Arrival
It was early in the morning when Steve woke completely startled. He had had a nightmare, or rather a memory, of the day he had gone in the ice. He could still hear his sister's voice ringing in his mind, calling herself a lousy sister.
He took a few deep breaths, staring at the ceiling of his room while still under the comfort of his sheets. He thought he may have attempted to go back to sleep, but the memory of their last days together pricked at him just as it often did.
He wondered if she had hated him when she went missing. She would have had to. How could she not have? Hadn't he abandoned her when he took the plane down? The guilt seemed to wash over him, warming him in an uncomfortable manner.
How could he have left her? What happened to her? How could no one have found her or at least discovered what happened to her? How did she just vanish? How long had she continued to live? Had she died? Was she alone?
And his thoughts of her being in the past, frozen as the image of a young widow were painful. She had to navigate that pain without him when he had gone in the ice.
When he had first come out of the ice, he had had a difficult time adjusting to being in the twenty-first century. He felt completely displaced. How was he supposed to feel comfortable when no one around him was able to understand where he had come from? How was he supposed to move on completely alone?
He was grateful that he had built relationships over time. That was something that he was never going to say didn't help to ease some of that pain. The files he owned and the day he learned that Bucky was alive had been deep cuts to him.
He made the attempt to go back to sleep, but after tossing and turning a bit only to notice the time it was, he instead stood and readied himself for the day. He would just go for his run earlier than he normally did.
Life wasn't bustling and awake as he made his way outside. He wasn't even entirely certain how long he had been out on the track or how many laps he had run. Instead, he focused on trying to clear his head.
It didn't work that well as he went back inside and had his breakfast, joining Sam in the gym for a training session later in the morning. Thoughts of his bad dream continued to sit in the back of his mind, weighing on his shoulders into the early afternoon.
He had chosen to sit in the lounge to look through a few different leads that had been brought to the Avengers attention. They weren't all about the same threats. He made notes on each of the files, adding to the long list of possibilities and observations Natasha had written as well.
"Captain Rogers?" Vision had walked into the lounge, looking to him as he glanced up from his work. "You have visitors in the conference room."
Steve's expression became riddled with confusion. Who would be at the Compound for him? And of all places, why were they waiting in the conference room. A sense of dread washed over him as he thanked Vision and made his way down to see what was going on.
He could hear familiar voices chatting with each other in the conference room, and as he walked through the door, his eyes fell on none other than Tony Stark. Confused by Tony's presence, he stopped just in front of him.
"Tony?" Steve glanced at him, his brow risen slightly.
"Yeah, it's not just me," Tony's voice had dropped, his eyes glancing back behind himself.
Looking behind Stark, Steve could see a gentleman in a suit. He didn't look very happy. Beside the man was Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross. Mentally, Steve cursed.
"Cap, you know Secretary Ross," Tony acknowledged. "He's invited a friend from Homeland Security to talk to us."
The four men greeted one another, shaking hands and settling into chairs around the table. Thinking for a moment, Steve watched as the eyes of Ross and the other gentleman were strictly on him.
"I'm sure you've been keeping up-to-date about odd occurrences that have been happening abroad," Secretary Ross began. "Fires have been occurring a bit too often for people's comfort."
"I have," Steve nodded, his head tilted just a touch as he studied him. "I agree, they've been happening more frequently in the last few days."
"That's where we're reaching an issue. The frequency isn't the only thing that's increased. The fatality has increased as well," the agent from Homeland Security said.
"Fatality?" Steve's brow rose.
"There were bodies found," Tony looked at Steve. "This isn't just a pyromaniac or typical kids."
"Typical kids?" Steve's face scrunched in confusion. Almost as if he was confused at what Tony thought a typical kid was.
"Yeah, turns out it isn't just the burned sights. There's been deaths," Tony sighed in frustration. "It's turned from a bit of danger to being lethal."
"That's why we're coming to you," Secretary Ross continued. "This issue needs to be extinguished before it travels across the Atlantic. Homeland Security has been talking about what measures need to be taken, but I believe it should be over before it begins."
"And am I expected to eliminate the issue?" Steve questioned.
"You're expected to confine the issue," Ross continued. "We have plenty of cells at the Raft. We'll keep them there after you bring them to us."
Steve thought for a moment. He had heard of the Raft, understanding the kinds of individuals that were held there. If it meant that there would be no further destruction or deaths, he could agree to help.
