Anyone Else
Chapter Two
TWO DAYS LATER
After receiving her orders, Agent Helen Turner picked her way across the tarmac towards her partner to depart for the mission she'd just been assigned. Instead of being at the plane, Sam Wilson had stopped to talk with a man she had hoped to avoid for the next milenia. Bucky Barnes stood next to Sam looking thoroughly pissed off. Bits of their conversation caught on the wind confirmed her suspicion that Bucky was here confronting Sam about giving up Cap's shield. Helen squared her shoulders and braced for impact.
"What could be bigger than this?" Bucky asked dejectedly. He looked up and nearly dropped to his knees. It seemed the universe did really love to kick him when he was down. Helen Turner, dressed in a leather jacket, jeans and boots with her blonde hair blown out like a freaking super model, strode directly for him. As much as he was glad to see her, he wasn't sure she'd return the sentiment.
Helen reached the newly reunited pair. "Sam," she greeted the Avenger.
"Helen." Sam nodded to her, clapping her on the shoulder in greeting.
Bucky took a step back and pinched his nose, "Wait." His fingers released and he motioned between them. "You two know each other?"
Sam's eyes narrowed. "Yeah," He confirmed, shooting Helen a questioning glance. She smiled sheepishly. Looked like the two super soldiers had finally met. "Nightingale and I are headed out on a mission." He took a quick breath, "How do you two know each other?"
Helen just shook her head. "To answer your previous question, Bucky." She held up her phone to show Bucky a picture."This guy." The picture was of a man in a black mask with a red handprint over the face. "He's got connections with rebel groups all over Central and Eastern Europe."
"And he's strong. Too strong." Sam explained, curious as to how the two had really met. It seemed logical that they both were here now, considering they were hunting a super soldier.
Understanding seemed to dawn on Bucky and he nodded. "And?" He prompted. He met Helen's eyes for a moment and she looked quickly away, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.
"He's been connected to this online group called the Flag Smashers." Helen explained, tucking away her phone. She kicked herself as her heartbeat sped up from being a few feet from Bucky. There was no way to let him close her. Everyone close to her always paid the price for her past.
"Now, Redwing has traced them to a building somewhere outside of Munich. So that's where we're going." Sam nodded to Helen and they turned towards the airplane.
"I-I don't trust Redwing." Bucky spat, "Hold on a minute-" He reached out and gently but firmly gripped Helen's upper arm. She shrugged him off, trying not to let Sam see she was uncomfortable, shooting Bucky a warning look.
"You don't have to trust Redwing." Sam cut in, halting his departure, taking note of the tension between the super soldiers. "But, imma go and see if he's right. 'Cause I have a feeling they might be a part of the big three." Sam explained.
"Oh, here we go." Helen smiled and rolled her eyes good naturedly. That was her cue to exit. "I'll see you boys on the plane." She gave Bucky a wink and started off towards the plane.
"One minute to drop off, Sam." Torres announced. "You too, Helen." Helen had given Bucky a leather jacket and some boots to wear for the jump. She wore a similar get up and Bucky couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her.
"You really think it's a good idea, doll?" Bucky asked, worry coloring his voice.
Helen scoffed, "Not my first rodeo, cowboy." She teased, somewhat annoyed he was concerned for her wellbeing. Yes, they had shared a few heated moments, but now they had work to do."'Sides, we're only at 200 ft. Easy peasy." She turned to her partner. "Right Sam?"
Sam handed her a com and nodded. Bucky grabbed one from the table of gear and they all tucked them into their ears.
"So what's the plan?" Bucky asked, glancing between the two agents.
Sam didn't answer, he just went over to the door.
Bucky looked at Helen for help. "Don't look at me!" Helen laughed. "I'm not in command here."
Sam still didn't answer, this time he jumped out of the plane.
Helen stood at the door next, she moved to jump and Bucky lunged forward. "Where's your chute?" His hand was around her left bicep again.
"We're at 200 ft remember?" Helen reminded him, leaning up on her toes to kiss his cheek which caused him to let go of her arm. "Too low for a chute."
