UNKNOWN GUEST

#35 Redheads and 'Hail Hydra!'

James' POV-

This whole day has been both amusing and troubling. My mom is practically running away from me. Every time we're about to cross paths, she changes her direction. The reason? I had to guess it was what happened at the bar two nights ago. She must be embarrassed and doesn't want to face me. But I need to solve this puzzle and make things comfortable between us, somehow.

Now, I'm waiting for the elevator. When it arrives in front of me, the doors open with a ding, and surprise, surprise—guess who's inside? My mom. Her eyes widen slightly as she sees me. I hold back a smile and step in. "Hello, ma'am," I say, standing next to her.

She sighs, then nods in silent acknowledgment. The elevator starts moving down, and the awkward silence fills the small space. I clear my throat. "You and Cap got back to your normal dynamic, I see?"

She nods, still avoiding my eyes. "Why not? There was nothing big to deal with."

I stifle a chuckle. "Ms. Romanoff, are you embarrassed?"

She glances at me. "Why would I be?"

I roll my eyes. "Then why are you avoiding me? Don't deny it. You were coming out of Fury's office, but as soon as you saw me, you walked back in. I saw you at the cafeteria entrance, but you left when you spotted me there. And at the parking lot this morning—"

She cuts me off, "Alright, enough. Look, it's really embarrassing to face you. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but... I shouldn't have said what I did. But you know how alcohol messes with you."

I nod, trying to keep my expression neutral. "Yeah, of course. It was the alcohol. Now, tell me what I should do to help you forget that incident?"

She contemplates for a moment before answering, "Repeat what you said before. About our physical appearance."

I sigh, biting my lip in nervousness. Here's my chance to say something indirect yet meaningful. I smile, "You kind of look like my mother."

She cringes a bit but then nods. "Yeah, that's good. Keep reminding me once in a while."

We chuckle together, the awkwardness dissolving as quickly as it appeared.

We walked together toward the parking lot, and I spotted Uncle Clint with a heavy bag slung over his shoulder. He waved at us, a grin on his face. "Hi, redheads!"

I waved back, while Mom just rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You didn't lose a leg, did you?" she asked, her tone half-joking.

Clint sighed and nodded. "I almost did. Thankfully, the detonator didn't go off immediately."

Mom chuckled, then moved toward her car. "Alright, you boys have fun."

I winked at Uncle Clint, then looked back at Mom as she was getting into her car. "Ms. Romanoff," I called out, "you look like my mother."

She sighed, muttering a curse under her breath. "Yeah," she responded, and then she drove away, leaving me with a smile on my face.

I chuckled as I turned back to Uncle Clint, who stood there with his jaw practically on the floor. "What was that? What did you say?"

I nodded casually. "You heard right. Actually, she invited me for a drink..." I began to explain, giving him a brief rundown of what happened that night at the bar—how Mom had a bit too much to drink, called me cute, and even hinted at her interest in me.

By the time I finished, Uncle Clint was doubled over in laughter. "What? What? This is unbelievable! Your mother is attracted to you?!"

I shook my head, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. "Not to me, certainly. Only to my eyes."

He looked puzzled, so I continued. "In my time, Mom often said I helped her calm her nerves whenever she looked into my eyes. It made her feel safe—like she was around Dad. She always said she prayed that I'd have my dad's eyes while she was pregnant. So, guess who else has blue eyes?"

Uncle Clint's expression shifted as he connected the dots. "Your dad... Captain Rogers. It means—"

I completed the thought for him. "She's falling—slowly—for my dad."

Uncle Clint nodded, the realization dawning on him. "Yeah. Now it makes sense."

While I was handling my own business at my desk, a single line of text suddenly flashed across my computer screen: Director Fury had an accident and is missing from the accident site. I looked up, scanning the room, but the usual chaos at the headquarters seemed to have settled down.

 In between everything going on with my mom and dad, I'd almost forgotten that a major event was about to take place. Fury's accident, his fake death—it could only mean one thing: the Winter Soldier is here. Uncle Bucky. And soon, the hunter helicarriers would be in the sky. I had to act quickly.

I pushed away from my desk, my mind racing as I left the room and headed down the corridor. First things first—I needed to find out where the operational unit of the three helicarriers was stationed. They were supposed to be underground, but without proper clearance, I couldn't just waltz into Project Insight. Agent Hill wasn't around either, which made things even more complicated.

I racked my brain for options as I walked briskly through the headquarters. If I couldn't go through the official channels, I'd have to find someone who could give me access. Rumlow or Sitwell—they'd have the clearance I needed. I just had to track one of them down and convince them to let me in on Project Insight.

I wandered around the hallways, my mind racing as I tried to piece together the best approach. Finally, I spotted Sitwell standing in front of Fury's chamber, deep in conversation on the phone. The moment he noticed me, he ended the call, slipping his phone into his pocket. I approached him with purpose, trying to keep my expression calm, though every muscle in my body was tense.

"Agent Sitwell, I need to have an urgent word with you," I said, keeping my voice low but firm.

He narrowed his eyes at me, suspicion evident in his gaze. "What is it?"

I took a step closer, lowering my voice even more. "Since there's no trace of Director Fury, I think we need to accelerate preparations. Don't you agree?"

Sitwell's eyes searched mine, trying to gauge my intentions. I could tell he wasn't convinced yet. I nodded, leaning in slightly, as if sharing a secret. "There are reports of infiltration in Project Insight."

"Infiltration?" His tone was skeptical, but there was a flicker of concern behind his eyes.

I nodded again, making sure my expression was dead serious. "I have solid intel. Someone is planning to sabotage the targeting blades of the helicarriers."

His eyes widened slightly at that, though he still regarded me with caution. I decided to push a little further, leaning even closer to his ear and whispering, "Hail Hydra."

The reaction was immediate. Sitwell's initial shock melted into something more calculated. His eyes softened, and he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, as if we were suddenly on the same page. "Of course. Even if Director Fury is no more, there are still those who would try to interfere. Especially Agent Romanoff."

I nodded in agreement, my heart pounding. He instructed," We need to secure the operational space of the helicarriers with a STRIKE team."

He seemed to consider it for a moment, then sighed, as if resigned to the situation. "But, I don't have access to Project Insight," I added, playing into the cautious operative role. "As Director Fury always says, ears are everywhere."

Sitwell seemed to understand, his suspicion now replaced with a sense of urgency. He reached into his pocket and handed me a tie pin, clipping it onto my collar with a practiced motion. "You have access now," he said, giving me a firm nod.

"Thank you," I replied, my voice steady, though inside I was already preparing for what came next. I turned and made my way toward the elevator, my steps brisk but controlled. The plan was in motion, and I was going to be the infiltrator.