Chapter 7

Nat was visibly excited, nearly jumping for joy actually and quickly took me outside where that taxi was magically already waiting for us. I think my home is bugged. We reach HQ in record time and Fury ran me through as many tests he could think of.

I lifted weights, they were steel beams now and fought agents. I got shot with handguns and ran on a self-propelled treadmill. The fucker even had me catch bullets. He said it was for "science", but I really think he just wanted to geek out over someone doing that in front of him. Judging by the smile on his face I'm right. On the bright side though, I can. It's not every time but if it hits my hand I can catch it.

He ended up testing me for 3 weeks. After the body tests and all that we did some survival training and testing. I had prepped for this though. I read survival skill books and due to my memories/mind I remember everything about them. Needless to say I had a nice little debris shelter hidden in the ground, I had foraged food and was very comfortable. This was on the second week of the 3 weeks. The last week was surviving pursuit and capture.

The capture surviving pursuit and capture phase is supposed to be a surprise, and for me it was. I was in the gym after my little foray in the woods when what I thought was HYDRA agents grabbed me up tranquilized me and took me away. I had come to in the van since my body burned through that shit fast, not fast enough to be immune but fast enough that it only took 30 min. I broke free of the standard cuffs that they had me in and escaped the vehicle.

Now I am not a petty man, I am however a troll. If you give me a solid chance to humiliate you for being stupid, I'm gonna do it. It brings me joy to see people be crushed when the tables flip on them so quickly. So knowing this, when I tell you that the people that were supposed to capture me were being stupid, I cackled with glee. Like full on dark, evil and sinister cackle.

These dumbasses were told I was insanely fast. They were given titanium reinforced nets. They had tranquilizer guns that would be able to pierce my skin. I knew they knew of some of my abilities since they were talking about it in the vehicle so when they ignored what they knew and came after me on foot I trolled them.

I would run away as fast as I could only to turn around and take a single person at a time. The first I targeted was the ones with the tranquilizers. After I had them I sped away to a clearing about a mile out and strung them up with the nets they were supposed to use on me. In total I captured 20 people. After that I played with them.

I would not torture them, I just can't do torture, but I did make a bonfire that lit the night red and played dark creepy music. Then I caught some deer and butchered them up and set em up like this was some sort of hills have eyes shit. When they woke up they were freaking out. Wait, maybe this could be torture, psychological at least.

Oh well. I had searched through their items and found my phone and other items and called Nat and gave her my coordinates. They showed up after about 15 minutes and just stood there staring at the scene.

Nat turned to me. "I think you went overboard Zach."

The captives were actively screaming to get them outta there. Huh I guess this was a test.

"You know Nat. I think you might be right."

"Ya think?"

I just shrug my shoulders and we all head back to HQ. I got debriefed and went to the galley to eat some food. Apparently the people who picked me up also grabbed the venison from the deer I caught. So when I walked in I saw a bunch of venison dishes. I asked for tenderloin and sides and went to sit down. The food came quickly and I have to say, the cooks know what they are doing.

As I was eating Fury sat down in front of me. "Hey Nick. How's it going?"

"Not bad. That last test was interesting."

"Yea about that... You passed. Obviously. However the guys are filing a complaint about torture..."

"Yea that makes sense. But!" I hold up my finger. "I was never told anything and thought they were enemies. Also they broke so... you could say they failed."

"I mean..." He paused with a contemplative look on his face. "That actually makes sense. Yea. Ok that works. Well the only other thing I want to talk about isn't really that big, just curiosity."

"Shoot."

"Why are you so open with me and Nat?"

"Oh. That's simple. Security."

"Huh?"

"Yea. I mean would you trust me if I hid a single thing from you?"

"No."

"Would you help me as much if I hid a single thing from you?"

"Also no."

"Would Nat trust me if I hid one thing from her?"

"Not at all."

"See. It behooves me to be open. Not only do I get this great job that will help me improve but you all are supporting me fully. Sure it may seem selfish but anytime you do something that will help yourself it seems selfish. I also don't have many friends. I have nothing in my life besides growing myself, that may be good for some but not me. I do want people I can trust in my corner."

"Damn Zach. I never thought about it that way. I'm sorry you feel alone."

"It's all good. I don't feel alone. I have you all now."

"Yea. Yea you do. Honestly I would say you are one of the few I can actually trust nowadays. I mean I probably won't be able to divulge everything about SHIELD, I don't even know everything, but I can guarantee that I will never betray you. Well that is unless you betray me first."

"Hey, that is completely fair. I would expect nothing less."

