Whatever It Takes

Chapter 53 - What Else Do I Have To Lose

Alarms start ringing off all over the tactical room. You can hear the hurried orders being shouted across the room. Curiosity gets the better of you and you stand, Tony moving to stand next to you as you both try to get a glimpse of what's causing the uproar.

"The Winter Soldier is on the move..." You hear one agent yelling, drawing your eye to the screens. There's so many, but finally they switch the big screen on. And there he is: Bucky. Backpack strapped to his back, scruffy beard and bleary eyed, running through the streets of Bucharest like his life depended on it; because it did.

Your heart breaks seeing the look etched on his face as he manages to evade another camera, agents scrambling to get another view. What would be going through his mind right now? And why the hell did he have to run? "Where the fuck are you?" You whisper.

"Who?" Tony asks, but you don't have to answer as shortly afterwards a blur of red, white and blue flies across the screen. "God dammit Rogers." Tony sighs before leaving the room. "FRIDAY get me through to Rhodey."

"Maybe you should take a seat Sasha." Nat pipes in, finally having the courage to face you again. But you ignore her; eyes searching around for Bucky. As the chase leads on into a tunnel, you finally catch a glimpse of him, riding a motorcycle, desperately trying to get away.

"An innocent man wouldn't run like that." Ross suddenly appears beside you, and you can tell Sharon has re-entered the room too, but still your eyes are on Bucky. "The only thing I still can't work out," He continues to try and taunt you. "Is why he blew the building up with YOU inside it. Did he want you dead too? Or was that just supposed to be your alibi?"

Trying desperately to ignore him you start scouting the monitors for an image of Sam; but with the images jumping back and forth it's too hard to decipher what's really going on. You try to drown Ross out by listening to the agents calling out every detail.

"Doesn't matter I suppose. We'll get the answers soon enough. If he survives this, of course." Ross continues to goad you, and finally it's working. You can feel yourself tensing in preparation to strike; Nat notices it too and takes a hold of your arm. "Oh, I'm not scared of her Agent Romanoff."

"You should be." She warns, a slight hint of a smile on her face.

"Probably would be better off dying out there. Being shot in the head by one my strike team would be much better than what I have planned..." He rocks on his feet, and you grip your hands together into fists. "Mind you, torture is a violation of his human rights, but since he's predisposed to it, what harm could I actually..."

He doesn't get to finish his sentence, and Nat doesn't have the strength or the speed to stop you as you twist your body towards Ross, wrapping the handcuff chain around his neck and digging your knee into his back. "If you lay a finger on him, then I swear I will be the last thing you see."

Ross can't do anything but choke. His face turning red, every time he tries to move it allows you to pull tighter on the restraints, burying your knee deeper. "Sasha. Stop." Nat tries to get around you but you're seeing red. "You're only making things worse."

"I don't care." You spit out, looking around at the people staring at you. "You wanna treat me like the bad guy then go ahead." Twitching your head towards the monitor you continue. "What else do I have to lose?"

"Volkova, use your head." Tony marches back into the room. "He's a CIA agent. He will lock you in a cell for the rest of your life..."

"Not him. Her." You gesture to Sharon. "Because I am over this son of a bitch..." You know you're doing the wrong thing, but you can't help yourself. The instinct you feel towards protecting Bucky won't let you.