A/N: Welcome back, Earthlings! I have a superduper long chapter for you today. Even though I split this chapter up from thirty-seven, it still remains massive. Oops! Oh well, for those of you who enjoy long chapters, you're going to enjoy this.
Please, don't forget to leave me a review at the end and let me know what you think.
I apologize for any and all errors, and without any further ado, on with the show!
Chapter Thirty-Eight: Betting On the Last Dime
The next day and a half passed in a flash. Tony made sure to have all preparations completed by noon. Barnes was scheduled to have the first skeletal prototype mounted at 2 o'clock. The genius wanted to give him ample time to heal. The soldier's healing rate had nearly tripled from what it was when Tony rescued him from the Raft. Constant good nutrition and exercise did wonders for him. After he made that first breakthrough and decided for himself to help, he had begun eating more and even took up exercising in the gym and sparring with whoever was brave enough to take him. Tony would never get tired of watching Natasha fold Barnes into one of those unique pretzels Tony himself has had the pleasure of experiencing. Our genius absolutely delighted in it.
Back to the point, Tony did not have to wait long after such a serious and complicated operation to go ahead and fuck with the newly installed bone anchors and mount a prototype. Indeed, the worst of the healing was mostly completed by this point as evidence of how much whining the soldier managed yesterday. It was still two hours yet till 2 o'clock, so Tony decided to go ahead and work on deciphering Calamity's data load.
"Yep, still a complicated, impossible mess." He sighed.
After several weeks of getting nowhere, Tony had nearly broken down on numerous occasions and used Steve's stupid method of asking for Calamity to come talk to him directly. But he decided that if he ever saw a glimpse of her face he'd send his entire arsenal after her, knowing it wouldn't do a damn thing.
Tony did not know how long he was staring blankly at the screen of code when Barnes came up behind him and whistled.
"That is a beautiful mess." He commented dryly on the code displayed.
"You have no idea." He replied bitterly. "What you're seeing now is only approximately one one-millionth of it."
"Ouch."
"Yeah…" He exhaled. "Is it two already?"
"Almost, I may be a bit eager today." Barnes replied.
"Well, I'm ready regardless. Go sit at your usual spot and we'll get you started."
"Yes, sir!" Barnes saluted, making Tony pinch his face in annoyance.
Just before the soldier turned to leave he flicked a small bolt at Tony and hit him square in the forehead.
"Dammit!" Tony belted out and rubbed his forehead.
"Thirty-one!" Barnes called out as he sat down in his exam station.
"Just you wait you little asshole! I'll get you back. I'm still winning at thirty-four!" Tony barked, kicking the bolt away as he made his way to the exam station.
Dumm-E followed close behind him holding onto a large stainless-steel case.
"Alright, unwrap those bandages and let's take a look." Tony instructed, taking the case from Dumm-E.
Barnes nodded mutely and began to gingerly remove the wrapping and gauze. Tony watched him appraisingly. His shoulder looked red and angry but only because, as Tony discovered upon closer inspection, it was mostly fresh scar tissue.
There were some concerns at first that with such advanced healing, the soldier's body would completely reject the foreign hardware altogether. Dr. Cho and Dr. Davidson kept a close eye on him and Tony admittedly had waited with baited breath the last few days, hoping the soldier's body did not, in fact, reject the titanium and carbon components. Dr. Cho had been developing some impressive technology that had helped profoundly. It was a way to merge organic matter with synthetic fibers to heal. It was invaluable technology that helped immeasurably.
Tony gently prodded the flesh next to the anchor wall and was entirely pleased to see a perfect merger even better than his own arc reactor socket wall. He had considered letting the Doc check out his socket wall, then thought better of it. He'll just design a technology similar to Dr. Cho's sometime later on, that is, if they all survive this.
"How does this feel?" Tony asked continuing his examination.
"Fine, still a little sore."
"How about deeper down? It looks like your flesh has taken well to the hardware but the bone may still try to reject it."
"Feels fine. Even better than the first one ever did." He stated with an air of derision.
"Okay." Tony replied reaching for a wand like device off the table. "Remember this scanner?" Tony held it up for Barnes to inspect.
"Yeah, I see you didn't shove it up your ass like I told you to." The soldier stated flatly.
"Stop being a baby. I need to see if your bones and the bone anchors are merging well. Your assessment of pain is highly unreliable."
"It tingles weird." Barnes whined in a growl.
"Not my fault you're sensitive enough to feel the pulsing electromagnetic waves." Tony responded ignoring Barnes's apprehension. "If you want we can stick you in the MRI tube instead." Tony suggested sinisterly.
"Just get it over with." Bucky commanded through clenched teeth.
"Oh? Is that an order, Sergeant? You should know I don't take orders well." Tony snarked as he activated the wand.
Barnes turned and gave Tony that bone chilling stare. Though the genius was still unnerved by that stare, it surprised Tony that he no longer felt the crippling fear he once did. How odd that he no longer felt Barnes was a threat to his life, not in the least. They really have come a long way.
Tony began to wave the wand around Barnes's shoulder, holding it at different angles to see the wider picture on the inside. All of the information was piecing itself together on a holo-screen.
