Steve stood in the middle of the woman's living room; scrutinizing everything; overturned furniture; broken lamps; books strewn across the floor; he touched each one and catalogued the topics in his mind. Jonah had brought them back to the house during the night at Steve's insistence.
"Were you even here, Buck?"
"Or did she take you somewhere else?"
He read each shred of paper; examined every picture on the walls. "I won't stop searching for you; you know that, right?"
"Nat thinks that woman may be…. Red Room." His voice caught on the last two words. "She didn't leave a trail; she was cautious; then again she'd have to be a master to have caught you."
He moved to the kitchen to open the cabinets, drawers, even the stove. Natasha and Fury had torn the place apart methodically the day before; after Steve had torn the place apart in his rage.
As he slowly walked the house his heart was aching; the tightness in his chest waxed and waned with each question he asked, each item he touched. Anger too; always present but flaring like a stubborn fire; as he thought about how she may have hurt Bucky; how she and others may be hurting him right now as he stood there helplessly wandering this old house.
"So, buddy" he murmured "Is she someone you knew?" He dreaded that answer.
Steve crossed to the bedroom. He pushed aside the bureau, examined each piece of clothing left on the floor; crouched to run his hands across every inch of the mattress.
"Was she there in the beginning Bucky?"
Were you scared when you saw her again?"
"Did she take away your memories of us?"
He paused to look out the window across the fields. "Did you see her that day you went running?"
"God, Buck, did you go back to her willingly?" Steve shook his head at that thought, trying to dislodge the idea that Bucky went willingly to Hydra.
Steve watched the sun break over the horizon.
He and Jonah had walked every inch of the house for hours before Jonah finally gave it up and fell asleep on the sofa. He had the radio playing softly. The lyrics of a song got stuck in Steve's head:
I'll follow you down through the eye of the storm
Don't worry I'll keep you warm.
I'll follow you down while we're passing through space
I don't care if we fall from grace
I'll follow you down
"Maybe she didn't bring you here at all?" He went to the back porch. The grass was covered in the morning dew; the sunrise bathed everything in a translucent glow. "Are you in Hydra's hands already?" He choked on that question.
The song's words echoed in his head;
I'll follow you down to where forever lies
Without a doubt I'm on your side
There's nowhere else that I would rather be
I'm not about to compromise; give you up to say goodbye
I'll guide you through the deep I'll keep you close to me!
"I won't give up Buck. Not ever. I'm gonna follow you til the end of time."
Steve headed towards the barn but the sound of heavy foot falls jerked him from his thoughts of Bucky. He pulled the gun from its holster as he slowed to take cautious steps forward. He quickly rounded the corner, gun up and ready, only to come face to face with the black horse.
He huffed out a laugh "I nearly shot you, horse." She nickered quietly at first then more insistently as she pawed at the door. "What's in there, girl?" She nudged him with her head and bumped him back a step. He was a bit surprised "You're strong, girl." He ran his hand down her neck and across her flank. "Hmm, you look pretty well fed for an abandoned horse. No offense." He slid the door open; she pushed past him to rush to an open stall and nickered again expectantly.
As he leaned on the stall door and assessed this healthy looking animal; "Tell me something, horse….who's feeding you?"
Bucky grabbed each bar, next and next and next; he'd lost count of how many times he'd tried to dislodge them. It became another of his obsessive coping mechanisms. Touching and counting in various multiples of three or six; a byproduct of his all-consuming anxiety.
He paced the cage, back and forth, pulling the bars, digging in his feet to gain leverage. "I thought for sure she'd let me go…I should've tried to get to her….what was I thinking…..Steve….I'm sorry…Steve….I'll never see you again….." He dropped to his knees and tried to dig below the bars with his metal hand…..concrete. Panic tightened his chest. He felt the always present tremor increase as he staggered up to desperately pull on the chain.
