The hotel room was surprisingly much cleaner than I thought it was going to be.
Peter really did have a whole suite to himself. His backpack looked like it had exploded in the bedroom, clothes were hanging off the ceiling fan, and were strewn crazily over the TV and dresser.
Every door in the place was opened, honks and wheel screeches sounding through the fancy space. I quietly shut the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony.
If I left the mini fridge open just a smidge, well then tell Stark to put it on my tab. It looked like Peter grabbed all the chocolate out of it anyway.
Peter's silver case sat empty on the couch. The red suit gone.
Mine was still shoved under the coffee table. I hefted it onto the couch next to Peter's and ran my fingers over its smoothed edges. The latch hidden from sight, hidden among the sleek lines of the case.
I ran my fingers carefully over the sides, overtop and on the bottom. Aha. My thumb slid slightly into dented slant. With a big woosh it swung open.
The suit looked even better in person. The blue even more electric up close, and the darkness of the fabric made it look like I was swimming in a lightning storm.
It was incredibly soft, and seemed pliable. The material stretched around my hands as I pulled at it, was it bullet proof? No time to check anyway.
It went on like a loose onesie and then molded to me like a glove. The bright blue accents highlighted my collar bones, and honestly made my legs look freakishly long. Thanks, Stark.
I had to wear my own beat up boots with it, the scratched brown leather clashing with the expensive looking outfit.
Oh well. I guess footwear went beyond the Stark fashion brand.
Once I had the suit on, I looked through the rest of the open case. Caught inside was a smaller compartment. Inside sat a wadded up mess of dark fabric. The same midnight blue as the suit. And next to it a miniscule piece of tech. An earpiece? Ugh, do I want to have Stark speaking directly into my ear canal?
The dark fabric unfolded to reveal a mask. It resembled my bandana. Maybe Stark did catch me on video. The bandana and the blue matching my sizzling portals.
I pulled the mask over my head, and immediately it adhered to the neck of my suit. Magnets? Velcro? Who knows, but it blended seamlessly with the collar. Pulling it up over my mouth and nose I found it to be perfectly breathable. No more of the muffled voice and Batman-esque huskiness then. The fabric stretched and moved with every turn of my head.
With the mask on I made sure to avert my eyes from the many mirrors lining the walls. My hair swung loose, obscuring the sides of my vision in a haze of black shadows.
I think if I caught a glimpse of the chess piece Stark assembled me to be, I'd lose my nerve.
Oh yes. I knew that even putting the suit on was relinquishing a bit of control over to Stark. He already had Peter, and I'd be damned if I let Pete go it alone. In terms of chess, I'd think of myself as the queen anyway. Unpredictable, and incredibly valuable to have on your side.
Taking a last look around the room, I closed the empty silver case and turned the earpiece over in my hand. It was black, and maybe an inch larger than my thumbnail. No going back once I slide this in.
My phone, I placed on silent. I shot a quick text to Peter before I got to Germany that said something along the lines of I'm coming to pick you up from daycare. I'll be there soon. But I doubt he got it in time.
I stashed my phone in a hidden pocket by my thigh. Seriously the suit has pockets, straight from a wet dream if I do say so myself.
I juggled the earpiece and then placed it in my ear and tapped it once. Immediately voices started ringing out. It sounded like they were all standing right next to me, no static contaminating the line whatsoever.
"...the airport on lockdown. Evacuate all civilians. Don't give Ross the heads up until we have eyes on all of them. Barnes, Rogers, and Wilson top our most wanted list." Stark's voice was hard. I thought I could hear engines whirring in the background. I guess Iron Man was ready for action. "Ideally we'd rack up Wanda and Clint before it all goes to shit."
Barnes. Where do I know that name from.
"You really think you'll get Cap to stand down?" A man piped in. He sounded anxious, but not out of nerves more out of being wound up tight and waiting for the snap. "Why not just wrap it up nice and quick, grab Barnes, Rogers, and Wilson, send Ross in, and then ferry Wanda away back to the facility. Vision could do it, we could get Clint back on house arrest, like nothing. Ross doesn't even know they're involved at this point."
