PART THREE: CIVIL WAR
[poem sourced via Pinterest]

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LAGOS
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Steve hadn't answered any of the questions thrown at him after New Year's. He didn't tell Natasha what he said, he didn't tell Tony what gift he gave Sadie. He did tell Wanda that yes, he felt better now, although he wondered if the reason for her non-intrusive question was because her powers meant she didn't need to ask anything else.

The only other question he'd answered was when Sam had asked Steve if he felt like a different man.

"No," he'd told him, despite knowing full well that his friend was only teasing. "I'm not a different man, and she's not a different woman."

It really was the truth. Sadie had been insistent they take things slow, something about self-disclosure, although Steve didn't really know how much of himself there was left to disclose.

"The superficial stuff," she'd laughed. "Like, what's my favourite colour?" He hadn't known. "Orange! Do you see what I mean now?"

So she was right, as she almost always was. It didn't mean that it was any easier though, playful dating when all Steve wanted was to something different, something more.

But Sadie wasn't ready for that, they both weren't ready for that, and so he took her on morning walks and she took him dancing and everything was the same except for one major detail- Steve could kiss her whenever he wanted, no more holding back.

And he could call her his- his what, exactly, they hadn't clarified, but she was his and he was hers, and that was all he needed to focus on for his heart to be full.

The hardest part was work. Maintaining professional, even in meetings like this weeks, when Sadie was so intelligent, and beautiful, and suddenly so clearly... wrong.

"I just think it's unethical," she said, to the group. "If we know HYDRA are attacking a civilian area, we need to get civilians out of said area. We'd do that if we were operating on American soil, why should we let our standards drop abroad?"

"We're not letting any standards drop," Steve said. "On US soil, we'd have a lot more resources. We can't risk losing Rumlow, not after so long chasing this guy."

"People are going to get caught up in this," Sadie argued. "And it makes no sense to not-"

"This is supposed to be a covert operation," Natasha said, to Steve's relief. "If we evacuate the area, we blow our cover. Ethics or no ethics, the whole thing would be over."

"And even if we get agents in posing as locals," Sam added. "There's too much risk of a mole getting in, feeding back to HYDRA and turning the whole thing into an ambush."

"So, you're all happy waltzing into Lagos without warning anyone? Not even the police?" Sadie asked, a certain fire in her expression. "Wanda?"

"I think..." the young woman on the other side of the table hesitated. "I think changing the plan now is more risk than it's worth."

Sadie only sighed, shuffled her papers, before nodding. "Alright. No need to put it to a vote then, I think we're all on the same page."

"Okay," Steve said, carefully. "Let's risk assess..."

The meeting continued that way for some forty minutes, until the team were finished throwing up different hazards, risks, precautions and plans for the mission in Lagos. Sadie seemed to come up with the most of them, highlighting hazards the rest of them would never have even thought of on a good day.

Only when Steve was satisfied that everyone knew the plan inside out did they finish off the meeting, and Sadie lingered behind as she always did, waiting until the others were gone before approaching him, wrapping her arms around his neck and he pulled her close by instinct, never any more comfortable than he was with her.

"Hey," she said, softly, with a mischievous smile that made his heart burst.

"Hey," he responded, stupidly, before she kissed him, and even with his eyes closed, he knew her hands were glowing from the warmth running down his spine. But of course, when she pulled away, Steve couldn't go without ruining the moment. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. It was a great suggestion."

Sadie only rolled her eyes, kissed him again quickly. "I thought we talked about this already?"

"Right," Steve chuckled, shaking his head. "No work talk when it's just the two of us."

"And when it's time to work we put our professional hats on," she grinned. "Other than that..."

"What are your plans tonight?" he asked, arms feeling empty as she stepped away, smoothing out her black scrubs.

"Why, do I have a date?" Sadie replied, cheekily, gathering her papers.

"If someone hasn't snagged you up first," Steve said, entertaining her. "I'll drop by the lab at seven."

~

"All right, what do you see?" Steve's voice crackled through Sadie's comms, as she watched the street from an alleyway opposite the outdoor café where Nat and Wanda drank.

What she wouldn't give to be out of the shade and into the sun, but her Aceso uniform would stick out like a sore thumb, even if the colours were more muted in her stealth suit.

But Sadie had to stay uniformed just as Steve and Sam were. The red cross on her lapel and her hat had to be visible, so that anyone who is hurt can easily identify her.

She didn't like it, especially in the humidity of Lagos, but this wasn't a fashion show.

"Standard beat cops. Small station," Wanda said, her voice soft as if she commented on nothing more significant than the weather. "Quiet street. It's a good target."

