Defiance (Marvel) Lady/Fox

Grant Ward smirked to himself as he stalked through the halls of yet another Hydra underground base that he had overtaken and become in charge of with a few clever words and taking advantage of slow, fat Hydra 'betters'. in this one, he made the man try to take down his weakest Hydra asset. the people he was supposed to be in charge of and he couldn't even land a hit on the weakest one. while Grant could, and did, take down the strongest. he loved rising through the ranks, slaughtering every high level Hydra asshole he could get his hands on, building up a private army that he could use to completely destroy Hydra and Shield both. he would make sure everyone who had ever used him, ever hurt him would suffer the way he had suffered. hurt the way he had hurt and the rest would just die. he was following a young woman named Kira who had explained the sub basement levels where full of old things from Bakshi and Whitehall when they where doing larger experiments with mind control he would have everything there destroyed and anyone who went through it would be sent to his personal specialist who could help them recover from it. the man had been hesitant to help, until he realized that he really would be helping victims of Hydra. Dr. Thames wasn't loyal, but Grant didn't need him to be.

he was shocked when he realized that the supposedly abandoned rooms where occupied. Kira looked just as shocked and she was looking at her clipboard, trying to figure out where she had misread something? nope, rooms where marked as abandoned. Grant didn't bother waiting. he shot the three men in lab coats, a single bullet in the middle of their heads and they where down. the rest of his bullets sank into the massive screen with the swirling lights and blinking flashes while Kira moved to let out the various people strapped in and forced to watch the screen. Grant was gentle with them, catching each one as the collapsed, helping them sit, or lay on the ground and gave them a bottle of water and a blanket and promised them that they would have access to a doctor to help them and that they would not have to stay but they could if they had nowhere else to go. anyone standing in the room that wasn't a doctor or a scientist was given the option of joining them, leaving and never ever returning or dying. only one chose to die, trying to attack Grant. two chose to leave and the rest joined Grant. the last two people where special though, much more special than Grant had ever expected to find. one, a Back Widow, no name or age or anything attached to her clipboard. not unusual for a black widow. the other... the other on the other hand, had a gleaming metal arm, black hooded eyes and went by the Winter Soldier. "oh shit..." Grant muttered, stunned as he carefully removed them from the machine, much more cautious in case they reacted violently. "Can you tell me your name?" he asked the black widow gently, looking over at James, in awe. the man was a legend. he had grown up on stories about the Winter Soldier. the man was to him, lik Captain America was to normal kids.

At the question the widow’s head snapped up, wide blown blue eyes finding the man standing at the edge of the table, hand lashing out and punching the man standing near her. Already pulling free of the bonds, fighting and needing to move, fighting the only restraints that had ever held her here. “Enough, Lexi.”The winter soldier said, his voice rough and strained, the brooklyn strands shining through a voice usually holding a russian accent. Russian, american...every place in the world he’d ever been to...shining through the order as James turned to look at the man. Even broken and shattered, he was the man who’d fished Steve Rogers out of the Potomac, had remembered enough to not be able to let Captain America die.

Lexi froze, having not realized she’d been near James, even if she’d known he was here, had been listening to his screams as the device tried to reset them back to the beginning, to the red room training that they’d been trying to shed. Wide blue eyes looked at Grant, black hair, pale....looking enough like James she could have easily past for a child, or a relative. Which wasn’t really surprising considering some of hydra’s experiments to consider....even if neither of them knew, or had ever been enough of themselves to understand. Having no memories of the people he’d been, or were, they had a inante sense of taking orders literally, which was about the only note in their files should grant ever find them. That while they were obedient, and loyal to hydra, they weren’t smart enough to think out of the box, and take care of problems. They needed exact directions, because Hydra would never consider two of their weapons could come totally off the rails, not after so much training.

“...”Lexi eased around, tense and ready to be as violent as possible, waiting to see who grant was, and what he wanted. Willing to follow James’ lead for the moment, since he was the teacher she’d obeyed for so long.

Grant huffed as he was hit, staggering backwards and clutching his chest where she'd struck him with almost enough force to drop him. he shifted, ready to defend himself should she follow through but didn't attack back. he coughed a little when she went still and looked over at James, glad to see that they had a good chunk of their free will, or at least self preservation intact. "Lexi, that's a pretty name." Grant wheezed, trying to be as soothing as he could be. "you don't have to worry now Lexi, we won't hurt you and i won't let anyone else hurt you." he promised. "my name is Grant Ward." he explained, holding his hands up when he realized she was still ready to attack. "i'm going to get my gun, i'm going to set it on the table and slide it over to you." he explained, grabbing his gun from the small of his back and set it on the table and slid it over, just as promised. "we're not going to hurt you." he promised again before looking at James. "are either of you injured? do you need a first aid or a surgeons kit?" he knew better than to ask if they needed a doctor. for Black Widows and Winter Soldiers doctors where pain and experimentation and agony. better to just let them handle any aches pains or injuries they might have by themselves.

