Thump.
Harper's eyes flew open.
Sunlight streamed through the car window, warming her face and blinding her eyes.
She lifted her head wearily and examined her surroundings.
She didn't recognize any of the buildings they passed by.
"Where are we?"
She asked groggily.
Coulson glanced back at her for a second.
"We're in Washington, DC."

A pang of sadness swept over her and she leaned her head back.
Everything is gone.
James, her job at the coffee shop, their apartment, the life they'd made for themselves...
Anne.
She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her phone.
37 missed calls.

She smiled faintly, opening messages.
I'm fine. I can't talk right now. Will call later.
~H
She set her phone down, not surprised when a few seconds later a message came through from Anne.
You idiot, I was worried sick!
~A
She pocketed her phone again, looking out the front window.

"So where exactly are we headed?"
An intersection came into view and she squinted, trying to see the street name.
"I'm taking you to S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
What happens to you after that is for the council to decide."

She frowned.
"Why are any of you even interested in me? I'm nobody special. None of this makes any sense to me at all."
She chewed on her lower lip in frustration.

Coulson sighed.
"I know. Even I don't know all the details. But-"
Boom.
Harper lurched forward in her seat, ramming into the dashboard.
Everything appeared to be in slow motion to Harper's eyes. She saw the world outside spin upside-down.

And suddenly everything was back to normal speed.
The roof of the vehicle hit the pavement and the windows blew in.
Shards of glass went flying everywhere, and the car finally screeched to a stop.
Harper's vision faded in and out, and her ears were ringing.
Confusion swept over her mind as the shock of it kicked in.

Coulson hung limp in his seat, blood trickling from his nose and a gash in his forehead.
Her right leg felt hot and sticky and she realized a large shard of glass had pierced her calf.
She was surprised she felt nothing, and began giggling maniacally.
Maybe I do have superpowers after all.
Through half-closed eyes she watched someone approach her door, ripping it from its hinges and drag her out of the vehicle by her foot and sling her over their shoulder.

Her vision slowly faded to black.

———————————————————

Coulson's eyes flickered.
His sporadic heartbeat was the only thing he could hear; it drowned out all other sounds.
He grimaced as everything that had happened in the last half hour returned to mind. He opened his eyes fully, but everything was blurry.
He struggled to sit up, confused when a hand pushed him back down.
His vision cleared and he looked up at the nurse that was standing over him.
"Sir, I need you to stay down."

"I'm fine." He snapped, grimacing as he attempted to sit up again.
His head began to throb violently and he fell back.

"How bad is it?"
The nurse walked to the other side of the hospital bed and dabbed a cotton swab on his forehead.
"You have a mild concussion, as well as a stable fracture in your carpal structure."
He blinked at her.

"Your wrist, sir."
"Uh huh."
"I need you to lay back and relax. You're luckier than most, it could have been much worse."

His pupils widened.
"The girl that was in the car with me. How is she? Is she okay?"

The nurse frowned.
"There was no one else in the vehicle, sir."

Coulson mumbled a handful of profanities and held his head in his hands.
"My phone. Where's my cell phone?"
"Here on the table, sir."

She brought the phone to him.
"Leave me for a few minutes, please."
She nodded and left the room.
After he was sure she was gone he dialed Fury's number.
"Sir? Yeah, I'm okay. But Harper's gone."

———————————————————

Beep. Beep. Beep.
The Soldier glanced down at the girl's sleeping form.
So frail.
He scoffed.
What could they possibly see in her?
His eyes narrowed as his handler entered the room.
A large baton was slammed into the small of his back and he was led back down the hallway.
He knew what came next.
He didn't like it, but he complied.
He always complied.
Compliance is rewarded.

———————————————————

"девушка бодрствует."
"хорошо."
Harper's eyes flew open, then squinted at the bright light above her.
"Good afternoon, child."
The voice she heard made her nauseous and she struggled to sit up, only to feel something tightening around her wrists and ankles.
"Ah, ah. Do not move."
Her heart began pounding and the monitor beeped rapidly.
"You are afraid, are you not?"
The man walked behind her and she rolled her eyes back, not wanting to lose sight of him for even a second.
"Fear not, child. For you are the future."
She couldn't tell what he was doing, but the way he was speaking sent her into a panic.
"Who are you?"

Her voice was hoarse with disuse, and barely above a whisper. Yet he heard.
"Who I am is not of importance."
He walked back around the side of the table.
"Relax."
He turned towards her, a syringe filled with a blue substance in hand. He flicked it lightly, his eyes glowing with pride as he held it to the light.

