Hellish (Steve Rogers Fan Fiction)

N i n e

The bruises along Sloane's temple, hairline, and cheekbones were beginning to yellow as well as the other bruises hidden by her clothes. Her busted lip was healing too.

On the second day of being at the Tower, Sloane emerged from her room only in the late evening and only after Steve told her they were going to talk about Jakande.

"I've got coordinates to a warehouse of his in Canada. He probably just uses it as a fall back base in case one of his others gets taken down by you guys or other S.H.I.E.L.D. affiliates." Sloane said. "That was my first target after Tashkent if things went sideways. Again, thank you guys for that."

Steve and half of the Avengers rolled their eyes and some even let out sighs.

"What are the coordinates?" Tony asked as he opened his laptop.

Sloane pulled up the left sleeve of her gray sweater and gave him the numbers written on her arm.

"That's in the middle of absolutely no where."

"That's how he likes it over here. He puts his bases closer to cities over in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, but here, he doesn't like to cause you Americans are nosey as hell. And he has no where to go in South America. I've got contacts all over down there."

"You said a while back you don't like using guns." Natasha started, tucking her hands into her back pockets. "Does that mean you don't know how to use one or does that mean you do, you just choose not to?"

"I don't kill people. I told you guys that shit in the beginning and—,"

"We never said you had to. It's just a precaution." Steve cut Sloane off.

"It's just to make sure you have our backs too." Clint said. "I don't know about anyone else, but those damn flash bangs you got are not going to work out."

"They're temporary and they don't kill people. I'm not a murderer. I'm a thief. What I do doesn't hurt people. Well, not directly. It might hurt their wallets or their bank accounts but—,"

"That's not the point, Sloane." Tony spoke. "We need to know you're able to have our backs if one of us need it. You don't have to go for the kill shot. We can teach you if you don't know how."

Sloane locked her jaw and looked away for a moment.

"I can use one. I'm extremely against it though."

"As long as you carry one, we don't care."

Wanda smacked Clint's arm.

"Who's Jakande's dealer?" Sloane questioned, changing the subject.

"We only have a last name." Natasha replied.

"Buhari." Steve said. "The only problem is we don't know who that is."

"Buhari." Sloane repeated, squinting her eyes together as she looked around at the Avengers.

She stood up suddenly and made her way to the elevator.

"Hey, where are you going?" Tony asked, watching as she pressed the down button.

"To drive myself crazy."

•*•*•

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"I'm busy." Sloane called as she shuffled the papers and sat up on her knees so she could reach the map that was stretched out on the floor.

The door opened to reveal Wanda, Pepper, Maria Hill, and Natasha.

"What the hell is this mess?" Natasha raised her eyebrows as she looked around the room.