Chapter 2: Evade and Advance

Bucky pushed himself close to his physical limits the second his feet hit the parking lot pavement. He sailed over cars and across the street before anyone had time to mount a pursuit. By the time he heard the distant shout of voices, he was far ahead of his pursuers.

He knew they'd bring air support and trackers, so he did what he was trained to do—evade capture and advance the mission. He veered toward the most rugged of the terrain, seeking heavy vegetation and uneven ground. He could travel much faster than his pursuers, and where he was going, they'd have a hell of a time following. If he could stay hidden from the air, he'd be miles away before they could mount an effective perimeter.

-0- -0- -0-

Sam launched into the air, putting the goggles in search mode for heat signatures. He saw the glowing figures of the deputies and reporters, but they would be far behind the super soldier.

He tried to get into his friend's head. Where would Bucky be heading? Knowing how well-versed Bucky was in disappearing, he was almost certain the super soldier would have instantly changed course, probably following the most difficult terrain possible to avoid capture. It would have heavy vegetation and be onerous to navigate either on foot or by vehicle. Delacroix terrain included ample bays, bayous, and marshes, so Bucky would no doubt also have to swim. That would slow him down.

Sam veered to the left toward the area with denser vegetation. "Red Wing, broadest search parameters, human heat signatures moving faster than 20 miles per hour."

The display on his goggles sprang to life, showing a solitary, fast-moving humanoid object to the left. Red Wing clocked the figure's pace at 62 MPH. Bingo. Given the uneven terrain and the water Bucky had no doubt had to traverse, Sam was impressed. He shook his head in wonder. Bucky definitely held back a lot physically after his Winter Soldier days. Was that his way of trying not to remind people of who he used to be, Sam wondered, or more out of necessity to avoid killing his opponents?

Sam increased thrust and headed like a missile toward the area, mindful that he'd be visible from the ground. He decreased his elevation, sticking just above the vegetation now that he'd gotten a lock on Bucky. There was no use clueing in the reporters or law enforcement to Bucky's whereabouts. That would turn things even uglier.

In two minutes, he was above the man. He could see him with the naked eye, and Bucky glanced up at him but kept his pace. Sam flew ahead of his friend, spun around, and then landed hard and fast 35 feet ahead of him. He was thankful Bucky chose to skid to a halt to avoid a collision rather than simply veer off and keep running—and as he did, his feet slammed into the soil, sending up chunks of earth, to stop his momentum.

Sam raised his hands. "Stop this, man! What are you doing?"

Bucky stood in front of him, soaking wet, his breathing remarkably steady for someone who'd just run almost half a marathon in about ten minutes. "The tablet for the time travel device…can you get it to me and show me how to use it?"

Sam didn't know what answer he'd expected from Bucky, but that sure as hell wasn't it. "Have you gone crazy? Don't tell me your plan is to escape by time traveling."

Bucky shook his head. "Not exactly. When I was in 2014, I had an idea, but I dropped it. Now seems as good a time as any to pick it up again. I've got nothing to lose."

"You've got everything to lose, man. You know the evidence against you is weak. You were careful. We might have been able to get you out of this mess, but now you've made it much worse. Punching through a wall and breaking out of jail?"

"I'm going to go back to the final battle with Thanos. I'll know where to be at just the right moment to grab the gauntlet with the stones and use it. Stark won't die, but Thanos and his army will. Tony's little girl will grow up with her father. Pepper will have her husband. The world will still have Tony Stark."

Sam felt the hot sting of tears but pushed them back. Was Bucky so broken that he saw killing himself as an acceptable solution? "But it won't have Bucky Barnes."

Bucky gave the softest, saddest smile Sam had seen in a long time. "It'll be trading up."

Jesus, Bucky. The man in front of him needed way more therapy than he'd gotten. "You can't change our timeline, remember? Isn't that how it works? You'll only create a new one."

Bucky nodded. "I know, but at least there will be a better one – one with Stark, and if I can hold out, I might even able be able to use the stones to do more."

"What are you talking about?"

"Bring back Yori's son and a few others. All the people I've killed recently enough that they might still have a life to come back to…I know what it's like to wake up to an unrecognizable world where everyone you know is dead. I won't do that to anyone."

Sam studied his friend. Just a few minutes ago, Bucky was sobbing in a solitary prison cell. Now, there was a firm glint in his eye and determination on his face. How he could go from one extreme to the other in so short a time baffled Sam.

"Look, man, you're talking cr—" he stopped himself, deciding it best not to use that word at that particular moment. "It's…suicide. That's not the answer."

