Warning: mentions of past trauma, torture, brainwashing, slight gore, and death.
Chapter 10
Steve is awoken the next morning by the sun's rays filtering in through the curtain free windows. He yawns and looks around the room, finding Sam asleep in the lounge chair with his hands pillowed underneath of his head. Steve smiles to himself at the fact that Sam stayed in the room with them, even though he could have easily gone to bed once Bucky was calmed down.
The Captain sits in silence for a bit before deciding to get ready for the day. He isn't the type of person to lay around and waste time in bed—that was always a Bucky thing. He moves to climb out of bed and pauses when he feels something heavy in his lap. Confused, he looks down and sees Bucky's head resting against his thigh, metal fingers gripping Steve's pants leg while Bucky's mouth is open and drooling on the fabric.
Steve grins widely and settles back down, fearing that if he moves too much he'll wake Bucky up. He starts stroking Bucky's hair as he did the previous night, grinning wider when Bucky unconsciously shifts closer to Steve and rubs his face against Steve's thigh as a cat would when it wants to be petted. Right as Steve is thinking about how he could sit like this all day and be content, his phone starts ringing downstairs, breaking the calm atmosphere of the early morning and jolting the two sleeping men awake.
Bucky is immediately on his feet with a knife in each hand and Steve doesn't want to know if he was keeping them on his person, considering the fact Bucky is only wearing one of Steve's long-sleeved muscle shirts and a pair of boxers. Sam jerks in his chair, asking sleepily if they're under attack before attempting to climb out of the chair only for him to slip and fall to the floor.
Steve slowly climbs to his feet and moves to stand in front of Bucky, whose eyes are darting around the room assessing for what startled him. He tries to place a comforting hand on Bucky's shoulder, but immediately backs off when Bucky fixes him with a glare and if looks could kill, Steve would be dead before he hit the ground.
"You're safe, Bucky," he says in a leveled tone, raising both hands in the air and taking a step backwards to give Bucky some air. "It's my phone ringing downstairs. I didn't realize it wasn't silenced before I came up here."
Bucky's eyes scan over Steve's face with uncertainty like he doesn't believe him and Steve mentally prepares himself in case he needs to subdue Bucky so Sam can get away safely.
"Your phone?" he questions after a moment of silence.
Steve nods. "Yeah," he says of the object that is still ringing downstairs. "It's just my phone."
Bucky purses his lips and returns the nod. He sets his weapons on the bed and slowly begins to relax his body.
Steve gives him a small smile before turning and leaving Bucky's room. He makes his way down the hall and into the kitchen, grabbing his phone off the dining room table and accepting the call.
"Hello?" he says into the receiver.
"Well, it took you long enough. I thought I was going to be sending mine and Sam's nonexistent kids off to college before you answered."
"Hey Natasha," he greets as a smile crawls onto his face.
"Hey," she says. "I'm sorry that I'm going to have to skip the pleasantries this time, but I was just altered to an "abandoned" location just outside of Boston by one of my contacts. They informed me that there's been some shady activity going on there and I thought it was worth a look."
"You think it's Hydra?"
"I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I wouldn't be surprised."
Steve nods his head even though she can't the motion. "Don't worry. I'll check it out and get back to you as soon as I can."
"Thank you, Cap," she says in a singsong tone.
"No problem. So, I guess I'll be seeing you soon then?"
"You will . . . eventually."
Steve snorts. "Goodbye Nat."
"Bye."
Steve hangs up the phone and turns to leave the kitchen, barely managing to hold back a surprised yelp at finding Sam and Bucky standing a few feet away. He was so enwrapped in his conversation that he didn't hear either one of them approaching. Okay, so he probably wouldn't have heard Bucky regardless, but Sam managing to sneak up on him is a different matter entirely.
Steve shakes his head and relays what Nat told him. Sam looks increasingly concerned the longer Steve keeps talking and he can't read the expression on Bucky's face or even begin to imagine what he could possibly be feeling at this moment.
"You guys don't have to come with me if you don't want to," Steve says, giving the pair the chance to opt out if they needed. Even though both of them are willingly hiding with him, he doesn't want to have to get them into any more trouble than he already has . . . but Sam and Bucky are both looking as if they want to slap him for even considering leaving the two of them behind.
"Well, that answers that," Steve says in acknowledgement of his friend's offended expressions. "Let's suit up."
