Calling Captain America

Cora still had a few moments to herself after her realization in which she managed to recollect herself and maintain the cool composure that HYDRA had beaten into her. The events they were about to pass would present her with the biggest decision of her life. The decision itself wouldn't present her with any unique challenge but the execution would be difficult. Whatever loyalty or fear that had previously prevented her from turning against HYDRA would have to be swept under a rug and she would have to force herself to betray the people that made her who she was. Who she was exactly would be a dilemma for another time.

Watching the blonde waltz into the room made her chuckle softly. Clearly they still had no idea what she was capable of. Perhaps that was for the best now that she had decided to switch sides. It would be easier to start with a clean state if she didn't have a history needing cleaning. "So glad you could join the party, blondie." Hearing him call her by name was strange but familiar. Maybe the familiarity just made it stranger. Nevertheless, she didn't have time toy around with small talk.

"Let's cut to the chase. HYDRA is going to be here at any moment. I know that. You know that. Or, you should know that if you were doing your job. Anyways, you probably shouldn't waste your last few moments of freedom with small talk. Maybe you should work on trying to convince not to put a bullet in your head the second they hand me a gun." It was important to keep up the persona. If HYDRA had already arrived, it would be easier to cover up than blatantly informing Steve of her decision.

She didn't know what had convinced her to sway in the way of S.H.I.E.L.D. but something inside of her told her she was on the wrong side of the war. After all, she had had countless chances to take out Steve Rogers but she couldn't bring herself to do it. People admired him. People admired all of the Avengers despite the chaos that they indirectly caused. Killing them wouldn't make her a hero. It would make her hated. And she knew HYDRA wouldn't reward her for it. They would lock her away until they needed her again. If that was the good side, the moral side of things, she didn't want to be on it.
 
Cora's demeanor had changed quite quickly, Steve noted: while her trademark sarcasm manifested itself once more through the remark that reused the nickname that she'd coined for him (which he was really beginning to wish she'd stop using), her relaxed tone soon changed to one of utter solemnity when she told him about how HYDRA would be arriving at their location at any given time right now, and that the time he had available to him right now would probably be best devoted towards giving her a reason as to why she shouldn't kill him once she was armed with the means to do so. She certainly had a very interesting topic of conversation in mind, and after a moment or two of contemplation he decided he'd follow along with it.

"Personally, I don't think I need to," the Captain responded with a shake of his head, holding her gaze all the while and indirectly challenging her ability to actually pull the trigger when it really came down to having to do so. He was making a silent bet that Cora wouldn't do it, because in his mind, he knew that she would have already done it if she was as able as she said she was to pull off that sort of feat. According to her, she was capable of taking on every single one of the Avengers and walking away from the battle unscathed, and he recalled their relatively quiet moment in the lift when she'd been eyeing the sidearm that he confiscated from her only to rip her gaze away from him and take no sort of action despite having a chance to attack and overpower him. It was these little ticks about her here and there that assured him at this time that she wouldn't end up killing him, regardless of whether or not she had the chance.

In fact, he'd been so self-assured by this that he decided to test her on it.

"I don't think HYDRA's managed to get to you completely. If your attitude so far has been any indication, there's still good in you, and I plan on proving that point right now," Steve told her frankly, removing the pistol from its holster and pulling the slide back to load it before taking several steps closer to Cora, placing the weapon in her right hand and then leading the barrel up to his own forehead while staring at her dead in the eye. This was an incredibly huge gamble he was making; though he was a super soldier, that didn't make him invincible, and one flex of the operative's index finger could kill him right here and now. But he was willing to take that chance, because he was sure that her humanity was still present in her no matter how much HYDRA had tried to mess with her head.

"Now's the time to show me that you're really all about doing the right thing."
 
Boy, he was a confident one, that blondie. He didn't even flinch and his life was in her hands. With one little finger, Cora could eliminate any trace of all the confusion and doubt that he had stirred up inside of her. She didn't know how he did it, how he had gotten inside her head like HYDRA could've only dreamed of doing. She maintains eye contact with him a moment as a smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth. She could almost hear Goodman barking orders at her - this was what all his work was for, after all - but Cora had an urge to do something else entirely. The smallest fraction of a step toward him was the only hint to what was on her mind before she quickly flips the pistol around, pressing it to her abdomen and pulling the trigger in one fluid motion.

"God! That doesn't ever not hurt..." Cora drops the pistol, pressing her hand to her healing wound. Nothing like a shock to set your mind straight. Looking down at her bloodied hands, she chuckles lightly before her gaze shifts back to a startled Steve. For a moment, a fraction of concern is evident in her features before she does her best to repress it. "Oh, oh. Don't worry, blondie. I'll be just dandy." She makes an effort to wipe away the blood to reveal her wound. Or rather lack of. "I figured you should find out before I have to shoot your head off later."

As if summoned by her words, a trio of HYDRA soldiers busts into the room with their guns trained on Steve's head. "Took you long enough. Sorry, blondie. This game has been fun, but it's time for real business." She picks up the pistol once again, holding it up with Steve to see. "Thanks for this. It easier to shoot someone when you have a gun." She turns her attention to the soldiers, giving them an expectant look. "Well, where is he? I'm not psychic."

"Upstairs, having a drink and waiting for you. You know how he hates waiting." One of the soldiers answers. Cora inhales sharply at the mention of Goodman's dislike of waiting. That was something she knew firsthand. "You have the entire building secured? Everyone detained?" The soldiers offer a firm nod in unison as a reply. "Excellent. Let's get this over and done with. Bring Rogers." She takes a step toward the door before stopping to turn to the soldiers once again. "Oh, and if one of you has an itchy trigger finger, you'd be better off shooting me than blondie here. I'm sure Goodman would hate to see his glorious moment ruined by a clumsy idiot. I'd be rather upset as well. So don't be the one to screw this up." With that, she winks at Steve before heading out of the room.
 
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One slight shift forward. One blurry flip and reposition of the sidearm. And the one noisy and flashing bang that sounded throughout the room. It had all happened in such quick succession that Cap had almost missed the finer little details of Cora's actions; though he already was expecting her not to shoot him, what he hadn't expected at all was for her to shoot herself. And he cursed mentally at himself for a moment for not taking that kind of crucial outcome into account; it would have taken only one bullet for the Avengers to lose a potential source of vital information on HYDRA's whereabouts and current operations just as much as it would have taken a single bullet to finish the team's leading member.

Yet, his miscalculation actually turned out to be a blessing through the form of the surprise that followed after she had shot herself in the abdomen. Rather than collapsing to the floor and bleeding out as any regular human being would after suffering that kind of injury, she stayed upright and simply dropped her pistol while covering up her wound with her hand, covering its fair skin in blood as she cursed to herself about how what she had just done to herself would never not hurt her. Meanwhile, there Steve stood with his facial expression finally having been altered for the first time that day, displaying his utter shock at what he'd just witnessed. There's no way... No one was able to replicate it after then...

While unsure of how this could be possible, there was no denying it: standing in front of him was another super soldier much like him. His polar opposite.

"Oh, oh. Don't worry, blondie. I'll be just dandy. I figured you should find out before I have to shoot your head off later."

Suddenly the Captain heard a spark behind him that indicated a short-circuit in the door's locking system, causing the mechanical barrier to automatically slide open and allow three soldiers clad in HYDRA outfitting with weapons all pointed at him directly upon entry. He was no longer in any position to fight now. If he made one move against any of them, he'd wind up dead in less than a second. He didn't even bother to look at Cora directly when she announced that she was done fooling around with him and thanked him for the weapon that he'd given to her, only glancing at her face before turning his gaze directly back to the masked troopers who held their most fearsome adversary at gunpoint.

"Well, where is he? I'm not psychic."
"Upstairs, having a drink and waiting for you. You know he hates waiting."

