Liar

Kennedy flipped up the collar of her leather jacket as the breeze picked up slightly. Ever since Loki had come into town the weather had been funky. Stormy and rainy for the longest time and now it was going between a normal summer day and mid-fall day. She wished that it would stop and hoped that she wouldn’t catch a cold from any of this. That was the last thing that she needed was a cold.

The breeze ruffled her short hair, pushing it from her face as she walked along the sidewalk. She kept her hands slipped inside the pockets of her jacket, blue-lensed eyes glancing around casually. Her gun was pressed against the small of her back where it had been all day. She wished she had a knife with her though.

Her entire body felt like it was on the edge, and for good reason. She’d spent the better part of the day inside Stark Tower. Natasha, Freyja, and Clint put her on edge the most. She wasn’t as concerned about the rest despite the fact that there was still the faint chance that they would recognize her. Those three, though, they made her feel like she was balancing on a wire over the Grand Canyon.

Kennedy had avoided being around Freyja and Clint as much as she could. She’d only worked with Clint for a short amount of time but they’d been in close proximity during that time. She’d grown up with Freyja. Kennedy had to be careful not to let habits that the blonde might recognize pop out.

With Natasha, she was careful around the woman in general. She had spent most of the previous night reading through whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel files that she could get her hands on. The information that she’d managed to gather on Natasha gave her plenty of reason to be worried. If she could avoid the Russian red-head then she might make it out of this alive.

She came to a stand-still, blue eyes scanning the crowd slowly. It took only a moment before she found Kolby standing near the cross-walk. Kennedy’s hand lifted in acknowledgment towards her friend before she quickly made her way over.

If there was any one person that Kennedy could relate to in this business, it was Kolby. When she couldn’t work with Rocko or by herself, Kennedy worked with Kolby. It had been a few weeks since she’d seen Kolby, if only because Kolby did mercenary work when she absolutely had to now. Kennedy did it because she didn’t want a nine-to-five job.

“Thanks for the heads up on the make-over,” Kolby said dryly as her gaze flicked over Kennedy’s appearance.

“Thanks for letting me know if Rose got better,” Kennedy returned, only slightly waspishly from her shot nerves.

Kolby’s brows raised slightly but she said nothing as Kennedy glanced around the sidewalk in silence. That was how they stood for a long minute, silent. It didn’t bother Kennedy. It gave her a chance to collect herself.

“Long day?” Kolby asked.

“You can say that again,” Kennedy muttered. “Sorry, by the way.”

“It’s cool. You look like you could use a three week vacation to somewhere nice and warm.”

“Don’t tease like that.”

Kolby smiled before stepping off the sidewalk as the walk signal lit up. They fell into step as they crossed the streets, barely glancing at the cars and people around them. It was almost ten o’clock at night but the city had barely slowed down. That, for some reason, was reassuring.

“How is she? Rose?” Kennedy asked finally.

Rose was Kolby’s seven year old daughter. And the main reason that Kolby only did mercenary work when she absolutely had to. Kolby’s daughter was in and out of hospitals and doctor’s offices so often, it was easier to ask how many times she hadn’t been sick. Mercenary work helped pay those bills. It was quick cash, and a lot of it, if the job was done right. It was also dangerous but that was something that they had to overlook.

“She’s good. A month without getting sick so…fingers crossed,” Kolby replied, lifting her crossed fingers slightly. “But what’s up with you? I’ve been hearing rumors on the grapevine.”

“Do you know anything about S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Kennedy asked.

“I know enough to know that you are in way over your head when you mention them.”

Kennedy looked over at Kolby to see that her friend was dead serious right now. She didn’t blame her. She was starting to feel like she’d dug herself a hole that she had no chance of getting out of. And she wasn’t coming up with a plan anytime soon.

“Listen to me,” Kolby said, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and turning to face her, “you do not want to go down that road. Rocko’s brother and my brother went down that road. Nobody’s seen them since then. They will put a bullet in your skull if they have to.”

“I’m already well down that road,” Kennedy shrugged helplessly. “If I had an alternative option, I would take it. But right now? I’m sitting in the middle of an organization that is hunting me down. The faster I can get the ball rolling, the faster I can get the hell out of dodge.”

“Why not just lay low and let things cool down? After all the fiascos that have gone here lately?” Kolby shook her head. “Lay low and let this keep them occupied.”

“I’m involved with those fiascos,” she replied flatly. “I’m the thing keeping them occupied. I’m playing double agent here.”

Kolby stared at her for several long, long minutes. Swallowing, Kennedy glanced around casually. She half-expected Natasha or Clint, or even Steve, to pop up out of nowhere. She was waiting on them to pop up and come at her.

“What do you need me to do?” Kolby asked finally. “And don’t give me that bull shit. You didn’t come out here just to see if I was still alive. You came out here because you needed something from me.”

Kennedy managed to look wounded for a few seconds. “I came out here for both reasons, thank you very much.”

A grin flitted briefly across Kolby’s face before she grew serious again. With a sigh, Kennedy rubbed her neck and nodded.

