Surprisingly, I wasn't strapped to anything when I regained consciousness.

I lay on the floor, with a dull ache in my head. Groaning, I shifted. This room had no windows, only lights. It had no type of furniture either, so some prison cell this was. I rubbed the back of my neck, seeing my key to escaping. All I had to do was get through that door.

I had no idea where I'd been taken to. All I knew was that I was away from Steve, from any allies of mine, and that I needed to get back to them.

I wobbled a bit as I got to my feet. At the same time, two people dressed in white lab coats came through the doorway. I gave them nasty looks. Neither of them were familiar.

"Get near me, and I won't hesitate to hurt you," I growled threateningly. Behind the two scientists—I assumed they were scientists—were a few security. Lovely. A challenge. Well, I never expected my escape to be easy.

"Cooperating will make things much easier," said the one scientist, a balding, middle aged gentleman. He had his hands out carefully, to show that he was no threat. Everyone I don't know is a threat. I don't know where I am. If the serum hasn't worn off, which I'm sure it hasn't, I have no power here.

I licked my lips nervously as the group moved in. At the sight of handcuffs in one of the scientists' hands, I went into offense mode. I attacked the security first, which almost overpowered me. Two held my arms, one each, while the third tried to pinch my skin with a needle. I kicked the one who held the needle in the stomach, forcing them away. The scientists scurried to a corner of the room while I gained enough strength to swing around the other two security who were trying to restrain me. I threw one into the other and they both tumbled to the ground.

I looked at the scientists, whose eyes were wide in fear. I'll let them go for now. I leapt over the tangled security guards and found myself out of containment.

"Don't let her reach the elevator!" I heard one guard shout in the room. Their frantic scurrying of feet made me make a left and run down the hall.

I stumbled a bit, still feeling some aftereffects of whatever sedative was forced into my system. Focus. Get out of here. Go into hiding. Go from there. Sirens didn't wail in my ears, but I knew reinforcements were coming.

A burly security guard came for me, and he and I engaged in about a minute battle before I rendered him unconscious with a hit of his head against the wall. I snorted at the crumpled body before trotting on. I couldn't linger. I didn't want to kill anyone unless they gave me no other choice.

Elevator, elevator. I need to find the elevator. I looked around. All I saw was empty hall and corners. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was in a labyrinth of sorts, designed to keep prisoners like me from escaping so easily.

As I ran straight, passing two other possible directions, I was blindsided on my left. I went soaring, bashing my right shoulder into the nearest wall. I rolled myself along it until I faced my obstacle. I felt a mixture of fear and hatred settle in my bones.

It was the metal armed intruder from D.C. again. Only this time...he bore no goggles. I was able to see his eyes, as menacing as they were, were a deep blue. The muzzle remained on his face, concealing his nose and mouth. He bore no gun, but the knife from last time. I was slightly relieved to see no needle.

No words were exchanged, only blows. I ducked just in time, the wall wasn't as lucky as the metal fist crashed into it. I kicked at his legs, diving desperately to get myself away. At the last second, I felt his fist catch my hair. With a pull, he twisted me around, and I lashed an arm out to hit him in the side. All I felt was padding on impact. Damn it.

I beat on the hand that held my hair—which wasn't the metal one, thank Gods—and finally got it away from me. He gave me no option, he was herding me back into the room I had woken up in.

"Stay back!" I heard someone shout behind me.

I pulled my hands out as claws, wishing infernos sprouted from them. But since they didn't, I knew my powers weren't back yet. I couldn't even get a spark up. I faced my metal-armed opponent.

I cried out in pain as I felt strong, violent electric shocks ripple through my body. With limbs twitching, I crumpled. I fought hard against the black in my vision, but it beat me in the end.

* * *

I was in an uncomfortable position when I woke again, my head resting painfully on one of my shoulders. I opened my eyes to be greeted with dim lighting and blurry vision. I shook my head carefully, wishing the blurs away. My head was still in a little bit of a fog, but I knew one thing was for sure: I needed to get out of here.

Turning my rather sore neck, I didn't see a change in this room except for the chair I was strapped down in. It was plain, no sort of contraption. I knew I had sedative still running in my veins, because otherwise I would be in much stronger restraints.

It was like they knew I had just woken up, the door creaked loudly open. I picked my head up to meet my greeting party. I saw three figures come through, and none of them were my metal-armed opponent. I was relieved to not see him. This was twice now he'd bested me. Okay, the one time didn't count because his backup took me down first.

One of the three figures didn't hesitate to show himself to me. He was an older gentleman who had a rough look about him, someone who screamed danger.

I jiggled my arms stuck to the arms of the chair. I wasn't strong enough to break the bonds on my wrists; I realized this after a weak, futile attempt. I scowled, hating this already. And the people hadn't even talked to me yet.

"You must've been waiting outside the door for a while," I growled.

"No, we have cameras on you. I figured to meet you as soon as you woke." The older gentleman smiled. "You're even prettier up close."

"Thank you," I said in faux sweetness, smiling at the man maliciously. I lost that façade fairly quickly. "Let me go."

The man chuckled. "Such fire."

Oh Gods, I already know where he's going with this. "This isn't my first kidnapping," I boasted. "Oddly enough, you've abducted me for the same reason as I was taken for the last time."

"Is that so? And what reason would that be?"

"I hate to disappoint you, but you can't strip me of my abilities. It's not possible. Someone tried once and they failed."

"That is true. However, we can subdue them." His lips twisted into a smile.

