Call to Action

“Please tell me you guys have found something useful,” I grumble as I head to the bridge, “I’ve got finals I need to do.”

“I’m sure you’re cosmetology school will allow you to take the finals at another time,” Jason smugly says as he falls in behind me.

“I have a feeling there is a blonde joke hidden behind that smug comment.” I sneer at him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Just because I’m blonde, doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

“Sure it doesn’t,” he chuckles as he puts a hand on my shoulder, “keep telling yourself that to make you feel better.”

“I’m going to feel real amazing when I get my degrees in Computer Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering.” I spit out in anger. Jason turns around to look at me with a confused look on his face. A smirk -a smug one at that- appears on my lips. He looks like a deer caught in a car’s headlights. “Speechless Stark?”

“It’s Frost, Barton.” He quickly corrects me, in an annoyed -and impatient- tone.

“Looks like a duck, acts like a duck and sounds like a duck; it must be a duck.” I remind him, “you’re a Stark through and through; get used to it pretty boy. No other name is going to change that.”

“Will you two children stop the arguing?” Nick growls in annoyance as he enters the room, “we’ve got important information to tell you guys.”

“This better be important, we haven’t gotten all day.” Jason voices, “the sooner we get them back the sooner I get to leave and be far away from Agent Barbie over there.”

“Agent Barbie?” I question him, “another joke on my hair color? I’m more than just my hair color. I’m smart and I could kick your ass.”

“I’d like to see you try Princess, “ Jason says as he swaggers over to me, getting dangerously close to me, “I’ve been preparing for something like this my whole life.”

“And so have I.” I counter, never breaking eye contact, “I’m the only one out of our little partnership that truly knows how to be an agent.”

“Do you guys want to hear what Fury has to say?” I hear Sharon call out. I break eye contact with Jason to look at Sharon. Her face looks worn down and tired with the subtle hint of annoyance.

“What do you have Fury?” I ask the Director, giving the king of spies my full attention.

The Director is about to open his mouth but before he could get a word out, Jason cuts him off. “They have nothing but a list of people that could have potentially kidnapped them.”

“So you guys are about as clueless as we are?” I question them, “I’m sure both Jason and myself could have made up that list. We both know the list of people that want our parents maimed and dying.”

“I agree, you’re clearly wasting our time.” Jason agrees with me, “I’m sure we could find out who has our parents long before you can.”

“Then I suppose you don’t need the henchman we found sneaking off Stark Towers property just before the explosion.” Fury says, waving a manila folder in the air.

“Where there is a henchman there are masterminds.” I muse, “you have our attention.” Jason shoots me a look, telling me he isn’t happy that I spoke for him.

“His name is Daymond Cade, he’s a---” Fury starts, but I cut him off.

“He’s a henchman for various evil masterminds.” I finish off, “he’s also a big time pimp in the New York inner city areas. He recently got out of jail a couple months ago. He kidnapped a girl four years ago and tortured her for a week. He got out a good behavior.”

“Why do you know so much about him?” Jason asks, his voice is a mixture of confusion and intrigue.

“I was the girl he kidnapped four years ago.” I inform him, “I got a call four months ago telling me that Daymond was free to walk the streets. Since that call, both parents made a point to call me every hour on the hour to make sure I didn’t go missing again.”

“What she’s saying is, that he has the power and ability to kidnap your fathers.” Fury adds.

“That still leaves out motive.” Jason points out, “why kidnap the Avengers?”

“He’s a henchman, he doesn’t have to know why; he just has to do.” I point out. “The person he’s working for probably has a damn good reason to take the Avengers. Every villain in the world knows they won’t win until the Avengers are out of the way.”

“We believe that he’s working for someone,” Fury tells us, “someone that clearly doesn’t want his name known until the last possible second.”

“So what do you want us to day?” I ask.

“I want you guys to follow Daymond Cade, he’s going to lead us to whoever took your parents…”

**

After the meeting, I head back to my room; Jason right on my tail. I get to my door and turn around, staring at the boy in front of me, “what do you want Frost?”

“There is something I don’t get about you, “he begins to say, “you have ever opportunity to become this superhero yet you turn your back on it and go to school to become a engineer, why?”

“You didn’t grow up in this life, did you?” I question him, “I did and I can honestly say I don’t want my life to end up like my parents. I don’t want to have to worry about whether or not I come home or if my kids are safe while I’m gone. I don’t want my future kids to have to worry about me coming home alive or not.

“I’ve seen the horrors and it’s not something I’d wish upon anyone.” A lump begins to form in my throat as I continue to think back to my childhood, “I wouldn’t expect you to understand but I do have my reasons not to want to join SHIELD after this or after college. As soon as I get my degrees, I’m moving far away from here as possible. I already have a job offer in Japan and I’m going to take it; no matter what.” With that, I walk into my room, closing the door behind me. I’m not going to give him -or anyone else for that matter- the satisfaction of seeing me at my most vulnerable.