Chapter 31. Face to Face

The presence of the two women, a tall redhead and a shorter brunette, were a big surprise to Bucky when he stepped out of the portal, still grasping the red head's arm. When he had last seen the attractive red head in the way she looked now, it had been a one-night stand in 1940.

"Pearl ... Peri," he said to her. "How is it possible?"

"I explained it before about taking years off," she said. "I'm not the same Peri that you met in Sam's living room. I'm from another 30 years beyond that Peri. My identity is now Paulina, and I infiltrated the headquarters of Lowell Pierce Mason." She noticed he seem startled at the name. "Yes, he is a descendent of Alexander Pierce, through his daughter. He's the leader of Phoenix, the current incarnation of HYDRA. I think you remember Victoria."

The shorter woman came forward and Bucky's mouth opened as he saw the head librarian of the Greenpoint branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.

"Mrs. Houseman? You're a historian?"

"I was," she said, glancing at Paulina, "until I ended up here during a time when the historians lost contact with headquarters. Fortunately, I knew where to find Merton, and he gave me a place to live while he helped me get a job at the library. Then I met Edward and chose to stay."

"Now that we have that reunion finished, we need to talk," said Paulina, getting down to business. She gestured around her as Bucky noticed they were in a sparsely furnished apartment. "You and I will stay here in this flat. Merton will be joining us soon as we need him to distract someone while we intercept Mason, the doppelgänger May Weatherly, and a third person."

"Do you know who the third person is?" asked Bucky.

"Yes, but before I tell you I think you should know something." She looked hesitant to continue until Victoria spoke.

"He should know," she said. "She is family."

"It's one of your descendants," said Paulina. "She's only 19 and had infiltrated Mason's headquarters on her own. I should have stopped her, but I didn't even see her until the day Ariel was rescued. I was on my back, bleeding from a gunshot wound and she was angry, almost out of control. She followed the other two here to kill them but if she does that she'll be arrested on her return to the future on several charges of unlawful death. If we can stop her first and send her back, she'll only face misdemeanour charges. A slap on the wrist would be her punishment."

"What's her name?" asked Bucky, curious.

The two women glanced at each other again and grimaced.

"Peri," said Paulina, finally. "She's named after one of her ancestors."

"So, you're family as well?" asked Bucky in a cynical manner. "I'm not moving a muscle until you tell me the truth, Paulina." He put a harsh emphasis on her name. "For all of your claims of objectivity you seem to have interfered a lot in this timeline. Why? What the hell was so important that you did all of this?"

Victoria stepped forward and placed a hand on Bucky's arm. "You have every right to be angry but remember that historians are still human. We love, we hate, we sometimes make decisions that make sense at the time then we try to make amends for our mistakes. Sound familiar?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked her, slightly calmer but still irritated.

"I'm Ariel's birth mother," said Paulina. "Merton is her birth father. She was conceived by IVF because I wanted the perfect historian to study you, one who could have a relationship with you and find out what really made you tick. You are such an enigma to history, even with your notoriety. Before the war your behaviour was such a mystery, openly courting and sleeping with many women cementing a reputation as a lothario, not being involved in anything more than casual relationships, yet you stayed quiet about your conquests. Why was that Bucky?"

"None of your business," he responded, his ire up at her turning this on him. "So, Ariel knew she was your homegrown spy?"

"No, she didn't know," interrupted Victoria. "Peri and Merton were found out, and almost kicked out of the guild for their plan. The chair wanted the pregnancy terminated but relented when it was suggested that Ariel be raised by an adoptive parent, with no knowledge of her parentage. Peri asked me and I agreed as I wasn't ready to go back to the past anytime soon after my last assignment. I raised Ariel as my daughter under my real name, Skye Paxton, until she was 16."

"Skye was declared dead when the Reapers, Lowell Mason's first terrorist group destroyed the historian's headquarters," said Peri. "She was on duty in the portal room along with six others. To save their lives one person sent the others back a year, except the explosion that destroyed the facility affected the stability of the portal. Skye was sent back to 1928. She sought out Merton and for a year none of our resident historians could contact us and we couldn't contact them."

"Why would he destroy the building? That sounds like the actions of a madman."

"I was chair by then, not an easy process after you've spent almost 16 years in subordinate positions," replied Paulina. "I had just authorized a sanction on a young woman, a true believer of Mason's ideology, who was trained to seduce you into impregnating her. It was always about your genetics, Bucky. The Winter Soldier worked because of your genetic makeup and Mason wanted an army of your descendants for HYDRA to take over the world after World War II. He found out about Ariel early on and began training his own daughter to do what Ariel was supposed to. After I sanctioned his daughter, he went mad with revenge, but he managed to do it without leaving evidence, all while recruiting followers from his university political science teaching position. He found May Weatherly, seducing her at a young age." She noticed the look of disgust on Bucky's face. "Oh yes, he is degenerate in more ways than one. With one of his followers on the guild council he was able to get her into the program. When I reinstated the assignment on you, she was in serious consideration for it, but Ariel's abilities were too much for anyone else to be considered. It wasn't nepotism that had her assigned to you, it was her own qualifications and thoroughness."

