1

Before

Torrance stood outside the New Avengers Facility, slightly nervous but also slightly excited. She was here to get new orders from long time friend and boss, Nick Fury. Sure, she wasn't exactly thrilled to be getting a new case to work on, but it passes the time between work and the bar.

When she finally got the courage to go inside, she heaved the heavy doors open and made her way to the elevator. She fiddled with a strand of her hair anxiously as she waited for the elevator doors to open. She was always like this coming in here, afraid she'd have to talk to some big shot like Tony Stark or even Natasha Romanoff. She had heard stories about the both of them and how they helped save the world alongside the Avengers. She envied them, she wanted to be on a team, she wanted to be a part of something. She had been on earth longer than anyone working here, yet she was still some lousy field agent. 

When the elevator doors open, she stepped inside and quickly pressed the button that would take her up to Fury's office. She tucked her hands in her pockets and watched the floor numbers go up slowly until the soft bing! of the elevator stopping allowed her to rest easy.

She stepped out of the elevator as small alarms began to sound down the hall, red lights coming on and flashing angrily at her as she tried to ignore them. Her hands went into fists as men came running down the hall, yelling towards her.

"Stop right there!"

"Hands up!"

"Stop! Turn around!"

She groaned, gritting her teeth while she turned slowly. "I forgot check in again, didn't I?"

The agents lowered their guns, sighing. 

"Of course you did," one of them snapped, rubbing his hand over his eyes. "One day, Ms. Avery. I want just one day where I don't have to hunt you down and do this whole routine."

She held her hands up, giving them a flashy grin as she showed them her badge and keycard. "I can't just give up on this game so easily."

He rolled his eyes, motioning for the other agents to follow them back down the hall as the lights came back on and the alarms turned off. 

"So, trying to sneak in past security and steal files again?" Fury said, jokingly, from before her.

She turned, smiling. "If I were trying to steal files and sneak in, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

He didn't say anything as he began to walk back towards his office. She followed closely, like always. The two made it to his office easily and she instantly took a seat on his couch as she spoke, "So, what's on the agenda today?"

"This."

He handed her a large file marked 'top secret' and 'classified' but also with the big black word 'Hydra.' Her heart did a little flutter with excitement because this meant the case was going to be fun. Anything with Hydra on the file was what she imagined going to an amusement park felt like. Adventure, wonderment, amazement, all of the above.

"What's the deal with Hydra?" she asked, trying to hide her enthusiasm. 

"I've gotten word from Captain Rogers that a Hydra war plane was discovered off the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean. Scientists found artifacts and old files and countless other items buried deep inside the plane."

"And that has to do with me because...?"

"I want you to scope it out, see what you can find," he explained.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Why me? I know as much as you do--"

"You have been around a long time, Torrance," Fury said in a tone that seemed like he wasn't trying to be disrespectful. "I believe, once you see what the scientists have found, you might know what everything is. You were around when Red Skull was fighting against America. You were alive when World War II struck, you were there--"

She held her hands up, standing. "Alright, alright, I'll do it. I get it, you probably think, because I knew Peggy during her war days, that I could identify what was found. I get it, okay? I'll go down to the base or wherever the hell this place is and look at seventy year old weapons and old ammunition."

Fury smiled. "Perfect. You'll be going down later today, but until then we have more to discuss." He moved to his desk and sat down behind it, looking tired. "Hydra is a very complicated enemy, you see. We thought, ever since World War II ended, that Hydra was dead. Completely over, gone forever type of deal. Yet, and you know this already, they came back and had been infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D all along."

She opened the file as Fury spoke, flipping through articles dating back to war times. She held up a picture of a frightening man with a red face. She held the photograph out for Fury to see. "I see where he got the name. Red Skull," she laughed, mocking the villain. "What a fucking idiot-"

Fury eyed her. "Language, Ms. Avery," yet as he said that, he couldn't contain his own childish laughter. It was now an inside joke between the two, since last year when she'd said some very choice words and got reprimanded by one of the higher ups. "He was an idiot. What kind of fool decides to do that to themselves, willingly? Do you think he knew he would come out that ugly?"

