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Laying low hadn't been an issue. I was an former Marine. I could live without the necessities for a while. After three tours in Iraq and one tour in a location that I didn't really care to even mumble the name, I was used to living in such private and mundane conditions. My ability as some have called it made me want to live alone. I didn't want to have to worry about hurting anyone. After almost burning down a bunk house with four of my best friends, I decided to put space between myself and any other humans. I landed in Canada a short time after going AWOL. I was now on a list…a terrorist watch list. I still had a few friends in the service and a few others that were in Homeland Security. Every once in a while they would contact me and let me know the status of my warrants and also just how close they were on my trail.

Canada seemed like the best place to reside. I was far enough away from my family that I didn't have to worry about endangering them. I took a small job as a cook in a restaurant. I realized after a year of isolation that I would have to start intergrading myself back into society. My only problem was my worry about being a human guinea pig for scientists everywhere.

"You almost done with that cheeseburger yet Marc'? Things been making out with that flame for quite sometime now…"

I glanced over at my coworker and the closest thing I had to a friend. Flipping the charred piece of meat onto the bun I shrugged, "Customer said well done. I aim to please."

Helen rolled her bright hazel eyes at me and hit me on the shoulder, "Malvern is here. Go take a smoke."

I didn't smoke, she knew this, but in order to get breaks around this establishment…you had to fake smoke. Taking off my apron I gave a swift nod as I passed Malvern. He was a balding man at forty, quiet, and loved to read Anime. Snatching the pack of cigarettes under the counter and a lighter the television caught my eye suddenly. The UN Building in Italy…it was covered in blue flame. It was burning. The young brunette who was reporting was bawling as she was spitting out words. I couldn't read her lips clearly enough.

"Jason, turn that thing up." He glanced back at me and he turned the 90's style tv up louder. I felt my mouth drop slightly.

"I'm standing here in the middle of the city. We- we just received word that this was-was a terroristic threat against our country. Forces are converging with the United States of America to handle matters concerning the UN. Ther-there were no survivors."

I stared hard at the blue flame shooting from the windows and felt my veins ice up. I tossed the pack of cigarettes onto the counter and grabbed my backpack. It was time to move, Canada was no longer safe. They would be looking for me. Someone would be trying to blame this on me. I rushed past Malvern and Helen to the back door. She was calling my name, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't allow myself to care about them. Time to buck up and be a hard ass.

As soon as I hit the back door I was running as fast as I could. I needed to get back to my cottage on the hillside and pack my belongings. I would go to South America next. That was the plan in the beginning. Travel from continent to continent, but this damn town made me change my mind. I lived about two minutes walk away from the diner, running…I could make it there in a short time. I skidded short as I rounded the corner on my street. A man in a blue spandex like suit with red and white stripes stood tall beside a red and yellow Ironman. I had seen them on the television not even eight months ago with the attack happened on Manhattan. I backed up slowly, glancing from side to side.

"Marcy James. We need you to come with us."

My eyes shifted to the man that was called Captain America. I shook my head, "I didn't do that. You have to believe me."

Ironman was the next to speak, "We aren't saying that. You are wanted for questioning."

"I'm not going in. I refuse to be a science experiment," I took off running in the opposite direction. Where in the hell was I going? One could fly and the other had super human strength. I felt cold metal fingers wrap around my arm and I turned snapping my thumb and middle finger together as I opened my palm up. The blue flame was pure energy sending Ironman back about ten feet. I turned and stopped at the sight of Captain America standing broadly, his shield in front of his body.

"This doesn't have to end ugly Marcy. We just want to talk."

I moved my left hand beside me, the blue flame still rotating and drifting up my arm. I saw something cross over his face quickly and he lowered his shield. He inched toward me as if I were a rabid animal. He was probably right. "I didn't blow up the UN."

"Then come with us…tell SHIELD that. I won't let them treat you like a lab rat. You have my word Marcy." I swallowed dryly feeling my anger resolve a bit. My heart was beating a million miles an hour. The blue flame was up to my shoulder now and I felt the flames kissing my cheek. I nodded as I closed my fist and brushed my fingers against my palm in one swoop causing the flame to extinguish. He gave a small smile and held out his hand, "Captain Steve Rogers."

I heard a moan behind me as I took his hand. I heard Ironman grumble something about kicking my ass and Captain Rogers smirk went into a full blown grin. He had some grip on him. "Sergeant Marcy James, sir."

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Keeping true to his word, I wasn't put into any cages or testing facilities although this room sure felt like a small prison. The glass, I was told, was impenetrable and if I tried to escape…well, death was a sure consequence to follow. Steve, as he told me to address him, promised that this was just a precaution until questioning. I had been sitting here for three hours now and I was just a smidge bored. I quickly snapped my fingers, laying my palms flat instantly. The blue flame danced before me and I started to wonder if I would ever be normal again. The past five years it hadn't dissipated, in fact, it grew stronger. I was waiting for it to engulf me one day and be the end of me. I knew it would happen eventually. I was just waiting.

I held my hands so that my palms were facing one another, the flame conjoined into a bright beautiful ball. My fingers moved gracefully as if I was kneading dough and the ball grew in size. I let out a single puff of air and the ball disappeared. Sitting there in silence, staring at my hands, my weapons...I realized something. I was a freak.

"That's a neat trick."

I glanced over to the tall man with an patch covering his left eye. I had the sudden urge to say 'Ey matey!' but I refrained knowing that I would have to spend longer in this ridiculous glass prison. I stood slowly and approached him. He was the man that Steve was telling me about. Nick Fury. Apparently he was in charge of this whole shindig. I crossed my arms, "I have a lot of party tricks. One…however is not blowing up the UN Building."

"We know." He shifted his weight before he pressed a button on the control panel to the left. The door opened and I grabbed my backpack with my things in them. Steve was kind enough to left me pack before I was hauled away. "I'd like to offer you a proposition Sergeant James."

"I don't think I'm someone you would like to have on your little A-Team." I said looking down. He watched me carefully and nodded.

"I don't usually take no for an answer Sergeant," he said as he began to walk down the hall. I had no choice but to follow him. I looked around the corridor seeing all of the labs, technicians, military, SHIELD uniforms. I felt small then. "I know all about your little accident in Iraq with Crystal."

My eyes back up to him. He was pressing on through the halls and we suddenly stopped short. I glanced over at the room and recognized Steve. I also noticed another familiar face…besides Stark. I swallowed loudly. Fury turned his pointed gaze on me, lines etched in his face from stress, fatigue, and war. I knew men and served with men just like him. The kind you would be honored to have your back at any moment, "Vic Crystal is creating the same blue flame that you are empowered with. He's burning down buildings all over the world. Building an army. It's time you took a stand and used your little gift for good instead of flipping burgers."

He entered the lab area and I followed slowly. Everyone's eyes were on me. Fury drew in a breath, "This is Sergeant Marcy James. She's going to join our team here. You already know Rogers and Stark."

Rogers nodded and Stark remained silent. I figured he was still upset that I slammed him into a wall. Fury continued, "This is Doctor Bruce Banner. Agent Natasha Romanoff and then you already know Agent Barton."

I nodded. Of course I knew him. He did a tour in Iraq with my special ops group when we were hunting for Crystal. After the lab was blown, he was pulled back to wherever he had come from. Romanoff eyed me suspiciously. "Thor is supposed to return shortly. You will meet him then. I trust that your new team mates will take care of you properly. Stark…she needs a suit."

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Thanks for reading! Cookies for everyone who reviews!

:o)

Disclaimer: I own nothing at all.

Marcy James is my own creation though.