Let Me Go (Book Four)

Chapter: 19

DAY: 272

Winter Soldier

I made a promise to Lark that as soon as it was over I'd take her away, I'd get her out of this mess somehow. No matter what the cost was I'd somehow find a way to do it. If it meant leaving everything in my life behind then I'd do it. I just loved her too much.

When we reached the main level of the Helicarried Lark and I sat at the table waiting for Fury and Steve to show up. Lark knew that Fury would have to have a few words with her on the idea of Alexander and her brother and sister. There was too much going on and I knew Lark was stressed and plainly freaked out about the who situation.

But slowly, one by one everyone trickled in. Steve, Clint, Logan, Remy, Natasha, Banner, Thor, Hill, Fury. But no one said anything. They stayed quiet. Lark stared at her hands in her lap.

"Lark, we have to ask you a serious question and we need to you answer truthfully." Fury started. Lark knew what he was going to ask her and I could pick up on it just as easy.

"Nick, I don't think now's the time." Steve said.

"We've been over this, Steve." Fury said turning around to him. "Now is the only time."

"I just don't believe that having her deal with this amount of stress right now is a good idea." Steve told him. "And, I-"

"Just say it already." Lark interrupted them. "Before I get up and walk out of here."

"Fury needs you to decide the fate of your brother, sister and Alexander."

"Fate. Fate? Really? Do we have to be so dramatic about it?" she asked. "Why should I have to decide what happens to them? It wasn't just me that they hurt or tortured. I was one of billions of people who suffered the same as me."

"You experienced first hand the worst situation. We interviewed thousands upon thousands of refugees from escaped Hydra bases. Each one told us the things they experienced and what they saw. But none of them experienced a torture quiet like yours." Natasha told her. "Interestingly enough many of which knew who you were in your relation to Alexander and what he had done to you."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"While you were out cold Alexander released pictures of your beaten body laying in your cell, sometimes even videos." Remy said. "A lot of them were post torture session, blood, bruises, just mangled flesh. No one was spared the details of your torture. He went on rants in some of the clips, describing surgeries he wanted performed on you, or idea he had for someone else."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because S.H.I.E.L.D. if offering you the opportunity to punish Alexander. Now, we don't normally do things like this but in this case, it's allowed." Fury told Lark. "You have the opportunity to allow S.H.I.E.L.D., or if you prefer to do it, inflict the same pain and punishment that he did to you."

"Are you crazy?" I stood up from my chair. "This is inhumane."

"I'm not going to do it. I won't touch him. As much as I'd like to throw a hammer through his skull or dislocate his knee, I can't, it's not in me to stoop that low." Lark said, looking at everyone. "He's a human like any other, and he'll crawl to whomever he can, sniveling for pity. Let him be tried in court for all I care, I don't want anything to do with that man anymore. You have my answer, please respect it. I'm done with this discussion."

Lark stood and turned on her heel, leaving quickly. I stood there a moment, all eyes fell on me.

"I swear that girl switches emotions and ideas faster than a woman running down a line on Black Friday." Hill said. Natasha grinned and Banner nodded in agreement. Everyone stayed quiet.