Clint
He hates everything about the plan. All of it.
Absolutely every detail.
And yet. There's no better option.
The Asset has made it clear that he intends to kill or capture the Headmistress no matter what the other Avengers decide to do. Therefore it's help him or just watch and not a single one of them wants to leave the Asset on his own for this mission.
They'd called Sam and he had advised trying to talk him down. Let the Asset know there would be more time, try to keep him from doing anything rash.
But now the Asset isn't alone. It's becoming increasingly clear that Steve is there, present and accounted for and that he and the Asset are cooperating.
Which should be great.
But is actually awful.
Because now the Asset listens to no one else, just Steve. The team still doesn't try to order him around. But when they suggest things, the Asset is quick to state his own opinion.
Clint watches as Bucky practically shreds apart. Half excited because he's sure Steve is so close to the surface that he might actually have a chance at reappearing and sticking around, and half worried as hell because Steve never listened to common sense back then, and the Asset isn't now either.
"Asset, please, just let us help you come up with a different plan, at a different time?"
"No."
Clint knows that really isn't an option if they want to save Lydia, but every single one of them is on edge knowing the Asset would be coming in contact with the lady who abused and forced him into her servitude.
They haven't told the Asset about Lydia being held hostage but Clint has a sneaking suspicion that he knows something is up. Because he's being very adamant.
The bitch had sent an email with the details of the party to Natasha's phone. They'd briefly considered telling the Asset that she hadn't contacted them and that they would have to figure something else out, but Tony had looked at them and sighed.
"I'm not one for walking into evil lairs but…" he'd looked at the Asset who was asleep on the couch, "keeping this from him would be just another choice taken from him. Are we his handlers now? We get to choose what he gets told? What missions he goes on?"
Bucky had cracked the phone in his hand at that comment.
"This monster forced him to—-" Bucky choked out, "forced him. The nicest guy in the world and she turned him into her slave and Hydra turned him into a killer. We're nothing like them." He had whispered, "but he's compromised, he can't make decisions for himself like this. He's not ready." Bucky had turned as if something had startled him, eyes wide, and looking towards the Asset.
The group looked to see him awake, eyes open, staring at them.
The Asset had frowned and stood. "We're perfectly capable of completing this mission on our own." He said sharply, "we are not compromised."
"No." Bucky said quickly, "I know, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Then why did you?" And it stabs at all of them because that's not the Asset's voice, that's Steve's and it's hurt.
"I'm worried about you." Bucky had responded, voice raw, "Stev— Asset, you have to understand, I just got you back. I can't lose you again."
"The Asset was never yours to lose." Then he'd blinked quickly and cleared his throat. "Bucky." They listened as Steve fully appeared, looking sad and hurt, "Bucky, I'm not that kid you used to know. I haven't been for a long time. I don't need your protection anymore. We're doing this. She's a threat to the spiders trying to get free everywhere. She's evil and needs to be stopped. This is the best chance we'll have at taking her down. Once she's gone from here I doubt she'll reach out again. We're doing this whether you want us to or not."
"Steve—" Bucky rasps, "please—"
"Bucky, stop." Steve had cut him off, and the other four of them had blinked at the commanding tone. Hearing the Captain in him for the first time, "We're doing this. No arguments. Are you coming with us?"
"Yes." Bucky had whispered. "I'm coming."
So they shared with him the details the Headmistress had sent and they'd researched the building and the layouts.
"She sure knows how to pick them." Natasha sighs, tossing the blueprints on the table. "Only two exits, and both onto major streets with major traffic? She's smart."
"What?" Tony asks, "how is limiting her exits a good move?"
The Asst who had appeared shortly after Steve's speech, points at the blueprints. "She's not limiting her exits. She's limiting everyone else's. She's not afraid to die as long as she can take everyone with her. She's not afraid of mass civilian casualties either. If she wants to, she'll blow this place sky high, and with only two exits? Very few if any will escape. She'll do whatever she can to try to get what she wants."