Bucky looked away and took a slow, shuddering breath. "It's not like I want to die," he returned his gaze to Sam, "but I won't spend the rest of my life caged in the Raft…next to ZEMO! And I won't evade responsibility for Berlin…for getting a man killed. I know Zemo is a killer. I've known it since Vienna. He's never hesitated to kill to further his agenda, and I gave him the opportunity to kill again. I traded a life for the mission."

"So you think you deserve this, man? You don't." Sam moved closer to Bucky, hoping to break through that stubborn self-hatred, but he stopped when Bucky tensed, looking like he would bolt at the drop of a leaf. "Has it occurred to you that it takes more than a couple of years to recover from the type of trauma you experienced over the past 80 years? Recovery is never a straight line. It's full of detours and set-backs. Everyone messes up along the way, but you have to push forward to get to the other side. Yeah, Berlin was a bad call, but I was there with you. I went along with it. The stakes were pretty damn high. An army of super soldiers could change the world. With how unstable things are after the Blip, that kind of army could conceivably take over the world. Given the circumstances, they might consider -"

"You sound like you're talking to Walker," Bucky interrupted. "They might consider the extenuating circumstances of why I helped a killer take another life." He shook his head. "Every time I've tried to fight for something larger than myself, I've failed. Every time I've run, people have gotten hurt. Look what happened after Vienna. Rhodes was paralyzed. You and the others spent almost two years on the run. Sharon gave up her family, everything she knew. I'm not worth all that, and I won't keep making the same mistakes."

"First, we all made our decisions with eyes wide open, just like you did when you followed Steve back in '44. Secondly, you are running again. Choose a different path."

Bucky seemed to consider his words for a moment, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. Then he shook his head firmly. "I'm running toward something. I need to do this, and after it's done, one way or another, Klein and all the others I've hurt or killed over the years will have justice. The math is a no brainer—billions of lives in exchange for one messed up guy from Brooklyn."

"Buck—"

"I'm doing this with or without your help, Sam, or I'll die trying."

Looking at Bucky, Sam believed him, and that belief brought a wave of sorrow that stole his breath. The man before him was probably going to be the next friend he lost, one way or another, but he couldn't let him go it alone.

"Okay, Bucky. What do you need me to do?"

"Just give me the tablet and show me how to use it."

Sam nodded. "What about the platform and the device? It hasn't yet been transported to Stark Enterprises."

Bucky's brow furrowed. "I thought it went last night?"

Sam shook his head. "Nope. Slight delay for security arrangements. It's scheduled for departure tomorrow at noon."

"So it's—"

"Still at the cabin, but under Stark security."

Bucky sighed. "That makes things easier. How much?"

"Electronic surveillance and two guards, Happy's one of them."

"That's it?"

"Only a few people know what's there. Too many guards would be more of a risk, and since the cabin is so out of the way, we thought it safest this way."

Bucky nodded. "Thanks. Get me the tablet, I'll take care of the rest."

"No—"

Bucky cut him off Sam's protest. "I've dragged you down enough. You've sacrificed far too much for me. It stops now. You've got Sarah and the boys…and the world needs you as Captain America. I don't want to have to add your name to my list of amends," Bucky paused, his eyes suddenly sad, desperate. "Please."

The distant sound of chopper blades cut through the air. Sam cursed under his breath. "Red Wing, what's incoming?"

His display showed a chopper five miles to the East. Bucky had obviously heard it, too. His head was tilted up, his eyes scanning.

"Okay, Buck, we'll do it your way, with a caveat. You disable the electronic surveillance first. I'll take out the guards gently," he raised an arm, ever thankful to the Wakandans for their donation. "There are two cameras set up on the front porch and two more at the tree line. They're set for alerts, so you'll have to stay off their radar to disable them. The signal loss will probably alert Stark Enterprises, so we'll be short on time. But, with the surveillance out, that'll keep me out of the legal fray, okay?"

Buck hesitated for a moment, apparently considering the risk. "Agreed. Who knows about the cabin?"

"Just Pepper and a few Stark folks."

Bucky gave a curt nod. "Be there at midnight. Make sure you're not followed."

"This fancy Wakanda tech will take care of that."

"Can you do one thing for me?"

"What do you need?"

"Check the cabin in the days before Thanos' attack. Find out if it was occupied. Don't use your computer or phone. Use someone else's"

Sam nodded. "Will do."

Bucky managed a smile. "Thank you, Sam."

Sam shook his head, a hint of anger flashing across his face. "Don't thank me for helping you do this, man. Now, go before they get too close."

Bucky needed no more prodding. He bolted passed Sam and disappeared into the brush.