Harper's heart felt as though it was about to leap out of her chest, but she tried to control her emotions.
"What... is that?"
The man smiled slightly.
"Everything."
He grabbed her arm, the needle barely above her skin.
Harper strained against her bonds, but it was no use.
The needle entered her veins and she grimaced, expecting the worst.
To her surprise, nothing happened.
I didn't die.

As if by reading her mind, the man answered.
"It won't kill you. In fact, it's sole purpose is to help you. Help you grow stronger, both mentally and physically. You will feel it beginning very soon."

He removed the syringe from her arm, setting it on the table next to her.
"Tell me what you're feeling."

Harper's eyes flew open wide.
Her whole body began writhing violently and it felt like fire spreading through her veins.
She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was in pain, but within moments it was unbearable.

He could see the pain in her eyes and he watched her closely, waiting for her to break.
And she did.

———————————————————

"Status?"
"Heat signatures. Unless it's a bunch of bums, I'd say they're down there."
"Lets give 'em a surprise."

The serum was already affecting Harper's senses, enhancing, changing. Her ears rang as though a bell was in the room. Suddenly, she realized she could hear voices from the next room perfectly clear as if they were standing next to her.
She touched the table and pulled her hand away.
Painfully cold.
She forgot about the pain as her curiosity kicked in.

I wonder what else I can do.

She struggled to sit up and and strained against her bonds. To her surprise, she was able to break free with little difficulty.
She stood up and walked around, rubbing her wrists to get her circulation kicking in.

"Let me out!"
Her muffled voice caught the attention of the man who injected her.
"Feeling better, are we?"
Harper watched him nervously.
When he tried to open the door, she blocked it.
"Come now. I don't want to hurt you. There is just one more test I must make."

She heard more footsteps, then a huge bang on the door.
"Stay away from me!"
She yelled.
She backed away from the door and it burst open, revealing a battalion of soldiers, ready to fire.
She backed into the corner.

"There's no need to fear. It's merely a safety precaution. As long as you comply, no harm will come to you. In fact, once you're ready, they will protect you with their lives."
The man approached her.

"I told you to stay away." She snarled.

His smile was replaced with a horrid, beast-like sneer. He kicked her in the jaw and she flew backwards, surprise and pain eminent on her face.
"Disobeying orders is not taken lightly here, as you will quickly find out. On the other hand,"
His smile returned, but she only felt more afraid. "Compliance is rewarded."
She spat out a mouthful of blood. Something inside her stirred to life, a feeling she hadn't felt before; pure hatred.

Her eyes glowed blue and her hands sparked with electricity. She stared down at her hands in bewilderment.
"Well... it appears you have passed the test."
The man looked at her with pride.

She was disgusted.
"I'm a human being, not a test subject." She snarled.
"You are whatever I want you to be." He approached her.
"Don't you see? You are so much more than that. You are... the future of humanity."
She frowned.
"I didn't ask to be "the future of humanity."
She punched him and he flew backwards into the wall.
This isn't so bad.
She turned to face the soldiers, who were already prepared to strike.
"Stand down, Ms. Kingston."

She wasn't fazed.
"I'm no use to you dead. You need me alive."

He stood up, picking up his broken glasses and placing them on the bridge of his nose.
"You underestimate me. I do need you alive, but unharmed..."
He pointed at her and the closest soldier fired.
"Consider this a warning."
The bullet pierced her side, clean through to the wall.
Her eyes widened and she glanced down as a dark stain began forming through her clothes.
She staggered to her knees, a small cry escaping her lips.
"I warned you before. Take her to the cells."
She was lifted roughly beneath her armpits and drug down the hallway.
She screamed as her side scraped against the floor.

The Soldier heard.
This was nothing new to him.
He felt no pity.
Thud.

He narrowed his eyes as Whitehall approached him.
"Get me out of here."
The Soldier understood and led him down a series of hallways, through a secret exit not even known to many of the scientists and soldiers working there.

Shortly after exiting the building, The Soldier heard the fight break out... and how it ended.
"They aren't needed anymore. You, however, have a big part to play in Hydra's future." Whitehall smiled.

———————————————————

"Cap? We found her."
"Is she alive?"
"She's alive, but barely. She's lost a lot of blood."
"What the h-"
"Nat."
"I thought she wasn't an enhanced."
"So did I."
"Call it in."

———————————————————

Thanks for reading! I realize my storyline may not be entirely accurate to the events that took place in TWS or Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., but that is rather the point *Moriarty voice* XD