"Which is what?" Tony huffs.
"The Asset." He says calmly. "Back under her control."
"Which isn't happening." Bucky hisses.
Clint looks at the Asset, expecting verbal confirmation but the man just nods.
And it just feels like a fucking trap.
And it probably is.
And it doesn't matter because they have to spring it anyway.
Did he mention that he hates the plan?
—-
Steve & the Asset
He dresses carefully, ensuring the tuxedo is properly buttoned and tucked. The bowtie crisp and pocket square just so. The quality of the fabric is better than anything the Asset had been allowed to wear on a mission.
Are you sure you're going to be okay with our plan? Steve asks.
The Asset is quiet but calm. Yes. Lydia is in danger.
Steve agrees.
The Asset ties the dress shoes, and looks in the mirror. Will we get to live freely after this?
Steve's quiet for a moment, I hope so.
—
Tony
They arrive at the small venue, and they are thoroughly searched. Natasha loses all of her knives. Every gun and hidden weapon on the rest of them is confiscated.
They'd expected this. Knowing she'd be searching for weapons. So Tony had cooked up a few pieces of tech to replace them. Much more subtle and not what the security were looking for, so they passed inspection as they entered the dimly lit room. A dark second level circled above them.
Everywhere was filled with smoke and the smell of liquor. He itches for a drink but resists. Who knows what's actually in these glasses, but also, he needs to keep all of his wits about him for what they're about to try.
They circle the room. The music is so loud, pounding heavily and Tony can guess why. Both the Asset and Barnes have slight grimaces on their faces. It's too loud for their sensitive hearing. But neither had wanted dampeners.
The majority of the people present were dancing or drinking and Tony had to wonder how many of them actually knew what was taking place. If they knew they were celebrating the psychotic bitch from hell.
Tony looks over to see the crowd splitting. A tall security guard stalks towards them, eyes bored and hands at ease. He stands and looks over to the Asset.
"Come with me." He says in a deep voice, "she wants to speak with you."
"Over my dead body." Bucky snarls. Stepping in front of the Asset, "all of us or none of us."
Tony calculates the timing. So far the plan is going well. They knew she would be the one to approach them, and that she'd try to separate the Asset from them. But their plan was to ensure they all stayed together. So he wondered what the guard would say to their refusal.
"She insists." The guard says, looking even more bored.
"Tell her she can sho—" Bucky starts. But the Asset surprises all of them by gently pushing Bucky to the side.
"The Asset will go."
Tony freezes, eyes widening. That is definitely not part of the plan.
"No!" Bucky shouts, reaching for the Asset's arm.
But the Asset is quicker, stepping out of his reach. "The mission is not in charge of the Asset." He says it flatly. And it's a total 180 on how he's been acting the last few days.
"Steve!"
"The Asset." The Asset insists.
Oh. No. Oh crap. Not now.
Tony watches the panic that blossoms onto Barnes' face. Tony watches in awe as his stance shifts, shoulders tensing and sliding back into the soldier he once was. "I don't fucking care which one of you it is. You're. Not. Going."
The speakers crackle and suddenly a female voice can be heard. It's low and Tony can tell it's attempting to be sultry, but it just makes his flesh crawl.
"Asset." It says over the noise, confusing the people who are dancing to the music that is still playing. "Come to me."
Tony's head whips around looking for the source, but he can't see anyone on a stage or with a mic. They all look towards the Asset whose color is draining from his face.
"Asset." It orders, "come here." The voice disappears and the people just keep dancing, not aware. They're in a room surrounded by who knows how many explosives.
"Don't—" Bucky pleads, "please."
But the security guard is already leading the Asset away and they follow cautiously.
And then she's there. Off to the side and standing with her hands on her hips as if waiting to scold a child who had strayed too far.
Tony doesn't miss the way Natasha stiffens at the sight of her.
Tony messes with his watch, subtly tapping and using Jarvis to locate the explosives and begin the process of hopefully disconnecting them from the remote detonator.
