It didn't take a lot of time for Barnes to leave the area he had been at, he looked at the two teenagers, sitting close to each other and looking deep in thought, but eventually decided to join Steve and Sam on the opposite side of the floor.
Ava and Nine knew that they both had the biggest chance in helping behind the scenes without getting caught, the thing now was making sure the other pieces moved the way they wanted.
" What are we doing now? " Asked Marina, walking towards them.
" You are waiting for our specific instructions and going back to where Natasha and Stark are. " She answered.
" You know, I want to help too. " Said Marina.
" You are not in our level. " Said Ava. " We can take whatever comes, you can't. "
" I'm not weak. I can take it. " She said.
" No, you can't. We're stronger, faster and more experienced. " Said Nine. " You're staying on the safest side of this, so not to jeopardize the results. "
" I have the same right as you do to see this through. " She said, showing annoyance with a hint of anger. " If not more! "
" More? " Asked Nine.
" Yeah! I'm not an Omega. I do have feelings. I have the ability to care! " She snapped, talking louder. " You two are just empty inside. Can you honestly tell me that you feel anything about the fact that that man is, for all intents and purposes, our father? If you believed it would be 'beneficial' you would kill him on the spot! "
" Hey! " They heard Steve's voice, the man getting closer, two more sets of steps along with his. " That's enough Marina. "
" No need to interrupt her Steve. " Said Ava, she and Nine standing from the box and moving to the side. Forming a corner of the triangle the people in the room now made. Marina and the three adults forming the remaining two. " She is right. We were designed to not have feelings. "
" And that uncontrolled outburst that she just showed is one of the many reasons she has to obey the orders given to her. " Said Nine, turning to the girl. " You'll just compromise whatever field assignment you have. "
" And don't pretend that you wouldn't kill him if necessary. " Said Ava.
" I would at least feel something about it. " Retorted Marina.
" Marina, we're too smart to fall for this pathetic attempt of manipulation. " Said Ava, the younger girl seemed to lose her angry edge on her body language at that, as if she was really pretending.
" If you're done with that, we have more important things to think about. " Said Nine, following Ava as she walked to the other end of the abandoned factory, to where there used to be a small amount of offices. He just stopped to grab his shirt, jacket and vest on top of the box.
" That was uncalled-for Marina. " Said Steve, seeing the two teenagers leaving.
" I had to try. They would have done the same. " She said, shrugging. " So, what are you going to do now? "
" Why? " Asked Sam, suspicious.
" Just asking. " She said, sitting on the box, avoiding the small area filled with smeared blood.
" No, you're not. " Said Sam.
She just smiled, looking very innocent.
" Stop manipulating us. " Said Steve with a raised eyebrow, but no real bite on his words.
" Am I? " She asked with a smirk, and Steve couldn't help but to think that it looked a lot like Bucky's. He could see the man in question shifting next to him.
" I'm going to see what Ava and Nine are up to. " Said Steve, going the way they went, Sam followed him, leaving Bucky alone with the girl.
Ava entered a dusty office, no furniture left inside it. She walked to the wall opposite of the door and sat on the floor, Nine doing the same as he put on his vest again.
" What do you got already? " Asked Nine, sitting next to her.
" The high points? We'll do whatever it takes to get Barnes away from the authorities. And Marina leaves here and tells the UN where this place is, she gets herself in the government good graces by giving an accurate Intel. We and the others would already be out of here and of danger. " She said. " We just have to make sure to destroy our traces and our DNA. We help with the Winter Soldiers. Steve, Wilson and Barnes will not allow them to be awoken and won't be focusing in anything else until they are no longer a threat. "
" I know that we can escape capture. " He said. " But you don't have to. I can do this alone. "
" Right. " She said smirking. " But this way, I wouldn't have fun, would I? And how would I show you that I better than you in everything? "
He laughed, she leaning against him and using his shoulder as a pillow, pressing the uninjured side of her head.
He placed his arm around her shoulders and they stayed quiet, just thinking about their plan.
After a moment, they could hear very soft steps approaching. Steve appearing on the doorway.
" Uhn. Are you okay? " He asked, looking unsure as if he should stay or go.
" We are fine Steve. " She said, neither teenager moving. " What are you and Sam planning? "
" Calling some people to help us. We need to stop that man from reaching the other Winter Soldiers. " As both teenagers had predicted he would do.
" You do know that you won't be able to convince anyone of this story. " Said Ava.
Nine felt the phone vibrating on his pants, taking it out and reading the text he received, Ava reading it too.
" Stark got 36 hours from the Secretary of State to find you and bring you back. " He said. " Natasha asked for T'Challa's help. Stark apparently is going to New York to ask some new player for help. "
" New player? " Asked Steve.
" Young. " Said Nine. " Enhanced. "
" Ask for what Stark has on him. " Said Ava. " If he's unknown, he'll probably be used as a surprise, try to get Steve unprepared. "
" I know that you two want to help. And I appreciate all the Intel you can get. But I really think you should stay away from this. " Said Steve, walking in the room and standing in front of them. " Specially because you're hurt. These guys are no joke. "
" Neither are we. " Said Ava, sitting up straight. " They have no value to us unhurt, so we have no reason to hold back, like we did with Barnes. "
Steve sighed.
" You two are very stubborn for people who said they needed orders. "
" How about you let us in what you're planning? " She asked. " We can help you instead of being in your way. "
Bucky stood very awkwardly, the girl starring at him like she was studying him.
" So... " He said. " You're my daughter. "
" Yes, you are my male donor. " She said. " As for ' father ', I'm still getting learning about the concept. It seems to be more of an emotional bond than a genetic one. "
" You didn't know what a father is? " He asked.
