Ion Heart

Chapter 10: New Jersey

It isn't long after I "wake up" that we arrive at what looks like an old army camp. 

'Enjoy your sleep?' Nat teases. I roll my eyes. If only she knew. 

I thought I would feel weird after the whole projection thing but other than feeling tired, which I already was, nothing is different. Apart from that I just visited Asgard and it was totally amazing. Completely the opposite of the army camp we've just strolled into. Overgrown weeds suffocate the remaining grass. The sky is a dull greyish colour and looks rather ominous. I shiver in the breeze as we approach the twisted iron gate. 

'Is this it?' I ask, rather unimpressed.

Nat scans the area. 'The file came from these coordinates.' 

'So did I.' 

I turn to Steve. No emotion crosses his face. 

'This camp is where I was trained.' He explains, gazing off into the distance. 

'Changed much?' I ask, raising an eyebrow as I admire the empty planes. 

'A little.' His eyes fixate on the deserted field in front of us. I imagine he is staring into the past, remembering a time from long ago. 

'This is a dead end.' Nat shouts having walked off somewhere else. 'Whoever wrote the file must have used to route to throw people off.' She pauses when she sees Steve viewing an abandoned building.

'What is it?' I ask nervously. 

'Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place.' He starts marching towards it. I follow along with Nat, both of us allowing Steve to take charge. 

Steve uses his shield to break the lock. We enter cautiously. A light automatically goes on, clicking down the corridor. It's still eerily dark.   

'This is SHIELD?' Nat questions.

'Or where it started.' Steve replies.

We peer carefully around the different rooms, looking for anything that might tell us more about the file. Three pictures hanging on the wall. They are dusty but I recognise two of the faces. 

'That's my Grandfather.' I point out, admiring how similar he looks to my dad.

'Who's the girl?' Nat asks curiously. I look at Steve. His eyes dart away from the picture and he doesn't answer.  

'That's my Aunt Peggy, we're not really related, Steve knew her.' I whisper.

Nat's eyes dart between Peggy and Steve. He has begun to move an empty shelf away from the wall. 

'If you're already working in a secret office,' Steve grunts, pulling apart two drawers, 'Why do you need to hide the elevator?'

Nat walks over and uses the file to scan the elevator. She then types in a pin and the doors open. I'm not overly thrilled about the concept of entering this ancient contraption but it doesn't seem to bother Nat and Steve so I clamber in after them. I hold my breath as it creaks it's way down to hell. 

When the door opens, it opens to darkness. I hesitantly step out, taking cautious steps down the hall. No lights switch on. It isn't until we reach a very old computer that the lights finally illuminate the room. It's lined with hundreds of old data banks. Technology I have never seen before. 

'This can't be the data point. This technology is ancient.' Nat remarks. 

I scan around and notice a newer piece of technology. The space looks like the right size for the file. 'Try this.' I say to Nat.