A/N: Just a short epilogue. More notes below.

In the late night quiet of her office, Maria stared at the blurry image on her computer screen. Enhancements had done nothing to get her a clearer picture. Even Stark had had to admit defeat, albeit reluctantly.

Sighing, she rubbed her hands over her face as if the act would rub away her exhaustion and the stress this situation was provoking in every fiber.

Maria supposed she had secretly harbored the thought that Steve was invincible. Not virtually, actually. There was enough evidence to support her view. The man had been declared dead for seventy years only to be discovered hibernating in the ice. Before that he had led the charge that had all but wiped out HYDRA, and since then he had led the defense against an alien invasion. The only time she had seen him anywhere near hospitalized was before he awoke from hibernation. To discover there was someone who could be a threat to Captain America was more than a little disconcerting.

The buzz of the burner phone hidden in her inside jacket pocket brought her out of her reverie. She reached in and pulled it out and flipped it open. There was no need to check the incoming number, she had bought this phone for the sole purpose of this call and would dissemble it and destroy it after this call was finished.

"Professor, thank you for calling," she said, knowing full well the tension couldn't be hidden from her voice.

"Of course."

The man's soft accented voice, she supposed, usually served to sooth nerves, it did not help her at all.

"I was surprised to receive your package this morning, Deputy Director," he continued.

Maria sighed internally.

"I really couldn't think of anyone else who could help," she told him.

There was a brief pause at the other end.

"It wasn't sent through usual SHIELD channels," he commented.

"I don't trust the usual channels at the moment, Professor."

She decided to be as honest as she could. She needed answers quickly.

"I see," he said.

"Do you think you can help?" she asked.

"What is the purpose of your search?" he asked, and Maria couldn't blame him for being suspicious.

"It's not SHIELD related, if that's your concern," she told him.

"So personal?" he asked.

"I can't assure you SHIELD will not eventually involve themselves in the situation," she said. "But they are not right now."

"What assurances can you give me that no harm will befall this person if he does indeed turn out to be a mutant," he asked.

"If he is harmless, I will do everything in my power to protect him," she said, trying to force the image of Steve's body lying on the road outside Milan from her mind. "But if he continues to hurt people, I will bring the full wrath of SHIELD down on him."

There was a longer pause, but Maria didn't regret her words. He might as well know where he stood with her up front, then he couldn't make accusations against her when she did just that after she got the information she needed from the man who had taken Steve.

"Understood," the man said. "I will try to locate him and see if he will meet with me."

It was the best Maria could hope for, and better than anything she could do herself.

"Contact me at the second number on the list when you have something," she said. "This number will no longer be in service."

"I will," he said. "Hopefully soon."

"Thank you, Professor Xavier," Maria said.

Then she turned off the phone and began to pull it apart.

A/N: Yeah, I guess that's me shaking my fist at annoying copyright laws hindering Marvel movies. :D