Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Fourth Step

2012

New York City

Underground Sewer Tunnel

 

(Brock POV)

"My name is Ava Starr," The mysterious stranger introduced herself calmly. " And, I want to make a deal with you."

I hesitated at her words.

"A Deal?" I repeated incredulously.

Who was this woman?

Ava nodded before the air around her suddenly began to distort and she swiftly put her mask back on.

"They're searching up there," Ava warned. "If we don't keep moving, someone may find us down here. And I'm sure you don't want to be caught anywhere near this site."

"Where are we exactly?" I questioned.

"We're in the sewer tunnel system that runs underneath Manhattan," Ava explained.

"This tunnel should lead up to Washington Square Park."

I looked the woman over, still cautious of her motives.

"But why are you helping me?" I questioned, confused.

"Because you have the potential to help me," Ava said simply.

"Help you how?" I asked.

Ava let out a hollow sigh at my words, "Can we talk about this on the way?"

I furrowed my brows at her response. This woman knew more about me than I was comfortable with. Plus she had some kind of power that made her untouchable.

"If you're wondering if you can trust me, I had plenty of chances to report your abilities to Fury...but I didn't." Ava voiced.

So she's with S.H.I.E.L.D.

Well...at least that's better than the alternative.

I took a moment to think over her words and a look of uncertainty crossed my face. I had a lot of questions and a lot of doubts, but I couldn't afford to waste time dealing with her right now.

"Fine," I conceded with a sigh and lowered my guard, while still keeping my senses peaked for any sudden moves.

"Thank you," Ava said gratefully.

The two of us made our way through the tunnels beneath New York City. From above, the sounds of heavy traffic and distant sirens were audible.

"Who are you, really?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off the fact that I was walking alongside a potential threat.

Ava sighed and shook her head. "As I said, my name is Ava Starr. I'm a Special Ops Agent for S.H.I.E.L.D, or more specifically Fury. "

"Special Ops?" I asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Ava shrugged her shoulders. "Spying, Assassination, Blackmail...any problem that needs to be solved covertly and under the table, I'm the one who does it."

She paused for a moment as if remembering something else.

"And Fury saw you and your team as a problem. Was why I've been watching you for quite some time." She added, almost reluctantly.

I frowned at her words, wondering what she meant.

"Why did he see us as a problem?" I questioned to see how much the man knew.

"Because your out of his control," Ava explained as she walked through the tunnel.

"Fury needs to be the one holding all the cards, and you and your team are a variable he didn't expect or want."

"So why not report me?" I asked. "Seems like an easy promotion."

"I thought about it many times," She admitted. "But I'm not with S.H.I.E.L.D for ambition or some idiotic sense of duty and honor. They snatched me up when I was a kid because they saw an opportunity in my powers. Built me this containment suit so I could control my phasing and trained me to be their weapon."

Her tone grew darker as she spoke and I could tell that she was recalling some painful memories.

"They taught me well," Ava continued. "I was good at it, too. Until they lost interest in me and my abilities, that is..."

Her words struck a cord within me.

"They're always looking for the next big thing," Ava explained. "And I just got old news to them."

"Damn. They didn't even consider adding you to the Avengers?" I asked.

Ava shook her head, " Fury still uses me to do his dirty work. But other than that...nothing."

I let out a mental sigh of relief at her words. If she was telling the truth, which I got the feeling she was, that meant she didn't have any strong ties to the organization.

That would have been a much bigger concern. Plus, from her tone, I could tell that she didn't seem to have a high opinion of Fury either.

If I play this right, I might be able to leverage this situation to my advantage.

"You said you wanted to make a deal, right?" I asked curiously.

Ava seemed to relax a bit at my question. "I'm sick. My powers are killing me. The stress, the strain it puts on my body...it's too much. They call it 'molecular disequilibrium', a rather dull name, I think. Doesn't quite do justice to what it does. Every cell in my body is torn apart... and stitched back together. Over and over.Every second. Everyday. Until I can't do it anymore. I've only got a year left, maybe less. So I need an escape plan."

"Why come to me?" I questioned. "Not like I'm a Doctor or Scientist."