"I fucking hate vibranium." He strained against the chain trying to reach the door but the only thing that gave was his metal arm; he could feel the plates shift, dangerously over extended. He looked up and grabbed at the bars overhead to swing his feet up and towards the end of the cage. He slammed his bare feet into the bars over and over; putting all of his weight and energy into slamming into the bars, screaming from deep within his gut, desperate to escape. Ultimately he dropped to the floor in a frustrated heap; his feet bloody and bruised; he couldn't move the cage.
You need to find your inner Winter Soldier.
"Shut the fuck up. I don't want to be the Soldier, that's the whole point here."
Idiot. You think you can walk away from 70 years of training? You are the Soldier, like it or not. Embrace it…use it….you plan on crying your way out of this Soldier? Use your training, think like the Soldier and use it.
Bucky sat on the floor staring at his filthy body; fighting the desperation that was growing. "Steve….I just want to see Steve again. I miss him. I want to tell him something."
You're such a sap. Why would he want you? Look at you…filthy, crying all the time, you're the Winter Soldier and all you do is whine and cry. Pathetic.
"Thanks, and to think I almost liked you the other day."
You want him? You want to see him again? You want to tell him some sappy think like you "love" him? Then get off your sorry ass and get out of here. Use the Winter Soldier to your advantage for once.
"I hate to say this but I hadn't thought of that." He bit his lower lip and quieted his mind to focus on escape.
Steve texted Natasha and Sam as he kicked at the sofa to wake Jonah. "Let's go sleeping beauty, I've got a lead."
Jonah scrambled to his feet "Sorry…I fell asleep. I should've stayed up with you."
"No worries, I don't need much sleep anyway." Steve was being polite as he told himself.
"The next time I sleep…I'll have my arms wrapped around Bucky."
Natasha and Sam were in the tactical room when they got home.
"Ok, let's recap." Sam opened as pictures of an older woman flashed on the screen. "Her current name is Gieta Sokolov she's a Russian national."
Steve stood with his arms crossed staring at her face. She looked younger than her stated 80 years; her grey hair pulled up in a knot; she was small and wiry "Bucky would crush her if he tripped over her" Steve thought at first…then wondered "She controlled him?" His blood ran cold at the realization of what she did to him to gain that control.
Steve's building rage was interrupted by Jonah. "Look at her eyes…you can see her darkness."
Everyone turned to stare at him; Steve glared…Natasha made the slash across the neck sign behind Steve's back.
"Oh…sorry….you know…sometimes darkness can show you the light." His voice trailed away as he sunk into a chair far away from Steve.
Sam carried on "She has contract ties to the Ukrainian Hydra cell; with a long history of being a behavioral modification specialist."
No one had to ask what it meant.
"Probably Red Room years ago….I don't remember her from my time there but she fits the profile…." Natasha hesitated.
"I know it's hard to talk about, Nat, but anything you can add to help Bucky." Steve pleaded.
She kept her voice low like telling a secret "The Winter Soldier was at the Red Room years ago….he helped train the girls….long before my time there…things happened…"
Steve sat next to her "Please, Nat, anything…."
"Steve, all I know about are stories….if she was there when he was at the Red Room, she had a…..close relationship with him…she would likely be a strong influence today."
Steve searched her eyes…he could see the pain as she dredged up her own horrifying story. He squeezed her arm in thanks.
"We met a girl." Steve shifted gears. "Holding out on us?" Sam looked confused.
"It seems this Russian agent has a soft spot...every picture in the house, every book was about one topic. Horses. She arranged for someone to feed that horse." Jonah perked up, he was waiting for Steve to get to the good parts of their reconnaissance.
"The girl got a call from her two days ago." He laid the girl's phone on the table and pushed it towards Sam. "It came from Bucky's burner phone."
"I am all over it." Sam grabbed the phone.
"I'll call Fury." Natasha jumped up.
Jonah smiled as he crossed to the door "I'll call Cassie and Alex."
Within seconds Steve was alone in the tactical room. He turned to the storage cabinet labeled Nomad. He opened it slowly and removed the new uniform. He ran his hand across the surface of his new weapon. It had just arrived the day before from Wakanda while they were searching for Bucky.