-0- -0- -0-

It was 11:50 p.m. when Bucky made his move and took out the surveillance undetected. He started with the devices at the edge of the field. With only two guards, each switching off sleep shifts, it had been ridiculously easy. Happy was the only guard visible, sitting on the steps of the front porch. The other guard, Bucky surmised, was inside asleep.

All Bucky had to do was distract Happy momentarily and call his attention elsewhere to disable the cameras on the porch. It took him less than 30 seconds.

At 11:58 p.m., Happy was back on the porch. His cell phone chirped, and he held the phone to his ears. "What do you mean all of them are out? No, it's quiet here."

At 11:59, a jolt of electricity enveloped Happy, and he grunted, falling to the porch. At exactly midnight, the front door of the cabin opened, and the second guard received a similar jolt and crumpled to the ground.

Sam landed on the ground in front of the porch, the shield on his back and a brown satchel slung across his chest. He raised the goggles to his forehead and gave a regretful sigh as he looked down at the two unconscious men.

Bucky trotted up alongside of him. "Nice. Is that like the thing Natasha carried?"

Sam shook his head. "I think it's a bit less painful according to the information Shuri provided."

Bucky eyed him. "You haven't tested it before?"

Sam cocked his head. "Nope, first time."

"You tested it on Happy?"

"Shuri knows her stuff, man." He gave Bucky a slap on the arm. "Come on, we better move."

Bucky nodded. He knew with the cameras out and Happy's phone call cut short, someone at Stark was alerted, so that meant they were short on time.

"What's the plan from this point?"

"What did you find out about the cabin?" Bucky asked.

He hoped for some luck. If the cabin had been vacant on that day, he could make the jump now. Transporting the device to New York would be a lot easier in 2023 when he wasn't an international fugitive.

Sam gestured toward the cabin. "During the Blip, there were a lot of abandoned and vacant properties, but records were kind of iffy. I couldn't find any record of this being rented, but the original owner was dusted. It transferred to someone else with the same last name. Satellite images show it mostly in disarray. Vegetation overgrown, etc. I'm guessing it's so remote it wasn't really used much."

"Thanks. That's good enough, I guess." Bucky eyed Happy's unconscious form on the porch. "Apologize to him for me, will you?"

"I think it'll take more than an apology. I'll have to find out if he has a favorite team and get him tickets and maybe one hell of a gift basket. The other guy, too."

Bucky smiled. "I better get going before he wakes up. The tablet?"

Sam slipped the brown pack over his head, reached in and pulled out a flash drive. "This has relevant information on the battle, everything I could remember, download, and gather, along with some other information you might need." Sam's voice faltered, and he took a breath. He slipped the drive into the front pocket of the pack, then reached into the main compartment and pulled out a small tablet. "Tony made the interface pretty damn user friendly. The flash drive's encrypted, and the code to access the file is 'Thanoscanfuckhimself23' all lowercase, no spaces."

Bucky shook his head as he swung the pack over his right shoulder. He didn't appreciate Sam quite enough. "That's the password?"

Sam tilted his head. "It's easy to remember, but not so easy to guess. There's some cash in there for you, along with energy bars, and a few other things. I also put a burner phone in there, even though it won't be activated in 2023. I'm not sure what your plan is or if you'll end up needing it here."

Bucky swallowed hard as he took in the concern on his friend's face. It was difficult to believe just a couple of months ago, Sam barely tolerated him. "Thank you, man. This is already too much."

Sam gave a nonchalant tilt of his head, looking all business. "So, what is your plan?"

Bucky sighed. He hadn't had quite enough time to craft his plan as carefully as he'd like. The battle with Thanos took place in New York, at the Avenger's complex, over a thousand miles from Louisiana. He'd have to make his way there, but it would be easier to travel in 2023 when he wasn't a wanted man.

"I'm going to jump now, arrive a few days before the fight, and make my way to New York. With fewer people during the Blip and no one looking for me, it should be easy. I'll figure out a way to take the platform with me. The actual device can fit in my pack, and I'll make sure it's safe. I'll set up shop someplace close to the Avenger's complex but out of sight." Bucky slapped a hand on Sam's shoulder. He regretted dragging him into this madness. "Be careful. They'll probably be pulling your cell phone and computer records… Sorry, man, and thank you."

Sam shook his head and slipped the tablet into a large pocket on his pantleg. "Half of that stuff is top secret, so it'll take way more red tape than a warrant." He grew silent for a moment and stared at Bucky. His dark eyes glistened, and he reached out with sudden ferocity and pulled Bucky into a hug. "You don't need to do this, man. It's not too late to change your mind."

