The Russian

Chapter Sixteen: Trust

We walked over to Perice's room in our suits. We look to see Kate-I mean Agent thirteen- leaving his office from a discussion. I was not a fan of her right now.

"Shadow, Captain Rodgers." She says to us.

"Neighbor." Steve says, still walking tall and not looking at her at all.. An older man in a gray suit and glasses looks at us with a coffee in his hand.

"Ah Captain, Shadow, I am Alexander Perice." He introduces as he shakes Steve's hand. He offers me his hand but I don't take it. I don't trust anyone now.

"Sir. It's an honor." Steve says.

"The honor is mine, Captain." Peirce corrects him. "My Father served in 101st. Come on in." We follow him to his office. It was big and spacious. He lead us to a couch as he leaned against his metal desk. He hands Steve a few Photos, and we both look at them. It was Perice and Fury swearing in.

"That was taking five years after Nick and I met, When I was in State Department. Leland Rebels took the embassy. Security got me out, but the rebels took hostages. Nick was deputy chief of the SHEILD station there, and he comes to me with a plan."

"He wants to storm the village through the sewers. I said 'no,we'll negotiate.' Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They storm the basement and what do they find? They find it empty.Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized Military operation on foreign soil. He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my Daughter." Perice tells us.

"So you gave him a promotion." Steve said, and he nodded.

"I never had any cause to regret it." Perice says with confidence. I tried using my abilities, but they seemed blocked from him, giving more of a reason not to trust him. "Captain, why was Nick at your's and Shadow's apartment last night?"

"I don't know." Steve tells him. I am internally happy he is not telling him everything. Perice seems sketchy.

"Shadow?" Perice ask for my opinion.

"Not sure, it's Nick. He shows up anytime he wants." I say, trying not to growl at him.

"Know it was bugged?" He asked us.

"I did." We both say at the same time.

"Cause Nick told us." Steve says.

"Did he tell you he was the one that bugged it?" Perice asks. I knew this was to get information, it was to get under his skin.

Steve, he trying to get under your skin. I warn him. I wasn't sure if he got the message. Steve stared at Perice and he licked his lips and used the remote.

"I want you two to see something." Peirce tells us. We look up at the screen to see Batroc in custody.

"Is that Live?" Steve asks.

"Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house." Perice clarifies. We watched the agents interrogate him.

"Are you saying he is a suspect?" Steve questions.

"Assassination is not Batroc's style." I say.

"Nope, It's more complex than that. Batroc was hired by an annomnimus though a taxin in the Amrian star. He was contacted by Email and paid by wired transfer. And then the money was run through seventeen accounts, the last one going to a company that was registered to a Jacob Peach." Perice says as he hands Steve a fat file of information.

"Are we suppose to know who that is?" I ask, as Steve examines the file.

"Not likely, he died six years ago. His last address was 1435 Elmers Drive." Perice explains. "When I first met Nick, his mother lived at 1437 Elmers Drive." I look at him with shock.

"Are you saying that Fury hired the pirates?" Steve says unconvinced. "Why?"

"The prevailing theory, was that the hijacking was a cover for the apposition and sale of classified intelligence." Perice says. He was talking about the flash drive. "Sale went south, and that lead to Nick's death."

"If you really knew Nick Fury, you know thats not true." Steve argues.

"Why do you think the three of us are talking?" He says.

"Cause you have nothing better to do." I say under my breath. Steve's foot then crushes mine.

"See I took a seat at the council because I wanted to, but because Nick asked me to. Because we were both realists. We knew despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking.That to build a better world, Sometimes means having to tear the old one down." That struck a nerve with me. I stood up angry.

"Like destroying New York?" I spat. I was talking about the day we almost lost Tony Stark because of there stupid decisions. Perice sighs.

"And as you see that makes enemies." Perice says, looking at me. Steve pulled me back, to listen and not put my two cents in. "Those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build something better. And The Idea that those people could be happy today? Make me really really angry." He pauses and starts again.

"Captain, You and Shadow were the last people to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident. And I don't think you two do either." Perice says, Steve looks more conflicted by each word. "So I am going to ask you again, Why was he there?"

"To see Amira." I lie, but Steve starts to go.

"He told us not to trust anyone besides each other." Steve told him. I mentally face palm.

Steve, What are you doing.

"I wonder, if that included him." Peirce says. Steve pauses, making me nervous.

"I'm sorry. Those were his last words." Steve says. "Excuse us." Steve pushes me forward slightly so we can leave the room and I pass Steve his Shield to put on his back. As we start to leave, Peirce's voice echoes.

"Captain, someone murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why. Anyone gets in my way, they are going to regret it. Anyone, including little Amira." I bit my tongue as he threatens her. So I come back with something Clever.

"How do we know it was not you?" I spat at him. "And I won't let you touch her."

"We understand." Steve says, dragging me out of the room.

Oh boy, was I gonna get chewed out for this.