"Hero becomes a legend."
Catarina will not soon forget the day she became a legend. But before that, she faces plenty of dangers, adversaries and a glimpse into her past life.
As a superheroine, she knows what it means to make sacrifices, but someti...
They drove in a dark, inconspicuous car through the busy streets of Manhattan back to the hotel on the edge of Central Park. The setting sun bathed the skyline in a golden light, yet their thoughts were distant. In the last few hours, Catarina couldn't get her encounter with Perrie out of her head. The young girl, barely 18, had just made a world-shattering discovery: she was a demigod, an heir to powers and responsibilities she had only just begun to comprehend. The thought of discovering a mystical heritage while simultaneously facing a completely foreign organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. must have been overwhelming.
As Cat pondered how she would react in such a situation, she wondered how Perrie was truly coping with all of it. Despite the brave face the girl had shown in recent hours, Cat could hardly imagine that the uncertainty and shock weren't gnawing at Perrie somewhere deep inside. The agent recalled the countless questions in Perrie's eyes as she had tried to process the meaning of her origins. Would she be able to bear the responsibility now resting on her shoulders? And how would she manage to trust her life to an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. that she had only learned about a few hours earlier?
The hotel, a towering skyscraper with a breathtaking view of Central Park, came into sight. Cat parked in front of the main entrance and they got out. Together with Fury, they entered the building and took the elevator to the sixth floor. The ride up felt longer than expected in the cramped elevator cabin. Just before reaching the door to their room, she paused and turned to Fury. "I should probably knock. After all, they know me," Catarina said softly, her voice somewhat uncertain but determined. "Of course," Fury agreed calmly, his expression as inscrutable as ever.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. It took only a moment for Perrie's mother, a woman in her late forties with blonde hair, to open it, radiating the same nervousness that had been evident in Perrie earlier. "Good afternoon, ma'am," Cat began politely in a gentle voice, "we urgently need to speak with your daughter. May we come in?"
The woman briefly assessed her and then Fury, who stood behind her, his presence heavy and authoritative, but she eventually let them in. "Of course, come in," she said with a hint of uncertainty, opening the door wider. "Thank you," Fury said and stepped inside first without another word. Catarina followed him, feeling the crackling tension in the air.
Perrie was sitting on the bed and looked up as they entered the room. Her face was tense, and the darkness in her eyes revealed that her thoughts were swirling just like Cat's. She gave the girl a brief, encouraging smile to show her that she wasn't alone. "Hi, Cat," Perrie greeted her, her voice calmer than Cat had expected.
"Hi, Perrie," Cat replied softly, but before she could add anything, Fury stepped forward and spoke. "I'll keep it brief," he said in his typical pragmatic tone that left no room for small talk. "I want your daughter to join our organization."
