"Tony, where are you going?" Pepper asked, following the Prince in the castle.
"Didn't you hear? Rebels were in the city today!" he called back at her, a mixture of excitement and annoyance.
"So? What has that do with anything?" she asked and almost bumped into his as he stopped.
"Rogers helped them escape," he turned around and looked at her shocked face.
"What? Why?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out… I overheard the guards saying Stane had a visit from four of them yesterday. He might know something…" he continued to walk.
"Why are you so upset about it? I mean… Yes, it's said Rogers helped them, but why-?"
"Because I got a feeling something is up… Stane is hiding things from me… from the whole Kingdome… I want to figure out what that is."
"Prince Antony!" Thor exclaimed surprised, seeing the prince walk by. "You seem in a hurry. What is the matter? Can I help you?"
"Allow me to see if I understand correctly…" Red Skull had his eyed closed and chin resting on the top of his hands. He was in his private quarters, looking into a pool of water, where a man's face was.
"How many times do you want me to say it Johan?" Stane's annoyed voice came from the water.
"We were supposed to have a hanging but they escaped. The ones who know about you. Care to tell me how they figured it out?"
"That is not my main concern… It's not 'how' or 'why' they know… It's 'who' knows…" Red opened his eyes, and narrowed them.
"I told you… A man, metal arm. There was a woman, red-haired. From the throne room, I know they have the Maximoff girl. And there was another man."
"…Stane… do you know who you were about to kill?"
"No, only that Rogers cared enough for them to betray his Kingdome."
"Naturally… That man who was to hang was the Winter Soldier. You've heard of him yes?"
"…You're jesting…"
"No, I am not. The red head was likely the Black Widow. You had both of the leaders of the rebels in your hands and you allowed them to escape!"
"How was I to know? Were they not supposed to me myths?"
"My friend… you should know nothing in our world is as it seems…"
"…Does our deal still stand Skull?"
"Yes, but it's changed a bit… I want those Rebels alive. I don't care about the Prince. When your men find them, I want them alive and unharmed."
"And how are we to find them?"
"Let me worry about that. Actually… I already have a plan in motion…"
"Yeah, yeah…" Clint rubbed the back of his head. "Eat up. Laura would be sad if you leave anything in those bowls" he stated, before looking at the Winter Soldier.
"I'm just a farmer right now. True, I taught archery to the men of the crown – but I retired. What I can tell you however is that Stane is weird. He is part of the reason why I left. Something about him doesn't seem clean." Clint spoke, before walking towards the door. "If you need any help, tell me. Rogers knows what I am capable of." Then he left towards his house, to eat with his family.
"Thank you, Clint." Rogers called after him, finishing the soup in his bowl – which was delicious – before standing up. "So, you plan on going to your camp?"
"Why exactly did he retire?" Sam asked, slightly out of context. He never got that story, only heard rumors that he had stopped teaching.
"Various reasons. I fear only he knows them all, but from what I heard, Stane wasn't satisfied with the way he dealt with people. You know how Clint is, he isn't one to kill just because he was ordered to. And that was something he didn't like, obviously, and threatened with consequences for his family. That was when he retired."
"So he doesn't like Stane too."
"Probably. But his first priority always was his family, so I guess he would have left no matter if he would have been okay with Stane or not. Also, he is an honest man. So if he says Stane isn't clean, something is probably up. I myself thought Stane always to be secretive; it's possible he's hiding something"
"Glad to know we're not the only ones who think that way," Natasha nodded and finished her soup.
"But still… We should head back. Who knows what's happened in the time we were gone," she added and stretched her arms.
"You want to break Brock's fun already?" Sam grinned and put his blow into Wanda's.
"He's had enough for a while," James shrugged and stood.
"He probably thinks we're dead and took control," Widow grinned as the rebels laughed.
"I can imagine the guys sitting there, sleeping or bored to death by him. Rumlow always talked too much," Wilson laughed.
A few seconds later, the four fell silent and turned to Steve.
"Rogers, are you coming along? Or are you staying here?" the rebels turned to the Captain, waiting for his answer.
"I did plan to do so, yeah" Rogers answered. "If you want me to keep you company, that is." -honestly, he would tag along anyway.
