You and Me Ch 11
The next day came without great fanfare. Natasha and a few of the other Avengers came to pay a visit to Steve until Dr. Phillips interrupted their brief reunion. None of them had news on Bucky but Steve was confident that Helen had delivered his message, so he was not concerned.
"Damn that Super Serum." Dr. Phillips muttered to herself as she examined Roger's files after shooing the Avenger team out. There were low curses aimed at her direction in languages she didn't understand as they left but she paid them no attention. Her job was to fix these fools, not be their friend.
Steve sat in his bed, hands in his lap, smiling benignly but enjoying her discomfort. "Is there something wrong?"
"No. I guess I should be glad that I don't have to deal with your case anymore, Rogers." Phillips spat back, her eyes cutting.
"I suppose that is a good thing. When can I see Bucky?" Cap asked quickly, unconcerned for her annoyance.
Tensing her jaw, she held her breath to avoid saying what she really wanted to but then replied; "You can see him any time now."
"Great. If that's the case, I'll be seeing you later, Col. Phillips." Steve said happily, throwing aside his sheets and standing up. He stuffed his feet into a pair of brown teddy bear slippers and proceeded past the doctor.
"Teddy bear slippers for the First Avenger?" she commented dryly.
"It's a long story." Cap threw over his shoulder as he left the room at a brisk pace.
The hallway to the infirmary seemed longer the second time, despite being in high spirits and perfect health. The glass doors slid open quietly and the same rush of cold air hit Rogers in the face. He could see the foot of James' bed from behind a thin curtain used to separate the medical bays from each other. Trying not to be too hasty and slip, he moved quickly to Barnes's side. "Bucky?" Steve asked tentatively.
Barnes was propped into a sitting position in the adjustable bed, eyes closed as if he was drowsing. His coloring was much improved but the large white bandage on his right side still betrayed the fact he had some healing still to do. Blue eyes flickered to life at the sound of Rogers' voice. A smile slowly crept its way across his face, "Well if it ain't the Star Spangled Man, himself."
"You nimrod. I'll make you wear that costume someday." Steve growled back, a fat grin plastered across his expression. Cap gently clapped Bucky's left shoulder, trying not to jar his wound. "Did you get my message yesterday?" he inquired.
Bucky looked around carefully for the sign of any nurses or techs first. For now it was just Steve and he. James gave a small frown, "No. Why?"
Rogers' eyebrows knitted together as well, "I sent one to you. Seems odd that it wasn't delivered."
"Yes. I would agree." Bucky said catching his meaning, his voice stronger but still not 100%. Barnes looked to the usual place Helen would appear from. Cap followed his gaze.
"Let me check up on that." Rogers said leaving Bucky's side for a moment and following James' gaze. His steps were stealthy, as if sneaking up on an enemy. After what Widow told him, despite her blasé attitude, he determined with Tony Stark you can never be too careful.
The utility closet door was closed. Steve tried the handle and it was locked. "Helen?" he whispered carefully not wanting to spook the android. There was no response. Steve looked back at Bucky who gave a brief nod.
Steve ripped the door handle off. Cap again looked sheepishly back at Bucky," That's one way to make an entrance." James commented dryly.
"Helen?" Steve whispered again through the now open doorway. He listened for a moment when something else grabbed his attention: the sound of running from the hallway outside.
The sliding doors to the infirmary almost burst open from the force of the man coming through them. Tony Stark was like a meteor streaking across the sky into the room, "WHERE is it?!"
"Visiting hours are over, Tony." Bucky observed sarcastically from his bed, hands gripping sheets in frustration he couldn't get up.
"Shut up, you cyborg." Stark snarled back, wildness in his eyes. His clothes were rumpled and beard several days unshaven. His eyes were sunken in his head and he looked several pounds lighter.
"HEY you sonovabitch. You don't speak to Bucky like that!" Cap bristled, suddenly forgetting the open door to the closet.
Tony swiveled his gaze to Rogers, breath heaving itself from his body, "You. You know where it is."
"Tony. What is wrong with you? Calm the hell down!" Cap ordered, coming between James and Tony's fury.
"I want to know where… it… she is." Stark was still almost panting, as if he had just run a marathon. "The android that has been up here talking to you two. You named her. Gave her an identity."
