Everly || Steve Rogers

56. Blood Spilled

Everly kept her hands tucked away in the pockets of her jacket as she strolled the streets of Lagos. The indistinct chatter of the bustling city flowed in one ear and out the other. She glanced over at the diner where both Natasha and Wanda were sitting outside, but at separate tables.

"All right, what do you see?" Steve asked through her earpiece. Wanda took a sip from her tea, as her eyes scanned the surrounding area.

"Standard beat cops. Small station. Quiet street. It's a good target." Everly said quietly, making sure to keep her face tilted slightly toward the ground.

"There's an ATM on the south corner, which means?"

"Cameras." Wanda answered.

"Both cross streets are one-way."

"So, compromised escape routes." She sighed, settling further into her chair.

"Means our guy doesn't care about being seen. He isn't afraid to make a mess on the way out." Everly felt a bit of rage bubble up inside of her. The thought of even seeing Brock Rumlow again made her feel sick to her stomach. "You see that Range Rover halfway up the block?"

"Yeah, the red one?" Wanda asked as she stirred her tea a bit more. "It's cute."

"It's also bulletproof," Natasha added. "which means private security... which means more guns... which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us." Everly groaned and kicked a pebble at her feet.

"You guys know I can move things with my mind, right?" Wanda again brought the mug to her lips.

"Looking over your shoulder needs to become second nature." Nat returned. 

"Anybody ever tell you you're a little paranoid?" Sam asked. A woman stared oddly as she passed, and Everly sent her a small smile.

"Not to my face. Why? Did you hear something?" Natasha responded.

"Eyes on target, folks." Steve interrupted. "This is the best lead we've had on Rumlow in six months. I don't want to lose him." He originally hated the idea of Everly coming along, for obvious reasons. However, she insisted that she would be fine.

Sam scoffed. "If he sees us coming, that won't be a problem. He kind of hates us."

"The feeling is mutual." Everly mumbled, stepping over a crack in the sidewalk as cars driving by honked at one another.

"Sam..." Steve's voice filled her ears once again. "See that garbage truck? Tag it." Everly watched the truck drive by in the intersection and she turned to follow it. A few seconds of silence went by before Sam spoke once again.

"That truck's loaded for max weight." He confirmed. "And the driver's armed."

"It's a battering ram." Nat said in realization. Everly couldn't help herself as her feet picked up a bit of speed.

"Go now." Steve ordered.

"What?" Wanda asked worriedly. Everly's pace quickened to a run as she hurried after the garbage truck.

"He's not hitting the police."

The truck's driver bailed just before it rammed into the blockade in front of the building whose sign read 'Institute for Infectious Diseases.' She skidded to a stop when the orange truck flipped back end over front, crashing through the archway in the entrance. Two large yellow trucks flew in after the other, their tires screeching around the corner. Her eyes grew wide when the back doors slid open and armed men spilled out, immediately firing their weapons into the air.

"I'm going in." She hurried.

"Eve, wait for me." Steve protested as she rolled behind cover. The men collectively came to a stop, each of them firing small gas canisters through the windows. Some of them rushed inside while others stood guard. A few screams erupted from the building, pushing her into action. She threw her foot into a rusty old truck which slammed into the guard standing beside it. Steve dropped to the ground just in front of her and chucked his shield at another of the armed men. He rushed forward, sending both feet barreling into the chest of one more. The man flew backward until he smacked against the side of the towering building. "Body armor, AR-15s." He breathed. Everly moved to stand beside him. "I make seven hostiles."