Suddenly, Barnes emitted something of a yelping whine from deep in his throat that he unsuccessfully tried to cover up with a cough.
"What was that?" Tony asked, concerned that he was in pain.
The soldier cleared his throat. "Nothing, just a cough." He quickly answered dismissively.
Tony eyed him queerly, the soldier now holding the genius's full attention. He began moving the wand about again, this time watching Barnes closely. The soldier pressed his mouth together tightly and was staring at his right hand in utter determination.
Being in such close quarters with the man the last two weeks or so, Tony knew with certainty that Barnes was not in pain. He knew the soldiers tells when he was trying to suppress pain. No, this was something different. It was as if he was trying not to… Then it instantly dawned on Tony. His face slowly twisted into a smug feline like feral grin.
Sensing a shift in the air, Barnes hazard a quick glance at Tony. Big mistake. Tony delighted in the visible gulp the soldier made.
"It tickles you." Tony declared triumphantly as he waved the wand over Barnes's shoulder again and again eliciting an undignified squeal in response.
"Stop it!" Barnes wailed in an angry laugh.
"Tell me how many points I have now and I promise I'll stop." Tony demanded smugly.
"Fuck you!" Bucky cried trying to snatch the wand away from Tony.
"Tell me!" Tony demanded again, waving the wand over a sensitive spot by his shoulder blade, forcing the soldier to bark out a laugh as he lunged for the wand again.
Tony twirled a way and waved the wand over the soldiers unguarded ribs to see what would happen, Barnes yelped and tried to shield his ribs the best he could with one arm.
"Okay!" He shouted. "Thirty-five! You have thirty-five now." He said clutching his side.
"You're damn right I do." Tony smirked setting the wand back on the table.
"Oh my God, you two really are five years old." Nat said striding into the room with Barton and Wanda hot on her heels.
She appraised them exasperatedly, then sighed. She walked to the table and grabbed the scanner then pointed it to Tony.
"I'm keeping this." She stated with no room for argument.
"I can make more." Tony muttered.
"Not for this procedure." She answered. "I'm not going to let you two get distracted anymore." She said with conviction. "I don't care what you two do to each other any other time but during medical procedures you two are going to stay focused. One little mistake could be costly." She looked from one to the other as she thoroughly scolded them.
Barton and Wanda watched the scene play out very much entertained.
"Well, this is technically not a medical procedure-"
"I don't care! It's still delicate work that will affect James on a physical level if you mess up." Tony rolled his eyes and Bucky flinched at being referred to as James. "And subsequently," she continued unfazed. "Lead to major injury or even death to you if he unconsciously retaliates." She concluded.
"God, why do you have to be such a buzz kill, Nat." Tony drawled. "It'll be fine, nothing has happened yet."
"Not what I heard." Natasha ground out darkly.
Tony snapped his head up to Wanda. "You told!" He cried accusatory.
Wanda put her hands up defensively, shaking her head.
"Leave her alone, dumbass. It was probably Dr. Cho that told Natalia. She was the one that wanted you kicked out." Barnes interjected.
Tony sighed. "Yeah, probably."
"It was both doctors, just so you know." Barton piped up. "They both were regaling the tale of the immature children they had to babysit for six hours." Clint smirked.
"Shut up! Like you're any better, Barton!"
"Hey, at least I don't have an entire twenty channels on YouTube dedicated to my, oh so mature and sophisticated public appearances." Barton retorted.
"Really, twenty? I thought it would be more than that, at least fifty. But still, twenty channels all about me. People are just so fascinated with me." Tony smirked. "And besides, I know the Lego story."
Clint's eyes widened in panic, then narrowed.
"Who told you?" He whispered menacingly.
"I have my sources. Like I said, you're no better." Tony sniffed.
"Excuse me, but," Barnes cut in. "What is Lego?" He asked confused.
"Really?" Tony demanded incredulously. "You know what a fucking dildo is but you don't know what a Lego is?"
"Dumbass, they did have sex toys back in the good ole days. Probably been around a couple hundred years before that even." Barnes snapped.
"Actually, the oldest known dildo is a siltstone twenty-centimeter phallus from the upper Paleolithic period some 30,000 years ago." Jarvis interjected.
Everybody stiffened in slight embarrassment at Jarvis's sudden explanation. Wanda even went a little scarlet.
"Thank you, Jarvis." Bucky replied after a moment.
"Of course, Sir. And to answer your other question, Mr. Barnes, Lego is derived from the Danish phrase leg godt, which means 'play well.' Also, Lego is loosely interpreted as 'I assemble' in Latin. It is a clever play on words for the name of a toy manufacturing company, the Lego Group, that subsequently create small interlocking plastic bricks known the world over as Legos. The small interlocking plastic bricks are what Mr. Stark is referring." Jarvis explained displaying hollow images of the small interlocking bricks.
"Oh, cool." Barnes replied.
"They were mine and my brother's favorite toy as children." Wanda commented conversationally.
"I had the Death Star edition. Never finished it, though." Barton mentioned.
"I finished mine." Tony replied smugly.
"Okay, children, back on task." Natasha piped up coolly. "It's 2 o'clock. Let's continue with the procedure, please, before I smack each of you upside the head." She threatened with a sweet smile.
