The Valentin Series, Book 1: The Valkyrie (Captain America fanfiction)

Chapter 8: Information

"You do realize we have to start training, right?" Steve asked Bucky as they checked their hiking gear in their backpacks in Tony's sitting room. Steve was dressed in faded denim jeans, brown hiking boots, a blue flannel long-sleeved shirt, and a brown sports jacket.

"Yeah, I know," James answered on a sigh, "After i see Angel." He was in a pair of black hiking shoes, black cargo pants, a blue long sleeved shirt, and a brown hoodie. He had tied his hair back.

Steve shrugged, "If it was up to me, bud, I'd give you a month off, but it's not."

The Winter Soldier smiled at his best friend, it felt good to have Steve back, it felt good to have himself back. Sure, the demons still came knocking on his door every night, and there were faces full of fear and panic that would invade his dreams, faces of people he did not know but he knew he killed, and there were the moments where he still asked if this was all real or if he was dreaming and would wake up with a new mission and no memories again. But it felt real, it felt human, he felt human, and it was a miracle he thought he'd never experience.

"Good thing you aren't calling the shots, then, jerk," James teased, "Or we'd all be slacking."

"You boys ready?" Natasha asked, dressed in a faded gray t-shirt, black sweatpants and hiking shoes, her backpack slung over one shoulder, red wavy hair tied back in a high ponytail.

"Pretty much, Nat," Steve said, checking his pack again, "You good, Bucky?"

James nodded and zipped up his backpack, ready to carry it. Just then the elevator doors opened and out stepped Nick Fury in his usual uniform, Sam Wilson in a black t-shirt and denim jeans, and Tony Stark who was in his usual black muscle shirt and faded jeans combo.

"Hey, Cap!" Sam greeted with a smile, "What'd I mi... Oh" he stopped short when he saw James.

Bucky recognized him, he had wings, too, but they were mechanical, this was the one they called Falcon.

"Send a man home for a week, and he comes back to find the guy who tried to kill everyone is part of the fold," Sam joked, he walked up to James and extended his hand, "Sam Wilson, they call me the Falcon."

James took his hand and shook it, smiling, "James Barnes, pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Nah," Sam said, "I'm just glad you aren't shooting at me anymore." Then he turned to Natasha and Steve, "Camping trip?"

"Yes, and no," Nat answered, eyeing both Tony and Fury suspiciously, "What's up?"

Fury took a deep breath, "We found information on Chimera's killer, but all of you won't like it." He handed Natasha a file he had kept hidden behind him, "I suggest you tell her not to pursue that target."

Nat opened the file and her eyes got wide, "Shit."

"What? What is it?" Steve asked walking up to her.

Nat just shook her head and put the file in her bag, "I'll try my best, sir, but if you know Valkyrie, then you'll know this isn't going to stop her."

Fury just nodded, "Be careful out there, do not, I repeat, do not draw attention to yourselves in any way possible. Sgt. Barnes," he called to James, "Keep that arm under wraps. Stark has something for you."

Tony stepped forward, a huge smile on his face, "Granted that you arm is made of metal, I made this last night when you guys decided to go hiking today." He pulled out a small magnetic chip from his pocket, "It stops metal detectors from detecting your arm. You know, just in case. It also masks your metal arm to look like a real human arm."

James nodded and lifted his sleeve, exposing his lower arm, Tony stuck the chip to the exposed inner arm and it automatically scanned the metal arm and made a thin film over it. Now it looked like an ordinary arm.