For the Love of a Patriot || 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 ✔️ [#wattys 2018]

24 | The Goddess Pt. 1

~

My breath caught in my throat at the familiarity of his voice. The southern accent was daunting, more sinister than I remember it being.

I swallowed. "Not at all." I hesitated as casually as I could, cautiously looking down at Steve and hoping that he'd wake up. "Cassio." I said, losing all of the fear in my voice.

"Rachel." He replied. "You should put your hands up and turn around. You wouldn't want to miss what I have to say." He sounded amused.

With hesitance I obeyed. I turned my body, taking my hand off Steve.

Before anything, my face was met by a brisk gust of winter air. Little snow flakes were floating near my nose as I noticed that the glass was blown out.

My eyes looked up to meet his face as the smoke cleared. I could see his grin clear as day. His brown hair was slicked back and he was wearing all black, including a black trench coat and boots. His right arm was outstretched, clutching the gun, around two and a half inches away from my forehead.

"Why?" I inquired, creasing my eyebrows, more curious than anything. Sure I could've been a little scared that I was going to get shot in the face, but never for no reason.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Darlin'." He tilted his head, the gun tilting with it a little. He looked so giddy, like it was a game or something he'd been anticipating.

"I've been a little busy." I blinked simply. I planned to play it as cool as I could to stall.

"Ah yes, with your little," he lazily gestured the gun to the limp man beside me. "Lost cause. He did come very much in handy though...it gives you one more reason to come with us. Your love for him just makes us stronger."

I narrowed my eyes and further creased my eyebrows confusedly. "Why would I go with you?"

He let out a little chuckle. With his free gloved hand, he raised it to his turtleneck and slightly pulled it down. The tat was large enough to see and understand what it was. The six black arms curled under the image of a skull.

Hydra.

"Why am I not surprised." I said dryly, looking in his eyes. I tilted my own head. "Let me guess, you've been studying me for months, trying to get a grip on how close I was with SHIELD. You have the other half of the stone, they probably know, they just thought if they could protect me for long enough you'd become uninterested."

"Uninterested." He chuckled, looking down then back up. "We could've gotten you any time we wanted."

I raised an eyebrow. "But not with Steve in the way."