A/N: This chapter took a long time to write, but I was able to get it out before the month was over like I was aiming. Thank you so much BlueOwl and Emerald2211 for helping me edit this chapter!
[SP at max]
[HP at 60]
[Status condition: bullet wound (9/11)]
I shot out of bed and ran into the living room on our floor. Steve and Bucky were already in the kitchen, looking like they were just started getting ready for breakfast and I wished that I woke up earlier this day.
"We need to talk," I said skidding to a stop.
Bucky looked at me for a moment before nodding and turning to Steve, "Mind leaving us alone for a few minutes? We can watch that movie afterwords."
"Sure thing, Bucky, I'll just go see if Hill found anything," Steve said like he isn't with Hill whenever he wasn't hanging out with us.
It was painful waiting for Steve to leave the room. My exhaustion from being up all night was gone, making me even more aware of just how bad things were. Will be. Could be.
Bucky opened his mouth but I cut him off before he could say anything.
"I had to reset because Hydra is going to attack the tower today, which, we were able to stop them from getting you, but then Pierce made a public announcement about the Winter Soldier which is really bad, and before I reloaded the save you came up with the idea of trying to let them capture you so that we could figure out what base they are using and attack it," I said in a rush.
Bucky didn't look surprised about what I told him. There was a slight frown on his face, and Bucky moved his arm like he was going to cross them, but soon remembered he only had one arm and aborted the movement in general.
"Jarvis, are you able to delete the footage of what Lani just said?"
Shit. I forgot about Jarvis. Not that him knowing about my powers is that bad, but I would rather not have a recorded copy of me saying that.
Am I going to have to reload again?
"Would you like me to delete the rest of this conversation as well?"
"Yes please. Thank you so much, Jarvis," I quickly said.
I'll keep this going for now. Who knows how many times I'll have to repeat today. Much rather keep it in the single digits for my own sanity though.
"When did the attack happen?"
"Like an hour after we had breakfast. You and Steve were called to a meeting with Fury... um Director Fury, and for some reason had Natasha hang out with me. That's when Jarvis went down as they tried cutting the security, but the alarms went off," I said, thinking about what happened yesterday and back to what Bucky told me just moments before I reset. "You told me that Tony figured out they were in the server room, and you and Steve joined him down there. Past/Future you thought that would be the best time to pretend to go with them. None of them used the words so it should be safe... unless they have another chair."
At that last bit, I looked at Bucky to see if he even remembered where all the chairs were. I would think something like that needs some serious prep work, and not something Hydra could add to all their bases. Pretty sure that base they took us too was the same one they used in the movie, but that doesn't tell me much. Could be it was just the closest one.
Right now, that bank is too public for Hydra to use. Not to mention I'm pretty sure Fury was watching it, or the handful of people he trusted were watching it. The chair might even be destroyed for all I know.
It better be.
"That was the only chair in America."
"Unless they built more," I said, not sure how likely that would be.
They had no idea we were even in America until recently. With Bucky in the wind, would they waste time in building more stuff for him?
"They might have, but I was the only one who would remain functional after multiple uses."
"They used it on other people?" I asked before remembering we are on a time limit, "Sorry, I'll ask that later. Are we really good for this fake capture plan?"
"We?" Bucky asked, suddenly giving me a skeptical look.
"Yes, we. I'm like a handy-dandy escape rope and we talked about how Hydra was able to find us due to that footage of me fighting. We know they don't have a kill-on-sight order for me anymore. No reason why I can't come with."
"We talked about what caused them to change from trying to kill you to capture you?"
I looked at Bucky for a moment before remembering we talked about that yesterday... or well, today. In few hours if things were going they did yesterday.
"You brought up that question before, but we didn't come up with a good reason why."
Bucky nodded to himself, and I wondered for a moment if he was worried he forgot about us talking about that.
"It would still be better for you to remain here."
"Uh, no? As long as I don't get hit on the head, I'm a free trip out of wherever they take us. Also, I'll have a better idea if I need to reset if it turns out they have a chair or someone does know the words. No one else can get captured with you, and hopefully they will still underestimate me."
Not just hopefully, I know they will underestimate me. At the very least the incognito will make it impossible for them to pinpoint my powers. They thought I had super speed after all. No way they will figure out I can pretty much teleport and reset time.
Bucky in turn was looking like he was sucking on a lemon.
"I'll agree only if you promise to leave as soon as we enter the base so you can get the others. Any tracker we bring could be made useless."
"What? But I can't just leave you!"