"Why are you even here?" Tony snipped at Nat.
"For moral support, and to make sure you two behave and not kill each other." She replied smoothly.
It always irritated Tony how she could be so cool, composed and elegant. He found it was hard to ruffle her feathers. Though he eternally wondered why on earth he always felt the need to try. He had a masochistic streak he guessed.
Tony fought the urge to either stick his tongue out at her or show her a rude gesture. Doing so would only prove her point.
He sighed then pointed at Barnes. "You, get back to your seat so we can get this over with."
Barnes saluted jerkily then twisted his hand around to flip Tony off before sitting back down. He smiled charmingly at Natasha then winked. Clint rolled his eyes, Wanda smirked and Nat… Blushed?
'Oh God, we're all going to die!' Tony thought with horror.
The sky is falling, hell froze over, pigs are flying and Nat's blushing.
"It really is the end of the world." Tony gulped and unlatched the steel case. He shook his head to purge his ominous thoughts then cleared his throat. "Okay." He began. The others pulled up stools and a workbench making themselves comfortable. "This is the first step, the preliminary skeletal design. Its primary purpose is to get a good look at how the bone anchors and cybernetics will hold up. Technically, it's fully functional and can work perfectly well for everyday use, but definitely won't hold up well during battle."
He held up the arm and indeed, it looked something like a metal human skeleton arm with copious wires, micro-hydraulics and what looks like an arc reactor core embedded within what would be the humerus bone.
"It will also show me how much range and mobility it has attached to your body. This way, we can plan around it to design the perfect outer armor for your desired use."
Barnes nodded in awe.
"Now, when I attach this to the bone anchor and cybernetics it's going to hurt like a mother fucker but only at first from the initial contact, after that you should be fine."
"Should be." Barton murmured sarcastically.
Tony turned and glared at him just as Natasha elbowed him in the ribs. Tony snorted derisively at Clint's exclamation of pain. He turned back to the soldier.
"We won't be able to use the painkiller for this. I don't want any interference to inhibit any of your neurological commands being sent to the neurotransmitters and through your body's natural nervous system. So, I'll put your music on." Tony decided dryly.
"Oh, don't be so sour about it. Not my fault you can't appreciate good music." Barnes drawled.
"At least your tastes are better than Steve's." Tony commented then flinched.
He'd done it again, mentioned Steve offhandedly without even really thinking about it, only to realize too late and have it all crashed back on him. He had been doing a good job, keeping himself busy enough not to think about him, then bam. It always finds a way to sneak up on him.
Barnes seemingly sensing Tony's thoughts piped up again. "I don't care what you think, Jazz is ageless, you gotta admit that." The soldier smirked.
"I will admit that to a degree. At least you took to Rock well. So, I forgive you."
"Whatever you say, dumbass. Jarvis, play my tunes." Barnes called up.
"Of course, Sir."
When 'One Last Breath' by Creed started, Tony breathed a sigh of relief. Barnes visibly relaxed then fully turned to the monitor to begin his mission to rifle through Tony's files anew.
Tony watched his activity warily, hoping he didn't decide to buy obscene things online with an audience present. The genius nearly died in horror a few days ago when Clint walked in while Barnes was in the middle of buying a hot pink leash and collar. It was not for dogs.
Tony relaxed a little seeing Barnes going through his recent files and not trapezing through Amazon.
"Okay," Tony started. "This is a two-step process. Step 1: Mount. Step 2: Latch."
"That's what she said." Clint muttered from his place on the workbench. Only after hearing the resounding slap against the back of Barton's head, courtesy of Natasha, did Tony continue.
"Anyway, when I mount the arm it will click into place but won't be connected. I'll let you get used to its weight before moving on to step two. You ready?"
Bucky nodded.
Tony grabbed the arm and inserted the primary neuro-clasp rod deep into the bone anchor, deftly locking it into place before anyone could blinked.
"How does your shoulder feel? This step will show us how well the bone anchor should hold up."
"So far so good. It feels right to have more weight there. I've felt so lopsided without it."
"Good, any new pain?" Barnes shook his head. "Okay, will wait a bit then move on to step two. That's the painful step where I reconnect your nerves and neuro-clasps to the arm."
Barnes nodded, still haphazardly rummaging through folders.
"So, that's it? Just slap it on and call it good?" Barton asked.
"Well, there was a bit more that went into it. But essentially, yes." Tony replied. "As much as I hate to admit it, Hydra did most of the hard work. I just took what they had and perfected it." Tony added egotistically.
"Way to be lazy, Stark." Barton muttered.
Natasha sighed, shaking her head.
Tony bristled. "Way to be efficient, you mean. I'll have you know I'm also working on how to save us all from Calamity or did you forget our imminent doom?"
"Meh." Barton shrugged dismissively, clearly intending to irritate Tony.
Natasha rolled her eyes and muttered, "Children."
"Calamity is the alien hell-bent on taking over the universe, right?" Bucky interceded suddenly.
Tony's epic retort for Barton died in his throat. "Yeah, you were briefed, weren't you?"