They all stop, maybe 5 feet in front of her. And the juxtaposition of the mindless party goers filling the room, while they have a life or death stand off to the side would be humorous if it wasn't so dire.
She's tall and commanding, with long hair streaked with plenty of gray. Her skin is tan, and her blue eyes are icy and piercing. She somehow manages to be terrifying and disgusting in her tight fitted black dress meant to emulate the widows uniforms.
Red nails and red lips and red jewelry accents made her almost gory in the flashing lights.
"Avengers." She says in the lightest of accents. "Welcome." She gestures widely with a sharp smirk and looks at the Asset. "You've come home."
No one moves or speaks or breathes. And the Asset just looks at her, eyes wide and body tense.
"Come here." She commands. And Tony watches in horror as all traces of Steve, or the voice or whoever was helping the Asset remember he's not a robot, disappear.
The Asset moves, standing in front of her.
"Kneel."
Bucky takes an aborted step forward as the Asset deftly kneels in front of her.
"Stop." Bucky demands. "Stop."
She raises an eyebrow and steps closer to the Asset. She snaps her fingers and the security guard is suddenly beside her.
"Seal the exits." She says calmly. He nods and is gone as the group of them stiffens at her words.
Tony angles his body so it's hidden behind Clint, working furiously on his watch while keeping his eyes on the Headmistress.
She gestures for the Asset to turn around and he does. Facing them, on his knees, with blank eyes and a flat expression.
"See." She says smuggly, "you can take the Asset out of the red room, but you can't take the red room out of the Asset." As she says this, she runs a finger along the Asset's jaw, dragging her nail across his skin.
Tony's seeing red and he knows Barnes' is too because Natasha's gripping his arm hard, holding him tightly.
"He's not yours." Bucky snarls, "he's not anyone's property! He's a human being!"
She tilts her head as if his outburst amuses her. "Hmm. I beg to differ." She says with a sky smile, "the things I witnessed him do…" she makes a 'tsk' 'tsk' 'tsk' noise with her tongue and then grins, "the things we did together." Her face is ghoulish in the light change and Bucky rips out of Natasha's grasp, leaping forward. The Asset winces and Bucky's head whips up and to the right, stopping in his tracks.
He gasps and lurches back.
"You need to learn to control your temper." She says with a hiss. She stands behind the kneeling Asset, her hips pressed against his back, her legs on either side of his calves. "People get hurt when you don't behave." She drags her hand across the Asset's chest, sliding it under his tux jacket.
He expects Barnes to try to attack her again, but he doesn't, eyes frozen on the Asset whose face is blank.
When she brings her hand out, Tony can see the glisten of something dark in the dim and flashing lights. Blood.
"Just a little reminder that you are not the ones in control here." She says menacingly. She snaps twice and little red dots appear all across the Asset's chest. Tony's head whips up, but in the dark flashing venue, the snipers could be anywhere.
"Okay." Tony says, "you got us. You're in control. Now what do you want?"
"The Asset." She says in annoyance. "Are you all imbeciles? I've been very clear about my intentions to retrieve him. I've missed my personal security guard and night-time companion. Sure, he took a while to train, but once I knew how to control him, he was magnificent." She grazes her nails through the Asset's hair and leans down, pressing her lips against his neck, leaving a red lipstick mark.
Bucky growls, fury radiating off him in waves so strong Tony's surprised it's not physically pushing them backwards. "Get your slimy, disgusting, hideous hands off of him." He snarls.
She raises her eyebrows and slowly raises her hands in mock surrender. "How about this?" She straightens, "Asset? Open your mouth."
Tony stiffens as the Asset's mouth opens, and he has to physically keep himself from slamming a fist against her face as she takes her finger, licks it slowly, and then swirls it inside the Asset's mouth without him flinching.
It's too much. Bucky's ready to launch himself at her, but the red dots reappear and this time Tony hears the silenced shot and watches in horror as the Asset leans back, taking the shot to the torso in silence.
