Winter's Daughter

Chapter 9

Something felt different. Victoria could feel it shift in the air. She picked up the pistol and cocked it, walking towards the door. As she went to open it, she heard footsteps running in her direction. She put her ear up to the door and heard screams.

"The asset is out of containment! All agents to the labs! I repeat, all agents to the labs!"

Vic gasped when she heard their cries for help. She felt her spirit rise again. She opened the door and was face to face with Rumlow.

"Kid, we gotta go."

She aimed the gun at him, knowing that everything would be alright if she didn't leave.

"I'm staying here."

Rumlow snarled and took the gun from her and grabbed her by her shirts collar.

"Listen kid. Either you come with me and live or you stay here and freeze to death. What'll it be?"

Vic's eyes widened as she saw the soldier approach the agent from behind. Rumlow tensed in pain as a metal hand squeezed his neck and raised him a few feet in the air.

"Touch my daughter again and you'll have more than a sore neck." His voice was dripping with hate as he spoke.

"Dad!" She cried and ran to his side.

The soldier threw the man to the ground and turned to the little girl. His eyes flickered from her her face to the mark on her arm.

"You hurt badly?"

"No, I'm fine. My arms a little sore from the tattoo they gave me, but other than that I'm okay."

"We're getting out of here." He said lowly, grabbing her hand and running down the hall to the entrance of the bunker.

As they approached the front entrance, the wall and the door crumbled to pieces.  

"Get to cover!" A shout came from the bright light filling the doorway.

A sudden rush of people ran in and ducked behind pieces of ruble. As the unknown group positioned themselves behind the large pieces of the destroyed entrance of the bunker, Victoria notices an insignia that was familiar to her. She'd seen it before on documents that both Jason and Rumlow filled out. "S.H.I.E.L.D...It's S.H.I.E.L.D!" 

Three agents ran towards James and the girl. "Get behind me." James whispered.

Victoria nodded and did as she was told. James made sure that the child was safe behind him.

As the other agents ran by them, One went straight to them and said "Cap's waiting! Lets get you out of here!"

James grabbed the girl's hand, and ran outside with the agent to a helicopter waiting for them a few yards away from the bunker. The agent helped them up into the vehicle and took off as soon as the agent was safe in the cockpit.

"We sure are glad we picked you up when we did. You both would've been history! Not that one of you isn't already one of the most famous fighters of the 1940's." The agent smiled.

"Speaking of finding us, who are you?" James asked, looking at the agent with suspicion.

"Agent Phil Coulson sir. A pleasure to meet you. The Cap always talks highly of you and so Fury ordered us to come get you and recruit you." Coulson said happily.

"Agent, who is 'Cap' exactly?" James questioned.

"Captain America. Steve Rogers." Coulson said with confusion.

'S-Steve? He's still alive? That can't be...'

Victoria looked to James and smiled. "We're free."

James smiled for a brief moment before his eyes drifted to the girl's shoulder. He shifted his gaze to the matching star on his shoulder and the metal limb he'd been given so long ago.

'I wish I could agree but, we'll always bear the mark. Time can't erase it.'

He looked out the window to see an army of agents fighting both in and outside the bunker.

'Nothing will.'