Hello faithful fans

Introducing the Latest and Greatest from the Mind of yours truly.

Fans of "The Prequel" and "Avenge Me" will find solace in this story here, the follow-up to those now classic hits.

Read. Review. Hold tight my friends.

The Aftermath

By Ezra Cross

Prologue

Dregs of rain came down intermittently through pine needles and the scent of wet oak trees. My footing struggled over the knots and holes left by trees and wildlife both. Rocks the size of bricks scattered along the path, stumbling into my way as I clamored up the incline into the night. In the distance a waterfall's cataclysmic roar thundered through my ears. I struggled to focus on those who hunted behind me. Those who hunted for me. I could see them slipping between the trees, curious and excited. Waiting with bated breath for the ghost or apparition of the night to storm out after them. They wanted blood. Retribution. Something to bring back to Fury and everyone else. In the end it wouldn't matter. I'd leave the body for them to find and steal off into the dark with her.

Laura.

She's the only thing that mattered now. Not the team, not the mission, not even my own life. I didn't care anymore. I just needed to get her safe, to Hell with the team. At first, I wanted to call to them. How desperately I dared to raise my voice into the warring night and scream Tony's name. Just a warning, that's all they needed. A signal to Cap that might have prevented him from picking up that gun against me.

I wouldn't blame him. Couldn't blame him. He'd never know the man he shot at, the black-clad ghost fleeing into the night, was none other than his own partner.

Hawkeye.

Me.

I leaned down, snatching Laura out of the dirt and hugging her against my chest.

"RUN!" I screamed in her ear, urging her forward. She sprinted ahead of me. Light as a deer. I vaulted after her, hearing the boot clad feet of our pursuers stomping through the moon-washed night.

"Stop!" the authoritative shout from Steve.

"Keep running!" I told her. "Don't turn. Go! Don't stop!"

"Stop or I'll shoot!"

I ducked beneath the overhanging pine branches. The needles stung at me like an angry wasp swarm. I ducked my face from them. I dared not raise my gun to Steve and neither did I stop. The harder we fled, the further back we left the campfire's safety. A blanket of stars overhead threatened to give us up. Just beyond me Laura could see the stretch of black top pavement leading down the hillside gully. The truck was parked deep beneath the roadside washout. She could make it.

"I said stop!"

A tree lay over the path ahead of us. I caught up to Laura beside it, lifting her in my arms and throwing her over the colossal trunk. She landed on her backside, bruised most likely, but sprang to her feet again and looked back for me.

"GO!" I screamed.

She never resisted, knew well enough not too.

I grabbed hunks of bark in my bare hands and nearly vaulted over the blockade myself. I knew Steve wasn't far behind. He could out run mortal men like me. If he caught up, then our lives were over. He wouldn't know it, maybe none of them would. But I could never run that risk. Family first. Avengers second.

I had just about cleared the other side of the fallen trunk when the shot rang out. I fell to the ground hard, bounced my hip over a rock, and rolled down the embankment. Jumping to my feet again, I tore off across the glen, meeting Laura, and the getaway truck, before Steve could discover us in the dark.

Typically my style. cliffhangers at every turn.

caveat: I am in my clinical year of veterinary school Those who have read my Hawkeye Initiative series may have noticed my myriad of notes through the years of my progression through this education process, but now it is coming to this final head. What this means for you, dear readers, is updates will be slow, at best. I will try my level best, but that is all I can promise.

If you review, I nearly always respond with either a thank you, or a personal note at the beginning of the next chapter.