𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋
( chapter two )

★

(Boring chapter, you can skip it if you want- nothing actually happens)

"𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 time I trusted someone, I lost an eye!"

Elaila tried to turn back around but Fury spotted her and beckoned her in. She quietly groaned but walked into the room.

"Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff and Dare are comfortable with everything." Fury spared her a glance.

"I can't lead a mission," Steve started, "when the people I'm leading have missions of their own."

"It's called compartmentalisation. Nobody spills the secrets, because nobody knows them all." Said Fury.

Why am I here? the woman thought.

"Except you." Steve smiled sarcastically.

Fury glared at him and sighed. "You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that."

Elaila nodded as Steve looked at her.

★

The doors to the elevator opened, "Insight bay." Fury said.

"Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight." The robotic voice spoke.

Ha, I have clearance.

"Director override. Fury, Nicholas J."

"Confirmed." The door closed.

The elevator started to move and all three of them were sitting in awkward silence before Steve spoke up, "You know, they used to play music."

Elaila and Fury looked at him. "Yeah." Fury said. "My grandfather operated one of these things for 40 years." He chuckled. "Granddad worked in a nice building. Got good tips. He'd walk home every night, a roll of ones stuffed in his lunch bag." Elaila frowned slightly as he continued. "He'd say, 'Hi,' people would say 'Hi' back. Then time went on and the neighbourhood got rougher."

Elaila started to zone out the story of Fury's grandfather. She looked out the glass of the elevator and sighed. She zoned in when Fury said, "-and a loaded .22 Magnum."

Elaila lip twitched. The elevator finally reached the floor Project Insight was on. "Yeah, Grandad loved people. But he didn't trust them very much."

Steve finally looked out the window and his face dropped his surprise. "Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a .22." The doors to the elevator opened and they all stepped out. "This is Project Insight. Three next-generation helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites."

"Launched from the Lemurian Star." Said Steve

"Once we get them in the air, they never need to come down." Wow, okay. "Continuous sub-orbital flight, courtesy of our new repulser engines." Fury pointed at one of the ginormous engines attached to the helicarrier.

"Stark?" Steve asked.

"He had a few suggestions once he got an up-close look at our old turbines." They walked on.

"These new long-range precision guns can eliminate 1,000 hostiles a minute." Elaila whistled, impressed. Fury looked to her. "The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole."

"We're gonna neutralise a lot of threats before they even happen." Fury turned to Steve.

"Thought the punishment usually came after the crime." Questioned Steve.

"We can't afford to wait that long." Fury shook him head.

"Who's we?"

"After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat analysis." Steve looked at Fury with concern in his eyes. "For once, we're way ahead of the curve."

"By holding a gun to everyone of Earth and calling it protection." Steve nodded.

Fury frowned at him. "You know, I read those SSR files. 'Greatest Generation'? You guys did some nasty stuff."

Steve turned to face Fury, "Yeah, we compromised." Elaila wished she wasn't here right now. Really, what was the point? "Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so people could be free. This isn't freedom." He gestured to the helicarriers. "This is fear."

"S.H.I.E.L.D takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be. And it's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap." The men were practically nose to nose now.

"Well, don't hold your breath." Steve whispered before walking away.

"Geez." Elaila spoke up for the first time. Fury tiredly glanced at her.

"You can go home now if you wish, Agent Dare."

Elaila nodded and walked away.

★

Elaila put her bag on the counter and went to close the door when she heard Steve's voice outside. She stepped out and closed the door, walking to Steve's apartment.

"I think you left your stereo on."

"Oh," Steve looked at his door. "Right. Thank you."

The blonde woman, who Elaila didn't get a good look at walked away.

"You didn't leave your stereo on, did you?" Elaila asked.

Steve jumped out of his skin, "Jesus! Where'd you come from?"

"My apartment, dumbass. I live on the next floor." Elaila rolled her eyes. "So did you leave the stereo on?"

"No.. I didn't." He frowned.

"Go through the window to avoid being seen." Elaila shrugged.

Steve went through to the fire escape and Elaila soundlessly unlocked the door. The music paused and started again. She grabbed Steve's shield and handed it to him over her shoulder.

It turned out to be Nick Fury sitting in the dark on one of Steve's chairs. Steve shoulders dropped and he relaxed slightly. "I don't remember giving you a key."

Fury grunted as he readjusted his position. "You really think I'd need one? My wife kicked me out."

"Ouch." Elaila deadpanned. His wife wouldn't kick him out.

"I didn't know you were married." Steve said, still behind the corner.

"A lot of things you don't know about me."

Steve came out from behind the corner. "I know Nick, that's the problem." He turned on the light to reveal Fury's face all bruised. Steve went to say something before Nick held up his hand and turned off the light.

He typed something on his phone which read, EARS EVERYWHERE. Elaila frowned. Were there any microphones in her apartment?

"I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash." He typed something else on his phone, SHIELD COMPROMISED.

"Who else knows about your wife?" Elaila asked.

Nick stood up and showed them his phone screen, YOU TWO AND ME.

"Just.. my friends." He sighed.

Elaila nodded wordlessly. "Is that what we are?" Steve asked seriously.

"That's up to you." Fury shrugged slightly.

★

Sorry, this was a boring chapter.. didn't really know what to do with it.