Bang—!
Hawk raised his right hand, standing motionless as he caught the vibranium shield Steve Rogers had hurled at him.
Just like how the Winter Soldier had intercepted it the night before.
A moment later, Hawk flicked his wrist, sending the shield spinning back toward Steve. "Careful, Cap. First time's an accident. The second, I'll take as deliberate."
All men of conviction deserved respect—especially those willing to die for it.
No matter what that conviction was.
Judge actions, not hearts.
With a sharp whoosh, Steve caught his shield and eyed Hawk warily. "Who are you?"
Natasha, frowning but quick on her feet, stepped forward to make introductions.
"Cap, this is Hawk. Hawk, this is Steve Rogers—Captain America."
Up to now, Hawk and Steve had never met.
After all…
Hawk lived in New York City, while Steve, though also from Brooklyn, had moved to Washington after his revival. Their paths had simply never crossed.
But—
"So you're Hawk."
Steve's voice softened at Natasha's words. "Thor and Tony told me about you. That makes you our ally, not our enemy."
Hawk chuckled. "Not necessarily."
"Oh?"
"For Natasha, no. But for you, Cap… if you can't stomach the people I've killed, maybe we'll end up enemies."
"…"
Natasha's mind flashed to the ashes of Wakanda.
Steve's expression grew grave. "But you only kill villains."
"At the very least, I've never started a fight."
Hawk spoke plainly.
Steve turned instinctively toward Natasha.
He didn't know Hawk, but he knew Natasha well.
She thought back carefully. Aside from Hawk's first incident at Quantico, nearly every other conflict had been provoked against him, not by him.
So…
She nodded.
Steve exhaled, then smiled faintly. "I'm old-fashioned. But in my time, if you kill the bad guys, that makes you the good guy."
Hawk tilted his head. "You're not what I expected, Cap."
"I slept for seventy years."
Steve shrugged, loosening his stance with a wry grin. "History books even say I never smoked or drank."
Hawk remembered those same books and smirked. "But you drink?"
"I do."
Steve nodded, then offered warmly, "When this is all over, maybe we'll share one."
Hawk raised his brows. "Sorry. I'm under twenty-one. Not allowed."
"…"
Steve blinked, then glanced at Natasha.
She sighed, suddenly remembering. "Yes, Cap. Hawk is only nineteen. First year law student at NYU."
Steve stared, astonished. "Wow."
Hawk grinned. "But if you insist, we can go somewhere else. London, maybe. Legal drinking age is eighteen there."
Rules were rules. But people lived around them.
Like the time he and Thor sparred on Mars. Afterward, they shared drinks and even piloted their way home drunk.
U.S. law might stretch far, but he doubted it reached Mars.
Steve laughed, shaking his head. "Alright. When this is done, London it is."
"Deal." Hawk nodded back.
Natasha, however, steered the topic. "Hawk, why are you here?"
Steve's eyes followed hers.
Hawk didn't answer directly. His gaze drifted past them—onto the digital face glowing from the archaic computer screens.
His lips curved into a smile. "Zola. I've been here a while now. Has your broken algorithm figured out why I came?"
The servers roared.
Then came Zola's voice.
"Pierce must have told you. That I was the one who ordered Hydra to test you."
"Correct."
Hawk's smile widened. "And do you know what I came to do?"
"To destroy me."
"Smart."
"That isn't intelligence," Zola countered evenly. "It's probability. Ross angered you. You killed him. Banner angered you. You killed him. Wakanda angered you. You annihilated them. Now I angered you. You have no reason to spare me."
Hawk's grin sharpened. "Smart again."
Steve's brow furrowed. Shock rippled through him. He glanced at Natasha. "Banner's… dead?"
He hadn't known. After New York, Bruce had disappeared abroad. Steve assumed he was still out there.
But S.H.I.E.L.D. had buried the truth.
Natasha bit her lip, then sighed. "It's a long story, Cap. I'll explain later."
Steve nodded grimly, now understanding Hawk's earlier warning—that their ideals might clash.
Hawk broke the silence. "Hydra's already been purged from New York S.H.I.E.L.D. You two don't plan to head there?"
He recalled the original chain of events—Zola stalling them until missiles rained down.
That hadn't happened yet. But it could.
So—
"I hear Hand is planning a counteroffensive, to retake control from Hydra. Don't you think you should regroup with them?"
"What?"
Natasha froze. "S.H.I.E.L.D. New York has been liberated?"
Hawk smirked. "Why else would I be here? That tin man sent agents to my house to threaten my fiancée over Sharon."
"…"
Natasha's blood ran cold.
Hydra. Threatening Hawk's fiancée.
Unbelievable.
The last people to try that ended as ashes.
Wait—why am I even pitying Zola? I should be glad.
Her mind raced. "Cap, we need to get to New York. Tell Commander Hand everything about Insight."
Steve frowned. "But what if—"
"Hawk's already confirmed it. If he says S.H.I.E.L.D. is clean, then it's clean."
Because anyone Hawk suspected Hydra wouldn't still be breathing.
So now? New York S.H.I.E.L.D. was guaranteed 100% pure.
Steve glanced back at Hawk. "And you?"
"I've still got business with Zola. You two go."
"Alright."
Thinking of Zola's revelations, Steve agreed quickly. He and Natasha turned to leave—
But then—
Boom!
A heavy steel slab slammed down, sealing the elevator shaft.
Natasha and Steve froze.
Hawk chuckled, amused by Zola's attempt. He appeared instantly between them, hands on their shoulders.
With a thought—
He whisked them away.
In a blink, they stood beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
Might as well send them far.
Natasha turned, still catching her breath, and Hawk gave her a grin before vanishing again.
Steve gawked at the bridge. "This is—"
"Teleportation." Natasha exhaled. "A power Hawk's shown since the Battle of London."
Steve's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Thor once told me he duels Hawk on Mars. I thought it was a joke. But now…"
Natasha's expression hardened. "Cap—remember the crater scientists found on Mars, bigger than Valles Marineris? That wasn't natural. Hawk says he smashed Thor down to make it. Thor says Hawk did it. Pepper told me herself."
"…"
(End of Chapter)
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