Then she was falling. She could hear Bucky curse then yell as he fell after her. She managed to avoid the pine tree branches and execute a few somersaults before hitting the ground feet first in a crouched position. She'd worked on the maneuver with Sam, he'd carry her up higher and higher till they were at flying altitude so she could get the timing down.
Bucky crashed through the trees, trying in vain to grasp the passing branches. He hit the ground with a thud next to Helen and groaned. Redwing hovered over Bucky's prone form and she could hear Sam taunt him through their coms.
"You know I got that whole thing on video, right?" Sam laughed. "Helen looks like a goddamn superhero next to your sorry ass."
"Get it out of my face, Sam." Bucky grumbled, blinking as Helen came into focus above him. "Or I'll break it."
"Ok, ok." Sam snickered, "C'mon you two. Head North." Redwing flew off, presumably in Sam's direction.
Helen offered a hand to Bucky and he reluctantly took it. "You good?" She asked, tossing her ponytail.
Bucky swallowed against the rush of desire crawling through his veins with her so close again. He pursed his lips and nodded. "Sorry I didn't believe you." He apologized, falling into step beside her.
"Everyone underestimates me." She shrugged, play-punching him the arm, "I think it's my height." She squinted over at him, drawing up to her full five foot six stance. "All you superheroes are like 6 foot giants."
"I'm not a superhero, doll." Bucky protested, glancing around, trying to get a lay of the land. It looked like they were a couple of clicks from civilization, and in fairly smooth terrain.
"Hmmm." Helen mused, giving him thorough once over with her eyes, "Government issue leather jacket, boots, weapon, gloves. Swagger." She clicked her tongue. "Check all the boxes for me." With that she picked up her pace. "Let's get a move on, Buck."
Bucky opened his mouth to protest but was struck by the ease in which she called him the shortened name. Swagger? He thought. Shaking his head a little, he pushed the uncomfortable thoughts away and jogged to keep up with her.
The pair entered a dilapidated warehouse where they met up with Sam. He'd already staked out the place using Redwing. Sam and Bucky bickered about entrance tactics and Helen decided to put her stealth training to use. She could sense Bucky was behind her and Sam teased him about his time in Wakanda.
"A little time in Wakanda and you come out White Panther." Sam teased.
"It's actually White Wolf." Bucky corrected, confirming Helen's suspicion that he was behind her, practically playing her shadow.
"Oh." Sam mused, following in their footsteps.
The men continued to bicker until Sam discovered a hostage in the trailer as their targets left the yard. Bucky led the charge and Helen followed right after him, Sam in flight overhead. Helen managed to match Bucky's strides and he glanced over at her, a concerned look on his face. Apparently he didn't approve of her joining them in the field. She would just have to show him what an asset she was.
Bucky jumped up onto the first semi trailer and opened the back. Once the door was opened, Helen jumped up and joined him inside. Bucky reported to Sam the group was stealing medical supplies and a young woman emerged from between the cargo.
"Hi!" Bucky sang, giving her a wave. "You okay?" He asked, giving her a forced smile.
Helen almost doubled over in laughter. At least he was making an effort to be nice.
Suddenly the woman charged at Bucky and kicked him out of the trailer with such force that he hit the windshield of the semi truck tailing them. Thankfully, he was able to grip the top of the truck and hang on to it.
"Shit!" Bucky shouted, watching as the young woman pulled on a black mask with a red hand print over it.
Helen put her hands out to her sides, not wanting to fight the young woman. "Easy, tiger." She murmured. "Just here to help."
Suddenly two men appeared on top of the truck Bucky held onto and they hauled him up on top of it. The young woman rushed past Helen with a punch which Helen blocked and jumped up on the cab. Helen followed and Bucky choked back a whoop of approval. She looked absolutely electric.
Helen's chest heaved with effort as she turned to the young woman turned super soldier. "Alright kid, let's see what you got." She murmured, feeling the adrenaline of life and death odds rush through her veins.
The fight that ensued was absolutely one sided. Four against two was not great odds, even with super serum in their veins. Sam thankfully appeared on the scene as more soldiers showed up.