"Great! Now onto business."

"I'm all ears."

"We have a mission. We recently found a group of child traffickers and they MUST be taken out."

"Done. I'll kill them all."

"Ok... Nothing else?"

"Kids are sacred. you hurt kids and you deserve death. One question though."

"Go ahead."

"Will SHIELD get the kids back home?"

"Yes we will. Well if we can at least. Some might not have homes to go back to. If that happens we will put them in an orphanage with college tuition paid for if they want it."

"Beautiful. When do I leave?"

"Nat and you are on this, not just you."

"Ok. So when do WE leave?"

"2 hours. Head to the garage and Nat will go over everything with you."

"Will do. See you soon Nick."

"See you soon and good hunting Zach."

"Oh no. It won't be a hunt. It will be a massacre."

With that Nick leaves and I finish my food. Heading down to the garage I see Nat standing next to a Jeep Wrangler. "Hey Zach. Did you get the gist of it?"

"Yea. Child traffickers. All I need to know."

"Yea... Ok well intel has them located in Florida. They are the main branch of a Cartel. The OP is to hit hard and fast. We have 9 mil guns for me with plenty of ammo and desert eagles for you, along with level 4 bulletproof armor."

"Ill take the armor but no guns."

"Why no guns?"

"Oh that's because I want to use my hands. Call it weird but I just want that to be my MO. Ya know?"

"Odd but hey, everyone has their quirks. Honestly that makes sense though. You are bullet proof to an extent and strong, not to mention you will only get stronger. Your hands are already weapons themselves. For now though could you please wear some knuckles?"

"Knuckles?"

"Yea we also have some titanium knuckles that have the middle filled with lead. With your strength you could probably bunch through steel."

"Listen I already like you, you don't have to propose."

"What? No... I... Oh you are incorrigible!"

I chuckle and put on the armor while Nat fumbles around in her frustration. I pocket the knuckle, which weigh at least 10 pounds each, and we get in the Jeep to drive to Florida. On the way we go over our cover story.

"So if asked we are a couple." Nat starts off.

"I can do that. How far are we taking this because if you want PDA I have no problem. Also how much PDA? Like make it awkward for people or new lovebird's PDA?"

"First off I'm concerned that you have levels and second... the second one." Nat blushes.

"Are you ok? Your cheeks are red. Do you need some water? A/C turned up? Let me know so I can help."

"You're an ass." She huffs with a smile.

"Oh you love me." I wave her off. "Anyway. Couple, got it. Names?"

"We can keep our names. It's not a big deal. If we run into a problem SHIELD has protocols to erase any info about us."

"Wow, that's convenient."

"Yea. You should take a nap. It's a 15 hour drive so we will swap halfway."

"Sounds good. Night Nat."

"Night."

The drive was pleasant. We had to stop for gas a couple times but other than that it was a smooth trip. We reached Florida in 17 hours, we did have to eat and get gas, and rented a hotel with one bed. Nat's reasoning for this was to keep up appearances of being lovers. I didn't have a problem since I had a plan. See I was going to ask Nat out on a date when we get back. we have spent a lot of time together and I find her really pleasant to be around, not to mention she is smoking hot.

But these are thoughts for later. Right now we pull out my phone and access footage of the area the traffickers are. My phone is part of my "ability", that's what I told them, and is literally immune from hacking. This makes it the perfect device to have anything important on it, naturally Nick had me download and access all of their important functions for everything on it.

Not even a long story here. The traffickers are stupid and completely relaxed. They have one guard waling around while everyone else just sits around. This news made Nat and I very happy for the mission. We knew that the guards were dangerous but the lack of bearing shows that they are bottom of the barrel when it comes to danger levels.

We decide to scope the place out for the day. On our stakeout we find that a "shipment" is coming in tomorrow and that security would be higher. Honestly I love security being higher. This means more scum to fight and dispose of, not to mention more exp for me.

We waited for the next day and headed out at first light. When we were a half a mile away we headed on foot to the warehouse that these monsters were stationed. sneaking around the area we found 3 guards. I looked to Nat and she nodded.

I took a couple deep breaths and ran forward as fast as I could. I reached the first guard I saw in less than a second and punched him with all my might. Surprisingly my fist went straight through his chest, taking his heart and life with it. I stood stunned for a moment as this was the first time going all out.

I took out t10 more bringing my total to 11. I could hear Nat's silence pistol take out the other 19 while I was taking out my bit of trash.

We meet up in the front of the building knowing that this would be the most dangerous part of the operation. With a nod we open the door and head inside.