"They'll be found," Steve stood from his chair at the same time as the Secretary of State.
"I expect this will be taken care of before it becomes a problem for the United States," Secretary Ross shook Steve's hand and left with the agent from Homeland Security.
"Alright," Steve said, a small exhale of breath coming from his lips. His eyes were still glued to the images in front of him and he could feel the intensity of Tony's stare to his side. "We find them, detain them, and bring them back here to question them. It's as simple as that."
"Right, simple," Tony scoffed and stood straight. "Who are you going to take with you?"
Steve thought for a moment. Who would he take? They had a collection of new recruits that he could call upon, and there was always Natasha. Thinking through each person's unique abilities and resources, he settled on two in particular he believed to be capable of handling a bit of heat.
"I'll take Wanda and Sam," Steve swallowed and nodded as if he approved of his own choice. "They're my best two options with something like this."
"And you're sure they're ready for something like this? You don't want to take Romanoff?" Tony's arms were still crossed against his chest, his jaw set as he thought through the situation.
"I could, but I trust we wouldn't need the entire roster to follow this lead," Steve explained. "This isn't exactly a repeat of Sokovia."
"How are you so sure about that?" Tony countered.
"I've seen plenty of large level attacks. This is small," Steve handed the screen back to Tony. "We'll take a Quinjet tomorrow out to Europe and get to the bottom of it."
Tony only nodded, taking in a breath and walking from the room. Steve watched him leave, taking in a deep breath of his own and thinking. How many more enhanced people were out there?
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A pounding on the door woke Steve with a start. Confusion washed over him as he glanced at his alarm clock. There were still a few hours before he was to take Wanda and Sam on a Quinjet and set off for Europe. With another round of pounding on his door, he cast his sheets aside, hopping up from the mattress and walking briskly to open it.
Natasha stood there, a frown on her lips and her arms folding against her chest. Lights were flicking on down the hall, the sounds of footsteps thudding against the ground as doors opened and faces appeared from other doorways.
"What is it?" Steve looked at her in bewilderment.
"Your mission started a little early," she sighed. "Come look at this."
He followed her down the halls and to the open windows in their lounge. Outside, there were flames in the distance. Just as quickly as they grew, they disappeared. Puzzled, he looked at her.
"How long has this been going on?" his brows furrowed, and his lips settled into a firm line.
"I'm not sure. A guard called for me a bit ago and it's been a repeated pattern," Natasha sighed. "Someone's out there, and they're wanting us."
"Then that's what they'll get," Steve let a breath out through his nose.
Turning around he walked back to the hall everyone's bedrooms sat in. Wanda was standing at her doorway with Vision, both talking in whispers as they noticed Steve.
"Captain Rogers, what does it appear to be?" Vision asked as they turned to face him.
"Wanda, get suited up," Steve instructed. "We won't be needing to go to Europe after all."
Wanda nodded her head, slipping back into her room and closing the door. Steve walked a few more doors down, knocking once he reached Sam's room. Sam appeared after a moment, frowning as he saw Steve's expression. Without a word, he nodded his head and went back inside to change.
Steve himself went back to his own bedroom to change. For a moment, he thought of asking Natasha to come with them to find whoever was causing the flames. He decided against it, waiting for the original two recruits he had decided on.
In their uniforms, Steve made his way onto the grounds with Sam to his left and Wanda to his right. The three remained silent as they listened for any noise. Sam dismissed himself, flying into the sky and surveying the scene from above.
"I can see one person," the concentration could be heard in Sam's voice. "I can't tell much more than that."
"At least they're alone," Steve sighed and glanced to his side. "Wanda and I will survey the area."
Wanda nodded as Steve pointed behind her. He left, his eyes determined and watchful as he walked. She swallowed harshly, her hands raised and ready to defend herself if needed. She wasn't certain how long she had walked, the Compound was still within her sight, but trees were coming closer and closer to her field of vision.
Her eyes scanned the forest, watching as branches in the trees seemed to sway a bit more than the wind pushed them. A shadow could be made out. Someone was watching her.
Slowly, a figure pushed past low hanging branches and stepped into the clearing. It was a woman, young and blonde. The light from the moon and stars began to shine against her face and caused Wanda to take pause.
Wanda looked at the woman, realizing that she looked familiar. She wasn't quite sure how she knew her face, but she knew she wasn't going to have any time that evening to try.