I felt my anger boil at the reminder. "So I've felt and seen. By the way, I deserve to have a name to my kidnapper."

"It's not surprising that you haven't heard of him. You haven't been around long enough to know how Earth truly works, have you, Cynder?"

I swallowed. I shouldn't have been too worried; the world knew my superhero name. But something about this guy knowing my alternate name didn't settle well with me. "I want the name."

"He goes by the Winter Soldier." The man sounded rather proud, like he was the brainchild behind my kidnapper or something. "Perhaps one of our best assets. Soon, he'll be joined with another."

"Who are you?" I spat.

"The name is Alexander Pierce," he introduced himself, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets. "You still might not know me, as you haven't been involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. for very long or been around Headquarters to see me."

"I've been busy." I tossed my hair.

"Yes, you have. From the aliens in New York to your recent power struggle. And between that you manage to tangle yourself in a relationship with Captain America."

I wrinkled my nose. "That's just gossip you hear in the workplace."

Alexander Pierce laughed. "You can't play it off like that, Ms. Rivers. And besides, the Internet holds proof."

"The Internet can be deceiving."

"I'm not an idiot."

"You're right, you're a traitor."

"How so?"

"I don't remember anywhere that S.H.I.E.L.D. was to abduct me and use a serum to incapacitate me. Call me crazy, but, we're on the same side."

Pierce shook his head. "That is where you are wrong."

I snorted. "Humor me."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. holds many secrets, my dear, as I'm sure you figured out the first time you got involved with the organization. But my secret is one that not even S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about—well, not yet anyway. Sooner or later, it will be uncovered." His smile vanished.

My brows came together. "I don't understand."

"I'm sure your boyfriend has told you about his past, specifically his history with HYDRA."

I racked my brain through Steve's stories. "I don't think I've ever heard the word before."

"In his time, there was an organization called HYDRA, headed by a man who called himself the Red Skull. The organization allegedly fell, and in its wake, S.H.I.E.L.D. was formed."

"'Allegedly'?"

"Here's the kicker, Ms. Rivers. HYDRA never fell. It diminished, but it never truly died. For decades, HYDRA laid in wait, hidden in plain sight. It's rebuilt its strength in numbers."

The fog in my brain was gone now. "So what you're saying is that you're...?" I wasn't sure I could get the last word out of my mouth.

But Pierce didn't need to hear me say "HYDRA" for him to understand my question. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Hence I'm not a traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D., as I have never really pledged loyalty."

My teeth grated against each other in anger. How in the hell did S.H.I.E.L.D. miss something so big? How was this kept hidden for so long?

"Oh, and if you think you can try and contact the Captain or any of your friends about what you've found out, you can't."

"I know what I can't do thanks to you. Which brings me to wonder how you got your grubby hands on something so destructive."

"I think the word you're looking for, Ms. Rivers, is useful, not destructive."

I chuckled bitterly. "Not from where I'm sitting."

"And don't think you'll be let out of those restraints anytime soon, either."

"So, what's your big plan, Pierce, that requires me being cut off from my friends and allies?"

"You weren't originally part of anything." Pierce prowled slowly along my line of vision. "That is, until you blipped on our radar. We didn't think someone like you existed until we caught wind of your profile. It's as if it was your destiny to come down to Earth and join S.H.I.E.L.D."

I made a face. "You're insane."

"In your eyes maybe."

"I'm sure I'm not the only one who believes that." I held my head up high.

Pierce stalked towards me, grabbing my chin so I had no choice but to look into his soulless eyes. I wished I could burn him just by glaring at him, I would have relished every moment of it, even if it got me killed in the end. "You're someone we need."

"You've got enough muscle. Speaking of which, where is the Winter Soldier?"

"I've got him on another assignment."

I could only imagine who his next assignment was. Would it be Steve? I wouldn't be able to warn him if it was. "If you've got someone like him on your side already, why bother with me?"

"You don't understand. He's only muscle, you are something entirely different."

I knew what he was referring to: my fire. "Go figure the bad guys want my power."

"We're not the bad guys here, Ms. Rivers."

"So kidnapping isn't considered bad? Subduing my power and myself isn't a crime?" I retorted. "A secret organization that has infiltrated another who stands for peace isn't sinister? Who threw you against a wall when you were a baby?" I blew hair away from my face.

"You've got an attitude," Pierce mused, the smile dimming slightly on his face. "That fire. That's something we can never get enough of. However, you have a lot more than most."

I moved my arms again. "You abducted me so you can monologue?"

"No, I had you brought here so you can be welcomed into the family."

I wrinkled my nose. "Sorry, I don't accept."

"Oh, I know you won't willingly."

I thought of the ways Pierce could make me cave. Threaten Steve. Tasha. Todd. If Pierce was a mole in S.H.I.E.L.D. and was high up in ranks, odds were he knew about Todd. The power that high ranking officials held. This power was put into the wrong hands. "Look, if you want to extract my ability from me, you can't. I've been experimented on before. Someone beat you to it."

"No one did."

My brows furrowed. "What?"

"We attempted it and it backfired."

"What...?"

"You mean I tried and it backfired."

No. Impossible. He's in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody! He can't be out. He can't be...

The new voice sent anger running through my veins. He stepped out of the shadows, a bit different from the last time I had seen him. He grew facial hair, which only enhanced his look instead of degraded it. He had massive bags under his eyes.

If I had no restraints to hold me back, I would have killed him on the spot.

Seth Joyce had decided to join the conversation.

**Hmm...so...if you aren't already fearing the worst for our girl, you might want to get on that.**