"I'm going to kill you." Bucky says, feral, eyes ablaze with more hatred than Tony has ever seen. "Painfully. And I'm going to enjoy every damn second."
"Sergeant Barnes. The American Hero? Kill for pleasure?" She smirks, "please. I know what was done to you under Zola's hands. The men's lives you took from your sniper's perch. You're no hero. Don't pretend to be."
"Never have." He snarls. "Don't want to be."
"Then we are a circle of friends. Equals. No heroes among us, right?" She turns to Tony, "warmonger. Profiteering of the sales of weapons that kill and destroy."
"Not anymore." He rasps out.
She scoffs, "yes. Only took you what? Until your 40's to realize that your weapons were in the wrong hands?" Tony stiffens and glares at her. But she turns to Clint.
"And you. Little circus boy runaway. How many have you killed before you decided you could be a "hero?" I'm sure those skeletons overflow your closet."
Clint is silent. Ignoring the woman, eyes still on the Asset.
"And you." She says, her eyes finally landing on Natasha. "So much disappointment. You were the best. You had everything. Hell, you could have taken my place one day. The vile, horrible things you've done. A masterpiece of deception. Your seduction skills? Unparalleled. Your ability to kill? Masterful. But suddenly you're working on the side of the "angels"? And you stand here judging me?"
She starts to undo the bow tie around the Asset's neck. Tossing it to the side, and slowly undoes each button down the front. Her fingers trailing along his chest. "Watch." She says with an eyebrow raise. "Asset, remember when I would do this?"
She starts to place kisses on his cheek, jaw, neck, collarbone.
His face stays blank, but Tony watches a tightness around his eyes that wasn't there before. Is it pain from being shot twice? Or discomfort at her touch. She laughs and straightens, pushing the sides of his shirt away and trailing her fingers in the blood dripping from the wound on his chest. She makes gruesome patterns on his skin, staining the white shirt all while smiling at them, daring them to challenge her.
"Do you know how many times I have had his blood on my hands?" She asks lightly, as if asking about the weather. "How many times I have personally sliced his skin, or punished him for misbehaving? The gallons he's lost at my hands." And Tony sees it for what it is. She's goading them, trying to get a reaction, for them to act rashly. "Not to mention—" she continues. "You know I was his first?" She grins wickedly, pulling on the Asset's ear with her teeth before digging her nails into his shoulders as she straightens, "I'll be his last too. We'll resume our little nighttime activities. He was always such a giving partner."
"Tony?" Bucky asks, his voice raw and eyes glued to the Asset's face. "Green?"
He looks down where Jarvis has only 2% left of the explosives to disconnect. "Yellow." He says quietly.
"Please." The Headmistress says with a laugh, "you don't think I was notified the first moment they started to go offline?" Tony looks up to see her amused expression. "You may have dismantled the main explosives. But you have not disabled the second set that I always lay as a safeguard."
The what.
Tony's mind races, trying to think what to do when she speaks again.
"I knew the Asset would tell you about the explosives. But… he also knows I always set a separate set of charges. Did he tell you that?"
Bucky's voice is sharp like flint, "no."
And for the first time since they arrived the Asset speaks. "The mission withheld the information about Lydia."
Tony's eyes close in realization and he hears Bucky suck in a sharp breath. "You knew?"
"The Asset will not allow Lydia to die. The Asset will depart with the Headmistress to ensure Lydia's safety."
The Headmistress grins so widely that Tony can imagine knocking out every single one of those teeth glowing colors in the ever changing party lights.
"You're not going." Bucky growls, "you don't get to make the sacrificial play again. No way in hell."
"Time's a-ticking, Avengers." She says with a grin. "Does he come with me easily? Or do we all go down in a boom, with 200 innocent civilians?" She gestures to the crowd of still ignorant partygoers.
"Leave." The Asset says firmly, staring at Barnes. "Don't do anything stupid—" the Asset's voice dies off almost like he was purposefully cutting himself off.
