Charlotte Stark: Repetition (Book 2)

«Chap. 8»

•°• RECAP •°•

“Charlie, what is it? You're kind of freaking me out with this whole situation. What could possibly be so bad about this?” Natasha asked, and Charlie finally said it.

“Three words, Natasha.” she began to hold up a finger for each word, “Agent. Peggy. Carter.”

•°•

Natasha sat back on the couch, and a sigh left her lips.

“You mean— Steve's ex or love interest, may have something to do with this?” Natasha asked with a chuckle, “There's no way in hell, she's old now, Charlie.”

Charlie rolled her eyes at Natasha's statement, “That's not what I meant. In 1944 my Grandfather, made this type of poisonous gas..” she began to say, and Natasha's eyes widened.

“Your.. your grandfather? Tony's dad? As in Howard Stark?” she asked obviously very surprised by this statement.

Charlie nodded her head, “As crazy as it sounds, yes, but I'm almost 100% positive that it's 'Item 17'.”  Natasha sat back and crossed her arms, “I mean, I've read about it when I was going through my grandfather's things. But it wasn't a completed
file—.”

“—And that's why you need me to hack into Shields database.” Natasha finished, and she nodded her head.

“It has to be in one of Shield's files because where else would they keep a highly secret file?” Charlie said as she stood up pacing the floor.

“Probably in a highly contained area.” Natasha mumbled, and Charlie shot her a look.

Natasha began looking over the metal cylinder, “Where in the hell would someone find a deadly substance? You can't just 'come across ' something like this.” she began to say. “You would have to be dead set on looking for something like this.”

Charlie stared at Natasha, “Does that mean you're in?” she asked the red head, and with a nod, Natasha agreed.

Charlie smiled and was about to hand her the laptop but pulled it back, “You have to promise that you won't tell Steve. Not a damn thing, Romanoff.”
Charlie said pointing her Finger at Nat.

Natasha held her hands up in defense,“Alright, alright! I promise.” Natasha gritted out.

The brunette held her pinky finger to the red head, and Natasha rolled her eyes, “You've got to be kidding me. You seriously want me to pinky promise you?” The brunette nodded her head, making the assassin scoff.

She finally held out her pinky and they "shook" on it. “No backsies. You are now sworn into secrecy.” Charlie said as she handed her laptop over to Natasha.

Natasha opened the laptop and began typing quickly; her fingers never left the keyboard and her eyes never left the screen.

Charlie made herself at home, and pulled out the gun that the mysterious psycho left behind.

Five minutes passed, “I'm in!” Nat exclaimed. “So, the part we need to be in, is probably located in the files located back to the early 1920s and continuing on to the 50s.” She told Charlie, and she began typing again.

“Oh, wow....” Natasha said with her eyes wide.

“What?” Charlie asked and scooted next to Natasha.

“There's over 300 files here! And it's already 5:00.”she sighed, “ It'll go faster if I get my laptop and you use yours.”

Charlie nodded, taking her computer and began searching desperately through the files.

•°•°•°•°•

Charlotte and Natasha ordered some take out food, and continued to search the files without stopping.

Hours passed and it was already two in the morning; they searched every file; even the ones leading up to the early 90s, but had no avail.

“What are you going to do now, Char?” Natasha asked her short friend, that was currently deep in thought.

Charlie let out a frustrated sigh, “Honestly? I have no idea. Did the recreate it, or did they find one of my grandfather's originals? ” she asked and fell back deeper in the couch.

Natasha shrugged her shoulders, “I don't know.. what are you planning on doing now?”

“Probably go through Shields paper files until I find something, and maybe do some research on Peggy Carter. It's all I can do for now.” Charlie said quietly.

Both of them stayed in silence for a few minutes until Natasha broke the silence.

“Are you seriously going to keep this from Rogers? I mean, he's crazy about you. Why keep something from him that he could help with, or have a solution to?” she asked curiously, and Charlie shrugged her shoulders.

“I honestly don't know, Nat.. I do want to tell him, I really do, but—”

“But?”

“But I love him.” Charlie said, and Natasha raised an eyebrow,
“Okay? I'm so confused now. You love him, but yet you won't tell him what's going on?” Natasha interrogated; Charlie sat there not knowing how to answer.

“I don't want him to feel.. overwhelmed with the whole thing, Nat.” Charlie began to say. “If I tell him, I'm afraid he will get upset and not want me to do it, and he'll say, ‘This is a problem that should be taken to Shield'’ or taken to my father.”

Natasha raised her eyebrows, “So this is to prove a point?” she asked the brunette.

Even Charlie questioned
why she didn't—  wouldn't—  tell Steve.

“I definitely wouldn't say that it was to 'prove a point', Nat. Well, maybe it is, but if Peggy can solve it then why can't I?”

Natasha didn't answer, and Charlie picked up her bag and walked to the door, “What do you think I should do, Nat?” she asked facing the door, her hands resting on the door knob

Natasha breathed in deeply, placing her laptop on the counter. “You do what you think is right, Charlie.” she said standing up against the counter.
“I'm not good at giving advice, but trust me when I tell you this, what you decide now, can change your life forever.”

Charlie walked out of Natasha's apartment and went to the elevator, pondering on what Natasha had said.
The door opened and Charlie trudged in, not lifting up her head once. She pressed the button for the bottom floor, and the elevator began moving.

She was deep in thought and not paying attention and the lights flickered off; making the emergency lights come on. Charlie began looking around frantically, straining her vision to see in the dimly lit elevator and there was someone standing across from her.

Instinctively, she pulled out her gun and pointed it at the person across from her. Whoever it was had a trench coat on with a fedora on their head, and held their hands up, “Listen to me and listen carefully—” the voice revealing the voice of a man.

•°•°•°•

Sorry for the cliffhanger! But I hope you enjoyed.
Queen Marvel