"Natalia told me the basics, Steve told me more when we were together." Barnes replied. "Like how you have only a 0.5% chance of figuring this code out." He said gesturing to the monitor.
Tony glanced over and saw that indeed Barnes was referring to Calamity's dense data load. Tony emitted a long-suffering groan and muttered an affirmation.
"To think it's digital complexity at its finest that which is the bane of Tony stark's existence." Natasha mused darkly.
Tony frowned at her. "Yay for irony." He replied sarcastically.
"Why 0.5%?" Barnes asked.
Barton snorted derisively. "Like she told us why." He said. "All she said was that Tony here has only 0.5% chance at figuring it out, assuming the right conditions are met."
"What conditions?"
"She didn't say, but I'm assuming it's because the code is so fucking massive and we don't have the right key to read it." Tony explained with disdain. "Jarvis, pause music." He commanded suddenly, stopping in the middle of 'Come Out and Play' by the Offspring.
"Look," the genius began gesturing out a command to his holo-ports. "Jarvis is the most complex piece of code on earth. Approximately 100 terabytes and growing." Tony explained to Bucky exactly what he explained to Pepper some time ago. "This is a visual manifestation of Jarvis's mind, essentially."
The display of Jarvis's mind looked like a glowing orb of circuits and neuro-pathways flitting about.
"Wow." Barnes murmured.
The others appeared just as awed.
"Now, this is Jarvis next to the data Calamity handed to me."
The entire room lit up as the holographic rendering of the data exploded into view. It twisted and curved into the gnarled visage of a vast ancient tree, energy branching out and connecting and colliding with others. It was magnificent. Jarvis was but a tiny little orb amongst the codes enormity.
"Jesus Christ, Tony! That's the data you have to figure out?!" Clint gasped out, shocked.
"It's beautiful." Wanda whispered.
"It's a nightmare." Tony snipped.
"You know, a part of me wondered if you were really doing all you could to solve the puzzle, Tony." Natasha commented with an air of guilt. "I know how intelligent and talented you are and I thought to myself, if Tony Stark is really truly working on it, it would have been done weeks ago." She looked up at him with sad knowing eyes. "And I know you've been so distracted lately because of…" She paused shaking her head. "I apologize for doubting you."
"I really don't know how to take that but I'm glad you initially had faith in me." Tony responded dryly.
"Forgive me. I underestimated the work Calamity left for you. I truly did not comprehend the level of enormity and complexity you were working with." She explained in contrition.
"If that," he pointed at the hologram. "Is all there was to it, I would have completed it weeks ago. If the encryption wasn't the most gnarly thing I've ever encountered, I would have completed it weeks ago." He shouted in frustration. "All of this," he gestured wide. "Is still an approximate rendering. Whatever is in that Crystal, is petabytes of data. As in several dozen, maybe even hundreds of petabytes." The genius stressed imploring, hoping everyone understood the magnitude of his near impossible task.
"No computer on earth has the capacity or power to process that much information in its entirety. Except maybe Jarvis. If those were my only obstacles then yes, I would be done by now. However, like Jarvis, whatever is on that Crystal is also an independent entity. I can't figure it all out without the key." Tony finished dismally through clenched teeth.
"I'm glad it's you and not me." Barton remarked dryly.
"Thanks Barton, you're a real pal." Tony derided.
"No problem." Clint winked.
Tony rolled his eyes and turned back to Barnes. The soldier was staring up at the hologram utterly transfixed, eyes open wide.
A little unnerved, Tony spoke to him. "Okay, if that answered your question, are you ready for step two?"
No response.
Tony blinked in surprise. "Hey!" The genius nudged him. "Earth to Sergeant Dick head! I said are you ready for step two!?" He bellowed.
Barnes turned his head slowly to meet Tony's poorly concealed worried gaze.
"It's Yggdrasil." He murmured.
"Come again?" Tony responded confused.
"The hologram is Yggdrasil." Barnes said stiffly, blinking as if coming out of the trance.
"Oh yeah, Thor said the same thing when I showed this to him." Tony said. "He was able to confirm that it was an accurate representation of Yggdrasil but could not ascertain much else, even after consulting the historians of Asgard." He shrugged tiredly. "I've personally explored as much as I could about the lore. I honestly have no idea how to fit anything I found into a working key for the data."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Clint interceded. He turned to Barnes. "How do you know the hologram is Yggdrasil?"
All eyes turned to Bucky.
Barnes sighed heavily, then began his explanation in a low gravelly voice. "Hydra was built on the bastardized ideals of ancient civilizations spanning from the Mediterranean to Iceland. That includes the Nordic lore derived from ancient Asgardian settlements, what we know as Norse mythology." He paused as he reached up and rubbed his left temple. "Johan Schmidt wanted to harness the power of the gods which led him to obsessively digging up everything he could about Yggdrasil and the whereabouts of the cube."
"Well, we all know where that led." Tony commented tersely.
Barnes nodded. "It's funny how close Hydra was to being right regarding everything they dug up about the Nordic lore." He mused. "Personally, I always thought they were all bat crap crazy, at least when I was free to think so for myself."
"They are bat crap crazy." Tony affirmed. "Doesn't mean they weren't onto something big and dangerous."