I could hear Stark sigh "It'd be too easy that way. And not to mention if I even touched a hair on Barnes' head without Rogers' go ahead there'd be hell to pay. No, we give them a chance. Clint, Wilson, Wanda, they chose their beds, and now they're gonna lay in them."
"Tony, just, really give them a chance to stand down." A woman this time. Her voice calm and collected "Make sure you get across what's really at stake here. Rogers isn't stupid. He'll know what you're implying, but at least give all of them a chance to back out."
"I agree with Miss Romanoff," Holy shit Natasha Romanoff is in my ear, "Captain Rogers will see reason if given the opportunity to do so." Again, an unknown man spoke. A British man?
"I'll try," Stark said, "We're on a deadline here people, there's only so much I can do before Ross shows up with his goons." Armor clinked, hollow footsteps sounding through the earpiece "If it comes down to it, and it is us versus them, well then, step up and do your job."
There was silence from the other side. A beat, maybe two.
"Tony, we're with you on this."
"Good."
Airport, they're at the airport. Come on Lena! The fight hasn't started there's still time to catch them. Is Peter even there? I didn't hear his squeaky voice pipe up in the conversation, but on second thought I wouldn't have said anything either.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. Shit, has my data been on roaming this whole time? There goes hundreds of dollars down the drain, one more thing to worry about.
I'm here, there's no going back now.
And the closest airport was almost two hours away, fantastic.
What to do. What do I do now?
Okay, calm down I can do this. I got to Germany didn't I?
I pulled up a picture of the airport. It looked doable, normal terminals, normal airplanes. Let's just hope I don't end up at like LaGuardia, that would suck. Okay, here goes nothing.
Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I clenched my eyes and focused on the airport.
Ripping a portal into existence. I didn't even glance at it before stepping through.
The static of the portal felt off, uncomfortable, but just left me with a bit of an 'I've definitely got too much static electricity in my body' feeling. Maybe next time I portal a la google images I'll just touch Stark's metal cocoon and watch him get zapped. Would that even work?
The airport terminal was empty. It looked as if the space was evacuated in a hurry.
"I've got eyes on Rogers! Terminal 8, making his way toward a grounded helicopter."
A quick look up and the sign above my head read 'Flughafen 3'. Hopefully that means terminal. Anyway, I'll just have to book it to the across the airport.
""I see him." Stark said, engines surging in the background, "Everybody ready?"
"Uh, what should I do?" Peter was here! Come on, Pete there's still time to back out.
"Just wait for the signal, kid." Stark replied.
"Um, and what's the signal exactly?" Peter asked. His voice lilting up at the end.
"Oh you know." Stark drawled "It'll be something flashy, then you'll swing in and bam Rogers is down for the count."
Stark wants Peter to go up against Captain America? Not that I'm doubting Pete, but come on it's Captain America we're talking about here.
Peter just made a nervous 'uh-huh ok' noise and then there was a loud clunk, and the sound of something being torn apart.
"Helicopter's down."
A sign to my right passed in a blur, so I quickly backpedalled. Jumping over abandoned luggage carts and littered coffee cups, the entire place felt eerily unoccupied. My lungs were heaving, man I really need to run more. The stitch in my side was flaring with every inhale. Terminal 6, okay two more to go.
I rounded the corner and came to a screeching halt.
There crouched by the far window were two men. They're attention focused outside on the Airfield.
As soon as I rounded the corner their attention snapped to me. Immediately the man on the right stood, his eyes locking me in place, and leveled his gun at my chest.
The other man, the one on the left, lifted a hand to adjust his red goggles. The sound of whirring tech reaching my ears.
They were both dressed in tactical gear, one of them a gleaming metallic looking fixture on his arm, and the other decked out with what looked like a jetpack strapped to his back.
Carefully I held up my hands, trying to show I wasn't a threat.
"Who are you?" Goggles clipped. Neither of them relaxing their position.
Scarcely I could hear Stark talking in the background "...gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help a brother out?"
I moved my hands toward my face slowly. If I spoke would Stark and his team be able to hear me through the earpiece too? Would Peter?
The metal armed man clicking the safety off his gun was like a warning shot. I held my hand out again resolutely, trying to urge them, 'just give me a second'.