"Turning a page now, Buck. New outfit, new shield; soon a new life with you. Hold on."
Bucky hung from the top of the cage; his legs were jammed between the bars enough to do crunches; hundreds of them. He'd lost count…again…when the woman interrupted "Child, you look ridiculous." She chided as she came in with a plate of food and the pill bottles. He stopped crunching and hung there upside down, watching her. His T shirt was hanging nearly over his head, baring his very firm and contoured abs and chest.
"Fuck you woman" he snarled to himself.
She always stared at you. She watched you on the cameras back then too.
"Enough. I know, ok. That's a memory I don't want. I don't need your help."
She won't dare touch you now. She knows you could crush her, no one to help her take you down.
"I don't know pal that prod sure does the trick nicely when applied to the chain attached to my fucking arm."
Take a lesson from her playbook; she wants you even now. Make her think you like her; that you have feelings for her.
"I am really going to throw up now."
"Get down from there and eat something. And stop talking to yourself, you sound ridiculous." She put the tray down and opened the cage door to push it inside.
He dropped to the ground and crouched in front of the tray. He grabbed the pills first and gulped down some water.
"Are you getting what you want from me?" He kept the disdain from his voice.
She frowned slightly as she settled on a stool near the door "If you mean your memories. I have not asked for any. Yet."
"Why not? You're controlling me with the words aren't you? You could ask anything. I'd have to comply."
"I am using the words to help you. Repeat the trigger in a controlled manner to desensitize you. I have always had your best interest at heart, child."
He suppressed several scathing responses and opted for I know Mother.
The sessions to rid him of the words had been brutal; he couldn't remember anything but the pain; not his answers, not what she did when he was under her influence.
She asked no question, Soldat. It was easier the last time. It may be worth the pain.
"We both must face the truth: Hydra will likely kill us. We are obsolete. They will get what they deem prudent and cut their losses." She got up and signaled him to push the tray towards her. He grabbed the food and did as she requested.
She turned to leave.
"Wait." He barked as he moved quickly to the bars facing her. "My things…you took them….I want…can I have them back?"
He wasn't sure why he asked. Maybe 70 years of having nothing of his own made the simple items more important. He hadn't forgotten about the gold-colored cord or the girl who showed kindness. He thought about the baseball cap; and Steve; Bucky had kept him hidden away deep in his mind this whole time, only unlocking those places late at night when the woman was asleep. He didn't want her to ever touch Steve; didn't want her to even speak his name. He knew she had control of his mind in ways he didn't understand so he dug a hole in there deep and safe….and buried his feelings for Steve to keep her away.
"Things? Belongings?" She let out a sarcastic laugh. "The Soldier owns nothing, has nothing, has no feelings; ownership is a burden, child, you know this." She dismissed him as she left the room.
His metal fist slammed into the bar so the clanking sound reverberated in his head. "I will make an exception to my 'no killing' rule when your time comes, woman."
Steve stepped onto the tarmac and strode with determination to the chopper. He was dressed in his new uniform much like his Captain America one, same contoured fit, same utility belt; but no star and so dark blue it was nearly black. "Bucky will love this one." He thought when he first saw it. He picked up the shield. It felt good to hold it again. He dragged his hand along the edge, tested the weight and balance. It wasn't the old shield of course, Stark had that one. King T'Challa had commissioned this one. Silver with a red star in the center. He smiled thinking about what Bucky was going to have to say about it. He could hear him moaning about how "That's my star." Steve knew that someday he would give that shield to Bucky.
"What are you smiling about?" Sam interrupted his thoughts.
"Bucky…thinking about Bucky."
"We'll have him back in no time, Steve." Sam clapped him on the shoulder.
Natasha joined them. "You know, Steve, this could be a trap." She had grown skeptical of the intel when she heard the woman had used Bucky's burner phone to call the girl feeding the horse. "A widow would never do that." The credit card had been traced to an ATM in Brooklyn, a woman with grey hair had tried to use it. "She's leaving bread crumbs, Steve, drawing you in. She wants you to come after him."