"I've seen enough of your power. I know what you can do," Ava told me. "And I know that you're not afraid to use it to get what you want. You're a dangerous man, Brock Rumlow"

I raised an eyebrow at her words but didn't say anything.

"That's why I want you to help me," Ava pressed. "Fury will never allow me to leave or waste resources on curing me. He's satisfied with the current arrangement. And if I die...while that's just another loose end taken care of. That's why I need someone I can trust. Someone strong, and who won't break under pressure."

"What makes you think you can trust me?" I questioned.

Ava lightly chuckled under her mask.

"Because I know you hold no loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D... you're a spy," she stated matter-of-factly. "Figured that much out watching you. I also know you're moving on your own to achieve some kind of separate, personal objective, and that you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty to do so."

Well...that's true, at least.

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"And finally, I know that you're working alone," Ava finished.

I sighed at her words. She was right, after all. I wasn't used to someone having so much information about my private life. She's missing key details, but her assessment is correct.

I've been slacking.

I expected to just coast by, picking up power along the way. Waiting to show myself at the right time. But I underestimated my enemies.

They had a lot of pieces on the board with so many powers that I hadn't even considered. Lucky for me, they still view me as a nonfactor.

A pawn they could easily take care of.

It's time to step things up.

I knew I couldn't keep living in the shadows forever. Eventually, Fury or someone worse than him would find out about me.

I glanced over at Ava as she walked next to me.

"So what exactly do you want from me?" I asked, trying to move the conversation along.

"First," Ava began. "I want you to help me find a cure for my molecular disequilibrium."

I frowned at her words.

"Are you sure S.H.I.E.L.D has no cure for this?" I questioned. "Maybe they lied to you."

Ava shook her head adamantly.

"No. No way," she insisted. "They know I'm dying. They've known since I came into their custody. That's why they created this containment suit. To contain my powers. It's what keeps my condition stable...but just that."

"So they don't have a cure," I murmured.

Ava nodded her head affirmatively.

"That it?" I questioned. "Just save your life?"

Ava chuckled lightly at my casual words.

"There is one other thing... I want you to help me escape from Fury," She added.

"Escape?" I questioned.

"Yes," Ava reiterated. "He's not the only one in the organization who knows about me. But he's the main obstacle to my freedom. Everyone else, they've either forgotten about me or just doesn't care. But Fury...he's the one who requisitioned this suit to be built. He's the one who orders me to kill. "

"Then why not just kill him?" I asked. "Should be easy for someone with your powers."

"He's too influential," Ava explained. "Killing him would bring the wrath of S.H.I.E.L.D and multiple other organizations down on my head."

I let out a faint chuckle at her words.

"I can understand that," I admitted. "So what do I get out of this?"

"Here's the deal, Rumlow," Ava began. "I want to be set free. I want to be free of Fury and his constant orders to do his dirty work. I want to be rid of this suit. And most importantly, I want to live. I don't have long, and I don't want to spend it in a cell or suffering. I'm tired. Tired of being in pain. Tired of being used. So I guess the question is...what do you want?"

The tunnel went quiet as I took a moment to think over her words.

What do I want?

All this time, I've only been focused on surviving whatever came next. Doing whatever I needed to do to stay alive. But I haven't stopped to think about what I want for myself.

What do I actually want...?

Memories of the last seventeen years played through my mind.

The answer was simple.

Freedom.

I wanted freedom.

True Freedom.

To stop waiting and hiding.

I've been sitting idle for too long. Letting other people determine my fate.

Fuck that.

S.H.I.E.L.D?

HYDRA?

The Avengers?

Fuck'em All.

Time I start to build my own future.

But for that to happen...I'll need powerful allies.

People who I can trust... or at least as much as someone as messed up as me can.

I looked over at Ava and gave her a wolfish smile.

"In a way, I think we kinda want the same thing. The only difference is... I'm not satisfied with just running away. I want enough power to do whatever the fuck I want when I want to."

The lenses of Ava's mask gleamed in surprise.

"So what do you propose?" She asked cautiously.

"I'll help you," I told her bluntly. "But there are conditions."

"Name them," Ava requested. "I'm sure I can accommodate."

I smiled again, letting out a low laugh.

"I want you to join me."

********

A/n: Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying the story and as always thanks for reading!

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