Steve could hear Cora taking in a sharp breath shortly after one of the soldiers' reply, and knew instantly in that moment that whoever these people were referring to had to be an authority figure within HYDRA's ranks, perhaps a more feared one at that. He didn't think that it was Strucker, though; he wouldn't be the type to make a personal appearance like this outside of a base of operations even if he believed for certain that his forces had been able to successfully disarm the Avengers. That would be too high a risk when the organization was already crumbling apart at the seams.

"You have the entire building secured? Everyone detained?" A brisk nod from all three of the HYDRA units was the reply that Cora was given to her inquiry. That wasn't good... His entire team had somehow been taken into captivity, and now no longer had any means of defending themselves or their headquarters without losing a few of their own. Possibly all of them.

"Excellent. Let's get this over and done with. Bring Rogers. Oh, and if one of you has an itchy trigger finger, you'd be better off shooting me than blondie here. I'm sure Goodman would hate to see his glorious moment ruined by a clumsy idiot. I'd be rather upset as well. So don't be the one to screw this up." So 'Goodman' was his name... That was someone whom Steve had never heard of; it figured considering that HYDRA had gotten over seven decades to rebuild itself without anyone else realizing it before it was too late that there would be new commanding officers whose names he'd be unfamiliar with.

Time to add another one to the count of those whom he'd be hitting in the face.

The moment Cora had left the room, one of the soldiers decided to get a little rough and slammed the butt of his rifle against the side of Steve's face, causing him to jerk to the side with a grunt of pain before being tugged along outside into the corridor, being led behind their lead operative into the elevator. Another one of the units pressed the button that would take them back up to the penthouse where Goodman was awaiting their presence and then retrained his sights on the Captain afterwards, unwilling to take any chances when they were in a much more confined space.

... After all, he had taken on 10 undercover HYDRA agents in an elevator back when they were bringing their ultimately failed uprising to fruition and beat them all.

"... You nervous about your friend being here?" Steve was playing mind-games with her again. Trying to find out her innermost workings and see what really made her tick. Cruel, maybe, but a necessary cruelty, as much as he hated to dwell on it.
 
It was chaos outside of the confines of her temporary prison. Papers were strewn about, desks were flipped, and not a soul was anywhere to be found. For the moment, Cora was glad that she was at the head of the group so that her involuntary reaction was hidden from view. She was still on the fence about S.H.I.E.L.D., but she hardly wanted any innocent people to be hurt in the crossfire. Due to the sheer number of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, it was most likely that they were detained somewhere. At least, that was what she told herself to make herself feel the slightest bit better.

The elevator ride up would have been a good opportunity for her to consider her plan, but Rogers decided to fill the silence with a verbal jab intended to shake her confidence. She inhales sharply, turning to face the blonde once more. Her expression initially filled with annoyance before transitioning to a mix of surprise and concern and then quickly being masked with her anger directed at the soldiers. "Are, are you bruising? Which one of you-- Listen. Maybe I wasn't clear before. I meant that none of you touch a hair on his head without explicit permission from Goodman or myself. If you want to make that decision, you can go through a fraction of my training. Understood?" She wasn't certain of the exact reason that caused her to feel so protective of Steve. She tried to convince herself that it was because she didn't want to deliver damaged goods to Goodman, but she couldn't fully convince herself that she could be that cynical. Nevertheless, the elevator came to the rescue with a ding as it arrived at their destination.

The penthouse was silent except for the clink of glasses and bottles and the shuffle of the soldiers pushing Steve along. "Don't you know you're not supposed to touch other people's things without asking?" Cora asks as she walks into the penthouse. The man at the bar grins and turns to face the voice. "Ah! My most prized possession! All in one piece and your attitude intact." He strides over to her, reaching out the cup Cora's cheek, but she flinches away from his touch just the smallest fraction. The air feels very thick for a moment as his smile drops and his hand connects with Cora's cheek with full force. The sound of the contact rings out in the silence as Cora stumbles a bit then regains her balance and straightens her posture.

"You may be able to order around those brain-dead ass-kissers, but I will put you in your place." The man states angrily, gripping Cora's face to make her look him in the eye. "Now, apologize."

Cora's voice wavers a bit as she speaks, trying to maintain a neutral expression. "I-I'm sorry, sir." The man stares her down a moment longer before his gaze shifts to Steve, his smile returning. "Oh, you've brought a present." The man strides over to Steve, his tone showing no hint of lingering anger or remorse. As he looks Steve up and down, he straightens his tie. "So sorry you had to see that. But you just have to discipline your pets before they get out of hand." He chuckles, glancing back to Cora who hasn't moved an inch. Giving her a pointed look, Cora forces a smile that she hoped looked genuine enough to satiate him. "She certainly was a tough cookie to crack."

He walks away from Steve to collect his drink from the bar and take a seat on the couch as it were his own home. He motions them over to take a seat. Cora moves to take a step, but he quickly corrects her. "Ah, ah. Not you. Not yet. The gentlemen are talking." The soldiers prompt Steve to follow Goodman and take a seat by jabbing him with their rifles. "I'm Doctor Oliver Goodman. I oversaw the bulk of her training in recent years. I molded her into what she is now through strict regimens, constant experimentation. She was a monster to deal with, in the beginning, actually thought she had a say in things." He laughs, taking a sip of his drink and shifting into a more comfortable and casual sitting position. "Look at her now. Beautiful. Not flawless, as you saw, but..." He shakes his head with a content sigh and a look of pride. "Darling, if I tell you to jump, what do you say?"

Cora shifts awkwardly, trying her best not to avert her gaze. She knew he would hate that. "How high, sir?" At her response, Goodman laughs heartily before shifting his gaze back to Steve. " 'How high, Sir.' Isn't that hilarious? Before I came along, she would say some terrible things in response to a question like that. They never really understood how to discipline her. See, with things like her, you need to give them routines and rules. They're like a lump of clay. It's up to you to mold it into what you what it to be. But that's where they made their mistake. You can't quit after the molding. You need to take extra precautions so your masterpiece keeps its shape."

Goodman pauses for a moment to finish off his drink. "But sometimes there are cracks, flaws in your masterpiece and the only way to fix it..." His gaze flits up to Cora, his eyes glinting in the light. He lets the glass roll lazily off his hand and hit the floor and shatter. "…is to destroy it and start over." He waves the soldiers toward the door. "You are dismissed."

"If you suspect that a piece is too fragile, you must reinforce it before it becomes an issue." Goodman shifts his gaze back to Cora, motioning her over. "Darling, come over here. Clean up this mess." Cora complies with the doctor's request, kneeling in front of Goodman and picking up each individual piece of broken glass. Goodman watches her with a smile, glancing to Steve. Goodman wanted to toy with Steve before his demise. It was so much fun to see the great hero utterly powerless. But Steve wasn't playing his role quite right. Perhaps he needed a little push in the right direction.

After Cora had dealt with the glass, Goodman patted the cushion beside him. As Cora sat down, Goodman wrapped his arm around Cora's shoulders. It takes quite nearly all her concentration to not flinch or make any sort of gesture that might convey her distaste. "Sweetheart, tell Mr. Rogers how you feel about me." Cora swallows thickly, her gaze shooting up to Steve. "I..." Her gaze shifts back to Goodman before she forces the next words out. She didn't want to see Steve's reaction. Her expression softens and the words come out sincere and strong, just like she knew Goodman wanted. "I love him."
 
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As Steve partially came to expect, Cora had dodged his question entirely and instead decided to focus on the fact that there was apparently a developing bruise on his cheek where one of the troopers had hit him with the stock of their rifle, and proceeded to chastise them for not following her instructions very shortly afterward. A synchronized nod and "Yes ma'am" from all three units was the response that followed before more silence filled the air afterward. While the elevator continued travelling back up to the penthouse, the Captain took a moment to glance over at his captive-turned-captor and briefly studied her focused yet unnerved facial expression. Was that... apprehension, that he saw in her eyes? A pair which seemed so sturdy and unable to crumble under pressing circumstances? It seemed as though she really was anxious about meeting up with this HYDRA official who awaited their arrival.

