Kindred Spirits

Building A Team

  I sat next to Steve in the back corner of a bar, sipping down my wine as the men across from me looked at him incredulously. Steve had wanted me to come with him to meet his proposed team, and I had gleefully accepted, eager to see him explain exactly what he was thinking to them. 

  "Let me get this straight," the man I had come to learn was nicknamed 'Dum Dum' leaned forward, "We barely got out of there alive, and you want us to go back?"

  "Pretty much," Steve shrugged, and a few men across from him looked at me in disbelief, though I only gave them a wry smile.

  "Sounds a rather good time, actually," one of them said with a shrug.

  "I'm in," Morita chimed in.

  Steve looked at Dernier, who eagerly nodded the affirmative. "Je combattrai jusqu'a ce que ledernier de ces batards soit mort,echaine ou bien qu'il pleure commeun nouveau-ne!"

    "J'espere touts les trois!" Jones and I proclaimed simultaneously, laughing and clinking glasses with Dernier while the rest looked at us confused.

  "Oh, we're in," Jones stated, not elaborating.

  "Well," Dum Dum sighed, "I'll fight, I'll always fight, but you gotta do one thing for me." He brought his pint glass to his lips, chugging the rest of the beer.

  "And what's that?"

  Dugan slammed his glass down, giving Steve a smile as he sighed in exaggerated in relief. "Open a tab."

  Everyone laughed while handing Steve their glasses, and I followed him over to the bar. My dress this evening was a bit more in line with the current style, though it still got me some lingering looks. It was an off the shoulder knee length gown that poofed out the slightest bit. My eyes were once again rimmed with kohl and my lips were again red, though a subtler shade this time.

  Steve placed the glasses on the bar, giving the bartender a sorry look as he asks for another round.

  "Where are they putting all this stuff?" The bartender asked exasperatedly.

  Steve gave a shrug before turning to the brooding brunette next to him. I walk away, giving them a moment to themselves. I move to stand by the band, leaning against the wall as I move my head to the beat. I pay no mind to the person that moves to stand next to me, having known they were here the second we entered the bar.

  "Pretty high profile, helping Captain America rescue a squad of captured men," Andy says dryly.

  I give her a quick glance, noting that her hair was short, accentuating her cheekbones and easily making her one of the most beautiful women in the room.

  "I made sure to make myself scarce once the reporters came calling, after warning Steve and the others that if they mentioned me at all I would be removing their ability to have children."

  "Is it true? He's been 'enhanced'?" Andy eyed Steve as he sat at the bar talking to Bucky.

  "I saw it myself," I also examined the pair, though I was admittedly more interested in the brunette. "Went from looking like a shrimp to a natural born soldier in seconds. I even helped work on the serum with the lead doctor."

  Andy looked over at me. "How'd that happen?" 

  "I'd been scoping out enlistment offices, making sure that none of you ended up as the newest 'military technology' when I heard a rather loud man talking about some kind of serum," I pushed off the wall, which Andy took as a queue to lead me to the rest of the group. "I followed the man, leading to me discovering that a German scientist had defected with the formula for a serum that he claimed could create a 'super soldier'," I paused as I greeted the group, Nicky and Joe with kisses on both cheeks and Booker with an ironic soldier salute. 

  I switched to Ancient Greek, mindful of any ears that might be listening in. "I decided to seek him out, to see if he could be trusted. I heard him talking to Steve, telling him that his determination to serve his country was admirable." I gestured to Steve who was making his way back to his table with the group's next round in his hands, Bucky next to him. "Steve was rejected about five times before Erksine found him, lying on multiple enlistment forms in an attempt to be approved. He approved Steve as a candidate for Project Rebirth."

  I sighed as I leaned back in my seat, not eager to explain how I had met Erksine. "I approached the doctor after Steve had left, offering my assistance, and when he asked how, I slit my throat-"

  I was cut off by multiple cries in Greek, Italian, French, and Arabic. I sat there as they began to draw attention to themselves, even the half blacked out members of Steve's squad began looking over.

  They quieted down once they realized the attention they were gaining. "Anyways," I resumed, switching to Italian, "We tried to find a way to bond my DNA to the serum, in an attempt to at least transfer my regeneration, though that failed spectacularly. He told me of his past with the Nazis, specifically their deep science division called Hydra. His first test subject made him realize that the serum didn't just enhance physical ability, but everything, good or bad. He chose Steve because he wasn't another soldier that would follow orders, but a man that would follow his heart and do what he believed to be right."

  I looked over at their table, watching as Steve laughed along with his squad. I pretended not to notice the blue eyes that watched me as I turned back to the group. I finished explaining everything to them, even the part where I was now an unwitting experiment as well. They were quiet for a while as they absorbed the information. Booker moved to talk, though he stopped as someone approached the table.

  "You know," Steve placed a hand on my shoulder as he came up behind me with Bucky at his side, "I was hoping you could be on the team as well."

  I raised an eyebrow as I hummed in deliberation. I looked around the table as Steve waited for my answer. I raised a brow at Andy and she examined Steve carefully, making him shuffle around a fair bit before she gave me a small nod.

  "Does that offer extend to my friends?"

  "Them? How come?"

  "Oh, we go way back," I barely got the words out before I started laughing, the other four joining in.