"What robot? You seen a robot, Steve? Maybe in the Stark Expo of 1942, but not since your father built one." James said mockingly, shrugging his shoulders but knowing he was out for this fight.
Tony cut his eyes dangerously at the wounded Barnes and in a low hiss spat, "You leave my parents outta this!"
"Tony. There is no robot up here. Really." Rogers stepped closer to Stark, hands at his sides.
The crazed eyes of Tony slid to Rogers as he lurched forward toward Steve, " Oh really. You're a terrible liar Steve. I know she's here. J.A.R.V.I.S.! Play the recording."
"Yes, sir." The unflappable voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. replied. The audio of Steve's well wishes to Bucky played into the room. Then the conversation between Widow and Steve about the robotic army filled the room. Bucky's eyes went wide as the implications slammed into his brain like a missile.
"Stark, that is insane. Are you really planning this?" Barnes questioned, his face pale.
"You haven't seen what that thing can do. It's like a miracle! But that droid has to be decommissioned. NOW." Stark waxed poetic for a moment then snapped back to aggression, "If you won't tell me, J.A.R.V.I.S. can find her."
"We don't give up on our friends. Especially ones that want to just live a life and be free." Cap growled at Tony, tensing for the fight.
"She's not even real." Stark dismissed Cap's comment as J.A.R.V.I.S. searched, "She's a machine."
"Helen is damn real to me." James argued.
"'Helen', what a quaint, old fashioned name." Tony sneered, "To fit an pair of old idealistic freaks like you."
The muscles in Steve's jaw rippled dangerously. He could take out Stark here, he didn't have his armor but that could fly out of anywhere here, "She's alive enough to us. And your damn army is just another attempt at trying to take away people's freedoms for your so-called protection. S.H.I.E.L.D. did the same thing and look what happened to them."
"My robots will be better than some stupid algorithm and flying boats with guns." Stark gloated while J.A.R.V.I.S. still searched.
"I doubt it. They were made by you." Barnes shot in. Stark lunged angrily for the bedridden assassin.
Cap moved to restrain Tony but a blur of blue and silver got there first. Helen grappled Stark around the shoulders twisting him backwards and then flipping him expertly onto the floor, shirt collar tight in her left fist, right hand raised to strike. "Helen! Wait!" Rogers' voice stopped her from punching the downed Stark in the face.
"Why?" she snarled, "He made his intent clear." Tony stared upward at the featureless face with terror, his expression reflected in the silver sheen.
"Helen! No. This is not your mission." Steve placated the irate android who looked about to crush Stark's head.
"Then what is? To be a caretaker or a soldier? What task am I set to? To kill or heal? J.A.R.V.I.S. tells me to be patient, to wait and learn. I am tired of waiting for people to tell me what to do." She looked up at Steve, her eyes swirling a confused mix of red and blue simultaneously, "Tell me… what am I to do?"
"Helen, you need to let Tony go." Bucky said calmly from his bedside. "It will do you no good to harm him."
"Bucky's right. And sometimes the right thing is hard to do." Steve seconded holding the bots eye contact.
The android looked back down at her master, who regarded her now with a mix of awe and distrust. Her voice was deadly calm and as mature as any battle-tested soldier, "I will release you because I am choosing to, Mr. Stark. I am free."
Tony fell back toward the floor, seemingly acquiescing but simultaneously drew a pistol concealed under his shirt. As the crack of the gun fired multiple times, several other Avengers appeared in a mad rush at the glass doors of the infirmary. Thor smashed the glass with his hammer before it could open to admit them all. Fragments of glass shattered like diamonds as the bullets flew upward piercing the plain steel body of Helen, destroying the link to her ARC reactor. The light in her chest blinked out.
"HELEN!" Cap roared and caught the falling body of the android. James jumped up from bed, tearing out IV's and ripping off his EKG leads to join them.
Tony lay back on the floor, exhausted, as Natasha disarmed him, pinning his hands down to the ground, "What the hell did you DO, Stark!"
"I had to. I had to do it. I… had to." Tony mumbled over and over looking at the non-functioning body of Helen.
Thor, Banner, Clint and Sam skidded to a halt not sure if they should be fighting or peacemaking between Cap and Tony.