... It was more than likely that he was the one who oversaw her 'progress'.

Once the lift finally arrived at their destination and slid its doors open, Steve could feel himself being pushed along once more by a pair from the triumvirate of HYDRA escorts towards a thin-statured man seated over by the bar. Very thin stubble dotted the lower half of his face from just beneath his cheekbones all across, dark brown hair styled back smoothly with his similarly colored brows and light brown eyes fixated into a dormant expression that the super soldier already found repugnant to look at. There was a particularly nasty vibe that just somehow managed to radiate so strongly off of him, an aura of overconfidence surrounding his being and already telling Steve what he needed to know about this person.

He didn't quite look forward to hearing him talk.

"Don't you know you're not supposed to touch other people's things without asking?"
"... Ah! My most prized possession! All in one piece and your attitude intact."

Almost involuntarily, Steve felt his jaw clench when he heard the way that Goodman referred to Cora. He spoke to her like she was nothing more than a tool, an object that he could use however he so pleased. That must have been how they talked about Bucky, too... Beckoning to and conversing about him as though he was an animal who needed to be controlled. It made him absolutely sick to his stomach, especially knowing now that someone like him could bask in some similitude of victory after somehow having managed to spring this surprise attack on the Avengers while they had lowered their guard. Right now, he just wanted nothing more than to use the man as target practice for his shield.

Even more repulsive was the way in which Goodman tried to touch Cora before she ended up shying away from him ever so subtly, leading him to give her face a firm smack that momentarily knocked her off balance and demand that she provide him with an apology for her defiance, even if by a small margin. The worst part of it all was that Steve could only watch, and was helpless to do anything in this moment... He absolutely hated feeling helpless, if only because it prevented him from helping others who could be in desperate need of it. No, it didn't manage to be worse than both of the times when he had encountered Bucky as 'The Winter Soldier', as he was so called by those that even knew of his existence, but this was still an absolutely grueling sight for him to watch. The girl didn't deserve to be treated like that at all.

"... Oh, you've brought a present."
"All wrapped in blue, red and white."

The Captain's expression remained indomitable for the time being as Goodman stepped closer to him, eyeing his figure from head to toe for a moment or two before adjusting his tie and asking to be 'pardoned' for what he had to witness. He really was just an absolutely disgusting sight to gaze upon... It took all of his might not to just whip his head back and then bring it forward to smash his forehead against the bridge of the man's nose. He didn't need to lose his temper right now; what was important was staying calm, and looking for an opportunity to slide out of this predicament whenever it arose. The rest of the team was currently in danger, and he had to find a way to get them out of this mess before any of them got hurt or killed.

When Goodman moved to go and take a seat on one of the couches, Steve was harshly nudged forward by the rifles of the troops who stood on either side of him and he turned his head back to shoot a glare at them both for a few seconds before slowly lowering himself down beside the HYDRA official, hunching over with his right hand folded over the other while fixing his gaze firmly on him. It was then that the Captain's suspicions about Goodman being Cora's 'benefactor' were confirmed through his elaboration on his role within the hostile organization, explaining that she had been very difficult to meld into an asset for themselves to utilize on the field and then going on to boast about just how far their experimentation had taken them by making her put her enforced loyalty out on display for him to see.

It was painful. It was so painful for Steve to watch, that he could no longer understand where this immense anguish really came from. For once, he had become troubled by something that didn't pertain to his long-lost best friend who had now gone back into hiding following the collapse of S.H.I.E.L.D.; he felt like his chest was squeezing in on itself somehow, making it feel difficult for him to breathe steadily or even really think clearly. He could hear Goodman's words as he spoke in an irritatingly philosophical manner towards him, yet his eyes remained pinned on Cora's unmoving form and his mind swam with thoughts about just how much torture she had to endure in order to become this... programmed husk of a person. It perturbed him to no end, and now he felt helpless in a sense that went much farther past the extent of mere physicality.

The Captain couldn't even bring himself to say anything as he watched her heed Goodman's command and hurry over to them to pick up after the mess of broken glass that he had made right in front of them, his muscles staying locked in place and disallowing for him to take any kind of action whatsoever. He just wasn't able to do anything but just... sit there, and look at her be used in whichever way Goodman wanted her to be of use. And once that was done, she too had been seated down on the couch on the Doctor's opposite side, this time ordering her to say how she felt about him. And the next words that were said somehow managed to completely tear Steve's soul apart.

"I... I love him."

For several long and tense seconds, there was nothing but silence. Nobody spoke, and Steve did nothing as he stared at Cora with utter horror and disbelief now present on his face. Just... how far... is this man willing to go...? he thought to himself with an inexplicable anger that burned deeper and deeper within him with every passing second. Then, finally, with his gaze moving over to Goodman, he managed to utter bitterly:

"You're a monster."
 
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"Is that all you have to say? I was thinking you'd cut me deeper than that and more in the... physical sense. I mean, look at her - your sweetheart wrapped around my finger. She would do anything for me, happily." Goodman retorts, leaning forward a bit to examine every twitch of Steve's muscles. He always was one to play with his food, especially when he knew that Cora was there to protect him. All he had to do was say the word.

She, on the other hand, was trying her damndest to not hint to any sort of disgust. Or rather, that was what she was focusing on until she heard herself referenced as Steve's 'sweetheart.' What on God's green earth did that mean? She permitted her confusion to flash in her features for a brief moment as she shoots Steve a sideways glance before returning to her stoic expression as Goodman returned his attention to her.

"I heard she was so sweet the first time she came in, just couldn't stop babbling about how perfect everything was. No matter what they did, they just could not shut her up." Goodman pauses to shake his head, chuckling. "At first, it was about how wonderful life was, the big plans she had. Then it was how her knight in shining armor would come to save her. Then it was defiance, accusations, blaming anyone she could for forsaking her. Then - this is where it gets good - she was cursing you left and right. All on her own. She likes to pretend HYDRA is the one that corrupted her but she is a bitter soul, so full of hate. Absolutely beautiful when wielded properly."

Goodman tangles a hand in her hair, tilting her head back. He leans in close, his lips nearly on her skin and his gaze steady on Steve. He so desperately wanted to see Steve squirm under his thumb. Cora inhales sharply, squeezing her eyes shut as she couldn't bring herself to look at either of the men in the room. Without any warning, she felt the words leave her lips, the emotion behind them coming from a source that she didn't know existed. "You know that isn't true."

Everything was silent for a moment and Cora was uncertain whether she had done herself a favor or brought unnecessary trouble upon herself, considering she had yet to devise a plan. Goodman wraps a hand around her throat, throwing her off of the couch. "That's twice today that's you've been an insolent little bitch. I own you. You are my property. You better realize that you're damn well lucky that I have more pressing issues to deal with. Get up." Cora gets to her feet, looking down with a muttered apology.

"Don't lie to me. Don't you fucking lie to me. And, god dammit, look at me when I'm talking to you." Goodman pushes himself off of the couch and onto his feet, raising his hand to smack Cora. For a moment, her mind went blank and she almost couldn't recall what had happened in that brief instant. Goodman lay on the ground, whimpering and moaning as he clutched his bleeding shoulder. Looking over the pistol in her hand, the few lost seconds came flooding back to her along with a rush of years of pent-up anger and disgust.

She places her foot square on Goodman's chest, pausing to study the man pinned under it. There was a long moment where her shallow breathing was the only sound that filled the room. Cora cocks the pistol, aiming between Goodman's eyes as he tries to string some guttural sounds of pain together to form a sentence.

"How does it feel to be so close to death? How does it feel to know your life is in the hands of someone who just doesn't care about you? It hurts, doesn't it?" Her finger twitches over the trigger as she inhales sharply. "Now, apologize." Goodman tries to force out the words. Cora remained still and emotionless, staring down at him. "You're pathetic," she spat at him.

