Chapter Text
The streets were dark and damp from the recent rain, and a mist had formed along the alleys. The lamplighter had long since gone by but the tall lights did little to illuminate the area.
Not that they needed to see beyond a few feet. Not that they didn’t know these streets intimately.
“He’s here.”
“You’re sure this time, Steve?” The older man demanded, turning to stare at him. “Because we’ve done this before.”
“I know, Nick,” Steve snapped, tugging his dark cloak off of his shoulders. “He was there last time. You know it too.”
Image: Two Men in the Mist | Art by : Velvetjinx
Nick nodded his head and unbuttoned his jacket, revealing his finely tailored suit. In his left hand, he carried his silver-tipped cane – it was a clear sign of rank and status, but there was more to it than met the eye.
Steve’s attention was caught by a desperate sound in his head. It was like someone crying and he had to shut his eyes to regain his composure. The ache was sharp, like a needle in his brain, and he fought against it.
Then there were hands on his broad shoulders and he looked down, meeting Nick’s one eye. Despite their significant age gap, Steve had long since towered over the man.
“He needs you,” Nick announced and Steve felt a warmth spread through him at Nick’s kind tone. But then he added, “You owe this to him.”
Steve frowned and shook Nick’s hands off. “I know what I owe him, Sir Fury.”
Nick’s lip curled. “Then let’s get this done.”
The two men entered the dark building, not caring if they were seen breaking into private property. Nick always seemed more refined in his walk and posture, but Steve knew better.
He knew how savage Nick could be, how brutal.
There was something tugging at Steve’s mind, something familiar. He let his eyes fall shut as he breathed deep, forcing himself to not react to the odor of mildew and sour garbage. Reaching out with his senses, he could feel… lives, small ones. Rats, maybe, but there were larger ones as well. A cat, he thought, and also –
“There,” Steve said, eyes snapping open. “He’s upstairs.”
Nick rushed off and Steve hurried to catch up. They took the stairs two at a time as Steve followed the sounds he knew so well. He was heaving breaths when they finally reached the top but Steve’s adrenaline was pumping, and he slammed himself bodily into the single door in the hall.
When it didn’t budge, he did it again and again before Nick grabbed his arm and yanked him roughly away. Steve’s back hit the opposite wall and he opened his mouth to argue but that was when he saw the pistol in Nick’s hand.
The shot was loud in the small, confined hallway and Steve’s ears rang afterward. He pressed his hands over them and clenched his eyes shut but then something washed over him.
Something dark. Darker than he’d felt in a long time. When he opened his eyes again and stood up straight, his jaw dropped.
Nick had kicked the door open after shooting the lock and there, in the window, was the man they’d been searching for.
“Sam!” Steve shouted and rushed forward but Nick stopped him from approaching by holding his arm out. “What are you –?” Steve tried but when he saw it too, he had to contain his scream.
A pale, sickly looking thing was crouched there, holding what Steve hoped was an unconscious Sam by the throat. It was almost completely inhuman; it wore no clothes and the hand that gripped Sam had long, disgusting claws. Even while it was hunched over with its long legs bent around Sam’s body, Steve could tell it was massive. The creature’s fangs were evident behind its thin, cracked lips and its red eyes were fixed on Steve.
There was a look in them. If Steve didn’t know any better, he’d think he was seeing recognition there.
Its back was to the open window, as if it meant to jump at any moment. Steve’s heart was thudding in his chest as terror raced through him. They’d run up at least two flights of stairs and Steve could see a rooftop behind it. If it jumped – if it took Sam with it –
“Release him,” Nick snarled, pistol aimed at the creature.
Steve wanted to protest – Nick had been a marksman once, many years ago, before he’d lost his eye. But he was not that man anymore. If he was off by an inch, he could hit Sam.
But he kept his mouth shut and remained still.
Suddenly, the creature rasped out a series of words in a language Steve didn’t know but it seemed that Nick did, if his tense posture was anything to go by. With each sentence uttered, Steve could sense the darkness filling Nick’s mind.
“What is it saying?” Steve asked and Nick’s arm across his chest tightened. “What is it saying?” Steve exclaimed but just then, the creature hissed and threw itself – and Sam – out of the window. “No!”
Steve ran forward, shaking off Nick’s hold, but when he looked down at the street below, there was nothing. No blood, no bodies. Despite everything, he felt relieved; they knew Sam was still alive.
“It’s powerful,” he said, standing up straight and looking back at Nick. “We’re up against something bigger than I’d imagined.”
“You didn’t know,” Nick answered in a flat, accusatory tone and Steve grit his teeth.
“No, I didn’t.” He huffed and pulled his cloak on. “And I don’t appreciate what you’re implying.”
After a moment, Nick had the decency to look ashamed and he turned away. “We’re going to need more help if we’re going after one this powerful.” He adjusted his hat on his head. “It’s likely to have a brood.”
Steve nodded. “I saw advertisements for a traveling show,” he said, meeting Nick’s gaze. “It boasted the ‘greatest marksman in America’.”
With a smirk, Nick made for the stairs. “I’ll buy your ticket.”
With that, Steve was suddenly alone in the dilapidated room, and he couldn’t remember ever feeling quite so cold. He shivered and pulled his coat tighter around himself, but it did little to soothe the frigid chill. There was a sound from outside and he spun around, briefly glimpsing a pair of red eyes staring at him from the darkness.