He wasn't going back.

He had left the former mission target at the river bank once he was sure he was breathing. He had left and headed away from the destruction. Away from the rendezvous point. Away from any safe house he had been briefed on.

He wasn't going back.

He wasn't supposed to do this.

He was a weapon.

He was their tool.

They had made him to be the perfect asset.

They had made him to destroy their enemies.

They had made him.

He knew he wasn't human, after all humans had dæmons.

But the man had looked at him like he was a person.

He said he knew him. Said he had a name.

They told him he was protecting the world.

They lied.

He didn't know why but he felt that it was a thought he had before.

It wasn't a memory. Memories were smeared blurs with jagged edges that slipped loosely in his mind.

But he knew things.

Not just skills without context for completing a mission.

He knew they lied. He knew that man. He knew he had to get away.

But he knew it wasn't going to be easy.

He couldn't get any clear memories from the jumbled mess in his mind but he could feel the edges.

He had tried to escape before.

It was something he only realised now but he knew he had done it.

Just like he knew that he had failed.

He didn't know when or how many times but they always got him back and he was punished.

They always knew he was alive.

They always knew he would return eventually.

He could feel it even now.

That pull. The tug on something that if he was human he might call his soul.

And while he had no clear memory of doing so before, he knew it would only be a matter of time before he gave into that tug and followed it back to them.

No matter how hard he tried not to.

But something was different.

Always before, though how long 'always' was he did not know, the tug stayed stationary. Always pulling in one direction, one place. Usually to headquarters, sometimes to a base or a storage place. But it didn't move. He always had to go to it, though he never saw what it was that pulled him.

But, as he found a place out of the way to lay low, now it felt like it was coming to him.

He waited, having no clear idea what to do.

Fear and confusion were at least familiar. But he refused to give up. He was not going to go back.

Not without a fight.

He scanned the perimeter but there was no trace of a response team. No one was around at all. But it was getting closer.

He prepared himself for an attack.

It burst into his hideout without warning.

A non-humanoid creature with vicious looking teeth and large claws. It didn't look like any natural animal but he didn't hesitate. They had done many experiments, he was only the most successful. He launched himself at it as it rushed towards him.

His metal fist stuck the side of it's head but it was only a glancing blow as it twisted aside. He managed to dodge the sharp talons as it lashed out but not it's fast tail and was knocked back. Rolling quickly he was on his feet too fast for it to press an advantage.

The first strike was over almost as soon as it began with no clear winner. The two opponents stared, each assessing the other.

He looked into the creature's eyes trying to judge it's intelligent. It was fast and strong. It was also smart enough to use the first volley as he had, to measure the enemy.

It was about as tall as he was, standing on it's two back legs and balanced by a long sinewy tail. It's claws were long but the most noticeable were the two great curved talons, one on each foot. It's sharp teeth were clearly visible in a silent snarl and it's eyes were an amber yellow like a reptile or a bird of prey.

But the eyes, though alien, seemed to be as wild and confused as his were.

He felt a sudden swell of pity. The creature was obviously another they had twisted and ruined. But he wasn't going to let that pity stop him. He wasn't going back.

The creature seemed to sense his resolve as it attacked at the same time.

Curved claws were just a hair too slow to disembowel as he got in close. He defended with his metal arm to block the jaws that tried to tear out his throat. He aimed for a possible weak spot and struck a mighty punch with his other fist.

The two combatants froze, stunned.

Barely able to believe what he was doing the soldier slowly, carefully, reached out with his flesh hand and touched the creature gently.

It was almost like getting shot except it wasn't pain he felt. It was like something suddenly snapped back into place. It was like the feeling he had when he recognised his last target times a thousand.

He knew her.

They both collapsed on the floor tension leaving them completely.

Curled around each other he asked hesitantly, "El?"

"Bucky," his dæmon whispered back