CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE — ( The Joker freaks me out a little. )
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The Strike team was en route to a ship in the Indian Ocean, traveling on a quinjet. Gemini was geared up in a sleek black skintight catsuit with a striking blue X emblazoned across her chest. Her thighs were strapped with guns, her back adorned with katanas, and her utility belt equipped with throwing knives.
"Target is a mobile satellite launch platform, the Lemurian Star," Brock Rumlow informed the group. "They were sending their last payload when pirates took them 93 minutes ago."
"Any demands?" Steve asked.
"Billion and a half."
"Why so steep?"
"It's S.H.I.E.L.D.'s," Evelyn told Steve.
"So, it's not off-course. It's trespassing," Steve mumbled.
"I'm sure they have a good reason," Natasha told him.
Steve let out a sigh. "You know, I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor."
"It's our job, Steve. There are S.H.I.E.L.D. employees in there, so we're gonna save them," Evelyn told him before turning back to Rumlow. "How many pirates?"
"25. Top mercs led by this guy." Rumlow showed a photo of a bald man. "Georges Batroc. Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilised him, he had 36 kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."
"Hostages?" Steve asked.
"Oh, mostly techs. One officer. Jasper Sitwell," Rumlow pulled up a photo of Sitwell. "They're in the gallery."
"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" Steve mumbled. "Alright, I will sweep the deck with Evelyn and find Batroc. Nat, kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get them out. Let's move."
"Strike, you heard the Cap. Gear up," Rumlow ordered.
The pilot opened the back of the quinjet as everyone began putting on their parachutes. "Secure channel seven," Steve said, testing his earpiece.
"Seven secure," Natasha replied. Natasha then turned to Evelyn and Steve with a small smile. "Did you do anything fun Saturday night?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"We had a DC movie marathon," Steve replied as he placed in his ear piece.
"I introduced him to the Dark Knight trilogy," Evelyn told Natasha, followed by a small chuckle.
"The Joker freaks me out a little," Steve mumbled.
"Coming up on the drop zone, Cap and Gemini," the pilot said over the radio.
