Good morning everyone,

I'm back from our weekend away, not really refreshed but glad to be home.

Exciting chapter ahead!

xo


Chapter 8

It was dark when they landed on the outskirts of Linz, Austria. They filed off the aircraft, before making their way to the labs that were situated just outside the city limits, it towered over the trees that surrounded it.

"This seems like the closest place with the capability to make the type of weapons Crossbones might like to sell," Steve said as they skirted the fence line. It had taken them three days to figure out what was the most likely target, and although they couldn't pin-point an exact date, they believed Crossbones would be making an appearance here any day now.

They stopped and watched for a while before Bucky noticed something particular that caught his attention. "Where are the security guards?"

They all looked around. There was no one in sight. "They're already here," T'Challa murmured. "We must hurry."

They broke into a run, sprinting across the compound. It wasn't long until rifle fire rung out from the building, cutting through the glass easily. Wanda was quick to raise a red barrier to protect them.

Two men strode out from the building, maintaining their line of fire. "Guys, I can't hold it forever," Wanda groaned with the effort.

"I got this," Sam and Scott said in unison, before Sam took off and Scott disappeared. Within seconds one of the men appeared to be beating himself up, while the other was knocked flying by a swooping Falcon.

The others continued on their way in a hurry. Once inside, they faced further resistance. Bucky and Steve ran for cover in one direction while Natasha, Wanda and Clint ran in the other. T'Challa ran straight through the centre, confident his armour would deflect their bullets. He charged at the small contingent of men and women, beginning to disarm them and giving Steve, Bucky and Clint the opportunity to fire their own weapons at them.

Steve and Bucky charged forward as Sam swooped overhead, also firing into the small group. It took more than a few bullets to take down these soldiers, it seemed. Bucky ducked below a swinging arm of one of the soldiers, using his weapon to block a following jab and then used the butt of his weapon to render his attacker unconscious.

Scott popped up beside him, blocking another soldier that tried to charge from Bucky's unguarded side. He managed to flip him onto his back and dropped a knee across his head, knocking him out. "Thanks," Bucky murmured, continuing to run ahead.

"No problem, piece of cake," Scott replied, before he was tackled by a female soldier who launched herself from the stair case above them. Bucky grabbed her from him with his titanium arm quickly, but she thrashed and kicked out at him, connecting with his ribs and causing him to drop her. She turned to punch him only to be thrown across the room as Captain America's shield collided with her side.

"Thanks," Bucky said in unison with Scott as Steve caught his shield again.

"Don't mention it," he replied, walking past them to look up into the higher levels of the building. "Sam?"

"I'll check it out." He flew up and looked around, but returned soon after. "There's no one up there."

Steve furrowed his brow in concern, as Bucky looked from Steve to T'Challa.

"A facility such as this, producing items that could be used as weaponry would perhaps think it more appropriate to have their labs below ground level," T'Challa reasoned, looking around.

Bucky looked too, spotting a fire exit and running to reef open the door. He found a set of stairs leading down. "This way!"

oOOo

They faced heavy resistance from Crossbones' men, but there was no sign of Vielka, yet. According to Bucky, Crossbones was using Vielka as a personal bodyguard, so she wouldn't be drifting far from him.

When they finally reached the lowest level, Bucky, Steve, Sam, and Natasha were running low on ammo. They stacked up on the door, Scott shrinking and disappearing under the door. "Holy shit..."

"Scott? What is it?" Steve demanded. The door was opened from the other side and Scott stood there, before motioning behind him. They carefully filed in, before they all stood staring at what they were faced with.

Inside the 'lab' was machinery that seemed to be working on a very large suit of armour. It vaguely appeared to be a much larger version of what Crossbones was wearing on their first encounter.

"I reckon this might be a case for false advertising, guys," Scott said. Their eyes scanned the room for any sign of Crossbones or Vielka.

"There," Bucky murmured, motioning towards a gangway over on the furthest wall of the lab, she was standing next to Crossbones, who was talking to the Viscount with Red close by. Steve noted that Crossbones seemed annoyed at the Viscount, by the way he was talking and gesturing.

Within seconds of finally spotting her, they were fired upon as a small group of soldiers spotted them.

They split up, trying to find cover or return fire. Bucky didn't hesitate to try and make his way to Vielka.

"Bucky! Wait!" Steve shouted, noticing his friend charge through the heavy fire. He turned to try and offer him covering fire, but he was soon out of ammo. He threw his shield at a soldier who tried to attack him from the side, catching it again, before running after Bucky.

Bucky was fighting his way towards Vielka, and Steve could see he wasn't going to let anything get in his way. T'Challa was also trying to reach her, or at least he was trying to support Bucky, as he managed to get ahead of the Winter Soldier, before tackling one of Crossbones' men before he could fire upon Bucky.

Steve realised he wouldn't be able to stop Bucky, and looked ahead to see Crossbones starting to look for a way out, as Sam soared through the air, opening fire upon him, Red and the Viscount. Several soldiers moved into protect him, while Vielka's eyes hadn't moved from Bucky.