"So where does Peri Barnes, I assume that is her name, fit in?" he asked.

"She's a bit of a rebel," smiled Paulina. "For the past year she was supposed to be in training for the Avengers. They are still a force to be reckoned with. As a descendant she does have super soldier capabilities. Then she suddenly went AWOL. No sign of her until she appeared shortly before the raid on Mason's building. Once she ascertained I was alright she left me, after calling for a medic. The force that came to rescue Ariel learned that three people came back to this time, Mason, Weatherly, and after some hacking into their security cameras, Peri Barnes. I can only assume she intends to kill both of them. They can't be killed in this timeline; they need to face charges in theirs. We have to find Peri before she puts herself on a road to ruin."

"What date is it today?" he asked. "We have to find her before Steve gets transformed, right?"

"Yes, we do," confirmed Paulina. "It's Saturday, June 19, 1943. His transformation is Tuesday, the 22nd and he'll return to his flat later that afternoon to pack in preparation for Senator Brandt's war bonds tour. We're expecting May to be there, waiting for him, dosed with a pheromone booster. Merton is going to intercept Steve before he gets to his flat, take him for a drink, dinner, whatever he has to in order to delay him. Us three will deal with May and Mason, as he'll be nearby to make sure it happens. Peri will likely try to take them at the same time, but I would rather find her before then, before there's a chance she can make things worse."

"Is the location of Steve's flat common knowledge in the future?" asked Bucky. "I could always stake it out and watch for anyone who doesn't belong there. I'm pretty sure I can see them before they see me."

The two women looked at each other and agreed it was probably a task that Bucky would be better suited for. Paulina was still recuperating from her gunshot wound and would be using a modern medical kit to speed up the healing process. Victoria had taken several days off from work, using vacation hours and leaving the former Miss Warren in charge until her expected return on June 23. In this timeline Ariel had only left just days before, still reeling from young Bucky's betrayal, a fact the older version was very well aware of. When Merton arrived with some groceries the two men shook hands, and he confirmed Paulina's account of Ariel's rescue in 2142. While Victoria and Paulina went into her bedroom to continue her medical treatment Merton raised a small brown paper bag to Bucky.

"Drink?" he asked.

Bucky nodded and put the groceries away while Merton poured out two glasses of whiskey.

"I know what Ariel is to you," said Bucky as the historian handed him his glass, "and to Paulina."

"You must think we're terrible people," replied Merton. "I wanted to tell her so many times."

"At least you were there for her, after I messed things up," countered the solemn super soldier. "I'm not really angry. Hell, I grew up with lots of kids whose mother was really their grandmother, raising her daughter's illegitimate child as her own. People are human. Some of her trauma about losing her parents was real, wasn't it? Losing Skye at the age of 16, never knowing her father; even though what she told me was made up it wasn't that far removed from the truth."

"We try to keep traumatic events like that in the persona's life linked to a similar event in the historian's life," said the historian. "Makes it more authentic. We pushed her too hard for this one. She wanted to marry you, wanted to stay and wait for you, even knowing you wouldn't return because she loved you that much.

Both men took another drink, then stared into their glasses. "I don't think she loves me anymore," said Bucky, suddenly. "She was so angry with me at Peri's apartment. As long as she's safe I'll be happy with that and go back to 2024."

"Then you'll be giving up without a fight," replied Merton. "That was her grief and anger talking. She recognized Sam as the one of the men who rescued her and Rebecca in 1940. Once he identified himself, she knew you were the other man and asked about you. I think a week being held captive has tempered her feelings considerably about everything. Knowing your partner, he likely had a good talk with her on the flight back to headquarters. Paulina said her 2142 version told him everything, even things that I don't know, because I don't know everything. I do know that when I get back, I'm going to tell Ariel who I really am because I still want to be part of her life, whether that's still in 2142 or 2024."

