Chapter 24: First mission

After leaving Tonja behind in New York, Ethen, Carol, and Steve are currently flying over the Indian Ocean with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, led by Brock Rumlow.

Brock Rumlow explains the mission on a large touch screen. ''The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago.''

Frowning Steve Rogers asks. ''Any demands?''

Checking the screen Brock Rumlow says. ''A billion and a half.''

Surprised Steve asks. ''Why so steep?''

Without consulting the screen Rumlow tells him. ''Because of it ours!''

Smirking Ethen comments. ''So it's not off-course, it's trespassing.''

Shooting Ethen a cold glare Carol says. ''I'm sure they have a good reason.''

Shaking his head in disgust Steve tells Ethen and Carol. ''You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor.''

Still cold but smirking superior Carol tells Rodgers. ''Relax, it's not that complicated.''

Ignoring her comment Captain America asks Rumlow. ''How many pirates?''

Consulting the screen, Brock states, as he brings up a photo of Georges Batroc on the monitor. ''Twenty-five, top mercs, led by this guy. Batroc... Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties.''

Frowning Ethen asks. ''Hostages?''

Irritated by Ethen's domineering attitude, Rumlow states, consulting the screen once more. ''Uh... mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell...''

Brock says while pulling up Sitwell's photo on the monitor. ''... They're in the galley.''

Checking the screen, Steve asks. ''What's Sitwell doing on a launching ship? Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Carol, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get 'em out. Then, you are with me. Let's move.''

Nodding Brock Rumlow tells the other S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents. '' STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up.''

While everybody is gearing up, Ethen only takes a wrist communicator and smoke grenades as everybody is getting ready to dive off the jet. Wearing his own armor, he is more than prepared for anything that can happen on this simple rescue mission.

While thinking about ways to knock out the pirates without killing them, he hears Steve Rogers talking into his wrist communicator. ''Secure channel seven.''

Shortly after he hears Carol say into hers. ''Seven secure. Hey Rodgers what do you do to have fun?''

Speaking into his own communicator Ethen says. ''Secure channel seven.''

After a short signal beep, he hears Steve Rogers answer. ''Well, all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so... I don't know...''

''Coming up by the drop zone, Cap.'' Booms the pilot voice on the radio.

Smirking Carol says. ''You seem to be one of the more decent men Rodgers. You know, if you ask Kristen out, from Statistics, you would probably be a good boyfriend to her.''

''Can we go now?'' Asks Ethen, still listening in on the conversation, as he steps beside Steve.

''Yes, I guess so...'' Tells him Steve before jumping out of the jet. Following close behind, Ethen uses his flight ability to not hit the water surface.

Seeing the two jump out of the jet, a STRIKE Agent asks Rumlow. ''Were the two wearing parachutes?''

Smiling Rumlow tells him. ''No. No, they weren't.''

Floating over the ship, Ethen sees Steve dive into the ocean and then climbing onto the ship. There he swiftly nocks everyone out on the deck before anyone raises the alarm when he's interrupted by one of the pirates pointing his gun at him

(Pirate) ''Bouge pas! Bouge pas. (Don't move! Don't move.)''

Before the man can do anything to Steve, Ethen comes flying down, knocking him down as he lands onto the deck behind Steve.

Smirking Rogers tells him. ''Thanks. Didn't know you could do that.''

Smirking back at the Captain, Ethen tells him. ''Yeah. You seemed pretty helpless without me.''

Turning around, they see Carol and the other agents parachute down onto the deck joining them.

Lossing her parachute while walking, Danvers asks Steve over channel seven. ''Do you have a girlfriend? Please don't tell me you have a thing for men?''

Annoyed by her question, Steve tells her.''First the engine room, then we talk.''

Carol smirk, before jumping over a railing. ''I'm a woman you know... We contrary to men can multitask!''

''What is that with you and men? Why do you hate them?'' Asks Steve not really getting Carol's negative disposition regarding men, especially Ethen.

While the TRIKE team, Carol, Steven, and Ethen break up, their targe, Georges Batroc makes the call to Durand near the engine room.

''Durand. Start the engine. I am getting a bad feeling.''

Nodding Durand puts the phone down saying. ''Okay.''

Turning around he sees Carol behind him smirking. ''Hello, sailor.''

That said, she quickly knocks the man down and manages to swing down below deck shooting several of the pirates on the way down.

While Carol is occupied with securing the engine room, Rumlow and another STRIKE Agent place a bomb on the locked door, while other Agents are climbing on the ships hull.

Using his x-ray vision, Ethen watches them from the deck, as another STRIKE agent gets in position, aiming at the bridge saying. ''Targets acquired.''

From below deck, Rumlow points his gun at the bomb placed against door where the hostages are being kept, saying into his radio. ''STRIKE in position.''

Searching for Carol, Ethen finds her nearing the engine room, as Steve ask her. ''Carol, what's your status?''

Seeing her jumping down below deck, knock out one of the pirates, Ethen not only appreciates her beauty but also her efficiency in doing her job.

Once again Ethen hears Rodgers ask. ''Status, Carol?''

Mid-jump Carol tells him. ''Hang on!...'' As she is attacking another pirate, quickly knocking him out? Before saying. ''Engine room secure.''

Now focussing on the hostages, Ethen uses his super hearing to hear what the pirates are saying.

(Pirate 1) ''Time's up. Who wants to die first? Hey, you! Take the girl.''

Simultaneously Ethen also hears Rodgers start the countdown. ''On my mark...Three... Two... One...''

Impressed with the STRIKE teams efficiency, Ethen sees them shooting down the pirates, blow open the door and Rumlow quickly kill the head pirate.

Focussing his senses on Jasper Sitwell Ethen hears the man say. ''I told you, SHIELD doesn't negotiate.''

Seeing everything go smoothly, he shifts his focus over to Carol Danvers, who diverting from the plan laid down by Rodgers, is making her way to a room full of computers. Seeing her determined look, Ethen decides to talk to her. Remembering her man-hating comments from his sparring session with Steve, he thinks that this might be the best course of action for now before he would need to uses 'enhanced interrogation techniques' to 'change her mind' about him.

Picking up some speed, Ethen crashes through the floors, ending up in the computer room that Carol is heading towards. Rushing into the computer room herself, Carol is surprised to find Ethen in it, saying. ''Hello, Carol I think we need to talk...''

Dismissing the intern, Carol tells him. ''Fuck of Wayne! Don't bother me, I have work to do.''

''Exactly that is what we need to talk about...'' States Ethen smirking, mirroring Carol's self-righteous arrogance. ''... Why are you hating white men?''

''I never said that!'' Defends Carol herself while plugging in a USB drive, copying files from the ship's server.

Smirking Ethen tells her. ''You literally said that and I quote 'He is a white man isn't that enough?'. You said that to Tonja after she asked you why you were hating me.''

''You are taking my statement out of context!''

''Oh, I don't think so... The conversation was about you hating on me. There was neither race nor gender involved in the conversation until you made it about that... You oh so high and mighty talking about equality, justice and what not! You are no better than the Nazis in WWII, making real problems about race instead of solving them...'' Ethen tells her getting into her face, confronting her head on. ''... You are not complaining about the system being rigged, but that it isn't rigged in your favor!''