Call to Action

“You really don’t trust them, do you?” I hear Jamie chuckle. “Not that I blame you. Everyone in that apartment is as shady as the next. I don’t see why we need them. They could be leading us away from the Avengers. This is probably a trap.”

I lower the binoculars from my eyes and I turn around, glaring at him. “The only one in that room that could be trusted is Barney Barton, my uncle. I agree that the rest are shady at best but I don’t think this is a trap. Jase may not be overly sharing his relationship with his dad but I can see it in his eyes; he’s scared. Take it from a girl who has two extremely important men trapped in some warehouse. I know the look and I share it. He’s not as good of an actor as he think he is.”

“But do you trust them?” He asks. “If you did, we wouldn’t be here would we?”

“I only trust a handful of people, most of which are victims in this whole clusterfuck of events,” I sigh. “I may trust my uncle, but the people he’s hang out with is making me question. I’m just wondering who he’s loyal to at the moment. Them or his blood.”

“He wouldn’t put you in harms way,” Kate reassures me. “He loves you too much. I know it would kill him if anything bad happened to you again; especially at the hands of Cade.”

“But that doesn’t give me an answer as to why we’re here?” Jamie questions. “Why are we spying on people that could potentially kill us?”

“If they wanted us dead, it would have happened by now.” I tell him. “Jase knows Deadpool. If he truly wanted us out of the picture, we would be six feet under and rotting by now. Deadpool isn’t someone you want to mess with.

“But to answer your question, we’re here to see what’s taking so long.” I finally reply to his question. “Jase is stalling. He’s probably coming up with a plan. He’s probably going to go recklessly into whatever warehouse they are located in and send someone to delay us. For whatever reason, he doesn’t want me -us- to go with him.”

“And why is that?” Kate questions. “He could use all the help he can get. I’m honestly surprised he’s not going to use you as bait. Cade wants you, screw everyone else. Cade would do anything to get his hands on you.”

“I’m not going to try and figure out how Jase Stark’s mind works,” I let out a humorless chuckle as I turn back to Jase’s apartment building, I bring up the binoculars back to my eyes as go back to watching Jase and his merry band of criminals…

What feels like forever, Jase and Co walk out of his apartment heading to their cars. I turn to Kate and Jamie, “Jamie you’re going to head to SHIELD while Kate and I tail Jase.”

“Why can’t I come too?”

“You’ll slow us down,” I reply. “Kate and I know this city like the back of our hands. We know the ins and outs. Just go to SHIELD and wait for me to call you with the location.” He’s about to open his mouth and argue with me, “I wouldn’t argue if I were you. You’ll lose. Just do as you’re told; time is of the essence.” He huffs and walks away, leaving me and Kate alone.

“You ready Birdie?” She questions me.

“Let’s get this done and over with,” I reply as we begin our descent down the building and towards her car…

***

“Hey Barb Wire, we’re here to take the drugs by force not by showing cleavage,” Jason chuckles as I get off my crotch rocket.

“You’re just jealous,” I laugh as I take off my helmet and secure my black and red mask in its rightful place. “So what kind of drug are we taking off their hands? Thrill? Vertigo?”

“Fear Gas,” he replies. “They are turning it into a recreational drug now apparently.”

I scoff, “who in their right mind would want to be exposed to their greatest fears.”

“Idiots,” he laughs. “You ready Hells? Ready to kick some ass. Maybe if we get this done in time we can get home and have our own fun.” He winks at me. I just chuckle as I follow him into the warehouse; despite the bad feeling brewing in the pit of my stomach.

I stare at the group of warehouses in front of me. They look much like the ones in Starling City; but then again they’re just warehouses. There aren’t many different ways to design a warehouse.

In the corner of my eye, I can see Kate looking at me. “You okay?” She asks. “It’s finally over with, isn’t it? Your search for the one who kidnapped the Avengers. You can breath easier.”

“The mission just started,” I reply as I put on the old red and black mask I used to wear all the time. “Now it’s time for the hard part to start; getting in and out without any bloodshed.”

“It’s Cade,” she reminds me. “Are you seriously telling me you aren’t tempted to get even with him? Hurt him like he hurt you?”

“And stoop to his level?” I counter. “I tried that once before. It didn’t end well. I became addicted to the bloodlust. Hurting him and his men like they did me nearly cost me my life. So no, I’m not tempted to hurt him; not anymore. What I do want is him behind bars for the rest of his fucking life. He messed with the wrong person. He’s going to see I’m not that little girl he broke four years ago. I became something else.”

Kate looks at me, proudly. “I’m so proud of you, you’ve become the girl all of us knew you could be; especially Oliver. You’ve come a long way since your Hellequin days.”

“Don’t bring him up,” I warn her. “Now let’s see if we can catch up with Jase before he does something stupid; like get himself killed.”

“He’s gotten under your skin, hasn’t he?” My best friend smirks, already knowing the answer. “I haven’t seen a guy get you this worked up since Oliver. Finally you’ve moved on.”

“Keep your mind at the task at hand Hawkeye,” I stress her codename. “How should we enter the warehouse; break in or let someone capture us and bring us to Cade?”

“Go in guns ablazin’.” She smirks as she prepares her bow. “Like old times?”

I pat myself down, making sure my guns are concealed as well as my battle staves. A smile appears on my lips as I read my own bow. “Like old times…”

”Guns ablazin’?” I question Jason as we sneak closer to the warehouse. “Is this a smart idea?”

“At most there are three guys there; there are always three guys there.” He informs me. “We can take them. And we might as well make a damn good entrance doing it.”

“Something doesn’t feel right,” I admit to him. “There are way too many cars here to only have three people inside.”

“Stop worrying will you?” He chuckles and I can only imagine the smirk on his lips behind his mask. “What’s the worst that can happen Hells?”

A sigh escapes my lips as he turns and walks away from me. “I wish you didn’t ask me that question…” I whisper to myself before running to catch up with him…