She tosses away the pistol, crouching own beside him. "Don't worry, I won't let you die because I want to watch your spirit broken and your soul crushed as you spend every day isolated in a cell, rotting away." Something of a cruel smile twitches at the corners of her lips before she adds, "I own you, sweetie."

Cora stands up, turning away from Goodman. Her gaze flits over to Steve for just a moment before she has to look away. In her moment of revenge, it had slipped her mind that he was still present. She strides past the blonde and leaves the penthouse. Informing the pair of guards of the situation, she sends them off with a message to give to any soldiers in the building: Leave.

Reentering the penthouse, she takes a seat opposite of Steve. Silence filled the air between the two before realization hit Cora. She tried so hard to remain composed but quickly her facade deteriorated. Burying her face in her hands, she tries to hide the fact that tears were rolling down her cheeks as she muttered broken apologies. She was no better than the man she so hated. She was the monster.
 
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"Is that all you have to say? I was thinking you'd cut me deeper than that and more in the... physical sense. I mean, look at her - your sweetheart wrapped around my finger. She would do anything for me, happily."

"Your sweetheart"... Steve had no idea what Goodman meant when he said that, yet hearing the Doctor say that to him made him become inexplicably filled with a sense of terror which gnawed away at him from the inside. The way in which the man treated Cora was absolutely ruthless and sickening, and he so proudly flaunted his control over her right in front of the Captain, knowing that he had no power to be able to intervene with it. If the super soldier made any kind of move against him, all he would need to do is say the word and his subordinate would pull the trigger on her weapon while it was aimed at his head.

The Captain was nearly about as frozen as he was back in the Arctic. His fist was clenched tightly in his palm, and his gaze bore harshly into Goodman's while he remained seated just inches away from him, his smug expression practically daring him to lash out in his slow-boiling anger. In the meantime, he kept going on and on about how Cora first was when she had been brought into HYDRA, before slowly being mended in such ugly ways into the near-perfect weapon that never should have been brought into existence. His jaw tightened very visibly as it was described to him how gruelling her transformation was... how she'd first desired for him to come to her rescue and then eventually grew to curse him out so distastefully. As far as he was knowledgeable, he didn't even know this girl, and yet... she had allegedly looked up to him. Expected him to bring her out of the prison she'd been caged in. And he didn't save her.

Why did that make him feel so... infuriated? So full of hate like he'd never been before in his life? Steve could almost literally feel it burning him up, and he just wasn't able to explain where the anger came from. Normally, he was never so prone to feeling an emotion as absinthial as this, so it truly did end up being quite the wonder in regards to why he now felt so strongly about this... So personally involved. It was all slowly building up towards a point that he wouldn't be able to come back from, that would almost certainly spell out the real end of his legacy...

Until Cora decided to speak out against her overseer.

Steve continued to watch as Goodman then reacted to her second act of opposition that day by grabbing her by the throat and launching her forward off the couch, attempting to cut her down to size and soon rising himself to confront her when he believed her quietly spoken apology to be that of a false nature in origin. However, that ended up being the Doctor's biggest mistake: standing up. Over the timespan of the next few seconds that followed afterward, his arm was stopped in its tracks while it was on its way to arcing his palm harshly against Cora's cheek again and a loud bang was accompanied by a bright flash of orange, signalling the discharge of her sidearm into Goodman's shoulder as he collapsed to the ground with a cry and then grasped at his bleeding shoulder with several weak groans of pain.

Like before in the containment room, it had all happened so fast that the Captain had nearly been unable to see what had happened... He had become absolutely dumbfounded, his lips slightly parted in shock as he looked up at whom he had once only been able to see as a mind-wiped servant of HYDRA first taking a moment to examine the weapon in her hand before looking back down at the Doctor with a look of utter contempt that had finally been brought into the light, shattering that obedient mask that she had forced herself to wear and putting her raw emotions out on display for both men to see. She had managed to break free from the grip that the shadowy organization had on her.

Cora's pent-up hatred all came flying out through her tongue within words that all carried a sharp edge at the end of them and bit deep into the person who had relentlessly abused her in this very same manner for who knew how long. It was arduous for Steve to watch, especially considering how his mind had been given enough time to reorganize his thoughts and allow him to think more with his characteristic level-head, and for a moment he considered asking her to stop so that he could handle the rest of it from there. But by and by, he let her have this victory over the Doctor. No matter what kind of moral code he ended up standing by, he knew that it was very much deserved for her to capitalize on it.

When she eventually left the two of them behind, presumably to go and take care of the rest of the HYDRA occupation that remained in the Tower from the initial assault, Steve knelt down by Goodman's gently writhing form and grabbed him by the collar of his dress shirt, pulling the Doctor closer towards him and allowing a smirk to pull at one corner of his lips as he remarked, "Women. Am I right? They end up trumping you every time." Then he pulled his gloved fist back and sent it snapping firmly into the side of his face to knock him unconscious, leaving his limp form on the floor afterwards and moving to sit back down on the couch with a deep exhale and his eyes being closed shut. It had been quite the day today, and for once he really wanted to just relax for a while...

However, that was a luxury that the Captain could not yet quite afford to have. Hearing Cora come back into the penthouse a while later, he opened his eyes and turned his head to look back at her as she took a seat beside him, the two of them remaining quiet and causing the atmosphere around them to be quite tense. Eventually, with an expression that stayed sympathetic, he commented, "Pretty rough day for you, huh?" After that, she had buried her face in her hands and continued to mutter quiet apology after quiet apology. It saddened him to think about how that was what she must have been so accustomed to doing. Giving her superiors apology after apology whenever they demanded one out of her...

All beyond her free will.

Quietly, Steve shifted himself so that he was sitting closer to her and he tentatively wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his chest and slowly rubbing her arm back and forth in what he was hoping would be a somewhat soothing gesture for her. She had been through a lot, and was undeniably in need of someone to console her for all of the horrors and wrong-doings that she knew she had committed beyond her input. "It's okay, now. You're free," he told her.
 
For a moment, she let his embrace be a comfort to her as she leaned into him slightly. Yet again there was a rush of familiarity, a ghost of a memory flashing in her mind. She couldn't decided whether to be happy for the consolation or frustrated at the sensation that was becoming increasingly common in his presence. Luckily she didn't have to linger on the thought for too long as her decision was made for her as soon as Steve decided to open his mouth. Had he been silent she could have allowed herself a moment longer in his arms but then he had to go and say something silly about freedom.

At the statement, she pulls away from him sharply, gets to her feet, and crosses the room to put a small amount of distance between them as reconsiders the whole situation. Turning away to hide her tear-stained cheeks, she takes a moment to wipe them clean. The thought she was any closer to freedom than she had previously been was absolutely absurd. Her actions were exactly what Goodman wanted. They were simply directly at the wrong target. His training regime was carefully planned and pieced together. Goodman was cruel and possibly insane but he was intelligent. He never wasted a moment on his masterpiece. The effects of his methods would haunt Cora's every move for years to come and avoiding his direction embedded in her mind would have to be a conscious choice that she would constantly have to make.

If freedom was any more than half a hope for her, she would clearly have plenty out in the world to become acclimated to. Even the basics of honesty, trust, and a lack of planning for every move, every breath she takes were ideas that were simply a foreign language to her. Being around Steve had brought forth a bombardment of emotions that she wasn't accustomed to. And not specific ones at that, just emotions. Her time with HYDRA was spent as a compliant soldier, bottling and boxing her emotions away. It was easier that way, for them and for her, and years of training went towards demanding a stoic facade from her. She was taught that emotions were weaknesses, that they revealed painstakingly devised plans and pressure points. But, now, just being around him was unraveling everything that she knew herself to be.

After her moment of recollection and a deep inhale, she shoots a glance to an unconscious Goodman and remarks, "If this is what freedom is like, I think I'd rather be imprisoned." The statement was more of an afterthought than anything of significance - perhaps a residual thought implanted in her mind so as to make her more compliant with HYDRA. And, with it, she seemed to be returned to her previous self. She had decided to shift her focus away from self-pity and try her damnedest to act as if nothing out the ordinary for her current persona occurred. Hopefully, Blondie would follow suit. If not, the worst case scenario would be keeping her short breakdown between themselves.