"Thor!" Tony was surprised to see the wizard walking around.
"I am looking for my Uncle. Have you seen him?" oh how he hated using the word 'uncle' for Stane, but he had to make it seem like they were getting along.
That's when Stark saw some guards walking towards the King's chambers and narrowed his eyes. What was that all about?
"My Lord," Sitwell knocked and waited for an answer.
"Enter," Stane's voice came and the knight stepped in, going to one knee quickly.
"We have searched the entire city, but cannot find the escaped rebels or Captain Rogers."
"How incapable are you men!"
"Please, forgive us sir. They are better than they seem," the knight lowered his head.
And then Skull's words came back to the Lord. Of just who they were.
"Did you find anything at all?" he sighed and frowned.
"…There were some eyewitnesses who claim they saw them going outside the city walls. We checked the Barton's house, but found nothing."
"Did you check the barn?" Obadiah rolled his eyes.
"…No… Clint was very possessive of his property as always…" Sitwell sounded scared.
"Hmm…" Stane got an idea and smirked.
"Well… Would you be as kind as to inform Sir Barton I wish to invite him to dinner?" a plan hatched in his head he connected the dots.
Roughly an hour after his guests had left the barn, Clint saw a messenger coming towards his house. He had just finished milking the cows, when he saw the man riding towards him.
"Clint Barton?"
"What is it?" He was suspicious, but hid it well.
"I am here to inform you that Lord Stane invites you to have dinner with him."
"What is if i deny?"
"Lord Stane would not be pleased."
"I understand. Tell him i will follow the invitation" Clint said, and the messenger nodded before turning around and leaving. Clint gulped.
That was not good.
He entered his house. "Laura?"
"Yes Clint?"
"Pack your things, take the kids, and go to your aunt in Berry Hill. I got invited to eat dinner with Stane."
Laura paled. "...alright. Be careful, honey. I don't want to lose you."
"Always." Clint smirked a bit weakly, and then got a good-bye-kiss from his wife, who right after called for Lila and Cooper to pack their things, they would visit Aunt Darcy. Clint meanwhile got the carriage ready and brought the cows and the pigs to the pastures, before he left his family, and made his way to the town. He had taken his sword, bow and quiver with him - should they ask, he had the excuse that it were dangerous times and he didn't want to wander around unarmed.
"I was on my way to Lord Stane myself, but it appears that he is already busy. Would you confide in me and tell me what you want from Lord Stane?" Thor wore a friendly smile on his face. It was an open secret that the relationship between Prince Antony and Lord Stane was more than just tense.
"…I um… Merely wanted to ask about the rebels who came to the city today," Tony hated lying to Thor, but right now, he didn't know who he could trust.
"The Prince's safety is a priority after all. We simply wish to make sure he is safe and away from the rebels," Pepper quickly added, following Stark's lead.
"Unless you happen to know anything?" the two turned to the wizard.
"Alright. If you want, come along. But you better keep up," James smiled and patted Steve on the back. "Welcome to the Rebellion," the four smiled and set out.
"I'm gonna miss good food…" Sam groaned as they walked through the woods.
"Oh c'mon! Sharon makes really great roasted rabbits," Nat nudged him in the ribs.
"Don't forget the mushed mushrooms," Barnes threw in.
"She is the only one who can really cook," Wanda chuckled before they all stopped in their tracks.
"Do you smell that?" Nat asked and looked at the three.
"Smoke… I can hear something burning…" Bucky muttered, sword already in hand.
"It's in the direction of-" their heats stopped for a moment before using all their power to sprint towards the smoke, as they could see fire.
"No!" they screamed, seeing their camp burning and destroyed.
"W-What happened?" Maximoff felt numb as the Winter Soldier and Falcon found a way past the flames to see if anyone's still alive.
"They found us… Impossible… How?!" Romanoff saw something from the corner of her eyes and took a deep breath.
There were bodies piled up on each other, but that's not what got her. It was the fact the skin from their faces had been torn, burned or peeled off.
"The Red." She shook with fury as she saw her fallen friends.
"We found one!" came Wilson's voice as Barnes carried a blonde woman in his hands.
"Carter!" Scarlet was by her side in moments, checking her with her power.
