WHEN IN ROME
“So,how's Rome?”
I leaned back on the chair,taking one sip of black espresso,trying hard to avoid the sunny rays as I adjusted the phone on my ear.
“Oh,well,you know”,i chuckled, “As Rome should; beautiful”
I lit up a cigarette,this awful yet amazingly pleasant habit being an unavoidable everyday custom now, and took a puff. The cafe was small yet crowded,as the streets were filled with flowing tourists,families and couples; taking pictures,laughing,eating gelato.
“Someone would say you are actually enjoying yourself there”,Natasha's words came out with a muffled,trying hard to stay hidden chuckle,and I snorted.
“C'me on,give me a break Tashaa”,i huffed, “I'm done”,i smiled,a genuine smile if nothing else. I felt truly...some hints of happiness,if I dare say.
“I heard one got away”,she noted and I bit my lip.
“He wasn't anyone important; Fury already got eyes on him,he's being monitored. But me?”,i clicked my tongue, “I'm free”
“Yeah,until your next assignment”,he joked and I rolled my eyes.
“You're such a buzzkill you know”,i huffed,trying to fake some offended tone in my voice,though it was totally unsuccessful.
“Now”,i said then, “How's my boy doing?”
“Oh,well..you know; too righteous,too suspicious...too much of pain sometimes”,she laughed out and I followed along.
I took a folded piece from the inside pocked of my jacket,carefully unfolding it; it was the picture Tony took of us on that dinner he held for our return,all those months ago. He made sure to send one print to me,one to Steve,and keep one framed for him. Though,as I am told,it's not that big of a frame- as if that makes it any less embarrassing.
It had become somehow wrinkly,the edges of the paper fading from the long time it has spent on me.
It was a nice picture; nostalgic,if nothing else.
“Ah,just like I left him”,i joked.
“Haven't talked to him?”,she then asked and my smile faded slowly.
“Well I...you know,of course I have. It's just..it's been a while. He's never picking it up when I call,and I never pick it up when he does. We just...always miss each other”,i tried to let out a small chuckle,though it was bitter and awfully short.
“When does your plane leave?”,she asked and I scratched the back of my head
“Ah...in three hours..three and a half? Something like that”,i mumbled and she laughed.
“Yes,you're right”,she said and I pursed my lips in confusion. “Some things never change”
I had some time to think,for as long I was at the plane; the taxi drive was long enough as well,considering just how awful traffic was.
It was getting late,the sun already down at this point. Maybe it was Tasha's words,maybe I was suddenly getting too emotional- but I decided to pay Steve a visit.
I hadn't called,and I didn't think I should. We were never good at this kind of thing. I knew where he lived,i knew he kept a spare key under the mat – although I told him many,many times that he shouldn't,but now it was a convenient habit,given how he must probably not be home yet. Tasha had mentioned he's rather busy these days.
I only had one suitcase with me,and so it wasn't too tiring of a journey. Although i'd really much enjoy a drink and perhaps,something to eat. A good night's sleep would be nice too. But first,i had to see my friend.
I'd been speaking with Tony,rarely though,given just how busy of a man he is. I would pass along a hello to Pepper and the doctor,and our convos were restrained to just that. Through Tony.
Barton had disappeared really,but I knew he was alright,as I would hear so by Tasha; but,honestly,Tasha was the only one i'd speak with more frequently.
“Um,sorry- are you looking for someone?”,i heard a feminine voice coming from behind as I was pacing up and down the hall,and I turned around to see a young blonde woman in scrubs.
“Ah,not really. I'm here to see Steve”,i said awkwardly,trying to explain myself. “Is he..?”
“Oh,he's not back yet”,she answered with a smile.
“Oh..okay then,i'll let myself in”,i chuckled awkwardly and she just kinda smiled again,nodding.
“Um,sorry”,i spoke again,and she turned back to me, “Do I know you from somewhere?”,i asked,my brows knitted.
“I..really don't think so”,she chuckled gently.
“Yeah..must be confusing you with someone..it's just..you seem awfully familiar somehow”,i mumbled.
“Perhaps at the hospital,i'm actually working down at-”
“Oh,no. Definitely not”,i cut her mid sentence,shaking my head. “I don't go to hospitals”
“Everybody goes to hospitals”,she let out a soft chuckle.
“Yeah,not me”,i smiled, “i got my own doctor”
She nodded with her lips pursed; my eyes were fixed on her. I really had the idea that i'd seen her somewhere...i just couldn't wrap my finger around it...
“I'm Kate,by the way”,she said,spreading an arm my way.
“Ah- I'm Persephone”,i took her arm and shook it,rather awkwardly.
“Yeah”,she laughed, “i..i know. I,um,have seen you. On tv and stuff,you know”
“Oh..right”,i nodded and tried to pull of a smile. “That's a strong grip you got there”,i chuckled and her lips parted for a second.
“Yeah,sorry”,she said,letting out a shot chuckle.
My smile faded for a second as I eyed her. She pulled her arm away and turned to get inside her appartment.
“Oh,by the way”,she said as she was now half in, “i think he's left his stereo on”
“Ah..yeah,thanks,i'll...turn it off”,i answered,still fazed by the fact that I believed something was rather off.
She smiled again and went inside.
I sighed; perhaps I was a little too tired. Not everything ought to be suspicious. And,who knows,even nurses work out maybe.
I lifted Steve's mat and took the key; I could hear some music coming from inside as I went in.
It was rather dark,only the street lights getting in from the windows were somehow illuminating the rooms.