I quickly tapped the earpiece and the voices went quiet, the last "...Tony, I can't" coming softly from the other end, barely audible.
"I-I'm not here to hurt you. I...came for a friend?" I ended on a question. Not sure what these men wanted to hear.
"Oh yeah? Who's your friend?" Goggles asked, his hand had moved up to his ear. Who knew who else was listening to this conversation between us.
"Uh, that's kind of on a need to know basis, sorry."
Neither of them sounded like Stark's men. Or maybe, they were, but I couldn't be sure. It doesn't matter much, I thought it was better to keep myself neutral, don't give them a side to put me on just yet "I'm not here to hurt anybody, I promise."
The goggled man relaxed his position slightly. The other, his hands clenched tightly on the gun was dragging his eyes over my face in quick succession. A furrow lining his brow every time he glanced at my mask for too long. He would catch my eye, and then zero in on the piece of hair I could feel tickling the side of my jaw, and then swing wildly to glare at the mask. Does it frighten him, the emotionless black cloth covering half my face. All they could see of me were my eyes, and hopefully that was enough.
I started backing up slowly, "Look, I really have to run." I said, "I don't want him, m-my friend, to get hurt, please."
His eyebrows furrowed even deeper, his eyes catching mine once more. Blue. Midnight Blue. An ocean hiding a tranquil sea or a raging tempest. He shifted slightly, putting more weight on his heels, his hands unclenching from the weapon. Could he see the faint desperation painted in my gaze as strongly as I was trying to project it?
Tapping the earpiece quickly, I made sure it was on. I heard the sweep of voices start up again.
The men were frozen It was hard to see the expression of the guy wearing the bulky goggles, and I'm not sure I could've read his face even if he took them off. The blue eyed man next to him looked conflicted. His mouth set in a harsh line, but his eyes speaking for the conflict I thought they held.
I sliced my hands backwards and opened a portal at my back. The men jumped back. Again, the gun tightening in on my position, but then lowering in the same instant. The goggled man raised his arm to shoot, I don't know what, but the metal arm shot out, catching him across the chest. It made a dull sound when making contact with the man's tactical vest. The goggled man making a surprised exclamation as the metal arm stopped him in his tracks. Blue eyes blinked once.
I stepped back into a portal, watching the image in front of me vanish, but not disappearing before I heard a jilted "What the hell-" and then I reappeared not 50 feet behind them and took off at a dead sprint.
The chairs and empty cafe's passed in a blur of color. Terminal 7 went by in the blink of an eye.
"Steve, you know what's about to happen." Romanoff said quietly, "Do you really wanna punch your way out of this one?"
This is bad, so much worse than I imagined.
Stark and Captain Rogers were going to fight it out, that was being made apparent with every passing moment. Their dispute about the Accords, or the bombings...or something was enough to split the team in two. Maybe indefinitely. Friend against friend. Peter was brought here as just a show of force, of numbers for the battle. I had to find Peter, and get him out of here.
If worse comes to worse, would I have to choose too? No doubt, one team already knew I was here. Probably Cap's now that I think about it. If it was Stark's I'd no doubt be hearing some spiel about an 'unknown vagabond' or something of that nature, and maybe Peter would've found me by now.
Terminal 8 came upon me like a freight train.
It too looked as if it had been abandoned in a panic. I carefully approached the window.
I could just make out the figures standing below. There stood, Stark, his red armor gleaming in the sun, and to his left another suit. This one made for clear intimidation and destruction, unlike Iron man which stood tall in all its regal elegance. Natasha Romanoff stood by them. A lithe black clad figure, standing as an equal before these men. Another figure, unknown. Black all head to toe, but their suit also gleamed under the sun. Iridescent and controlled in its stance.
One more. There, alone standing before these powerful opponents. Captain America. Hands at his sides, one curled around the form of his legendary shield. Poised, yet also braced, he could explode into motion any second. His shoulders were back, his head high.
"All right, I've run out of patience...Underoos!" Stark called.
Then, a red streak zipped into the scene. It flipped impressively over the heads of the others, yanked the shield from Cap's grasp and webbed his hands together in the process.
No it can't be. Was that Peter?
Stark didn't take his eyes off the Captain in front of him "Nice job, kid."
