The Silent Canary

Chapter 1: Meet the Rushman's

"I thought I made it abundantly clear we have a 'no abduction' policy, son."
"She wasn't cooperating, sir. What did you expect me to do?"
The redhead smirked at the quarreling duo. She tapped her heels against the cement floor and trained her eyes on the door behind the men.

Any minute now, she thought.

"You know Big Joe is gonna kill us for this."
The younger man grimaced, folding his arms across his chest as if hugging himself.
"Maybe if we let her go, he'll forget it happened."
The redhead strained against the rope that tied her hands to the chair. The two men barely paid her any attention. She cleared her throat, and their heads snapped in her direction.
"Could I get a drink? I'm absolutely parched."
The younger man looked to his boss. The older man nodded, and the other scrambled for some water. He returned quickly with a glass of water for the woman.
"Here ya go, doll."
She took a sip as the man tilted the glass up for her. When he pulled it away from her lips, she smirked.
"You must be new."
The man's bewildered expression made her chuckle. She slipped one wrist free from the ropes and pummeled the younger man. She freed her other hand and used the younger man as a shield from the other's bullet. She slipped a gun off the younger's body and fired one shot at the older man's kneecaps. He collapsed, screaming and writhing. She dropped the man she held and the gun in her hand. The warehouse door swung open with a crash.
"You're late, Pa."
"You had all the fun without me, Natasha."
Natasha rolled her eyes and sauntered toward her father and his goons.
"Someone had to save me." She said as she poked him in the chest.

A young man waited by the cars, his eyes trained on the ground. Natasha stopped short of her car and cleared her throat. The man straightened up. His eyes trailed their way up her body. When his eyes met her face, he blushed as she had her lips pursed and one perfectly groomed eyebrow quirked up at him.
"Are you going to drive me home or what?"
The man scrambled to open her door for her. Natasha slid in and let out a sigh. A gunshot echoed through the warehouse district. Natasha flinched and then winced. Her eyes lifted to the man as he closed her door
"My apologies, Ms. Rushman." He mumbled as he slid into the car. His eyes met hers in the rearview mirror. His blue eyes captured her for a moment. By the look he gave her, she knew he was apologizing for more than just being slow. He turned the key in the ignition. The car jumped to life. The car slinked out of the warehouse district into the bustling city. Natasha watched as the building flashed passed her eyes as nothing more than a blur. She could feel her chauffeur's eyes on her.
"You're new. What's your name?"
"Everyone calls me 'Rogers'."
Natasha nodded. "What is your real name though? I like to know people's real names."
They both knew what she insinuated. Sometimes you need to know real names to contact next of kin. This was a dangerous business after all.
"Steve Rogers."
Natasha smiled at him in the rearview.
"Any family, Steve?"
Steve's smile faded. He shook his head.
"No one?" Natasha asked with a frown.
Steve shrugged. "I have a friend. His family took me in, but I don't wanna get them involved with any of this."

Natasha nodded. Smart man. I wouldn't tell a mobster's daughter either. Never know when they'll use your family against you.

After that the conversation dwindled away, the rest of the ride was silent. She kept stealing glances at her chauffeur. When he pulled up in front of her townhouse, Natasha slipped out her door before Steve could get around to open it for her. Steve stood awkwardly in front of her. She smiled at him and extended her hand.
"Pleasure meeting you, Steve."
Steve nodded and lifted her hand to his lips.
"The pleasure was mine, Ms. Rushman."
Natasha nearly rolled her eyes at his flirting. She snatched hand away from him with a smirk.
"It's Natasha."
She turned away from him as he chuckled. After climbing a few steps, she looked back at Steve. He still stood there watching her.
"Maybe I'll see you around?"
Steve shrugged as his smile grew wider. "Farewell, Ms. Rushman."
Natasha narrowed her eyes at him. She turned away from him with a swish of her dress and climbed the rest of the steps. She paused at the top and watched as Steve strolled down the street away from her. A smile spread across her face.