But,i wasn't alone; Kate said Steve hadn't got back yet,but I could feel someone being there. I gently put my suitcase down,trying to be as silent as I could. I lifted my arm,my fingers moving as a piece of the wall attached itself on it,pointy as a blade on my arm.
“I expected you sooner Agent Pearse”,i heard Fury's voice coming from the living room. “Although,not here”
I rolled my eyes and by pushing my arm the stones were back in place on the wall. I walked further inside,saw him sitting down on an armchair,music playing. He was..in a bad shape.
“What is-”
“How did you find Rome,Pearse?”,he didn't let me finish.
He wrote something on his phone,i waited with brows knitted together,baffled. He had many cuts on him,dried blood everywhere.
There are ears everywhere; follow along
The message on his screen read.
“Uh- yeah”,i huffed. “Rome was..tricky. Didn't know who to trust,really”,i said,my eyes getting squinty.
“Well,trust is a really important thing,as they say”
We then heard keys turning; Steve must have come back. Each step was louder as he was coming closer.
“Pers? Are you in?”,he asked loudly,his voice echoing throughout the empty hallway. “Kate said you came by a few minutes ago. You know,you could have called me first”,he chuckled.
I bit my tongue,my lips forming a thing line; I eyed Fury whom nodded at me.
I went towards Steve,practically running his way.
“Hey-”,he didn't have time to speak.
It was the first time I had seen him in..what was it,six months now? His built was even bigger,a strong,safe place for a hug,a feeling no words could describe; yet,i didn't hug him. He had a half smile on,his head slightly tilted.
I put one finger on my lips and that smile faded;
He followed me to the living room,tenser than before. As soon as he saw Fury sitting there he let his shoulders fall behind,a big sigh escaping his lips.
“What are you doing here?”,he asked him in an as calm as could manner.
I leaned on the wall,my arms crossed.
“You were rather angry when you left earlier”,Fury said,”thought i'd check in on you. Wouldn't want for our relationship to crack”
Steve grimaced and tried to turn the lights on,though Fury turned them back off. He flinched,seeing how Fury's face looked like. Fury turned his phone,showing him the same message he had shown me before.
“Didn't really get you as this kind of guy”,Steve shrugged,his body tense.
“Yeah well”,he huffed, “at times like this,it's nice to know who is your friend and who's not”
I squinted my eyes,my brows furrowed; I really hated my timing at this point.
“Is that what we are?”
Fury turned his phone again,now another message;
SHIELD is compromised
I straightened my body,my eyes now opened as wide as possible. Steve and I shared a look.
“Do you consider all your agents as friends Director?”,i asked,my eyes still on Steve.
“Just the ones I trust”,he answered.
Only the three of us know of this situation
His screen said;
This was bad- no,scratch that. This was a catastrophe. If SHIELD was compromised...then we were in trouble. Big trouble.
Timing wasn't really on our side here though.
Just then shots were fired,all hitting Fury; he fell down.
Steve grabbed him,looking at me; we had to be quick here. I turned my torso,my hands up as I wrapped us with a wall,thick enough to keep a bullet from piercing through.
Fury handed Steve a flash drive,one with SHIELD's logo on it.
Too much for being free,huh?
“Don't...trust...anyone”,Fury spelled out,his voice weak.
“Agent Pearse?”,a familiar voice said; “Captain Rogers?”
We turned around to see Kate holding a gun,carefully approaching us. My hands were now covered in flames,as I was ready to attack,though seeing how she lifted her palm,i stopped.
“I'm Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service “,she explained in a calm voice and I massaged my temples,my flames now vanished.
“That's how I fucking know you”,i mumbled to myself, “i've seen you in the HQ”
“I don't- Kate?”,Steve murmured,baffled.
“I was to keep an eye on you”,she said. “To protect you”
“Yeah,great job 13”,i said sarcastically. “Steve,outside”,my voice was now firm,my eyes fixed on the window.
Kate got to Fury,saying something through an intercom. She checked for a pulse,still speaking.
“We're going after them”,i turned to her,stretching my arms. “So much for a vacation”,i mumbled.
Steve turned to Kate,but not for long. He nodded to me;
“Come on”,he said to me and I huffed.
He grabbed me,putting his shield in front of him as he marched through the window,smashing glasses all over us; his impute was slowed down though,thanks to me,and so I shot fire through one arm,enough force to get us to the building across.
Steve was running,breaking trough doors,smashing windows as I followed ,only a few steps behind.
Each time he'd jump i'd shoot fire through my arm,getting just the right amount of force to be catapulted his way.
After a while and ,a lot of running,the man we were chasing was only steps ahead,landed on a roof in front of us. Steve jumped through the last window,getting on his feet as he threw his shield at him.
I jumped,flipping over with fires covering me as I was ready to shoot when I saw the man stopping Steve's shield with his arm- a metallic arm nonetheless.
“I-”,i huffed, “has this happened before?”,i asked Steve,both of us stunned.
“No..”,he answered in a low voice.
He had long brown hair,a mask covering half his face,dressed in dark colors.
I tried for a second,but I couldn't reach his arm; it gets like that,since I am not a master Seetheerist. If the metal or the iron are mixed up with materials I do not know of,or even if I am not overly familiar with the overall material,i can't really bend it.
I tapped down fiercely,my elbows pushing back to then kick on the front; a stone wall run-slid his way.
The man turned,threw Steve's shield at us and jumped over at my wall,to then fall down the building.
Steve got in front of me to stop his shield,his body pushed back.
He looked at me,bafflement all over our faces; we rushed to the end of the roof,though there was no sign of the masked man.
“Just..”,i huffed,”what was he?”
“I..”,Steve shook his head; he never finished that sentence.