p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"POV- Bucky Barnes/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"I woke up in a cold sweat on the floor. The sun was just barely shining through the windows of the Avengers compound, and the cold morning seemed to match the room I was currently in. This had been my new home for the past eight months. Before now I had lived in Wakanda, under the watchful eye of the king and his incredibly smart sister. They helped me to become myself again… but that didn't stop the dreams from coming full force./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"They may have been able to take out or dispose of most of what hydra put inside me but they couldn't take away all the damage that was done mentally. Especially now that my subconscious mind is insistent on bringing back memories of the horrible things of done to people. I just have to remind myself every day that it wasn't me, that I would never do those things. Steve was the only one who could truly ever convince otherwise and now he's gone too. Everyone is gone./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"I get up from my place on the floor and place the thin blanket that I used onto the bed. It's just too soft for me to sleep on matter what I do./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" After I get dressed, I decide to go for a run. I don't usually like to sleep with my arm on, so at first, I decide to leave it off until I get back. According to everyone here I am safe, so there shouldn't be any need for it… maybe I will put it on before I go out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" It used to be a lot more painful. Something that I just had to live with and get used to. Then Zuri came along and changed that. I can't remember the last time I was this pain free, at least physically./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" As I'm passing the gym on my run, I hear loud grunted and the sound of metal hitting metal. The doors are open and the air is musky in the room; humid./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Sam -the knucklehead- is inside sweating up a storm. He's throwing Steve's shield around the room. I'm assuming he's trying to drive it in the wall with the angle he's throwing it at. Not exactly sure how he would do it, his form is completely wrong and he's not using enough force./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Did a stormtrooper teach you how to throw that?" I yell out, just as he throws it again. It slips from his hand in surprise and clangs onto the floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "So, you finally watched Star Wars, didn't you?" he says while panting heavily. "Real clever."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You're not throwing it right."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Really? I couldn't tell by the amount of times it's fallen to the floor." he says sarcastically and picks it up again./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You aren't using enough force and you're throwing it too straight forward. You need to angle it or it won't come back to you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "When did you become an expert?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "When Steve was learning how to control it too."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" He goes quiet and hands me the shield, asking me silently to demonstrate for him. I do but add my own little sense of pizazz, having it bounce off the wall and head straight for Sam's chest. He tries to catch it but his stance is too close and, in the end, it throws him straight onto his back. Knocking the air right out of him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I hate you." He groans./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" I'm about to counter back when a familiar voice reaches my ears. One I've come to know well and respect. Pepper Pots. Ever since Tony sacrificed himself, she took over the avenger's unit. She's rarely here though unless there is a problem, so this visit makes me a little bit nervous./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Bucky, Sam, I need you in the conference room in five minutes. I've got a special mission for you two." She says before exiting just as quick as she came./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "For us two?" Sam questions as he's finally able to get up on his feet. He's rubbing his chest dramatically./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" I just ignore him and continue on to the conference room. He follows close behind me, mumbling something about how he'll "take me down next time"./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" When we arrive, Pepper is talking with a girl. She's short with brown shoulder length hair. She has converse on and a nice-looking blouse with a floral skirt, her cheeks are blushed red and with my advanced eyesight I can tell her eyes are a beautiful hazel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Sam comes in behind me and I stop him with a hand to his chest. "Ain't she a real cookie?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" He just looks at me inquisitively before sitting at one of the seats./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Her and Peppers eyes travel over to me standing in the doorway and I become acutely aware that I'm still only wearing workout clothes and my hair is in what modern society calls a "man bun". Not exactly the first impression I wanted to make on the first girl I've found attractive in 70 years./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "This is Clara Hall. She's the girl you will be getting information from and protecting the next few weeks." Pepper says and hands both me and Sam a file. "A year after Thanos, Tony made a sort of scholarship program for young, smart individuals around the world. They were given anything they needed -along with money- to work on projects that were approved by him. Until five months ago, it had remained a semi undercover operation. These individuals weren't making or using the safest of materials so it had to stay on the downlow. That is until one of them went missing, then another, and another. The original twelve is down to single one, and she is currently in this room."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "So, you need us to protect her from whoever's been kidnapping them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Not exactly." The girl Clara speaks up, her voice smooth and assertive. "Yes, you will be around to make sure I am not taken as well but my project is more important than that. As well as the other projects I was able to collect from my comrades. You will be protecting me, my life's work and trying to find who has been stealing my friends."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I'll protect you." I blurt out, keeping my face stone so I don't let out that I'm surprised by my words. "I mean we- we will protect you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Um thank you." She says giving me an anxious smile, then looking down and my arm. "Is that vibranium?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Yes, I got it from my time in Wakanda."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "That's so cool!" she exclaims, suddenly becoming very excited. "I've been wanting to use that sort of material for my molecular project for years now but I've never been able to get permission. Tony allowed me to studies on the metal for a while, then I had to move on."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"I can she's really interested by the way her voice drops off when she said she had to move on./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "As much as I would like this conversation to continue, I need you two to go down and talk to Happy." Pepper interrupts. "He has all the rest of the information we've been able to gather. Clara, I will show you to your room. You're safe here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" She smiled and nodded gratefully, giving me a last glance before following Pepper out. I watch her as she goes, a little creepy staring never hurt anybody right?