"We have to go," Bucky crossed the room quickly, grabbing Nina's arm and pulling her along when he reached her.
"Go where?" She asked over the shrill of the alarm system.
"Out there," Her eyes widened in shock and her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Of course they were going to the scene of a huge explosion. They were the Avengers.
They wound their way down to the main floor and into what might as well have been a parking garage. From the sheer size of it Nina figured they could store a plane in there if they really needed to.
Bucky unlocked a large metal case, opening it to reveal an array of rifles, shot-guns, and pistols. Nina watched, frozen, as he started pulling them out and strapping them all over his body. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do in a situation like this. She'd never held a gun in her life, let alone used one. She wasn't even fully dressed.
Bucky pushed past her and slung his leg over a motorcycle, the roar of the engine soon filling the room. Nina hadn't made a move since he let go of her. Her brain had stopped processing information. She didn't even notice the bruise already fading on her wrist.
"Get on," Bucky demanded. "Now!" He shouted when she hesitated. She jumped, flinching away from the sound.
Somehow her body moved. She climbed onto the back of the motorcycle, her arms instantly locking themselves around him. He didn't hesitate to hit the gas. The back tire squealed as they peeled out of the garage and into the night, the heavy scent of smoke lingering in the air.
There were three more explosions before they finally reached the first scene. The air was hot and heavy. Fire crackled, consuming buildings on both sides of the street. There were people screaming as the floors of their homes gave out and the roofs collapsed in on them. They stumbled into the streets, their clothes in shambles, haunting looks in their eyes as they tripped over the corpses of their neighbors.
Nina was breathless, but this wasn't the first time Bucky had seen war. He got off the motorcycle and lifted Nina off next, setting her on her feet and gripping her upper arms tight. He brought his face in close to hers. His eyes were so intense she couldn't look away.
"Get to everyone you can. Focus on one at a time. If you can't save them, move on," He ordered, raising is voice to be heard over the cacophony. When Nina's only response was to continue giving him a thousand yard stare, he lifted one hand from her shoulder and cupped her cheek.
"Nina, listen to me. These people will die without you. You have to focus," Her eyes blinked into focus and a hiccup-like sound slipped past her lips. "Can you do that?" This time she nodded, but he still wasn't sure she heard what he said. Either way, there was no time left to waste. He gave her what was meant to be a reassuring nod and ran off, rifle at the ready.
Nina looked around her, mesmerized by the flames. The screams and crumbling of buildings morphed into a droning that filled not only her ears, but her mind.
"One at a time," She echoed Bucky's words as her eyes came back down from trying to find the stars through all the smoke. There were so many bodies she didn't know where to start. After a moment, her feet simply took her to the nearest one.
The bodies in the street turned out to be just that. Every one she touched was long gone or so severely damaged it wouldn't have been possible to save them. That's not to say she didn't try. After two failed attempts she realized she was wasting time. From then on she only tended to the people who were moving. She didn't stop to think about the people she saved. The relief of one didn't end the suffering of the fifty still screaming in her ears.
Most of the commotion was, unfortunately, coming from inside the buildings around her. She began ducking in and out in short bursts. She couldn't breathe any better than the people trapped inside. She could barely see through the smoke that stung her eyes and clouded them with tears. Despite this, she did manage to drag a few people out. The irritations in her eyes and respiratory system cleared in seconds once outside, allowing her to concentrate.