Bucky
Bucky was slowly moving his real hand over his metal palm. He felt the faint grooves of the metal, he took his hand away and he put his left hand into a fist. He stared at it for another minute then put his glove back onto it. He made sure it was on and he looked back to the canopy. He looked out at the clouds, he looked at the map to see where he was exactly. He was about a few minutes from London. He put his hands on the controls and he took the Quinjet down toward the city.
Bucky slowly made the thrusters slow down. Soon the Quinjet was slowly moving above the clouds, he didn't want the city to see a Quinjet high above them. He was following the coordinates and it was toward the edge of the city, good. Bucky saw the lonely building at the edge of the city and he hovered above it. He slowly let the Quinjet hover down, he came to the height of the building and the ground opened. Bucky paused and he saw a landing pad below and he continued his descent.
Bucky felt the Quinjet land smoothly; he was getting better at the landing part. He turned the engine off and he unstrapped himself from the pilot chair. He walked toward the ramp and he hit the manual release button. He waited for the ramp to go down and it planted itself firmly on the concrete. Bucky walked down it and he came to a large hangar with numerous Quinjets and S.H.I.E.L.D personal busy with their duties. Bucky looked around in shock and he came back around seeing Fury standing there with his hands behind his back waiting.
"Some safe house Fury" Bucky said walking forward
"Well it's more of an Intel gathering site than safe house"
Bucky walked with Fury toward a large elevator.
"Ultron's making a mess" Bucky said
"Yes he is, and he is duplicating himself" Fury said
"By the reports I have seen, faster than a Catholic rabbit"
Fury chuckled "I'll have to remember that one"
"Niko is making his move in two days"
"I know, your contact has contacted me, actually just before you arrived"
"It doesn't hurt to know"
"Yeah, I'm just interested in how you're going to stop Niko"
They entered the elevator and it began to move up slowly. "I need to take out his friends first"
"How hard will that be?"
Bucky tilted his head "Together hard, but if I get them alone; they don't stand a chance"
"And will Niko just let them be separated?"
"Fortunately yes"
Fury frowned "Why would he do that?"
"Niko is a psychopath, he doesn't care about his friends, or any other of his followers for that matter"
"So his friends don't know that?"
"Some might, but most don't. He will let me kill them, because they are a means to an end"
"That's just wrong"
"He wasn't much of a leader" Bucky said
Fury glanced over at Bucky "So what you're telling me is that Niko will let his men die just because?"
"Basically"
Fury widened his eyes and he shook his head "That is another level of crazy"
"It's not crazy, it's cowardly" Bucky said
"He'll let his men die before he does?"
"Yep" Bucky said and he looked back and they were high off the ground "How deep is this place?"
"Deep enough, so you can stop him?"
"Yes, now the bomb that is another problem, it's a contact bomb, it'll blow once it hit something hard enough"
"I know, I was there when they designed it"
"It is one bomb that we don't need to add to our long line of dumb bombs that we have made"
"You weren't awake for those"
"For some, but as Winter Soldier I didn't care; James Barnes nuclear weapons was a bad idea"
"As Agent Carter once said: Captain Rogers saved the world, we rather mucked it up" Fury said
"Yes we did" Bucky said
They stood in silence for a few minutes, the elevator stopped and they walked onto a catwalk and they both looked over the grand arsenal in the hangar. "You bringing S.H.I.E.L.D back?" Bucky asked
"Yes, but it is going to be different this time, we are going to be what S.H.I.E.L.D was supposed to be"
"Steve will be happy" Bucky said
Fury nodded and he looked at Bucky "That reminds me, did something happen between Romanoff and Rogers?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well they worked well together for two years, then they seemed to get really close and then they were great, but now they seem to be distant from each other"
"Fury I think the less you know the better" Bucky got a strange look from Fury
"Really, you tell me a secret, I'll tell you one" Fury said
"I don't think it's the best thing to know" Bucky said
"You and Barton are avoiding me questions about those two, why?"
Bucky shrugged slightly "Ok but this stays between us" Bucky said
"Of course, I'm not stupid"
"Steve and Natasha had a relationship" Bucky said
"Oh, like a…" Fury said and he rolled his hand not entirely knowing what words to say
"Yeah, that kind of relationship, big heart around the two" Bucky said
"That would explain some things. What happened?"