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" When she's out of sight I hear somebody clear their throat. I turn to find Sam staring at me with a suggestive smile and leaning back in his chair./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Shut up." I say and glare. I bump my hip against the table, making him lose his balance and crash onto the floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"I woke up in a cold sweat on the floor. The sun was just barely shining through the windows of the Avengers compound, and the cold morning seemed to match the room I was currently in. This had been my new home for the past eight months. Before now I had lived in Wakanda, under the watchful eye of the king and his incredibly smart sister. They helped me to become myself again… but that didn't stop the dreams from coming full force./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"They may have been able to take out or dispose of most of what hydra put inside me but they couldn't take away all the damage that was done mentally. Especially now that my subconscious mind is insistent on bringing back memories of the horrible things of done to people. I just have to remind myself every day that it wasn't me, that I would never do those things. Steve was the only one who could truly ever convince otherwise and now he's gone too. Everyone is gone./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"I get up from my place on the floor and place the thin blanket that I used onto the bed. It's just too soft for me to sleep on matter what I do./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" After I get dressed, I decide to go for a run. I don't usually like to sleep with my arm on, so at first, I decide to leave it off until I get back. According to everyone here I am safe, so there shouldn't be any need for it… maybe I will put it on before I go out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" It used to be a lot more painful. Something that I just had to live with and get used to. Then Zuri came along and changed that. I can't remember the last time I was this pain free, at least physically./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" As I'm passing the gym on my run, I hear loud grunted and the sound of metal hitting metal. The doors are open and the air is musky in the room; humid./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Sam -the knucklehead- is inside sweating up a storm. He's throwing Steve's shield around the room. I'm assuming he's trying to drive it in the wall with the angle he's throwing it at. Not exactly sure how he would do it, his form is completely wrong and he's not using enough force./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Did a stormtrooper teach you how to throw that?" I yell out, just as he throws it again. It slips from his hand in surprise and clangs onto the floor./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "So, you finally watched Star Wars, didn't you?" he says while panting heavily. "Real clever."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You're not throwing it right."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Really? I couldn't tell by the amount of times it's fallen to the floor." he says sarcastically and picks it up again./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "You aren't using enough force and you're throwing it too straight forward. You need to angle it or it won't come back to you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "When did you become an expert?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "When Steve was learning how to control it too."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" He goes quiet and hands me the shield, asking me silently to demonstrate for him. I do but add my own little sense of pizazz, having it bounce off the wall and head straight for Sam's chest. He tries to catch it but his stance is too close and, in the end, it throws him straight onto his back. Knocking the air right out of him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I hate you." He groans./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" I'm about to counter back when a familiar voice reaches my ears. One I've come to know well and respect. Pepper Pots. Ever since Tony sacrificed himself, she took over the avenger's unit. She's rarely here though unless there is a problem, so this visit makes me a little bit nervous./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Bucky, Sam, I need you in the conference room in five minutes. I've got a special mission for you two." She says before exiting just as quick as she came./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "For us two?" Sam questions as he's finally able to get up on his feet. He's rubbing his chest dramatically./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" I just ignore him and continue on to the conference room. He follows close behind me, mumbling something about how he'll "take me down next time"./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" When we arrive, Pepper is talking with a girl. She's short with brown shoulder length hair. She has converse on and a nice-looking blouse with a floral skirt, her cheeks are blushed red and with my advanced eyesight I can tell her eyes are a beautiful hazel./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Sam comes in behind me and I stop him with a hand to his chest. "Ain't she a real cookie?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" He just looks at me inquisitively before sitting at one of the seats./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" Her and Peppers eyes travel over to me standing in the doorway and I become acutely aware that I'm still only wearing workout clothes and my hair is in what modern society calls a "man bun". Not exactly the first impression I wanted to make on the first girl I've found attractive in 70 years./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "This is Clara Hall. She's the girl you will be getting information from and protecting the next few weeks." Pepper says and hands both me and Sam a file. "A year after Thanos, Tony made a sort of scholarship program for young, smart individuals around the world. They were given anything they needed -along with money- to work on projects that were approved by him. Until five months ago, it had remained a semi undercover operation. These individuals weren't making or using the safest of materials so it had to stay on the downlow. That is until one of them went missing, then another, and another. The original twelve is down to single one, and she is currently in this room."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "So, you need us to protect her from whoever's been kidnapping them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Not exactly." The girl Clara speaks up, her voice smooth and assertive. "Yes, you will be around to make sure I am not taken as well but my project is more important than that. As well as the other projects I was able to collect from my comrades. You will be protecting me, my life's work and trying to find who has been stealing my friends."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "I'll protect you." I blurt out, keeping my face stone so I don't let out that I'm surprised by my words. "I mean we- we will protect you."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Um thank you." She says giving me an anxious smile, then looking down and my arm. "Is that vibranium?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Yes, I got it from my time in Wakanda."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "That's so cool!" she exclaims, suddenly becoming very excited. "I've been wanting to use that sort of material for my molecular project for years now but I've never been able to get permission. Tony allowed me to studies on the metal for a while, then I had to move on."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"I can she's really interested by the way her voice drops off when she said she had to move on./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "As much as I would like this conversation to continue, I need you two to go down and talk to Happy." Pepper interrupts. "He has all the rest of the information we've been able to gather. Clara, I will show you to your room. You're safe here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" She smiled and nodded gratefully, giving me a last glance before following Pepper out. I watch her as she goes, a little creepy staring never hurt anybody right?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" When she's out of sight I hear somebody clear their throat. I turn to find Sam staring at me with a suggestive smile and leaning back in his chair./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" "Shut up." I say and glare. I bump my hip against the table, making him lose his balance and crash onto the floor./p