"Well she's going to get what she wants…I'm coming after him. I have no other choice."
"She knows that…she knows you'll do anything to get him back. There's no telling what we'll find…he could be the Soldier, he could try to kill you again."
"I'm willing to take that chance Nat, I can't' leave him. I have to hold onto the belief that he'll remember me."
"Ok folks, let's get this show on the road…we've got a rescue mission to accomplish." Fury called them all to work.
"Get dressed, Soldat." The woman threw his jeans and sneakers on the dirt floor next to the cage.
Bucky's stomach did a flip or two. "This is it." He told the Voice who conveniently disappeared. "You always disappear when shit starts flying…" he growled with frustration but turned his attention to the woman.
"Let me go woman." He demanded.
"Don't be ridiculous Soldat. You belong to Hydra, I work for Hydra, I am not about to let you go and seal my own fate."
"I am not a thing to be owned." He growled out angrily.
"No you are a weapon. A highly trained and valuable weapon that they have invested in for over 70 years. They want you back."
"I am not a weapon. I'm ….a ….person." His voice trailed away; he wasn't convincing even himself.
The woman sighed "I am getting too old for these games." "Get dressed; you don't want them dragging you out of here in your undergarments."
Bucky swallowed hard as she walked away. "Fuck."
His hands shook as he pulled on the jeans and sneakers. He checked the pocket for the card that the medical girl had given him. It was gone. "I really, really will break my 'no kill' rule for you woman." He growled as he turned to the single cage bar that had given way during his battle to be free.
Where is the asset, woman. It's time to end this charade of yours. The Hydra captain was standing over her as she remained defiant despite how he dwarfed her. He is in the basement, caged and chained. He will be easily controlled thanks to my work. She added proudly.
We have our own methods of controlling him. He signaled four of his soldiers to head for the basement. They were armed with guns of course but two of them had tranquilizer guns as well as long poles with loops at the end.
He's not a feral dog. She spit out in disgust He is….a soldier…he will obey my commands. You need to let me control him. She had nearly called him a human being. What she was hiding deep in her mind and heart was her feelings for the Soldier. Foreign emotions crept into her heart; she struggled to dismiss them as quickly as they came.
She turned to follow the Hydra soldiers into the basement but the captain grabbed her arm and jerked her back in place.
Not you, woman. You stay here with me. We know you have a long history with him. No sense testing your loyalties. He smirked.
I am a loyal soldier. You have no reason to doubt my long life of service. She tugged her arm away from him but made no other moves except to watch anxiously as the four men went down the basement stairs.
Bucky climbed up the chain and used all of his weight and strength to haul down trying to loosen the bolts that held it to the crossbeam.
Can you hear them, Soldat? They are right above you. Pull harder. They'll be here any second now.
"Yup…got it…I hear them…all over it." He huffed out as he strained to break free.
He heard them descend the stairs as he climbed hand over hand up the chain again; and swung up onto the crossbeam. He crouched as he gathered the chain in his hand.
"This is really gonna hurt." He groaned.
The first two soldiers entered the room and as he expected; failed to look up. He launched himself through the air before the two backup soldiers made it to the bottom of the stairs.
He caught them off guard as his thighs wrapped around the neck of the first soldier while his fist slammed into the skull of the second one. He reached the end of the chain mid-air; the torque on his arm sent screaming pain through his shoulder and yanked him backwards.
He twisted hard to toss the soldier caught by his legs, grabbing for his gun as they tumbled to the floor. He spun around; stumbled backwards, and trained the gun on the remaining two soldiers in the doorway. A tranquilizer dart hit him in the chest; as his finger pulled the trigger with alarmingly cold ease. "Four down." He whispered as he sat on the floor waiting for the next wave.
Get your ass moving and it's a good thing it takes more than one dart to take you down.
He did a quick assessment of his arm as he pulled the dart out.
"Well that noise is not reassuring." He mumbled as he tried to flex his shoulder.
The pain seared through his back.
Get rid of the chain for fuck's sake.
"Right." He aimed the gun at the crossbeam and opened fire.
