Natasha stood in front of one way glass, arms crossed, watching Sam. They had commandeered a section of the high security ward and detained the guards working directly for Windsor. Sam was in the process of interviewing all of them in the adjoining room. The room she was in was more of an observation room. It very much reminded her of interrogation suites. She looked over as Steve entered room. She could tell with one look at him that something was wrong. Brow furrowed, she turned to face him. "Problems"

Ignoring the question, Steve focused on Sam. "Any intel coming from the guards?"

"Not really. They were mainly just muscle. I doubt any of them knew what Windsor was up to." She kept her eyes on Steve. She could see the tenseness in his jaw.

"Stop staring at me."

Natasha smiled and took a step closer. "Then tell me what the problem is."

Steve turned to face her. "Did you know there were super soldiers that came after me?"

"The Winter Soldier program." Natasha frowned because she couldn't figure out where he was going with this.

"No. US origin. As far back as the 1950's...maybe even earlier." Steve studied Natasha's face. He could sometimes tell when she was lying, but not always. Right now, she looked like she honestly didn't know. "Bucky knew."

Natasha raised her chin to look at him. "Are you mad that there were more super soldiers or are you mad because he didn't tell you?" Natasha watched the emotions play out on Steve's face.

"Both."

Natasha smiled and turned to watch Sam. "Liar." She could tell she had his attention even though he had matched her stance and was watching Sam as well. "You like to think of Bucky as the same Bucky who was your friend all those years ago. He hasn't been that Bucky in a very long time. The programming is gone but the scars remain. Removing the programming didn't remove the memories. He saw and did things you will never know about...and that's not a bad thing." She crossed her arms and continued to watch Sam as Steve processed what she had said. "How many."

"Too many."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tony looked up as Bucky pushed the door open. "Oh good, you found my wayward chemist."

Peter frowned as he followed Bucky into the room. It looked like Windsor had been using it as some kind of lab. He had noticed on their way there it was near the room everyone had started calling the "creepy crypt" although he was pretty sure there wasn't anyone actually buried down there - at least that's what he hoped. "I didn't know you were looking for me." It wasn't entirely a lie but he had been avoiding his dad because he really didn't want to get lectured.

"We're trying to alter Windsor's chemical suppressant so we can use it on him. I'm running into a road block." Tony pulled up a molecular readout on a tablet and handed it to Peter. He glanced over at Bucky and nodded his thanks as Peter focused on the screen.

"I'm going to see if I can find Dr. Russell and ask her about her book. I'll see you later Peter." Bucky retreated before Peter could realize he had effectively been delivered to the person he was avoiding.

"This formula is using RNA to block a specific gene." Peter frowned and looked up at his dad. "Has Professor Xavier seen this?"

Tony crossed his arms and nodded. "He's on his way to see Windsor and see what he can pull anything more from his mind. He thinks that theoretically this may be the gene responsible for the mutations that create, for lack of a better word, superpowers." He reached over and tapped the face of the tablet, bringing up another screen. "That's what we've been able to pull from Windsor."

Peter enlarged a section of the screen. "Is Davis still here? He should look at this too." Part of Davis' proposed thesis for his master's degree was related to genetics. He pointed to a section of the genetic code displayed on the screen. "When Professor Xavier looked at my mutations, the file he gave us had a comparison between Terrigen affected genes, normal mutations, and external mutations. There's a difference between the three. The first two may stem from the same gene but external mutations are more systemic...they affect every part of the genetic code. Windsor's genetic mutations aren't naturally occurring nor were they caused by Terrigen. They were manipulated externally which means the chemical suppressant won't work on him."

Tony nodded. "Ok, now that you've caught up to me...any ideas what to do about it?"

Peter put the tablet on the table and leaned on the table. "Yes, but I'm not sure I want to open that door."

Tony sighed. "I was hoping you'd have a different solution."

"Anything we come up with to suppress Windsor could be used against me, Steve, Bucky...anyone who's genetic code has been manipulated on a system wide level." Peter looked up at his dad. As much as he loved being Spider-Man, there were times when the spider aspects of his life frustrated him. In those moments, his mind would roll around different ways in which he could go back to being just Peter. The idea would disappear quickly but of course he had come up with different options and he knew his dad probably had too. Once that genie came out of the bottle there was no putting it back and eventually it would be used against him.

