Hands of Red(Book 1 in the Red Series)

Chapter 20: Fighting the Winter Soldier and Taking down S.H.E.I.L.D.

  I wake up, but keep my eyes closed. Natasha and I do this whenever we go unconscious. We know that certain people would call us certain things so we would know if we are kidnapped or someone we are close to like Nat in my case was there. I feel someone lightly shake me and whisper "Ella, you have to wake up." I knew that only Natasha and Yelena call me that. I open my eyes and touch my head, realizing that it hurt. "Owwww.... W-what happened?..." Natasha gasps softly and pulls me into a hug. "You've been out for a while." she says softly. I sigh softly and then realize. "Natalia, HYDRA could've used me whenever. Even when I was in S.H.E.I.L.D...." I tear up at the thought and I never call Natasha by her real name so I am being serious. "I know sweetheart-" she starts, but I cut her off "They could've made me her again. T-this isn't good...." I also referred to Solstice/Black Swan as "her". Natasha tries to hug me, but I push her away. "Don't touch me! I'm a danger to everyone here! HYDRA could use me to kill you and everyone else here in less than a minute! I-I'm...I'm a monster...." I say coldly with a hint of a Russian accent. Natasha taught me to hide my Russian accent, but it occasionally slips when I get really angry. Natasha looks at me sternly. The last time I called myself a monster she spoke so seriously to me that I never did again. "What did I say about you calling yourself that?" she said seriously and I sigh "I-I just am so scared of hurting everyone...it always happens." I state and turn to a mirror, realizing that my eyes are glowing white. I take a deep breath and calm myself down as they go back to being green. She quietly hugs me for awhile, that's when Steve Rogers walks in and the two of us quickly let go of eachother. "You both okay?" he asks. "Yeah." we agree. "What's going on?" Steve asks with those caring blue eyes. I missed the feeling of people caring about me, since not many do. "When I first joined SHIELD, 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." Natasha says. I sigh softly. "I can't really tell the difference either. I traded the KGB for HYDRA...after I joined S.H.E.I.L.D., I thought "This is it. I'm finally free."....I didn't know that I would still be with HYDRA..." I state and Natasha squeezes my hand for reassurance. "There's a chance you both might be in the wrong business." Steve says and Natasha smiles faintly, having said the same thing. Steve and my sister are cute, had Nat not already been with Bucky and Steve been with Liv. "We owe you." I state, speaking for Natasha and I. "It's okay." Steve says. "If it was the other way around, and it was down to my sister and I to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust us to do it?" I ask Steve. "I would now. And I'm always honest." Steve says. "Well, you seem pretty chipper for someone who just found out they died for nothing." Natasha states. "Well, I guess I just like to know who I'm fighting." Steve says. A man and Olivia walk in. I read the man's mind and find out his name is Sam Wilson and he has a niece named Cecily and adopted daughter named Catherine. " I made breakfast. If you guys...eat that sort of thing." Sam says. Olivia runs to me and embraces me. "You're alive." she whispers. I smile and hug her back. She really seemed to care about me. After awhile I speak in Russian "Relax girl, god you act just like Melina." Olivia lets go and I smile warmly at her. Of course she knows about my "childhood" in Ohio.

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We go Sam's kitchen and I see the girl I saw earlier who I am assuming is Cecily, as well as another girl who I assume is Catherine. She smiles at me "You're really pretty, Emerald." Cat says. I smile back at her for the nickname and compliment. Emerald is a new nickname and I am guessing it's because of my green eyes. Usually I am called "Red" because of my hair and became of the blood I have on my hands. It's also my agent name in The Red Room and HYDRA. "Agent Red." Natasha used to be "Agent Black" in the Red Room. My agent name later got changed to "Agent Shadow" after joining S.H.E.I.L.D. This is also probably the first time I have been complimented since no one really compliments me and I don't remember the last time I have been complimented. "Thank you, kiddo." I say to Cat. I noticed that Cecily and Aurora were talking to eachother. "So, the question is: who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?" I ask. "Pierce." Olivia states. "Who happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." Natasha adds. "But he's not working alone, Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star." Charlotte states. "So was Jasper Sitwell." I say. "So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?" Steve asks. "The answer is: you don't." Sam says and drops a file. "What's this?" Charlotte asks. "Call it a resume." Sam answers. I pick up a photo of him and his para-rescue team. "Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandil mission, that was you." I say in shock. "You didn't say he was a para-rescue." Natasha says to Steve. "Is this Riley?" Steve asks. "Yeah." Sam states as he picks Catherine up. "I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use, a stealth chute?" I say. "No. These." Sam says and hands Steve a file. "I thought you said you were a pilot." Steve says. "I never said pilot." Sam claims. "I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason." Steve says. "Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in." Sam declares. Where can we get our hands on one of these things?" Aurora asks. "The last one is at Fort Meade, behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall." Sam says. Steve looks at Natasha and I who both shrug. "Shouldn't be a problem." Steve says and throws the file.