She shrugged, looking at the photograph more intently. "He wanted power and people would do anything for power like his."

After a beat of silence, Fury spoke up, "Do you think Hydra is still out there? Honest opinion, because anything to do with that group--" He stopped, shaking his head. "To think," he laughed. "That all these years I had been working with Hydra agents, can you believe that?"

She didn't say anything, only continuing to stare at him because in all fairness, she couldn't believe it. There was nothing there to expose them or even make anyone consider that Hydra was S.H.I.E.L.D. all along. There was no cause of suspicion, and that's what made it all so much worse.

"I wasn't just working with them, I was working for them," he rubbed his forehead, sighing. "It doesn't matter now, because everyone is working to get rid of them."

She couldn't stop herself, "Cut off one head, two more shall appear." She loved being the bearer of bad news, but both of them knew the truth. Even if they happened to get rid of Hydra, two more of its organization would pop up and wreak havoc. Or just another form of them. Another twisted group ready to cause terror because they believe it is right.

He ignored her comment and held up an article to show her. She looked at the headline and read it out loud slowly, "The Winter Solider."

"You know who he is?"

She shook her head, but thought for a moment before saying, "I've heard of him, but not enough about him to be an expert." She slid the article back over to him but not before eyeing the blurry photograph of the suspect on the page.

"The new fist of Hydra," he mumbled, before laughing. "Stupid right? Thinking that little Bucky Barnes could have been behind the mask all along."

"Bucky Barnes, sir? As in James Buchanan Barnes from the hundred-and-seventh Infantry Regiment? Part of the Howling Commandos?"

He nodded. "Found out it was him last year when we had our initial run in with Hydra. We could have used someone like you out there with us."

"Too bad you sent me out to Europe for a mission," she grumbled. "Still mad about that, don't forget. I could have met Steve Rogers, Fury! I could have met him! Instead, you had me shipped over seas to retrieve...what was it, again?" She thought for a moment, mocking him. "Oh, yeah! Track down a shipment of specially made skiing equipment?"

Fury let out a wild laugh, rocking back in his chair. "I thought it was S.H.I.E.L.D weapons! I ready did--"

"Bullshit," she snapped as her charade fell and she finally smiled. "You should be happy I'm not mad at you anymore."

He nodded. "To think, you could have helped bring down Hydra if you weren't playing around on the slopes."

She rolled her eyes, closing the file on her lap. "So, Bucky Barnes was the fist of Hydra? Kind of weird, right? Captain Americas best friend, the fist of the organization he was trying to take down."

"It wasn't exactly his fault," Fury stated. "He was brainwashed and tortured for years to become what he was."

"Was?"

"He's currently MIA."

She didn't say anything, but she already had theories and the best she could come up with was that he was probably dead or worse...back in Hydra's hands. She changed the subject, "So, what time is my flight coming in?"

~

Her flight didn't come until four hours later.

She boarded the private jet issued to the New Avengers Facility and was met with another agent. The other woman was taller than her and she wore her outfit with ease. The woman stuck her hand out, smiling, "Agent Carly Porter."

She took the woman's hand and shook with a smile on her face, "Torrance Avery."

The two took their seats, buckling their belts and sat awkwardly across from one another. Carly was the one to break the silence, "How did you get dragged into doing this?"

"Orders from the big man up stairs," she told her. Raising an eyebrow, she asked the same question to which Carly answered, "Said they needed more people to go so I volunteered."

Torrance nodded, feeling the plane start into run on the runway. She felt the shift as they took off into the air, the force moving her slightly in her seat.

"You said your name was Torrance, right? Torrance Avery?" Carly asked, looking at her with narrowed eyes.

She nodded.

