HUNTED ~ STEVE ROGERS [2]

Chapter Fifteen

I rubbed my aching jaw as we made our way in through the old dam building. Sam and Maria were helping Tasha along with her injury, while I took my old place at the right side of Steve.

Turns out, Rumlow had told Steve and the others I had ordered the assault on them, and that I had ordered their execution. It was no surprise Sam had socked me in the jaw.

A man came running towards us. He pointed at Tasha.

"GSW. Shes lost at least a pint," Maria said.

"Maybe two," Sam added. I had to admit, Tasha did look a little pale.

"Let me take her," the man said. I assumed he was a doctor. Maria shook her head.

"She'll want to see him first," Maria said. The doctor nodded.

There was only one person she could be talking about.

We rounded a corner and thats when we saw him. Tasha's mouth dropped open. Steve just looked blank, and Sam, well, he was just confused.

Fury looked us over, dirty and bleeding, and grinned.

"About damn time."

The doctor treated Tashas wound while Fury spoke.

"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache." Fury listed of his injuries like he was making a shopping list.

"Don't forget your collapsed lung," the doctor added, as Tasha winced. Fury rolled his eyes.

"Oh, lets not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good," He said. I saw Tasha look over at him with wide eyes.

"They cut you open. Your heart stopped," She said bluntly.

"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it," Fury explained. Steve hadn't said anything yet, but I knew he would.

"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" Steve asked, or rather, demanded. Fury looked at me.

"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful," Maria said. Fury didnt break eye contact with me, and I could tell that Steve had noticed.

"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."

"I love how you looked at me Nick, real subtle," I said harshly. He narrowed his good eye at me.

"I'm sorry I put you on the inside. I needed someone who could-"

"Who could what Nick? Send a missile after their friends?" I countered, anger welling up inside me.

"That was you?" Tasha exclaimed. I nodded.

"A certain director left me an ominous note telling me to do whatever I could to be a mole inside HYDRA. Hence, almost blowing you up," I snarked, my eyes on Fury.

Fury swung his legs over the side of the bed and with the help of Maria threw on a sweater and sat down at the table Tasha was sitting at. Maria joined him, but Steve, Sam and I choose to stand.

"I needed someone who could earn Pierces trust. You seemed the most eligible candidate," Fury said, picking up a photograph from the table of him and Pierce. I could feel Steve's gaze on me.

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, 'Peace wasnt an achievement, it was a responsibility.' See, its stuff like this that gives me trust issues." He tossed the photo aside.