2014. WASHINGTON DC.
My feet touched down onto the pavement below me. The metallic thud of footsteps across a dented car roof told me what I needed to hear when it came to the soldier being by my side, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Soldier?" I asked.
"What?" He whispered, turning to me.
"Focus on the mission this time, alright?"
He rolled his eyes at those words, a coy smile playing on my lips underneath my mask. I stepped over the pieces of metal from the bus crash, brushing some dust from my uniform. A soft hum slipped from my lips.
The soldier fired from his rocket launcher at a police car coming to assess the scene. My eyes narrowed slightly as it veered off to the side, exploding into a ball of flames. I couldn't help but glance over at his metal hand reloading the weapon, clearing my throat, and blinking away any... off-topic thoughts.
It had been a while since either of us had made a move on each other. Admittedly, I wanted him to show just how bad it's been killing him, but he's been too engrossed with work and missions that we've barely been able to see each other.
To be quite honest, the tension's been killing me too. Especially with my father in control of HYDRA after our target blew up the whole SHIELD headquarters in New Jersey. That, more than anything, fueled me with the most rage.
A civilian attempted to halt the two of us, but my hand was faster. I fired a single bullet into his chest, pushing him to the ground as his body formed a pool of thick red blood. I didn't feel the need to give it any second thought.
The soldier glanced over. "I hear something."
Before I could ask where I heard the soft droning of a woman's voice behind a car. She was repeating herself as if she were on the radio talking to someone. Maybe our target. A shiver flew up my spine. Something about this wasn't right.
"You should keep your guard up," I whispered as he knelt down.
"I will." He unhooked a small metallic bomb from his holster, pressing the red button on the front before rolling it under the car.
I stepped back slightly, my hand wandering to grab his instinctively. He aimed his gun, ready to shoot as the bomb exploded, but no screams or remains were anywhere to be found. My eyes widened as I felt a presence behind me. A woman jumped onto Bucky's shoulders, with a tight and thin metal wire to wrap around his neck.
"You bitch!" I screamed, jumping on top of another car and smacking her across the back of the head with the hilt of my gun.
Her grip on the wire loosened just enough for the soldier to pummel her into the hood of another car, smashing the windows. I attempted to shoot her, but all my shots were just an inch short.
The woman threw a small electric disk at the soldier's arm. It attached itself, electrocuting the metal. He grunted in pain, his step faltering as his gun fell loosely in his grip. I ripped the disk from the metal as fast as my fingers would allow me, though my mind was racing with unwanted and fearful thoughts. Someone that harmed him, angered me.
My hands gripped onto the railing of an abandoned apartment, jumping down and landing against the hood of another car. I managed to take as long of strides as I could to keep up with her, unlatching my titanium staff from my back holster. I pressed the button against the front of the staff, the sharpened blade protruding out both ends.
"Pandora!" The soldier called out to me from afar, though by now I didn't want to listen.
The woman knelt down behind a car as if she was safe. I would be the one to make sure she wasn't. I swung my legs over the obstacle separating us, plowing the blade into her shoulder. A sharp gasp emitted from her lips, her fingers going to cover the fresh wound as blood soaked her shirt.
My panting was heavy and labored as I stared into her eyes, ripping the blade out of her skin and cleaning the blood off with my black glove.
"You won't be so lucky next time, darling... That is if you survive this time." I whispered sinisterly, glaring at her before the sound of another man drew my attention.
The soldier was in his own fight with a blonde-haired man with a stained shield. Our target. Thinking of it now, they looked so contrasting to each other. Like darkness and light. I couldn't help but feel a twang of guilt. It felt wrong, this all suddenly felt so very wrong.
Only then was I drawn out of my thoughts when the soldier's body was thrown overhead, followed by a kick into my gut as I flew backward. My mask detached from my face as my back slammed into the ground, the other's body collapsing beside mine.
A hand extended out to me. I grabbed it, pulling myself up. His mask had been ripped off by our target, the blonde-haired man. Though it wasn't the time, I cupped his cheek, my fingers brushing over his scruff.
The target's eyes widened when he saw who was hiding under the masks. My arms wrapped around his metal one, holding onto him. "Bucky?"
Both of our bodies tensed up at that name. The soldier looked bewildered as if he had just seen a ghost. "Who the hell is Bucky?" He snarled. I was wondering the same exact thing.
It was but another moment before I felt a searing pain in my thigh. A man with wings had shot me, a dark bullet hole in my black pants. Blood poured from the wound, a slight whimper escaping my lips. The soldier still appeared so confused, scared if I hadn't known any better.
"Help..." I whispered. "We need to leave..."
I stared at the expanding stain on my pants. Strong arms embraced my body, hoisting me into a heaving chest as we fled the scene. Smoke fogged my view of our three assailants, my hands balled with the fabric of the soldier's uniform.
Who was that man?
...
"She looks like she burned herself. Look at her hands..."
"I wasn't awake to see anything really. Sam was the one who watched her burn John's neck."