It means nothing to them, but Bucky stiffens and his face gets murderous, "you—" he chokes out."
The Headmistress rolls her eyes. "Men. Always so dramatic. Asset, stand." He does and she stands in front of him, pointing to Natasha, "you care to rejoin? We could always use your skill."
"Burn in hell." Natasha glares at her.
"Your choice." The headmistress snaps and smiles, "Asset? Guard me as we exit."
She walks and the Asset follows her closely, disappearing into the crowd.
Both Bucky and Clint move to follow when Natasha yanks them back. Bucky turns to snarl at her, when she points. Their eyes land on the little red dot on the back of the Asset's head.
Bucky crumples, sitting on his heels and clutching at his head. Tony can see the tension vibrating off him.
"Barnes, pull it together." He says softly. But the man still crouches, ignoring the music and the dancing and the party.
"That son of a bitch!" He growls at the ground, teeth gritted and voice furious.
"Don't worry." Natasha tries to say calmly, "we'll get her—"
"Not her." Bucky spits out, "Steve! That—" his throat cuts off and he slams his metal fist onto the floor, denting it, "he planned this."
Tony blinks, "what?"
"I should have known. I should have known!" They're staring at him like he's insane and he straightens, stabbing in the direction where Steve left. "That isn't the Asset."
Tony furrows his brow, "huh?" Bucky's hands dig into his skull and he groans. "Barnes, we're lost here, help us out."
His voice is practically feral, "don't do anything stupid—" he hisses, "that bastard!"
"James." Natasha says softly, "we're wasting precious time, talk to us."
"The night before I left for war. Back in the 40's. Right before Steve met Erskine, we were at the world's fair." He looks at Tony, "the one your dad had his flying car in. And when I left him outside the recruitment stand, I told him "don't do anything stupid until I get back." He growls in frustration again, scaring the nearest group of dancing girls and slams his fist into the palm of his other hand. "Steve knew we wouldn't allow him to sacrifice himself for Lydia. So he—" he bites his tongue in anger, "he just told me that he's planning on coming back. But first he has to do what he thinks he has to do. Which is save Lydia."
Tony stands there stunned, "are you sure?"
Bucky looks at him with anguish and anger filled eyes. "Steve would never risk these civilians or Lydia's life just to save his own. That's why I didn't tell him in the first place. He—" he sighs and his shoulders sag, "I never could stop him from throwing himself into any fight he felt necessary." He growls, "I'm going to kill him after I kill her!"
"So what now?" Clint asks, "what's our next step since our plan is shot to hell. Which, for the record, I hated in the first place."
"We know." Natasha snaps. "We know."
"Get these people out of here." Tony says, "whether she's lying about the second set of explosives or not, we still have to get these people out just in case."
"Somebody pull the fire alarm."
"Jarvis?" Tony says softly, bringing his watch up to his face. "Care to do the honors?"
He doesn't receive a verbal response, but the lights flash on, startling the partygoers and then the siren begins, wailing loudly and making everybody start to scatter.
"Sprinklers for good measure." Tony orders.
In a second the room is drenched and 200+ people are shrieking and escaping through the blessedly now unlocked doors.
"So now we need to follow her." Bucky says, water dripping off his drenched hair, "she can't have gotten too far yet."
Tony smiles, the first moment in this wretched day where he feels a moment of hope. "Actually," he starts with a smirk, "the great thing about Stark's and suits, is that we're always getting kidnapped in them. So…" he draws it out with a wink, bringing up a holographic map, "our resident sacrificial soldier is right about—" he points to a slow moving dot, "here."
Bucky stares at the dot, "remind me to thank you when we find him."
"Remind me to give him a slap on the head for pulling a shitty move like this."
Bucky's face darkens. "Get in line."
—-
Steve & The Asset
It was disturbingly easy to help the Asset to sink back into the recesses of programming and allow themselves to act the part.
When she orders him to come, and kneel, and open his mouth, it is easy to comply like he'd been forced to do for 40 years.