Suddenly a chopper appeared and John Walker swooped down carrying the shield all of them revered so much. His partner swooped in on a line and knocked one of the soldiers of the trailer evening up their odds a bit.
A few moments later, Helen lost her footing and started to go over the side of the truck. Bucky was right there to catch her, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her keeping her on top of the truck. The trailer lurched and Bucky's grip tightened, pulling her closer into his chest.
"Get a room you two!" Sam shouted on the com, flying overhead.
Helen's cheeks flushed as she untangled herself from Bucky.
"You good?" Bucky asked.
Before she could answer, the young woman they began the fight with pushed him over the side.
"Bucky!" Helen shouted, helplessly grasping for his arm as he fell out of reach. She roundhouse kicked the young woman and jumped the gap between the two trailers. She bit her lip as she peered over the edge.
Bucky swore, digging his vibranium arm into the side of the trailer to allow him time to grab a hold of something. Helen breathed a sigh of relief when she heard him yell, at least it was a sign he was still breathing for the moment.
"That little girl kicked your ass." Sam said to Bucky as he flew alongside the truck. Then he spoke to his partner. "You ready to blow this popsicle stand, Hel?"
"Absolutely." She grimaced, straightening up. It had been a long time since she'd gone toe to toe with someone her own size and strength.
"On my mark." Sam ordered.
"10-4." Helen answered, blocking an advance from one of the soldiers.
Sam gave a countdown. "3-2-1."
Helen leapt from the moving truck, following Sam and Bucky out into the field beside the two lane highway. Sam had swooped below the trailers to collect Bucky on his way through. She tucked and rolled, coming to a stop just a few feet from the pavement. Sam and Bucky tumbled together deeper into the field, grunting and groaning the whole way.
"That went well." Helen mused as they made their way towards the airport. "Those were all super soldiers." She glanced over at Bucky. He looked spooked. Sam didn't look much better. The men both nodded. Apparently they had come to the same conclusion during their trip through the field.
An army Jeep carrying John Walker and his partner pulled up beside them. After a few moments, the trio joined them in the vehicle. Helen tried to tune out most of the conversation, she was having trouble getting past the fact she was practically on Bucky's lap.
Bucky swallowed, trying to control the feeling that having Helen plastered against his side had crawling through his veins. They were on mission, now was not the time to be thinking about pulling her into his lap and kissing her senseless.
"Agent Turner." John Walker addressed her personally. "I didn't realize you'd be in the field."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Helen scoffed. barely containing her rage. This man was such a fraud. She could feel it in her bones.
"I just figured you'd be on coms and sats." Walker shrugged, a terrible grin on his lips. "Seems like too big of a risk to have you in the fight." He shared an agreeable glance with his partner.
Bucky's left arm was suddenly around her shoulders, his metal fingers gripping her shoulder cap to keep her from lurching forward to get in Walker's face.
Helen huffed, frustrated that Bucky seemed to sense her feelings and react in such a way to protect her from herself. "Sorry to disappoint you Walker."
"Helen is a great asset in the field, John." Sam insisted, narrowing his eyes. "You keep this up and I'll let her kick your ass."
"I'll even cheer her on." Bucky mused, loosening his grip on her shoulder cap a little.
"Oh, I forgot." John sneered. "You're an ancient super soldier." He looked between her and Bucky for a moment. "Nice that you've found someone who understands your plight-"
"That's enough." Sam said before even Bucky could react. "We got our asses handed to us, time to gather more intel and go at it from another angle."
"Oh, I'm sure I could show Agent Turner another angle." Walker winked. "What do you say, sweetheart? You can ditch cold, dark and brooding here for-"
Bucky's grip loosed just enough so Helen could punch Walker across the face. "Stop the car!" Bucky cried, lips twitching with amusement, pretending to hold her back.
Suddenly Helen was on her feet, jumping down from the now still Jeep. Bucky joined her on the pavement. "You okay?" He asked, squinting against the midday sun.
