fix you

chapter eight

Shoes would have been helpful.

Charging out barefoot after Steve, she vaguely lamented the lack of time to get proper footwear. The first kick she sent into a man's chest had his vest cutting into her heel, and it was likely just going to get worse from there. Why was she always getting into situations when she didn't have her shoes on?

Oh, well. At least there wasn't glass this time.

Steve barreled into the first group like the bad ass that he was, barely breaking a sweat. A little zing went through her when he paused, locking eyes with her after taking the group down.

Then a new wave surrounded him and she lost track of him in the fists and flying Hydra agents.

A SWAT looking van barreled down the lane. Maria aimed for the tires, successfully hitting one. The van screeched to the left, and she took off, tumbling into the first person storming out of it.

Her palm went up and smashed into the person's nose. Should have worn a helmet. When he went down, she threw him into the person trying to leap out of the van behind him, then ducked out of the way when a third person fired at her.

She avoided it, but barely. It wasn't a bullet that she dodged, but some kind of tranquilizer dart. Right. They wanted Steve alive.

That wasn't about to happen. Feeling no remorse, Maria yanked a grenade off the third guy's vest and threw it into the van. Scrambling the hell away, she ducked behind another vehicle while the grenade went off.

Three Hydra agents surrounded her, one grabbing her arm and yanking her back. Maria went with it, then twisted and slammed her elbow into his face. Stealing his gun, she quickly shot at the second guy, who went down with a yelp.

Maria yanked the gun around to the third agent.

A woman with fire red hair smirked at her. "Hello, Agent Hill. Having a nice morning?" she asked sweetly.

Maria had no inclination to make small talk. She fired at the woman, striking her in the chest.

The woman didn't even flinch.

Oh, hell. That couldn't be good.

Maria emptied her clip into the woman, shooting for her chest multiple times, going for the head others. She dodged all the shots Maria fired.

Shit.

When Maria's gun emptied she threw it to the side, and just stared at the woman.

"Serum? Goddess? Inhuman?" She asked, hoping the woman would play along and give Maria a clue as to what she was dealing with.

God, her life had become so strange.

The woman just grinned, and it sent chills down Maria's back. Whatever the woman was, as a mere regular human, Maria was screwed.

That wouldn't keep her from trying.

Maria struck out first, trying to get the upper hand. The woman easily ducked her swing, stepping to the side. Her hand lashed out, revealing a dagger.

Maria stepped back. Okay, maybe she didn't need the upper hand, maybe she just needed to live.

The woman flew at her, and Maria used every trick she'd ever leaned to keep that knife from sinking into her. Whatever the woman was, she was definitely enhanced in some way, though not as fast as Thor or Steve.