"Sir." one of Grants new men had come down. "we have a problem." "what is it... Alex?" Grant asked after examining the man's face to remember the name. he was good at that, remembering faces and names. if it wasn't for the fact he couldn't remember anything else someone might have said he had an eidetic memory. he couldn't remember dates to save his life and things like preferences? no way. even after all this time, he still couldn't remember Skye's favorite food. "Hydra coming in hot Sir. some bigwig is coming for a inspection today or something. surprise visit, just got the call. they wanted to now if the... subjects, where ready for transport." he admitted, nodding his head tot he people who had been strapped to the machine. Grant scowled. "what did you tell them?" "that i would check, Sir." "tell them that the.... subjects, are not quite ready but that we'll make them comfortable during the inspection and the wait. we'll see if we can't convert the lower levels and make sure the upper levels know that they aren't in charge anymore." "yes sir!" Alex said, looking quite pleased and headed off to do just that. "sorry. you'll all have to wait just a little while longer before we can get you out of here. we can't let those assholes coming have you, who knows what hell you'd be put through." he admitted, grabbing his gun before hesitating and setting down a cellphone. "if anyone needs to make a phone call to someone, feel free. i'll do my best to get you all back to friends or family if you have any, or find a good home for you if you don't and don't want to stay." he promised before heading upstairs to handle a few more nasty bastards. hopefully no one would try to leave until he could come back and lend them a hand. "do you think we can trust him?" one of the girls who had been strapped to the machine whispered. "...i don't think we have much other choice. he's the best chance we've had."

Lexi watched Grant, pleased as the punch nearly put him down, staring at the man. “....I think he’s missing some brain cells.” “Yea, well, he’s still unstrapping you. Be kind, little viper.”James said eyeing Grant as he watched the other, looking relaxed and content, even if anyone who’d ever heard of him, or knew he existed, knew that that quiet peace could explode into a whirlwind of violence at the drop of a hat. “...Thank you.”Lexi said as she edged teh gun closer to her, studying it, a pleased hum escaping. “Good weaponry.” “No. Not injured.”James responded, even if they were, it would heal shortly now that they weren’t actively being hurt, and it was superficial pain at the moment.

Tensing as the man appeared, the contented peace slid away, replaced by a violent edge of a storm as James eased to his feet. Bracing and waiting to see even as Lexi tensed prepared for violence as she listened. Not striking out because she weanted to know what was happening, what was expected of them. Surprised that they hadn’t been given orders. Glancing at James Lexi tilted her head looking at the other girls. “...Lexi. Stay here. Guard.”James said simply, the words a fighter’s shorthand, when no longer instructiosn were needed after working so long. “I’m going to back up the new boss.”James said as he headed for the door. He hadn’t been told not to leave, or follow. So he was choosing to give the appearance of obedience for the moment. Following the two men, he fell in behind Grant like a silent ghost, a shadow. “Instructions?”He asked after a moment. Willing to follow commands for the moment, as he gained his bearings.

"i'm not missing any brain cells. i'm just insane." he assured them, rubbing his chest. "of course i'm unstrapping you, no one should have to go through... that." he admitted, indicating the shot screen, unable to think of a better word to describe the hell that they had been going through. "yeah, no problem." he admitted before smirking. "of course it is. i have a second one upstairs if you want one." he offered before nodding to James. "there should be a first aid kit around here somewhere if there is anyone whose hurt." he admitted, looking around the room, no one said anything so he just nodded. he didn't blame them for not trusting him. he wouldn't trust him either. Grant tensed a little when James settled in behind him and looked back at him, looking a bit... unhappy at the request. he had hoped James would have a little more free will then that. "i don't have anything specific. we're mostly playing it by ear." he admitted. "he could stay and look intimidating?" the one named Alex offered. "we could certainly use him to keep the peace, i doubt he'd have to do anything but stand there and scowl anyway." "you feel up to that?" Grant asked James. "there'll probobly be a fight. a lot of gunfire and blood." he admitted. "if you don't want part of that, i'd suggest that you go back downstairs and do what you can for those poor souls who are hurt." he admitted, watching James for a moment. "o one is going to tell you what to do now James. your going to have to start making decisions on your own. i know it's going to be hard, but you'll get used to it. no one controls another here, not anymore." he admitted, patting James shoulder before heading into the meeting hall where Alex would lead their 'guests'.