I could get used to him, she mused quietly.

Her home laid silent. The elegant foyer and grand staircase stood tall and proud in front of her. She had the place to herself. No mobster decorum to deal with. She could do whatever she wanted. After quickly glancing around the house making sure she was truly alone, she bounded up the stairs taking two steps at a time as her hand gripped the mahogany banister to give her leverage.

The front door squeaked open, and Natasha stopped dead in her tracks with one leg stretched out two steps up. Her father shook his head and stepped aside as men from their organization filed in. She pulled her leg down and stood straight with her arms clasped behind her back, nodding and slightly bowing her head to the men as they each gave her a smile and a nod.
"Have a good meeting, Pa."
Her father, Joe, smiled. Before he closed the parlor door behind himself, he called Natasha to the him. "The Rogers boy will be chauffeuring you for the foreseeable future. I haven't found a new driver yet, and Rogers asked for a job to help support his family."
Natasha nodded and slowly ascended the stairs her fingers grazing the banister. Once out of her father's sight, she sprinted into her room and leapt on to her bed. She rolled on to her back and let out a heavy sigh.

Rival mob activities had peaked in the last few weeks, and she had taken the brunt of the attacks. The war between her father and another boss, Richie had escalated, and her abduction was a testament to that. While Richie's boys didn't usually abduct anyone especially not a rival mob boss's daughter, tensions were growing, and no one more than Natasha knew that.
The cream-colored ceiling of her room seemed a dingy white as she stared blankly at them. The ceiling felt closer than ever. A wave of heat washed over her body, and she broke out in a sweat. She rolled on to her side, and her walls seemed so close she could touch them. She reached out but met only open air. She stretched her limps, but that didn't relieve the tension she felt. She pushed herself off the bed and walked over to her window. She flung the window open and stuck her head out. A breeze blew her hair in front of her eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief. The house felt like a prison to her when her father's men were here. She had a certain image to uphold as the boss's daughter. Her only escape from that life was when she was alone but being alone was no vacation either.

Natasha walked over to her phone. A scribbled note in her father's handwriting laid on her desk.
Steve Rogers, it said, Your Chauffeur.
She picked up the phone and waited until she was patched through to Steve. A woman's voice echoed through the phone. Natasha politely asked for Steve. She waited patiently lightly tapping her foot against the hardwood floor. A familiar voice came over the phone.
"Hello, Ms. Rushman. How can I be of service?"
"Hi, Steve. If you're not busy, I'd like to go down to the water."
"Certainly, be there in a jiffy."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure, Ms. Rushman."

Natasha rolled her eyes at her name. She hated being called Ms. Rushman. She quickly changed her clothes into something more comfortable and then quietly ran down the stairs. She snatched up her purse and a hat and slipped out the front door without making a noise. She plopped down on the steps and waited for Steve to arrive. He strolled down the sidewalk; his mind seemingly somewhere else. He stopped just short of her house and straightened up his clothes. Natasha popped up with a smirk on her lips.
"Hello, Rogers."
Steve bowed his head slightly. "Greetings, Ms. Rushman." A small smirk played over his lips.
"I'll have you fired if you call me Ms. Rushman one more time." Natasha said with a playful smile as Steve opened her car door for her.
"Where to, Ms- Natasha?"
Natasha nodded graciously.
"I don't know. Surprise me. I just want to stare out at the water."
Steve pulled out into the street. "I know just the place."

Steve weaved through back streets toward his destination. Natasha watched as they meandered through the city. She had lost track of where they were a few turns back after retreating into her thoughts. Steve pulled up to a small park under the Brooklyn Bridge. She let herself out of the car before Steve could get around to her. She smiled as the summer breeze blew from the water into her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The open air made her worries disappear for a moment. Steve stood beside her as she took in the site.
"I can stay with the car while you explore."
Natasha shook her head. "I don't want to be alone."