Iron Age: S.H.I.E.L.D
Reprisal Part 3
Bryce Tower,
Office level:
It was business as usual in, Bryce tower. The employee's had everything down to a routine and everything was going along as normal. Except of course, the unscheduled fire drill.
"Really?" An employee whined.
"Alan has to be up to his tricks again." Another muttered. Everyone on the level filed out in an orderly fashion, with varying degrees of annoyance and bemusement. In a few seconds the level was completely empty, with the acceptation of one.
"Commander the level is clear. Proceeding with the mission." Ngumi presses a button on the neck of her uniform, coming out of the suits tactical cloak.
"You've got five minutes before the fire marshal and the police start searching for the delinquent who pulled the fire alarm." Commander responded over the radio."More than enough time, Commander. Going silent for the duration." She turns off her radio and scopes out her surroundings. Normal protocol would dictate she remain in communication. But with, Chicago being the head quarters for a global spanning military organization it was safer her way.
The office on this level are divided by cubicles, with the main office of, Alan Bryce over watching the entire level. Aside from the back of the level were the elevators were, she was completely surrounded by windows. `Good for a quick escape' she thought. She went up the stairs that lead to, Alan's office.
All the mission required was for her to plant a device on Alan's office computer and in a couple minutes it would hack into, the Bryce technologies' network. Bypassing it's security and digging up any information they could use. This would seem intrusive, but it is necessary before SHIELD seeks to make allies with this man. They want to know what kind of man he is, if he can be trusted, and most importantly… if he has any ties to Ferrum that could put the organization in jeopardy.
Alan Bryce's penthouse:
"This is agent Somerset and package is secure. Can I leave now?" John said, nonchalantly.
"Good work, John. Get back to the safe house, Ngumi should be about finished." Commander Holland replied.
"Gladly." John looked around the penthouse from the balcony facing the outside to the city. It wasn't what he expected a millionaire's house to be like. The walls were all painted white, The furniture seemed unused and still had the plastic cover on, there was no silverware and no food in the refrigerator (John was getting hungry) and most everything was covered in a fine layer of dust. Like know one lived here at all. "This guy is a freak."
Suddenly, John felt something grab him and before he could react was tossed back into the house. Crashing into the glass coffee table. John looked up a large man wearing an all black set of combat armor, similar to what he was wearing. A mask that seemed almost helmet like covered his entire face. "Another assassin?" He growled.
"Uh… if I tell you no can we avoid the fisticuffs?" John asked.
"So you're the kind of merc, Ferrum hires these days?" The man in black questions. He slams his foot into, John's chest and holds it there. "A bit of a mouth."
"Oh, now I know a merc with even more of a mouth. Now he's a nutcage." The masked man stomps him again. "Ouch, can we stop with the kicking?"
"Why did, Ferrum send you?" He barked.
John grabbed hold of the man's leg and rolled over to sweep the leg. The man in the mask jumps out of the way. John picks up several shards of glass and launches towards the masked man's head. "Bulls…" The man in black cocks his head to the side, making John miss. "eye! Oh now you're being a show off."
The masked man reaches into his belt and toss a silver sphere at the agent. Which his catches with ease. "Ha! Are you serious?" The ball unravels in, John's hand and ties itself onto his arm. An intense shock surges through his body and knocks him to the floor.
"Absolutely." The masked man walks towards the agent. By now he was fading in and out of conscious, and writhing on the floor in intense agony. In a few seconds he'd be completely blacked out. Any longer he'd die. He won't let it get to that.
Bryce Tower,
Office level:
"The police are on their way up, Ngumi." Holland said over her communicator. Which usually meant he was getting nervous. Luckily the company's network wasn't the difficult to get into. She was on her way out as he spoke.
"Oh, and another thing, I've..."
Before she could listen to the rest there was a dull hum coming from outside. She could barely hear it, but it got closer… to close for her to ignore.As she faced the large window, nothing was there. Then she whipped around to the other side of the office, the sound of shattering glass broke her concentration. A man dressed in black combat armor flew in on a glider. He stood on top of it and charged towards her.
In a single motion she drew her sword and managed to cut through the underbelly of the craft. Knocking off it's rider. Ngumi pointed her sword at her opponent. "Stand I would not kill you on your back. It would be displeasing."
