REINA PART TWO
“Reina is a cunning woman”,i said. “But if nothing more,her arrogance surpasses her wits”,i nodded at my own words.
I took a sip from my espresso,since it'd already been a while,i had to explain everything to Tony from the beginning after all.
“She's toying with me”,i couldn't take my eyes off Steve.
I felt like I hadn't seen his face in a really long while,and that much was true.
I tried to take it all in at once; the exact color of his eyes,this weird shape of blue mixed up with green. They way he smirks faintly whenever he's lost of words,how he ties his hands together,how his voice is light yet deep at the same time.
I only felt bitterness.
“Reina believes she knows everything. And,mostly..she does”,i admitted. “She probably also knows of this meeting as well”
“What? How? I'm sorry,i just don't get her. She's got brains,yes”,Tony stood up,his cup on one hand while the other was moving along with his words.
“But how is it that a blind woman has so much effect on someone like you kid? Someone who can literally burn her to a crisp within two moves of her hand?”
“It's...ugh..”,i sighed and covered my eyes with a hand. “It's more than just wits Tony. She's more”,i removed my hand and it fell on my thigh.
“Everyone around her..they all act like zombies. It's not just some manipulation technique. She has something,something which does not obey the rules of this planet”
“So,she's magic”,he threw his hand in the air. “Like you and Thor,something like that?”
“Kinda..i mean,she has to”
“Look”,Barton now spoke and we all turned our heads his way. “I saw her getting in that jeep,Persephone”,he said,his words genuine,his exhaustion more visible than ever.
“How could she know i've been tailing her,how could she know she needed to change her route,and when did she get out of the jeep in the first place? I swear...”,he almost groaned, “ My eyes. They are the one thing I trust more than anything in this world. And yet,they betrayed me? How? I know what I saw Pers..”
Then,something clicked in me.
“Wait...”
TWENTY DAYS AGO,ON THE ROOF OF A BUILDING TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE RED HOUSE
“Who is he Barton?”,i asked him through the intercom.
“I don' know Pearse..but their meetings have become more frequent”
This was odd of her.
Barton had basically camped out on that damned roof,for days. As for me,i was constantly on the move. On buses,on strolls,inside taxis.
I had to be on the move,i couldn't stay too close. She knew me.
She probably knew Barton too,but he was good. He knew when to move,and how to remain unspotted.
“Did you take a picture? No way in hell he's just a random guy”
“Yup. Already did fire girl,don't worry” ,he said in a carefree manner and I sighed.
“His name is Angus Ridel”,Fury said,showing us a twofold piece of pictures,reports,all thing related to this man. “Scottish,a man of many,many connections. He's a businessman,known as the Lodger”
My eyes were fixed on those pictures of his. His hair were long,caught in a low ponytail and ginger,mixed with some whites. A big man,around his sixties perhaps. Always wore a black coat,black pants and shirt,even his fucking underwear must have been black.
All except his tie; his tie was always a golden one.
“He owns many properties all around New York and Boston,renting out to most the population. Thus the name Lodger”,Fury explained,his voice loud and clear as always.
“The feds have been on this man's ass for years,yet they never seem to be able to build a case. It's like he always knows when they're coming”
“That must be her,the Sparrow!”,i said,finally feeling some dots connecting.
“Pearse...”,he sighed and then shrugged. “Anyway,point is,we can't touch this man”
“What do you mean?”,my brows were knitted together,feeling the injustice of the situation.
“It means we can't compromise a federal investigation based on your craziness Pearse,that's what it means”
“I am not crazy”,i leaned back,biting the inside of my cheek as I said that.
“Pearse,you've been at this woman's ass for almost a month now. All you got me is a picture of her and the Lodger and mere speculations”
“And the homeless! I have pointed out more than five cases of a homeless person visiting her,all of them strangely disappearing after their fourth visit. All of them,after four times,no exception”,i almost yelled this one out,feeling exhausted,pleading for someone to see her as I did. I was jerking my arms and Fury sighed.
“Pearse,i get it. But I can't build a case like that. I can't justify an arrest based off a few homeless people's disappearance. For all we know they just changed their address”
“But they didn't. Nobody's seen them after their fourth visit Fury,i've checked. You say I should drop it cause they're homeless and nobody gives a shit?”,i could my headache growing stronger along with my voice's volume. “Then who the fuck does SHIELD even protect?”
“I'm sorry Director but you are required. Your meeting is to be started in four minutes” ,a woman came in and Fury turned,nodded and then she left.
“You want to protect people Agent? Then do your job and find something on that woman. My hands are tied here”,he said and then left.
TEN DAYS AGO,INSIDE THE RED HOUSE
“So you've come again,miss Pearse”,her voice was echoing inside my head and I wondered whether or not she was real.
“For the record,i really don't think this is a good idea”,i heard Barton through the intercom and I twitched.
“Oh,is that your friend,the archer? I've seen him many times on that rooftop of his,yet he never says hi”,her expression became somewhat sad,a rather fake one. “Kids these days are rather rude,won't you agree?”
“Enough. I-”
“Have had enough. Right?” ,she tilted her head,her smile now back in place. “That's your cue,right? That's when you begin throwing stuff at people”
“You got that one right”,i said forcing myself to smile.
I tapped down,a big wall emerged and with kick it was thrown her way;
I was quick,i had to be.
With one strong tap the wall was down,as if it never felt; Reina was on the floor,blood coming out from fer mouth as she was gasping for air.
My hand was now covered in fire as I grabbed her by the neck,lifting her up.
“You are-”
“The fuck are you doing Pearse?! Stop!” ,Barton's words snapped me out of it.
“Fuck!”
I...i was down,on the same point as when I entered her room. My hand was filled with flames and..on my neck.
It hurt,my neck hurt and I coughed as I felt that sting,the heat focusing on my neck's skin. There was blood coming out from my mouth for some reason,and my entire torso was aching,as if it was all messed up.
“Honey,i believe this is your cue to go now”,she simply said in an all soft voice as I was coughing out some blood,now on my knees.
“What did you-”
“Now dear. It's getting late”
“R..right”
And so I did.
I didn't speak to Clint,nor anyone else. I simply..went home to sleep.