"Peachy keen, jellybean." Helen sang, flipping Walker the bird. "Eat me, asshole." She called to Walker, "Oh, wait, on second thought, I'll let cold, dark and brooding do that." She winked at Bucky. "You know, since he knows my plight and all."
Bucky's eyes widened. It shouldn't have struck him so hard that she was so forward and raw. She'd been that way when they were alone in her apartment two nights ago. He let the emotion fall from his face and fell into step beside her.
Walker held his nose, which was most likely now broken. "Bitch!" He called back.
Sam shook his head and joined his comrades on the pavement to trek to the airport on foot. "What a sanctimonious prick." He commented, noting how Bucky hovered near Helen. He wasn't even sure the brooding super soldier was aware he was doing it. He filed away the look of bewilderment on Helen's face for a heart to heart once they were alone.
PLANE BACK TO AMERICA
"Let's take the shield, Sam." Bucky grumbled, glancing sideways at the Avenger.
Helen stretched out on the rack opposite Sam, trying to relax and recover. It had been a long trek back to the plane and she had only been in the field for a few weeks. Walker was right, she probably should be hung back on coms and sats. She was always apprehensive about being in the field, given her secret. She never wanted to be compromised in that way again.
"I'll hold him," Helen murmured. "Sam can take the shield, and you can get a few punches in."
Bucky snorted softly. "I didn't realize you were so scrappy." He smirked, jumping down from the crate he had perched on.
Helen popped one eye open. "Scrappy?" She sat up, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she cradled her aching head in her hands.
Bucky's brow furrowed. "I'm not a dictionary." He cocked an eyebrow. "You obviously agree or you wouldn't be so offended." He shot back.
Helen lifted her head and opened her mouth to say something else but Sam cut her off.
"You two are something else." Sam laughed.
Bucky sat on the rack about a foot from where Helen's head had been, stretching his arm out along the backs of the seats. Helen slumped a little, crossing her arms, trying to get comfortable. She drifted a little as the drone of the airplane's engines helped her forget she was currently hurtling across the Atlantic. She must've started to tip over as she fell asleep because Bucky scooted closer, allowing her to pillow her head on his chest.
Sam scoffed, "Oh, this is cute-"
"Shut up Sam." They said in unison.
Helen was too tired to protest Bucky's chivalrous gesture. She knew there was a risk in letting Bucky in closer, but she was just too tired to fight at the moment. She instead allowed herself to drift off and get some much needed rest.
"She asleep?" Sam whispered, nodding to the woman leaning against Bucky.
Bucky looked down at Helen, her breathing seemed even and deep and she had twitched a little a few moments ago. "I think so." He murmured back.
"She's only been with me for a few weeks." Sam explained. "How do you know her?" Sam asked, "Hydra?" He guessed.
"No." Bucky shook his head. "Met her a couple of days ago in Brooklyn." He smirked. Part of him wished he had met her back then. Maybe he could've done something about the asshole harassing her. "You know anything about an asshole in lockup she's involved with?"
"Brian?" Sam asked, brows raising. "How do you know about him?"
"Brian." Bucky said the name, and suddenly it dawned on him. Brian Sykes had been another super soldier that Hydra had programmed like him. Unlike Bucky's reaction to his own programming, the man was still loyal to Hydra and wouldn't allow any intervention to try to deprogram him. The US government just locked him away. He was having trouble figuring out how to get the guys' privileges revoked and stop the harassment for good. "He's harassing her." Bucky murmured. "Sexually."
"Damn." Sam swore. "I knew he was calling her periodically, but I didn't know it was like that." He pulled out his phone. "I'll make some calls."
Bucky nodded, glancing down at Helen again. No one deserved to be treated the way that monster was treating her. He wondered if that's why she was afraid to let him in closer. Not that he blamed her. He wasn't quite sure about letting in someone to the turmoil he called his personal life. She looked peaceful. He longed for that.
"Thanks." Sam hung up his phone call. He nodded to Bucky. "Bastard's being taken care of." He pocketed his phone. "I issued a sexual harassment complaint so Helen will be contacted about it, but he won't be calling her again."
