Prologue

Location: Moscow, Russia

Niko hadn't been seen since the day at the café. He had gotten away quickly enough. He had a room in a hotel not far from the Kremlin. Niko was standing in his room and he stared out of his balcony at the famous building. Niko didn't like Russia, and he had a good reason why. He could still feel the ice around his body, his lungs burning and the pain that was unbearable. Go through that and see if you keep your sanity. Niko knew he was crazy, he knew is as soon as his mind would begin to slip. It never bothered him though. He had been on the run for about a month now, and Barnes was catching up, but slowly. Niko was just ahead of him and it was enough to keep eluding him.

Niko knew though, that one day his luck would run out. His original plan was foiled by Barnes. He knew everything, but the most crucial he didn't know, was how Captain America would infiltrate his prison. Then bring the Black Widow to his side again. He didn't see that coming, but that matter had passed. Niko had his eye on a bigger prize, something that would help change the world. He was going to regroup and take down a government. Even Barnes can't stop all of Red Room. Niko had his hand in everything, even S.H.I.E.L.D. He revealed this to Fury a month back, but he still had agents within it that are true followers of Fury. Niko liked suffocating his enemies, figuratively, otherwise he would just slit their throats.

Niko had a lot of planning to do, but first he needed to regroup with his forces. He needed an upper hand against Barnes, and his Wolf Spiders were it. First things first, regroup.

Bucky

Bucky was asleep in the Quinjet that was now his. He was lying on his back in a cot and the blanket was down by his waist. His biotic arm was lying completely still, while his real arm was moving once in a while. Bucky stirred slightly and he twitched. He slightly moved his lips and he squinted his eyes. Bucky was having a dream, but it wasn't a very nice one.

Bucky was standing in a large room and he stared at 28 orphan girls, and he looked at all their faces. Most of them didn't make eye contact with him. He saw that they were all the same age, and around the same build, funny how he could tell even if they were only six years old. He studied each one and he saw numerous faces: hurt, anger, fear. Only one of the small girls made eye contact with him and never even blinked. He saw she was the one who stood out, not just because of the red hair and the brilliant emerald eyes, but because she showed very little emotion on her face. Hard for a six year old, unless they grew up being taught that. He saw a flash and then there was only one girl left and she was to his neck and her red hair was longer. She was the only one left, the one who stared him down the first time they met.

Bucky put his hand on her shoulder and then he felt another hand on his and he looked over to see a younger man around eighteen. He had a uniform on and he had a large white spider on his shoulder. Bucky knew who it was, the boy he trained for years Niko Constantin. He was a good killer, and a good soldier, but Red Room liked to push things. Sadly they drove him insane, and then tossed him out into the world, and by that, he meant the Russian Gulag. Bucky wished he would have stopped them, but he was working for Hydra at the time and had no idea what they did to him. Yet, something in Bucky knew that Niko would have still turned into a vicious killer, like the one he was now, but now he just had the one thing that the other agents didn't; hate.

Bucky knew that Niko hated Red Room, and now he was Red Room, but he also hated Russia. Bucky opened his eyes and he had his metal hand gripping the side of the crate that the large cushion he slept on was on. He let go and he sat up and the sun was coming over the clouds. He blinked and rubbed his eyes and yawned. Bucky wasn't used to living in one place, all those years being on ice really kept him in nomad mode. Well he still was in nomad mode, just with a huge Quinjet to help him get around. Also it was the only way that Hill and Fury could talk to him.

Bucky hoped that Steve was doing ok, he knew he was, just something always made him worry. Wiping Steve's memory wasn't enjoyable and he was still recovering from that. He spent most of his energy trying to find a lead on Niko. He found him in Russia, but lost him when he caught the traffic buzz. Bucky decided he would back off a little and let Niko get situated, it was either that or chase him for a few years. Bucky stood up and he stretched him arms up and he felt his back crack a little. He was wearing his normal dark pants with his boots still on. He had taken the shirt off so he could sleep comfortably.

Bucky pulled a dark blue shirt over his head and he walked over and sat down on a smaller crate. He pulled out a bag of blue berries that he stole from Stark's kitchen, well that's what he thought it was. It actually turned out to be Stark's private stash. Bucky didn't care though and he opened the bag and he ate the blue berries. He was finished with half the bag when he heard a beep from an I-pad on the other side of the Quinjet. Bucky put down the bag of blueberries and quickly walked over to the small desk area he had created with a crate and a smaller one, so he could work out certain things and talk to Hill and Fury. He sat down and he grabbed the I-pad and he answered the call.

The screen turned on and flashed white then Hills face appeared on the screen and she seemed to watching to see if anyone was coming. Bucky flattened his hair a little and pushed it out of his face so he didn't look like he had just woken up. He wasn't self-conscience, but whenever he saw her, had to make sure he at least looked presentable. He smiled at her

"Hey"

Hill paused and she looked around to see if someone was coming, when it seemed like no one was coming she looked at him and spoke "Hey, how's the search going?"

"Not smoothly, but I'm starting to see a pattern, how's Steve?"

"Good, they all seem to be getting along, I think I saw Natasha giving Banner googily eyes and flirting with him"

"Really, Banner?" Bucky said

What the Hell?

"Yeah, the hunt for Loki's scepter is going well, we think that he have finally found it and they are about to leave now"

"Ok, well that means get back to work for me to, I'll talk to you later"

"Is something wrong?" Hill asked

Bucky paused and he took a deep breath "No, just tired" he lied

"OK, talk to you later"

"Yeah, later tonight"

"You want to do the one thing that we talked about?" Hill asked and he saw her eyes slightly change a bit.

Bucky smirked and chuckled "I have no idea what Phone sex is"

"Well, it's basically you and me pleasuring ourselves over the phone and act like we're having sex"

"That sounds odd, and maybe a little weird"

"Well, if you weren't gone all the time, I would have had sex with you already"

"I know, but duty calls"

Hill sighed sadly and she looked at him "Be safe"

"I will, try not to worry"

"Yeah, that would be impossible"

"I will be there when I can, but Niko needs to be stopped"

"Yeah I know, it's just, I miss you"

"I miss you to, if I was there I would kiss you"

"You know what I would do?"

Bucky felt his mind go to a billion different things "What?"

"Come to my apartment and I'll show you" she said and smiled seductively

"Maria you are such a tease" Bucky said smiling

"How else am I to get you back home?"

"Good point, ok I have to go, stay safe"

"You to"

"See you when I have this mess figured out"

"I am looking forward to it" She said and her eyes made him feel excited

"Woman" Bucky said and she disconnected leaving Bucky to think about it. He sighed and he put the I-pad down and he stood up and he walked over to the cock pit and flipped a few switches and he punched in some coordinates and he felt the Quinjet shoot forward and he hit the thrusters.

Bucky needed to get some information and he just where to go, time for a pit stop in Austria.