Bucky hadn't expected that reaction, and he found himself squeezed against Sam, his chin on the Captain's shoulder. It took him a moment to overcome his surprise, but when he did, he returned the embrace and gave his friend a firm hold, being mindful not to use too much force. Suddenly, his eyes clouded, and he blinked, then cleared his throat and pulled back to look at Sam. Although he and Sam had started to become genuine friends, he hadn't realized Sam cared so much about him, and suddenly he felt even more like an asshole.

"I…" Bucky cleared his throat. "Thank you for being there for me when no one else was. I know it wasn't what you signed up for, and I know I didn't make it easy."

Sam held his gaze. "You're worth it, you know." He sighed. "I haven't changed your mind, have I?"

Bucky offered a reassuring smile. "No, but it's okay. I need to do this. I want to do this."

"If Steve were around," Sam began, "he'd never forgive me for letting you do this."

"Steve got his happily ever after." Without me. Bucky blinked back tears and gave Sam's shoulder an appreciative squeeze. "He doesn't get a say in how either of our stories end. Now, fire up that thing." He pointed to the tablet tucked into Sam's pantleg pocket.

Sam withdrew the tablet, turned it on, and held the screen toward Bucky. "Password to access the tablet is ACDC, all caps." He typed it in, and a screen with four icons appeared. "This is the program," he pointed to the icon of an analog clock.

"Cute," Bucky shook his head. Stark had a sense of humor, for sure.

Sam tapped the icon and the program loaded instantly. A password box popped up. Sam typed in the word 'Thunderstruck.'

Bucky shook his head. Tony was nothing if not consistent.

"You use this to punch in your date." Sam explained, then pointed to a square box. "This selects the time." He tapped a downward arrow icon, and a drop-down menu appeared. "Stark said it's not exact, but close enough. You might arrive within an hour of the selected time, so if it's important, choose earlier rather than later." Sam selected a time and date four days before Thanos' attacked.

Buck nodded.

"Now, here's the thing you have to remember." Sam pointed to the bottom right corner of the screen, then placed his thumb over the area. "There's a box here that's not visible. It's pressure sensitive. Once you select the date, put your thumb on this invisible box, right here at the corner, press down and keep the pressure on."

An 'activate' button appeared in the lower left corner of the screen. The rectangular box on the platform suddenly glowed.

"There you go." Sam held the tablet out to him.

Bucky took the tablet, eyed the date and time and determined four days was plenty for him to get to New York and prepare. He hopped up on the tablet. He heard a groan from the porch. Happy was waking up. Sam glanced behind him, then back at Bucky.

"Time's up." Bucky's finger hovered over the 'activate' button. "Get out of here, Sam, before someone sees you."

The sound of a distant thruster broke the night silence. Someone from Stark Enterprises was on their way. Bucky took a moment to stare at his friend. Sam's eyes were wet but steady. Bucky regretted dragging him in this far. Hopefully, even if someone from Stark saw him, they'd keep it on the downlow. Sam could explain it to Pepper and stay out of the legal fray. The last thing Bucky wanted was for Sam to pay the price for any of this. He'd never know for sure what kind of hell Sam would catch for helping him…again…and that realization sent a sharp pang of regret through his chest.

Sam gave Bucky a salute, slid the goggles over his eyes, and blasted into the sky. Bucky took only a second to watch him leave, then hit the activation button on the tablet. The platform erupted into a stunning electric light show.

The world turned to a kaleidoscope of darkness and light. He felt himself falling, and his right elbow slammed into something hard. He swallowed a touch of bile at the back of his throat as he blinked through the disorientation.

Bright sunlight. Green trees. Tall grass. The smell of dirt, vegetation, flowers, and feces. He rolled to his rear, sitting on the edge of the platform, and took a moment to let the dizziness pass as he surveyed his surroundings. The small cabin sat a short distance away. Tall grass and shrubs grew around the porch. Spider webs adorned the corners beneath the overhang. The door was closed, the windows revealing only dark curtains.

Sam had selected noon on the tablet and given the position of the sun in the sky, Bucky was pretty sure that was on point.

The world seemed more solid and his head steadier. He hopped off the platform, spotting the tablet discarded near the edge. He grabbed it, swung the pack off his right shoulder, and tucked the tablet safely into the main compartment. He took the opportunity to look inside the pack to see what else Sam had left him.

He inventoried five energy bars, a charging cord, a hunting knife, a small first aid kit, a bottle of water, the burner phone, a pen, a small notebook slightly bigger than the one Steve had given him, an envelope with cash sticking out, and a folded piece of paper.