"Well after we rescued Natasha from Niko, the brainwashing had some side effects"
"What kind of side effects?"
"She lost her memory for the time that she and Steve were together" Bucky said intertwining his fingers "The last thing she remembered was when Red Skull attacked the tower at Stark's party"
"Ok that explains Romanoff, what about Rogers?"
"He made me and Clint brainwash him and make him forget about his relationship with Natasha, then it went back to normal then Barton said they sort of pushed each other away and now Natasha is making do me eyes at Banner"
"Wow" Fury said
"Yeah now you're caught up" Bucky said
"Natasha always saw herself as a monster, that's probably why she is identifying with Banner"
"That's what Barton said"
"Maybe one day she won't see herself as one"
"The saddest part is that while she and Steve were together, she didn't see herself as a monster, she told Steve her entire past, and he forgave her for it all"
"That's something, yet it seems what he would have done, he forgives the unforgivable" Fury said
"He always has" Bucky said
"He must have been a pain in the forties"
"Oh he was"
Bucky had spent the next day going over notes and other operations with Fury. He was also waiting on some more information from Gerald, but all in good time, he knew that Gerald would come through, he always does. Bucky was standing up on the catwalk with both his hands on the railing. He watched as the Helicarrier was being outfitted. Bucky missed the giving orders. He hadn't done that in seventy years.
Bucky had his watch on a countdown till Niko would detonate the bomb. He had 36 hours till it all hit the fan. He found himself looking at the time more often than he usually would. Bucky was beginning to get anxious when the hours went from 36 to 23. He spent his time going over strategies. Fury wasn't present either, he said that he had to go visit a farm. Bucky was told about Barton's family and that he lives on a farm, it was a bit of a surprise, but it wasn't like it was horrible to hear that Clint had a family; it was actually nice to hear.
Bucky had his eyes closed when he heard a ping in his ear piece and he was instantly brought out of his relaxed state. He put his hand to his ear and spoke.
"Gerald?"
"Yes" Gerald said he seemed to be out of breath
"What is it?"
"I know exactly where Niko will be"
Bucky felt his anxiousness increase "where?"
"In a warehouse on the outskirts of Moscow, he has the bomb loaded on a lead lined truck transport thing"
"Transport thing?" Bucky asked slightly amused
"You know what I mean, you need to get moving, now" Gerald said
Bucky walked toward the elevator "don't worry Gerald when you see me next it will be over a glass of vodka"
"Then get your ass moving before I drink it all"
"Copy that"
Bucky waited till he was about halfway down and he jumped off the elevator and landed on the ground below. The other looked at him, and he stood and ran for his Quinjet. He sprinted down the large hangar and he saw his Quinjet exactly where he left it. He ran into the Quinjet and he smacked the ramp's manual button and the ramp came back up and sealed. He got to the cock pit and climbed into the pilot seat and he turned on the engines.
The Quinjets hummed to life and he pressed a few buttons and flipped a few switches. He saw the ceiling high above open up. Bucky made the Quinjet go up and as he came out of the ground he turned the Quinjet in the direction of Moscow and pushed the throttle forward. The Quinjet hummed loudly and shot forward at top speed. He looked at his watch: 21 hours.
18 Hours…
Bucky saw on the radar the waypoint for the warehouse. He slowed the Quinjet and he kept it in a hover with auto pilot. He kept it on a timer, then it would land. He unclipped himself from the chair and he walked toward the back of the Quinjet. He had his weapons and he grabbed a rifle with a grenade launcher attachment. He hit the manual release button and the ramp opened and let the howling wind come into the Quinjet.
It was cold and bitter, he had a parachute lying next to him, and he grabbed it and strapped it on. He didn't have time to see if it was good. That bomb was going to go off and he knew that Niko would have it on a timer as well. He would hope for a full on contact to make it go off, but Niko wouldn't chance it, he would have it on a timer. Bucky took a deep breath and he ran forward and jumped out of the Quinjet.
