The Deadly Nightshade | { BOOK 1 of The Flower series }

[22] Nightshade and The Winter Soldier pt. 1

⏳ 2014, Washington d.c.

Forty's jazz music played ominously as Captain Steve Rogers got closer from stealthily climbing through his apartment window. When Kate told him that he left his stereo on, he knew something was up. Steve hurried to grab his shield as he plastered his back to the wall, stalking towards the living room. Steve peered around the corner, seeing an all too familiar person lounging in the recliner chair.

The soldier relaxed when he came to realize it was only Director Fury. Steve leaned against the wall with a sigh. "I don't remember giving you a key."

Fury groaned as he leaned forward. "You really think I need one?" He gripped his phone that's on the chair arm. "My wife kicked me out."

Steve frowned, looking him up and down. "I didn't know you were married."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me."

"I know, Nick," Steve walked forward and turned the light on. "That's the problem."

His eyes widened, and his lips split in shock when Steve took in Fury's appearance. Fury held up his hand to silence him as he turned the light back off.

Fury typed on his phone. He turned the screen towards Steve:

EARS EVERYWHERE.

Steve looked around his apartment with irritation. Steve couldn't believe that Fury would bring trouble to his apartment.

"I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash."

SHIELD COMPROMISED

"Who else knows about your wife?" Steve growled.

Fury stood, a hand holding his side. He was definitely injured there—broken ribs.

YOU AND ME

"Just...my friends."

"Is that what we are?"

"That's up to you."

A bang, a gun discharged, went off. Bullets riddled Fury, making holes in Steve's walls, and Fury collapsed.

Steve quickly changed modes, dragging Fury out of the living room and into the kitchen. Steve's blue eyes spotted the sight of a sniper at the top of a nearby window. Steve went to chase the man outside, but Fury quickly grasped his arm. He handed Steve the USB Nat used to save S.H.I.E.L.D. Intel. "Don't...trust...anyone."

Steve heard banging on his front door; he plastered his back against the wall just in case another enemy has decided to join this lovely party.

"Captain Rogers?" A female asked from the doorway.

His neighbor, Kate, appeared with a gun. "Captain, I'm Agent Thirteen of S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Service."

"Kate?" Steve seemed so confused right now. He thought she was just a regular neighbor. He didn't understand what was happening.

"I'm assigned to protect you."

"On whose order?" Steve demanded, still in shock.

Sharon looked down at Fury as she lowered her gun. "His." She crouched at Fury's side and pulled a radio out from her pocket. "Foxtrot is down; he's unresponsive. I need EMTs."

"Do we have twenty on the shooter?" Someone from the other line asked.

Steve turned to the window as the figure disappeared. "Tell him that I'm in pursuit," Steve ordered as he charged through the apartment window. He ran, breaking doors and shattering windows as he hurled through them, his shield held out in front of him, protectively. He glanced above him, spotting the sniper running on a roof above him.