"Are you out of your mind interfering?" Sharon hissed.
"What do you mean it wasn't you?" She paced behind their temporary command post; glancing at Fury's back as he shouted directions at the emergency extraction team.
"I don't have time for this bullshit….stay out of this operation."
"I told you I'd set this up for you to catch him. I did that. Your people seriously underestimated him."
"What kind of juvenile taunting was that anyway? You're supposed to be discreet." She paused from her whispered tirade long enough to let her contact's words sink in.
"It wasn't you?"
She heard Fury call her name in her earpiece.
"I...I can't do this right now...have to go. Get your shit together. We'll talk when I can."
They retreated down a rusted metal ladder into one of the abandoned trolley lines that snake beneath the city. A dozen of Ellingwood's soldiers followed them. Between the shield, Nat's stun disks and a few well placed punches they kept the gunfire to a minimum. Bucky knew how it would go. Tag the target, get below ground, and work as quickly as possible until he was caught, or made it to the end of the maze.
A tangential image of a rat came to mind.
He factored in his own pace and plan but wrangling a whole team on his road to redemption was another matter.
The ring of the shield rebounding off the stone surface grated on his nerves in the confined space.
"Shit...that thing is loud down here." He grumbled as he quietly dispatched the next to last soldier then watched, smirking as Sam struggled to choke out the last one.
Steve caught the rebounding shield, "You...are just jealous." He strolled past Bucky and patted him on back, just low enough to nearly count as a pat on the ass….but not quite.
Bucky stared after him.
"You gonna just stand there staring?" Steve shot back over his shoulder.
Bucky shook himself out of his surprise and picked up a semi-automatic rifle from one of the soldiers before stalking down the fractured tracks.
"Changed your mind about killing?"
"Changed your mind about things?" Steve's echo of the Voice's question made him stumble.
"No. It's just...in case."
"Steve, are we sure he knows what he's looking for?" Sam's whispered concern rang a bit too loudly in the tunnel.
"I trust him, Sam. We're good here." Steve was leaning against the curved wall of the tunnel; he answered so Bucky could hear him.
Natasha placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered "Maybe we should get out of here. It's been hours, Fury will pull out before dawn."
"Nat we can't do that, not yet."
"Look at him Steve."
He didn't have to turn towards Bucky, he'd been staring at him for the past three hours as they followed him down tracks and alleys; back again, prying open doors to dead ends. "I get it, he's confused, he's talking to himself. I see it."
Bucky was kneeling in the dirt; under a dingy light bulb; using his finger to draw maps then erase them repeatedly. "One...two...three." He pointed to three squares in the dirt. "I know they're here. It wasn't that long ago." He muttered.
Steve's own anxiety was being fed by the image of Bucky's intense focus on the dirt drawings; counting to three and six. He knelt next to him, sliding an arm across his shoulders "Hey pal, maybe they moved...it's been awhile right?"
"No...they didn't move….the people I tagged, they're still here...so this is still here….I just...can't remember." He erased the dirt map with a pressured swipe.
"It's ok. You're tired. We can try again." Steve slipped his hand to his cheek. "Come on, Buck, let's go home."
"No. Please, give me a few more minutes." He muttered anxiously.
"Barnes, the only thing down here are rats. Not the Hydra kind, the real ones." Sam called to them from atop a pile of discarded brick pavers.
Natasha knelt to Bucky's left and laid a hand on his back. "Listen we have a mole leaking your location; someone hijacked the comms." Her hand drifted to his neck, "You're exhausted." Her fingers stroked through his hair. "You're talking to yourself or that voice in your head….it's time to call it quits down here."
One heartbeat later Bucky's metal hand slammed against her chest, he pushed up from his knees, his weight lifted her off the ground and drove her back. He pinned against the wall. "Don't fucking touch me!"
Natasha was caught offguard but found her reflexes within seconds to jam her first in his groin to stun him. Steve's begging voice "Don't Nat." Was all that came between her and a quivering raging mess.
"Buck!" Steve wrapped an arm around his neck, slipped his other arm over the metal one, tugging, dragging, pulling him off of her. "Let go, it's ok...let her go."
"Barnes what the hell!" Sam shoved a shoulder into Bucky, driving his body between them.
In a few seconds Steve had dragged him across the tunnel. Bucky struggled against the restraints of his hands then finally gave in to let himself be pinned to the wall by the weight of his body.
"Ok that's it. Enough. We're done down here!" Sam shouted as he hovered over Natasha.
"What the hell just happened?" Steve searched Bucky's face but his eyes wouldn't connect "We can't keep going like this."
Bucky panted as his rage subsided. He could see Steve again; feel the reassuring warmth of his hands pressed firmly on his chest. His touch was the only one he wanted. Her touch sent his already splintering thoughts into a whirlwind of chaos. The mission with all of the guilt attached; the trigger words, that damn strobe light invoking Stark's mother, the press of humanity; all of it was proving to be...overwhelming.