"Thanks. Well, I could've stuck the landing a little better. It's just the new suit...Well, it's nothing, , I-It's perfect, thank you!" Peter stammered.
He stood, motioning at the suit, the shield waving wildly in front of him.
Stark turned to Peter, "Yeah, we don't really need to start a conversation."
"Okay…" Peter said "Cap-Captain, big fan, I'm Spider-Man." He offered an awkward salute.
I need to get closer, I can barely make out their facial expressions from back here. How do I get Peter alone? I can't exactly just portal into the middle of that and not expect them to give chase.
"Yeah, we'll talk about it later, just…" Stark said. His body now drawn away from the Captain so as to focus on Peter.
"Hey everyone" Spider-Man waved to the crowd.
I'd bet 20 bucks Stark is rolling his eyes right now, but so am I.
"Good job."
Captain Rogers shifted his weight, "You've been busy."
Stark swung around to face Rogers "and you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. 'Rescuing' Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep...I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart." Stark finished defeatedly.
Rogers stood stoically, not moving a muscle during Stark's speech.
Stark was giving him an out, one that neither of them would be happy with, but an out nonetheless. I could tell from here, Rogers knew his decision already. He wasn't going to back down now.
"You did that when you signed."
Was this whole confrontation about the Accords? Was that what it all dwindled down to, who signed and who didn't?
There's too much at stake here, how could a signature impact the unity of the Avengers. They're the Avengers! How can something like this split them apart?
"Alright, we're done." Stark said aggressively, his anger spiking with every passing second "You're gonna turn Barnes over, you're gonna come with us, NOW. Because it's us! Or a squad of J-SOC guys...with no compunction about being polite."
Captain Rogers turned his face away.
Barnes. That name again, where..Barnes. Barnes . Holy shit.
Vienna, Berlin. That Barnes? Here? James Buchanan Barnes.
...but why with Captain America. Obviously something was wrong, Cap wouldn't risk his team just for one guy, one bomber. There's more to it than that.
Barnes, Barnes, Barnes.
Bucky Barnes.
No fucking way.
The puzzle was slowly making sense, but the edges were smudged, blurry. I had the pieces but couldn't make sense of them.
Bucky Barnes was here, alive, with Captain Rogers. Best friends since childhood, since the 40's. Alive!
Was he the bomber? Was he wrongly accused? What's going on here.
"Hey guys, something-" Peter stammers.
Suddenly, Cap throws his arms up, the web slicing cleanly in half as a rigid arrow is sent flying. The arrow hits not five feet from my face into the side of the terminal window. It doesn't even waver from the impact, but the glass splinters out from the arrowhead.
I was so startled I fell back, a gasp leaving my lips. An arrow can only come from one place, an archer.
I shot onto my feet, and placed my palms on the window trying to find where it came from, anything, but I was too far away. The people below a blur in my eyes as I searched for the archer.
An arrow cocked in the string of his bow, made of harsh lines and unforgiving blue eyes. Barton. Dad. Mom. Pain.
I gasped, raking in breath. It can't be. Plenty of people know archery right? No need to panic.
My ears felt like they were filled with cotton balls. "...there's two in the parking deck. One of them's Maximoff. I'm gonna grab her. Rhodey, want to take Cap?" Stark's voice fizzled back into my consciousness.
There's nothing I can do about it now. Find Peter, get home.
Shaking my head, I back away from the window, not wanting anyone to see me.
"Got two in the terminal, Wilson and Barnes."
"Barnes is mine." There's a jet of black as one of the suited figures dives forward.
Two in the terminal, Wilson and Barnes. Did I pass them on my way here?
"Hey! , what should I do?" Peter called out.
"What we discussed. Just keep your distance, web them up." Stark responded.
Peter took off. I tried to follow his trek with my eyes but he was fast. He was swinging over and under the planes, flipping off of large crates and crawling on the sides of the building.
Dammit Peter.
I took off running back the way I came. Back toward terminal 6 and 7.
The empty chairs and cafe's passing quickly.
My legs pumped underneath me. I snuck quick peeks outside every few feet, trying to guess where Peter was heading.
