Chapter 7

The three of them took the flash drive to the closest mall to find out what was on it. However, that was not before Natasha made them all change into less conspicuous clothing.

"First rule of going on the run is don't run, walk." Natasha said as they walked through the crowds of people crowding into shops.

"If I run in these shoes they're gonna fall off." Steve said looking at the sneakers Nat had made him where.

They walked into the apple store. Steve and Nat stood round one computer with the drive and Abi stood over the other side keeping an eye out.

"The drive has a level six homing program, so as soon as you boot up shield will know exactly where we are." Abi informed them both.

"How much time will we have?" Steve asked.

"Around nine minutes from, now." Abi said as Nat plugged in the drive.

"Fury was right about that ship." Nat muttered. Abi was looking through Nat's mind to see what was on the screen while continuing to glance around. "Somebodies trying to hide something." Nat clarified. "This drive is protected by some kind of AI. It keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands."

"Can you over ride it?" Steve asked.

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly." Nat replied.

"The strike team just pulled up outside." Abi warned.

Nat looked up for a second before looking back down.

"Try running a tracer." Abi advised her.

Nat nodded and pulled up some software. "This is a program shield developed to track hostile malware. So, if we can't read the file, maybe we can find out where it came from." Nat started the search.

"Can I help you guys with anything?" A guy in an apple shirt with a beard and long hair asked Steve and Natasha.

"Oh, no. My fiancé was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations." Natasha said wrapping her arms around Steve.

"Right. We're getting married." Steve stumbled out. Abi nearly burst out laughing at his face.

"Congratulations. Where are you guys thinking about going?" The guy asked.

Steve glanced at the screen. "New Jersey." He said with the face of a New Yorker who just died inside.

"Oh." The guy said before studying Steve more closely. "I have the exact same glasses."

Steve breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wow, you two are practically twins." Nat said still looking at the screen.

"Yeah, I wish. Specimen." The guy said gesturing to Steve. "If you guys need anything, I've been Aaron." He said before walking away.

"Thank you." Steve called.

"You said nine minutes c'mon." Steve hurried.

"Relax. Got it." Nat said as the screen brought up the place.

It read Wheaton, New Jersey. Abi and Steve froze.

"No way." Abi muttered.

"You know it?" Nat asked.

"We used to. Strike are here we've got to move now." Abi warned.

Steve grabbed the drive and they walked out. Steve and Natasha walked slightly in front of Abi.

"Standard tack team." Steve observed. "Two behind, two across, two coming straight at us. If they make us I'll engage, you two hit the south escalator to the metro."

"Shut up and put your arm around me. Laugh at something I said." Nat quickly said.

"What?"

"Do it." So Steve did and the guys walked straight past them. Abi put her head down and let it cover her face. They passed without a second glance. They went down the escalators.

Nat spotted Rumlow and turned to Steve. "Kiss me."

"What?" Steve said looking confused.

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable." Nat clarified.

"Yes, they do." Steve replied. Nat grabbed Steve's face and kissed him. Abi turned slightly and looked at her phone. Rumlow also looked away and once again they were in the clear.

Nat pulled away. "You still uncomfortable?" She asked walking down the other side.

"That's not the word I'd use." Steve muttered as he and Abi followed.

They walked out into the parking lot and Abi turned to Steve.

"You still remember how to hot wire a car?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah." He said returning the smile.

Abi used her powers to undo the locks and Steve hotwired it. They climbed in. Abi sprawled out in the back, Steve driving and Nat shotgun. They crossed into New Jersey and Nat spoke.

"Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?" She asked.

"Nazi Germany. And we're borrowing. Take your foot off the dash." He replied.

Abi laughed slightly as Nat did so. Abi was laying down in the back watching the shadows on the ceiling.

"All right, I have a question for you, which you do not have to answer." Nat said. "I feel like, if you don't answer it though, your kind of answering it you know." Nat said with a cheeky smile.

"What?" Steve said impatiently.

"Was that your first kiss since nineteen-forty-five?" She finally asked.

"That bad, huh?" Steve said as Abi once again started laughing.

"I didn't say that." Nat said laughing with Abi.

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you were saying." Steve said.

"No. I didn't. I just wondered how much practice you've had." Nat said.

"You don't need practice. "Steve defended.

"Everybody needs practice." Nat said.

"It was not my first kiss since nineteen-forty-five." Steve said. "I'm ninety-five, I'm not dead."

"Nobody special, though?" Nat asked.

Steve chuckled. "Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."

"Well, that's alright. You just make something up." Nat advised.

"What, like you." Steve added.

"I don't know. The truth is a matter of circumstance. It's not all things to all people, all the time. Neither am I." Nat said.

"That's a tough way to live." Steve muttered.

"It's a good way not to die, though." Nat mumbled.

"You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is." Steve said.

"Yeah. Who do you want me to be?" Nat asked.

"How about a friend?" Steve said.

"Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers." Nat said with a smile.

Abi considered everything that had been said. They stayed silent the rest of the way there.