Remembering Freedom

Bargaining Chip

A man leaned down to get a drink from the fountain, watching the two dark haired women converse in front of the glass. They were right to be worried...it wouldn't be safe to have her out in such an exposed environment. He scowled as the women made their way into the waiting room and watched the archer throw back his head in laughter.

That man had been a pain in HYDRA's side when he had turned the tables and sided with Captain Rogers. He and that Russian bitch had been destroying every base they could find, severely dwindling his available resources and manpower. No matter, he thought with a smirk, he would be the first to go...

Making his way back to the waiting room, he sat down and watched for any doctors that fit his relative stature. It didn't take long for one to catch his eye. With practiced ease, he followed the doctor and waited until the doctor went into the supply closet before he pulled him into a headlock that rendered him unconscious. He laid the man on the ground and stripped out of his civilian clothes before pulling on the scrubs and white coat. As he secured the name tag, he crouched down and press a finger to his temple, allowing the Nano Mask to replicate the man's features. Pulling out an ICER, he shot the man twice for good measure before shutting the door.

He smiled at any person who walked by. It was too easy to flirt with the receptionist to allow him a few minutes with the hospital records. He pulled up Jemma Simmons' patient file, quickly noting the injuries before finding the information on her attending physician.

Her name was Doctor Julianna Hartman. She was a single mother, never married, and had a sixteen year old daughter attending the public high school. Her name was Rebecca...That would be his bargaining chip...He quickly printed out the medical file and personal information before returning to the menu screen and leaving the desk.

Walking back to the closet, he changed clothes once again and returned the Nano Mask to its former identity of a man with fairly common features before leaving the hospital and headed in the direction of the parking lot. Checking his watch, he had three hours to put his plan into motion before Romanov started her watch. She would be harder to fool than Barton. He would have to act quick...

The drive to the Hartman residence was short and the girl had made it easier by leaving the garage door open long enough for him to slip in unnoticed. He gave her about a minute before quietly making his way into the kitchen and following her silently upstairs. He peeled the Nano mask off with one hand, and pressed the barrel of the gun to the base of her skull with the other.

She froze, everything in her hands falling to the floor as she raised them to her head. "What do you want?"

"From you?" He lowered the gun. "I want you to call your mother."

Her entire body was shaking as she turned to face him and tears were streaming down her face. She seemed to ignore the fact that the gun was now pointed at her chest. "Why?"

"If you're not going to call her..." He clicked off the safety, pressing the barrel to her chest.

Blue eyes narrowed as she backed up to reach into her bag and pulled out her cell phone.

He admired the girl's guts when she unlocked the phone and handed it to him, already blocking the strike she aimed at his head. He shoved the girl back, the back of his hand connecting with her cheek. The gun was once again aimed at her head as she hit the ground. "I don't like killing girls so I wouldn't try that again."

She pulled herself from the floor, blood running from her split lip. "I'm not afraid of you."

"I'm not afraid you Ward." She took a step closer to him, her dark eyes defiant as she ignored the gun being aimed at her chest. The detonator held loosely in her left hand, leaving her right hand free to draw the weapon that was at the small of her back.