2| PROMISE ☆ BUCKY BARNES

SIX

Steve lifted his head up, as well as Carmen. A chuckle couldn't help but be released from Steve's mouth. "This is Sam Wilson. He's a 'good guy' if you will." Maria nodded and then leaned forward and began to laser a hole into the bottom of the van. Seeing as they now came to a stop the group quickly filed through the hole and made a sneaky run for it. They then proceeded to hop into another van Maria had hidden. They traveled a short way before stopping at what seemed to be an abandoned building. None of them - but Maria - knew what they were doing there. They are just glad to be okay.

   Maria guided them to a gate to enter the building. She proceeded to guide them through where she called out, "GSW! She's lost at least a pint." This was motioned towards Natasha who is being held up by Steve.

   And soon enough a man came running towards them. "Maybe two! Let me take her!"

   Maria nodded in agreement before stopping. "She'll want to see him first." The group all looked curiously at Maria but nonetheless followed her. They all walked little ways before stopping at some plastic that draped like a curtain. Maria proceeded to pull it back to reveal another person they thought was dead - Nick Fury. Theo couldn't help but think, 'I guess no one can just die without coming back.' She, of course, didn't mean it in a negative connotation, she'd rather have people living than dead. But then again, of course, this was gesturing to Bucky Barnes as well as Nick Fury who was always presumed as, well, dead.

Nick Fury lifted his head up ever so slightly and with a smirk said, "about damn time." Natasha and Steve smiled wide as they were the first to enter. Sam, Theo, and Carmen all shared awkward looks before following behind. As they did so the man from before took Natasha to help her injured shoulder. When doing so Nick began to list off all that was wrong, and everyone made sure to listen intently. "Lacerated spinal column, a cracked sternum,  shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache, otherwise I'm good," he concluded.

"They cut you open, your heart stopped," Natasha stated, almost in a questioning way. But then again it wasn't a question, for she saw it happen. Her and four others - Maria, Steve, Carmen, and Theo.

"Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it." Nick explained.

Steve decided now would be a good time to speak up. His eyes that once focused on the floor below him eventually looked up at Nick. "Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?"

The question was directed to Nick, but Maria had answered instead. "Any attempt on the Director's life had to look successful."

"Can't kill you if you're already dead," Nick added before continuing. "Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust." The room grew eerily silent as no eyes dared to look at another. Perhaps they were all taking in all the information Fury just gave, but not Carmen. Her mind is too occupied by the familiar blue eyes she once fell in love with, they were the same, yet so different. Like a part of them had lost its color and Bucky lost his mind. Could she even call him Bucky? Could Carmen call him the man she once knew? "And you must be Carmen," Nick now said.

   This caused Carmen to look up with a force smile and a nod. "Yeah, Carmen Ripley. I guess you could say Steve and I go way back." Carmens thought were quite rude, and she knows it. She didn't want to be there, she didn't give a shit about Nick Fury and him being alive. It was just another death that didn't happen. The only fake death she cared about was Buckys. And she wanted nothing more than to leave everyone in there behind and save him. Because she saved herself and Theo from Hydra and all their manipulation, and Carmen has no doubt in her mind that she could do the same for Bucky.