dream
She’s beaming; practically shining as bright as an entire galaxy.
She’s fairly certain that there’s actual light radiating off of her as she follows Director Carte- sorry- Peggy, through corridors, into offices, and in and out of elevators around the SHIELD complex. She was trying to keep up as Peggy moved quickly, showing Louise the labs she’d work in, equipment she’d work with, people she’d work with, and god, did her feet hurt. How could Peggy do this in heels all day?
Focus, Lou.
The two round the corner into a training gym, observing agents throwing hits and kicks at punching bags and other humans alike.
“Here at SHIELD, every employee, agent or not, is trained in at least one type of combat as well as shooting basics and knives. Since we deal with both international and domestic threats, our work is often dangerous, and we would like every person here to be able to protect themselves in case of an emergency. You would start with hand-to-hand combat during your first week of training and then move on to weapons around your second month with us, depending on your progress,” Peggy explains.
Louise’s jaw is on the floor for what seems to be the umpteenth time on this tour, and endless thoughts decide to race through her head before she is able to turn to look at Peggy, who has an amused grin plastered across her face.
“Come along dear, I have someone I would like you to meet,” Peggy says while turning on her heel and waltzing back through the hall the pair had just come down.
After gathering herself and having to sprint to catch up after the whole punching, guns, and knives talk, Louise manages to get her breathing back to a normal pace right before turning a corner and almost bumping straight into Peggy. She’d stopped at the first door on the left in the new hall.
Peggy looks at Louise again, smiles, then knocks.
Not even five seconds pass until the door is flying open, a man with a mustache and a messy, untucked shirt smiles at her before reaching into his back pocket and whipping out a small towel. He quickly wipes his oil-covered hands and then outstretches the right one to greet her.
“Howard Stark. Nice to meet you, Louise.”
She doesn’t really process what this man just said to her until after she’s taken his hand and begun shaking it firmly.
“Wait, excuse me?” Louise stutters out as she glances at Peggy.
“Mr. Stark was informed that you were coming for an interview today and told me to block out some time on the tour for you to come and visit him. Although he does not work directly with SHIELD anymore, he still works with us here and there, meaning your team will most likely collaborate with Mr. Stark on his remaining projects for SHIELD. This is the lab he uses here, and since he seems to be so impressed with your work in school, I am positive you will be invited to join him in here on a few occasions as well,” Peggy explains, smiling. It takes Louise a moment to rid her face of her utterly shocked expression, then she’s able to turn her attention to the man in front of her. Very quickly, she notices that she’s been gripping and lightly shaking his hand this whole time, and immediately drops it in hopes of avoiding further embarrassment.
“Well, don’t just stand there, ladies! Come on in!” Stark exclaims. He steps to the side, ushering both women into the expansive lab.
As they wander through the lab, Stark is pointing out some of the top-of-the line and personalized technology, but Louise can’t focus on the words. She’s all too wrapped up in soaking in and basking in the glory that is Stark Tech, and she pinches herself a few times in hopes that she’s not just sleepwalking. But, if she’s being honest with herself, the pinching isn’t working since Stark has moved on to complimenting her Mechanical Engineering papers- namely her thesis about creating robotic works that assist those who have lost limbs and making them affordable and accessible to the general public. She doesn’t know what’s said after Peggy says she’s on board with Stark helping you pursue that goal.
What Louise does know, is that she starts a new job as an engineer at the high-level government agency abbreviated ‘SHIELD’ at 8am. One week from today.
Six months after she is hired on, Louise Anderson is one of the lead engineers at SHIELD.
Louise Anderson has a team of seven brilliant minds that she leads when there are new ideas to explore.
Louise Anderson is training in two types of martial arts, carries a gun on her hip, and four throwing knives on her thigh.
Louise Anderson is SHIELD Director Peggy Carter’s (not to brag, but, in her words ) “right-hand woman.”
Louise Anderson has helped Howard Stark with two major (not to brag, but, top-secret) projects.
Louise Anderson is living her dream.
Two years after being hired, she is the Head Mechanical Engineer at SHIELD.
She has worked with other heads at SHIELD to create world-changing technology, such as improving Stark’s “helicarrier,” now allowing it to be the main source of defense against threats the organization faces. She even has an office on board one of them.
