Love, Agent Delacroix

Nightmares

~3 Months Earlier~

Agent Brianna Delacroix stood in the dimly lit office of her commanding officer, Agent Thompson. Her hands trembled slightly, betraying her nervousness. Thompson had always been a hard-nosed, no-nonsense kind of guy. But she had to talk to someone, and Thompson was her superior, whether he liked it or not.

"Agent Delacroix, I don't have time for chit-chat. What do you want?" Thompson grumbled, not bothering to look up from the file he was reading. Brianna took a deep breath and gathered her courage. She needed help, and she was tired of suffering in silence. "Sir, I've been having nightmares. About what happened in HYDRA's clutches," she finally managed to say.

Thompson glanced up, his expression softening slightly. "Look, it's been four months since we rescued you. I thought you were past all this."

"I wish I were, sir," Brianna replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "But these nightmares... they won't let me forget. I still see their faces, the pain they inflicted on me. And there's something else, sir. I feel different. Stronger."

Thompson leaned back in his chair, studying her closely. "Explain."

"When HYDRA captured me, they experimented on me. They injected me with some kind of serum. At first, I thought it was just another attempt to create their own super soldier. But now, I can do things. Things no normal human can do," she explained.

"What kind of things?" Thompson asked, his curiosity piqued.

Brianna hesitated, unsure if she should reveal her newfound abilities. But she trusted Thompson, and maybe he could help her make sense of it all. "I can run faster, jump higher, and my senses are sharper than ever. It's like I can see things before they happen."

Thompson raised an eyebrow, a mix of surprise and alarm written on his face. "Delacroix, this... this could be an advantage. We can use you. Train you. Have you as an asset."

Brianna shook her head, her voice filled with determination. "No, sir. I won't be just another weapon for the SSR. I want to use these powers to help people, to make sure what happened to me doesn't happen to anyone else."

Thompson sighed and rubbed his temples. "Delacroix, you know this changes everything. We can't just let you walk away."

"I'm not asking you to, sir. I just need your support. I need someone to believe me, to help me control these powers. To help me navigate the nightmares," she pleaded.

Thompson stared at her for a long moment before finally nodding. "Alright, Delacroix. We'll get you the help you need. But on one condition."

Brianna braced herself, unsure of what Thompson would demand. "What is it, sir?"

"You continue your work with the SSR, but you report to me directly. We keep this between us for now, until we can figure out what to do about your... condition," Thompson said, his tone serious.

Brianna nodded, relieved that Thompson was willing to help. "Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

Thompson gave her a tight smile. "See that you don't, Agent Delacroix. We've got a war to win, nightmares or not."

~Present Time~

Brianna was pulled from her memories by the sound of someone knocking on her door. She quickly composed herself and called out, "Who is it?"

"It's Peggy, Brianna," came the familiar voice of her friend. Brianna opened the door, revealing a concerned-looking Peggy. "Are you alright? You seemed a bit distracted during training today."

Brianna forced a smile, not wanting to worry Peggy. "I'm fine, just lost in thought."

Peggy gave her a skeptical look, not buying the excuse. "You know you can talk to me, Brianna. I'm here for you."