Everly || Steve Rogers

43. Amidst the Rubble

Everly's eyes fluttered open just as the truck slowed to a stop. She sat up straight and yawned as she rubbed her tired eyes with the heel of her palm. They had stopped just before a tall, chain-linked fence. Natasha hopped out of the passenger side as Steve twisted around to reach for his shield in the back. His eyes met Everly's and he sent her the smallest of smiles before he too slipped out of the truck. She slowly followed suit, cringing when she accidentally slammed the door.

"This is it." Steve peered over at Natasha who shoved a small device into her back pocket.

"The file came from these coordinates." She responded, looking the gate up and down. Everly walked up behind them and shook out her arm which was taking a bit longer to wake up. Her eyes explored the area, which was basically a little parking lot in the middle of the woods. Finally, her gaze landed on the sign beside the gate reading 'Camp Lehigh.' She cocked her head to the side questioningly, the name sounding familiar somehow.

"So did I." Steve added. Everly's eyes widened as she looked to her friend, whose grip tightened on his shield.

The trio cautiously made their way through the camp as the sky faded into darkness. The sound of chirping bugs filled the cool night air as a breeze tickled Everly's neck. Her curious eyes flickered from building to building, trying to match them to the image buried somewhere in her mind. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair.

"Where are we exactly?" She huffed. Steve's eyes met hers before flicking back to the cracked pavement beneath their feet.

"This camp is where I was trained."

"Change much?" Nat questioned, the device in her hand beeping as she continued walking. Steve sighed, his feet freezing in place.

"A little." He hummed, eyes following something that couldn't be seen. Everly furrowed her eyebrows and walked up beside him, nudging him lightly with her shoulder.

"You okay?" His attention snapped back to her as if he had been broken from a trance.

"Yeah." He nodded, offering a reassuring smile.

"This is a dead end." Nat was a bit farther ahead than them and she dropped her arm back at her side. "Zero heat signatures, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off." Everly let out a puff of air from her cheeks and perched her hands on her hips. She frowned, one building in particular catching her eye. She remembered flashes of the camp, but none of them included that bunker. Perhaps her fragmented memories were beginning to mold together into one unrecognizable mess. Steve's face grew serious as he suddenly started for the building.

"What is it?" Nat asked, hurrying after him.

"Army regulations forbid storing munitions within 500 yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place." He finished, stopping at the door. With only a second of hesitation, he smashed the lock with the edge of his shield and it fell to the ground with a clang. He pressed his hand against the heavy door, slowly pushing it open and making his way down the steps. Everly followed, trailing her fingers through the dust that coated the railing. Natasha flipped a switched and each of the overhead lights flicked on, a quiet hum filling the room. A large S.H.I.E.L.D. symbol was printed on the far wall, and rows of desks sprawled across the floor. Everly wrapped herself in a hug, the freezing air sending a chill up her spine.

"This is S.H.I.E.L.D." Nat concluded, stepping further into the room. 

"Maybe where it started." Steve added, following after her. The three sauntered by the rows of desks and swivel chairs, letting their eyes wander the abandoned bunker. Everly parted from them, curiosity overcoming her as she gently pushed open a door that led into a room lined with empty shelves. Her heart skipped a beat at the row of black and white pictures that adorned the wall before her. Howard Stark and Peggy Carter stared back at her and a faint smile lit up her face. She flinched as Natasha appeared beside her.