She excels in two types of martial arts, carries a gun on her right hip, a knife on her left, and four throwing knives in a holster on her thigh. She prefers knives.
She is Peggy Carter’s go-to for not only all things related to SHIELD, but personal matters as well.
She shares ideas with Howard Stark almost daily, working alongside him on countless (top-secret) projects in her spare time.
She is living her dream.
Five years after being hired, Peggy Carter brings together the entirety of the organization for a celebration; one honoring the brilliance, dedication, and inspiration that Louise brings to SHIELD.
Louise is the Head Engineer at SHIELD.
She has a wall in her office covered floor-to-ceiling with awards, medals, and photographs. One medal in particular, her and Peggy had each been invited to receive at the White House. There’s a photo next to it of her shaking hands with the President.
Louise still prefers knives.
She is thriving. She is living her dream.
Two weeks after the celebration takes place, however, Louise is leading a presentation to her team regarding the additions to the brand-new fleet of helicarriers when, seemingly out of nowhere, there is an explosion. Everything is black.
When she is abruptly awoken by a harsh smack to her left cheek, she wearily opens her eyes to survey where she is. Along with her entire team, Louise has been handcuffed and lined up against a concrete wall. Basement, maybe? No, it’s too bright. Well, she isn’t quite sure where she is, but she does know that the plastic cuffs are cutting into her wrists and there is blood dripping not only from those wounds, but also what she thinks is her forehead. There is yelling, which is most definitely not helping the throbbing behind her eyes. Russian? It’s not English. Russian, probably. Looking to either side of her, it seems as though most of her team has been woken up. A few are slumped over, pools of blood surrounding their still bodies. Dead. Fuck.
Before Louise can even register the deaths of her teammates, the yelling suddenly becomes louder, and it’s in English now. Russian accent still so heavy that she can barely make out his words.
“LEADER! Who is the leader here!”
Shit. Was that her? She is the Head Engineer, right? This whole room is only fellow engineers. Shit, it’s her.
“WHO IS IT.” The man yells again.
“I am! This is my team; I am the Head Engineer at this organization,” Louise chimes in, voice cracked and hoarse, barely above a whisper. Within seconds, four heavily armed men are standing directly in front of her. They whisper amongst themselves, looking between one another and then looking down to her. A gun is swiftly pressed against her temple.
“SHIELD leader. Where is he?” The tallest of the four steps forward, yelling his clarification, and before Louise could so much as process what he had said, another blow lands against the same cheek that was still stinging from the previous impact.
Wincing in pain, she manages, “I, I- I don’t know?”
Another blow, her right cheek this time.
The coppery taste of blood immediately floods her senses.
“I don’t know, okay? First of all, I couldn’t even help you with a location because I have no idea where the hell you have us held right now. Don’t even know if we are still at the compound. Second, she left five days ago to discuss business dealings at another headquarters. It’s routine for higher-ups not to tell anyone which location they are headed to. Safety protocols.” Louise kept her voice as loud as possible for as long as possible while giving the men the false leads, quickly regretting it when the pounding in her head increases to the point that her vision is nearly entirely white.
The attackers huff, discuss amongst themselves again- the tall one clearly translating what Louise had said. After a few more glances, the one with the gun still firmly pressed to her head removes it, allowing her to let go of a breath she wasn’t consciously holding. He straightens, holsters the gun, then swiftly removes a different one from the opposite hip. It all happens so quickly that Louise doesn’t even have time to panic before a sharp stinging sensation spreads over her neck. A dart, she thinks. Hopes. Sedation, she hopes.
She feels the need to gag on the musty air filling her senses before she even opens her eyes. Groggily, she makes out that she is situated in the middle of a tiny room; a solid metal door directly in front of her. It’s cold, if not freezing. Her body slowly catches up with her nose and her eyes, and the danger she’s in finally sinks in. Instinctively, she reaches for her thigh at the realization.
She’s cuffed, because why wouldn’t she be?
The panic of being completely helpless in a small room in an unknown place doesn’t get the chance to subside before she shoots a quick double take at her thigh.
Her bare thigh.