it wasn't long before the roo was full of the fifty Hydra Agents. three of them where bigwigs, the rest where bodyguards, secretaries and other such thing. "you have a choice." Grant explained, pacing back and forth in front of the crowd. all of them kneeling, hands on their heads and kneeling. it had been pathetically easy to disarm them all. mot of them had just handed over their weapons when hte saw their 'bosses' where useless. "you can either choose to leave Hydra, go home or find a home, join common, normal society and give up on any delusions of grandeur you might have. you can join us in the destruction of Hydra and Shield alike or, if you persist on murder, mayhem and bigotry you may get to your feet and die like a man." Grant admitted, studying each face. "most of you, i imagine, will choose option one. most of you never wanted to live this kind of life. you where kidnapped from the streets, blackmailed, brainwashed or tortured into 'compliance'. others, like Mr. Gregor here." he kicked the man in the stomach. "has abused his position, driving nice fast cars and eating Caviar bought off of your blood, sweat, tears and fear." he admitted. "he's a bit of a disgusting example for a human being, is he not?" he asked the room. "honestly, he doesn't deserve the mercy of a quick death. but we are better than him, aren't we?" he asked before aiming his gun and shooting once, the man collapsing, dead in an instant. "so. you'll have ten minutes to make your decision." he admitted. "think hard on it."

James watched Grant, tilting his head a little. Considering the other man, nodding slowly. “No, no one should.”He said falling into old habits easily enough. Because he didn’t know how the man would handle things, or what was going on, so falling back into what he always did, habits so deeply engrained that it would be awhile before he truly acted like anything but the puppet he’d been for so long. “I want.”Lexi said watching him. James simply stared back at the man when he was looked at. But there was a shadow of daring there, the defiance that had shaped a 20 year old into Captain amercia’s sidekick, the anger that had forged a warrior in zola’s experiments, setting him with a core of iron, he might bend, but he wasn’t broken, not as badly as hydra believed anyways. And while he might be letting them believe he needed specific orders, and he did about certain things, but he would follow them literally, which was the only reason he wanted them, because it made defying them all the better, he knew what lines he could color outside of without getting himself or Lexi killed. “....Lexi is taking care of them, and taking them out the backway.”He said simply settling in to go in with him.

Watching Grant talk to the group he looked at them all, not truly surprised that it was easy to take care of them. Even without him there standing there being scary, the bigwigs weren’t that big of a deal to handle. Watchng the group, and making the decision before he’d even thought it all the way through that he was showing more free will then he’d wanted, he crossed the room, picking up one of the abandoned guns and slid it under one of the men’s chins, correcting the angle as the man moved, and pulling the trigger. It wasn’t until he fell that you realized he’d aimed just right to let him bleed out instead of die as soon as james splattered his brains on the floor. Kneeling, he looked down at the dying man, ignoring the blood that painted his palm as he patted the other’s messy forehead. “Your death will mean everything to your black widows. Be proud that you matter to them.”James said knowing the man would understand even as he died, that this hadn’t been personal. That Kapnov had died for what he’d done to his black widows, especially the two widows James had taken a true interest in, and despite having realized to late that his interest had gotten them both in more trouble then protected them, it had been to late by the time he’d realized it. So...he’d give them what little retribution he could, and if he got in trouble with it, well. Better they find out now if Grant was simply going to turn on them.

"i'll make sure you get one... actually, here, take this one, i'll pick up my spare upstairs." he promised, handing her the gun and the extra clips that went with it. he studied James face before a sly grin slipped onto his lips. there was life there after all, hidden well from idiots who didn't know how to look. but Grant knew how to look, had seen the look in James eyes hundreds of thousands of times from the Faustes victims. part of them still rebelling and fighting back. just like Kara. "Good. i have some people out there who can give them a hand." he admitted. "they're specialists. one is a doctor who will help them understand what happened wasn't their fualt and the others are hackers who will, hopefully, be able to find them someone to stay with while they get back on their feet. for those that choose to accept the help." he admitted. most did, but some where so freaked out they just left and holed up to try and fix themselves on their own.