Bucky's jaw clenched. He didn't want her to be angry with him, but he knew something had to be done. Helen shifted in her sleep and his arm came away from the seat backs to wrap around her shoulders, holding her on the seat. "Good." Bucky murmured, looking away for a moment.
"You care about her." Sam observed. Bucky looked back at him, a helpless borderline ragey look on his face. "Easy, I'm just stating the obvious, not trying to make that cyborg brain of yours short circuit." He sighed. "It's good, man. Probably nice to have someone understand for once."
Bucky scoffed. Yeah, if she'd let him in and actually talk about that part of themselves, it would be nice. "I think Brian is blackmailing her about her past with Hydra."
Sam's brow furrowed. "I've read her file." He pursed his lips. "Torres suggested she come out into the field since we had a super soldier afoot." He pursed his lips, unsure if he should continue. "She was an assassin like you." He sat back crossing his arms. "Then her mind was wiped a second time. Before they could reprogram her, you and Steve showed up with the Commandos."
Suddenly he was transported back to 1944 and he now knew why it felt like he'd seen Helen before besides noticing her in his apartment building six months ago. He had. He'd rescued her from Hydra. He didn't know then that she was a super soldier. All he knew was that she was a prisoner and needed medical attention. She just blinked up at him, not answering any of his questions. Knowing what he now knew about himself, he definitely recognized the signs of brainwashing.
"I remember." Bucky murmured, staring down at Helen again. She hadn't changed much. She had only mentioned that her mind had been wiped by Hydra and not programmed. Did she think SHIELD didn't know she was an assassin before her programming had been wiped a second time? "I bet you she thinks no one knows and Sykes is holding that over her."
"Bastard." Sam swore. "What a sick and twisted thing to do to someone who has already been through enough." He thought for a moment. "What if she's still programmed?"
Bucky's breath caught. Helen had said SHIELD rebuilt her mind, but had said nothing about deprogramming her. Maybe Hydra has just deactivated the programming but had not wiped it. "Any way to stop that call from the state?" Bucky asked, wanting more time to figure out what exactly Sykes was blackmailing her with. He had a feeling it went deeper than the fact she had been a Winter Soldier in her own right for a time.
"Good idea." Sam agreed, pulling out his phone.
"Get out of my house!" Isaiah roared. Helen had already headed for the door when the fellow super soldier had thrown the tin, embedding it in the wall. Bucky had taken them to visit Isaiah Bradley, a fellow super soldier, whose plight far outweighed their own.
"That went well. " Helen mumbled when Sam and Bucky joined her in the street.
Bucky and Sam shared a look over her head. Suddenly, a police car pulled up and two officers got out. The first tried to harass Sam before realizing they two men were Avengers. The officer apologized, but it still stung.
Another car pulled up and the officer asked them to stay put for a moment.
"Mr. Barnes," The officer began upon his return, "There's a warrant out for your arrest-"
"Now, the president pardoned him for all that already." Sam shook his head, cutting the officer off.
"It's actually for missing court mandated therapy." The office explained, "It's like failing to check in with your PO."
Bucky shook his head. He knew he should've called, but it felt good to be back on assignment again. With Helen around, he'd felt grounded, and didn't need to question his own mind so much. He felt useful, needed and that pushed his legal obligations to the back burner. He nodded at Sam and locked eyes with Helen for a moment before following the officer to the squad car.
Helen watched as they loaded Bucky into the back of the squad car. She'd at least had SHIELD behind her to report in to so when she'd missed her therapy appointment, it hadn't set off a manhunt. She didn't know that Bucky was in therapy. It made sense. She suddenly wondered if it was a condition of his pardon. Her brow furrowed, she'd been in therapy because she'd had her mind rebuilt. She'd never considered it could be a way for the government to ensure she was stable and no longer a threat to society.
"Thanks for joining us, Helen." Dr. Raynor smiled as Helen sat down in the chair that Sam had vacated. He had looked upset when he'd passed her in the hall.
Bucky had turned the chairs to face the doctor again after their little soul gazing exercise. He moved to get up from the chair to give them some privacy.
