Liam couldn't help but to tap his foot on the floor of the van as he anxiously watched Natasha's still bleeding wound. The assassin known as Zerø half sitting half- laying next to her, still knocked out.
"It was him. He looked right at me like he didn't even know me." Said Steve with sinister look, staring at his boots.
"How's that even possible? It was like seventy years ago." Asked Sam, still processing that Steve's pre-war buddy was still alive.
"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43, Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him and..."
"None of that's your fault, Steve." Said Natasha in weak voice.
"Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."
"We need to get a doctor here. If we don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here, in the truck." Finally snaped Liam and looked to the two guards that were with them. Then he blinked at the electric rod that suddenly appeared in front of his face. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished into the other guard's stomach. He yelped and then fell unconscious.
"Ah. That thing was squeezing my brain." Groaned Maria Hill as she took of the heavy helmet.
"Who're these guys?" She asked, gesturing to Sam and Zerø.
"This guy, Sam Wilson. That guy, an assassin." Said Liam and they started preparing their grand escape.
"Let's take him with us." Said Natasha, nodding towards Zerø. Liam sent her a confused look.
"Nah, he's gonna have a tracker on him. We don't have time to look for it." Maria said and Natasha sent Liam a pleading look. He sighed and grabbed a knife from a holster on Maria's leg. Then he gently cut the skin behind Zerø's left ear and pulled out the tracker. Liam stood up straight and let it drop onto the floor. Sam, Steve and Maria all looked at him with questioning look.
"They still put them on the same place." He sighed and turned his own head, showing a scar behind his left ear that was covered by a small bird tattoo.
-Time skip-
"About damn time." Said a voice Liam thought he'd never hear again. After they put Zerø into a secure room, Maria took them to a medical, where they were met with the one and only Director Nicolas Fury.
"There really is nothing that can kill you, is there?" Chuckled Liam and Fury raised an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't expect the happy tone from you, Mills."
"Looks like we're both still full of surprises."
"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache." Listed Fury.
"Don't forget your collapsed lung."
"Oh, let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good."
"They cut you open, your heart stopped." Said Natasha, her shoulder finally being treated.
"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."
"Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" Asked Steve, feeling a little betrayed.
"Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful." Explained Maria.
"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."
-Time skip-
"Liam, you have a moment?" Asked Natasha after the doctor finished treating her wound.
"Uh, yeah, sure." He said and let himself be dragged into an empty hallway.
"Do you remember, there on the bridge, where the Winter Solider and the other one appeared. Barnes said something to Zerø right before Zerø attacked you. Do you know what 'Позаботься о своем брате. Я могу справиться с ними сам.' means?" She asked in hushed tone.
Uh, no. I don't currently have the access to Google Translate."
"It means: 'Take care of your brother. I can handle them myself.'" She said and Liam's world froze.
HA! Bet you didn't expect that! Try and guess who is sleep deprived at work right now? Yep, it's me. I'm on my second cup of coffee and still feeling like shit. Life is good. Let me know what you think about the story!