Now his utter failure to find the Hydra underground.
"Maybe you really are crazy."
"Please talk to me...what just happened here?"
"I ….I don't know."
Steve moved close.
Not close enough.
Bucky suddenly wrapped his arms around his waist and dragged him tight against his body; he hooked a leg around Steve's and tugged his knee between his legs. He was desperate to be closer to him, to be grounded by him. Steve closed his eyes and let the sensations fill him. Bucky buried his face in his neck; he breathed in the pungent smell of sweat and soap and skin.
"Buck? Are you ok?" Steve understood this hungry embrace. He stroked at his hair. "It's ok...I got you." The vibration of a soft moan against his neck; the sharp sting of teeth biting into the skin of his throat; he gave in to the rush of dizziness then ache. A fleeting thought about poor timing was followed by "Can't stop this; don't want to." He tugged firmly at Bucky's hair to bring their mouths together.
Somewhere in the background Sam groaned "Give me a break."
Steve licked across his mouth; not so carefully seeking permission. Bucky's lips willingly parted as he pushed his tongue deep into Steve's mouth in return, drawing a moan from both of them. The metal fingers dug into his hip pulling at his ass; nearly lifting him from the ground. Steve pushed his knee deeper between Bucky's legs; fitting their hips tight against one another. Steve licked into his mouth, Bucky bit his lips and chin; letting soft mewling noises escape as he gave way to Steve.
Bucky was beyond hungry for him; he was starved for his touch. It didn't matter that his cock barely responded. His ghosts were staring wide-eyed at this wanton display. He was constantly tripping over his guilt no matter what he did. The only safe place, ever, was with Steve.
"Don't let go of me." He managed to choke out the words when their mouths parted to breath. The groaned response sent a shivering twitch through his belly. He hooked his leg higher on Steve's thigh aching for the press of his body against his own.
"Ok." Steve huffed as he tried to pull out of their kiss. "Wait." He dove back in to push his tongue deeper into Bucky's mouth. "Hold on." He moaned as Bucky sucked at his neck. "Wow...ok." Steve grabbed at his hips and thrust his own rhythmically against Bucky's. "We have to stop." He managed to pull his hands off and plant them on the wall inches from Bucky's waist. Their panting slowly dissipated as Bucky rested his head against Steve's shoulder. He struggled to regain some semblance of self control.
"Bravo!" Sam called as he clapped from the paver pile where he and Natasha had retreated.
"Not really." Natasha stood up. "Are the two of you done? I think we deserve an explanation if not an apology."
Steve pulled away from Bucky far enough to let air between them. Metal fingers looped into his belt. "Sorry….not sure what got into me….us." He couldn't look at him; Bucky's eyes were huge; pupils dark and wild; he was so not done with Steve. And he knew it. If their eyes connected, it'd be over. He'd drag them both into an alcove and fuck him right there in the tunnels with Sam and Natasha waiting. He didn't need to see the hunger in Bucky's eyes to know they were thinking the same thing. He could feel the pulsing crush of metal fingers digging into his hip.
"I'm not wrong." Bucky rasped against his neck. "Give me a chance….come with me a little further….if I'm wrong…..we can go home."
Steve pushed the hair from his face and stared at him for a long minute.
"One more try."
Bucky pushed away from Steve; he took a step towards Natasha and Sam. "I don't expect you to stay...you should go."
"Is that an apology or are you trying to get rid of us." Natasha frowned.
"I….I'm sorry. You should go. It's not safe here."
"Munitions storage, data storage, people….storage. Great." Sam recounted Bucky's stammered recollections of what they were after.
"Why did they stay?" Bucky whispered to Steve as they methodically searched the last offshoot of passages. "I tried to hurt her? He hates me even more now."
"Listen, we're a team...that's what teams do. Stick together."
"Even when one's an asshole?"
"Your weren't being an asshole….but yes, even if you were."
"Hey, what's this?" Natasha called to them from an arched indentation along the main rail line. She pointed to a faint red squiggle buried deep under black and blue graffiti letters spelling out ED WAS HERE. "You said the entrance was marked with a Hydra symbol…does this qualify?"
Bucky struggled to look at her as he nodded.
"That looks like a concrete wall...not a doorway." Sam sighed.
Steve ran his fingers along the crevices; he looked pointedly at Bucky and slammed the edge of the shield against the concrete. Nothing happened but the sound was hollow. The shield connected again; the concrete moved.
Bucky closed his eyes and sighed.
"This is why they want your memories, pal." Steve whispered.
The four of them stood in a cavernous room filled with crates of weapons of all designs. The far end of the room had a large metal doorway; a loading dock. Overhead were several small balconies.
"Where the hell are we?" Sam wondered as he crept along between the stacks.
"An old auditorium?" Natasha pointed at a faded sign over a chained exit door. HI…. Auditori..."
"So not crazy afterall, pal."
Bucky shivered visibly.