Even being shot was like old times. A burning in his chest. Obviously not meant to be a kill shot, even a major wound. Just enough to scare his teammates.
When her finger entered his mouth, Steve had had to repeat a phrase to keep the Asset from biting off her finger.
It's for Lydia. It's for Lydia.
It's for Lydia. It's for Lydia.
It's for Lydia. It's for Lydia.
The second shot hurts more, blasting through his abdominal wall and making kneeling difficult.
Then she's touching him and kissing him and it takes every ounce of both of their willpowers not to reach up and snap her neck. He could. So easily. But he knows about the heart monitor tied to the detonator. Knows all her safeguards. Knows he can't trick her into giving Lydia up. He has to ensure she believes she's won. Because she won't let down her guard until she's absolutely positive she's come out on top.
He's watched it over and over. He knows exactly how she works. Which is why he knew he had to get her alone.
She leads him to the back exit where she orders him into a car. They drive a few miles, then stop at an old warehouse. She orders him to follow her and they enter a back room where she orders him to undress. He complies without hesitation, knowing she's not going to order him to do that right now.
He's handed black combat pants, a plain black t-shirt and black boots.
His old Red Room Uniform.
He swallows down the anxiety he feels, knowing this is still part of his plan. The fact that they had these ready meant she was so confident she would win. It makes him sick. But it also gives him hope that she may let down her guard earlier. He notices that only one security guard walks out with them. Their assumption of his compliant behavior will be their downfall.
Once he's dressed and ready she orders him to an empty parking lot out the back. "Get in the driver's seat."
"Lydia." He says sharply. She eyes him with an amused expression.
"No."
"The Asset will not comply further until Lydia's safety is assured."
She stares at him, mouth pursed in anger. "You will do as I say and get in the car."
"The Asset will do whatever is required of him. After Lydia's safety is assured."
"What is your issue with the widows? You were always too emotional about them. Crying and trying to protect them as if they mattered." She slaps him hard enough to make his face reel back. He doesn't react. Just stays blank faced.
"What if I just kill you and Lydia huh? What then?" He stays silent, knowing the Asset would not speak when asked such a question. She jabs her fingers into the wound on his torso, "get into the car, Asset."
He does not flinch, only grits his teeth tight at the searing pain. "Lydia."
She pulls a gun out of a side holster and points it directly between his eyes. "I'm ordering you to get in the car and drive."
He stares straight ahead, knowing that if she pulls the trigger, he'll be unable to save Lydia or the other spiders… But it's his only option. If he doesn't save her now, she'll be dead and sunk into some river by tomorrow, forgotten by everyone but him. So he stands there, still as a statue and just says. "Lydia."
This is the part where he finds out if his gamble pays off. If she refuses, then he kills her. Ensuring the safety of at least all the other spiders who are free. If she agrees, then he follows her until she's let her guard down and he kills her then.
He hopes she picks the latter. Both he and the Asset would never forgive themselves if Lydia was killed on behalf of them.
She glares at him. "Fine." She pulls out a phone and clicks a few buttons, still keeping the gun pointed at his forehead. She holds the phone to her ear and barks some commands.
Steve can hear the voice on the other end. Both he and the Asset listen intently.
"Get the brat and let her go." She snaps.
"Confirm?"
"Echo, Three, Bravo, Romeo, Five, S—."
The Asset takes over without warning, snaking out his hand and grasping her neck tightly. And Steve hears his own voice drop an octave to a terrifying level. "Finish that code and the Asset will snap your neck right now, without any concerns about the consequences." He feels a bullet enter his shoulder and he growls. "Tell him to stop." The Headmistress raises a hand for the security guard to stand down.
This is not part of the plan! Steve shouts, She'll kill Lydia!
That was the code to kill. The Asset replies. We know her codes. She doesn't know that we know them. But we do. We pieced them together over the period of time we served under her.
Steve's stunned, running through his memories but coming up empty. He sighs, there's a lot more merging that has to happen.