“I don’t need anything right now. But I will. Once I get something down, I need you on my team. One mission. That’s all.”

“But a mission involving S.H.I.E.L.D., yeah?”

Kennedy nodded. Her brain seemed to think that now was a good time to start forming a plan. Once she found the scepter, which was probably in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody on the helicarrier, she’d need to get it. Rocko, Kolby, and she with a few other disposables could handle it. In and out. She’d make sure her alias was where her alias needed to be so that her cover didn’t get blown.

“One mission is all I’m holding you for,” Kolby said finally. “You ever think about getting out while you’re ahead? You’ve got enough saved up, I know.”

Kennedy shrugged slightly, “I’ve thought about it. A little. This might be it because I operate well under stress but this is…this is insane. Even for me.”

“Good to hear you growing up,” Kolby smirked. “Finally.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kennedy muttered. “Get home to your kid, old lady. I’ve got a guy that I need to go make sure isn’t suffering too badly from PTSD.”

“Be careful. You got your piece on you?”

Kennedy nodded, reaching back to brush her hand against her gun before she turned and walked away. She felt bad about involving Kolby, especially with her daughter doing good, but it needed to be done. All she needed was to make it through that one mission and then she’d breathe a little easier.

She took the subway to Brooklyn, where Steve’s apartment and local gym were. As she rode, she checked his location on her S.H.I.E.L.D. phone. The gym. Unsurprising. She checked it again once she got off the subway just to make sure he was still at the gym.

Satisfied that he was still there, she flipped the collar of her jacket up and started walking down the sidewalk. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up and goose bumps crawled along her skin in warning. Hunching her shoulders slightly, Kennedy glanced around before adjusting her face. She wanted to reach for her gun but she didn’t, not yet.

Someone walked out onto the sidewalk about one hundred feet away. The probability that they would try to come after her was unlikely but it still made her shot nerves light up. Her fingers curled into fists as she walked. There was no need to go for her gun yet.

Glancing around, Kennedy didn’t see anyone else as she walked. It wasn’t that late in her opinion but it was to others apparently. She felt like she was walking into a set-up and ground her teeth together. Her stomach tightened almost nervously.

When she looked ahead, the person had disappeared. Her arm twitched, almost reaching for her gun, but she restrained herself. She was getting to be paranoid because of her new situation. One day and she was already seeing ‘bad’ guys lurking everywhere.

The scuff of a boot behind her made her turn and she didn’t restrain herself as she lashed out with a quick punch. It connected with a dull thud and Kennedy turned to run before she ran into what felt like a solid wall of muscle. For a moment, her brain registered Steve but the smell of menthols and cheap beer overrode that.

She back-stepped a quick two steps before pulling up as she remembered the other guy. Kennedy swallowed almost nervously as the adrenaline started pumping. The cocky part of her brain perked up, reminding her that she’d beaten bigger and stronger guys than this. The logical part of her brain told her not to make a wrong move and get in a bad situation.

“It’s a little late for a girl like you to be out by yourself, ain’t it?”

“Really, that’s the line you’re going to use?” Kennedy asked sarcastically.

The logical part of her brain kicked her in the ass for that comment.

“I like feisty girls,” the first guy sneered, leering at her as she shifted.

“And I like puppies but you don’t see me cornering one in the dark so that I can have it,” Kennedy shot back acidly.

The filter on her brain really wasn’t working that well tonight, she thought, as the first guy made a swipe at her. Kennedy dodged and lashed out quickly. For just the briefest moment, she took her eyes off the second guy to make sure that she didn’t miss. Taking out one guy quickly and making this a one-on-one fight would level the playing field immensely. She had training but they had bulk, height and strength.

A hand snapped against the side of her face as she turned to deliver a punch of her own. Disoriented, Kennedy stumbled backwards, blinking. She dodged a second punch, ducking and driving her knee into the second’s stomach. His arm wrapped around her to jerk her off balance.

She stumbled again, bumping into a wall before quickly moving away. She didn’t want to get pinned against a wall. Already, she’d managed to get herself forced towards an alley.

Going to draw her gun, Kennedy couldn’t help the strangled yelp that snuck out when she was shoved, arm trapped behind her body, against the brick wall. Her elbow throbbed from where it connected against the bricks. There was a body far too close to hers for comfort either.

Her leg lashed out and she drove the back of her spiked boot into the back of a calf muscle. A strangled snarl led a foul exhale of stale breath into her face. Kennedy’s nose wrinkled and she managed to force a glob of spit out before the side of her face became connected with the brick.

The rough stone bit into the side of her face and she felt blood bead up in places. Snarling, Kennedy twisted and thrashed as best as she could to free herself up. The hand holding her face slipped as she thrashed while the other clawed at the buckle to her jeans.

Without hesitating, Kennedy turned her head and dug her teeth into his hand savagely. She bit down until her jaws ached and then bit down some more. The hand’s owner howled as his hand pummeled her ribcage mercilessly. It wasn’t the side with the broken ribs at least.