"Speaking of, you should detain me. I highly doubt your friends would be too happy to see me walking around unrestrained given the circumstances. Objectively speaking. Obviously, I don't care about what they or you think. I'm just hoping compliance will result in one less lifetime on whatever sentence I'm given. That is, in the event of a trial." She chuckles scornfully and struts back toward him with the return of her signature cocky grin. "So go on and slap on the cuffs, Star Spangled Boy. I'd really hate to beat you up to make it happen."
 
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Cora always seemed to be moving too quickly for Steve to be able to properly track her movements; she was always shifting from position to the other in the blink of an eye, and it made him begin to wonder if her training under HYDRA's guidance had been so extensive that she had picked up an ability to just naturally move at a rate quicker than normal, or if perhaps that was another effect of whatever they had done to her to turn her into a super soldier who was undeniably more advanced than he was. There wasn't really anything else for him to ponder as his gaze lingered on his polar opposite while she took a moment alone to recollect herself, anyways. Well, there was still the rest of his team to worry about, but right now, his focus remained on her.

She was all he could find himself thinking about for a while, now. Why? He couldn't answer that question; it was lost on him for the same reason why he couldn't come up with an explanation for some of the inner turmoil that arose within him whenever he was in the presence of the former HYDRA operative. She was elusive in just about every way possible from physical to emotional, and that just made him all the more curious about her background, which he had never inquired about. He didn't dare think about asking her now, however, seeing as this was clearly a very inappropriate time to do so. She had enough on her plate to manage as it was, and she didn't need even more things troubling her in this one moment while she was already dealing with so much.

"If this is what freedom is like, I think I'd rather be imprisoned."
"Trust me. You wouldn't."

The Captain decided not to exasperate Cora with any further details and simply let her ponder on that. No, he didn't know what it was like to go through a transition from being in a captive environment for so long that it had become home into a world devoid of control, but he had gone through the similar experience of being put under a coma for several decades and then awakening to an era where he had been clueless about how to meld into it. He knew what it was like to try and search for purpose in a world that he seemingly couldn't fit into, and as agonizing as it was, he knew for certain that it was better than any 'hospitality' HYDRA could offer to anyone.

"Speaking of, you should detain me. I highly doubt your friends would be too happy to see me walking around unrestrained given the circumstances. Objectively speaking. Obviously, I don't care about what they or you think. I'm just hoping compliance will result in one less lifetime on whatever sentence I'm given. That is, in the event of a trial. So go on and slap on the cuffs, Star Spangled Boy. I'd really hate to beat you up to make it happen."

"... You know, you're confusing that with Star Spangled Man."

At first, the remark was accompanied by a small smirk from Steve, but then his expression soon stiffened and he got up to his feet when he noticed the rest of the team making their way into the penthouse; Barton, Romanoff and Thor all looked very displeased, and the archer even pulled an arrow out from his quiver to rest it against the flexible string of his bow as a precaution.

"You never said anything about getting chummy with the girl, Captain."
"At ease. All of you. She's not going to hurt any of us."
"Right. That's why we were all being held captive. Because of her."
"That's enough, Barton."

"Captain, you know that we can't let her walk freely," Hill informed Steve with an even-levelled tone which matched up with her face. "Regardless of what she's done, good or bad, she still needs to stand trial for all the bad. Or at least keep her in containment for another little while until we can find out more information about what HYDRA's up to." Keeping his lips tightly pressed together, he remained deadly silent and heaved a breath in and out through his nose before responding with a calm nod. He knew that what she was saying was right, and he couldn't object to that no matter how much he believed that Cora was deserving of some sort of chance for redemption. Something about coming to terms with that usual finality of his once more began to make him feel oddly uneasy... but he still forced himself to accept it regardless.

"I'll take it from here. In the meanwhile, go ahead and incarcerate the sleeping fellow next to you. Hopefully he doesn't happen to wake up and give you a fuss on the way," Hill said to Rogers, striding over to Cora and taking her by the arm before leading her out to the landing pad of the Tower, taking her back inside the Quinjet while she went over to have a seat in the pilot's position. "Get yourself comfy back there. The flight's gonna last a while."
 
Seeing a fraction of a smirk tug at the corners of Steve's mouth with his own retort elicited a small smile from Cora. It was a peculiar thing for her because it wasn't a smirk. It was a genuine smile accompanied with the smallest bit of happiness - another emotion on the laundry list of ones that she hadn't felt in an exceptionally long time. Needless to say, she was happy the grumpy portion of the Avengers came bursting into the penthouse and diverted Steve's attention so that he didn't catch sight of it. As Barton pulls on arrow on her, she raises her hands defensively as she bite her lip in an effort to prevent a smirk from spreading and aggravating Barton further. Clearly someone hadn't told Barton about her ability.

"You never said anything about getting chummy with the girl, Captain."

" 'The girl' has a name," She interjects in a slightly defensive tone. With the statement came the realization that she had only been identified as 'Subject Zero' to the Avengers. She didn't realize how much she hated the it until the moment the code name had crossed her mind during the conversation between Barton and Steve. She glances over to Steve before averting her gaze. He had been the first to inquire about a name and she had been a little to quick to dismiss it as a ploy to get on her good side. Perhaps now that she was 'free,' it was time to break her ties with HYDRA in all ways possible. So she adds softly, "It's Cora."

"At ease. All of you. She's not going to hurt any of us."
"Right. That's why we were all being held captive. Because of her."

"I'm also the reason you're not dead so you're welcome," She interjects again with similar results as before. It was useless. She might as well been talking to a brick wall. Steve and Barton carried on arguing until Hill entered the penthouse with the final verdict on Cora's fate. To no surprise, Cora heard that she was going to be tried for her crimes. As Hill took her arm and lead her from the penthouse, the prospect of spending an eternity imprisoned suddenly became all too real and along with it, the fear of being alone, of never seeing him again. At another thought of the blonde, Cora lets out an audible sigh.

She wasn't all too concerned about the fact of him being on her mind. She had grown accustomed to thinking about him rather often, seeing as that appeared to be her only purpose as a member of HYDRA. It was the way she thought about him. It was the way his presence and the thoughts of him made her reconsider everything she thought she knew. In the past, her thoughts of him consisted solely of completing her mission in a variety of ways and she would have never disobeyed an order from Goodman. Now, she had been in a position where she could have easily killed Steve and she chose not to of her own free will and had handed Goodman over to the organization she previously thought of as the enemy.

"Get yourself comfy back there. The flight's gonna last a while."

Cora inhales and exhales deeply, examining the handcuffs that had been placed on her. They seemed strong enough to hold the Hulk. As if they handcuffs weren't a strong enough deterrent on their own, she had a S.H.I.E.l.D. agent sitting on either side of her. The situation was hauntingly familiar to her time with HYDRA for an organization that claimed to be so incredibly different. It made her wonder if she could stand being imprisoned again. Weighing her options, she decided to speak up. There wasn't anything left to lose.

"Miss Hill, I'm going to talk for a moment and I'd like you to listen if you don't mind." Cora pauses, dropping her gaze to the floor as she thought over everything that had happened. It had been a strange twist of events that had brought her to this point. She had come into the building, hating the people that held her in custody and here she was leaving it and preparing herself to beg to stay with them. Emotions made you do funny things like that.

"I think we both recognize that it would be silly to imprison me for my lifetime. Sure, it might work out with all those other super-powered criminals but I... Well, I'd like to think I'm different. I'd outlive your guards. I'd probably find a way to escape over the years if I really wanted to. But what's the point in escaping? I have nowhere to go, no goals or purpose anymore. I hardly know who I am." Cora trails off slightly with a sigh before regaining her focus and lifting her gaze to the back of the pilot's seat in front of her.