They continued drinking their whiskey as Bucky thought over what Merton said. He was still thinking it hours later when he approached Steve's flat. Grinning as he found the spare key, he unlocked the door, put the key back, and quietly entered the small space, locking the door from the inside. The memories of times spent there flooded his mind as he stepped onto the cracked linoleum floor and took in the darkened space, seeing the tiny icebox and cast-iron stove, the rickety countertop that hid the bathtub beneath it, a sink and a cupboard on the wall. A small table for three was in front of a built-in sideboard filled with Steve's art supplies. The bathroom was even smaller than he remembered it. Considered a luxury to have a private one in those days, it came with a sink and toilet. Then he saw what was considered the bedroom, with the same bed that he and Ariel slept in for three nights when he was back on leave at Christmas in 1942, so they could have time alone together. Looking at it now it was indicative of just how poor Steve really was but for those three nights it was a haven for Ariel and him.

While his thoughts were filled with those moments, Bucky heard quiet footsteps coming up the stairs outside. Stepping into position near the door he flattened himself against the wall, listening as the person located the key and inserted it in the lock. Just like he did, the person replaced the key in its hiding place then opened the door carefully. Aware of their heartbeat Bucky waited as the person hesitated at the door. Calming himself, he felt his own heartbeat slow, and an icy sense of readiness filled his body. As the door was closed behind the individual, he stepped forward, grasping their neck and pushing them against the wall. With his other hand Bucky flipped the light switch and came face to face with a young dark-haired woman, with eyes as blue as his. At first, she fought back with surprising strength, but as his metal hand tightened around her throat, her efforts slowed down, and she began to gasp.

"Who are you?" he asked. "Why are you in Steve's flat? I'll lessen my hold if you stop struggling and answer my questions. Do you comply?"

Her eyes grew big, and she took a better look at him, at the dark hair and beard, and the dark eyes that were almost hidden under the cap he had pulled low over them.

"I will comply," she sputtered, and Bucky released her throat but blocked her from leaving. She rubbed where his hand had gripped and coughed a few times then stood up and looked at him with a confused expression. "Who are you?"

"Answer me first," said Bucky. "Then we'll talk." He indicated for her to go in and sit at the table. "Know that I can tell when a person is lying."

He observed her carefully as she approached the chair, watching as she glanced at the window in the bedroom, knowing that she was considering throwing herself through it.

"I can stop you before you even get to the window," he said, seeing the surprise on her face as he voiced it. "Now sit, be a good girl, and tell me your name and why you're here."

As she sat, he pulled his chair over, placing it directly in front of her. Then he took his cap off so she could see his face fully.

"I don't understand," she began, but he frowned at her, and she nodded. "My name is Peri Barnes, and I'm here to wait for the traitors to arrive. It's my plan to stop them permanently." She watched his face, looking for a reaction. "Who are you?"

Smiling, Bucky took his left glove off, inwardly pleased at the reaction he got from her. "I think you know."

"How do I know you're not one of Mason's future soldiers, sent on a mission to stop me?" she asked defiantly. "You could be sent from the alternate timeline to make sure I don't succeed."

"Or I could be the original Bucky Barnes, changed slightly so I wasn't easily recognized by my family," he said. "I could have been sent here to 1940 by Peri Wayne to make sure that Lowell Pierce Mason didn't kidnap Ariel Black and replace her with May Weatherly. Then I could have been brought to this specific time to prevent her from seducing Steve Rogers after his transformation."

Peri's mouth opened, then closed and she swallowed. "You're him?" she asked. "The real one? It's not in any historical documents that you were here."

"For good reason," he said, then he leaned forward. "Were you planning to kill Mason and Weatherly?" Her face coloured but she stayed silent. "So, you're planning to violate my most sacred promise to myself, to never kill again."

"But they deserve it!" she exclaimed, her anger surging out of her. "He wants to bring back HYDRA and the Winter Soldier program. When they failed with replacing Ariel they chose plan B, to get Steve Rogers to make May pregnant. They recruited me, not aware of who I was because out in public I go by Patricia Warden." She noticed the look on his face. "Everyone wants to be friends with a member of the famous Barnes family. I just wanted to be accepted for who I was."

"I believe you," he said gently. "Peri, you being here has placed our mission in jeopardy. I'm here with three others and we plan to take Mason and Weatherly into custody and return them to 2142 for a very public trial."

"They deserve to die," she replied bluntly, her face set.

He nodded. "Killing them would satisfy you briefly but taking a life is not an easy thing. Since I left HYDRA I've killed a handful of people, only as a last resort when I had no other choice. Their deaths still bother me. It sounds to me like you've appointed yourself judge, jury, and executioner. Sounds like what HYDRA did when I was their Fist."

"It's different," she spat. "I'm not trying to take over the world. I'm trying to make it right."

"By ruining your life in the process?" He looked intently at her. "There's nothing right about that. You'll throw everything away if you kill them. Guild security will arrest you, put you on trial for causing unlawful deaths, and the Barnes name will be associated with a killer, once more. Have you learned nothing about what lengths I went through to leave the killing behind?"