She let go as she felt the skin begin to tear only to have a fist connect with the side of her face. She stumbled, wobbling in an attempt to keep her feet beneath her. Her previously pinned hand still had her gun in it and she swung it up as the unbitten attacker advanced on her.

“One more step and I swear I’ll kill you,” Kennedy snarled, teeth baring.

“You don’t have the balls,” he sneered those his voice wavered.

“Neither do you,” she sneered back before dropping her aim and squeezing the trigger.

She didn’t blink when he dropped, screaming, and she barely batted an eyelash at his buddy as she bolted away. The thought to put her gun away didn’t even cross her mind. The thought that she’d just left a perfect imprint of her teeth on some guy’s hand barely registered. For a brief moment, she panicked and then remembered that she didn’t exist.

That didn’t stop her from sprinting all the way to Steve’s gym though. She slumped against the doorway, hands shaking and trembling so violently that she almost dropped her gun three times. After a moment, she pulled open the door and slipped inside as quietly as she could.

From here, she could hear the heavy thuds of a punching bag being used. Instead of making her way towards them, she peeled off towards the bathroom. She slipped inside quietly, hands still trembling visibly.

Her gun clattered on the sink counter but she’d at least remembered to thumb the safety on. She was hesitant to look at herself in the mirror. Really, she half-expected to see her face as a giant black and blue mess already. Bruises were something that she had come far too acquainted with.

The right side of her face was red and beginning to swell already. The punches had hurt but that didn’t look to have done too much damage. She was hoping that it would just be light bruising on that side of her face. The left side of her face was more scratched up and bleeding in places though.

Tearing off a length of paper towel, Kennedy soaked it in water before cleaning her face. She ignored how her elbow and shoulder ached. She ignored how the opposite side of her ribs began to throb. Compared to her broken ribs, this pain was miniscule. She’d felt each of those punches as they landed. There wasn’t enough strength behind them, just frantic swatting to get her off.

With the blood cleaned off, the left side of her face didn’t look as bad. Some Neosporin would be needed once she got home. If she went out as herself and not Agent Anderson, she’d needed to make sure the bruises and scratches were covered. That wouldn’t be too much of a hassle hopefully.

“I’m okay,” she breathed to herself, blue eyes holding her gaze in the mirror. “I’m okay.”

Kennedy repeated that over and over for five minutes before tucked her gun away and left the bathroom. Her hands still trembled though. She chalked it up to the adrenaline rush and ignored it. She was okay. Just because something had almost happened didn’t mean it had happened.

Their intention had been to rape her, Kennedy knew that. She wasn’t going to let this linger over and leave her incapacitated though. She wasn’t going to let this affect her. She had faced far worse many times over by far crueler people dozens of times. Those hadn’t bothered her as much as this had though.

“I am okay,” she murmured softly before inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.

“Kylie?”

Kennedy jumped, turning and drawing her gun without hesitation. It was pointed at Steve, the safety off and her finger on the trigger. His blue eyes were slightly wide in alarm as he stood there, hands raised in peace. She quickly thumbed the safety off and put the gun away.

“Are you okay? What happened to your face?” Steve asked, brow furrowing.

“I’m okay,” she replied. “Sorry for almost shooting you.”

“You sure you’re okay?” he asked again, ignoring her question.

She swallowed and nodded once before combing a hand back through her short hair. Steve’s blue gaze lingered on her though. He was sweaty and still breathing a little heavier than normal. She noticed that as he undoubtedly noticed the scratches and bruises forming on her face.

“If you don’t want that to bruise so bad, you need to ice it,” he finally said quietly. “And you’ll need to clean those scratches with something so they don’t get infected. Let’s go back to my place and call a taxi or something so you don’t have to walk home.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Kennedy nodded.

Steve just nodded a little and walked out of the gym with Kennedy following. He fell into step beside her as they walked. His taller, muscular form dwarfed hers in a way that should have been intimidating but wasn’t. He didn’t make her feel threatened, only protected. That didn’t make her uneasy but it still rubbed her skin wrong, only slightly though.

“Any particular reason you’re way out here this late?” Steve asked once they were in his apartment.

“You know me,” Kennedy shrugged, “just out looking for trouble.”

“It looks like you found it.”

She didn’t miss the dry, sarcastic way that he said it. A thin grin tugged at her lips and she didn’t force it away. Her shoulder pressed against the kitchen doorframe, blue eyes watching him.

“You’re never going to get a taxi out here now,” Kennedy said in response. “Just so you know.”

“I figured as much,” Steve replied with a shrug. “Tea?”

“So are you trapping me here? Or just being a gentleman? And, yes, tea sounds wonderful.”

She couldn’t help but grin. She even attempted to hide it but gave up after a few seconds. Steve glanced over at her and his eyebrows rose at her grin.

“I’ll bunk on the couch,” she said before he could say anything.

“You don’t have to sleep-”

“Offering to share your bed?”

Steve gave her a look in reprimand that she could only bat her eyelashes playfully towards. Despite the fact that someone had attempted to rape her only thirty minutes ago, she was openly flirting with Steve. He didn’t seem to mind though. And she needed to act like everything was normal. It made everything normal for her.