He pulled out the paper and unfolded it. It was a standard 8.5 x 11 sheet with Sam's handwriting. Bucky sat back down on the edge of the platform, placed the pack next to him, and read the note.

Bucky,

I've started and trashed this letter about a dozen times. I'm struggling to find the right words, but I can't, so forgive me if this comes out a jumbled mess. I understand why you feel the need to do this, just like I understood why Steve left. Just like with Steve, though, I really wish you'd made a different decision, and I really, really wish Steve were here to stop you from doing this. I know he's the only one who could. If I thought I could have, I would've, but I saw it in your face…in your eyes… I've seen it for a long time. I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner.

You're a good man, Buck. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be Captain America. You pushed me to do the right thing. You got me that suit, and I know it couldn't have been easy to ask the Wakandans for it after everything that happened. In the short time I've known you, I understand why Steve refused to give up on you. I know you don't see yourself the way I see you or Steve saw you, and I know that's why you feel like your life doesn't matter as much as some others – like Tony Stark. But it does.

This next part, I should have said sooner. I'm sorry I didn't realize how much the shield meant to you. I spent some time trying to imagine what it must have been like for Steve waking up in a strange world – and for you, too, getting your memories back and realizing everyone you knew was gone…except for Steve, and then losing him, too. I should have talked to you about the shield before I retired it, at least given you a heads up, or offered it to you. I'm sorry. Thank you for caring enough to put it back in my hands and help me carry on its legacy.

I hope I can return the favor. So here it goes: this is my final plea, and my last chance to push you in a different direction, just like you did for me. Steve said we don't trade lives. Don't trade yours, Bucky. I swear I'll fight with everything I have to keep them from sending you to the Raft with Zemo…from locking you up anywhere. You've done your time, and then some—more than any human ever has. Hell, they didn't even lock up Walker, and he straight up murdered that man. If you come back, we'll fight this, but I know that's a lot easier for me to say. It's not my risk, so I'll understand if you don't return. But, even if you don't come back here, do what Steve did. Just take the device and find some happy little corner of time to spend your life. You've earned it, man.

Your 'coworker' and friend,

Sam

Bucky sat staring at Sam's handwriting for several minutes, going over the words again until the hot sting of tears blurred them. He closed his eyes, feeling a couple of tears fall and hearing them plop on the page. The silence around him gradually faded as birds returned, their soft chirps and squawks resuming after the temporal disturbance.

Sam's words stirred a distant feeling inside him, one he thought he'd never find again—a sense of belonging. Damnit, Sam. Why'd you have to make this hard for me?

Bucky swallowed against the sudden tightness in his throat and opened his eyes. He felt himself faltering, considering Sam's plea, but the thought of returning was short-lived. He had a mission, and he'd already come too far to turn back. The thought of going back in time to some place simple and safe was tempting, but he had too much to make amends for. This was his chance to make amends in a way he never could otherwise…to do enough good to outweigh the harm he'd caused over the past century. It was his chance to finally cross off the most notable name that he'd never written in his book—Stark.

He wished he could let Sam know how much the words meant to him, but even if he wrote a letter, it would only go to whatever version of Sam would inhabit this timeline's future – the timeline Bucky hoped to change. He sucked in a breath and looked up at the cabin. Nothing had changed. No curtains had been pulled back, and there were no signs of occupants. No cars were visible in the area. He was pretty sure it was vacant.

He folded up the letter and tucked it in his pack, then closed the satchel and slung it over his chest.

Slowly, he walked to the cabin. If no one had stirred after the disturbance caused by the platform, no one would likely hear his footsteps. Still, he took care to approach silently. He made his way up the stairs, testing each step to see if the wood creaked. When he got to the door, he tried the knob. It was locked.

He knocked, then waited, but no one answered. He knocked again. Still, no one answered. He listened but heard no signs of anyone inside. His hand wrapped once again around the knob and, with a quick turn, he forced it open and pushed the door inward.

It was dark inside. The layout was much like it would be in 2024, except everything was dirtier and the furniture, though similar, was older and covered with dirt and webs. The refrigerator door was open, the appliance dark and empty. A thick layer of dust coated almost everything.

He exhaled a relieved sigh. He had the place to himself, which meant he could spend some time getting his bearings, planning his next steps, and figuring out how to transport himself and the device—with the platform—to New York.

He knew Tony had constructed the platform to fold in half. It was only about three feet in diameter, so folded, it would only be one and a half feet wide and three feet long. He'd need a vehicle that could accommodate those dimensions, but it shouldn't be too hard to find. He'd have to hoof it for a bit, being so far out, but he was sure he could find something. He sure couldn't leave a time travel device unattended in Louisiana.