"She's alive…" she breathed easy as the boys lowered the woman.
"How did this happen?" Sam asked, looking at what was left of their home burn down.
"My Lord, Sir Barton has arrived," a helper whispered in Stane's ear.
"Perfect, send him in," the ruler was sitting at a long, food filled table, smirking.
As the large double doors opened, he stood up and smiled.
"Sir Barton, so glad you could make it," he motioned with his hand at the chair on the other side of the long table before sitting back down.
"I understand." Thor nodded. "Words are that the rebels in the city came to the town to warn Lord Stane about the red. I sensed a great spiritual power among them. It had to be a powerful sorcerer, or sorceress, i would have liked to talk with that person, but sadly they fled. The guards could catch one of them. Rumors said it was the Winter Soldier, but as i said: Rumors. Nothing is certain, and for all we know the Winter Soldier still could be a ghost story people tell their children to keep them in at night. Some people claim to have seen Steve Rogers help them flee when the rebels returned to stop their friend's death." Thor told the young prince everything he had hear, but with a low voice - he considered it to be a private conversation.
Steve laughed shortly, then followed them. However, he frowned when he saw the smoke and smelled the scent of flames burning something down - and ran after the rebels. Since he didn't knew what he could do, he wandered through the destroyed camp and looked around, and at one point following the tracks of the attackers outside the camp - before quickly returning to the others.
"It looks like they knew you were here. The tracks are leading straight towards this camp, they didn't search for it. They knew."
"Lord Stane" Clint answered, staying alert of his surroundings. He didn't trust that man one bit.
"If you allow me the question, why did you invite me?" He asked after sitting down, observing the food and Stane.
"The Winter Soldier?!" Pepper called, and quickly put both hands on her mouth.
"Who could confirm that?" she asked her voice low.
"Are you sure? Wow…" Tony was taken aback by that.
"If he's real… then was she here? The Black Widow? And still… Why would Rogers help them? Unless there's more to the story than we're told…" he murmured.
"Tony… What if Captain Rogers just… betrayed his people?" the girl didn't like the idea.
"No. He wouldn't. Rogers served under my father. I saw him. I idolized him! He'd never do something like this… not without a good reason… Stane must have some answers," he looked at Pepper.
"Want to come with me?" he grinned.
"…Are we going to break the rules again?"
"Yep!"
"…Fine… someone has to keep an eye on you," she sighed and smiled.
"Great! I know the perfect spot. Stane should be in the dining hall!" he took her by the hand and pulled her along, waving goodbye to Thor.
"What do you mean, 'they knew'?" Nat narrowed her eyes.
"You aren't suggesting we had…" Wanda looked at Rogers.
"A mole? Here?" Sam couldn't believe that idea.
"Hey, calm down everyone," James put his hands in the air.
"We can't be sure what happened. And it's clear not all of them are here…" he cast a quick glance at the body pile.
"Rumlow is missing. So are Colson, May and Jonson. The Red probably took 'em," he moved his eyes between the four.
"Wanda, Sam… Stay with Sharon here. Try and find anything. Natalia, Steve, we're going to follow and see where the tracks lead to," he lowered his hands as everyone was steady.
"Ah, straight to business I see," Stane allowed nothing to betray him as he smiled.
"I simply wanted to ask if you would reconsider joining back to the army," he took a few potatoes and dropped them on his plate.
"And… well, you are an honorable man. You have the respect and thanks of many. I simply wanted a chance to make amends after our… less than pleasant interaction."
Before Thor could say anything, the duo had vanished. So, the mage just shook his head. "I guess it's better if they hear the story of Steve from someone else..." he mumbled, before proceeding on his way. Originally he had wanted to speak with Stane himself, but now that the Lord was busy for a while, he would visit Jane.
"Well, i can say for sure that if some of the Iron had known the position of this Camp, we wouldn't have told it to Red. That's a fact. Well, if we don't have moles too, but still - this information would have passed my desk." Rogers stated, before searching for something in his pocket. "Here. It's not finished yet, but the balm should help. Thor gave it to me, saying i should try it - it should help with the wounds. Apply it directly on them." He threw the small pack to Sam, who caught it.