"hey, stop!" one of Grant's 'guards' ordered, moving to stop James but a single wave of Grant's hand and the man settled back into place, it was too late to save the man anyway, already slowly bleeding out. he moved over to the man, his head tilted curiously. "fuck. this is the man that trained the black widows?" he asked, looking rather disgusted. "should have shot him in the leg or something..." he grumbled, kicking the downed body. "i'll have to take a picture of him and post it online for the other widows to find." he admitted. "come on." he offered to James. "leave him to die there, no one will help him, right?" he demanded of the room. no one moved save for a few of the more deeply trained ones who shook their heads a little. "here, wipe that off, you don't want to get blood everywhere." Grant said, handing James a handkerchief. "now then. we'll go, one by one." he stated. "we'll start with this one. Leave, join or die?" he demanded of one of the remaining bigwigs. "Hydra will make you suffer for this." "Hydra is dead." Grant stated simply. "i'm killing it myself." he admitted, shooting the man before moving on. of the thirty people, two of the grunts chose to die, 'truly loyal' disgusting freaks. sixteen chose to go back to family or friends and find a doctor of their own and the rest happily joined Grant in the death and destruction of Hydra. "and now you." he stated, looking at James. "leave or stay?" he offered. "i won't bother worrying about killing you, don't think i could but we both know your no loyalist." he admitted. "i'm going to assume Lexi will choose the same as you." he admitted. "Those of you who are leaving, please go up and out the back. we have a team of specialists waiting for you to help you find friends, family, or a place to live. if you do not need the help feel free to leave however you please. be careful out there." Alex urged the people as they started getting to their feet, stepping over the various dead bodies, several of them kicking them on the way. "honestly, i can't believe there wasn't a coup like this before." Grant admitted, wrinkling his nose. "the bigwigs are morons and the grunts are barely loyal. these are the people that nearly took down shield. no wonder shield sucks."

"Thanks."lexi muttered as she armed herself, looking curious about the man as she watched him."good."james said looking interested in the man who was trying to do good by the victims. Maybe he would be okay to not kill.

James looked up at the order about to lash out before grant stopped the guard. Looking down at kapnov nodding slightly."he's the one who chose them for it. He never liked getting his hands dirty enough to train them."james said sounding disgusted before shaking his head."I made a promise once to blow his brains out if I could."he said simply watching the rsst, knowing the display of violence had scared most of the others. Taking the handkerchief and wiping off as he watched.stirring a little at grants question he stared at the other. Because he knew something the other probably hadn't considered yet. If he kept on this path, eventually he'd run into the two people james wanted to see more then any other, since they were hunting hydra to."are you so sure I'm no loyal son of hydra?"he said looking vaguely amused before nodding slightly."stay."he said watching the others then lexi walking in with them. "Parts of it are dead. The shield that existed for you, and the Avengers, is worth fighting."lexi said eyes flicking to james, because she understood something that few did. Shield-shield was built around Coulson and the avengers while the rest of 'shield' was hydra in reality.

Grant scowled. "typical asshole with power." he admitted. "they buy their way intot he position or suck up to the right person and all they do is step on anyone they can because it makes them feel powerful and strong, but they're just spineless slugs." he scoffed before smirking at James. "well. his brains are still there, but this seams better. a nice slow death where he sees just how pathetic he really is." he admitted, pleased with the way the sick bastard was dying. "he's a bit tougher than i thought he would be though, he's still alive." he admitted, studying the man as he wiped himself clean before nodding. "yeah. i'm sure, because if you where loyal, you wouldn't have been strapped to that hellish machine, and you wouldn't have shot me, instead of... whoever this is." he admitted, kicking the one James had shot. "you are no loyalist." he admitted before nodding. "we'll be glad to have you then." he admitted before shaking his head. "Shield is dead." Grant stated, his eyes going shadowed with pain. "no one in shield can be trusted anymore." he admitted before shaking his head. "come on, lets get out of this place and head back home." he decided, glancing at Alex. "you'll stay and take care of the rest of these poor souls?" "you can count on me sir." "don't touch that one until he's dead. don't bother giving him a proper burial. just hack him up and ditch him in the water or leave him there to rot, don't care." he admitted. "the rest of the dead are to be buried with grave markers as common." "yes sir. shall i burn this place to the ground?" "nah, leave this one up. Shield won't be long behind us, let them find the empty building." "you got it." Grant smiled a little and looked around at the people who where staying. "well come on. we have jets ready to take us to home base. there will be beds, showers and food waiting for you all there and doctors to take care of any injuries you might have. be sure to eat as much as you want, sleep as long as you need and take as hot and as long a shower or bath as you like once we get you into a room."

