Who Am I? » [Stucky]

94. Beat It

He knew one brusque glance could give away the game. It would make them aware that he was being watched. He had managed to keep it a secret up until then.

Then he stole a brief glance, just one quick look. Bucky's curious blue eyes locked with the man's inquisitive dark brown ones. Bucky's eyes widened in horror as the man's narrowed. He had been acquired as a target and was marked as a threat to eliminate. He had become self-aware of the monitoring and had to be shut down.

The man ran at him, practically diving at Bucky to take him down. He was about equal in height and stature, but god only knew what weapons and devices he carried beneath that coat.

Bucky predetermined the tackling move and crouched, his solid head battering into the man's stomach as he pounced and flipped him over onto his back. The man landed with a sickening thwack, the air being winded out of his lungs and coughing.

Bucky stomped over with determination. The man slipped a sleek loaded gun from a holster and clicked off the safety with a dexterous thumb. He started firing shots off as Bucky moved towards him. Bucky agilely evaded them them, darting from side to side as each shot sparked out the end. He kicked the gun away from the breathless man's hand and pinned his wrist to the grubby floor with his boot. His other foot went to the man's stomach, holding him down and making him writhe in pain as more pressure was put on his wrist.

"Who are you working for?!" Bucky barked, glaring down at the man who had been following him for endless days, his eyes livid and a scowl across his face.

The man laughed foully at him. He chuckled at his expense, still grimacing in pain as he belted out the accented laughs. Bucky was repulsed by his arrogance and punched him across the cheek. That ended the laughter momentarily as his head jerked to the side. Blood began to trickle in a scarlet stream from the man's nose and down to his lips, some droplets leaking into his mouth.

"I said: who are you working for?!" He spluttered, crouching down and locking his metal hand around the man's fragile neck and giving it a cursory squeeze, testing the pressure he could put on without breaking it. "If you don't tell me, I will crush your throat with my hand..." He bit out.

"You really don't know?" The man goaded in a rich German accent, still laughing callously away through the torture. Then there was a sickening crunch as his back teeth clinched together and a frothing began something leaked into his mouth. "Heil..." He coughed, foam bubbling from the back of his throat and starting to pour out of his trembling bloodied lips. "HYDRA..." He gasped, seething and guttering. As he coughed, flecks of corrosive blood showered his face and the white froth poured down his cheek. "Cut off one head..." He wheezed, using his final breaths to utter the organisation slogan. "Two more shall take it's place..." Then the life left him with a final whiny rasp and he convulsed in the mud, with no dignity in his death. The lights left his eyes and he stared blankly up at the sky, no consciousness residing in his brain any longer.

They were trying to get him back. Operatives were gathering behind him, and more still leaped across rooftops either side of the alley and ran ahead, hunting down a new prey.

He looked behind him at the monstrous men, armed to the teeth with knives and guns and broke into an all-out run.

Steve was returning from a refreshing lunch in a café bar. It had been the first proper meal he'd consumed in an eternity and he felt sated. The dehydrated headache had faded away and he no longer felt sick with hunger. He felt relieved. He felt zingy with energy and his sinuses felt clear. The day felt fresh and his lungs felt full and he was fused with life.

The streets were packed as he tried to make his way back to his bike, crowded with too many people to move. Too many people were walking slow, four abreast in the street, blocking him off and crowding him out. Then, by luck, he noted an alley that he could cut through back to the car park at the shopping centre. Seeing it as a far better option to trying to push through the streets, he headed off.