"Sadie, what about your end?" Steve asked, and her eyes darted across the crowds once more for good measure.

"Yeah, it's quiet," Sadie agreed, a frown still on her face no matter how much she tried to relax her brow. "But I've counted at least two hundred civilians in the surrounding area. That's not including those inside."

"They've picked now for a reason," Natasha responded. "Could have went for a quiet Tuesday morning."

"So they wanted people around," Wanda concluded, and dread filled Sadie's stomach to think that yes, they did. HYDRA wanted specifically to make a show of their impending attack on the police.

"We have to keep this fight small, everyone," Sadie warned the team, as her eyes fell on a mother carrying her two children in wraps around her body "Too many people around."

"Agreed," Steve said, before continuing with his observations. "There's an ATM in the south corner, which means..."

"Cameras," Wanda said, quickly.

"Both cross streets are one way," Steve continued.

"So, compromised escape routes," Wanda said, and Sadie's heart was in her mouth. She couldn't keep herself from thinking about all the people around them, unsuspecting innocents, about to be caught up in combat.

"Our guy doesn't care about being seen, and he isn't afraid to make a mess on the way out," Steve said, confirming her worries.

"A mess meaning structures damaged and people hurt," Sadie said, trying not to sound bitter. "We'll have to be ready for it."

"We will be. It's what you're here for, Aceso," he replied, not unkindly, but his voice was firm. He was right. They couldn't change the plan now. They all knew her opinions. She should focus. "You see that Range Rover halfway up the block?"

"Yeah, the red one?" Wanda said, her voice perking up only just. "It's cute."

"It's also bulletproof," Natasha pointed out, and as soon as she said so, it was clear as day. Armoured. "Which means private security, which means more guns, which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us."

"You guys know I can move things with my mind, right?" Wanda said, and Sadie almost laughed.

"And Sadie can heal a GSW, doesn't mean I'm going to let myself get shot," Natasha responded.

"Yes, but if you did get shot, you'd be okay," Wanda said.

"Hey, if this whole team starts getting sloppy 'cause I'm here I might stop treating you all," Sadie said, half-jokingly. She truly hoped Wanda's attitude was only a joke.

"Wanda," Natasha said. "Looking over your shoulder needs to become second nature."

"Anybody ever tell you you're a little paranoid?" Sam sounded.

"Not to my face. Why?" Natasha asked, and Sadie could see her smile from a mile away. "Did you hear something?"

"He did, and a hundred percent of it is from me," Sadie grinned, but the smile fell off her face as she observed a group of school children playing football a short distance away. This wasn't right.

"And just like that I'm cured," Nat joked. "Aceso really does work wonders, huh?"

"Eyes on target, folks," Steve reminded them. There wasn't a trace of anxiety in his voice, only an eagerness Sadie had seen time and time again. The sort that made her worry. "This is the best lead we've had on Rumlow in six months. I don't want to lose him."

"If he sees us coming that won't be a problem, he kind of hates us."

Sadie noticed the school children darted quickly to one side of the narrow road as a garbage truck drove slowly forward, knocking aside stalls, cars and even coming close to hitting pedestrians as stall owners shouted in protest, throwing items at the truck. The heavy clangs, and the shape of the wheels under pressure told her it was close to full.

"Cap, are you seeing this?" Sadie said, focusing her gaze to see the driver, and although she only caught a glimpse, it was telling. "The driver doesn't look local."

"Affirmative," he responded, and was quiet again for a moment. "Sam, see that garbage truck? Tag it."

It wasn't long before Sadie caught sight of Sam's drone as the truck turned into the side-street nearest to her, and he navigated Redwing under the moving vehicle. Sadie turned her eyes back to observing the crowds, noting who may be vulnerable. Children, elderly, pregnant...

"That truck's loaded for max weight," Sam said, gravely. "And the driver's armed."

"Shit," Sadie breathed, gauging the distance between her and the truck now, the speed it was driving, and whether or not she should risk blowing their cover to get to it.

"It's a battering ram," Natasha said, and Sadie didn't need to hear much more as she sprinted forward, Steve's voice next to sound in her ear.

"Go now," he ordered, and Sadie pushed herself faster. "He's not hitting the police."

The truck was moving slowly previously, but as soon as the driver spotted her, it began to speed up, swerving left and right and knocking down obstacles as it went. Sadie never let up speed, leaping over the crates and broken stalls, keeping half an eye to notice that bystanders were jumping out of the path to safety.

She pushed on faster, noticing a pile of crates in her way further down the road. A year ago, it would've seemed like a mountain to jump at this speed.

Now, she noticed the crates were all positioned perfectly enough to make for a step ladder. Sadie pushed all her weight off it as she sprinted, using her momentum to propel herself forward, and using her height to reach forward in the air, grasping onto the truck with ease.