“Hm, indeed.”James agreed before snorting. “Indeed. I think if I tell her, she will approve of this death.”He said simply watching the blood, moving back as it threatened to go over his boots, before nodding. “Cockroaches are hard to kill. He’ll die soon enough.”James said before raising aeyebrow, thinking about the other’s words. “Brains, it’s good to see someone has common sense these days.”He sid thoughtfully looking at grant before watching the other. Looking interested before following the other. “...So. Where are we going?”Lexi questioned as she helped the others into the plane staying close to james, not quiet hovering or saying she didn’t trust the others, but close enough that if things, or grant turned on them, they wouldn’t have to worry about accidently shooting each other in the cross fire as they dealt with whatever was happening.

he nodded. "there'll be a picture of him posted online and sent to what Black Widows we know about so they know they're free." he admitted. "i'm sure word will spread of his death from there." he admitted. "we'll have to hunt down anyone who was working with him, or he was working for to make sure no more little kids end up like that. sick bastard. we'll make sure to stamp out the entire infestation and do what we can to rescue any little girls or young women they might still have and see if we can't get them some normal lives." he smirked at James. "i was a low level grunt. of course i have brains. i actually had to use mine, unlike filth like that." he admitted, indicating the bigwigs. "we're going to Wyoming." he admitted, smirking at her. "i have a safe... well, house isn't the best word to use." he admitted with a grin. "A thousand acres of Wyoming woods and meadows, already paid for." he said, sounding almost as if he was remembering a fond memory, helping them all into the massive jet he had come in with. "is everyone here?" he asked, looking around at them, matching faces to memory before nodding. "make sure you're buckled in. there's turbulence and if Shield gets here too soon they'll try to shoot us out of the sky." he paused. "Actually Hydra will too if they show up." he admitted. "what about the ones behind?" one of the braver new recruits asked. "they have their own jets." Grant promised. "they aren't being left behind, they'll run cleanup, wipe all records, burn paper trails and catch up to us." he promised. "everyone ready?" he asked before starting the plane up and strapping himself in, looking at James. "you know how to fly?" he asked, his head tilted. "your Co-pilot then." he stated, giving the other the coordinates before heading into the air. they landed a few hours later and Grant smiled. "welcome to Second Chance Ranch." he informed them, sliding out of his seat and stretching with a groan. "it's going to be great, landing in bed after a hot shower right?" he asked, smiling at them when they looked a lot more eager to be there. who wouldn't be excited to see a deluxe ranch house in front of a huge cool lake and rolling meadows with a roll of forest all around them.

“Good.”James said looking thoughtful as he considered that, frowning. “Lexi will know. She’s recently gone through the last part of her training. She’ll know who to seek the best.”James supplied before laughing out loud, startled laughter. A glimpse of the brooklyn boy he’d once been. “yea, it’s always the lower ones you should listen to, intelligence at the bottom of the ladder.”he snickered. “...A...what?”Lexi stared at Grant, looking bemused at the idea as she settled into her seat, starting to buckle in. “Yes I can.”James said nodding as he started to fly. Looking pleased by the time they arrived, flying had been one of the few freedoms he’d gotten in recent years. “...Second chance?”Lexi looked thoughtful as she stretched, walking towards the house, though definitely a little more reluctant to simply accept that they were going to help. "...using hydra's money?"James said watching lexi as they headed inside.

he nodded. "i'll make sure she has what she needs to contact anyone she wants." he promised before smirking. "isn't that always how it works? after all, the people in charge would never know how to do anything at all if they had to do what the people who work for them did." he admitted before pausing. "i think my sentence went wrong there somewhere." he admitted. "a ranch, in Wyoming." he admitted to her with a grin. "you'll love it, very peaceful." he admitted before nodding. "yeah, second chance. because this is my second chance at being someone worthwhile." he admitted. "i don't actually know." he admitted to James. "i'd imagine so. my handler, John Garret. he was a higher up Hydra, trying to find a way to save himself. he went batshit insane and pretty much slaughtered himself and all this was willed to me. i'm still finding out some of the secretes. i'm just glad Garret wasn't a pervert or a sicko or something. not that i knew of anyway, i don't think i'll find anything too traumatizing." he admitted. "come on." he urged with a grin, heading down the ramp and stretching. "watch your step." he called, helping everyone out of the jet. there was a row of jets. almost twenty of them scattered about, each one invisible from above, and suddenly seen once they landed. "i'll take you all tot he rooms. choose whatever one you want. claimed rooms are marked with a person's name on the chalkboard on the door. put your name on the door once you find one you want." he explained. "there will be fresh clothes, rather unisex i'm afraid but it'll get you through the night. there'll be bath supplies in the bathroom so feel free to wash up. the dining room will be fully stocked so feel free to make yourselves something to eat." he offered, leading the way inside and leading the way to available rooms and giving a short tour. showing them to living rooms and kitchens and dining halls and introducing them to each other. there was currently twenty others living in the Second Chance Ranch. most of them where injured in various terrible ways. one was missing his leg from the knee down, one woman was burned over her face and arms so bad you couldn't see her facial features anymore. a third was missing his hand. they all looked content though, so they obviously felt safe there.