"I've heard about you, don't you have, like...superpowers or something?"

Her face reddened, who the hell is this woman? "Uh--" She gulped. "--yeah, I do have superpowers...kinda."

"You were apart of the Rearrangement Project, the one that lead to the serum used on Captain America! You're mentioned in his files, said you were the prototype? It was along the lines of that, but I always thought you were a legend!"

"A legend?" Torrance was beginning to feel uncomfortable by the other woman. She didn't like how much she knew about her, even though they did work in the same building. To be fair, Torrance didn't like anyone knowing about her, period. Her past was her own, she didn't need others trying to weasel their way into her secrets. Secrets she barely even remembered.

"Said you were the best in your field, even mentioned that Peggy Carter recruited you."

She nodded slowly, watching the other woman. It was true she knew Peggy, that she had worked side by side with her, but there wasn't much else she remembered. Her early years always had been blurry. "How did you find out all this information on me, anyways?"

Carly seemed shocked for a moment, looking at her with a blank expression that read how could I not know? "I read your file of course, duh!"

She nodded again, sure you did. "So, have you met Captain Rogers?"

Carly nodded. "He's amazing. I ran into him on his way out, he was just so perfect!" She tilted her head and smiled, "Have you met him?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely," she lied, faking a smile. "He's...pretty built." 

Carly gave her a weird look but didn't question her. As the flight continued Torrance realized one thing, she hated Carly Porter. Not because she was annoying, or just a little too perky for Torrance's taste, but because she had a secret.

It was written all over her face.

~

When the plane landed on the landing strip at the base. When the plane stilled, the doors opened and men in large coats and winter clothes greeted the two woman. Helping them out of the plane, one of the men handed Carly a file.

"Inside are pictures me and the team took of the plane," he explained as Carly opened the manilla envelope. She pulled out at least a dozen photographs. 

Torrance grabbed one before Carly could put them away, examining the old Hydra plane. It was sleek and overall a smooth looking ride. The photograph was grainy, but she could still point out Hydra's symbol on top of one of the wings. She handed the picture back wordlessly and followed the icy path to where men where excavating a very large object out of the ground by a small building. 

Her pace quickened and she made a beeline to the hole where she saw scientists and workers surrounding it. The man who greeted her at the plane and Carly were struggling to keep up with her as she practically ran to the hole. They weren't as equipped or familiar with the terrain, not like Torrance was. This was her usual scouting mission, somewhere cold and foreign to her.

"Ma'am, it's dangerous down there, please wait for someone with instructions--" The man behind her rambled out, grabbing her arm and pulling her back sharply to which Carly laughed at loudly. This was something Torrance was all too familiar with. Many of the men and women she met were naive to her history, to her strengths. She was always a child in their eyes, a young, beaming agent.

Torrance looked the man in the eyes then down to his hand on her then back up to his face. "Never touch me like that again," she snapped, pulling her arm free. "I'm perfectly capable of going down there by myself, I'm not just a field agent."

She hated the force some men got with her. The arrogance. The smug look in their eyes that read I'm smarter than you. They never knew how wrong they were until she proved it and god, she couldn't wait to prove him wrong.

The man nodded, eyes wide. "But wouldn't you want to see what we pulled out of the aircraft? It's all back at the base where it's a little more safe for you ladies."

She shook her head, pointing to Carly, "No, but Agent Porter would love to go with you to see what you found."

Carly's smile faded as the man pulled her towards the building. Torrance turned away and made her way to one of the men who was climbing out of the hole. He walked up a metal ramp that lead up and out of the darkness below. 

"Excuse me, sir," she smiled as she approached him. "Hi, I'm Agent Avery and I'm here from S.H.I.E.L.D to see what you've found down there." She wasn't exactly lying about who she was with to get here, but they needed a good reason to let her go down and explore, and some men who heard the name S.H.I.E.L.D. almost always agreed to anything she said.