They arrive at the Hydra safe house (or what they think is a Hydra safe house) a few hours after Natasha texted Steve the coordinates while they were all getting ready. Steve, Sam, and Bucky are currently sitting at the edge of the wooded tree line and obscured by the overgrown bushes as they look out at the building, which is located in the middle of a large and open grassy field.
"How should we do this?" Sam asks in a lowered tone after several minutes of silent observation.
Steve thinks for a moment before looking over at his friends. "Quietly—at least until we get inside. Does that sound good?"
"I'm down with that," Sam says while Bucky simply nods his confirmation of the plan.
The Captain turns back to the safe house and takes a breath before quickly moving from cover, running as fast as he can until he reaches the side of the building. He crouches down next to the window with Bucky on his left and Sam kneeling down next to Bucky. The group slowly makes their way around the side of the building, keeping low as low to the ground as possible until they arrive at the front door.
Steve kneels down next to the entrance while he friends do the same behind him . . . except less than thirty seconds later, Bucky slips in front of him and crouches in front of the door. They exchange a look—Steve's being on of confusion and Bucky's determination. He breaks eye contact and rises to his feet, kicking the door open and rushing into the building with Steve and Sam on scrambling at his heels.
Steve quickly scans the room once inside and gathers Intel on the one level building. There are at least a dozen scientists scattered around the room, surrounded by machinery and other forms of technology. He notices that in one corner there are two scientists blocking a metal chair with some sort of device hanging over it. Steve has no idea what that could possibly be but whatever it is, it doesn't look safe.
One of the male scientists by the chair starts shouting something in German, which causes the others to panic. Steve's German is rusty but he swears the man just said something along the lines of, "The asset is alive? How is this possible? He was supposed to die on the Helicarriers with the Captain! Quick! We have to prep and freeze him before the higher ups discover this complete and utter failure!"
Steve flinches at the words, his mouth curling downwards as he feels himself being consumed with rage. Before he can react, Bucky rushes past him and easily slashes the throat of the scientist closet to him. Steve watches Bucky fight in a trance, amazed at how he wields the knives in his hands as if they are extensions of his arms, similar to what he does with his shield and if he's being quite honest, Steve doesn't think he's ever seen anything more beautiful or terrifying.
As soon as the final body drops to the floor, Bucky lunges for the chair, physically ripping it to shreds with his metal arm while letting out inhumane gurgles and growls. Steve watches him heartbroken for a few moments before it final registers that this is most likely the exact type of equipment that was used to wipe his mind for the past seventy years (if Bucky's reaction is anything to go by).
Steve is completely horrified because to him it looks like a medieval torture device or something a tyrant would use to teach their "subjects" a lesson in obedience. He curls his left hand into a fist and grits his teeth to prevent himself from joining Bucky in tearing that machine apart. Hydra stole everything from Bucky—his memories, his free will, his identity. Steve doesn't think he's ever been this pissed at anyone in his entire life. Hydra will pay for what they've done. He won't stop until every single one of them—every single person who had a hand in ruining Bucky's life— is dead.
The sound of metal being ripped apart suddenly stops and silence fills the room for the first time since they've arrived. Steve opens his eyes (when did he close them?) and finds Bucky staring at the ruins of the chair, his face is blank but his eyes are brimming with satisfaction. Worried, Steve turns to Sam, who is looking at Bucky with a grim expression though his eyes are betraying shreds of fear at being reminded of the horrors Bucky is capable of.
Sam catches Steve's eye and switches his expression to one of urgency. "We need to get him out of here now," he mouths out. "I have no idea what else could happen the longer he remains in this building."
Steve nods his head in agreement, wanting nothing more than to get them out of here (both for Bucky's sake and incase reinforcements show up). He gulps nervously and takes a half step forward, making sure to stay within Bucky's line of sight.
"Buck?" he whispers cautiously.
That was the wrong thing to do for Bucky flinches with his entire body and flees the building, leaping out of the open window before Steve can even register the fact that he moved the first time.
"Bucky!" Steve screams, running back through the front door and circling the Hydra safe house, eyes scanning the grassy field in a panic. His finds his breath escaping him and his heart pounding harder when he realizes that Bucky is nowhere to be found.
A/N: I edited this like a million times before I was finally satisfied with this so I'm just going to post it now before I change my mind again. If there are any mistakes or inconsistencies I missed, I apologize. I hope you guys enjoyed :)