"True." Barnes agreed. The soldier methodically rubbed each temple again before running his hand through his hair. He let out a shuddering breath before continuing. "Did you try the hexilien format algorithm?" He inquired, gesturing to the code.
"The What?" Tony responded quickly, now paying close attention.
"The hexilien format algorithm. It's the program Hydra came up with studying the lore along with the cube and subsequently the universe around us. It's how they created the advanced weaponry that could not have feasibly existed during the war. It's how they were able to create the serum and my arm." He explained lowly.
Tony balked in indignation. How had he not known this information. His indignation soon morphed to bitter petulance. He was aware that his father, Howard Stark, had long suspected that Hydra had developed one such fabled algorithm, though he could never find it nor develop it himself.
"Do you know this algorithm?" He asked eagerly, hope blossoming in his chest.
In the corner of his eye he could see his team sit straighter in anticipation. Even if Barnes miraculously knew the algorithm, the program could mean nothing… or everything. Tony knew this likely would lead nowhere, but any little olive branch he'd happily snatch up. Their lives depended on it.
"I do." Barnes replied. "I paid attention when they experimented on me. In the beginning, I had hoped to learn everything I could, then escape and bring back the information to our allies. I never did get the escape part of the plan right." He joked humorlessly.
Bucky turned back to the computer where he was sifting through the files. He brought up a blank page and began to type with his right hand. Tony sidled up behind him and watched with intense interest. The others sprang from their seats and joined them.
"It's all based on unique reoccurring patterns they found by observing astronomy, the cube, and nature itself. The universe is comprised of these patterns that occur when certain elements interact with one another. They manifest in sequences like the helix formula, Fibonacci numbers, golden ratio, divine proportions, and fractals." He explained as he continued to type.
Tony's eyes widened as he watched with rapt abandon as the algorithm came together before his eyes. "I tried working with these systems before, but I never came close to anything like that." He admitted in a reverent whisper.
Tony felt chills run up and down his spine, his very blood felt tingly as if it were simultaneously on fire and frozen solid. His skin broke out in goosebumps and the hair on his arms and neck stood on end. After each sequence Barnes completed, a strange wave of energy pulsated through Tony's body.
'This is it!' He thought with excited trepidation.
After what felt like hours, though was probably only mere minutes, Barnes finished the last sequence of the algorithm. He sighed heavily and looked up at Tony. Tony, however, was studying the algorithm with frightening intensity.
"I see it!" He exclaimed suddenly. "I see what they were doing, I see what they were getting at. It's beautiful and God dammit, I hate them!"
"I know the feeling." The soldier muttered dryly. "I don't know how complete this is," he murmured remorsefully. "I memorized as much of it as I could, when I could." He lifted his hand away from screen. "It's the best I can do." He paused for a moment, looking over his work, and snorted in derision. "It's stupid that it took seventy years for me to get this to you." He mused regretfully.
"Ha! Guess the right conditions have finally been met, then." Tony mused absently, then froze.
That chill in his spine morphed into full on electricity. His lungs constricted and his heart beat wildly. He threw a hand over his erratically beating heart as Calamity's words echoed around in his mind again and again like a never-ending hurricane.
"…What I can tell you is that there is a 0.5% chance that you can stop me. Only if the right conditions are met."
"Only if the right conditions are met."
"Ha! Guess the right conditions have finally been met, then."
Tony bolted to his primary computer, took the code Barnes supplied and quickly gave it a few tweaks based on his own research over the last few months before plugging it into his command port for Jarvis to use.
"Come on, come on!" He urged in a whisper, watching as the progress bar loaded at an agonizing pace.
He did not even notice his team come up behind him, therefore, did not see the fingers crossed in hope and the hands clasped in prayer.
"Come on, come on!" He urged again, this time louder, almost screaming.
Tony and the others watched with bated breath as the progress bar crept along, seemingly filling at the smallest increments possible. It was utter torture. No one but Tony dared to speak a word in fear that doing so would somehow jinx them all. This was it. The moment of truth. Was the algorithm Bucky provided the key to Calamity's code?
Tony bit his lips as he suppressed a cry just as the progress bar completed and the screen turned dark. The entire room went dark.
Before anyone could shed their tension and ask what was going on, the screen flashed suddenly and information and alerts flew into view at an alarming rate. Tony watched as all of the random ones and zeros that had plagued him for so long started to coalesce and come together into recognizable patterns and sequences.
"This is it!" Tony wailed in relief. "It's rendering! This is it!" Hot tears sprang to his eyes and his team cheered and cried behind him.
He felt a strong grasp on his shoulder and turned to see Barnes smiling at him. "You did it." He commended.
"I couldn't have done it without you." Tony admitted.
In that moment Tony fully realized just how true that was. It had dawned on him the full extent of Calamity's planning. The hexilien algorithm was so top secret and secure that it was likely never written down and those who knew it have long since perished. The algorithm thus became lost to the throes of time. It was entirely possible that Barnes was the only person in the entire world who knew it. And Calamity planned it that way.