"It isn't safe," the worker argued, but she shook her head saying, "I don't think you want me reporting back to my boss that you wouldn't let me go down. He's a very important man."

The worker sighed, stepping out of her way and holding out a flashlight for her to take. "Let me get you a coat, it's almost below freezing down there."

When he brought her the jacket, she made her way down into the dark abyss. She stepped down onto the ramp, her shoes barely holding any tractions as she made her way down inside. The metal felt like ice. When she reached the bottom, she turned her flashlight on. 

Everything was covered in thick layers of ice and snow. She entered at the hatch and made her way inside, her light reflecting on the iced walls. She zipped her coat up further as the cold bit at her skin, nipping at her neck and cheeks. 

She made it to the front of the ship, examining the captains chair and all of the buttons that were used to control the ship. She let her fingers trail across the arm rests and across the little buttons that were frozen and stiff. She examined the screens and buttons more carefully, locating the navigation system and systems information display. The screens were cracked, but they weren't entirely destroyed. 

She realized though, before she had come down there, that she should have asked for shoes with better tractions. She took one step forward and her boot slipped and she dropped her flashlight, which sent her tumbling forward and onto the control panels. 

Her stomach sank in fear as she watched little lights begin to flicker on and the screens suddenly lit up with words. She had struck down hard enough for the ice to crack and the buttons to push down. She pushed herself to her feet, staring at the screens. She took a seat at the captains chair, wrapping her hands around the arm rests and looking at the screens in wonderment.

With her hand on the arm rest, her finger grazed over a small button under the rest. Her curiosity got the better of her and she pressed it, only slightly worried what could happen. 

Nothing nuclear happened, which was good.

Instead a small hatch opened up under the control panels and inside was an old envelope. She pulled her newfound treasure out and pulled open the envelope. Inside were small tapes and old video camera hard drives. 

With a devilish grin, she opened her coat and slipped the envelope inside so she could take it back with her. She always loved finding new, little secrets to take back with her to investigate. As she reached out to turn the systems off, the aircraft shifted in the ice. Her body moved forward in her seat and she spun around to leave when she saw Carly blocking her only exit.

"Having fun?" she asked with one hand behind her back, which was never good.

Torrance gulped, ignoring her question. "What did you find with the scientists? Any good Hydra artifacts?"

"There wasn't anything good," she said in a monotone voice before smiling and holding out the hand that was behind her back. She cocked her gun, grinning wildly, "At least...not anymore."

Torrance reached for her own gun she kept in her uniform jacket, but she struggled to unzip the heavy coat the worker had given her. Carly raised her gun and fired at her. Torrance ducked, yelping.

"I'm guessing you're not a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, right?" Torrance asked, scrambling across the ground to hide behind the captains chair as Carly continued to fire her gun. The bullets ricocheted and cracked against the ice and metal, echoing throughout the hazardous space.

Instead of answering her question, the other woman laughed maniacally. Torrance fumbled with the zipper of her coat angrily before ripping the zipper completely off. She stared at the piece of metal in disbelief. She tossed the zipper over the chair and towards Carly.

"Did you just--" Carly stopped shooting. "--did you just throw a zipper at me?"

"Yes," Torrance snapped, tearing the fabric of her coat so she could get to her gun. She pulled it out, smiling. "Yes, I did." She leaned around the chair, firing her gun. 

When she didn't hear the other woman crying out in mercy, she poked her head around the chair and saw that the bullet had hit the back wall instead. You're a better shot than this, Avery, she snapped to herself. She got to her feet, gun raised and ready as she looked for the woman.

She plane shifted again in the ice, messing with her footing. She slid across the ice, blindly looking around. She glided into the other wall, grabbing hold of the icy metal praying that it would steady her.

"I always wondered what it would be like to fight the legendary Shifter," Carly shouted from across the room. "I grew up hearing stories about you, you bitch. 'Torrance Avery was the best S.H.I.E.L.D agent money could buy' and 'Torrance Avery, the medical miracle!' Which is all bullshit, you're nothing special."

