To Live, Not To Survive

Chase

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N. ROMANOFF-*

 As Night Stalker turned to face him, Steve tensed slightly, ready to attack. Natasha glanced back at the Red Hoodie, who was slowly making her way towards Steve, a stack of books under an arm. Natasha gave Steve a look, and he nodded.

 As soon as Night Stalker reached Steve, he shifted his stance a little and bumped into her on purpose. The girl dropped her books, and they thudded to the ground. A crisp accent could be heard from down the lane.

 "I...I'm so sorry!" Natasha raised an eyebrow at the voice. It seemed young, younger than expected. Natasha had thought it to be about 17 or 18. She had been disgusted by Hydra's actions at using a teen, but no. Hydra had fallen too far How old was she anyway? 16? 15?

 She glanced back again, and frowned, at the look on Steve's face.

 She thought that he would do something. No idea, maybe grab the girl, or anything. But, nothing happened. Only a look of pity and astonishment had taken place of the urgent look on his face, and Natasha realized why when the girl hurriedly turned to face her.

 Natasha understood a little of the girl's choice on clothing. It was an easy color to see, no doubt, but it obscured the face, the figure, and made all the details go into a tangled mess if you didn't look close enough.

 The girl, no older than 13 or 12, had wide silver terrified eyes, and jet black hair spilled out of the hoodie, a few inches down her shoulders. She was nibbling on her lip, and her eyes darted around her, as if to look for an escape route.

 Natasha pushed down her thoughts, and decided to face the immediate matter. Even if she was young, she had killed nearly a hundred people. She wasn't as innocent as she looked. As Natasha began to walk towards the girl, and to Natasha's surprise, Night Stalker did something unexpected.

 She kicked a shelf beside her. The bookshelf crashed into another, then another, forming a long line of fallen furniture. The girl jumped onto a bookshelf, as it continued to slam onto the ground, but something was different.

 As Natasha and Steve began to chase Night Stalker, Natasha realized that the shelves were falling slowly. Too, slowly to be natural.

 She had seen a file about the girl some time ago, and figured out that she was using her levitation powers. But what good would it do to her? The only person who would be safe, or in good hands from her powers was probably going to be..

 Oh.

 The people around them.

 But she killed all those innocents... why did she want to keep these particular citizens safe?

 Pushing her thoughts out of her mind, Natasha stepped over broken wood and open books, running along with Steve towards the dashing girl to a nearby window. Before they could even react, Night Stalker whipped out a hand, and an arm chair beside the window flew into the glass, emitting a loud crash. Slivers of glass began falling onto the ground underneath the building, glinting under the sunlight as it went.

 Then, still running, she jumped.

 Steve and Natasha exchanged a look of slight worry, as they peered over the wreckage of shrapnel. And there, 3 floors down, sprinkled with glass, was Night Stalker, jumping up from a roll, and running down the park. Her hoodie had fallen off to reveal long silky black hair, trailing behind.

 Steve jumped down on the grass, and rolled to a halt as well. Natasha pulled out a hook ended rope that was planted into a gun, and slid down next to him. 

 As they followed the girl, Steve began to speak into his ear piece. 

 "Wanda? You're up. She's running fast, I want you to come intercept her with us. Sam, Buck, stand back."