That voice... Only one of them sounds familiar.
What happened?
Oh, that's right.
I passed out, again.
Faint, dusty light flooded through the windows of the refugee building. My eyes opened slowly to see the concrete and decorated ceiling above. Followed by three blurry faces. I jumped, falling off the metal cot I was on. A pair of arms caught me, bringing me into a warm embrace.
"You're awake." A muffled voice spoke, Bucky.
Torres and Sam looked at each other, "It's a long story." Sam whispered.
My gaze flickered over to Torres, one of Sam's coworkers and good friends. I brought my hand up in a small wave, revealing the sigils burnt into my palm.
"We didn't mean to scare you. You passed out after John knocked you out, so we brought you back to Latvia's center, where you were with Zemo." Torres explained.
I gagged when he mentioned Zemo's name, shaking my head as Bucky's grip tightened on my body. I tapped his shoulder gently, signaling for him to let me go. My feet slowly touched down on the ground.
"Don't mention his name, please. Thank you all for helping me... but I'm quite alright." I reassured.
Bucky shook his head, "This is the second time you've passed out from overexerting yourself... and taking up too much adrenaline or something like that. Sam saw something purple around your hands during the fight."
I looked up at him before down at my hands, staring at the sigils. A wave of shivers flew down my spine as I shoved them back into my pocket. "I'm fine, must've been a hallucination or something."
"So, what're you gonna do now? Go get Zemo before the government does?" Sam joked.
Bucky didn't find it too amusing, and frankly neither did I. His hand wrapped around my forearm, bringing me into his chest and out of the room.
...
SOKOVIA.
Zemo was standing in front of the nine-year-old Sokovian memorial, his hands folded in front of him with his chin tilted downward. I didn't remember much about such an international event involving the Avengers. All I knew was the fact that Bucky had been so distraught to see his best friend living freely, happily. After what happened in HYDRA, and our escape from them. We watched it on TV. It was such a pivotal event that... a super-soldier almost didn't fit in with the scene.
I digress. We're much more powerful than we think.
My arm is locked with Bucky's vibranium arm. My eyes were trained on the gun in his hand the entire time, then to his closed fist. The wind blew through my jacket, wavering it slightly into my thin t-shirt.
Zemo turned to the both of us, "I thought you would've come sooner."
"I like being fashionably late." I hummed in response.
"Don't worry, I've decided to spare you both."
"Imagine our relief," Bucky spoke.
Zemo sighed, " The girl has been radicalized beyond salvation. I warned Sam, but he didn't listen to me. He's as stubborn as Steve Rogers before him. But you... They literally programmed you to kill. James... Lucille..., do what needs to be done. Karli has people everywhere, and there's only one way to make sure she cannot continue her mission."
"I appreciate your advice, but we're gonna do this our own way." Bucky's thumb cocked the gun back, making a click as I gently unraveled myself from his arm.
"Yeah... I was afraid you would say that." Zemo whispered, tilting his head slightly.
My fists curled tightly into each other. Bucky raised his gun, aiming it inches away from Zemo's forehead. His hand was trembling as if he were going to actually pull the trigger and kill someone as ruthlessly as he used to. I could see the internal struggle written all over his face, so I gave him a squeeze on the opposite wrist to give him the go.
He pulled the trigger. Except, nothing came of it. Just the sound of an empty cartridge. His struggle was replaced by a smirk, the gun lowering as he brought his other hand up. He unraveled his fist, letting the gold bullets fall from his palm. Zemo narrowed his eyes slightly, gulping thickly as three women from the Dora Milaje appeared behind him.
"Ladies..." Zemo whispered cautiously. "I took the liberty of crossing my name off in your book. I hold no grudges for what you thought you had to do." He turned to me, "The same goes for you, miss. I wish you well. Goodbye, James. And goodbye, Lucille."
This was the end of the line. The end of an era I had hoped for so long to forget. A man that caused us so much pain and suffering, yet redeemed himself in the worst way, would finally not be able to harm anyone. While HYDRA's files remained, the two soldiers that were menaces to society, were free. Though my mind hadn't been freed from the clutches of the trigger words, this was more than enough to make me feel relieved.
Bucky's vibranium thumb grazed over the back of my hand, my fingers locked into the satisfying chill of his own. Ayo approached us both in the setting sun.
"We will take him to the Raft. Where he will live out his days." She spoke confidently. "it would be prudent to make yourself scarce in Wakanda for the time being, White Wolf."
My grip tightened around Bucky's hand.. "Fair enough.." He whispered.
Ayo nodded respectfully, turning and walking toward the quinjet not too far off. Suddenly, his hand unraveled from my own, moving toward her and whispering something in her ear.
It fascinated me how embedded Bucky had become in Wakanda. I was proud of him for being set free from the clutches of his own mind... But simultaneously, it reminded me of how I couldn't say the same for myself.
However.
May this day be one where the past was crystallized. Something we could finally move past.