"I recognize that I am capable of some terrible things and I recognize that I've done those things. But, I do have to argue that those actions don't lie entirely on my conscience. I'm not waiving my responsibility for them but I must remind you that I wasn't really in a position to fight against them. That being said, I will accept the consequences of my actions. But, I want to redeem myself. I want to help take down HYDRA once and for all. And the best way I can do that isn't in a prison cell." Cora waits for Hill's response with a hopeful expression. After being met with silence, Cora leans back in her seat as she swallows thickly. This was it. Her life was over. This was the last she would see of the outside world for as long as S.H.I.E.L.D. stood.
 
Hill was very quiet for a long while after Cora had made an appeal to her about being given a chance to redeem herself for whatever injustices she had carried out as an unwilling agent of HYDRA, pondering on her resolve as well as how afraid she must have been on the inside to end up back in another cell for yet another lifetime, and then perhaps break out of that very cell only to find that she had no one nearby to guide her through the elusive life of being able to make your own choices without ever asking for someone else's permission to carry them out. She wasn't very good at getting personal with people; she was more of a strict official than anything, but she continued to wonder nonetheless.

... But it hadn't been like their destination was to a prison of any sort, anyways. From the beginning, while not mentioning it to the team back at headquarters, she had been intending to take Cora to a certain someone to have some well-placed insight on what to do with a person who exhibited such extraordinary power on par with if not greater than Captain America and one who wasn't entirely at fault for the things that she had done in the past. She was a pawn, and nothing more than that. That's what everyone who worked for HYDRA were: mere pawns being controlled by a player staring down at a chess board. Once you got in, willing or not, you never got to leave. At least, not while you were still breathing.

"... We can talk that over once we touch down in Europe. I have a friend there... One who wouldn't mind having a little chat with you about the topic."

--

The base was usually a tensely quiet space aside from the occasional clicking of fingertips against the buttons fixated into the keyboard of a sleek black laptop and wasn't necessarily a very open environment, but it sufficed enough for him. He didn't need any unwanted visitors happening upon his location, anyways. He was supposed to be dead. So now, Fury did his work in secret, looking to find any possible information that he could amongst the Web and from just about any other source regarding the remaining forces of HYDRA that still lingered about around the world. He hoped that his old comrade was doing well off on his own... He knew for certain that he was currently very hard at work doing the same thing from a more direct front. As for Fury, he relied on Hill to be his voice for the Avengers whenever he had been able to uncover potential leads pointing towards the enemy organization, deciding to not yet reveal to the rest of the team outside of Rogers that he had survived the attempt on his life in Washington. They operated fine as they did now, and the last thing they needed was to be distracted by his activities.

The last time that had happened, their unit had nearly been fractured permanently.

Soon enough, Fury's attention was pulled from the work he was doing at his desk when he heard the door in front of him opening, and he looked up with his exposed right eye to see Hill entering with a familiar face that he'd seen in a few on-hand files in tow. This was the first ever time that he was meeting 'Project Crimson' face to face.

"You certainly know how to make an unannounced entry, Miss Hill."

"Sir. If I may... I'm sure you've heard of Cora Marie Matthews. She was taken into custody by the Avengers, and then managed to stop an attack on the Tower in New York when HYDRA made an infiltration in an attempt to bring her back with them. She wants to speak with you about being able to join our side in the fight."

Fury's gaze was impassive, hardly a hint of any kind of emotion in his expression as he stared at the super soldier with his elbows propped up on the desk and his right fist encased in his left. He was silent for several long seconds just as Hill had been, subtly gauging her facial expression to see the intent that she had carried here with her. She certainly looked very... determined. Eager to jump into the fight with the right side. It was very veritable in appearance...

It was the look of someone who wanted vengeance just as much as she did restitution.

"... Have a seat, Miss Matthews. I'm waiting to hear you out."
 
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Cora certainly wasn't expecting the aforementioned friend to be Director Fury. Her jaw involuntarily clenched as she walked over to the seat offered to her. She was uncertain whether the reaction was due to fear or hatred. In more ways than she'd like to admit, the Director reminded her of Goodman. There were, however, redeeming aspects to his hauntingly similar stoicism. Regardless, she had yet to decided how she truly felt about the man in front of her. She had no frame of reference from which to form an opinion beside what she now presumed to be HYDRA propaganda.

Lowering herself into the seat slowly, she couldn't help but wonder if this was some sort of trap. She inhales deeply, running her hands along the undersides of the arms of the chair for any sign of anything unusual. She hadn't felt this afraid and paranoid in quite some time. She had almost forgotten the sensation of an elevated heart rate and the quick and quiet breaths that followed. It remembered her of distant memories that were blurred and distorted in her mind. But, still she tried her best to remain calm and collected.

She glances around the room before letting her gaze settle on Fury once again. What argument was left for her to make? The Director knew just as much about her as she did herself. There was no way he would let her walk into this room without double-checking every scrap of information they had on her. Her fate was decided and she would just have to accept it.

After a long moment of silence, she had decided to make her final appeal anyway. She hardly had anything left to lose. There were only a few moments to make her case and so she decided to use them to the fullest. Planning each word carefully and determining the best of her strengths to outline only took her a few moments and soon she had a short speech prepared. She opens her mouth to speak before sighing and dropping her gaze to the ground. There was no reason to uphold her facade any longer.

Lifting her gaze once again to the Director, her emotionless expression has faded. She speaks softly, "Please."
 
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The argument that Fury had been expecting Cora to make wasn't even an argument at all. It was instead a simple one-word plea, spoken softly without any hint of a fight to be found in her voice. The ghost of an exhale could be heard shortly afterwards while his right eye remained focused on her in the midst of more silence, taking some more time to ponder about this situation. Yes, she was still a dangerous super-powered individual who had many years of combat expertise at her belt to make her even more of a threat to the people around her and was accountable for many crimes regardless of whether they were done in or against her own will, but he couldn't deny how discernable it was to him that she had been a victim in whatever she had been a part of alongside HYDRA. At the very least, it would only be fair for him to give her the opportunity to right her wrongs and verify her standing with more positive morals.

... She was another Black Widow that had been waiting to happen.

"I see you're not much for words," Fury replied plainly, closing his laptop so that he could look more directly at Cora from where he was sitting. "... You've been responsible for a lot of wrong-doings over the past couple of decades in your life, Miss Matthews. As things stand right now, you still pose a significant threat to the people around you and the safest bet for me to make would be to have you locked up with the key thrown away someplace. That way we can make sure that no harm from you ends up finding its way to more innocent people out there. But fortunately enough for you, we need all the assets that we can get in order to take HYDRA down... For good, this time. They're becoming more dangerous every second that they're allowed to remain in existence, but having you operate in tandem with the Avengers can help turn the tide of the war. It's just a matter of whether or not you're truly up to the challenge."
 
Cora watches the Director's mouth form that words that almost promised her freedom. She nods once slowly as response as she considers what he had actually offered. He hadn't made his decision on the basis of her character or potential to do good. This was another in the long list of tactical decisions that she had grown accustomed to being a part of. The reward of her helping them take down HYDRA outweighed the risk of her turning against them. She was being used as a weapon, just on a different front. As much as she hated the thought, she held her tongue. She was too close to true freedom to ruin it now with a self-righteous quip.

As she clenches her jaw, the Director slides a small black box across his desk towards her. She picks it up slowly and opens it gingerly to reveal a simple silver band. It certainly didn't look like much. The thought was conveyed in her glance to Fury with a raised eyebrow.

"This bracelet will allow us to monitor you at all times, give us everything we need to know. If that bracelet goes on, it doesn't come off without a direct order from me. And, you're officially an Avenger. It doesn't go on and you spend the rest of your waking moments in a cell so small you can't take two steps without setting off an alarm."

"Sounds like a threat." She answers quickly and sharply, the similarities between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA becoming a little too clear for her to feel fully comfortable.