“Hm, it did go a little wrong, but I know what you meant.”James snorted alittle before smirking slightly at the look of confusion on Lexi’s face at the idea of a ranch in the middle of no where. Watching her there would be amusing. “Hmmm, we do get second chances I guess.”Lexi frowned thinking about it. “Ah. Yes. The idiot.”James hummed because Garret was lucky he hadn’t put a bullet in his brain. Having seen the man before, seen him stand aside while he was on the table, they’d all been lucky he hadn’t destroyed them on waking. Smiling slightly as he helped the others down, following grant around silently. Black widow and Winter Soldier, silent shadows of people as they moved through the house. While they were listening to Grant, it was obvious they were also making note of everything they could use, every exit to exploit, every weapon to be used. Choosing adjoining rooms the two headed out again to find Grant, looking at him. While they were mostly free, at least fought it, they were still to used to literal directions, ones that they bent to suit their needs, but still told what to do. “....What are we to do??”Lexi said after a moment.

"well... good." he agreed with a nod before smiling at her. "no. you're having your first chance." he admitted to her with a smile. "you never got your first chance, so you get to have it now." he admitted. "...yeah. the idiot..." he mumbled with a wince. he knew thy where marking out weak spots, escape exits, ambush points and other things. but to be fair, all of the new 'kids' where. it was an ingrained habit, something you did, to protect yourself, and to protect your boss and your superiors. Grant was standing in the kitchen, flipping a steak and tossing a salad with the woman who was horribly burned. "just relax." Grant said, smiling at her. "rack time." he stated. "you know. in-between missions. rest, recover, get back to one hundred percent." he suggested, realizing they really did need some kind of direction. "here. you want a steak?" he offered, smiling at her. "it's delicious. oh, this s Alia." he introduced her. "it's nice to meet you." the woman said, the words coming slow and careful and yet still a little slurred. tongue damage most likely. "would you like something to drink?" Alia offered. "we have anything you want." even hard and soft liquor and liqueurs, every soda pop under the sun and even fruit drinks, champagne, three different kinds of beer, and wine. they where very well stocked.

Lexi tilted her head thinking on that nodding slowly."okay, yes. First chance then."she smiled slightly."...okay."james frowned a little thinking about it as he settled at the table with his back against the wall, resting his head back against the wall as he watched them all."...so what's on our next mission going to be?" "I need a computer."lexi said remembering what grant had said. She knew what needed to do next. "Yes a steak would be good."james nodded grinning pleased when lexi agreed tilting his head at alia. Listening to her, knowing what kind of damage could cause that."hello. And yes. A cola if you have any. The real stuff, in the glass bottle. If not, a water."james smiled slightly. A Sunkist would be good."lexi smiled

"yeah, a first chance." he agreed with a smile, watching them as they settled at the table. "mission to be determined." he admitted. "we haven't decided where to hit next. we'll get Intel from the people who came in with us today to decide on our next target. this way, it's nearly random and anyone aiming to stop us won't be able to tell when, or where, we're going to strike next." he admitted before nodding to her. "give me a sec to grab you one." he suggested with a smile, heading off to grab one while Alia worked on the steaks and the grilled potatoes. "how do you like your steak? these are at the rare mark." Alia slurred, grinning at them as she got a cola from a glass bottle and a sunkist and a bottle of wine for herself. she wouldn't drink the whole thing of course, just a glass. "here." Grant said, handing her a laptop. "will this be enough?" he asked her, indicating the computer. "i have a desktop and tower in here too if that would be better. i don't know much about computers." he admitted, grabbing himself a beer and smiling at Alia. "you should sit down, your starting to tremble." "i'm fine." "remember what the doctor said. don't push yourself too hard." Grant scolded gently, Alia rolling her eyes and sitting down as ordered while Grant worked on the steaks and the salads and the potatoes while taking swigs of his beer before finally handing out food to everyone, making sure all the steaks where done the way everyone wanted before digging into his own meal. he was starving.