Noticing the distracted woman in front of her, the blonde didn't hesitate to whip her hand up. Wanda only had a moment to blink before she was pushed backwards by a bolt of ice. Falling onto the ground and propping herself up, she looked at the woman.
Her breathing quickened in its pace, her hands beginning to glow red as she realized that whoever she was intended to fight if it was needed.
"Where is he?" the woman asked quickly.
"Who?" Wanda looked at her puzzled.
"Steve Rogers," the woman explained. "I know he's here."
Wanda instead stood up, holding her hands to her sides. From across the way, the woman watched her, letting flames play at the tips of her fingers as she seemed to size Wanda up.
"This doesn't have to be a fight," she called out. "I just want to see Steve. That's all."
"And yet you attacked me first," Wanda called back with a scoff.
"What's going on?" Steve was quick to ask over comms.
"I've got her," Wanda told them, tilting her head to the side a touch and staring at the woman with narrowed eyes.
The woman watched Wanda carefully. She pursed her lips and glanced at the light coming from Wanda's palms. Taking a breath, she looked back to Wanda's face.
"We don't have to fight," the woman repeated. Watching as Wanda refused to lower her hands, the light growing and flickering at her palms, the woman sighed and shimmied a bag from her shoulders. Tossing it aside, she held her own hands up, sparks of flames coming from the tips of her fingers.
"Wanda, you had better watch out," Sam warned.
Overhead, Redwing, Sam's drone, flew above the woman. She felt the rush of wind from it flying by, looking up briefly to see what was there before she was hit by Wanda. Grunting, her attention whipped back to Wanda as she fell and jumped back to her feet at once.
On the ground, clashes of flames and ice against red sparks illuminated the grass and the women. Wanda did her best to anticipate what the woman would do with each move, and yet the woman was able to surprise her each and every time.
Curses could be heard in harsh whispers under the woman's breath. Flames and fractals of ice shot past Wanda. Walls of thick ice rose and acted as shields the woman could hide behind. Wanda's eyes narrowed as she noticed that the ice never melted, even with how close the flames from her hands were.
Watching as Wanda contorted her body to avoid being hit by a sharp dagger of ice, Steve took a breath as he finally reached the fight. He knew that he couldn't be seen by whoever their attacker was, but he didn't much care. He was quick to reach for his shield, wind his arm back, and throw it directly at the woman. In the blink of an eye, she had caught it.
Steve paused as he watched the woman catch his shield. She seemed to pause, looking down at it as if she was studying it. Her lips were parted, and she took a deep breath. She looked up and around, unsure of where it had come from. Her eyes settled on Wanda. Taking a breath, she threw the shield back in the direction it came from, snapping her wrist and allowing a snake of flames to reach the ground.
His shield landing in front of him as he stood behind a tree, he looked around in time to see the flames burning the grass. It was slow and steady, but the flames grew and began to circle around Wanda.
"Damn it," he muttered. Scooping his shield up and putting it back in its place on his back, he ran to join her.
"Wait, don't!" Wanda warned, but it was too late.
Steve paused with parted lips, watching as they were surrounded by a ring of fire. The flames grew higher as they trapped himself and Wanda. Steve stood still as Wanda came closer and closer to him. She watched the path, her eyes widening as she realized that the ring was shrinking.
"Steve," Wanda warned as she stepped further into the circle. He followed her gaze and took a step further with her.
Both of their heads turned at the sound of crunching grass as the woman walked into the ring of fire. Flames continued to dance at the tips of her fingers, and her face was full of anger. For a moment, the smoke from the fire made it burn too badly for him to focus on the woman's face.
His gaze dropped down to the shining reflection of a necklace she wore. It was a locket he was all too familiar with. His eyes quickly settling back on her face, she realized who he was looking at. But that was impossible. She had gone missing, hadn't she? He lowered his guard, dropping his arms to his sides.
"Allie?" Steve paused across the ring of flames. His eyes were narrowed in puzzlement as he stared at her.
How could she be there? Her eyes flew to him, and recognition flooded her face. Her hands lowered to be by her side. Steve noticed the details on the locket around her neck that reflected the firelight once more. On her hand, he noticed her ring at once. Her jewelry acted as his confirmation. He looked back to her.
"Steve?" her body paused completely, the flames flickering for just a moment from her fingertips before disappearing completely. Quickly sweeping her hand around her, the ring of fire disappeared. A smile began to tug at her lips, and she went to take a step forward.
It was at that precise moment that Sam had flown from the darkness, kicking Allie and knocking her unconscious.