"I thought the point of this was to keep Hydra from outing me to the public. That can only happen if they are too busy licking their wounds to do a precise strike like that. How were you planning to alert the others?"
"I was planning on waiting until they left you alone," I said with a pout.
What Bucky was saying made sense, but also what would they do to him if I just disappeared? Not to mention I doubt I'll be able to safely bring the Avengers back. Taking one other person with me was fine. Two was... okay as long as I had the SP. I don't want to risk more and that means it will take time for help to arrive for Bucky.
"That's not going to happen. Even if we go with them willingly, they will try retraining us."
And if they just take me in chains I could apparition with that.
"I don't want to leave you with them!"
"I don't want you involved with this at all, so it looks like we'll both be unhappy."
I crossed my arms and glared since there wasn't much I could say to that. It wasn't the best plan, but also wasn't the worst. As long as I was careful, things might work out. But it was that 'might' I was worried about.
"Fine. Jarvis, can you stop muting the recording please."
I'll just have to be fast on pulling up my menu so no one gets the jump on me. That slow down is good when needing to think.
"Also, can you let Steve know he's welcome to come back?"
I don't think Bucky is going to tell Steve. There is no way he'll agree to this plan, and some acting is going to be needed.
Steve came through the door soon after Bucky asked, making it seem like he was standing in the hall once again.
"Is everything alright?" Steve asked, looking from Bucky to myself.
I was still frowning, and sighed slightly to calm myself. We still had some time to prepare, but it can't be anything that would tip people off. Well, Natasha and Clint can know since they might approve of this plan, but Steve for sure not.
"I was talking to Lani about her grounding," Bucky effortlessly lied.
And also a little funny since we did talk about that last time.
"Oh, right," Steve said, making a weird face for a moment. "Is she still grounded then?"
"No," Bucky said before walking to the kitchen, obviously not planning to tell Steve any more than that.
Was Bucky really just going to make us breakfast? Even after what I told him? He still only has one arm and...
"Do you think we can ask Tony to make you a new arm?" I wondered out loud.
The fact that Tony had it ready in only a few hours means he must have been working on it. I don't know what happened yesterday that made Tony offer it, but it can't hurt to ask. If Bucky is going to be infiltrating Hydra he should at least have two arms.
"I'm not sure if that's the best thing to ask him right now, Lani..." Steve said hesitantly like I wasn't with them during that whole 'you killed my parents' argument.
"It can't hurt to ask. If Tony doesn't feel comfortable then he can refuse," I said with a shrug.
Honestly, I feel really weird asking, but we might have enough time. I can't imagine that after I left with Clint they spent the whole time working on the arm. Well, I could see Tony using that as an excuse to not talk to Fury, but considering they targeted his tower and Jarvis, I would think that would be personal to him now. Not that Hydra sending Bucky after his parents didn't already make this personal, but still.
Not like there was much Bucky and I can do to prepare. This attack wasn't really a surprise, and while I feel bad for the normal Stark employees, it would be safer if they know less. There isn't enough time to make big plans, and telling more people isn't going to help since I can't explain what I know.
"Jarvis, is Tony busy right now?" I asked before I could waste any more time overthinking this.
Worst case I'll just reset again.
"Sir is free currently, and I already relayed your question to him, and he agreed that now is a good time to get Sargent Barnes' arm fixed. Though not in those words," Jarvis said after a few minutes, long enough for me to think that I would have to change plans.
"Really? Thanks Jarvis," I said with a wide grin looking to where I think one of the video feeds were.
"You are welcome Miss. Lani," Jarvis said, giving a slight pause before adding, "Sir says you are welcome to join as well."
I looked to Bucky at that. Me being with him will make it easier to know if there is enough time for him to get his arm before Hydra attacks, but I don't want to interfere with whatever bonding happened last time to get Bucky to call Tony by his first name instead of last.
Then again, it might already be too long for that.
"Steve, you fine handling breakfast?"
"I can make breakfast by myself," Steve said right away before stopping and looking at Bucky, "Unless you want me to come?"
"Might be better if you stay here."
I gave Bucky a look since I can't see why Steve coming along would be a bad thing. Unless Bucky really wants pancakes or whatever Steve is going to make now.
"If I'm not here when you're done, I'll probably be with Agent Hill."
Bucky didn't bother responding to that, and I waved goodbye before following him into the elevator.
It was a short ride, way too short for my liking, and it didn't take long for the elevator to sign and open. The sound of ACDC song that I was only vaguely familiar with and muffled by the doors came through, but I couldn't hear anything else from the workshop/lab.
Not sure if that was a good sign or a bad one.