"You ok?" Steve was watching him closely now. Barely an arms length away since the unfortunate encounter with Natasha.
He nodded and headed for a stack of crates.
"What's the plan?" Steve watched him rip the cover open.
"Give me your phone. Now we document."
It didn't take long for them to photograph the crates; shipping data; serial numbers; identifiers for the weapons. Anything that could be used to disrupt the flow of Hydra's gun running operation.
"We'll text these to Fury as soon as we're above ground." Natasha nodded to Steve when they had worked their way to the end of the room.
"Not Fury." Bucky stated emphatically.
"Why...not Fury?" Sam frowned.
"Can't trust him." Bucky headed back towards the covert entrance.
"Fury's good….he wouldn't betray us." Natasha protested.
"Not Fury...he has them both. Can't trust him."
"Both?" Sam hung back as Steve and Natasha took their lead from Bucky.
"Sokolov and Carter." Natasha clarified."They're both with Fury."
Bucky mumbled "Who's Sokolov?"
Steve shot him a concerning glance.
"I don't get it…." Sam's words were transformed to a moan by the roar of gunfire.
Natasha rolled against the wall under the nearest balcony.
Steve let the shield fly upwards towards an assailant. He caught it on the return as he ran for Sam; bullets pinging off the shield as he scrambled between the crates.
Natasha ran along the wall, whizzing sounds following her as she made her way towards an unchained doorway.
Bucky swung the rifle around his shoulder and stood his ground in the middle of the room. Dust flew up around his feet. A bullet bounced off his arm, he switched his stance.
"Four shooters, Soldier. All up high."
Bucky didn't need the Voice to narrate. He knew how many; where they were; what weapons they were firing. "Got it." He mumbled.
Steve had taken out one with the shield before making his way to cover Sam.
Natasha was choking out a second one on a balcony.
Bucky had taken out kneecaps on a third.
"One more...on your right."
He swung the rifle towards the last one; the man went down with a scream; his weapon firing wildly. Once the man fell, Bucky searched for Steve. His shoulders dropped in relief when he saw him kneeling over Sam.
He groaned faintly when the searing pain tore through his right thigh.
"That bastard just shot you.".
He turned to face the last shooter writhing in pain but with it enough to keep firing. He stared down the threat, a burst of bullets ripped past his face. Bucky took aim as they pinged off his arm, he pulled the trigger once. The man fell to the floor, his shoulder would never be the same. Bucky glanced with mild interest at the wound on his leg; it wasn't spurting, he was still standing.
"No major damage Soldier. Walk it off."
He went to check on Steve.
Natasha crouched over Sam "We need to get him out of here. More on the way."
"Pressure, apply pressure." Sam groaned as Steve pushed on his left side.
"You two cover us. I got him." Bucky pushed Steve aside and waited for Natasha to move. He reached for Sam's arm.
"Now wait a minute!" Sam started to protest.
Bucky ignored him and yanked him up over his shoulder in one sweeping move.
"I can help..." Steve protested.
"Yeah...help by keeping the next wave off of us." Bucky shot back over his shoulder as he strode towards their backdoor exit.
They regrouped in one of the abandoned trolley stations. Bucky paced the tracks, ready for the inevitable fallout.
"Don't dent my flight pack." Sam directed Steve as Natasha applied pressure on the wound.
"We need to get him out of here, Steve."
"Agreed. As soon as we stabilize that wound enough to move him."
"I am not leaving without you. Not an option."
The three of them argued about who was going, who was staying and how they'd get out.
"So this is teamwork, Soldier? No wonder you worked alone."
Bucky sighed. He hated it when the Voice was right about something.
"Ok. Here." Bucky was standing over them, shirtless; extending the sweat soaked black jersey he'd been wearing towards Steve. "Pressure. Leave the bird wings here. If he slows us down we leave him too."
"You are not putting that stinking filthy sweat saturated thing on my open gaping wound!"
"Shut up!" Steve and Nat barked.
He pulled the Kevlar vest on; threw the leather jacket on the flight pack and headed for the tracks. Steve stopped working on the wound to assess Bucky as he prowled the tracks. "What is going on with him?"
"Winter." Sam groaned.
Steve kept watching him; the rolling stride; the fit of the black vest over his bare chest; the metal arm was exposed now; his eye slid over the contours of his flesh arm; "Damn...he's so hot. I am going to hell for thinking this."
"Steve? We ready? Steve….for god sake I get it he's hot, could you visually fuck him when we are not on a mission? Please?" Natasha struggled to pull Sam up. Steve tamped down his lust and reached for Sam's arm.
"Where to now?" Steve quizzed when they stumbled up to Bucky.
"Now we go find Ed. Ed Was Here. I saw that same paint down here; two more...that makes three. One, two, three." his voice faded as he strode ahead of them.
"He seems better? Yes?" Sam whispered to Natasha.
"Better? Than what? Trying to kill me. Yeah. He's better. Overall? He's in assassin mode. Look at him."
"So..everything is relative."