The figure in black rose and faced the agent. "So you take pleasure in killing?" His muffled voice asked.
"No," Ngumi responded. "but the shinigami demands I take the souls of those that would do harm."
The man in black crossed his arms and paused for a moment. He seemed to be studying her. "Shinigami? Gods of death? Is that what you call yourself or the elegant weapon in your hand?"
"It is merely a name for my god." Ngumi stood in a striking stance and began to circle the man in black, like a predator watching her pray. "For there is only one absolute after we die. And we all will meet her when she comes to claim us."
"Death." The man in black said darkly.
"Precisely." Ngumi charged him and prepared for a strike that would cut the head from her enemies shoulders. Her attack was blocked flawlessly and punished by a hard kick to her abdomen. She landed on her feet, smirking as she notices the blood trickling from the man's forearm.
"That was risky. Not worth the injury I would say." She sheathed her sword. She ran back towards him and they proceeded fierce to enter hand to hand combat. The both of them swatting away the others attacks, every landed blow being traded by a slightly harder blow, neither leaving any room for a lucky hit. This appeared to be an even fight.
Ngumi landed a series of vicious punches to the man's ribs, that sent him stumbling backward. Her leg rose to deliver a kick to the side of his face that he easily caught and used against her. He kicked her free leg, doubling her forward. A kick to her chest sent her slamming into the window, leaving a large crack were her head smacked it.
She ran her hand through her short black hair and pulled it back covered in blood. "You are holding back. You shouldn't."
"I'm afraid I'd end up winning too fast darling." The man in black boasted. "Besides I want you self-aware, when I ask you why S.H.I.E.L.D is looking for me and how it relates to the attempted assassination I had earlier."
"None of you, move!" The policed had smashed through the elevator. A group of Iron soldiers were among the group. Three in total. They charged their repulsors, ready to fire. With out a word the man in black ran toward the window and tackled, Ngumi through it. "Sorry. " He uttered as the free fell.
Ngumi looked around hoping something was coming to catch them. Coming in fast a glider like the one that she cut down previously turned around a building. The three Iron men were down following them on their descent. The glider was gaining and fired a missile at the trio, knocking them off course momentarily.
They land on the glider with a stiff metallic thud. The man in black catches, Ngumi in his arms and flies off. Ngumi takes a peek behind them and see's the three Iron men in pursuit. "I've spoken with your, Commander Holland. A colleague of mine is giving him the location of a neutral area we can have a conversation."
"Assuming we escape the Iron men, fast approaching!" Ngumi shouted over the noise of passing cars. There were three of these Iron soldiers, each of which is much faster than this glider. Once they catch up to them, they would be torn to pieces. That is when, Ngumi had an idea.
"I hope fly this thing well." She said as she rolls out of the man in blacks arms, resuming her descent high above the pavement.
The Triskelion:
For about two hundred years Carol Danvers has tried to keep this war going. Even when the battles only promise a small victory or crushing defeat. Most of the original agents who were given the infinity formula have either left for New Latveria to work along side Doom or simply left the fight. Carol would however stay in North America, where the influence of Ferrum and it's chairman are the strongest. To be if anything a constant reminder that there are some that won't run. Those that will fight.
All civilians were evacuated to an undisclosed location and non-vital personnel were reassigned. She'd told every agent to leave and report to a new location. The Triskelion was compromised and all documentation and research had to be moved. The compound was empty, a skeleton of it's former self. It's large hangers lay empty, the labs and barracks are left similarly derelict.
Danvers had stayed behind, wandering the facilities halls for the last time. She had ignored the banging and creaking of the metal blast doors. As she stepped foot towards the hanger bay, the blast doors flew open. Dozens of Iron soldiers marched into the Triskelion. Leading them was a man in armor dissimilar to the rest of the soldiers. As he passed them they saluted.
Carol leaned forward on the railing of the balcony over looking the hanger bay. The sight of him made her fill with rage. Her grip bent the railing as vivid images of the deaths of her friends came back before her eyes. "I believe you have something of mine, Avenger!" He says, an indignant look on his face.
She stared him down, a mix of rage and fear running through her. This was the man that had been responsible for this war she fought, and the death of her friends. "Take it from me... Stryfe."
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