Okay. I'm a horrible person.

Tiphanie: Yeah, there's gonna be progress...maybe not the good kind. Anna's going to do what she thinks is the right thing. And yeah, Cap's gonna be pretty upset.

Hails: Yeah, she made a brave decision, but there's still a lot of bumps ahead. HYDRA wouldn't know if it was removed, but they'd know if it was destroyed. she'd disappear off their map and it would alert them. If that makes sense. I'm doing okay. Tired, but okay.

Dez10d2Rite: Things are getting very interesting! And very complicated!

Enjoy!

10 DAYS EARLIER

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." He didn't turn, staying with his back to her. "In our recent setback, we have lost the Soldier. We have ideas on where he has hidden himself, and we need you to find him."

"Me?"

He finally turned, handing her a file. "We require your unique skillset in order to succeed in retrieving him."

"Stark Tower? You think he's there?"

"He has a tracking chip placed in his arm. The signal is scrambled, but we keep receiving readings from New York. More specifically, Manhattan. Only Stark's technology could scramble his signal. We need you to find him, and subdue him until we can move in and retrieve him."

"You want me to lie to the Avengers, pretend to be one of them, and subdue the Winter Soldier?"

"Is there a problem."

She shrunk back a little. "No, sir. But...what do I tell them?"

"You'll think of something. You're a smart girl, Annabelle."

He turned, nodding to the guard, who pulled out his gun, shooting her in the side. She stumbled back, clutching her wounded side.

"What the hell?" She looked up at him.

"Think of that as some inspiration. We'll be checking in regularly on your progress. Keep us posted, or we'll be forced to take action ourselves."

PRESENT

Sam helped her down to the med bay. She'd thrown the tracking device in her pocket, not that it did any good. They were coming in 23 hours, regardless if she was there or not. She held a piece of gauze to the back of her neck, soaking up the blood that was pouring from the open wound. Steve, Natasha and Tony were waiting when she arrived. No doubt Sam had called for them. Her world was spinning, but she couldn't sleep yet. She had to warn them.

"What do you mean you lied?" Sam asked, arms crossed as the back of her neck was stitched up. He was mad. Beyond mad. But he wouldn't show it on his face, which scared her more.

"I didn't escape HYDRA. They've suspected Bucky was here since he disappeared. They sent me in to confirm if it was true or not." She shook her head. "I was supposed to subdue him until they could retrieve him. I've had my tracking chip this whole time. The wound on my hip was a bullet wound to make the story believable." She swallowed thickly, refusing to look at any of them. "They're coming in 23 hours, and they'll kill everyone. Even me."

"Why? Why would you do this?" Steve asked. He looked like a pot on the brink of boiling over.

"They have my sister. They told me if I did what they said, they'd keep her alive. The moment I try to run, she's dead. For all I know she's been dead this whole time."

"Then why are you doing this? Why are you risking everyone's life for what could be nothing?

"Because I have to hope she's still alive." She looked to Steve. "Just like you hoped Bucky would remember you in the helicarrier. She's all I have. I promised my mother I'd protect her. And I tried. But when they came…" She cut off, looking back to the floor. "I can't break that promise. Please." She looked up at them, pleading. "I can tell you where they are, how many to expect, their weak spots. Just please, help me save my sister."

"Why should we trust you? You've done nothing but lie to us since the second you arrived. Is Sam even your soulmate? Or were you just using him to worm your way in."

"No. She's definitely my soulmate." Sam said, looking to Natasha. "It's whether that's a welcome fact or not that's the question."

Anna wasn't sure what stung more. His words, or the look she was getting. "Please."

"So we risk our lives to fight HYDRA, and rescue your 'sister' all for what?"

"You'll be saving a lot of people's lives. They're coming here and they'll kill anyone who gets in their way. Please! You have to believe me."

"Why? You could be telling us this just to send us right into their trap. Attack HYDRA at their base and get everyone killed because that's what they wanted. Set the trap, and take us for fools." Steve said, staring at her hard.

"You're fools if you think they're not coming! They know I'm here. They know Bucky is here. They have no reason for anyone else, so why would they think you'll attack them? There would be no point to luring you into their trap, if they could just break in, take Bucky and kill everyone who gets in their way. They're going to take Bucky, Steve."

Steve turned, moving to the corner, thinking over what she said. He was mad. Angry. He knew it was risky to trust her, but he'd given her a shot. And yet, here they were. Being told they were lied to. That HYDRA was coming for Bucky, to take him back. Do horrid things to him. Reverse all the progress he'd made.

"FRIDAY, have the Avengers currently present in the tower meet us in the war room. And send up security to escort Miss Hanover to the interrogation room, until we figure out what we're going to do with her."

Anna couldn't look at any of them as they gave her hard looks. She had never planned on getting this attached. This close to any of them. And yet, here she was, her world falling to pieces around her again.

"HYDRA's still after me?" The broken look on Bucky's face nearly had Steve in a rage again. He'd managed to calm himself down enough to tell Bucky, but that had only lasted a New York minute.

"Apparently they're coming here to get you in less than 30 hours. And they're willing to kill anyone who gets in their way."

"I trusted her. I had thought…" Bucky ran his hand down his face. "I knew there was something fishy. I could feel it. I still feel it." He shook his head. "But she has a point. Why would HYDRA risk us attacking, when they could move in, thinking us unaware, knowing our exact locations? If we attack, there's a greater chance we'll have the element of surprise which gives us the upper hand. And, if she's telling the truth, we have an insider, willing to spill some secrets to help us. I say it's worth the risk."

"It's a big chance, though." Clint said.

"But it's better than them attacking here. There's a lot of civilians in this building, and the surrounding areas. There's no way we could clear them in time without giving it away that we know. If we attack them at home, there's less chance of civilian casualties." Rhodey said.

"She's right. We'd save a lot of lives attacking them first." Natasha said.

"But what if that's what they plan. Draw us in, distract us, then attack here, and still wind up with Bucky?" Bruce said. "Anna gives them the slip, and it's all for nothing. People still wind up hurt."

"Then we take them with us. Have Bucky watch her on the quinjet. That way we can ensure they're both safe, and no one's slipping secrets to anyone." Natasha said.

"I still don't trust her." Steve said.

"I don't think any of us do. But if she's telling the truth, if they have her sister, then maybe...maybe we can work on fixing that trust." Sam said.

"We're not keeping her here." Tony said. "Even if she is telling the truth."

"She's my soulmate, HYDRA sleeper, or not. I've spent my whole life thinking I'd never meet her. If you want to lock her up, you might as well save space in that cell for me."

"We don't have to trust her completely. But we should at least give her the benefit of the doubt, here. She pulled her tracking chip out of her neck herself. She's at least trying to seem like she's doing the right thing. Whatever that is for her." Natasha said.

Steve sighed. They had a point. They all had good points. But in the end, he knew he had to make the right decision. The decision that would save the most lives. That would keep people safe...keep Bucky safe.

"We'll get the location and as much information from Anna as we can on the way. Bucky will stay in the jet with her, making sure she doesn't try to slip on us. Suit up. The jet leaves in 30 minutes."