Chapter Five: Game Of Deception
Tony drummed his fingers on the metal table, the rhythmic
tapping echoing in the empty space of the abandoned black site. He reached for
a folder containing confidential information, only to have it swiftly snatched
away by Fury.
"That one's not meant for you," he stated bluntly,
his tone brooking no argument as he smacked a thick manila folder across the
table.
Tony caught it deftly, flipping it open to reveal a stack of
densely printed pages. "Is the cloak and dagger absolutely
necessary?"
"Since I've been serving everyone NDAs this week,
yes."
As Tony’s eyes scanned the document, his brow furrowed
deeper with each line.
“Blah, blah, blah... privy to the abovementioned agreement.
Blah, blah, blah... failure to comply." He exhaled sharply through his
nose, looking up at Fury with narrowed eyes. "Are these people serious?
It's a bit much, don't you think?"
Fury’s face remained impassive.
Tony’s finger jabbed at a paragraph near the bottom. "I
mean, look at this… an entire clause in the even Cap and I have another disagreement?
Come one!”
"It's non-negotiable," Fury replied coolly.
Tony’s eyes darted across the page, suddenly locking onto
one word that made his breath catch. "Wait, this can't be right.
Dissolution of... What do they mean?" His head snapped up, brow furrowed
in confusion and alarm.
Fury met his gaze, his face a study in stony impassivity. As
he crossed her arms, a flicker of exasperation passed through his eyes, there
and gone in an instant.
"Oh, this can't be right. They wouldn't dare. Surely.
Is this what you want, Nick? We're supposed to be on the same
side here.” Tony's annoyance at the powers-that-be was clear, his frustration
bubbling over as he struggled to come to terms with the implications of the
NDA.
Fury took a long, dramatic pause, his expression unreadable
as he sauntered around the desk and perched himself on the edge. His voice
dropped to a low, menacing whisper that sent a chill down Tony’s spine.
"I am still having to deal with the aftermath of your
little tiff with Rogers. So you will sign this NDA and anything else I place in
front of you," he stated firmly, his gaze unwavering as he met Tony's
eyes.
The change in Tony was immediate. The defiance drained from
his posture, replaced by a rigid formality. He rose to his feet in one fluid
motion, straightening his t-shirt with near-trembling fingers.
"Yes, sir," he said, voice suddenly hoarse.
"Consider it done. I’ll have it ready for you by tomorrow… You’ll
understand if I have my people skim through it, right?”
But just as Tony prepared to leave, he turned on his heel,
offering Fury some food for thought. "One more thing... Have you
considered Sarah in all this? Because if she ever finds out... It'll kill her,
Nick."
Fury gave Tony a look that clearly conveyed his disbelief.
Was this the same man who, just a few days ago, wanted nothing to do with Sarah
Carter?
"…And I'm sure that's not what you want for her,” he
pressed on. “God knows the poor girl’s been through enough."
Curious at Tony's sudden affection for Sarah, Fury's
expression softened slightly, his gaze turning thoughtful. "I know,"
he admitted quietly. "Of course, I've considered the feelings of my own
godchild... But she's strong. She'll get through this."
The sun blazed down upstate, its rays glinting off the
infinity pool. Perfect weather for camping outside in the hopes of seeing your
favourite actress. But even the picture-perfect weather couldn't shake the
cloud of tension hanging over the Avengers Compound.
Nat leaned against the balcony railing, observing the scene
below. "Looks like the Sarah-o-holics are finally giving up," she
quipped, gesturing to the dwindling crowd. A few die-hard fans lingered,
clutching 'We Love You Sarah!' posters that had seen better days.
Tony’s laugh was more of a grunt. "Yeah, right. The
second Her Royal Hollywoodness so much as sneezes, they'll be back like
seagulls on a dropped ice cream cone."
Nat’s stomach churned. If only they knew the truth. The
words bubbled up before she could stop them. "This is all kinds of messed
up, Tony."
He whipped around, his eyes narrowing. "Hang on,
Romanoff. What exactly do you know?"
"Me? Nothing! What do you know?"
she countered, her expression carefully neutral as she deflected Tony's probing
gaze, unwilling to betray Steve's trust.
Tony, too exhausted to maintain any pretence, let out a
weary sigh as he turned his gaze back to the property below, his expression
pensive. "Enough to know that when this house of cards comes tumbling
down, there will be casualties. And we can't do a damn thing
about it."
Natasha regarded Tony with a look of concern, her heart
clenched with the burden of carrying Steve's secret and the precarious future
of the Avengers. As they stood side by side on the balcony, they couldn't
help but quietly wonder whether they would ever find a way to escape this
tangled web of deception.
Later that evening, Steve made his way from the hangar to
the back entrance, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of the day's events. But
his musings were abruptly interrupted when he stumbled upon an annoyingly
tenacious journalist lying in wait.
"Captain Rogers! Please, if I could have a moment of
your time?" came the insistent voice of Christine Everhart, her presence
like a thorn in Steve's side as he paused in his tracks, his expression wary.
Steve straightened his posture, fixing Christine with a
stern look as he towered over her. "Miss Everhart, I've watched you stalk
us for years after Tony broke up with you. Have a little dignity and leave us
be.”
But Christine, ever persistent, narrowed her eyes and
squared her shoulders, refusing to be deterred. "Tony did not break up
with me. It was mutual.”
"Doesn't mean you aren't thoroughly unwelcome here.”
Undeterred by Steve's rebuke, Christine plastered a
saccharine smile on her face and batted her eyelashes as she tried to smooth
over the tension between them. "Look, we're getting off on the wrong foot
here. This was not my intention."
"What is your intention exactly?"
Steve enquired, attempting to maintain a façade of civility, knowing full well
that Christine Everhart was not to be underestimated.
Unbeknownst to them both, Sarah stepped off the elevator and
made her way toward the raised voices, her curiosity piqued by the heated
exchange.
"All I want is a statement," Christine answered
Steve's question, her voice oozing with faux innocence. "Your thoughts on
Miss Carter's return."
Having touched on a sensitive topic, Steve's temper flared,
and he lashed out with a ferocity that startled Sarah. "You know what? You
people make me sick!"
Sarah stood just out of sight, silent at the threshold as
she watched Steve tear into Christine, her heart skipping a beat at the
harshness of his words for the sake of her honour. She felt a surge of
gratitude toward him, even if she knew it would only fuel the fire of
speculation surrounding her return.
"What, you think Sarah's private life is nothing but
entertainment? A ticket to get ahead in your career?" Steve's voice
boomed, his anger boiling over as he confronted Christine.
Christine, more than satisfied that she had finally elicited
a reaction from him, grinned smugly in response. "My, my, aren't we
passionate?" she remarked, her tone dripping with condescension.
"Sure you're not marrying the wrong Carter?"
In an instant, Steve's demeanour shifted, his expression
turning dangerously serious as he levelled a warning at the journalist. "I
may be Captain America, Miss Everhart, but if you don't stay away from Sarah
and drop this story, I’ll see to it personally that you never write another
article in this town again.”
"I'm sorry, was that a threat?" Christine
retorted, her bravado faltering slightly in the face of Steve's unwavering
resolve.
"Heed my words or see for yourself," he answered,
his voice quiet but filled with an intensity that would instil fear in most
journalists.
"Wow. All this drama for Sarah Carter..."
As Christine turned to leave, Sarah watched from the
sidelines, her heart swelling with admiration for Steve's steadfast loyalty and
protection. And in that moment, her heart thawed, feeling renewed gratitude for
the friend who had always stood by her side, even when her own flesh and blood
wouldn’t.
(Video after next chapter xx)
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