Okay. Steve says calmly, I trust you.
The Headmistress is staring up at him in shock. The Asset speaks again. "You could pull that trigger and kill the Asset quickly. But you know how fast the Asset is. The Asset would have enough time and strength to ensure that you die first. Choose wisely."
Steve watches, unsure of what she'll choose. Everything they know about this woman tells them that she isn't afraid to go down in a fight. But that's when she's surrounded by a crowd, taking everyone with her. She's willing to die when it would cause the most damage. Even her death would be a win for her psychotic cause. It's easy to feel confident when you've escaped every fight or been in full control your entire life.
But here she's alone. No one else but him to die along with her and he has no fear of death. He's died a thousand times over. What's once more?
Steve watches as true terror of dying enters her eyes. She's never faced someone who's been able to catch her this vulnerable. Even while she holds a gun to his head. The cold press of the steel should scare him. But after the life he's lived, he just feels calm. Ready to do what needs to be done to ensure the spiders get a chance at freedom.
The security guard who walked out with them is standing with his gun pointed at his head as well. But he's a full 4 feet from Steve. He'd still have time to snap her neck before the bullet hit him.
There's a long weighted pause. And he watches her consider all her options before heaving a big sigh and speaking again on the phone.
"Code change. Echo, Three, Kilo, Juliet, Nine, Sierra."
"Confirmed." Both Steve and the Asset hear the voice say.
The Asset holds out his hand for the phone, his other hand still on her neck. She still holds the gun to his head, and he is positive they must make quite the sight.
She places the phone in his hand and he puts it to his ear. The Asset relinquishes control and Steve takes over.
"Put Lydia on the phone."
There's a pause. "Confirm?"
He raises an eyebrow and the Headmistress rolls her eyes and shouts, "just do it, Barb."
"Okay." The voice says, clearly annoyed.
A soft voice speaks. "Hello?"
"Lydia?"
"Recluse!"
"Get somewhere safe. When you do. Inform the Asset what your present was. If you answer incorrectly, the Asset will know you're not safe and the Headmistress dies."
Another eye roll from the Headmistress that he ignores. He's still speaking like the Asset, hedging his bets.
"Okay." She whispers, and then he can hear the sounds of her running. He stays on the line as he listens to the sounds of bustling city streets behind her. He waits and they stand there in their odd little limbo. He senses her finger tighten on the trigger and he doesn't flinch, just tightens his hold around her neck. She huffs and loosens her grip.
He doesn't.
The terror is present in her eyes and he does not relish in it, but he is gratified that someone who made him so miserable for so long can understand even just a fraction of the fear she caused.
A long time passes before he hears her stop running. She's breathing heavily when she speaks again. "Recluse?"
"Yes?"
"A coin."
"Affirmative. Stay safe."
"You too."
He doesn't answer. Quick as a flash, and with the skill of someone born to throw things with perfect aim, he flicks his wrist, snapping the phone to the side and clipping the security guard directly between the eyes, knocking him out cold. He hits the asphalt with a heavy thud, leaving them alone in the quiet of the night.
"Get in the car." She orders.
He laughs. Head tipping back and full of mirth. "You still don't get it do you?"
She stares at him, and he senses the trigger releasing. He jerks his head to the side, dropping her neck and grabbing her hand, crunching her wrist as he narrowly avoids the bullet entering his skull. She growls, clutching her wrist and kicks, deftly and gracefully even in her age. He dodges easily and then lunges, grappling for a second before grabbing hold of her neck again. This time with both hands.
"Asset." She says in her most commanding tone, "stand down."
He laughs again. "Don't you get it? The Asset isn't listening to you. And my name is Steve." His face hardens, "we haven't met before."
Her eyes widen infinitesimally and then she frowns. "What happened to the control device?" And the way she says this so clinically, so uncaring about him as a human being has fury building up in his chest.
He glares at her. "It's gone."
"Damn." She says, genuinely annoyed. "I should have just killed you and your friends."
