TW: (Very) Brief Mentions of Violence, PTSD.
Black Nova
Chapter 2
"She's yours, Price."
Captain Price's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked over the newcomer. Codename Nova stood with her shoulders squared and expression unreadable. The air around her buzzed with a calm danger, like the silence before a detonation.
Price turned towards the others command in his voice " This is Nova" his tone firm with authority " She was a part of a project so dark that even we couldn't see it "
Nova’s eyes flicked across the team. Soap. Ghost. Gaz.
“She’s joining the 141,” Price continued. “Effective immediately. She answers to me. But out there, she’s one of you.
Soap gave a big smile "Welcome to the Circus"
Gaz just gave a nod
Ghost met her gaze head on.
A beat passed... before Price broke the tension.
"We've got a briefing in ten , Nova you with me"
The hallways of the base were quiet. There was a low hum of electronics. He led her to his office his steps were steady, deliberate, it was the pace of a man used to carrying more weight than he let on, opening the door he invited her inside.
"Have a seat" he said closing the door and locking it.
She stepped in without hesitation her movement sharp and composed. She didn't sit.
Price just huffed " Take off your mask "
Without any questions she took it off. Her face composed. Price was bit shocked to see a young face.
"How old are you" he demanded
"Twenty two" Nova replied calmly. Price cursed under his breath.
She stood there in silence, waiting.
Price studied her. Not just her face, but the way she held herself. Shoulders tight. Chin lifted. Like she expected judgment and didn’t care for it.
He nodded slowly. “Whatever you were before—whatever they made you—you’re 141 now. That means you bleed with us. Fight with us. Fall with us, if it comes to it.”
She met his eyes. “I won’t fall.”
“You might,” he replied. “But if you do, we’ll be there to pick you up.”
A long silence stretched between them. Then Nova gave the smallest nod.
“I understand.”
"Get settled in, Gaz will show you around." Price said.
Nova put on her mask and left his office. Gaz was already waiting outside.
"Did you see her?" Soap said looking at Gaz and Ghost. "She's so fucking tall. I wonder what they feed her."
“She does have that whole ‘I could kill you with a spoon’ vibe.” Gaz commented.
Soap leaned forward, elbows on the table now, eyes flicking to Ghost, who hadn’t said a word.
“But what do you think, Ghost?” Soap grinned. “You had a pretty little staring contest going on with her earlier.
"No comment " replied ghost in mundane tone
"Ay you no fun Lt" Soap said.
Gaz added thoughtfully. “She’s not used to a team. Not really. You can tell she’s been operating solo .”
“Let’s just hope she’s not a ticking time bomb,” Soap muttered, stretching his arms. “Last thing we need is another wildcard.”
Gaz straightend "Shit , Price just messaged me to show her around the base"
Soap snickered " I would wear my lucky charms" patting Gaz's back.
"Well let's go" Gaz moved forward , a tablet in his hand. Gaz walked a few steps ahead, glancing occasionally over his shoulder to make sure Nova was still behind him ,not that he needed to. She moved like a shadow.
“Mess hall’s to the left,” he said casually, gesturing. “Avoid it on Tuesdays unless you enjoy mystery food”
Nova gave a faint hum of acknowledgment, " I will be eating in my room " she said ,eyes scanning every door, every hallway, every security camera.
"Ah you just like Ghost" Gaz smirked. "He's not a fan of mess either".
“You always this alert?” he asked after a pause.
“Always,” she replied, tone clipped.
Gaz nodded, not pushing. He’d seen soldiers like her before wounded, wired, wary. But there was something different about Nova. She didn’t just watch the room she calculated every angle like it might bite.
They passed the shooting range still echoing with the muffled thumps of distant gunfire.
“You’ll like it there,” Gaz said. “Soap practically lives in it. Ghost, too. We rotate drills every other day. High-speed, high-stress. You up for that?”
Nova glanced sideways. “Was trained on worse.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he said, then added with a lopsided grin, “but can you beat Soap’s fastest draw?”
“I don’t need to be faster,” she said coolly. “Just accurate.”
Gaz laughed. “He’s going to love you.”
They turned into another hallway, leading to the barracks.
“Here’s your bunk area. Not the five star, but clean sheets and a locking door.”
Nova nodded and stepped inside for a moment, eyes flicking across the sparse cot, locker, and overhead light. She didn’t step fully in ,just looked. Then she turned back to Gaz.
He leaned against the doorframe. “You always this quiet?”
“Talking doesn’t build trust,” she said, then added after a pause, “Actions do.”
“Fair,” he said. “But talking helps. At least when you’re not dodging bullets.”
Nova hesitated for the first time.“Where I came from… silence was safer.”
Gaz didn’t reply right away. He just gave a slow nod and looked down the hallway, voice softer now.
“Well… you’re not there anymore.”
She studied him, expression unreadable.
“No,” she said. “I’m not.”
Another pause. This one... less tense. More real.
Gaz pushed off the wall. “Come on. I’ll show you the command center next. You’ll want to know how to yell at Soap when he takes your things without asking .”
Nova smirked. Just slightly. Almost too fast to notice.
Thank you for reading ( ◜‿◝ )♡
Taglist: @hyperfixiation-station , @sheepispink , @massivescissorsthingperson
Please DM if you want to get added to the taglist.