"I'd beg to differ," she mumbled, keeping her gun raised as she looked for the source of the voice. When she laid eyes on the woman she was already on top of her. Carly knocked her to the ground, both of them sliding against the ice after landing hard. The ice hadn't made her fall any easier than she thought it would. It was cold and unforgiving as her head slammed back into the ground when she fell.  

Carly sent punches at Torrance, who dodged them quickly after getting struck in the face once. One thing she knew for sure was that she never liked taking a hit. She didn't have time to laugh or even crack a smile each time Carly's fist missed her head and smashed into the ice, which made her even more confident in winning. Torrance raised her hands, grabbing Carly's shoulders to keep her a fair distance away. The other woman didn't have her gun anymore, so that was an advantage for her. 

Torrance was stronger, when she wanted to be, and right now? She wasn't sure she wanted to exude that energy into Carly and her loosing battle.

Torrance's gun, still in her hand, was pressed against Carly's neck. She could easily pull the trigger and all would be over, but did she really want to kill this woman? Not really. Not without some answers.

"Who are you, actually?" Torrance asked through gritted teeth, bringing her leg up to prepare to kick Carly away from her. She waited a moment so the woman could answer. 

"Valaria," she said, breathlessly. 

Torrance took this as her time to kick the woman away. She brought her knee up between their bodies and raised her foot the best she could so she could get the crazy lady away from her. Valeria went flying across the room, her body hitting the wall with a definite crack!

She stood slowly, staring at the crippled body of Valaria. She checked to see how many rounds she had left in her gun, smiling when she saw more than half her rounds were still there. She held the gun up as the woman moved. 

Valaria began to laugh, rolling over and onto her back. She could see the blood spread across the woman's face and lips as she croaked out in a defiant voice, "Cut off one head, two more shall appear," she grinned, pulling out a small device. "Hail Hydra."

Torrance's gun went off, firing a round into her chest. The woman didn't get the chance to cry out before her body fell limp. Torrance slipped her gun back into its place in her jacket's holster and made her way back to the ramp, tired.

She had just begun to climb up when she heard laughter from down in the pit. Her pace quickened as she tried to scramble up the icy ramp, feet slipping. The ground shook from under her and she took a deep breath. She clicked the heels of her boots together and a sleek silver board appeared underneath her feet. 

It was her very own secret weapon she had designed herself back in her earlier days.

The board shot off the ground and moved through the air swiftly as everything beneath her shook with a fiery explosion. She could feel the growing heat brush against her back as she soared. Once she had reached the top of the hole, she clicked her heels again and the board folded back up and went back to its position in her shoes. She fell to the ground as the explosion rocketed around her, sending her rolling in the snow. 

Thank god I put the right shoes on this morning, she thought to herself.

Sitting up, she noticed the dead bodies for the first time.

They laid in the snow all over the base. Blood seeped thickly into the white, allowing the red color to stick out like bright welts. Like burns. She walked zombie-like through the snow towards the building that was going up in smoke and flames. Valaria had set fire to all the evidence collected on the Hydra ship and god knows what else. It was all destroyed in the name of Hydra. 

Torrance stumbled to the ship, feeling a little sore and emotionally damaged. Yet, she wasn't too distraught because she still had all the tapes she found. All the evidence Valaria didn't get to destroy. 

When she reached the jet she had come on, she noticed the pilot dead in his seat. Blood covered the window in front of him where a bullet had been shot straight through the back of his skull. She boarded the jet anyways, going to the cockpit and ignoring the body as best she could as she reached for the communications system. She quickly got working the buttons, calling the New Avengers Facility where she hoped Fury answered. 

"This is agent Torrance Avery, here for the North Atlantic Ocean basecamp where scientists uncovered an old Hydra fighter jet. We have been compromised and everyone is dead, please send help right away."

Now all she had to do was wait.