Bucky didn't hesitate when the doors opened, and I was only a step behind when Tony came walking into view.
"A little birdy told me that you are getting tired of being disarmed," Tony said as he passed right by us in order to walk to his fancy multi monitor desk.
I snorted at the joke and I saw Bucky's lip twitch before his face was carefully neutral.
"I didn't want to impose."
"Too late for that," I barely heard Tony mutter under his breath, but if I heard it then Bucky definitely heard it.
"I appreciate you doing this for me, Stark."
Then Tony paused in whatever he was doing and turned around with his face all scrunched up. It lasted only a moment, then he pointed at Bucky.
"Yeah, no. You calling me Stark is too weird. Your brain is already scrambled and I don't want you confusing me with Howard. Tony is fine."
"Alright?" Bucky said while looking to me like I knew what that was about.
I really hoped this wasn't the 'bonding' they did last time that got them on first name bases. That would just be sad.
"How long is it going to take to fix the arm?" I asked when the silence got to be too long.
"Depends on what we are going with. I already made a few different models, I really would like to redo the whole thing since from what blueprints I found on that arm, it was more like Hydra tried to shove whatever they thought would help in then sealed it up," Tony said as with a wave of his hand there were three blue holographics of Bucky's arm floating around.
"Wow."
I don't think I'll ever get used to the 'straight out of sci-fi' stuff like this.
"Now which of these prototypes do you like more? If you don't mind waiting a few weeks, I could make you a new set up from the shoulder down. There is a lot of unnecessary weight in your shoulder connection, then there is that whole kinematic battery... "
"Wait, Kinematic battery? Is that how the arm works?" I asked, taking a closer look at the holograms besides just 'oh pretty'.
I know way more about electronics in this life than my past one, but I was always worried about messing with Bucky's arm. Last thing we needed while on the run was it breaking down.
"Just the main one. There is about five separate power sources and one that might have been their attempt at a cold fusion reactor. It looked like the kinematic was the only one that really worked, but that requires constant movement."
"How constant?"
Not like Bucky moved his metal arm more than his flesh one. At least not from what I could tell. And that seemed like a weird thing for a sniper to have to keep moving their arm.
"It will still work while being still, just the voltage difference would cause a shock every now and then since they didn't bother insulating anything inside of the arm."
I looked to Bucky at that since I had no idea if that was happening or not.
"I was used to it."
"That's really not a good thing... you know that right?" I asked Bucky, but I ended up turning back to Tony instead of waiting for a response, "Can you fix it?"
"Of course I can fix it. That's the whole reason I want to just build one from scratch."
"How long would that take?" Bucky asked before I could tell Tony to just do that.
Right. We are on a very short time restraint right now.
"Making you a new arm with just a better energy source? Three days, but I would recommend you going into surgery to remove the shoulder part. Anything I make will be must lighter weight that you won't need all that extra support."
"One of these is fine. Whichever you could get done the quickest."
Tony made a face at that before remarking, "Come on, Lani, don't you agree that terminator here should get a brand new arm instead of just a repair?"
"Uh, I think surgery is going a little far," I said, a little mad that Tony was dragging me into this. " I mean, how would you feel about getting surgery done by a group of people you met little over a week ago? And Hydra's still a thing..."
I trailed off looking at Bucky. I figured that time is the only issue here, but now that I think about it, I'm not sure if he would want to voluntarily go under right now. Or ever.
"And Hydra's still a thing. Don't want to forget that ever," Tony complained before turning away from us and waving some of the holograms away.
It fell quiet and while Bucky seemed fine waiting for Tony to do whatever, I was getting antsy. There was still over an hour before Natasha and Clint came back, then maybe 30 mins after that meeting Steve and Bucky went to before Hydra attacked. We had time, but not a lot.
"So, how are you repairing the arm anyways?"
"DMLS, one of my own variants so it will take only 30 mins to 3d print the metal instead of hours. Want to see?"
"Yes!" I said rushing over to where Tony was heading.
He mostly listened while Lani and St-Tony talked about just what Tony was doing. It ended up taking way less time than he thought before it was already and from the expression on Lani's face, they clearly still had more time before Hydra attacked the tower.
"So the wires do mimic the nerves in the arm?"
"In a very utilitarian way. The circuit set up for the presser plates in the figures could easily be modified to sense heat as well, just adding a feedback loop here and temperature modular here," Tony said as he pointed his laser tool (which was currently off) to the spots for Lani, and Bucky.
The way they talked about his arm brought forth a few brief memories of Hydra working on his arm and talking about it in front of him, but thankfully how the two went about it was nothing like with Hydra. For one, even though both were interested in his arm, neither went too long before looking at him.
