Jessica

Connection Part Three

Fury prayed that a day like this would never come. Every night he would change houses, sleep in a different bed but he didn't want to condemn those close to him to the same torture. Everyone else was given a safe house, starting from his closest friend, ending with his ex wife...

But every night he thought about them and feared that someone would find them. Ever since it happened to Barton and his family, the fear grew even stronger.

And now, there he was, walking in Monica's safe house, finding that the door had been kicked in and the lights were all out. Barton, by his side, had much better eyesight, as everyone knew, and could see the pieces of furniture toppled over and a blood tray across the floor.

Fury ordered Castle to go check the rooms through the use of signs. The only reason he had been brought there was because if they found anyone in their way he would have punished them all. In the meantime, Fury walked along Barton as he followed the blood tray inside the kitchen, a chilling sensation crawling through his spine as Barton, yet again, envisioned this happening in his household.

The two found an old woman laying next to the wall and Fury quickly checked on her. He sighed in relief when he discovered that the woman he already knew was still breathing and she looked at him.

Struggling, she managed to utter: "...it's you..."

"Yes, I'm here. It's really me." he assured her, pressing her wound.

"...I'm sorry, I couldn't..."

Nick shushed his old mother in law, wanting her to rest instead of making her injuries worse. He already knew what happened before she could tell her, before Castle came back with the news.

"The bedrooms are empty. I'm sorry, Fury..."

The tired veteran knew very well how he must have felt.

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"We know what you've done, Director." said Colossus, hiding his rage.

Seeing that they were already there, Monica united the Ultimates so that they could be by her side while the X-Men told her what they were looking for. She didn't expect the conversation to start with accusations.

"Excuse me?"

Whenever Piotr was poetic, Ororo always managed to be more direct: "You're making a weapon to use against us! A new sentinel."

"These are some serious accusations, X-Men." said the once Captain, now President Steve Rogers.

"This doesn't concern you Mr President— at least I hope it doesn't— it's between S.H.I.E.L.D. and Utopia."

"And you must understand, Mr Rasputin, that as President of the United States, I only wish to know when S.H.I.E.L.D. oversteps its boundaries and, if it does, I want proof, not baseless accusations."

Kitty finally gave in and said what she needed to, she had to either way, sooner or later: "I saw it with my own eyes, in the east wing. You still want to destroy us, just remember that we'll fight back."

"You should be in high school studying, young lady! Let the adults talk." said Monica, mockingly

"Says the one using child soldiers!"

"Stop!"

And so everyone did, shocked, when they heard Spider-Woman raise her voice, especially the older Ultimates who were used to her not saying a single word during meetings. She walked to the center of the room to act as mediator and spoke again.

"We cannot devolve to fighting each other. We're all civilised people here, representing equally righteous nations, and we must speak peacefully."

Captain America proudly smiled while listening to her. When she was done, Kitty was glad that someone was on their side and went on to talk on behalf of the others, forgetting that she wasn't their leader anymore. No one stopped her because they easily forgot as well.