𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋, natasha romanoff

𝟎𝟎𝟑; Wannabe racoon

— chapter three

HAZEL HUMMED along to a Mitski song whilst she loaded her shopping bags into the back of her car. Well, it technically wasn't hers but when SHIELD offered free SUVs who was she to decline?

It was midday and the streets of New Jersey were less busier than she would've expected them to be. There was a person here and there. The sun was warming her back through her black turtleneck, a definite bad choice she had made today.

Her phone buzzed from where it was laying in the front seat but she ignored it, placing a kiss on her box of donuts before putting them on the seat and patting them. A smile graced her face.

Her short lived joy didn't last long. A shout was heard from across the street and it moved down the road almost like a ripple. Before Hazel knew it, a bullet was lodged into the side of the car where her head had been mere seconds ago.

Her eyes widened and she quickly got into the drivers seat, shoving her phone away. Through the rear view she could see a guy on a motorbike, long hair covering the top half of his face and a black mask covering the bottom half.

She quickly drove out onto the Main Street, glancing through the rear view every few seconds to make sure that the guy was still following her.

She scrambled for her phone, wishing that she had a super-tech advanced system in her SUV like Fury did. Quickly dialling Brie's number, she waited for her friend to answer. It went to voicemail. She tried again.

Nothing.

Huffing out of frustration, Hazel decided to try Hill. Still, nothing. Was everyone dead all of a sudden? Or was there another pressing issue that Hazel wasn't aware of?

The unknown person started to shoot, some bullets cracking the back glass of the car. She ducked, just in time to miss the glass shard that would've scratched her cheek. Swearing under her breath, she cursed everyone. They were assholes for not answering. What if she was on the brink of death? Would they answer then?

Calling the last person she could think off who would possibly answer, she didn't have to wait long until he picked up.

"Clyde, thank Thor! You're the only one who's picked up." She had to take a sharp turn onto a side street in an attempt to get rid of the scary dude. He didn't give up, though.

"Hey, Hazy, what's wrong?"

There was a crash on the side of the street and Hazel made a massive mistake. She took her eyes off the rear view mirror an when they returned, a whole army of police cars was following her.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

"Hazel?" Came Clyde's voice, alarm evident in his tone of urgency. "Tell me what's happening right now."

"Well, I'm getting chased by a dude who looks like a wannabe raccoon and a whole lot of police cars that don't look like legit police."

Before she could give an answer, something crashed into the back of her car, sending impact to the front. Hazel lost control over the wheel and her forehead smashed against it. She was blinded for a split second and that was all it took for chaos to occur.

The world turned into a flash of white and red, pain travelling through Hazels skull.

"Hazel? Do you hear me? Get out of there right now."

Hazel merely groaned in reply, her world spinning. She brought her hand up to her forehead when she felt something damp, and it wasn't a surprise when a small amount of blood was smeared on her fingers.

There was a tap on her window and she turned her head to see a shotgun pointed at her face through the window. The raccoon looking guy lifted a finger to his lips, in which case were hidden by the mask, but Hazel would've known that gesture anywhere.

Terror as cold as the iciest glaciers shot through her, leaving her heart beating rapidly and her hands shaking. Maintaining eye contact with the guy, she shook her head before ducking, right before the bullet cracked the glass.

It shattered the whole pane.

The assassin grabbed her by the arm, pulling her body through the window frame like a rag doll. Squeezing her eyes shut, Hazel waited until she could strike her move. Every minute out in the open battle field was like a game of chess, you have to think ahead five moves.

"Sadie Brooks?" Questioned Raccoon Guy, his voice so inhuman-like. It sounded robotic and rehearsed, something he had spoken countless of times before.

Hazel opened her eyes. "Sorry to disappoint but I'm not Sadie Brooks, sir. Would you kindly let me live my life now? I have shopping in the back along with a precious box of donuts–"

He pointed his gun at her and Hazel rolled out from his grasp, kicking him in the stomach, causing him to double over for a quick second. That second gave Hazel all the opportunity's she could get. Grabbing a glock from under her car seat, she aimed at the mans metal arm, sending the bullet sparking against it.

"Hazel? Hazel? Answer me, hazel." She distinctly heard Clyde shouting over the phone that was laying somewhere in the car wreckage. Shame, she really liked that car. It had a great AC.

Hazel ducked when the man's fist came flying by her face, and she sent her own jab at him. She kicked his foot, causing him to fall to the ground.

"The winter soldier is undefeated." He said in a robotic voice.

The raccoon, or The winter soldier as he called himself, lunged at her, but Hazel was already running. She couldn't fight him with a concussion she was sure she had, her vision blurring and tripling with every minute.

She ran through a side alley, rearranging her hair outfit and hair. She took off her jumper and adjusted the t-shirt she had on underneath. She also brushed through her hair with her fingers in an attempt to make it society-acceptable and attempted to hide the bleeding wound in her hairline, and fished a pair of sunglasses from her jeans pocket. She placed them on her nose and covered her forehead with her longer baby hairs, to make it look like a fringe.

As she walked out of the alley and onto tue street, she discarded the jumper into a bin and stopped by a middle aged woman who was staring at her sun hat with disgust. She slid her sunglasses up to the top of her head.

"Oh my god, that hat is beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous!" She exclaimed, causing the woman's eyes to snap up.

"Is it really? I don't like it that much."

Hazel frowned. "Why not? I think it's great!"

"It doesn't go with my outfit and none of my clothes at home.

Humming, "try it on." Hazel gestured for her to try it on. When the woman put it on her head, Hazel raised an eyebrow.

"You're right, it looks horrible." She deadpanned.

The woman burst into tears and pushed the hat into Hazels arms before running away. Hazel tutted and lowered her sunglasses before placing the hat onto her own head, adjusting it so her face was less visible.

She cursed when she remembered her phone was at the wreckage. She got into a cab that was parked at the side of the road and told the person to take her to New York.

She slumped in her seat. This journey was going to be painfully boring and the lack of knowledge who the winter soldier could be attacking next was frustrating.

The more she thought about it, the more she realised that he was holding back. She wondered why he would do that, but the more her thoughts spiralled, she feared the answer her mind would come up with.