"Sounds like my first and final offer, Miss Matthews." Fury folds his hands on the desk, meeting her gaze with a cool stare. "So what will it be?"

Cora's gaze drops to the bracelet once again. It seemed peculiar and unfair but the idea of the slightest freedom was far too tempting. She lifts the bracelet from the box and snaps it shut around her wrist. The bracelet was better than a set of handcuffs.

"Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D., Miss Matthews."

There were a few final formalities that she and Fury discussed before she was escorted out by Agent Hill. Hill's expression hadn't changed from what it was before Cora's conversation with Fury, which made it difficult for Cora to discern whether or not she was in favor of Fury's decision. Cora remains silent as they walk along, getting lost in her thoughts for a few moments. She looks to the floor to collect her thoughts with the bright red emblem on her chest greeting her. She couldn't help but shudder a little.

"Miss Hill, do you think you could give me a moment to tidy myself up? And perhaps find me something to change into? The sooner I can burn this suit, the better." Glancing over to the Agent, Cora catches the smallest twitch of a smile on her face.

"I think that's a good idea."

She hardly recognized herself. She never really had the luxury of looking at herself before. Whenever she did, she was bloodied and bruised and dirty and her attire was accompanied by a glare. Once in a blue moon, she would look nice. But it wasn't by choice. He would have her dress up sometimes and they have a nice meal together. It made him feel important. It remind her of what she was - his soldier, his weapon, his toy.

But now here she was in a S.H.I.E.L.D. t-shirt and a pair of jeans that were a size too big and had to be held up by a belt and she wasn't even thinking about those days. She was so accustomed to acting like a solider and looking like one. And here she was. She just looked so goddamn fragile like the smallest touch would crack her porcelain skin. She didn't recognize this version of herself - the one that looked so innocent and kind, the one that looked so human. Carefully and slowly, she raises a hand and reaches out to her reflection. Is this who she really was under all that they had done to her?

She jumps as Hill knocks on the bathroom door, reminding her that they were on a tight schedule. She scoops up the HYDRA suit from the tiled floor and holds it out in front of her. She had spent too many days fighting in it, spent too many sleepless nights in it. Tossing it into the trash can she mumbles, "Goodbye and good riddance." She slips out of the bathroom with a small smile to Hill. It was a long flight back. But, for once, it was a flight she wasn't dreading.[/hr]
 
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"How's the team?"
"They're holding up. Shaken, but holding up."

Steve's gaze dropped from Tony's down to the floor with a heavy inhale and exhale through his nose, no longer sporting his uniform and instead wearing a plain blue Under Armour t-shirt and a regular pair of jeans while being seated on his bedside, with Tony leaning against the doorway to his room close by. Though taking this opportunity to rest while they could, the Avengers were rather disconcerted by the attack on the Tower and were doing their best to pull themselves together, unable to believe that HYDRA had managed to carry out an unnoticed assault on their headquarters. Meanwhile, the Captain had been dealing with the strangely disturbing prospect of Cora being locked away someplace again, never to see the outside world again or get the chance to be able to redeem herself for whatever helpless wrong-doings she'd done in the past.

The girl had been a great source of discomfort for Steve, and he just couldn't figure out why that was no matter how hard he thought about it. Earlier, Goodman referred to her in a certain way- to her being the former's 'sweetheart'- but he couldn't make sense of why he'd do that. It had to be some sort of mind game that the man was playing with him; it couldn't be anything else. Could it? As far as he was concerned, he had no past relation with Cora up until this point. Was there something Goodman knew that Steve didn't? The subject was bothering him so much, especially considering what had just happened to her, but his mind was unable to turn up anything that would clue him in to whether or not he had really been associated with the girl at an earlier point in time. He wanted to convince himself that he was only feeling this way because of what his morals entailed, but he knew that these emotions went much deeper than that.

There had to be a meaningful root involved in this situation, but he just couldn't figure out what that was.

"So, the girl... Um, what was her name again... Cora. Did you trust her?" Tony inquired.
"... She meant well. She's not always been a good person, but she meant well," Steve replied, looking back up at his friend as he did.

"She generally seemed alright. But she's still dangerous. You saw how fast HYDRA claimed the building because of her."
"But she didn't call them in. They tracked her down themselves."
"And how the hell did they do that? Do you really expect yourself to believe that what happened today wasn't orchestrated because she carried it out?"
"Cora's been a victim in all of this."

"I get it, Captain; the girl's good-looking and she's probably good to-"
"What?"
"I don't know, I wasn't down there with you two when you were interrogating her. But that doesn't give you a reason to defend her. She was still working with HYDRA."
"Against her own will."

Tony lowered his head towards his folded arms and heaved an exhale through his nose; it was obvious that he couldn't get the Captain to change his mind. He was always so adamant about his opinions that it was rarely ever that he saw things from the perspective of someone like himself, which in the end was what caused their to be an almost unfixable rift between the two of them from time to time. He'd grown to have admiration for the Avengers' coordinator, yes, but that didn't mean that he was going to take his side on everything. He still had his own viewpoints, and he didn't intend to abandon them anytime soon.

"Just get some rest, Captain. Don't lose too much sleep over this," Tony said in a quieter voice, looking at Steve in the eye one last time before turning and leaving the room, leaving the latter alone to his thoughts once again. He didn't want to have to ponder on the thought of Cora possibly leading HYDRA to their location. He knew that she was too good for that, but he couldn't rule out the possibility, either. This was all such a god-awful mess, and he found himself running his hands through his hair in frustration before giving up on attempting to ponder it altogether.

He just couldn't do this right now. He needed to put his mind at ease for a little while before he got himself involved in this matter any further.

--

"The living spaces that Stark installed for this Tower were all meant for each individual member of the Avengers; but you're still in luck, since he happened to build a subsection on this floor for Pepper Potts before she vacated the area to pursue her corporate interests, so that'll be where you're staying now," Hill informed Cora as they got off the now-landed Quinjet. "Just make sure to explain the situation to him if you two happen to run into each other so there isn't any trouble." Then, with an upward quirk of the edge of her lips that displayed a borderline smile, she said, "Once you get to know the team better, I'm sure you'll like it here."
 
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"I'm not at all concerned about me liking it here. I'm concerned about them liking me here." Cora inhales sharply and shoots a look to the ground as she once again feels as if she let some secret slip past her stoic facade. But instead of giving into the urge of justifying it with whatever tactical reasoning she can conjure, she swallows her pride and allows the statement to hang in air on its own. Although she hardly wanted to admit it, that was genuinely how she felt. And, in sharing the sentiment, she hoped that it would help alleviate some of the tension between herself and Hill and remind Hill that she was, despite it all, still human. Something that even Cora herself had forgotten time to time.

Cora spent the rest of the walk to the elevator up to the penthouse in silence. There was plenty to keep her mind preoccupied and prevent her from babbling on about other things that made her look like an idiot. She had what seemed to be an endless supply of questions without answers and the list seemed to only expand as she put more distance between herself and HYDRA. What was she supposed to do when the Avengers started asking questions? There wasn't much of a chance that they would accept "I don't know" as a reasonable answer. She knew nothing about herself beside her name and even that seemed distant and surreal.

"Miss Hill..." Cora began, turning to face the agent as they stopped in front of the elevator. There was a slight chance that Maria Hill knew something that Cora didn't and an even slighter chance that she would disclose it. But, Cora's focus shifts as the elevator's doors slide open with a soft ding and Agent Hill makes no movement to enter the elevator. "You're leaving me, aren't you?"

"I have some other business to attend to. You can use this time to get yourself acquainted with the Avengers." With that, Maria Hill was gone and Cora quickly concludes that this was some sort of test. It was highly unlikely that any member of S.H.I.E.L.D. was keen to leave her on her own. Or perhaps it was that no one wanted to be around her. Either way, she had a much larger and more imminent problem at hand. Stepping into the elevator, Cora raises a shaky hand to the buttons. With a deep inhale, she attempts to collect her thoughts.

