Red, White & Blue | Bucky x Reader

Chapter Nine

The battle rages on around us as Bucky and I drift around the field, taking out every alien dog we see. For a few precious moments, the immediate area around us is clear, and we take a few steadying breaths as a deep rumbling fills the air. I turn toward the sound, spotting vast mounds of dirt in the distance, barrelling toward us. The mounds push themselves under the dome and explode in a cloud of dirt as three sets of massive, spike-covered wheels burst from the ground. A cold jolt of fear runs down my spine as I take in this new threat, understanding that these things were built for nothing more than shredding everything in their path.

Nearby, T'Challa sees them too, and I hear him call out to our troops, "Fall back! Fall back now!"

As he shouts, the wheels separate, each veering off in different directions to cause maximum destruction. One of the wheels comes straight for us, and Bucky tugs on my arm, pulling me with him as he sprints away from the spikes churning up dirt and rock behind us.

Up ahead, a pack of dogs run toward us, cutting off our escape. The wheel gets closer and closer, and I grab Bucky's arm, teleporting us out of the way as the wheel shreds the dogs to pieces. We hit the ground hard as we land, stumbling a few feet before coming to a stop.

Bucky's eyes find mine, and he nods in thanks before analyzing the field around us. I do the same, seeing a familiar red glow lifting multiple wheels into the sky before sending them crashing down into another group of enemies. I smile in awe, Wanda's on the field, but my excitement is short lived. If she's here, who's protecting Vision?

As if by answer, Sam's voice rings through the communicator. "Guys, we got a Vision situation here."

"Somebody get to Vision!" Steve orders.

"I got him!" Banner replies.

"One my way," Wanda states, but before she can fly off, the female alien takes her by surprise, pummeling her into a nearby ditch.

I quickly glance at Bucky and he nods, understanding my intentions as I teleport myself into the ditch.

"He'll die alone. As will you," I hear the female alien mock Wanda as I land.

Natasha appears at my side a second later. "She's not alone."

Okoye moves in on the alien's other side, silently brandishing her spear, and the alien looks between the three of us, assessing the situation. With a scream, she launches herself at Natasha, but Natasha blocks the blow with her electrical prongs, the impact making a sharp crackle. I duck under Natasha's arms and thrust my hands upward, blasting a blue wall of energy at the alien and pushing her towards Okoye.

"Wanda, go!" I shout. "Get to Vision! We've got this!"

Wanda hesitates for a moment before shooting into the sky, her hands surrounded by red energy.

The alien alternates heavy blows between the three of us as we dodge and counter. Nearby, a wheel suddenly veers toward us, and we duck as it launches over the ditch, whizzing passed our heads. The alien uses the distraction to kick me in the face, knocking me to the ground before grabbing Okoye's shoulder and throwing her away.

The alien turns for Natasha, slashing her sword, but Natasha blocks the blow before knocking the sword from the alien's hand. Without a weapon, the alien turns feral, tackling Natasha to the ground and pinning her down. Triggering an arm-blade from within her armor, the alien attempts to stab Natasha, who barely manages to stop the blade from piercing her skin. The two struggle, and as the edge presses into Natasha's neck, I reach out with my powers, wrapping the alien in energy before flinging her into the sky, right into the path of another wheel. It shreds through her, dark blue blood splattering us as it passes overhead.

Natasha sits up, her face dripping with the alien's blood. "That was really gross."

All around the battlefield, our warriors begin chanting, signaling the nearing end of the fight, and a few seconds later, Bucky slides into the ditch beside me. Before he can say anything, I feel a sharp pull in my mind, and I whip my head toward the trees beyond.

"What is it?" Bucky asks.

"Someone's coming," I tell him. "The Space Stone. I can feel it."

As if answering the call, the wind picks up, and I can tell by the look on my friends' faces that I'm not the only one who can feel it now. It feels strange... eerie... unnatural.

"Everyone, on my position," Steve calls through the earpieces. "We have incoming."