[ 𝟏 ] 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 | 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐟𝐟

𝟎𝟖.

I awoke from a brief nap upon hearing the team chatting downstairs. Since a particular experimentation session a few years back, my senses had become hyperaware of nearby sounds. Though I usually managed to tune them out, tonight, everything felt more heightened due to the lingering effects of the nightmare from the mission. Nevertheless, I felt rejuvenated despite my eyes being puffy and sore. I sat up, gazing out the window to discover the sun had already set. With a sigh, I slipped my feet back into my shoes and went downstairs.

The first faces I encountered were Laura and Clint, who greeted me with warm smiles. There was an inherent comfort in their presence, filling the void left by the absence of parental figures in my life. Although I had only recently met Laura, nothing about her triggered distrust in my mind. Like Clint, I felt a reassuring sense that she would protect me.

Turning towards the kitchen, I observed the familiar team members, but this time, a man with an eyepatch caught my attention. Though I had never seen his face, there was something strangely familiar about him—an uncanny connection I must have acquired within the confines of the HYDRA base.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Natasha spoke in a hushed tone.

"Ah," Steve responded, glancing in my direction. "Meet Nick Fury. You're familiar with him, right?"

"I am," I replied, perching on an unoccupied counter in the kitchen. His name triggered a recollection of everything I knew about him. "You're the former director of SHIELD?"

"Was. Nice to meet you. I've heard quite a few intriguing things," Fury replied.

"Pleasure, Mr. Fury," I smiled, though I was taken aback that someone as notable as Nick Fury was aware of me.

Fury gave me an approving nod before pouring himself a glass of water. "Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing."

"What about Ultron himself?" Steve inquired.

"Oh, he's easy to track. He's everywhere. The guy is multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. It still doesn't help us get an angle on his plans, though."

"Is he still going after launch codes?" Tony inquired, casually tossing a dart.

"Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway."

"I cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school on a dare."

"Well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that."

"NEXUS?" I interjected.

"It's the world internet hub in Oslo," Bruce clarified. "Every byte of data flows through there; fastest access on earth."

"So, what did they say?" Clint asked, more engrossed in the darts he held.

"He's fixated on the missiles," Fury answered, "but the codes are constantly being changed."