Stepping into the penthouse the first time to face Goodman was a terrifying experience. Once again, entering the room provided a wave of anxiety and tension. But this time it was different. Previously her fear had stemmed from her hatred of a man, the repercussions of acting on that hatred, and facing the endgame of a mission she had trained for what seemed to be her entire existence. Now her fear stemmed from... Well, she couldn't exactly place her finger on the source of her fear. This time it felt different. It felt far more genuine.

She stands silently for a moment with her hands folded in front of her and fingers interlaced to hide their shaking. Feeling the gaze of every Avenger on her only made it harder for her to catch the breath that she hadn't known she had lost. Her heartbeat was drumming loudly in her ears and her mind drew a blank, entirely free of the sharp wit and sarcastic quips that she fell back on as her safety net.

"Hello," She says slowly and softly. Everything seemed slower now. Every moment of silence felt like years between words as she tried desperately to think of something to lighten the mood. Her gaze bounces from one Avenger to the next, the smallest twitch of an involuntary smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as it falls on Steve.

"Am I... interrupting something? You all seem tense. I can leave if you want. I mean... I don't think I actually can but I can try." She chuckles awkwardly, glancing back at the elevator. "No?" She rocks awkwardly back and forth on her heels for a moment before speaking up again. "Will somebody please say something instead of staring at me like I've grown a second head?"
 
Earlier, Tony- the close friend who usually had a habit of clashing with him more so than getting along with him- had tried to help Cap out with his mental distractions and had told him to go get some rest. So that's why he ultimately just had to find his way back into the penthouse so he could have a drink with Romanoff, Barton and Thor also occupying the area (Stark and Banner had actually called it a day and went to go sleep in their individual quarters), where the little chatter that was being shared between the four ended up coming to a complete halt when a certain someone had made an unexpected entrance.

While the fine little details of it didn't matter to the other three, who were once again becoming agitated by the fact that she was present here, Cora certainly appeared a lot more differently to Steve than she had before. Rather than the either placid or smug expression that her face usually carried in a neutral scenario such as this one, he noticed that her eyes were beginning to flit in an anxious kind of manner back and forth between each team member from afar, and that her fingers were linked together tautly in an uptight position that didn't at all characterize herself normally. It was quite clear that she was troubled by how they were going to react to her coming back to the Avengers' headquarters...

... And it was probably because of her getup more than anything.

After her shaky posture, the next thing that stood out to Rogers (as well as the rest of the team) was the casual pair of jeans that seemed a little too big for her to be wearing, along with the contrasting form-fitting black t-shirt... which had a S.H.I.E.L.D. logo imprinted in its centre. While the others were baffled about how this could be possible, the Captain knew exactly on whose authority this was made possible. He figured that Hill must have taken Cora directly to Fury, where he gave her permission to be a part of their unit. Knowing that made him feel as though a massive weight had been lifted off of his chest; he could now finally be at peace knowing that she'd have an opportunity to prove that she was a better person than she had let on when they had first met her.

"Hello. Am I... interrupting something? You all seem tense. I can leave if you want. I mean... I don't think I actually can but I can try." There was still silence filling the air after Cora spoke, no one else in the room knowing what to say. "No?" Even more silence followed after that. "Will someone please say something instead of staring at me like I've grown a second head?"

"... I've never pegged you for the nervous type," Barton finally remarked, finishing with tightly pressed lips as he stared at her with a slightly more relaxed gaze. "What's your deal? Has Hill sent you back here to come work with us?"
 
"Given the circumstances, I think a bit of anxiety is appropriate, Mr. Barton." Formalities, formalities. Cora again mentally curses herself for what must have been the thousandth time for quick words that felt unnatural and emotionless. She now stood still - too still, unnaturally still - as she would have at Goodman's side. Smart comments and witty remarks had left her mind as she tried to carefully navigate the obstacle course of conversation that lie ahead of her, carefully picking her words slowly and meticulously to avoid any situation that might send her off to similar circumstances to that of what she had previously been in.

No. Cora inhales sharply, trying to recollect her thoughts. The way she was feeling... It was ridiculous. Goodman hadn't managed to strike nearly as much fear in her heart as standing in front of the small crowd of superheroes did. Her mind was riddled with questions that appeared to have no answer or, if they did, it was unclear and blurred in her mind. How much training had gone to waste in a single moment? The one good thing that HYDRA gave to her. Deep breaths, gentle tones... anything for her to come across as far more composed than she actually felt.

"Apparently, somebody thinks I'm of more use alongside you rather than sitting in a cell. And, though you might not be happy with it, I'm certain you'll find that you agree, seeing that I am more than qualified." She states with a small nod, her voice now much more steady and even. Still, she couldn't bring herself to move any closer. Or rather to move at all. It was still programmed within her to wait for commands and follow them when given, the whole thing being rather inconvenient for her now that the people in front of her were peers and not superiors. Still, she attempted to look less terrified and less awkward, patiently awaiting the moment for when their conversation would be through.
 
Barton could feel a corner of his face involuntarily crease when Cora addressed him in the way that she did, making him feel unusually discomforted despite the present circumstances that they were faced with. Even if they were now to view each other as acquaintances, the conventionalism that the latter chose to use still didn't sit right with him. If anything, he honestly liked it better when she referred to him as 'Robin Hood' back during their first meeting on the Quinjet, as infuriating a 'guest' as she'd been. However, the archer decided to drop the brief mental contemplation when she proceeded to answer his question and told him- in addition to the rest of the team all around him- that it seemed as though "somebody" deemed her to be of more use working with the Avengers as opposed to being kept locked away, a mysterious decision which was undeniably true yet still questionable in its own right. Sure, after her revolt against her superiors and now that they were knowledgeable of her capabilities as an enhanced individual, she'd certainly be very capable of taking part in field ops with the group and would hopefully be of even more assistance with whatever knowledge she had on HYDRA. However, her shadowy track record couldn't be ignored and they still had to take into account the many crimes that she was likely responsible for.

"Well, you're certainly not incorrect," Tony replied with his typical lax tone, "but, you don't exactly look like you've got the best history. We haven't had an in-depth look at whatever kind of profile may have been made for you yet, though I imagine that you're responsible for a ton of terrible things. Don't get me wrong, I might feel a little guilt for you; we all know that you ended up turning on HYDRA when they were having a little campout in this place... yet you didn't seem very friendly when you were onboard with us, and you're the whole reason that they suddenly had the nerve to come here in the first place. The location of our 'operating base' isn't at all a secret, but your old friends have never had the spunk to drop by and visit until Cap over here decided to bring you along with us. Seems like you were a particularly valuable asset to them." At first, Romanoff couldn't help but simply roll her eyes when the billionaire would refer to himself where he should have been referring to the team as a whole, but then she gave him a subtle glare when he began to overdo it and made the atmosphere incredibly more tense than it needed to be. Cora was already distinctly uncomfortable with just being within the Avengers' presence, and now Tony was brazenly putting her trust into question in front of them all. As if they needed a reason for her not to trust them at this important time.

"So what exactly is your game here? Do you have a game?"

"That's enough, Tony," Steve interjected with a steely voice, staring sternly at his teammate until he was forced to literally back off with his hands lifted in surrender. "Alright, I'm done talking." More tense silence was in the air as the Captain switched his gaze back over to Cora, before he spoke again a couple of seconds later and addressed the team. "Everyone go get some rest. Our new member could use some space, and it's been a long day for everyone, so let's call it a night." The team did as he asked without protest, glad to dissolve at least some of the astriction hanging in the air and soon leaving him and Cora alone in the penthouse, the latter not having moved from where she was presumably only so that she wouldn't have to be crammed in with the rest of the unit in the Tower's elevator to get down to her room. "I apologize about Stark," Steve told her gently, his expression now having relaxed after the departure of his comrades. "He has a habit of... bugging people. A lot. Eventually you learn to shrug it off, though."
 
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