steady her nerves she told them. "In position."

A low growl came through her ear telling her that Thomas was tired and possibly injured. "Ready when you are."

"3, 2, 1." On one she busted through the door gun at the ready taking out anyone who was standing without hesitation. Once every one who wasn't them was down she popped out the empty magazine, pocketed it and reloaded. As she was checking over Thomas, Mathew Donahue, her tech and explosives expert, arrived.