"Civilian injuries?" she panted as she pulled herself up, the truck still attempting to shake her off but the size and weight of it made for a more stable base than she would've thought.

"None yet," Wanda responded, and Sadie took that as her cue to move forward, staying as flat as she could to keep balance.

Interestingly, there was no smell of garbage, so what was the truck full of? As she reached the hood of the driver's seat there were shots, and she cast a forcefield around herself, watching the bullets get lodged in.

Good. Let him run out. But instead of the shots continuing, there were no more as the truck door fell open to her right and the driver leapt out, rolling on the sand road as he went.

Horrified, she looked forward, noticed the security and bollards the unmanned truck was approaching, and she had seconds to move. She knew that building. Had been there before.

Stupidly, Sadie let down her forcefield and didn't make to get off the truck but rather, swept herself into the driver's seat as quickly as she could. But a fraction of a second after she hit the brakes, felt herself surging backward with the abruptness of slowing, the truck collided with the barriers, and she was thrown forward through the windshield with the force of it.

Sadie threw up her hands to protect her eyes from the glass, and cast another forcefield around herself, but she could already feel the whiplash kicking in, even as the dust cleared and she was protected from the rubble around her.

She pulled herself to her feet, groaning as she rolled back her shoulders, pins and needles rushing down her spine. She'd have to get it checked out.

But before she could even attempt to palpate the muscle, a yellow truck raced towards her, and she dived out of its path. The roll she landed in strained her neck even more. As she leapt to her feet, Sadie quickly rubbed her glowing hand over the back of her neck, picturing the torn muscles returning to their regular elasticity.

A moment later, she was under fire again, four gunmen poised straight at her, as she ducked behind a pile of rock. Sadie's hands reached instinctively for the gun strapped to her side. She hesitated. Could hear the shots getting closer and closer as the armed men approached.

She could shield herself with a forcefield, but that was only a short term solution. If she wanted to use her combative powers to knock them down, the forcefield would have to go anyway. And the gun...

No, Sadie wouldn't use the gun.

She fastened it back to her utility belt and stood, praying to God the bullets would only hit her shock absorbent suit and not her flesh. If Paris had taught her anything, it was that her body seemed to neglect her abilities when under extreme injury- an ironic fight or flight response

Sadie let her hands glow, made a slicing motion through the air and the men were all disarmed at once. She didn't give them time to react, instantly charging at them, never turning her back to any at a time as she landed blows, her powers sending out combative strikes in sync with the movement of her limbs. Two men down.

There was a blast of air over her head and she knew it was Sam, could see Steve in the corner of her eye taking down at least four men in seconds. She focused on her own work.

"Body armor, AR-15's," she heard him say as she dodged assaults from the two soldiers she faced. "I make seven hostiles."

The punches she landed on the remaining two with her hands harnessing her power were ever more effective, but there was suddenly an arm around her neck from behind, and her breathing was restricted. Sadie let her weight drop, breaking the mans hold and twisting his grip, throwing him forward into the second goon, and sending two bright blue strikes at them. The men around her were out cold.

"Five," Sadie corrected, catching her breath.

"I make three," Sam said, then a moment later, after the sound of more commotion from him and Wanda. "Two. Piece of cake."

She glanced around her, looking for the injured Institute security guards she'd noticed as the truck plowed in, but they were nowhere to be seen. Likely beneath the rubble. And unfortunately, a job she would have to leave for fire and rescue.

"Let's not celebrate too early," Steve said, and Sadie nodded jogging over to the courtyard where he, Sam and Wanda were.

"I agree," she said, securing her hat. "There were five more headed into the Institute."

"Rumlow's on the third floor," Sam said, navigating Redwing. "And Sadie, there's still a couple of those gas and gunshot victims holding on if we can clear a way for you to get in."

"I don't need anything cleared," Sadie said, rummaging through her utility belt and tying the fabric of a sling around her mouth before moving to enter the building. There was a hand on her arm, a strong grip she knew to be Steve's.

"That stuff could kill you," he said, firmly.

"Well, it's killing them already. Listen, I've dealt with this sort of thing before," Sadie argued, as professionally as she could. "Near Agent Orange shit in Afghanistan-"

"Doesn't matter," Steve replied, simply. "Wanda will get it out."

"Great, then I won't have to put up with it for long," she said, pulling her arm free and jogging forward in through the doors. She could hear the team behind her continuing on, hear the smashing of glass as Wanda propelled Steve into the building.

The building was dark and her eyes stung immediately from the gas in the air. Sadie didn't let herself panic, kept her breathing to short shallow breaths and held them for as long as she could as she moved.

