Hidden Past

Chapter 14

I wake up to the sound of birds ringing in my ears through the open window. I sit up on the sofa and stand up to close it. I amble upstairs, get a quick shower and dress in jeans and a hoodie. I quietly step downstairs, being careful not to wake Steve. As i head out the front door, i grab my school bag, bike helmet and bike lock.

Reaching SHIELD, I lock my old silver bike in the shed and walk into the entrance. I catch the elevator to the right floor and march down the corridor. 

The prisoner is layed on his back on the bed in his cell and has his arms crossed behind his head as he stares at the ceiling. I notice a bandage on his hand where i bit him and i can't help the small smile that spreads across my lips. 

I step through the corridor and drop my bag onto the floor. The man instantly sits up, staring at me with fear in his eyes. I stand in front of him, crossing my arms and watching his reaction. 

I feel a hand on my shoulder and i spin to see Fury glaring at me. His face is tense as usual and he looks exhausted. 

"He won't talk." Fury whispers into my ear. 

"Does he have a name?" I ask. 

"Yes, but he won't tell us." Fury replies, then marches past me and up into the window booth to watch the man. 

"Do you have a name?" I question, standing beside the control panel and looking up at the man. 

He nods his head. 

"What is your name?" 

"You don't need to know." He spits, his voice laced with venomous hate. 

"Then, will you please tell me what you meant when you said you are a friend of my fathers?" I attempt. 

I sit down on the black tiled floor, crossing my leg underneath me and leaning forward to show Im interested. 

"He's my master. Everything i do, I do to please him." 

"Master? Why do you call him that?" 

"He's in charge of me." He says and then mumbles something under his breath. 

"Excuse me? Can you repeat the last sentence please?" I question, confusion running in my mind. 

"He sent me here to collect you." The man whispers, looking in the opposite direction to me and i see the top of his left cheek twitch slightly. 

"Are you telling the truth?" 

He suddenly jumps up, banging his fists on the glass cell, his eyes full of hate and guilt. 

"Of course I am. Are you calling me a liar? I am not a liar!" He screams, glaring at me. 

I slowly stand up as Fury marches in, the man still fighting against the cell wall. Fury grabs my shoulder and drags me out, i try to pull away. But, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me down the corridor. He kicks open a wooden door, closing it behind us and pushes me inside. 

It's a normal conference room with a glass table and chairs positioned around it. I turn to Fury, staring at him with confusion. 

"Why did you do that?" I question. 

"He could have hurt you." Fury mutters. 

"How? He was in a cell? He was going to tell me about my father and you stopped him." I hiss. 

Fury can't look at me. 

I groan and push past him, opening the door. I march through and instantly bump into someone. They catch me in their arms and help me stand up properly. I follow the hands up to see a boy stood in front of me. His jet black hair smoothed down and he's wearing a black suit that makes his brown eyes shine and his hidden freckles light up. 

"Um...Thanks." I mumble. 

The boy smiles, exposing his white teeth. 

"Axel, I asked for coffee. This is tea." I hear Tony shout. 

He marches down the corridor and stops when he sees us. I instantly pull away from Axel and he lowers his head. 

"I fell over." I whisper. 

Tony glares at me with a questioning look, his eyes narrow with annoyance that he didn't get what he wanted. 

"I want coffee." Tony demands, handing the Styrofoam cup to Axel. 

Axel nods and walks off, sending me a quick smile. I ignore him and go to walk out, but Tony grabs my wrist. He stares at me with a daring look, I smile innocently and his top lip twitches slightly. 

"What do you think you're doing with my assistant?" He asks. 

"I just kissed him." I tease and his eyes widen with shock until he realizes Im lying. 

"Don't mess with me." He argues. 

"I fell over, honestly and he was just helping me up. You can ask him if you don't believe me." I point out as i try to pull my wrist out of his grasp, but he holds on. 

"I will be asking him and if its not the same i will be telling your Uncle everything." Tony warns. 

"Get off me." I demand, pulling away. 

"Tony!" I hear Steve shout. 

He lets go off my wrist and i pull away from him, taking a step backwards towards Steve. He glances down at me with a worried look on his face and it forces me to turn the other way. 

"What is going on?" Steve questions, staring at Tony. 

"Nothing, Steve. Just making sure Hattie stays out of trouble." Tony announces and walks down the corridor. 

"What happened?" Steve asks as we stroll through a control room. 

"He accused me of getting involved with his assistant." I explain, smiling innocently at Steve. 

"Were you getting involved with his assistant?" 

"Of course not!" I quickly defend. 

"Harriet!" Fury's voice bellows through the control room and all the workers look at me. 

"What have you done now?" Steve quizzes and i shrug my shoulders at him. 

"Hattie has got the prisoner talking and fighting." Fury explains. 

"It wasn't my fault he was fighting." I point out. 

"He's asking to talk to you." Fury announces. 

"Okay." 

I follow Fury down two corridors and into the room with the prison cell in. Steve and Fury step behind the window booth as i sit on the floor. The man is sat on the floor in his cell, bowing his head and sighing. 

"You want to talk to me?" I ask. 

Slowly, he raises his head and his eyes lock with mine. They burn with pain and hurt, guilt rushes through my veins. 

"I wasn't lying." He whispers. 

"Okay, thank you for being honest." I smile and he nods. 

"You are so much like your father. Determined and not afraid." 

I warm slightly at his comment and smile. 

"Stop." Fury demands, glaring at the prisoner. 

"Fury, leave it. Hattie should know." Steve argues. 

The prisoner tightens up again and won't look at Fury. 

"Thanks a lot, Patch." I hiss under my breath as Fury stares at me with a threatening eye. 

"Fury, just leave it." Steve orders and Fury stamps out of the room. 

I walk past Steve, picking up my bag off the floor and leaving the room. I march down the stairs, through reception and to the bike shed. I race home before anyone can force me to stay to do my lessons.