The Sapphire Spirit | Book One~Captain America: Civil War

C H A P E R 10

I staggered backwards, trying to catch my breath. I could already feel a bruise forming on my cheekbone. A fist came at my face and I ducked. I swung out my leg, knocking Clint's feet out from under him. The assassin came crashing down in the mat.

"Nice one," he groaned. I helped him up, stretching. "You're getting pretty good and it's only been a year."

I gaped at him. "Only? I feel like I've been here for at least a decade."

Clint laughed. "Well, it's about time you go on a mission."

I glared at him. "You don't think I've been asking? At least twice every week I've been asking Tony if I can go on a mission. The Battle of New York? Ultron? If I had been here I could've helped. Heck, there was a covert mission Nat had to do for SHIELD the other day and I couldn't go." I knew I was acting like a brat, but I needed to beat someone up sooner or later.

"Well, if you wanted to do a mission, Steve's planning on going to Nigeria." Clint said.

My face lit up.

"But... maybe don't mention it to Tony. He'll say no for sure. If you don't ask he can't say no. So don't ask."

"Wasn't planning on it." I walked out of the training room. "Thanks, Clint!" I called over my shoulder.

I found Steve suiting up in his room. I knocked on the open door.

"Hey, Chloe." He said, polishing his shield. "Did you need something?"

Um, yeah, actually." I entered the room. "Did you know I haven't actually been on a mission, yet?" It was weird actually admitting it out loud and directly. I wilted a little inside, knowing that so far, I had done nothing to contribute to this team.

"And you wanted to come?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow. I nodded shyly.

"I just... I want to get out. See what it's like to do what you guys do. Take names and kick a-"

"Language," Steve said warning.

"Kick... butt. I was gonna say butt."

"Suuuuure." He wasn't buying it.

"Soooooo... can I come?" I begged.

Steve thought about it for a few seconds. "If I let you come," he said slowly. "You promise to listen?"

"Listen?" I asked mockingly. I pulled down a random book from the shelf beside me. I opened to a random page and pretended to look for something. "Listen... listen... listen...." I snapped the book shut and put it back on the shelf. "It's not in my dictionary, are you sure that's a word? I've never heard of it."

"Ha, ha, are up for it?"

"What do I wear?"

"Casual civilian clothes. The world doesn't know you yet. Better to keep it that way. And it'll help blend in. You'll need it."

"I'll be out in ten minutes."

"Make it five and meet us in the hanger."

I walked back to my room and quickly went through my closet. I took off my sweaty tank top and shorts and threw them in my hamper, where they joined a week's worth of sweaty workout clothes. "FRIDAY, remind me to do my laundry when I get back home," I said, slipping on a pair of white denim shorts. I pulled a black crop top over my head and threw on a pair of black sneakers. I grabbed a baseball cap and quickly combed my long black hair.

I ran through the compound, on my way to the hanger. As I turned the corner, I ran into someone. I stumbled, falling on my butt.

Please don't be Tony, please don't be Tony, I thought.