Bucky couldn't hear anything and he was breathing slowly. He saw the ground coming closer and he glanced over at his metal hand. He closed his eyes and he pushed all thoughts and feeling away, he would stop Niko, even if he had to die to do so. Bucky knew that it was time to pull the chute and he grabbed and pulled hard and e was pulled up with great force and he came to a slow stop. He glided down toward the warehouse, and he saw that Niko had some other men besides his friends.
Bucky was prepared for this, he grabbed his rifle and he aimed it. There was no choice but to announce himself, Niko would know he was coming anyhow. Bucky aimed and fired, he saw four men hit the mud. Then he saw others freak out and begin to move like ants and grabbed guns and fired back. Bucky heard bullets whizz by and he wasn't fazed by them. He aimed and fired a grenade. It flew and hit a turret and caused a chain reaction and blew up four trucks. Bucky was close to the ground and to keep himself from being an easy target he pulled out a knife and cut the lines for the main chute. He fell and he hit the ground and rolled.
He came out of it at a run and he sprinted into the area where they all were. He ran and fired, killing five men. He took the mag and tossed it. He aimed the rifle and fired the grenade launcher. The grenade flew into the warehouse and exploded, exposing a hole. Bucky ran passed two soldiers, he flipped the rifle up and he grabbed the barrel and he swung it and made contact with a soldier's skull with the stock. Bucky kept moving fast, toward the hole in the warehouse. He took the rifle and he put it in his left hand and he aimed and threw it barrel first. It flew through the air and pieced a man in the chest, killing him.
Bucky ran through the hole and he saw the large truck that Gerald has spoken off and he saw Niko standing there with his friends. Niko saw Bucky as he stopped in his tracks.
"Ah Barnes, nice of you to see us off" Niko said
"This ends now" Bucky said
"I know, Alexie go!" Niko said running toward the truck and climbed onto it. The truck drove forward and broke out of the warehouse. The others were doing the same and Bucky took off at a sprint.
Bucky saw Niko wave at him, Bucky pushed himself and he got closer to the truck; which was moving at almost thirty miles an hour. Niko's smile disappeared as he saw Barnes run. Bucky felt his legs burning and his feet were in fire. Niko saw Bucky pull out a pistol and fired at him. Niko saw that Chernov was the closest to him and he grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Niko what are you doing?" Chernov asked
"Chernov is hit!" Niko yelled he smiled and kicked him off the truck and h saw him hit eh ground and rolled toward Bucky.
Helix yelled as he saw Chernov roll and they rounded a corner and left Chernov behind with Bucky.
"He was hit by Barnes" Niko told Helix
"I'll kill him, I'll fucking kill him!" Helix screamed
Bucky stopped as he saw Chernov slowly stand up and he looked at him.
"Your friend just threw you off a truck" Bucky said
"And I'm going to kill you, then him" Chernov said running at Bucky
Bucky exhaled annoyed and he ran at him. Chernov threw punch and Bucky dodged it and he hit him in the gut with his metal hand, denting the armor. Chernov grunted and he struck at Bucky. Bucky took the first to the face and he punched him in the chest then the ribs. He kicked his knee and it cracked outward and made Chernov hit the ground. Bucky kicked him in the chest sending him onto his back. Chernov was groaning, Bucky walked forward and he grabbed the chest compartment and he pulled it apart and ripped him out of the suit.
Bucky held Chernov in the air and he looked at him.
"You chose a very poor friend to follow" Bucky said and he broke his neck with his metal hand.
Chernov's feet twitched and Bucky dropped him and he saw a truck coming toward him. Bucky ran at it and jumped forward and landed on the hood. There were two soldiers; the driver and the passenger. Bucky punched through the window and killed the passenger. He climbed into the compartment and kicked the driver in the head, snapping his neck. He pushed him out of the truck, and he did the same with the passenger. Bucky shifted the gears and the truck shot forward at top speed. He entered the city and he saw Niko's truck ahead of him. He put his foot on the gas and the truck bounded forward and it knocked any other cars out of the way.
Bucky knew that he was going to attract the authorities, but that would also effect Niko. Bucky was on his tail and one of his men is dead, three more to go. Bucky looked at his watch: 14 hours.
Author's Note: The story is coming to an end. Review.