2012-11-02 - Cutscene: Invader Skrull - Paris in the Fall

It was a crisp fall afternoon in Paris France, with just enough of a chill in the air to require a light jacket, and fit with the orange, yellow, and red leaves on the trees. The clouds in the distance threaten of rain later in the evening. The city was bustling with activity and the energy from the coming storm, the wind just beginning to pick up. Steve Rogers was sitting alone at an outside table at a small bistro, a view of the Effie Tower in the distance. The blonde hair man looked a bit disheveled with a black eye somewhat hidden by a pair of sunglasses. It looks like he'd been in a fight or two. He tried his best to appear relaxed as he sips at his coffee.

A metro bus pulls up obscuring part of his view, and when it pulls away, there stands a beautiful blonde woman dress for the fall weather with a trench coat, and a beret. The blond woman for all intents and purposes an All American beauty, and stood out a bit. She approaches Steve where he sits and examines him for a moment. Steve for the moment looks at her for a moment trying to find his words and half reaching for the satchel next to his leg.

The blond woman exhales, "Steve, there's no need for that. And I wish I could say you look well but you look like you been through hell."

Steve's hand doesn't move from the satchel's flap, and his nostrils flare, "If you're a skrull change your face. You have no right to wear the face of the dead." The blonde holds up a hand, "It's me, Steve. Good old Sharon Carter, Agent 13." Steve stops in his righteous fury looking confused. Sharon opens up the bag with her. Pulling out a needle with a small vile. She draws her blood and tosses it to Steve, "Take this have your friends test it. It's me."

Steve stammers, "Bu-But I saw you die."

Sharon shakes her head, "No. You only saw what we wanted you to see. Remember I'm a spy. I'm sorry; I had to put you through that though. I was becoming a liability to you and things were coming. Things only I could do. Things you could do, if I wasn't around. So Nick and I?"

It's Steve's turn to interrupt, "Damn Fury, that lying bastard!"

Sharon shakes her head, "It was the last thing Nick or I wanted to do but there was no other way. Although he is Fury, so you're right." She admits hesitantly. Steve begins to sit back and at least starts to listen. Sharon says, " Listen Steve, you've got to stop. Two SHIELD bases, three AIM bases, and two HYDRA bases in how many days? You're cleaning up the Skrulls alright, but you're adding to the powder keg. You're never going to find her this way. She's working with Nick. He has a team ? underground. She's fine, a little grumpy but fine. Fury promises she'll be home soon. I would have never guess you'd have chose a girl like her after me. I like her but I'm disappointed, I was hoping you'd found a lawyer or an artist or something. Somebody you could have a bit of a normal life with."

Steve blinks, "Sharon?"

Sharon looks at him, "Please don't interrupt me, I don't know if I can finish. Fury sent me as an olive branch. He wants things buried. He needs your help. These Skrulls are going to be defeated, but a war is starting, a World War. After this galactic merge, the super terrorists are finding themselves cramped and competing. Twice the rivals, twice the good guys but half the resource makes for some hard going. Strucker is bringing HYDRA into one unit. The Red Skull's up to something too. I don't even want to talk about what's going on in Asia . Look Steve, things are going to get hard and SHIELD's not on its best days. Trouble's coming. The world needs you working with Fury. I need you and the other heroes ready for this." She sits a small box on the table, "Missed your birthday and some Christmases, I hope it makes up for it. It's not as good as the original but sure is more compact. Besides AIM made something right, I can't let them keep it." She leans across the table stealing a peak on his lips. "Steven Rogers, you are the best man, I've ever known. Tell her to be good to you or I'll scratch her eyes out." Then before Steve can react, Agent 13 is gone.

Steve Roger's sits at a table outside of a little bistro hearing the thunder off in the distance. The only signs of his lost love having been here were the gifts she'd left.