"Not yet, Mr. Barnes." Dr. Raynor insisted, "You're going to want to hear this."
Helen's eyes went wide. "G-going to want to hear what, Doc?"
Dr. Raynor cleared her throat and opened a file labeled CLASSIFIED in big bold red letters. "Your official SHIELD dossier states that you were programmed as an assassin by Hydra, a part of their Winter Soldier program."
Helen's eyes widened. "I-it does?!" She gasped. Dr. Raynor nodded.
Bucky's jaw clenched. He remembered the helpless feeling and shame that came with having others know your mind had been controlled by something so evil, forcing you to commit murder and slaugter in cold blood. He glanced over at Helen and could tell she was crumbling a little under the weight of the new revelation.
Helen swallowed hard. "Y-yes." She whispered, feeling Bucky's eyes on her. A tear slipped down her cheek. "A-are you here to take me away?" She sniffled, wiping it away.
Dr. Raynor scoffed. "Now, why in the world would we do that?" She laid the file open in front of Helen. "You've been officially pardoned, a little over twenty years ago when they thawed you out."
"T-twenty years a-ago?!" Helen stammered, eyes scanning the official US Government pardon in front of her. She could hardly breathe. Her mind swam with the implications that this new revelation had.
Bucky choked a laugh of relief into a cough behind his hand. Trust SHIELD to keep a secret from the one person that could set free by it. This was good. Helen deserved to leave the shame of being brainwashed behind her. It might even make her more effective on the case they were on. "Guess you can tell that asshole, Brian, to go take a hike." Bucky mused, crossing his arms.
"H-how do you k-know his name?" Helen asked, brow furrowing. The only person who knew that Brian Sykes called her from lock up was Sam Wilson. The men must've had a heart to heart on the plane. How cute.
Bucky opened his mouth to explain, but the Doc interrupted him.
"Sam made some phone calls and had Mr. Syke's communication privileges revoked." Dr. Raynor sighed. "We had no idea he was sexually harassing-"
"How could you?" Helen spat, leaning towards him. "I trusted you and-"
"No, you didn't trust me." Bucky countered, leaning towards her, eyes searching hers. "You invited me into your apartment, fed me dinner, kissed me and when I got too close you sent me packing." He scoffed. "I don't have much experience with relationships, but that doesn't sound like trust, doll."
Helen's jaw clenched. "I guess I'm glad I didn't make the mistake of trusting you then, eh?" She murmured angrily.
"You let that monster hurt you for two decades, Helen." Bucky sighed, sitting back in his chair. "I couldn't let it continue."
"It's not your burden to bear, it's mine!" Helen protested, "I deserved to be treated like a monster because I am a monster!" She cried, chest heaving. "You of all people should understand that." She whispered brokenly, hands holding her head, elbows resting on her knees.
Bucky did understand it. It was one of the reasons he had worked to make amends instead of continuing to wallow in self pity. "You're right, I do understand." He leaned closer again, resting his gloved hand on top of her own. "I also know that I'm not a monster, so neither are you."
"James is right, Helen." Dr. Raynor assured her. "A monster would risk their life for the protection of others like you do everyday. A monster wouldn't keep a secret for seventy years so they could be free to help people."
Helen looked up at Bucky, eyes swimming with tears. Then she looked over at the Doc, sitting back so Bucky's and fell away. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Dr. Raynor shrugged. "SHIELD assumed because you had your mind wiped a second time that you didn't know you were a part of the program." She sighed. "They obviously assumed wrong."
"Yeah." Helen scoffed, sitting back in her chair with a huff.
Bucky's phone chirped. "We gotta go, Doc." He reminded the Commander. "You know, saving the world and shit."
"Alright," Dr. Raynor relented. "Helen, please do not bottle up the emotions that come with this new found freedom." She nodded at Bucky. "You have someone close to you walking a similar path. Be smart and hold on to that."
Helen squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "Yes ma'am." She murmured before practically running from the room.
Dr. Raynor sighed. "Give her time."
Bucky nodded. "Thanks, Doc."
Time to go get Zemo!
xoxo
Lumora The White