" We learn the meaning. " She said. " After all, fathers appear in books. And family is one of the easiest ways to manipulate someone. But there's a difference in knowing something in theory and trying to experience it. "
" Right. " He said, silence falling again.
" You're different from the file. " She said.
" Am I? " He asked.
" We studied you to help with the objective- " She said, moving to sit Indian style.
" Objective? " He interrupted.
" We are made to be better versions of our donors. Specially the Gammas. " She continued. " That's why we read EVERYTHING there is to know. That Hydra had, of course. "
He shifted in place.
" And...? " He asked awkward.
" You seemed more impressing. " She said. " No offense, but now, you look like a pathetic broken shell of a man. "
He didn't know how to answer to that, mostly because she didn't really seem to want to offend him. She was being honest. Like she seemed to be when she told the other two that they were emotionless.
" Well, I'm having a bad day. " He said. " Normally I'm just pathetic. " He said with a small awkward smile.
She smiled a little, he had no idea if she was laughing at him, with him or of something else entirely.
Steve watched the two teenagers on the floor, as they exchanged information. And they said they had no emotions. They leaned on each other, relaxing in each other's presence like they did with no one else. They could feel, of that he was sure, even if the two weren't sure themselves.
They probably never learned to deal with emotions, probably didn't understand what they were feeling. He almost smiled at how so typical teenager it all sounded. And their insistence in finding a way to guarantee the other kids safety, it made him happy to see them finally allowing themselves to care for others. It was a good first step into making them see themselves as people.
" You guys should take a rest. " He said. " You'll heal even faster if you're rested. "
" You can rest, we sill have a few things to discuss. " Said Ava. " I have planning to do. "
" I'll go see what Marina is doing. " Said Nine, standing up from the floor and leaving the room.
Steve walked over to the wall that Ava was leaning against, sitting by her side.
" Are you okay? " He asked, looking at the stitches on her head, and like she said, the improvement was clear on the healing.
" I'm fine Steve. " She said.
" You know, I'm sure Marina didn't mean that. " He said. " You know that, right? "
She looked at him with an amused expression.
" I know that she was manipulating us. " She said. " She only did it by using facts. "
" That's not true. " He said.
" We were created to have diminished capability to have feelings. " She said. " Our DNA was engineered that way. We were raised to enhance that characteristic. Those are all facts. "
" Doesn't mean it worked. " He said, with an affectionate smile.
She didn't say anything to that, just looked back forward. He smiled at her ' not denial '.
" Is a good thing you're doing for the other kids from the base. " He said. " Even if it puts you and Nine on the line. "
" It is a... new move. " She said.
" I's a selfless act. " He said. " Staying by Nine's side, making sure the kids are safe from any future repercussions. You're not doing this to gain something. Or because you were ordered to. You're doing this for them. "
" And? " She asked with a raised eyebrow.
" I'm proud of you. " He said, leaning in and kissing the top of her head, then giving her a side hug. " Even if I don't want you doing it. "
Bucky and Marina were talking about the things she liked. Mostly spying and fighting techniques, though he could get that she liked more ordinary things too.
He was listening a lot more than talking. And he could feel that despite claiming to be talking about things she liked, the girl wasn't giving anything important.
After a while, Nine, or James Barnes Junior as Steve had registered him as, walked in. He had to admit, despite the incredible resemblance, he didn't look like a Junior.
The teenage boy silently walked over to Bucky's line of sight, right in front of him, about 40 feet away. His stance and walk showed no signs that the injuries bothered the boy. Bucky remembered his moves, from while he was fighting his way out, he was an excellent fighter.
" So, you and Ava decided what it's going to happen? " Asked Marina, still sitting on the box.
" Yes. " Said Nine. " We'll pass them to you and you will tell the others, make sure they all know how to play it. "
" Yes, sir. " She said sardonically. " When am I leaving? "
" You have a little while. " He answered, despite talking to her, his eyes never left Bucky, analyzing him. " You can finish the fascinating story of how you watch movies. "
" You're jealous because you don't don't enjoy anything. " Said Marina, teasing him.
" That is not true. " He said. " I enjoy training very much. "
" Outside of training. " Said Marina.
The boy seemed to think about it.
" Astronomy. " He finally said.
" I didn't know that. " She said.
" You sleep early. " He explained.
Bucky was silent, observing the conversation. Their voices were casual, no warmth in it. He wondered if that was normal or just because they were talking in front of him.
" So, Bucky. " Said Marina, getting back to him. " How was it? Living on the 21 century without Hydra on your head? "
" Uhn. " He said, awkward. " Strange. " Even more awkward with the cold calculating eyes staring at him from across the room. " Having no mission. "
" We can relate to that. " She said. " Nine and Ava probably more. But I felt like the world had turned upside down when the Avengers took down the Maternity and there was no training anymore. No drills. No more targets to kill. "
Bucky took a long look at her, then him. They were a lot like himself. Too much for his liking.
" It's different for him. " Said Nine. " He wasn't designed to be the Winter Soldier. "
" True, he was normal before. " Said Marina.
" And you weren't. " Said Bucky.
" No. " Said Marina. " From the moment the strands of DNA were manipulated and the breeder inseminated. "
" So you don't really have to worry about saying the wrong thing and upsetting us. " Said Nine. " We don't really take things personally. "
" Good. " He said lowly.
" Indeed it is. " Said Marina. The smirk indicating that she had heard it. He looked at Nine, he would bet he had heard it too, though his face showed nothing.
He was not embarrassed to admit to himself that he was not looking forward to what Nine had to say to him, not if the looks he was getting were anything to go by.