Tony's blood ran cold when he recalled the numerous times he had nearly killed the soldier. The genius had loathed, detested and hated him, wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. Would have been utterly glad to be the one to dispose of Hydra's lapdog. What were the odds that after everything, every single fucking thing, that he would befriend the soldier and earn his trust enough for Barnes to pass on information he thought had become completely irrelevant. Apparently, 0.5%.
It was truly outstanding.
It did not escape Tony's attention that if he had given into his hate, anger, pettiness and petulance, he would have failed. The exact same way he failed Steve. It was Calamity's intention to use Tony's anger and insecurities to drive Steve away so that she could be in the perfect position to claim him. It was also her intention to use his rage and hate to eliminate the one person in the world that could help Tony save them.
The one thing Tony could not figure out, was why. Why go through all this? Steve assumed that Calamity wanted them to succeed. Tony was not so sure. Calamity definitely had some ulterior motives going on, but for the life of him, the genius could not even begin to guess what those may be. There was an enormous part of him that really did not want to know.
"Jarvis, ETA on completed rendering?" Tony called out.
"Between three days and a week, Sir."
"Keep me posted." Tony commanded.
"Tony, is this really happening? Can this really be over soon?" Natasha asked, almost pleading.
"If this is really happening, then yes, I will be able to create a desynthasization device after I have the full completed code." He breathed. "I just might be able to save them." He smiled weakly.
He could not bring himself to say everyone, because everyone would not be saved. Each person who had fallen into the coma may be brought out of it with his invention. Everyone could be coming out of this alive, except… Steve.
Tony choked back the sob that tried to claw its way out of his chest. Not yet, he was not done yet. When everything was all said and done, he could break down then. But not now, not yet.
He ran his hands through his hair a few times trying to suppress his emotions.
He turned to his team and addressed them. "Well, I think it would be a good idea to let everybody know that we all have reason to hope now. It would definitely boost everybody's morale at this point." He said with a painful smile.
"I think me and Wanda can handle that." Barton said grabbing her hand and pulling her to the exit.
Wanda nodded in agreement and followed close behind him without resistance.
"I will stay, we still have a procedure to finish." She said nodding to Barnes.
The soldier stood there somewhat awkwardly, with the metal skeletal arm still hanging limply from his left shoulder. Tony turned to Barnes and took him in appraisingly.
"Now, that I can do." Tony motioned for Barnes to go sit back down in his spot.
The soldier complied without a word.
Before Tony could walk back to the exam station, Natasha pulled him into a tight hug.
"I love you." She whispered into his neck. She tightened her embrace around him as if the act could hold all the pieces of his broken heart together.
He sighed into her hair and brought his arms up around her body and hugged her back. "I love you too, Nat." He murmured faintly.
She pulled away slowly and looked up into his eyes. She gave him something of a wry sympathetic smile, letting him know she understood what he was feeling. She patted his cheek then bounded off after Barnes.
It was something Tony eternally appreciated about her. She never minced words or wasted her breath. She didn't tell him that everything was going to be okay, because she knew it wasn't going to be. When the threat of global extinction had passed, Tony was going to break. He knew it, and she knew it. There was no reason to beat around the bush about it.
Tony composed himself the best he could then returned to the exam station. When he arrived he found Natasha and Barnes murmuring softly to each other. They both looked at each other with such reverence. Tony sure as hell was not going to touch that one with a thirty-foot pole. Especially since he knew that Bruce and Nat was supposed to be something of a thing.
He shook his head. Again, not going anywhere near that mess.
"Okay, now are you ready for step two? Or do you have any other shocking revelations before we get started?" Tony asked with an incredulous shake of his head.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you know the worst of them at this point. Unless you want to know the graphic details of how I lost my virginity, then I'm good to go." Barnes replied slyly.
"No, no, we're good. As long as it's not something over the top shocking like it was with Steve or something… It wasn't Steve, right?" Was Tony's shocked and over exuberant, apprehensive response.
"Oh God no. Definitely not Steve. And just for the record, we never, ever had sex. We were never like that." Barnes chuckled.
"Okay, good, good." Tony sighed with relief. He knew something like that would be information overload if it were true.
"Now, Nat and I on the other hand…" He trailed off mischievously, his words full obvious suggestion. Nat smirked roguishly at Barnes's implication.
"No! Shut up, I don't want to hear it! I don't want to see it! I don't want to be a part of it! Just don't." Tony put his hands up in an attempt to block the insurgence of mental images. Where the hell was his thirty-foot pole when he needed it? He knew they had a special relationship in the past, way in the past. He really, really did not want to know if they had resumed that special relationship.
"No more revelations from you, ever! You got it?" Tony demanded pointedly.
"I don't know, if it earns me more points, I think I can dig some more up." He said tapping the side of his head.
"No. Now it's time to get back to work. Jarvis, resume music." Tony gestured for the soldier to turn in his seat.
"No fun." He sighed. "Okay, so step two is supposed to be the super painful latching part?"
"Yes, and I'm going to enjoy it immensely." Tony replied impishly.
Barnes flipped him off and Natasha shook her head and ran her hands over her eyes in exasperation.
