Bird Set Free | Natasha Romanoff ✓

Chapter Sixteen

Aquila supported Natasha as Agent Hill led them into what Aquila wanted to assume was a secret facility but still wasn't sure. 

A man started to run at a rapid pace towards them as Agent Hill briefed him on Natasha's current condition. 

"GSW. She's lost at least a pint."

"Maybe two." Aquila chimed in. 

"Let me take her." The person who Aquila assumed was a doctor ordered. 

"They'll want to see him first."

Aquila felt the breath being knocked out of her the second the plastic curtain was brushed aside, revealing a perfectly healthy Nick Fury sitting upright in the bed. 

"About damn time."

Eventually, the doctor led Aquila who was still holding Natasha upright over to a nearby chair where it would be easier for the doctor to heal her wound. 

"Lacerated spinal column, a cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver and one hell of a headache." Fury said, amusement lacing his tone as he described the turmoil, he and his body had gone through over the last few days. 

"Don't forget your collapsed long," the doctor reminded. 

"Oh, let's not forget that," Fury scoffed. "Other than that, I'm good."

"Sure." Aquila scoffed, knowing that he certainly wasn't in a 'good' condition, in fact, the furthest from it.

"They cut you open," Natasha said, her voice holding a strange tone. "Your heart stopped."

"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute," Fury explained. "Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work out so great for him, but we found a use for it."

"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?"

"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful."

"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."

The mood in the room was joyful as the four of them still over the moon at Fury's condition despite the unfortunate circumstances looming over them. 

HYDRA had infiltrated S. H. I. E. L. D. right under everyone's noses even under the director himself. No one quite knew what to do now, Steve, Natasha, Sam and herself were wanted and the man sitting in front of them was supposed to be dead. It was certainly a situation you didn't see in many movies. 

However, as they discussed the infiltration, a conversation that Aquila had had with Nick Fury shortly after her recruitment into the Avengers about her past, was suddenly brought to the forefront of her mind. 

"Did you know?" Aquila asked coldly, cutting the joyfulness in the room in mere seconds. 

"Know what?" Nick Fury asked. 

"Did you know?"Aquila repeated her question again for emphasis. "Did you know that HYDRA killed my family, destroyed my entire world?"

The tension was thick in the room as everyone looked to the woman who had been broken one too many times, never breaking eye contact with the director. 

"I had an inkling." Nick Fury said as Aquila took a sharp intake of air. "I was going to talk to you about it."

"Sure, you were." Aquila had heard enough, she spun on her heel, storming out of the room. 

Agent Hill tried to chase after her. "Aquila! We have a file for you! Photos! Leads! Contact Details!"

"Leave her be. She needs to process everything by herself."

Aquila had sat down on the bridge just outside where Nick Fury and Agent Hill had been hiding out, her legs dangling off the edge, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. 

Thoughts whirled out in her head and Aquila was hopeless to try and stop them. 

Just like she was hopeless to try and change the situation she had found herself in. 

After all these years, Aquila had finally found out the truth behind her past but in a twisted way, she wished she hadn't. 

Because in reality it really meant that Aquila had been living her life as a lie. Or just hidden from the truth. 

No wonder she had trust issues. 

"Hey," Natasha said quietly sliding in beside Aquila, dangling her own legs off the bridge. 

"Hey." Aquila greeted in return even though her tone lay flat. "Are you sure that you should be up yet? It's likely that you could reopen the wound."

"I'm sure I'll be fine. But I'm more concerned about you." Natasha said, bumping Aquila's shoulder lightly with hers. "You've had a tough few days."

"We all have."

"Well, not as much as you. After all these years you finally learned the truth, that's gotta take some time to properly process."

"Yeah."

"Well, if it's any consolation, what Agent Hill shouted at you as you stormed out was actually correct. There are legitimate contacts, people you can talk to. . .There might even be. . ." Natasha trailed off, not wanting to get Aquila's hopes up.

"Survivors."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't lie to you, Quila," Natasha responded with a soft smile. "Listen, Fury got Steve to call one of his friends he's made here, Quinn Greene. You know how we've spent all this time trying to find someone to set Steve up with?"

"Yeah?" Aquila replied with a chuckle.

"I think those two did our work for us."

"Pardon?" Aquila managed to splutter out between laughs. "You want us to do what?"

Nick Fury had given them all their first mission. To break into a museum, no less the Smithsonian and steal Captain America's old costume that was still placed on display there. Quinn Greene, Steve's 'friend' worked at the museum and would be their entry ticket into there. 

Considering, Aquila could just shift into Talons, Sam had his wings and Natasha would be undercover, Steve had his shield but still needed an outfit. So the red, blue and white fabric suit was apparently the only option. 

"Well, I've been trying to organize a trip to the Smithsonian." Aquila joked. "But I don't think it was a part of the itinerary to steal from the museum."

"We don't have time for sightseeing, Aquila."

"But. . ." Aquila tried to protest."

"No," Steve said sternly, ending any attempt to try and defend her idea. 

"Regardless," The blonde that had been introduced as Quinn said with a smile. "Whenever you wanna come just let me know, I can give you a free tour."