Tony crossed his arms. "Ok, chemical suppressant is out. Let's come up with a way to keep him frozen without Bobby having to keep him iced."

Peter nodded and started cycling through different cryogenic options. "You know, I expected a lecture, not lab time with dad."

Tony smirked. "The two are not exclusive. I get why you went in, what I don't get is why you didn't tell me. You had a viable plan and we would have supported it."

Peter shrugged. "You were busy with all of the anti mutant stuff. We could handle it."

Tony dropped the tablet he had picked up onto the table. "Pete...when have I ever been too busy for you?" He knew the 'too busy' defense was a wall Peter was throwing up. He stared at the top of Peter's head until the kid raised his eyes to meet his. "You always default to relying on yourself. I guess I should just be happy that you brought the rest of your team with you, but Pete...it's a lesson you've got to learn...we are much better with the support of a team...an experienced team. It took me way to long to learn that lesson and there's a lot of heartache that could have been avoided if I had figured it out earlier."

Peter clinched his jaw. He didn't want to have the conversation nor did he want to fight. "So I'm assuming I'm somehow grounded?"

Tony's jaw clinched, unconsciously mimicking Peter's. He could tell his words were falling on deaf ears. After all this time he had yet to figure out how to get Peter to rely on others. He thought that maybe having his own team would drive him to it naturally but he was beginning to think it was having the opposite affect. "We'll talk about it later." He paused for a moment. "I'll call Fury about getting him put into cryo-stasis."

XXXXXXXXXX

Bucky found Dr. Russell in the doctor's lounge back in the low security ward. "You don't look any worse for wear."

Dr. Russell shrugged. "It's part of the curse...no scars."

Bucky shook his head. "There's always scars...you just can't always see them." He paused for a moment. "You mentioned a book earlier...what exactly are you looking for?"

Dr. Russell sighed, "I'm not even sure what it's called...I've just heard stories about a book that holds secrets to both causing and reversing what was done to me."

"So you weren't bitten by another werewolf?"

Dr. Russell chuckled. "I think that's vampires...but no." Pausing, she looked at the man in front of her. She had seen the news coverage of who he was and his subsequent pardon. While the rest of the Avengers had pretty much gotten a quick pass, he and the girl they claimed was responsible for what happened in Lagos had not. Their stories were eventually supplanted in the news cycles by the next big story but she imagined it had been enough to cause more than a few problems. No one saw a victim because the man in front of her didn't look at all like a victim. But, that's what he was and maybe that's why she felt she could trust him. "I was orphaned as a child and I was unfortunate to have been placed into an orphanage run by Windsor."

"Let me guess...State Home for Foundlings in Omaha?"

Dr. Russell nodded, surprised he knew the name. "It took me years to remember what had happened." She gave a half smile and added as almost an excuse. "He messes with your mind."

Bucky let out 'hmph'. "Mess with your mind...got it. How did he turn you into werewolf?"

Dr. Russell shrugged. "Genetic manipulation? Maybe? That's what he was doing there...experimenting on kids that showed signs of naturally occurring genetic mutations."

Bucky filed the information away. Scott hadn't admitted to anyone what memories Professor Xavier had been able to trigger, but hearing from someone who had been at the same orphanage helped confirm what they were all assuming. "Why do you think this book you're looking for will help you?"

"I remember him looking at a book. An old book. I've researched this affliction over the years. There are stories about a cure that's found in the same book as the instructions as to how to inflict the curse."

Bucky nodded and pulled the folder out from under his arm and opened it. Pulling out the handwritten notes, he handed them to her. "Any of this look familiar?"

Dr. Russell took the notes. Frowning, she skimmed the pages. "Maybe. The characters seem similar." She looked up at Bucky, "Can I keep them and try to translate?"

Bucky shook his head and reached out to take them back. Sliding them back into the folder, he offered what he hoped was an encouraging smile. "We're taking all of his files. When we'll go through them I'll let you know if we come across anything that will be helpful. Plus...I think I know someone that might be able to translate. And, I also know a librarian who specializes in books like the one you're talking about."