His hands squeeze tighter and her hands grasp at his.
"Is Captain America about to kill someone in cold blood?" She hisses, barely able to suck in air, "what a news story that will make."
"I haven't been that in a long time." He threatens. But there's a gleam in her eye he doesn't like.
"What would America think if they saw their 40's war hero made into a killer? How would they take to see the assassinations, the heinous acts you committed in the name of Hydra. Across all nations and states. Your friends have the files, but so do we. You'd be a wanted man on every continent." That makes his grip tighten and she smiles, knowing she hit a nerve. "Who would want you around after seeing what you've done?"
"What you made me do." He growls.
"But you still did it." She responds with a raised eyebrow. "You kill me and the order to release those tapes to the public goes out. All of them. Even the tapes of the Red Room. If I'm dead, what do I care about how many girls' lives are put in jeopardy? Every operative known and shoved into the spotlight. Girls who've gone straight thrown into prison because you allowed their pasts to be revealed. So selfish."
"You're bluffing."
"Maybe." She shrugs, too cavalier for having her oxygen mostly cut off, her voice getting more hoarse by the second, eyes scrunched in pain, "maybe not."
He doesn't know what to do, and neither does the Asset. This was not part of their guesses on what her plan of attack would be. Although it's foolish now to think she wouldn't have access. Of course she would.
"Work for me." She offers, barely a rasp, "work for me and I'll leave them alone."
A shift in the air makes him stiffen, the air splits with a crack and he's not quick enough to move her out of the way. Blood and brain matter splatters on his face and arms, spraying his t-shirt and causing him to flinch at the heat and smell.
He drops her lifeless body, stepping back with a lurch.
The sound of repulsors appear and a clunk of metal. He looks over to see the suit he'd seen Tony fly in before, open up and reveal the man inside.
"Who am I talking to, and are you okay?"
"Steve. And no."
Tony blink as Steve turns, eyes landing on top of the warehouse where the head of someone rests. A sniper's rifle beside it.
"Bucky." He says in annoyance, loud enough he knows the man can hear.
The figure moves, disappearing and then reappearing out the door on the ground level. He runs over and then grimaces at the sight of Steve covered in bodily fluids. "Sorry,"
Steve huffs angrily, "what the hell were you thinking! I told you I was going to come bac—"
"What the hell was I thinking!?" Bucky shouts, "what in the hell was that stunt you just pulled!"
"Do you have any idea what you've just done!" Steve shouts, hands threading through his hair, "she threatened to have all the documents released to the public if she died! All of them Buck! Everything that I did! The Red Room, Eve—"
"Steve." Tony cuts in, stepping back into his suit, "I'll have Jarvis check the nets. We'll catch anything before it makes headway."
"How?" He asks, "Nets? How can you do that?"
"The internet." Tony says with a frown. "She probably meant release it on the internet. Jarvis is a whiz at the internet. He'll catch it."
Steve looks at the face of the man who seems so sure, that he almost believes him. "If those get out—"
"They won't." He responds confidently. "Promise."
"How did you guys find me?"
"Tracker in your suit." Tony says easily.
Steve looks down, mind reeling from everything, "I'm not in the suit."
And for some reason that makes Tony laugh. "Yeah, that's true, but you are standing outside the building where the suit is currently in a heap on the floor. So… Wasn't too difficult to track you from there given that it's about…" He looks at the parking lot, "100 feet."
If he'd allowed himself to get in the car and not fight for Lydia right away he would have been lost to the world. In her control. He'd have given in for fear of ruining those girls' lives when she threatened the document leak.
Steve's shoulders sag and he drops to heels, sitting on them and wiping at his face with the back of his hands. He stares at the two bodies. The unconscious security guard and the woman who tortured him, sprawled and missing half her brain.
He heaves, lurching to the car and vomiting behind it.
A hand clutches his shoulder and he shoves it away, needing space.
Is it over? The Asset asks quietly.
I… I think so.