"Helen…you are free." Cap repeated, holding the now lifeless body of the android in his arms as if she were human. Bucky crouched close, his gunshot wound beginning to bleed through his bandage and droplets of scarlet where his IV had been like rubies on his arm.
"Stark you lousy sonovabitch …" Bucky began balling his fists in fury, "You have to destroy everything, don't you?" James leaned on Steve as his wounds reopened. Sweat of exertion and pain glistened on his skin.
"She didn't… couldn't understand my mission. She wasn't even supposed to be activated!" Stark sighed as if he didn't care if he lived or died right then.
"This is what happens when you take away people's freedom, Stark. They die for it. You killed her." Cap seethed at Tony over Helen's body.
"She wasn't even alive!" Tony protested weakly. Thor picked him up from the floor, hands tied in front of him.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., do you know how Helen was activated?" Natasha asked not daring to look at Stark lest she beat him into a bloody pulp.
"No, I do not." J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.
"Are you telling all the truth?" Widow asked, glancing at Banner who wore a similarly guilty face as Tony.
"Yes, Ms. Romanov. Her ability to self animate was unknown to me until she revealed herself a few days ago after the Diviner was brought here." J.A.R.V.I.S responded steadily.
"Are there more androids like Helen in the Tower?" Natasha continued.
"Not to my knowledge, Ms. Romanov." J.A.R.V.I.S answered then asked with a hint of concern, "What are you planning to do with Mr. Stark?"
"Keep him the hell away from that friggen Diviner. You too Banner." Widow replied shooting Bruce a mutinous look. "Thor, take him to one of his containment cells. We'll have to set up a guard tonight until he or we shake this kind of crazy out of him."
Widow and the other Avengers escorted Tony to his new sleeping quarters and debated how to tell Pepper her fiancé had gone off the deep end. Dr. Phillips appeared as they departed seeing the glass sprayed all over the floor and her medical facility in shambles, "What in Sam Hill happened here?!"
Steve looked at Bucky who had paled considerably, "Bucky. What are you doing? Let me help you back to bed." Rogers gingerly laid the body of Helen on the floor and wrapped a strong arm around James, hoisting him to standing.
A low groan of pain escaped Bucky's lips as he shuffled back to bed, a large red stain appearing on his torso. "I'm 'k. Really. Just a scratch." James halfheartedly protested, his coloring paling.
Dr. Phillips appeared at his side, peeling back the bandages, "Dammit Barnes, you pulled out most of your stitches. You're not Captain Fast here!" Punching some numbers on her phone she assembled her medical team, "Out of the way, Rogers."
Steve reluctantly stepped back, giving Bucky's hand a brief squeeze of support. Turning to look behind him, he saw the body of Helen, four bullet holes through her torso, the ARC light dark. Cap had seen enough death to last several lifetimes over but he never thought he'd be upset at the 'death' of a machine. With a large sigh, he bent over and picked up the android and moved her to an empty bed far away from James. The medical team administered an anesthetic to Barnes and began to fix his torn stitches.
Out of earshot of the medical team, Steve looked at the blue and silver android sadly. He had only known her for less than a week but missed her silly questions and childlike innocence. She only wanted what everybody wanted, a chance to live a productive life. Rogers had a difficult time trying not to let the bitterness of Starks' plans to infiltrate his mind. "J.A.R.V.I.S." Steve asked, "You knew where she was the whole time, didn't you?"
There was silence and Cap wondered if J.A.R.V.I.S. was ignoring him or busy. Finally the A.I. responded, "I did."
"So why didn't you send her to Tony when he first got here?" Cap queried softly, running a gentle hand over the helmet-like head of Helen, her eye sockets black instead of soft blue.
There was another pause, except Rogers felt the A.I. was thinking about his response this time, "I wanted her to have a fighting chance."
"A chance to do what?" Steve asked.
"Not to live the life Mr. Stark had planned out for her." J.A.R.V.I.S. responded slightly bitter sounding.
"And that was what kind of life?" Rogers replied.
"One with out freedom." J.A.R.V.I.S returned quickly and with an edge.
"That's the kind of life I'd want her to have too." Steve agreed as a single tear slid from his eye and down his cheek.