"You can't feel Tony messing with the wires right?" Lani asked with a judging look, like she was just now realizing how much he neglects to tell her when it came to discomfort from the arm.
"Not with the wires."
"I wasn't lying before when I told you to let me know if anything hurts, Mr. Roboto. While you're not letting me fix it completely, there are some things I could do now to make it a little better," Tony said before closing the main cover and pulling off his goggles.
"Ok, how does that feel?"
He moved his arm and closed it into a fist. That slight delay that was present since escaping Hydra was gone.
"Better than before."
"Like, Hydra before, or no arm before?" Lani asked, taking the full face helmet Tony made her wear during the soldering off.
Bucky moved the arm, rotating the wrist and touching each finger with his thumb.
"Might be better than when I was still with Hydra."
"Might. Might be better. You were the one who wanted it now instead of letting me make it ten times better."
Tony didn't look annoyed, but it was hard to tell.
"It's probably better, but considering I don't really remember, I didn't want to lie," he said with a slight smile, but let it fall before Tony could say anything in response. "But I am grateful you agreed to fix it even considering I killed your parents. Which I want you to know I am sorry for."
He could see Lani getting round up to talk, but Tony beat her to it.
"I'd rather not talk about that now. Or ever."
"Yeah but," Lani started to say but was interrupted.
"Sorry for the interruption, but Romanova and Barton are back and requesting a meeting," Jarvis said and Bucky watched as Lani suddenly got serious.
"Sorry Kido, sounds like the grown ups have to talk," Tony said, patting Lani once the head as he walked past.
"Could I go to the meeting?" Lani asked like she already knew the answer.
"It would be better for you to stay on the private floors."
Bucky still did not want the Director of Shield to know about Lani, even though it would be easier to stick together once Hydra attacked. He'll just have to use her as an excuse to get away from Steve, and the others. The less people around to interfere with him pretending to go back with Hydra the better chance they'll have of making this work.
"Alright then," Lani said before walking with them to the elevator, which Tony was already in and pretending like he was too busy taping on the table to look like he was holding it open for them.
They got off first, and Bucky looked back in time to see Lani's nervous looking smile before the doors closed again.
Tony was silent the whole walk, and this was the longest Bucky had ever seen the man not talking up a storm. Thankfully, it wasn't long before they arrived at the meeting room. Director Fury, that Agent who Steve keeps making battle plans with, Barton, and Natasha were already there and sitting down.
Natasha raised a brow at them, but didn't say anything.
"Good to know our lovely spies are back, but did we really need to call a meeting? I had things to do," Tony said as he sat down.
Tony looked happy enough at the distraction before, but it seemed that the inventor had some problems with Director Fury and Black Widow if Bucky was reading the room correctly. Did Fury pose Natasha as a double agent in Stark's company in the past? It seemed likely, and even more so that Tony had taken it personally.
Before Fury could answer Tony's question, or if he was even going to pay attention to it, Steve came in shortly followed by Doctor Banner.
"Stark already fixed your arm?" Steve said as he sat down next to Bucky.
He just nodded, only half paying attention as Barton and Natasha rotated explaining the information they found. No mention of the book Lani said contained the words to turn him back into Hydra's slave, which was a relief.
Soon they started talking about how to strike the Hydra bases, which Steve and Agent Hill took command over. It was clear that Natasha was waiting for something, though not like an attack from Hydra is that unthinkable.
"When it comes to bases on American soil, our best bet is-"
Suddenly all the lights went off. It was only for a second, but then it was replaced with red lights and alarm sirens.
It was time.
"Jarvis?" Tony asked, sounding worried about his AI.
If Hydra sent him to attack the tower while making a scene, shutting off power was first. Then once people were momentarily distracted, launch the attack.
"Prepare for an attack. Hydra must have cut off the power," Steve said, echoing Bucky's thoughts.
"They didn't cut the power. This place is 100% off the grid and if they messed with the arc reacher powering it we would have all been blown up."
"What do you mean blown up?" Barton asked, bow already out while Tony opened a case that morphed into his Iron Man suit.
"There is no way for anyone to get down there, which means they fucking shut off Jarvis. Someone must physically be down in the server room," Tony explained right before the faceplate closed over his head, giving only a moment's pause before continuing. "We need to get down there and-"
Bucky had to tackle Steve to the ground, pulling out the handgun he kept on his body at all times out to eliminate the target. It was more reflex than anything, and briefly he realized that would make it harder to convince Hydra that the Winter Soldier was back with them.