Steve threw his shield again, stopping two more in their tracks, Bucky hurdling them easily, before skidding to a halt and looking up to the gangway where Vielka stood.

"Corporal! Deal with him!" Crossbones shouted as Red and two others began to try and usher him away to safety. "Destroy him!"

"We mustn't let him get away!" T'Challa implored as he fended off two more soldiers.

"But what about Vielka?" Wanda asked, using her powers to collect parts of machinery and fling them at anyone who tried to get too close to her.

"I'll get Vielka. You guys stop him." Bucky looked to Steve as he slid to a stop beside him. Steve eyed Vielka, who was slowly drawing her swords, before he glanced at Bucky.

He wasn't going to give her up, no matter what he said, Steve could see that now. "Take care."

"You too."

Steve sped after T'Challa and Natasha, who were already in pursuit of Crossbones and Red. Sam, Clint and Wanda close behind him.

oOOo

"You sure you don't want some help," Scott asked, making Bucky jump slightly when he realised Antman was on his shoulder.

"You think you could?" Bucky scoffed, turning his eyes back to Vielka.

Scott was quiet for a moment, before he jumped from Bucky's shoulder and landed on the ground full sized. "Probably not." With that he took off after the others.

Bucky watched as Vielka tilted her head slightly, it was like a cat analysing its prey before it attacked. "Vielka, you know this is not what you want!" he shouted.

She didn't answer him, but jumped from the gangway to the ground, landing in a crouch, her swords held out to her sides as she stared at him again. The same lifeless, golden-brown eyes bore into him as they had at their last encounter.

Bucky remembered what T'Challa had said to him before they had left the facility.

"I see you have developed a bond of some kind, it is far stronger than the bond she and I share. It is on a different level. You must use this, if we are correct, it will be enough to trigger her resolution to fight off the programming controlling her."

He stared at her now, as she stood straight, her eyes focused on one thing. Following her orders. Destroying him. She began striding towards him, spinning her swords like deadly fan that craved for blood.

He ran to meet her attack, and they clashed with a resounding clang as her swords met his titanium arm. She tried to kick out at him but he was prepared for her fighting style now, dodging her powerful leg. She withdrew her swords, before looking to slash them across his right side, he ducked and weaved, blocking with his left arm when he could.

He fended off her attacks, looking for an opportunity to try and pin her, but she was giving none.

"Vielka, you don't have to do this," he said through gritted teeth, as he caught one of her swords in his titanium hand. She tried to slash across him with her other sword but he quickly brought her own sword down to block it, spinning her around and wrapping his arms around her tightly, the hydraulics of his titanium arm working in overdrive to hold her. "You're the same woman who didn't want to kill a bear, Vielka, a bear who wanted to kill you!"

She strained against his arms, before dropping all her weight suddenly. He wasn't prepared for it and she used his imbalance to tip him over her. He loosened his grip slightly as he prepared for impact and she used this to her advantage, elbowing him roughly and slipping out of his grip as he hit the floor, rolling to the side and landing on her feet.

She tried to bring her sword down as she spun around but he was quick to bring his arm up to block it. She tried to bring her other sword across his chest but he struck out at her with a well placed boot.

It connected with her chest and flung her backwards, causing her to slide across the ground. He felt sick the instant he connected with her, but to his astonishment she easily landed on her feet, skidding backwards with the momentum.

She lifted her head to stare at Bucky, who was beginning to breathe heavily, his ribs ached and he racked his brain trying to think of how he could appeal to her conscience.

"Vielka," he said as she ran at him again and he prepared to fight back. "Do you remember what you said to me in the forest when I threatened you?" He ducked her sword again, blocking her second sword before trying to knock the first from her hand, unsuccessfully. "You asked me if the regret would be worth it?" She brought her first sword back down and struck at his leg, slicing across his thigh.

He felt the pain but was quick to take hold of one of her swords with his titanium hand and used his strength to throw her onto the ground roughly. He leapt backwards to avoid another slash of her sword but pain shot through his wounded leg and it buckled.

She flipped to her feet, turning to face him again, head tilting to the side as she analysed his position.

"The regret, it wouldn't have been worth it, and you would feel the same, you know you would," he said, getting back to his feet, feeling the sting from his thigh.

She narrowed her eyes at him, and for a split second he thought he may have gotten through to her, but she charged at him once more with her swords twirling in her hands.

He did his best to block and dodge her attacks, but he was tiring and hindered by his leg injury, her swords catching him on his chest, arm and legs. She hit him with a well aimed kick and he was sent back flying, crashing into a bench before falling to the ground.

He struggled back onto his knees, looking up to see Vielka walking towards him, her lifeless eyes not moving from her target. It was hard looking into her usually sparkling, golden brown eyes, so dulled.