"We've got an unknown!" Someone yelled into the earpiece. Shit. "Coming up fast! Making their way toward Wilson and Barnes."
Hopefully that's where Peter's heading. Wilson and Barnes must have been the men I'd seen on the way in, they must be.
"I'm on it." Stark called out. I saw a streak out of the corner of my eye. Ah shit.
I threw my arms out ahead of me. The portal sprang to life and I dove through.
My landing was less than spectacular. I rolled into it, relying on my elbows to stop the momentum.
Stark was cursing. "They're gone." He said, "Literally dove straight into the ground and then disappeared, who could have- Jesus, not you, please tell me it's not Spider-Kid's mean nanny."
I chuckled, getting to my feet. "Sorry, to crash the party, Stark, should've brought some of that walnut loaf you love so much."
Stark made a gagging noise into his helmet, "Are you wearing my suit? You're wearing my suit aren't you. I don't think I gave you permission to do that. Maybe you'd like to give it back just about now."
I stood and kept running. I had landed by the window where I met Barnes and Wilson before, but they weren't here.
"No can do, viejo , finders keepers." I retorted.
By then voices had begun to ring out.
"Who-"
"Tony, what's going on-"
"Uh-Don't know. Keep an eye on her, she's a wildcard." Tony said.
I shoved the noise to the background. Apparently Stark had lost interest because he zoomed past the terminals to start another fight somewhere else.
I rounded the last corner, the shapes of Wilson and Barnes running through the terminal thwarted by Peter as he broke through the window, colliding feet first with the Goggles guy, who was thrown to the side.
Immediately, the other man swung hard toward Peter. The metal of his arm colliding harshly with Peter's palm. That punch would've straight up shattered my ulna.
"You have a metal arm? That's awesome dude!" Peter cried.
I yelled out as something rammed into Peter. Goggles can fly! I guess that was a jetpack, huh who knew. He's got wings, big deal.
"You've got the right to remain silent!" Followed as Peter grappled with the man, they swung about in midair.
I caught up finally. My hands to my ribs, trying not to show how winded I was.
The other man faced me, his eyes once more raking over my figure.
We stood, not knowing what to make of each other. I snorted " So, no gun this time?"
The man's face broke into an easy smile. The corners of his eyes crinkling just slightly. "Nah, I lost it back there. Didn't see the use."
His eyes were still wary, they bounced between looking into my own eyes, and the covered face mask I still wore.
I didn't know what to say. I could still see Peter trading quips with the winged man, and thought he was doing just fine.
I tilted my head, "I'm Len-Blaze. I'm Blaze." I said.
He raised his eyebrows, "I'm...Bucky." He must have seen the surprise on my face for his expression turned slightly sour. He sighed and ran a hand quickly through his hair. "So..Blaze, are you friend or foe?" He asked.
His eyes darting from the loose strands of hair framing my face, to the untied scuffed boots on my feet.
I did the same. His hair almost the same, but a bit shorter than mine. The pools of inky sky, blue eyes. Metal arm. Hands loose at the sides. Chiseled jaw.
I exhaled slowly, "I'm...not really on a side. Just here for a friend." My gaze found Peter. He was suspended, sitting on a ledge toward the ceiling, he kept jumping out of Wilson's grasp at every point "..but just between us? If it really comes down to it...and I know I've got no business being here whatsoever..but I'd be on your side." I said.
He looked surprised, scratch that, he looked very surprised.
"But-You don't even know what we're fighting for." His eyes looked confused, worried, for me.
I replied softly "I know enough, Bucky. I don't want to sign the accords. I-I want to make sure I'm fighting for what I believe in, and if that means siding with your team? Then yeah I'd do it." He still looked conflicted, but before he could get a word in I said "Look, I don't know anything about any you, not really. As long as your 'agendas' match mine, then we don't have a problem, alright pal?"
With his eyebrows still raised into his hairline Barnes replied "Yeah, that's alright...why'd you even tell me that?"
Carefully I reached up, and tugged the face mask off. I guess I'd gotten used to it, but I gulped in the unrestricted air now that it was off. I offered Barnes a shy smile. "Well..I'm here, I thought you could use a heads up, just know that you've got more allies out there than you think."