"Okay, pay attention. In the future, you will be doing this yourself." Tony resumed, getting serious. "You see this mechanism here? When I pull this, it's going to flip over like a switch, and when that happens all of the neuro-clasps in the bone anchor here and the neuro-clasps in the arm here will connect and become latched. The arm will be completely locked into place." Tony paused to let the information sink in. "When that happens, your entire neurological network will be connected. Everything from the neuro-transmitter microchip I embedded in your spinal cord, to the neuro-clasps and neuro-receivers in the arm."
"Okay." The soldier responded. Natasha stood idly by, nothing betraying her thoughts or emotions as she watched on.
"What all that means is that it will be insanely painful. I'm not joking in the least. Are you ready?"
"Yes, just hurry up and get it over with." Bucky replied, taking a deep breath.
"Brace yourself, three, two, one-" Tony flipped the switch mechanism.
Even though the subsequent scream was entirely expected, it still turned Tony's stomach in ways he did not know it could turn. It was wretchedly awful. Natasha seemed to not be doing much better. Just as quickly as it had started, it had stopped. Like Tony said, the pain would occur instantaneously, but not remain.
Barnes was breathing hard and seemed to be in a daze. He blinked slowly up at Natasha who was holding him up by the shoulders.
"He was not kidding." He mused sluggishly, looking up at her.
"Well, give him a little credit, he is a genius." She replied with a smirk.
"Okay, how does it feel now?" Tony asked.
"At first, really fucking painful. But now it feels somehow hot and cold at the same time." He said regarding the arm with a thoughtful smile.
He lifted it jerkily and splayed the fingers on the left-hand. He began to open and close them, all of them at first, then one at a time. When he got the hang of it he obviously could not resist to twist the metal hand around and flip Tony off.
"Well, I see you've develop your dexterity at an alarmingly fast pace." Tony observed dryly.
"It feels good. You did a good job." Barnes commended.
Tony regarded him with awe. To be perfectly honest, Tony was not expecting a complement. "Thanks, I think." He smiled.
"Well, now that the procedure is over, I'm gonna let you two weirdos have your little moment." Natasha winked. "I'm going to go check and see how everybody's doing."
She squeezed Bucky's hands then leaned over and patted Tony on the cheek. She gave him another small meaningful smile before walking out of the room.
Tony stood there a bit lost, not quite sure what to do next. The code was rendering beautifully and Barnes had an arm, a prototype maybe but the first battle ready one will be completed in mere hours. After that, it was just a bit of tweaking and fine-tuning.
He felt trepidation gnaw at his psyche. Just on the edge of his consciousness were the things he desperately tried not to think about. His demons were clawing and scratching at their prison doors deep within his mind. Now that he had no major projects to consume his attention, they were ready to spring free.
He coughed and shook his head, willing them to remain bound, just for a little bit longer.
"So," He said suddenly, catching Barnes's attention.
The soldier was examining the arm, moving it this way and that, testing his mobility and dexterity before the genius spoke up.
"You will need to continue moving that arm. I want you to do as many everyday activities as possible with your left hand."
"You mean, like picking up a spatula, holding it tight and using it to flip over my breakfast?" Barnes asked with a rueful triumphant smirk.
"It was just an idea!" Tony snapped. "Let it go."
Barnes merely twisted the skeletal metal hand around and flip Tony off, his smug expression never leaving his face.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Tony cursed. The genius took a deep calculating breath in an attempt to alleviate his irritation, then continued on. "Don't be afraid to give it hell. It may not be good for an actual battle but it should hold up well in other rough conditions. I'll be monitoring its progress through the sensors I installed."
"I can spar with it?" The soldier inquired.
"Yes, please do. It's the perfect way to simulate exactly how you would react in battle. That way I can tweak and make adjustments to any flaws I overlooked to accommodate your fighting style. Also, don't sweat it if it breaks. I want to know its limitations." Tony explained.
"Yes, sir!" The soldier saluted left-handed with a smirk.
Tony could not contain his amusement at that one and grinned in return. It was the exact same thing he himself would have done.
Tony pulled up the work stool that had been pulled over from earlier, and had plopped down heavily on it. He noted with disdainful amusement that it was the very one he had welded back together after destroying it in a raging meltdown some weeks ago. He put his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands and let out a stuttering breath. Still not quite believing that the code was near completion and an end was in sight.
They sat quietly for a time, Tony with his head in his hands and Barnes practicing his dexterity, tapping each finger to his thumb in sequence.
"So, what's gonna happen after the data renders?" The soldier broke the silence suddenly. "You gonna make some sort of device that's gonna, what? Wake people up?"
"Essentially. Ironically, I had developed the technology to do it months ago before any of this even began. Bi-Neuraly Augmented Retro-Framing." Tony answered tiredly.
"BARF?" Barnes quirked an eyebrow, his lips curving, pausing his hand movements.
The genius moaned miserably, "Yeah, I got to work on that. With it combined with the rendered data I'll be able to lock on to Calamity's energy signature and negate its influence. I'll be able to see exactly what's going on in the victims' minds and eventually sever her connection to them and release them from their comas safely. If I tried to sever the connection without knowing what's going on inside their heads, I could feasibly cause needless trauma."
