Falling for the Enemy || Captain America || Book 1

Chapter 25: Nightingale

3rd person's POV

5 months later

I can't sleep tonight
Wide awake and so confused
Everything's in line
But I am bruised

"Nightingale has striked again, this time in Budapest, Hungary. She has taken out at least an entire squad of America's finest soldiers and evaded the Avengers once again....."

I need a voice to echo
I need a light to take me home
I kinda need a hero
Is it you?

"So Captain America, how are the Avengers dealing with the Nightingale problem?" The reporter presses Steven Rogers. Steve sighs exasperatedly, replying with as much confidence as he can muster "As of now, Lillian Nightshade aka Nightingale is SHIELD's, the Avenger's and the Fantastic Four's number one priority. She is not to be underestimated, and is very good at what she does. Any recorded or witnessed sightings are to be immediately reported to the nearest police station and action will take course from there. Thank you."

I never see the forest for the trees
I could really use your melody
Baby I'm a little blind
I think it's time for you to find me

"We need to find her," Director Fury's pleading tone echoes around the hellicarrier room, his fist aggressively slamming onto the desk causing everybody within a twenty meter perimeter to flinch. "And we will sir, we have before—" Natasha starts, yet the good Director intervenes her with a desperate voice "Before she let us find her, because we discussed it. We won't be able to find her at the rate we're going; she's always five steps ahead. She's spiraling out of control and this time I'm not there to help her." His voice lowers to a hushed whisper towards the end, his eyes drooping down in a sorrow no one has ever witnessed from the usually stoic Director.

"Sir, we realize she's like a daughter to you, and we will everything we can to find her, we promise," Reed reassures, placing a soft hand on Fury's shoulder. Fury, finding this an alien action towards him at first tenses, then, after a few moments relaxes and mutters a quiet "Thank you."

Can you be my nightingale?
Sing to me
I know you're there
You could be my sanity

"Why Nightingale?" Tony inquires, downing yet another shot of scotch. He's taking Lillian's disappearance almost as bad as Fury. Almost. "It's her old alias, her old stage name before we discovered her real name and just started calling her Nightshade," Natasha's soft yet emotionless voice answers, she herself finishing her glass of vodka. "What's with her and the word night? Like seriously, why not Dayshade or Dayin...gale...." Clint trails off, at first trying to lighten the mood yet noticing that his futile attempts are getting him nowhere.

Yet, even though Clint's question was rhetorical, Fury announces his entry into the room by giving a dark answer "Because she can extract the word night from her last name which was her mother's maiden name. Although, I more so think she chooses night over day because she believes that her soul cannot contain light, but only dark."

Bring me peace
Sing me to sleep
Say you'll be my nightingale

"Has anybody seen Spangles for the past three weeks?" Tony pipes up from behind an Iron man suit, turning off his blow torch so he can hear the answer more clearly. "He's completely off radar. No public sightings, no security footage from any building that can afford a security camera, no messages or note left behind, not a single speck of dust left in his wake," Reed glumly answers, placing down his safety goggles and panging at the thought of missing his new friend. "We'll find him, and her," Ben tries to cheer up the mood, yet after almost six months, hope is beginning to fade.

Somebody speak to me
Cause I'm feeling like hell
Need you to answer me
I'm overwhelmed

"Nightingale has struck again although this time with results that aids the public. She has blown up an entire building that was later found out to be the Australian headquarters for HYDRA. Her whereabouts are still unknown but be sure, Nine news will be the first news station to hear about any information on her so stay tuned."