"Vielka," he said, standing again. No matter how many times she hit him, he didn't want to hurt her anymore. Just knowing she was probably hurting on the inside, the real her, was more than enough pain for her. "You need to fight, you beat the program once before, you can do it again."

She tried to bring her sword down on him again, but he caught it in his titanium hand once more, but didn't counter. He buckled under her strength, falling to one knee.

"I'm not going to let you do something you'll regret, Vielka. Just fight it." He looked up into her emotionless face, her eyes boring into his own but there was no sign of life there.

She spun her second sword, ready to drive it through him, and as she moved to thrust it forward he automatically reached out and caught it with his other hand.

He felt agonising pain through his hand, and he could feel the warmth of his own blood as it started to flow freely from his hand, but he maintained his grip on her blade.

"I'm not going to let you hurt yourself anymore, Vielka," Bucky said through gritted teeth, staring straight back into those lifeless eyes.

She pushed with more force, trying to out-strengthen him, but he used all the strength he had left to hold her at bay, although he knew if she didn't stop soon, his strength would start to fail him as he lost more blood.

He shook his head, not taking his eyes from hers. "Don't do this to yourself, Vielka. I won't let you," he murmured, grimacing slightly as the sword slipped slightly through his bloody hand, slicing deeper. "You mean too much, to too many people. You mean too much to me."

He said it out loud before it had even fully comprehended the words in his head. It had rolled off his tongue too easily, surely it was the heat of the moment?

He had no time to contemplate what he had said, as he saw her eye twitch slightly. She then withdrew the sword he held in his right hand, causing him more severe pain as it sliced further as it withdrew. She used it to slash up his torso lightly. He fell backwards, releasing her other sword from his titanium hand.

She stood staring at him again as he clutched at his now bleeding hand but got back onto his knee, trying to stand again. He looked back at her, wondering if the twitch he saw was just his imagination. "Vielka?"

She raised one of her swords in front of her, lowering her head slightly and he prepared himself for her next attack, struggling to his feet, although his right hand was now nearly useless and his torso burned from the long gash she left on him.

She took a step forward, but there was something not quite right about it, it seemed forced to Bucky, not fluid and quick as she had been.

Suddenly, she threw her sword at him, but he quickly brought up his titanium arm and deflected it, causing it to fall to the ground with a clatter. He looked back at her, mildly confused, as he knew that would not be an effective technique and he was sure she would have known that too.

What he was met with stunned him. Vielka was standing there, her other sword still in her hand, but her face was contorting, she appeared to be tormented, her eyes twitching and narrowing. They no longer stared lifelessly at him. He could see light starting to try and make their way back into her golden-brown eyes.

He stood slowly, taking a step towards her. "Vielka?"

She took a step back, but it seemed like she was fighting her own body. Her jaw clenched and she raised her remaining sword, pointing it towards him, but it was shaky at best.

Then she spoke. "Bucky..." He gaped at her for a moment, stunned to hear her voice again. "I'm sorry."

He furrowed his brow in concern, before watching in dismay as she brought her sword up, dropped her head forward and sliced her sword across the back of her neck.

"Vielka, no!" he shouted trying to move towards her, but his injured leg gave way again.

She threw her sword to the side, before reaching back with both hands and grabbing at the back of her neck, as if she was trying to rip something out. "I won't do this anymore!" she screamed, as she ripped something from her neck.

Bucky struggled back to his feet, now pushing through the pain and running to try and stop her. He reached her as she collapsed, catching her in his arms. "Vielka!?" He could feel her blood flowing from the back of her neck, placing his titanium hand over her wound in an effort to try and stop the bleeding.

Her eyes looked blank for a moment before she peered up at him, her breathing ragged and quick, licking her lips and lifting one of her hands. He looked from her face to her hand, and saw she held in her hand some kind of metallic device. It was covered in her blood and the lights were flicking on and off, before they eventually stopped.

He took it from her, looking at it with narrowed eyes, before looking back down at Vielka.

"I'm sorry... Bucky... for giving you...a hard time."

"Don't worry about that," he murmured, trying to check the back of her neck, but her hair was sticking to the blood that flowed freely. "I've got to get you out of here."

She reached out and grabbed at his right hand, causing him to wince slightly. "Thank you."

He pressed his lips together, stopping the urge to say too much while she was in such a state. "You would have done the same for me, Vielka." She tried to smile, but it quickly turned into a grimace. He noticed she was starting to fade into unconsciousness. "Hey, stay with me. We've got to get you to the jet." She tried to keep her eyes open but she struggled.

Bucky cursed under his breath, lifting her into his arms, beginning to move carefully back the way they had entered. "If anyone can hear me right now," he murmured through gritted teeth as he fought his own pain. "I've got her, but we need to get her medical care ASAP."

"We're on our way back, we lost Crossbones," Steve's voice responded. "But we managed to get the Viscount, he's in a bad way too."

Bucky clenched his jaw. How he would have liked to have had a moment with that bastard, just a minute would have been enough.


NNNGGHHHHH

I can't even...

xo

Krayzee