CopyCat | Bucky Barnes

15

"Please don't make any sudden moves. You don't know the half of the abuse."

               - Heathens, Twenty-One Pilots

We all sat extremely tense in the quinjet. I triple checked all my gear just to have something to do with my hands. I hold my mask in my hands and turn it over.

Why do I keep wearing this? This was Hydra's muzzle for me, to keep me quiet and anonymous. I'm just using it as an emotional wall now. And I can tell it's bothering Steve. Reminding him of what I was.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and strap it on my face. "Are you sure about this?" Steve's voice comes up behind me.

"About what?" I lie, pretending not to know what he means.

"I know you didn't want to stay. I just don't want you to have any doubts. We might not walk away from this." He tells me. I smile and look up at him.

"I'm sure, Steve." I nod. "If we die... we're gonna die together." I hold out my hand for him, his expression is unreadable.

He takes my hand and we lock our fingers together. "I hate to ask, but would you mind if I copied your powers? It's just, last time I kinda forced you and I-." I ramble and he cuts me off.

"Of course. Whatever you need." He nods. I smile under my mask the focus on our hands. My eyes flash blue and I feel the surge of energy. It's nice to be a super soldier again, nothing against being fast. It was fun, but it's not my thing.

We walk back over to everyone and they all look at us. Probably because Steve and I look like such opposites, but we're united. I haven't really felt this close to him until now.

"Ultron knows we're coming. Odds are we'll be riding into heavy fire. And that's what we signed up for. But the people of Sokovia, they didn't. So our priority is getting them out. All they want is to live their lives in peace. And that's not gonna happen today. But we can do our best to protect them. And we can get the job done. We find out what Ultron's been building, we find Romanoff, and we clear the field. Keep the fight between us. Ultron thinks we're monsters. That we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right." After Steve finishes his speech, there's not much else to say.

I gotta hand it to Sam, I too wanted to know how he came up with these speeches. Steve has always had a way with his words. I don't know how he does it.

The jet drops us all around the city, spreading us as far apart as possible. Except for Steve and I. He wasn't leaving my sight. We always fight better together anyway.

We pull as many people from their homes, doing everything we can to get them out as fast as possible. But, the problem with the entire city leaving at once, is that it doesn't work. Things are moving way too slow, we're never gonna get them all out in time.

Between people scurrying around the streets, the police and the others in their cars, there is a lot of noise, but it can't mask the sound of what's next. Dozens of soldier bots are appearing from all over.

The closest one to me is on top of a car, trying to rip it open from the top. Inside are two adults, with three small children in the back seats.

I sprint forward right onto the hood and tackle the thing to the street. Two seconds later and the thing no longer has a head. I get back up and continue to grab to bots. I keep tabs on everyone's minds, just to make sure who's alive and who's not.

Steve isn't that far from me, he's near the bridge and is smashing bots left and right with his shield. I take out my own staff and start swinging at the bots to destroy them faster.