She pushed forward through the crunchy snow, concentrating on weaving through the trees. He was closer than he had been before. Either she was losing her touch or he was getting better at anticipating her next move. Given who he was, she supposed it was only a matter of time until he caught up.
She spotted an old shed to her left and quickly changed course. The wooden door creaked in the silence as she slipped in.
xxx
He knew he was close. Closer than he'd ever gotten to her. A part of him in the back of his mind told him to be vigilant, that she could very well be setting a trap if she was letting him get this close to her. But he couldn't let that put him off.
He almost had her. This time, she wouldn't escape. This time, he would complete the mission.
xxx
She searched the shed, looking for anything that would give her an edge. Or had an edge, preferably a sharp one. She made sure to check the crates that were stacked in the far corner, and was rewarded for her effort. The tarnished machete went into her pack along with the few other items she'd found in the houses that were few and far between in the woods.
She knew she needed to get moving. Staying in place for too long would make her lose the small lead she had. She peered out each window of the shed, checking her surroundings to make sure the coast was clear. The last thing she needed was a careless error to be the reason she got killed.
She made a dash for it out the door, hearing it thud shut as she left the shed behind. She checked her map, but, being in the middle of the woods, it didn't give her much to go off of. There was a thin blue line to the east. A river was a good landmark to follow, and she'd have a higher chance of running into another house or a town if she travelled along it. The catch was that a river was just too easy to follow. At least in the middle of the woods she was harder to track down.
She bit her lip briefly as she considered her options before moving forward, putting the sunset behind her.
xxx
The shed had been a dead end. He knew she'd been there; he found pieces of a crate in a corner. He knew there'd be nothing of value left in the old building if she'd gone through it already. He exited the shed, debating if he should continue on his course through the trees or change his method and follow the river he knew to be east of the shed. He let his tactical training take over as he weighed the pros and cons. She hadn't set a trap for him in the shed, so she was still on the run, not comfortable enough in her lead to risk staying in one place long enough. It also made the most sense to follow the river. There always seemed to be a town on a river if you kept with it long enough. If she reached the town, there was no telling what she might find to help her escape him or fight him. But… he could track her easily, and she would know that. She was smart, he'd give her that. After all, she had managed to thwart him three times now as he relentlessly chased her down. It was maddening. He was the most skilled and feared assassin in seventy years, and here this tiny woman was getting the best of him.
Well. Not for long. She had supplies and could make it through the woods well enough. It'd be harder to find her that way, not impossible, but harder. However, she'd have to resupply at some point. So he'd use that against her. The river would get him to a town or house or whatever else was out here much faster. She would find him there, waiting for her, and meet her end. He turned and made for the river.
xxx
She splashed across the shallow river and into the town. It was risky, but she'd trusted that she had enough of a lead to take the river. There were only a few people out and none of them paid any attention to her as she ran out onto the street.
She spotted the clock tower in the middle of the town square. Its vantage point would do very nicely, she decided. This game of theirs was going to end, and she would be the winner. She started running again, heading down the cobbled street toward the tower.
The door at the base of the tower needed some force, but finally opened after a minute or two. She ascended the stairs to the top, stumbling once in her haste. She knew he would have taken her bait and followed the river. As the chase had gone one, she'd taken care to go through any place she'd come across and take all the supplies she could, knowing he would assume she'd stick to the woods a bit longer before trying to find civilization. He'd take the river, thinking he would beat her and take her out.
She allowed a small smirk to flit across her features before going to her pack and taking out her best find: a sniper rifle. She crossed over to the window of the clock tower that overlooked the street she'd just run down. Setting up the rifle, she peered through the scope and found the spot where she had come across the river and into the town.
She waited.
xxx
He found the town quickly. There were a few townsfolk walking down the street, but he paid them no notice. His attention was on the clock tower that stood above the rest of the town. He could feel that the end of his mission was imminent.
xxx
She watched him enter the town exactly where she knew he would. He hardly hesitated before making his way toward the tower.
She patiently watched his approach through the scope of her rifle.
xxx
He only had a small handgun, but that was all he'd need. He would wait just inside the tower and kill her when she tried to enter. He knew when she got to the town, she'd go for the tower. It had the best tactical advantage.
xxx
She followed his movements. The townspeople went about their business, ignorant of the game they were in the middle of. She knew they would start panicking and running as soon as she fired. But that was fine.
She only needed one shot.
xxx
He checked that his gun was loaded as he made his way down the street. He entered the long shadow of the tower, ready to end this.
xxx
It was too easy. She almost felt bad. Almost.
xxx
The mission was nearly complete. This time, she would die.
xxx
She fired.
xxx
Everything went red… then black.
xxx
"Ah, she got you good!"
Bucky rolled his eyes, dropping his controller on the couch next to him. "Shut up, Sam." The screen continued to flash WINNER: PLAYER 1 at him.
Natasha leaned back into the couch, looking supremely satisfied. "That was your fourth attempt at killing me. Do you think you might be losing your touch, Barnes?"
"I'm ninety years old, give me a break. I didn't grow up with this stuff," he grumbled, standing up and going to the kitchenette. Sam snickered.
Steve walked in then, carrying four pizza boxes. He eyed Bucky, then Natasha and Sam, and finally the TV screen. He grinned. "Nat beat you again, huh?"
Bucky pretended not to hear him, taking three slices on a plate. He leaned casually against the counter.
"Well, maybe he'll get lucky one of these times." Bucky could still hear the smirk in Natasha's voice. "Rematch tomorrow night?"
Bucky took a bit of pizza, chewing slowly. "You're on," he finally answered.