"Wait, wait, wait, hold on. You mean all that trouble with figuring out the data she gave you was just to get her energy signature?" Barnes asked incredulously.
Tony looked up at him and emitted a long-suffering sigh. "Yeeeeessss!" He grated out a frustrated groan. "All that for her energy signature."
"Jesus Christ, this chick is no joke, is she?"
"No, not in the least." Was Tony's forlorn reply.
They were quiet for several minutes more. The weight and significance of their plight weighing heavily on their minds.
"What are you going to do if you start releasing people and she tries to stop you?" He asked breaking the silence once more.
Tony gritted his teeth in frustration. His mind already was trying to descend into misery and Barnes's constant questions were very distracting and irksome. But, he bit back his scathing response and answered him anyway.
"The key is to wake everyone up simultaneously. After I gauge what's going on in their minds, I'll sync everybody together on a timer and release them all at once. And before you ask what would happen if she stops me or retaliates, the answer is: it doesn't fucking matter because we were all fucked from the start trying to fight against an alien that is basically a celestial God." The genius replied snappily.
Barnes was unfazed by Tony's attitude. "Way to be positive." The soldier muttered.
Tony threw him an icy glare in response.
"You know," Barnes began slowly and seriously, all teasing now absent from his gravelly voice. Tony eyed him warily, sensing the shift in his tone and demeanor. "I went to the infirmary this morning." He admitted lowly.
The genius swallowed thickly and nodded slowly in acknowledgment but said nothing.
"Last night's nightmare was…" He trailed off.
Tony attempted to give him a sympathetic understanding smile, but felt like it came out more like a grimace.
The soldier continued, "I was just so-" Barnes cut himself off again. "I just needed to see." He murmured finally, his voice just barely above a broken whisper.
Tony's chest constricted and he dropped his head in his hands again and tried to contain his dark emotions. He took several shuttering breath's, each more jagged than the last.
Barnes watched him pensively.
"You know, I don't envy the position you're in." He muttered lowly, his voice was thick with deep turbulent emotion.
Tony looked up at him slowly, his hands falling away from his face. "And what position would that be?" He bit bitterly.
"The position you're in now that you have all the tools to stop Calamity. I personally would rather go through all the hell that I've been through my entire life, than be where you are right now." Bucky replied remorsefully, his face scrunched up in misery.
Tony blanched and felt all of the hope and positivity that was generated from finally solving the code completely disintegrate into putrid ash. His hands clenched into fists over his knees and hot treacherous tears sprang to his eyes. The floodgates to his dark emotions sprang open wide.
This was the moment he was dreading most. All of the thoughts he was avoiding, all of the nightmares he had been having, all collated to this moment. Now that his biggest goal was out of the way there was nothing left to distract him from his disturbing truth. Tony was responsible for Steve's fate. Not just his terrible involvement in breaking the Captain's spirit enough for Calamity to claim him, but also the fact that the moment he frees everyone from their comas, Steve will belong to Calamity forever, eternally condemning him to a life of possible servitude or worse.
Bucky was right, Tony was stuck in an awful position. There was no other way around it. Steve was forever lost to them and it was all Tony's fault. It cut him and broke him in ways that he did not know a person could be broken. It killed him inside knowing the moment he saved everyone was the moment he pulled the trigger on Steve.
He clenched his hands over his arc reactor and began to sob wretchedly.
Why?! Why this way? Why was he the one who had to carry this burden on his shoulders? Why was he the one who had to endure this sacrifice? Was it punishment for the things that he did and said? How had it all come to this?!
After a moment, Tony felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. He looked up into Barnes's face that was still twisted in misery.
"You know, I loved him too, he was my best friend." He murmured, his throat tight with emotion.
Tears slid down the Soldiers cheeks and Tony knew in that moment that it wasn't his sacrifice alone to bear. Everyone who knew Steve would also be making this sacrifice and forced to live with the outcome.
"I don't think I can do it." Tony whispered.
"Steve already made that decision for you." Bucky sighed, wiping his own face free of the tears. "If it's any consolation, he'd be satisfied knowing it was you who pulled the trigger."
"That's the thing though, I wish he was the one pulling the trigger on me. I'm the one that deserves to die." Tony cried out in desolation. "I'm the one that deserves this punishment. Not Steve."
A fresh wave of tears rolled down Bucky's face and he blinked rapidly trying to clear his eyes of them but to no avail. "I feel the same." He choked down a sob.
The soldier clutched his own throat in an effort to calm his emotions. He reached out and grasped Tony's forearms in solidarity. Somehow the genius found a modicum of comfort in that.
Tony began to sob harder, his heart in such profound desolation and pain but also conviction, knowing he was definitely going to save his world from Calamity's clutches. Even if the price was too much to endure he would pay it regardless. When the time came he will leave this world knowing he did the right thing for the right reasons.
In the end, it is what it is and what should never be, will never be.
End Chapter 38
A/N: And another one bites the dust. Guess what everyone? Next chapter is all about Steve! Not only is it all about Steve, but were also going to have a significant amount of the long awaited Stony action! Finally! Be sure to tune in for next chapter.
Now, don't forget to leave me a review and let me know what you think. All questions, comments and theories welcome.