"Bucky?" Steve had the audacity to ask, like it was a surprise that he would save him.
"Have you ever considered using your shield as a shield, Steve?" Even as Bucky asked that it felt familiar, though no new memories came up.
"Not this again," Steve groaned before looking away, "Is everyone al-"
A roar interrupted Steve, and in place of the doctor was a green giant. He looked pissed, but Steve was able to keep him from acting out.
"I got the nice Hulk room all set up. Why don't you convince the big guy to chill out in there while I deal with the assholes in the basement," Tony said, already making his way to the window for quicker access to the ground level.
"By yourself? That would be the best place for an ambush. I'll come with you," Steve said, putting his shield on his back once more before turning to Bucky. "Bucky you should check on Lani and stay safe."
Everything was screaming at him to go with Steve, but this played perfectly into their plans.
"Don't do anything stupid."
"How can I when you're taking all the stupid with you?" Steve said with a too bright smile.
Another echo of a memory just beyond reach, but he didn't have time to try forcing it out. Instead, he took Steve's easy out and rushed out of the room before anyone could stop him. Bucky didn't run into anyone obviously with Hydra, or anyone high enough to know who he was, and dashed up the emergency stairs.
Ideally, he would have just infiltrated Hydra by himself. However, Lani was right that her being a quick out was needed, and Bucky didn't like the idea of leaving her alone. She is a magnet for trouble, and at least Lani will listen to him if he makes reasonable requests. The danger she'll be in will be less with him than whatever she'll do by herself.
"Is it go time?" Lani asked, already waiting by the door.
He just gave a nod, thinking about the best place to intercept Hydra like this. There should be a truck to monitor the squad via radio nearby. Maybe a block or two.
"Will you be good to get us out of the tower and still leave once we know where their main base is?"
"Yeah, I should have more than enough sp for that. Just outside the tower or... I could go across the street?"
"Out of sight, but near the Starbucks at the end of the block."
There was an alleyway there big enough for a tuck.
Lani gave a nod before grabbing his hand, then there was that strange sensation that always accompanied Lani's ability to travel like this, and they were in between trash cans while everyone rushed by to see what was happening at Stark Tower. Bucky kept holding Lani's hand, but made sure he had easy access to his gun as they walked.
Just like he thought, there was a parked white van that looked like a newscaster's.
He steeled himself, and trusted that they would just assume that after being 'reset', the avengers captured him and now he was escaping, the Winter Soldier knocked twice on the van door. There was the sound of people moving, and Bucky heard someone swear before the door slid open, with three people holding guns to his face.
And he did nothing.
"Holy shit, they did get him back," someone said from further in the van.
That seemed to calm some of the people, though only one lowered their gun.
"I'm going to call back and let them know. Get in Soldier."
They moved to make way for him, and without giving anything away, Bucky climbed in, still holding Lani's and who looked like just a scared little kid. He kept waiting for them to either question why she was with him, or mention her at all, but if they did it wasn't where he could hear.
They also didn't chain him up, but Bucky remembered that also happened last time after they said... after the museum trip in DC. Hydra just assumes that they have 100% control over him. Restraints not needed unless during medical exams.
"He says to leave now. We're taking them to Jersey."
"Ew, why New Jersey?" Lani asked, and Bucky wanted to agree but that would be breaking his cover.
They just ignored her, which is for the best.
"What about the others?"
"Leave them. This is more important anyway."
Bucky tried thinking of any bases in New Jersey, but couldn't come up with any. The bank in DC was the main headquarters for the American branch, and the ones he gave Shield were in a few other states, but none in New Jersey. It would be too close to the DC one to be anything major.
They would soon find out.
A/N: I'm sure most of you know why they are going to New Jersey, but I forgot what state the fort was in until rewatching catws with my friends (online of course) so figured that Lani wouldn't remember until later. I am very excited to the next few chapters, and it has gotten to the point where I'm going to have to watch Thor Dark world, which I have been avoiding since people tell me it's not great. Unforcutenly things have not changed enough to completely avoid those events, but I promise they will be different. And once Thor is back Lani can start working on the Thanos issue.
We are getting to the point where I get so many reviews per chapter that I feel bad taking up the author notes at the end thanking everyone. So instead I'll thank/respond to guest and try my best to reply to you via pm. So Thank you Guest who recommended it to their little sister (that is so cute!). Also, thank you everyone who is following/favorited this story. Every time I check the stats for this story I am blown away about how many people like it.
Until next time, have a fantastic day/night and I hope everyone who celebrates Halloween has a good one!