Her lips began to tremble, and she put her hands to her mouth to suppress the sob that threatened to erupt. As tears began forming in her eyes, Bucky shifted to put his chair beside her so he could put his arm around her. The dam of tears broke, and she buried her face in his chest, crying profusely. Reaching into his pocket he took out his handkerchief and offered it to her. She chuckled when she saw it which helped her stop crying.

"It's a family legend that you always carried one of these," she said, after cleaning the tears off of her face. "A clean one at that."

"I always have one to offer a lady in distress," he answered. "So, you're my what ... great great granddaughter?"

She nodded. "I'm descended from your oldest son, Sam, although I guess I shouldn't have said that. I'm not good at keeping things under wraps. Probably, why I'm flunking out of the Avengers."

"Is there a reason you chose that profession instead of something else?" he asked.

"I'm a screw up," she said, then she took a deep breath. "Thought I was representing the family tradition, although I could have gone into libraries, or history, or antiques. I just wanted to make my mark; you know?"

He did know and he squeezed her shoulder. "Listen, I worked on the docks, had dreams of being a pro boxer, and even took a course in technical drawing when I had the idea that I could be a draftsman, or an architect. I didn't want to go to war, but I found that I didn't mind being a soldier. Not the killing part, but the planning and organization of missions. Being part of a unit, they become like family to you and protecting that family becomes part of the job. When I was finally free to set my own life I floundered, lived on my pension, and had nightmares all the time. Working with Sam Wilson and starting the Avengers up again felt right and they accepted that my participation would not extend to killing, except under the most dire of circumstances."

"But what if I don't want to do anything that the family has done before?" she said. "What else could I do?"

"Anything," he replied. "Be a carpenter, be a writer, be a carnival barker." She looked at him, confused. "They don't have carnivals anymore?" He shook his head, bothered by that. "You're what 19? You can try many things before you find what's right for you. Be true to yourself and don't go down a path just because it's well worn. Don't be afraid to choose something different."

"What now?" she asked, then nodded when she saw the expression on his face. "You're going to send me back, aren't you?" She stood up. "Alright, my first arrest. Hopefully, my last."

Bucky stood up beside her and hugged her, then placed the chairs back, exactly as they had been. He took one more look around the flat and turned off the light as she opened the door. While he waited, she found the key and locked the door from the outside, replacing the key in its hiding place.

"How did you know where to find that?" asked Bucky.

"I guess it was a story you told your kids and your grandkids, and it made its way down through the years," replied Peri.

They walked down the steps of the building and out into the darkened street. As they began walking Peri stepped up the pace. When Bucky looked sideways at her, she raised her eyebrows and gestured forward with her head in the universal nonverbal language asking, "Wanna race?" Before he could respond she took off, laughing while she opened a good lead against him. With a grin he started running, easily catching up to her and for the remainder of the distance back to the other flat they ran side by side, feeling the exhilaration of how effortless it was.

When they arrived back at the other flat, she recognized Merton and Paulina. They both assured her she wasn't in serious trouble. It would likely be enough to get her kicked out of the Avengers, considering she went AWOL to come back in time illegally.

"That's okay," replied Peri. "I wasn't really cut out for it, anyways. Grandpa here made me realize I didn't have to follow anyone's path but my own."

"As long it's legal," clarified Bucky. "And don't call me Grandpa. You know you have to keep this quiet. I'm not supposed to be here."

Paulina offered her a handshake. "Thank you for knocking out the one who shot me," she said. "How did you know I was undercover?"

"I didn't," said Peri. "Not until I heard Mason order the guy to take you out, that you were a traitor to the cause. He was a lousy shot. Where did Mason find those people, anyways? Most of them were complete amateurs."

"There are always people who feel disenfranchised," said Merton. "People like Mason use them to advance their own purposes. He fills their minds with messages that they are special and needed to implement change. As soon as he gets what he wants from them he discards them. His trial will show him for the pedlar of lies that he really is."

The sound of a portal opening distracted them as Victoria adjusted the controls on her device. Shyly Peri offered her hand to Merton, whispering that she knew who he was. He pulled her into a hug, whispering back that they would talk on his return. Then she looked at Paulina, who just nodded, still keeping her professional distance. Finally, she faced Bucky. Before she could say anything he hugged her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Stay on the right path for you," he said.

Smiling grimly, she turned towards the portal and stepped inside. When the signal arrived that she was safely through Victoria shut it down and the four looked at each other. It was late and they had many preparations to make before Tuesday. Even though Mason and Weatherly were the most recent believers from the future they didn't know how many of Mason's followers were still in the past. Everything could still go very wrong, changing the future in the process.