Vengeance [Avengers Fanfiction]

[Chapter 11]

[Steve Rogers]

     "Aye, aye, Captain. Oh, and try to not get your soul sucked out. I'm really not in the mood to drag your lifeless body onto a roof and into a helicopter." The Phantom called.

    Gee, that sure was reassuring.

    I glanced over my shoulder to reply, but she was already gone. I continued my trek towards the west side of the city, following the directions the Phantom gave me and heading towards the outer rim of the heart of the city, far enough to be removed from the center of things but not so far removed that no one in their right mind would venture out there.

    I climbed to crouch on the roof of a building, keeping a sharp eye out for anything suspicious. It would normally be Hawkeye's thing to perch on the edge of a rooftop, but since the new demon-proof weapons for the rest of the Avengers weren't finished yet, he and the others had to stay at base. Fury, with the help of Tony Stark, was attempting to get the team new weapons as fast as he could, but since vibranium is the rarest metal on earth, he was running into some difficulties.

    My head turned as I saw a homeless man wandering down the alleyway, holding a tattered backpack in one hand and a soda can in the other. I watched as he hobbled down the alley, taking a last swig from the can before crumpling it and throwing it behind him on the already litter-strewn pavement.

    Out of the corner of my eye I saw something move behind the man in the darkness. I strained my eyes to make sure if I had really seen something, but eventually blamed it on a piece of litter blowing away or a shadow.

    But then I heard it. A faint whispering, and the almost inaudible sound of ragged breathing.

    There! Something in the shadows shifted, slinking its way towards the man. Quickly and quietly, I climbed down and trailed the man as he ventured further and further away from the safety of the bright and busy section of the city.

    My breath caught in my throat as a blood-curdling screech cut through the night, worse than nails being dragged down a chalkboard and the shriek of a rusty gate combined.

    The man's eyes widened as he began sprinting down the alley in fear before he tripped and hit his head on the ground, knocking him out cold.

    The demon lunged for him, growling inhumanely, leathery wings expanded and claws glinting.

    Luckily, my shield reached the monster before it converged on the poor, defenseless man.

    My shield knocked it away from the man before reflecting back towards me. I easily caught it, then turned as the demon hissed then lunged for me. I gave the monster a solid hit to the head with my shield, backing up as it fell to the ground, wailing. It then perished into a pile of black dust, which began to disperse in the slight breeze.

    I still held my shield at the ready, sending uneasy glances behind me. I didn't want to admit it, but those things gave me the creeps. After checking to make sure the area was clear, I looked at the homeless man, not sure what to do. I could drag him under a lamp post and the light may ward off any hungry demons. But what if he was hurt? 

    Relieved, I saw the homeless man slowly start to stir. I watched from around a corner as he sat up, muttered something incoherent with fright, then scrambled to his feet and began sprinting back towards a brighter part of the city. Smart move.

    "Killed your first demon?" The Phantom's voice asked through the communicator.

    I jumped nearly a foot into the air, mentally cursing myself for my jitteriness.