She didn't hold back the tears caused by the gas either, let them clean her eyes before soaking into the material of her makeshift mask. Sadie blinked them away only to scan the room for a water source, following the same principles as she would smoke from a fire.

Immediately, she found a water fountain at the back of the lobby- Sadie dropped onto her stomach, started a commando crawl towards the fountain.

When she reached it, she took another short breath, the gas burning her throat before she removed her mask and doused it in the cool, uncontaminated water. It proved as a filter when she put it over her mouth, not exactly making the air clean, but breathable and-

There.

Sadie had spotted her first patient. A man taking ragged breaths, clutching the gunshot wound to his shoulder. She crawled over to him, and pressed onto his wound with some packing, quickly taking a mental estimate of his age, weight, all the things she would need to consider in her healing.

"Hello, sir?" Sadie said, as loudly as she could, tapping on the man's good collarbone. "Sir, can you hear me?"

No response. During her research, Sadie had found that there were countless dialects in Nigeria, but there were three in particular most common in Lagos. She'd learned key phrases in each one just for today, tried them all to no avail. All she heard was a wheezing, gasping for breath against the gas.

Even if she stopped the bleeding, the gas would get him first, and there was nothing she could do to prevent that. Sadie checked her watch, liquid leaking from her eyes. She'd only been in the building thirty seconds. She predicted two minutes before the gas became life threatening.

"Here," Sadie said, as she tore the soaked mask from her face, and pressed it over the man's mouth and nose. The gas hit her like a wave, restricting her throat as she gasped over her words. "Try to use this to breathe."

Then, she let her hands glow, holding her burning breath as she began to heal the bleeding before her. There was a rumbling in the distance, a pressure in the air, and Sadie glanced up down the hall, never letting her healing pause. There was light, specks of red light and green smoke headed towards her, and her heart dropped to her stomach.

She should have gotten away from the exit.

"Wanda you're bringing it straight to me!" Sadie shouted, shielding the patients face with her torso as she held her hand to her mouth and nose, her head against the ground as she screwed her eyes shut.

"I'm trying- there's a lot of it," Wanda responded down the comms, but Sadie was already surrounded by the green mist, her lungs screaming for air as she held her breath- clean air!

She knew that she could hold her breath for longer than this, she'd been doing it the whole time she was in the building. But the suddenness of the gas surrounding her meant she couldn't catch a proper breath, and the seconds it washed over her felt like minutes.

Her patient shifted beneath her, groaning loudly against her ribs- she knew she was suffocating him, but it was temporary, and better than the alternative. If they could both just hold on...

Sadie was beginning to feel dizzy.

"Clear, Isadora!" Wanda shouted and Sadie immediately threw herself back on her heels, as both her and her patient gasped for breath, taking in gulps of the impeccably pure air Wanda had filtered.

"Thank you," Sadie coughed, eyes still watering as she resumed her healing.

But the man's wound was already halfway healed, and he had finally stopped losing blood. Looking at her progress, she thought the brief spell of choking to be worth it, one hundred percent.

"Rumlow's got a biological weapon," Steve's voice announced as she worked, and Sadie's mind immediately scanned through the possibilities of what it could be.

"Do we know what it is?" she asked. "Is it airborne?"

"I couldn't tell you," he answered. "But they can't leave the city with that vial."

A chorus of agreement from everyone, except Sadie. She hesitated, glancing around her even as she finished healing the man before her. He was breathing, only unconscious. She put him into recovery position.

"I gotta check on the others in this building," she said, pulling herself to her feet.

"There aren't any others in the building," Sam said, his voice slightly melancholy. "I did a scan- he was the last one left."

Sadie glanced around her at the bodies scattered around the building as anger surged in her chest. A lot of them wore doctor's coats not dissimilar to the one she wore at Stark, or Adrianne wore at the Presbyterian. HYDRA had taken the lives of all these researchers, for what? One vial?

She sure as hell wouldn't let them take that vial home.

"Alright," Sadie said, into the comms. "On my way out. What's waiting for me?"

. . .

. .

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Whoo! So we're here at last!! Not gonna lie I struggled with the pacing of this chapter a little, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out in the end, and I'm even happier than I got it out on time for you guys!

Thank you all so much for all the love on the previous chapter, I honestly was so happy to see you all liked Stadie's first kiss, especially considering it was a big change to the storyline that I was so nervous about!

Also want to say hello to the few new readers I've noticed over the past few weeks- and thank all of you for 20k (which we hit a while ago, but I kept forgetting to include because I'm terrible), it means so much to me!!

As usual, please vote, and tell me what you thought of this update!

-Amber.