Bullets broke through the floor boards as the Hydra captain and the woman jumped away to avoid being hit.
I thought your methods would control him? She asked sarcastically.
Be quiet. He shoved her into the corner as he called for backup and turned to face the basement doorway; gun pointed at the opening.
Bucky had wrapped the chain over his shoulder and across his chest.
He crept up the stairs without making a sound. He quieted his mind and followed the Voice's advice. He channeled the Winter Soldier.
He could hear breathing, quick and nervous. He knew that wouldn't be the woman.
"One man…more outside." He told himself…as he drove down his focus to the tight breathing and background noise of soldiers making ready….outside.
He paused on a step that afforded his first view of the room.
He could see a stove with a large pot.
The nervous man was across the room.
Bucky fired one shot at the pot; it flew in the air with a loud clank…the man opened fire reflexively towards the pot.
The Winter Soldier stepped across the threshold and strode straight at him, gun raised. He could see the terrified look in the man's eyes; so terrified he never even trained his weapon on him.
He held the barrel of his gun to the man's head for a heartbeat before his left hand formed a fist and connected with his jaw; the Hydra captain hit the floor with a reassuring thud.
The woman rushed towards him Soldier, more are coming; we only have a few seconds.
He pointed the gun at her head to stop her.
There is no 'we'. He snarled at her.
I can still help you, child…. He cut her off I am not your child.
They are coming…there is not time for this; we need to get out of here.
She might be right Soldat…kill her later, get the chain off first.
"Where's the key. Get this fucking thing off my arm." He growled at her.
She quickly dug a key out of her pocked and held it up with a questioning look.
He continued to train the gun towards her head but held out his left arm for her to set him free.
"We can get out this way." She pointed to a corridor beyond the kitchen.
Well that seems like a bad idea….follow her?
He made a quick assessment of the room. Barred windows…he could see well enough through the filthy glass that a chopper was in the distance; two vans closer and at least a dozen armed soldiers heading for the only way out besides the corridor.
"Pasha….please….we have to go." He hated to trust her but….
The Winter Soldier efficiently viewed the corridor; it was clearly an abandoned building; rooms on either side of a long hallway; the only way outside at the far end; there was a staircase leading up, at least 3 flights.
"Shit." It would take precious time to carefully clear each room as he ran the gauntlet or he could run it and hope for the best.
"No one else is here, Soldier. We can make it to the door." The woman whispered.
He took a step to follow her, then another.
Don't trust her. The chopper's out there right by that door.
"I can fly that fucking chopper…I can overpower them." He argued as he quickened his steps.
An explosion rocked the kitchen behind them. He barely glanced back.
"No time left for indecision, pal." Bucky shook his head…"wait, was that Steve's voice?"
He ran down the corridor for the doors.
And diverted straight up the stairs, three at a time. Leaving the woman screaming "Soldat, stop."
You know damn well the roof is always a bad option to retreat to. You can't fly, you're not the damn Birdman.
"Yup. Nope. Makin it up as I go, pal. But…let me remind you…70 years experience here. Might know what I'm doin'."
He hit the top floor as he heard the woman screaming Up there..he went upstairs.
He smirked as her words confirmed his mistrust of her. "Definitely going to make her pay at some point."
He ran the corridor and searched for a way onto the roof. All the windows had thick metal bars; no planned roof access.
The soldiers were slowed briefly by their need to use caution at each floor.
Bucky ran into the one room that had furniture in it; he closed the door, jammed the bedframe against it and turned to the window.
"Ok, let's see how bad I've fucked up my arm." He grabbed the bars on the window and pushed. The plates clanked "Oh..not a good sound." He pushed again harder. The muscles across his back twitched and cramped. He groaned as quietly as he could as he pushed again.
The bars broke free of the brick frame.
He could hear the soldier's boots hitting the floor he was on as he climbed out the window and grabbed for the roof's edge.
Well this is certainly a dramatic last stand.
"Hey pal, this is no last stand…hopefully."
