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“Do not make me regret this.”

With those words Bucky Barnes handed Stephanie Carter her father’s shield and walked off. She ran her hand over its smooth surface, the same way she did every time she picked the object up. She watched as Bucky walked back towards the agents that had surrounded her mother’s home. She worried what Fury’s reaction to all this would be. She doubted Fury would really let her go. He’d send someone else after her eventually, but now she had her chance to put some distance between herself and SHIELD.

She picked her keys up off the alley floor, and fired up the motorcycle as she mounted it. From behind her, she heard Bucky yell, “Oh, and keep in touch. Steve would never forgive me if I let a little thing like a nationwide manhunt get in the way of telling you about what really happened the time he punched Hitler in the face.”

Steph chuckled and gave Bucky a salute. She hoped there would be a time where they could sit down and talk, really talk, about the war exploits of Steve. Bucky was the only one who was capable of doing that now. But the two of them were now walking into a hornet’s nest. HYDRA wasn’t going to be an easy nut to crack, and who knows if either would survive their encounters with the nefarious organization.

Carter gave one more look down the alley at Bucky and her mother’s house. This was the past, everything that had helped bring her to this point. In front of her was the future, a whirling maelstrom of uncertainty. She’d stop HYDRA. She was sure of that. How was another story, but she’d make sure they weren’t around to hurt people for long.

Steph stowed the shield in its holder on the side of the bike before covering it to disguise its true nature. She rev’ed the engines, and was off in a cloud of dust.

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[b]March 21, 2005
7:00AM[/b]

The sun peaked through the thin curtains of the hotel Steph had stayed the night in the night before. It was a middle of the road place, a place a family on a roadtrip wouldn’t have a problem stopping at. She figured it was nondescript enough where she could crash there safely and get some rest. There could be SHIELD agents waiting on the other side of the door for her, but at least she had gotten some sleep.

She peered through the curtains, but saw no sign of a SHIELD presence in the parking lot, allowing her a smooth sigh of relief. Deciding she could afford herself some more time, she slipped into the shower to wash the grime for the past day and a half of running off. After exiting, she put on some street clothes she picked up the night before. It probably wasn’t a great idea to be wearing the battle armor around, so she stuffed it into her duffle and slung it over her shoulder, before pulling her hair back and placing a ballcap on her head. It wouldn’t hide her from SHIELD, but at least she could try and conceal herself from normal people who might be out to collect a reward.

She checked out of the hotel, hopped onto the bike, and headed towards a diner that was a few miles down the road. Instead of going directly in, however, she pulled out another burner phone she had purchased. Steph hesitantly punched in a number she never really expected to call.

“Agent 13,” a gruff, yet monotone voice answered on the other end, as if her call was completely expected.

“I don’t go by that anymore,” Steph responded to the Question. The faceless vigilante was a bit of a loon, if she was being honest with herself. He saw conspiracies on top of conspiracies, yet he did know a surprising amount about AIM and KOBRA. Without SHIELD’s vast intelligence network behind her, she needed someone to help filter information to her, and Question was the only one she thought she could go to. “It’s Nomad, now.”

“Nomad? I like it. Evocative. Powerful,” he approved. “Now, about HYDRA.”

She shook her head. Of course he knew why she had called, “You have a lead?”

“I may have something,” he confirmed. “But I also need some help. Come to Hub City and we can talk more.”

“On my way,” Steph hung up before looking longingly at the diner. She was really hoping for some pie for breakfast. 

“Oh well. Next time.”