“Ah. Well, if you want. I think I can find the Black widow hideouts for you. Get the girls out.”Lexi shrugged a little before nodding. “Okay.”She said watching him go. James tilted his head watching them all, feeling out of sorts. While he’d been more or less himself since he’d fought steve on the helicarrier, this simply being, was still weird to him. “medium rare for both of us.”The former winter soldier said smiling slightly, nodding his thanks as he took his drink. Letting out a pleased happy hum as he drank. “Thanks.”Lexi said taking the computer, “It’s fine. I just needed a map to find what I needed.”She smiled settling in to work. James tilted his head as he watched the group, starting to eat. This day was definitely oen of the oddest he’d had in recent months.

“....Is that who I think it is?”Clint asked as he crossed the room, glancing at Natasha as he neared her. While the avengers hadn’t been called in, when they’d realized who was here, and that hydra was imploding, Natasha and clint had been asked to stay close, to offer expertise if needed.

he modded. "if you want. i'm not sure if we'd be able to break into those with the numbers we have though." especially if the Black Widows where the ones fighting them. "do you think the widows would fight us or just watch?" he wondered. "i have doubts that they'd actively help us but if they don't fight us we have a chance at taking over the bases and letting them free... i think." he admitted. "good choice." he agreed with a grin. medium rare was definitely the best. for sure. "alright." he agreed to her. "keep the computer for as long as you need." he offered. "we have extras if someone else needs one." he admitted before tearing into his steak like the ravenous beast he was. "that was delicious." Grant admitted once he was done with a sigh. "now all i want to do is sleep for a week." "that's what you get for staying up all night." Alia chastised with a roll of her eyes. "go to bed. i'll have Tim do the dishes for us." she promised, cutting off Grant's protests. "...fine. but i'm taking a bath first." he looked at the other two. "you guys need anything before i go sink into oblivion for a while?"

Natasha stared at him, she'd been staring at him for the last half hour, stunned that someone had actually killed him. him, the man who had caused her so much pain and agony and terror. him, who had taught her Belt but also pulled out her intestines while she was still awake. Him who had taught her how to hold a gun and had tinkered with her brain to make her think faster, react faster. Him who had given her a little porcelain doll, but had removed any chance she'd ever had at children. Him who she had dreams of that made her wake up with a silent scream on her lips and covered in a cold sweat. him... he was dead. and she had not killed him. she wasn't sure how to feel about that really. "yes. that's him." she admitted after a very long silence. "...he's dead. Clint." she whispered. out of everyone, Clint was probobly the only one who had half a clue as to why this was affecting her so badly. had Phil still been alive, he would have been pulling her away already, whispering reassurances and snapping orders to have the body removed and such. "he's dead..." him, and Phil both. this sucked. at least finding and freeing the other Black Widows would be easier now. she hoped.

“I want. And I don’t....the place...that I remember the best, wasn’t...the final training place. It was...the place for the younglings, and the newly trained ones. I think if we made it clear that we were not there to use them, and that Kapnov was dead, then they would stand aside to let us take the bases....at least I think they will.”Lexi muttered chewing on her lip as she thought. “Thanks.”She nodded smiling pleased with the idea of keeping the computer, catching up not only on the widow bases, but she wanted to know what was going on in the world. She could look. “It was good.”James agreed looking amused as he ate nearly as quickly and needy as grant did, leaning back with a contented sigh. “No, we’re okay. Go.”James said not wanting to be a burden, they could figure things out, figure out what to do with themselves.

Clint eased closer, nodding a little. “Yes, he is. Come on Nat. We’ll let the other’s clean up. You don’t need to do it.”Clint muttered slipping a hand under her elbow, gently pulling her away. Muttering quiet reassurances, leaving the rest of the team to deal with cleanup as he got natasha out, frowning slightly. “Rumor has it it’s a hydra agent going rogue on them. At least that’s what one of our hydra agents said.”He muttered to distract her, because while they didn’t have many, and they were compromised some, shield did have some agents undercover with the broken organization.

he nodded. "we'll go there then." he agreed. "would you like to come with? the other Black Widow children might be more calm and might be more willing to trust us and stand down with one of their own there." he admitted. "especially if some of them know you." he admitted with a smile. "and if they don't stand aside, we have nonlethal options. do you know what Icers are? they're safe on children as well as adults." he admitted. "it's basically a sedative. we'll make sure we will only use Icers until we can determine whose a threat and whose a victim." he decided, which was what they usually did when hitting up a place where brainwashing was occurring. "alright. if you need help with anything, just ask one of the long timers." he offered with a smile before heading off to crash for as long as he could.