Now that the mask was off, his posture had changed drastically. His shoulders, which I hadn't noticed were held taught, caved in a bit, and his jaw seemed to unhinge. He still had the hint of a smile on his face, but his eyes had clouded over. "I don't think I'm worthy of your support, doll."
I did nothing but shoot him a confused glance in return. "It's not just for you, dumbass. Tell all your friends tuning in that I'm here as back up. Stark could use a good ass-kicking." Turning away from Barnes, I cupped my hands to my mouth "Hey! Aren't you that Spider-Kid from YouTube?" I yelled.
Peter almost, almost , slid off the beam he was attached to.
Barnes and I both jogged toward him. Wilson it seemed was webbed tight to the bannister in front of us.
The eyes of Peter's suit got comically wide. "Lena?" He said incredulously, "I-I mean, random lady, what are you doing here? In this specific airport? In Germany." He seethed.
I shot Barnes a wicked smirk to my left, he mouthed 'Lena?' at me, I shrugged, "Oh you know, realized I couldn't let my asshole bestfriend fly all the way to Germany without me, also kinda realized that this is way over both our heads, and we'd probably just head home about now? Don't you think?"
"Um, yeah" Peter said. "Actually, I'm good where I am, thanks though."
"Pet-Spider-Man, if you don't crawl down that pole right now and portal with me back to America, I'm gonna climb up there and knock your teeth in, I swear to god." I said, stomping my foot.
Wilson gave a loud groan from the banister, "What you are guys? 12? Don't think you've ever been in a fight before, but this isn't usually how it goes."
All three of us swung around to gaze at Wilson. His arms held tight in the white webbing.
"Yeah alright, my bad." and then Peter pushed off, launching himself straight toward Wilson.
I barely shot my hand out before Barnes was barreling past me. Peter collided with Barnes, and his momentum crashed into the captured Wilson and they fell to the floor below. Webs shot out holding them down.
"Look guys, I'd love to keep this up, but I've only got one job today, and I've got to impress ." Peter said from a perch near the ceiling. Before he could fling out any more webs, something flew by, latching on to Peter's wrist and yanking him through the opposite window.
"Dammit" I muttered."Peter!" I called out, but I couldn't make out where he had landed.
Inching closer to the gaping hole in the banister, I snickered at the sight of Wilson and Barnes stuck frozen to the ground.
"Hah Hah, yeah laugh it up, Sweets" Wilson sighed, "Any chance you can un-stick us from this one? Heard your little spiel to Barnes over the comms, do a fellow team member a solid."
I slid a hand through my hair, the face mask long gone in the rubble "Yeah no can do,Pal. I'm kinda busy. Nice to meet you though!" I waved. Wilson's scowl and Barne's soft chuckle followed me out of the terminal.
I jogged away from the mess. The shadows of fighting pairs lined the air tarmacs and rockets exploded occasionally into the clear sky.
The sounds of grunts and stunted conversations sounding over the earpiece.
I gasped as I caught the sight of cars flying from the parking lot. Catapulting into Stark. His red suit going down under the heavy vehicles.
"Shit, Stark. Are you okay?" I asked tentatively. The line remained constant, full of punches meeting flesh and short inhales of breath, maybe a shout.
In the mess of noise I could pick him out "Yeah, I'm good." He said, his voice sounded far away. "It's all part of the job."
I huffed. I was getting closer to the main tarmac. Where the fighting was the thickest. There was broken glass littering the empty seats now.
"I heard what you said back there. About sides, and teams." Engines whirred, and the sound of shifting metal sounded harsh in my ear.
I slowed my pace, walking through the abandoned terminal. I lightly kicked a small purse to the side, car keys falling out of a side pocket.
"Yeah well...just thought I'd make it clear. If worse comes to worse." I said.
"You're here, there's no going back now. I think you're in it for the long haul now." Stark replied. I saw Iron Man lurch from the piled cars. His golden armor glinting in the light. "He's not gonna go back with you. He's got a taste for it, just as much as you have. You know what's at stake here, and you made a choice."
I sighed, "Maybe so, at least he knows I'd show up for him. No matter what. I'm gonna stick by my choices."
Stark's voice was quiet on the other end. "But do you know what you're willing to lose for them?"
