The Valentin Series, Book 1: The Valkyrie (Captain America fanfiction)

Chapter 24: Salvation

Val lay down on her bed, tossing a thick bangle up in the air and catching it again. This particular one was made out of deathly sharp metal plates that would unfold and could be used as either a fan knife or could be thrown individually. She shifted carefully, taking care not to rattle the earrings in her pocket overly-much. Her earrings were two small spheres that if activated would shoot out spikes with the same force of a Molotov cocktail.

Two more days had passed with no word from either James or Vanguard. She sat up and sighed, putting the bangle back on and re-tying her hair into a high bun. God, she was bored. A guitar could only do so much. Every now and then one of the guards would ask her to play a song, and her, being bored, humored them. Just then there was a rap on her door, she sat up straight and pulled the guitar from under her bed.

"What song this time, boys?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Winter Song," a gruff voice replied.

"You got it, babe," she smiled. Today was going to be interesting. She began strumming and singing but was interrupted when her door opened. The guard who entered brought her food in and put it on her table.

"Oh, joy of joys," Val purred, standing up, hefting the guitar in one hand, "Soup and bread, again."

The guard looked at her, he was a full head taller and wore the same uniform as Vanguard, "You got a problem with that?"

"As a matter of fact," Val said with a sweet smile, "I do." Then quick as lightning she heaved the guitar and smashed it on the side of the guard's head, hearing a satisfying crack at the impact. She looked to the door as her sentinels rushed in, guns at the ready.

"Get me Garret St. Clair or you're next," she sneered, picking up the chair by the table threateningly. One of her guards dragged the dead body out by his boot, leaving a trail of blood in their wake while the other trained his gun on her head.

Ten minutes later, the Vanguard strode into her room, anger rolling off his every pore. Val lifted the ruined guitar and looked at him from her seat by the table where she had begun munching on the bread that was brought to her.

She smiled, "I need a new one."

"You test my patience, Valentin," Garret seethed, "I treat you with utmost respect and you do this?"

"Oh, please, St. Clair," Val rolled her eyes at him as she stood and stretched languidly, "You treat me with the same respect you would a man on death row. It's not much to go on with."

"What is it you want?" he barked at her.

She laughed heartily at his angry expression, "What? No terms of endearment today, my good looking captor?"

When he just glared at her, she sighed exaggeratedly, "Fine," she shrugged, "I wanted to see you one more time."

"What are you talking about?" he quirked a brow.

"Well, I wanted to see you before you died, Garret," she said sweetly, and with that, she punched him square in the jaw.

Vanguard staggered back, wiping his mouth, Val saw there was blood on his hand. Good, maybe he'd lose a tooth. She watched him warily, taking a fighting stance. Then she saw as all his cool control snapped and he lunged for her, tackling her to the ground. Val kicked her knee into his stomach and pushed him off her. She tried to get up just as his fist collided with the center of her chest. Val hissed as the air was knocked out of her but she regained her footing and stood in front of a ready Garret.

"I definitely should have killed you first," he muttered.

"Too bad regrets come in the end, huh?" she answered. Then she kicked him in the side of his ribs and felt bone give way. Vanguard screamed in pain, but launched himself onto her, driving her into the back wall and choking her using his forearm to her throat. What he didn't know was Val had been in this choke hold before, with a man who had a metal arm. So she pretended to be struggling.