"yeah... no, i need pictures." she admitted, snapping a few pictures with her phone. she knew this would be a great way to prove to the black widows she was trying to rescue that they where going to be okay. this sick bastard was dead and that was going to make everyone she had rescued already breathe much easier. "seriously? Hydra's imploding because of Hydra? how fitting." she muttered. "we're going to the school next." she informed him. "with the bastard dead, we have a chance to win over the children that he's been torturing." she admitted, looking at him, swallowing thickly. "i'm going to be sick." she informed him, stalking off to go to the bathroom so she could sick up.

"Yes. And james. He's usually in and out of the school every few months, so they'll know him to." "Between the two of us, we should know most of the current students."james frowned thinking it over. Before nodding."we heard about the icers, haven't seen any though."james said looking curious at having a non lethal handle on things. "We will. Goodnight."lexi said smiling slightly as she watched him go.

"Okay...we'll show the kids when we go rescue the others."Clint frowned a little before nodding."apparently things got bad. We're still trying to find out who it is, but currently no one knows, though it's supposed to be a specialist, so he worked for shield at one time."clint said before wincing, nodding slightly as he watched her go."nat?"he said stepping into the bathroom after a bit, worried for her.

he nodded. "that sounds pretty good." he admitted with a smile. "between you and James they should be willing to listen. i can't imagine we'll have too much of a fight." he admitted. "i'll give ou a couple tomorrow and let you test them out." he promised. "they're a work of genius. someone named Fitz and Simmons invented them." he admitted.

"yeah. we'll leave right away in the morning." she agreed before frowning a little. "so he's a specialist with Shield but was undercover with Hydra and now he's taking down Hydra? there's a story there." she admitted, shaking her head. "i'm fine." she informed him when he came in, kneeling over the toilet, though she hadn't actually gotten sick yet and didn't seam to be going to. "i want to go home." she admitted with a sigh before getting up. "come on. we'll get some sleep and head out in the morning."

in the morning, Grant was up and making breakfast and was cleaning a couple dozen guns as he did so. all of them Icers. there was a huge group gathered outside also doing the same, cleaning Icers and normal guns and prepping jets to go after the kids who where being tortured in the name of the Black Widow program. "hungry?" he asked James and Lexi, looking up when they walked in, a knife in his hand that he was sharpening. "we're heading out in a few hours. we should be there by noon if we leave on time." he admitted.

“Something like that. The rumor keeps changing depending on who tells it, but either way he’s both shield and hydra.”Clint sighed a little. Looking worried about her as he watched her. “Let’s go home then. I’m sure Tony’ll have something niteresting to tell us and being his normally distracting self. We’ll get some sleep.”Clint said smiling softly as they headed out.

Lexi looked up at the other as she stepped in, looking thoughtful as she moved over, picking up the knife he was sharpening, pressing her thumb into the blade, watching it draw a little drop of blood. “Good work.”she muttered before pocketing the knife with a small smile before nodding. “Good. Hopefully nothing horrible was set to go bad when Kapnov died.” “It shouldn’t. Cause he thought he was god, he probably didn’t think anything could ever happen to him.”James said as he got some food for himself.

"makes sense, being that it's a rumor." she admitted with a chuckle before rolling her eyes a little at the mention of Tony. "yeah." she agreed. "and we can borrow the Jet from him this way." she agreed with a smile.

"hey!" he complained when she pocketed the knife. "sticky fingers." he complained even as he pulled out a different knife from his boot and set about sharpening that instead. clearly he was used to his friends being sticky fingers. "the worst we have to worry about is Romanoff showing up and trying to stop us i think." he admitted. "being that most of the people here are technically still Hydra, she wouldn't have any regrets slaughtering the lot of us and i'm pretty sure she could." he admitted. "plus i'm pretty sure she wants me dead anyway because i said something very ill advised." he admitted with a shake of his head. "you know, that seams to be a common problem among the hierarchy." he admitted with a snort before looking at James, narrowing his eyes. "i suppose you want this knife now that i'm done with it?" he asked, looking rather amused, offering the freshly sharpened knife to James. "go ahead." he offered with a smile.