┌──────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┐

"𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣."

└────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┘

⍟ ⍟ ⍟

"You smug son of a bitch." One of the council men snap at Pierce.

"Is this true?" Sawyer asks, processing what he had just heard.

He felt torn, unsure of how he feels. He believes in protection, he wants a safe world for his daughter, a protected place for her to work. If this is how he can keep her safe, and alive, then so be it.

"Arrest him." Another council member says to them and one of S.T.R.I.K.E. whips out his gun.

"I guess I've got the floor." Pierce says smugly.

⍟ ⍟ ⍟

The whole building shakes as the helicarriers begin to prepare for launch.

Pierce looks out the window at all the shooting before turning back to the council.

"Let me ask you a question." Pierce starts, picking up a glass of champagne. "What if Pakistan marched into Mumbai tomorrow and you knew they were going to drag your daughters into a soccer stadium for execution." He holds out the glass towards the councilman which the councilman accepts. "And you could just stop it, with a flick of the switch. Sawyer," He places his hand on Sawyer's shoulder, "Get's that. Wouldn't you?"

Sawyer nods, confirming the protection he sought out to build. The intention was hidden, but the end goal was clear, and still the same. They lived in a dangerous world, far more dangerous than he could have ever imagined, or knew of when he started at S.H.I.E.L.D. And we would not lose his daughter to it like he did his wife. He refuses.

"Wouldn't you all?" Pierce proposes, looking around to all the council members.

"Not if it was your switch." The councilman declares, throwing the champagne glass to the side. Pierce chuckles.

One of S.T.R.I.K.E. hands his gun to Pierce and he raises it. The only councilwoman quickly kicks the councilman that threw the glass out of the way and grabs Pierce's arm while simultaneously punching him in the face and throwing a disk at one of the S.T.R.I.K.E. men which shocks him immediately, then she twists Pierce's arm and throwing the gun at one of the other S.T.R.I.K.E. members throat. The councilwoman slams her hand into another S.T.R.I.K.E. team members face and knees him in the abdomen before slamming him to the ground. The S.T.I.K.E. man she previously took down rises so she quickly grabs the back of his head and slams his face into the table, sending him backward onto the floor. Another one comes at her before she elbows the back of his head and leg sweeps him down to the ground knocking him out before picking up his gun and pointing it at Pierce as she glance at Sawyer.

"Your daughter would be ashamed." She tells him. He furrows his brows at her as she reaches up to her face and it blurs. "I'm sorry." She tears off the plastic revealing herself. Sawyer narrow's his eyes as he see's Natasha Romanoff's face. Natasha pulls off the blonde wig, smirking. "Did I step on your moment?"

⍟ ⍟ ⍟

"Eight minutes, Cap." Maria radio's Steve after checking in with Sam.

"Working on it. Does anyone have eyes on Juniper?" He asks, running across the runway.

"Negative." Maria answers.

⍟ ⍟ ⍟

Natasha turns to the screen, typing away making it in as far as she can to leak S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra's file, when 'RESTRICTED ACCESS' pops up.

"What are you doing?" One of the councilmen asks.

"She's disabling security protocols and dumping all the secrets onto the Internet."

"Including Hydra's." Natasha deadpans.

"And S.H.I.E.L.D.'s." Pierce retorts. "If you do this, none of you past is gonna remain hidden." He reminds the Black Widow. Natasha glances at him for a split second. Pierce takes a step towards her. "Are you sure you're ready for the world to see you as you really are?"

"Are you?" Natasha looks directly at him, the corners of her mouth lifting. Everyone important to Natasha already knows her past and has accepted her, that's all that matters to her.

"Disabling the encryption is an executive order." Pierce voices. "It takes two Alpha Level members."

"Don't worry. Company's coming." Natasha assures as a plan lands on the platform out by the office and none other than Nick Fury steps out. Sawyer's eyes land on the man walking across.

Nick opens the glass door, strolling in to the scene.

"You son of a bitch." Sawyer points to the Director, raising his voice. "You almost got my daughter killed!"

Nick only stares at his misguided friend before adverting his attention to Pierce.

"Did you get my flowers?" Pierce grins at Nick. "I'm glad you're here, Nick."

"Really?" Nick steps down, walking over to Pierce. "Because I thought you had me killed." He says, turning to Sawyer. "And I did no such thing. Your daughter is a grown woman who made her choice."

"You know how the game works." Pierce is quick to remark.

Sawyer swiftly turns to Pierce, but not before betrayal flashing through his eyes. Pierce may have been the one who had the hit out for Fury, but Fury was still the one who took his daughter with him knowing it was dangerous Both men were just as much at fault in his eyes, yet Fury's actions hurt more knowing the man standing before him is his daughter's Godfather, who she looks up to more than anyone— who knows just how much Sawyer doesn't want Juniper out on the field anymore, and seems to defy his every wish all the same.

It angered him, it hurt him, but most of all it only reminded him of Billie, Juniper's mother, who would do the exact same thing.

⍟ ⍟ ⍟

𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽 sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

Hello, hellooo!! And welcome back to THOA14!! This past week we hit 600+ reads & we're almost to 700 on this book, hello?! I absolutely LOVE that more people are FINALLY starting to discover this book & read ittt!!! YESSSS!!!

This is officially my last pre-written chapterrrr y'allll, omggg... the next chapter has like 3 paragraphs pre-written & I'm actually finally going to have to continue on & write after almost a year & a halfff haha, idk how to act.

But ANYWAYSSS, although there was no actual Juniper this chapter, I hope y'all enjoyed it!! As I always say in all my books, I do write scenes/chapters where my character isn't actually presented if they are mentioned & I felt like this chapter was very important even without Juniper being in it!!

And y'all got quite a bit of her dad this chappp & Fury went awfff on him a bit, IKTR!! I'm actually so curious to hear y'all's thoughts on Sawyer & whether y'all like him or not lol. I feel like he's so complex & I wanna dislike him sooo bad cause he irritates me, but at the end of the day he's just a man who is a father & loves & wants to protect his daughter... ugh, he just goes about it the wrong way. ALSO BILLIE MENTION, AHHH!! Is now a good time to tell y'all (if I haven't before lol) that I have a prequel series planned for her... HMMM?! I also FINALLY names Juniper universe omg, since there's multiple oc's in this universe/book series now (thanks to my brain that made a Sam & Joaquin love interests, both Carter's hehe, & HAD to put them in this universe bc it just felt right haha)

Okay wow that was a lot of blabbing lmao, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, & Nat's big badass momenttt, & are ready for the next bc OUR QUEEN & MOTHER MISS AGENT 14 IS ABOUT TO COME OUT & HAVE HER OWN BADASS MOMENT & SHE DON'T PLAYYYY!! So get ready stay tuned, & until next timeee, mwah!!! <3333