Bucky anxiously stood at the end of the roof furthest away from the chopper on the ground; he could hear the blades powering up. If…when… they got it in the air he was dead…he at least wanted to see it coming. He stood ready for the fight which ever way it came.
"Two guns, one nearly out of ammo; and a damaged metal arm." He took inventory and let out a soft sigh.
"Wish I would of kissed you, Steve. Here I am again…regretting that."
An explosion and breaking glass jolted him from his regrets. Then another and another.
Followed by grappling hooks connecting with the edge of the roof. "One, two, three, four; one, two, three…quit…no counting now." He shook his head to bring back the Winter Soldier's coldness.
He took a deep breath; widened his stance; braced for whatever would hit him as he made this last stand, he hated to admit it to the Voice but…"let's face it…the roof was a bad idea."
He opened fire as the first four soldiers climbed over. He could hear the chopper begin its rise from the ground.
More soldiers over the edge; he fired again….some fell…he heard bullets zip past him.
There was a loud whirring noise behind him; he could feel the over-powering downdraft of a chopper right at his back.
"Shit..shit..shit.…two of 'em." He groaned as he swung around to train the last of his bullets on the pilot "I can at least cost them a fucking chopper."
"Ah, Cap…your man over there is about to shoot me!" Fury yelled over the din of the fight and the blades.
"I got him!" Steve yelled as he flung open the door and whipped the shield towards the closest soldiers so it flew right past Bucky's head, close enough to make him flinch.
"What the fuck?" Bucky ducked enough to avoid the shield and hesitate taking the shot.
Someone in a dark blue uniform somersaulted off the chopper, landed on his feet and ran towards the growing horde of soldiers as he caught the rebounding shield.
"Steve?"
"Yes!…Steve." He heard the Red Head yell as she landed next to him and ran to join the fight. Then that damn Birdman swooped over his head to take on the Hydra chopper that had just trained it's guns on all of them.
For a moment everything went into slow motion. The sounds of the chopper blades, the shouts of men falling; gunfire; the downdraft pushed at his back, threw his hair across his face, blurring his vision. He tried to focus on the fight, but his eyes were drawn to Steve; how his body moved; graceful, strong, lethal.
"I just might get to kiss him." He sighed as a tranquilizer dart slammed into his thigh.
"I'm getting really tired of this." He growled as he pulled it free and searched for his assailant. No one on the roof had a tranquilizer gun. He looked over the roof's edge to see the old woman on the ground below him; a van close by, engine running; the door open.
He staggered forward…"what the hell was in that one." His mind slurred his words as he dropped to his knees and threw his hands out to keep from falling off the roof and into her waiting hands.
He vaguely felt the "good guy's chopper" drop away from the roof's edge as he struggled to fight the effects of the drugs. "Hold on…it'll pass…Steve's here…I think." He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts and vision. He waited; uncertain if he would be free or be taken again.
Someone gently touched his right shoulder. He tried to look up, his head felt too heavy to move. Someone was kneeing in front of him. A hand slipped under his chin and slowly raised his face. He blinked the person into focus.
"Steve?" He whispered so quietly the face looked confused.
"It's you, right…Steve? Please don't be a hallucination…please don't be her?" He quietly choked out.
"It's me, Buck…it's really me. I swear to you..I'm right here." Steve whispered in his ear as he pulled closer and rubbed their foreheads together.
Steve sat back enough to look in Bucky's eyes. "So scared; so not trusting." He thought as he tried to control the rage he felt looking at his friend's pain and confusion.
He cradled Bucky's face between his hands and slowly pulled him forward to place a kiss on his forehead but Bucky resisted and pulled away.
"I'm sorry...Buck…I just…" Steve stammered out. He started to pull away but something at his belt stopped him. He looked down to find two metal fingers tucked tightly through his belt; holding him there. He felt a slight tug that pulled him closer. He looked into Bucky's grey blue eyes and let him take what he wanted.
Bucky carefully, slowly came closer to place a chaste, gentle kiss on Steve's mouth.
Steve's hands gently slipped through Bucky's hair as he kissed him back.