Time flew by and before long we were docking in New York, just in time too. Having a four-year-old trapped on a boat for a month, not a great idea. She got very restless toward the end there. One of the crew members resorted to teaching her chess to keep her busy, oddly, she was pretty good at it.
Once our container was unloaded, I loaded Mira into her car seat and we left. The sun had already started to set. Driving through the streets of New York was a lot, considering I just came from Madripoor, that was saying something. Mobs of people, buildings towering as far as the eye could see, insane traffic, people walking around in weird costumes, who I certainly don't think were heroes.
I kept seeing this same fuzzy giant creepy red one. Must've been popular. I think if that thing came near me I would've punched it. Yet people ran toward it with excitement.
I drove around for a while looking for a place to stay. I had tried to get the guys on the ship to mark some places for me on a map I had in the car, but they couldn't figure out the map and kept showing me something on their phones, telling me to use "GDS" or something like that.
Said it was how everyone found their way around these days. I begrudgingly admitted I don't know how to use those and didn't have one of their weird phones. It took quite some time for the laughter to die down. They said I was so young, how could I not know?
I guess to everyone else I really do look like a very confused thirty-year-old. A few guessed my age was about twenty-five, said I couldn't have been more than thirty though. Not gonna lie, I might hate how I got like this, but god, it was nice sometimes not to age.
I ended up finding some small shit motel over in Brooklyn. It was called The Blue Inn. Its name did it justice, only people who felt blue would stay here.
But it was good enough for now, especially since I had limited funds until I could figure out some work. I had cash in the go-bag, and more in the trunk, but best not to spend it too quickly.
Don't know how long it's going to take before I have steady income again.
I got us a room for a few days and was careful to transfer Mira to the bed without waking her up. It was the middle of the night at this point, and she was going to need her sleep. With no one to watch her like we had before, she'd have to come with me tomorrow for everything I needed to do.
Being a super soldier of sorts, I don't really get tired, so instead I unpacked our things. I couldn't even remember what I had packed in this car, it'd been nearly two years since I put it together. To no surprise, none of the clothes in here were going to fit Mira. I'd have to get new ones.
I found a black box when emptying the trunk. Inside were a few different IDs for me, passports for both of us, a charging wire, and a flip phone. I had figured out how to use these, but just to call, never to text. Sierra tried to teach me, but it wasn't really a high priority in my opinion.
I charged it up and turned it on. When I did, I found some missed calls from Sierra, and a few others. They were from five years ago, probably trying to find me after the Blip. A few were from the last few days, but I didn't recognize the numbers.
Five years. They were trying to reach me.
I wasn't there.
I stared at the phone for a few minutes like it could give me answers, like maybe if I pressed hard enough, it would take me back in time.
I sat on the edge of the bed where Mira slept, shifting my stare to the drawn hotel curtains. My mind flashing with hundreds of scenarios of what could happen.
The government busting in and arresting us, ripping her from me.
Hydra, snipes us both before I have a chance to move.
Grenade launches through the window.
One of those Avengers bursting in before I know what to say.
None of these were good.
My mind kept flashing back to when I was first taken by Hydra, the last time I was free in America.
The steel restraints, the needle they shoved in my neck, my muffled screams.
I blinked it away. My hands were shaking. Breathing short. I thought I was past this after all these years.
But I guess I just got a false sense of safety in Madripoor.
Thinking back, I kept myself so busy, I never really thought about things. I armed that home of ours with so many people to make sure I didn't have to. But the thoughts, I think, were always there in the back of my mind.
"VVVVVV."
What the fuck!?
My hand quickly went to rest on the gun I had hidden at my lower back.
The flip phone was vibrating. I picked it up quickly.
I stayed silent, waiting for something.
"Hello, Boss?"
That voice—it belonged to one of my men. I knew him as Goliath. He was an enhanced individual like me. He had control over electrical currents to some extent.
"You're alive?" I questioned.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm glad to hear you are too."
I hesitated, unsure what to say. Finally I spoke "I've left Madripoor. There are things I need to take care of."
"Understood. We have nearly secured your empire."
"We? And my what?"
"All of us who returned, and some who we found are still loyal to you. We're taking back everything that's yours as we speak."
"I see... Is Sierra with you?"
"No. We haven't seen her."
I drew silent, wondering if she was still alive. In those four years together, I had come to care for her.
I hope she's alive out there.
"Ma'am, when should we expect your return?"
"I don't know. Perhaps never. There's something I have to do here and I don't know how it'll end. Whatever you conquer, is yours to keep. I have no foolish expectation of my empire being there when I return."
"Then we will watch over your throne, and wait for the return of the Crimson Queen. Our loyalty to you isn't going to fade, ma'am. You found us and created something most despised. But for us, it was the only place we knew as home. And for that, we will always be in your debt."
"Thank you, Goliath. In that case, I need you to do something for me."
"I'll try my best. But we're a little scattered here at the moment."
"Understood. See if you can track someone down for me. He could go by a few names: Bucky Barnes, James Barnes... and he's also known as the Winter Soldier."
"Isn't that the ex-Hydra assassin? He was a ghost, as I recall. It'll be hard, but I'll do my best and see what I can find."
"Keep it low profile. I don't want to draw too much attention to him."
"Yes, ma'am. Keep your phone charged and I'll call you back when I have something on him. In the meantime, text me if you need anything else."
"Goliath."
"Yes?"
"I… don't know how to text."
He paused, then chuckled.
"Some Queen you are. Don't even know how to send a damn text. Just call then. Haha"
"heh, goodbye... Stay safe."
"I will. You and the little miss as well."
Oddly, that conversation helped relax me a little.
But… not enough.
I threw the comforter from the other bed into the bathroom tub, grabbed Mira and a few pillows, and settled us in to sleep in the tub after locking the bathroom door and placing my gun beside me.