Call to Action

Through the Madness We Find, Loyalty Is No Match for Power

“Fuck this,” I groan, leaning against the counter, head cradled in my hands. Mariah props her hip against the counter; her hand is soft on the back of my neck, squeezing lightly. But it’s Barney’s hand that comes into view, pushing a glass in front of my face.

“I sent Roberto to Queens and Illyana to collect the others.” His voice is quiet; the tension from earlier bleeding out now that it’s only the three of us. “I’ll head off Austen and her friends, you can take care of business and then …”

I snort, “Don’t worry Barney; I have no plans to touch your niece’s virtue.”

“Not like you could,” my sister snickers; I lift my head enough to glare at her.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“You’re not exactly sweet talking the girl.” She leans down, our gaze catching as she whispers in my ear, “I know she’s getting to you, that’s why you called Yasha. You had to remind yourself you’re not allowed to have nice things, didn’t you? Personally, I think the two of you should fuck each other senseless, I hear that helps. And trust me, mio fratello, you need all the help you can get.”

Barney knocks against my arm with one hand, with his other he goes to cover Mariah’s mouth, we both ignore his “watch it, Mags.” She flutters her hand in his direction and I push her away. That was not something I needed Barney to hear. I don’t need him to know that there is something about Austen; she’s been getting under my skin since we started working together. That is, if you could call running—flying—in circles and bickering, working together. “You would know, wouldn’t you, Mari?” I snap, “I mean, that’s how you and Barney make shit work. Just fuck until you don’t have a single problem. I just spent the past day and a half with her, she’s not someone you sweet talk, she’s a fucking bi--“ Barney cuts me off, clearing his throat and making a show of cracking his knuckles. Standing as close as he is, it’s not something I can ignore. “She’s driving me insane,” I correct myself, scowling at Barney, “I’m not going to fuck her.”

“Good,” he says with a snarl in his tone, “because once this job is done, you’re out of her life. She doesn’t need someone like you hanging around and dragging her down.”

“That’s the plan.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have kissed her,” she finally steps away from the counter, from me, and drapes herself over Barney’s side. He catches her hand, look darkening in warning: you kissed my niece? he mouths while Mariah continues her tirade. “Maybe you should have walked away when Fury decided to add you to his gang of merry men. Better yet, Jase, maybe you should have stayed away like I told you. You’re not going to get anywhere if you try to keep up your …charade. I warned you and now you’re screwed. Good job.”

I hate that she has a point and we both know it. Mariah, like our mother, had been against me taking the job at Stark Industries to learn about Tony. But unlike our mother, Mariah never got over it. She never missed a chance to talk about how stupid of a decision I was making and how she had no desire to meet him.

“Just shut up, Mari, I’m not one of our soldiers. I don’t have to answer to you.”

“Clearly,” she mutters with a head toss, “or else we wouldn’t be dealing with this bullshit. As much as I like watching you screw up, who is going to clean up this mess? Do you really want to go head to head with Strucker?”

“I love going head to head with Strucker.”

“As much as I like watching you screw up, Jase, there’s something bigger going on. This kidnapping? It was too easy, I’ve seen the footage. Cade’s a distraction and someone else is pulling the strings. This is sloppy at best; they want you to find the Avengers. They put them in one of our holdings, per l’amor di Dio.”

“It’s HYDRA.”

Barney stands up from his chair, “did you plan to eventually tell us? Fuck, Jase! That’s my brother that they have! That’s my niece that is attempting to help you and my nephew that’s working with Cade.” It’s Mariah between us that stops it from turning into anything more than words.

“Yes! Jesus, I would never keep something like that from you, Barney!” I take a deep breath, “I told you I talked to Yasha earlier, he told me what was going on. He’s looking into it.”

Mariah huffs and leans back against the counter. She doesn’t have to say a thing; I know what she’s thinking. HYDRA is our problem – it’s everyone’s problem. They destroyed SHIELD years ago, but the Avengers kept going and eventually, rebuilt SHIELD. But HYDRA never went away for good. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place. Hail HYDRA! It didn’t help that they had sunk their grip deep within the Maggia: our grandfather was to thank for that. Even with his backing, they were still forced to rebuild themselves and it was nothing like before.

Our mother kicked them to the curb when she took over the Maggia. Whether it was due to some secret loyalty to Tony or to show her own power, I never asked. Without the Maggia’s backing, they were just as pathetic as they were the first time around, back in the forties with only Hitler to follow. They would never regain their full glory. It made no sense as to why they had someone as moronic as Cade running around doing their dirty work. Or mafia hit men on their pay.

“Can we really say that it’s Strucker?” Mariah asks, “I don’t think he would be stupid enough to go back on your deal. HYDRA is filled with loose cannons. It doesn’t make sense.”

“When does HYDRA ever make sense? They’ve proven that they just…they just act. Are we really going to waste our time trying to figure them out?” Barney questions as behind us, the door opens. A glance over my shoulder shows Roberto holding the door for Regan, Martinique and Wade. He spares a nod in their direction before speaking again. “I’ve got better things to do than debate Strucker’s actions.”

“Don’t we all,” Roberto agrees, leaning against the heavy metal. Regan hops onto the counter, ankles crossing and gloves coming off while her sister drops onto the couch with Wade. “It’s agreed that he’s behind this?”

“Not Strucker,” I shake my head, “I doubt it’s even his inner circle.”

“Could it be someone trying to catch his attention? HYDRA is notorious for hiring idiots,” Martinique leans forward, “I was watching Cade at the club, before we stepped in. He didn’t know who you were. I know he looked, but when he didn’t see the tattoo…”

“All he knows is that I’m Tony’s son.”

“I like Marti’s idea,” Barney starts, “what if Strucker didn’t hire them? HYDRA has a lot of people running around trying to claim their old glory and power. Any one of them could have seen the potential in Cade and Dufaigh.”

“Do you think they’re even part of HYDRA?”

I glance at Roberto, “I don’t know.”

“They’re a joke, how would they get to the Avengers in the first place?” Barney’s eyes narrow and he turns his attention to Mariah. “Wait a second…”

I catch the guilty look on my sister’s face and suddenly it dawns on me, the one thing I haven’t asked: “Mari? Why are you here?”

“What are you talking about, Jase? I’m here to help you.”

“No, you sent Barney to help me.” I frown, “you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t care. What did you do? What do you know?”

“Maggie…”

“Tony and I were supposed to have dinner together, the night that Cade kidnapped them,” she admits in a rush.

“Where you ever going to tell me this?”

She gives the slightest shake of her head, “not unless I really had too. I took precautions.”

“It doesn’t matter, Mari, our father used to sleep around. If there’s any chance that he could be doing it again or having dinner with someone that’s potentially his child?” She opens her mouth, “just because you look like mamma doesn’t mean you don’t look like him. Either way, the press will be all over it, but so will anyone looking for a way to get to an easy payday…” Payday “Payday! It’s a payday.”

“…so does this mean I can go save Captain America?” Wade asks and I nod,

“Marti, you’re going in. You know what to do?” She nods and stands, “Regan, you’re coming with me to the warehouse. Mari, go with Barney to Clint’s apartment, you guys have to stall her and her friends as long as you can.” I glance down at the suitcase.

“Bring it with you just in case,” Barney says softly, “it’ll throw them off.”

“I know.”