Two hours have slipped away since breakfast and Evangeline finds herself anchored to her seat, a silent sentinel of confinement, while Scott assumes the role of vigilant guardian, his watchful gaze never wavering from her.
Outside, Steve and Bucky stand sentinel, their unwavering vigilance a testament to the gravity of the situation. They stand ready to repel any potential intrusion, their senses alert to the slightest hint of danger. Meanwhile, they anxiously await the arrival of reinforcements, their hopes pinned on the imminent aid promised by Steve's call to Tony.
"I don't need a babysitter, Scott," Eva remarks, breaking the oppressive silence that hangs heavily in the room. She directs a disapproving frown towards him, her legs intertwining beneath her for added comfort upon the plush armchair.
"I know. I'm not here to watch you. I'm here to watch out for you," Scott responds calmly, reclining in his own seat opposite hers. Despite the disapproving glare Eva casts his way, he remains resolute. "If you are able to wield your powers again, it could mean Ultron has a chance infiltrate your mind. Isn't that what happened before?"
"But I can't use them," Eva argues, her eyes rolling with frustration. "We just tried. Whatever happened must have been a glitch," she adds, punctuating her statement with a nonchalant shrug as she gestures toward the device.
"If all it took was a glitch for you to see Ultron in your mind, then it's enough for us to take precautions, Eva," Scott reasons in a hushed tone, his voice laced with concern.
Her glare softens, replaced by a contemplative expression as she chews on her lower lip. With her chin cradled in her palm, Eva continues to fix her gaze on Scott, but remains silent, the weight of his words settling heavily upon her.
Wanda's swift descent down the stairs captures the duo's attention. "Sam's just arrived," she announces briskly, striding past Eva and Scott towards the door, eliciting furrowed brows in her direction.
Scott's gaze flickers between the door and Evangeline. "Promise you'll stay here?" he implores, leaning forward in his chair, his resolve unyielding until he receives her assurance.
Once more, Eva rolls her eyes, her head still cradled in her hand. "Comme vous voulez..." she drawls, prompting a quizzical raise of Scott's brow.
"I'll take that as a yes," Scott shrugs, straightening up before briefly squeezing her shoulder in reassurance as he passes by, heading towards the door to greet Sam.
The door swings open just as Scott strides towards it, and Bucky enters, exchanging a curt nod with Scott before they diverge paths. Bucky makes his way to the living area, and Eva's gaze follows him to the vacant chair Scott had occupied moments before. Her expression remains inscrutable, bordering on boredom, as Bucky settles into the seat. Their eyes lock in an unspoken exchange, Eva eventually furrowing her brow, her chin still cradled in her hand, while Bucky meets her gaze with his own unreadable expression.
"You're not going to greet Sam?" Eva interjects, unable to endure the weight of the silence any longer. Bucky shrugs indifferently, sinking back into the chair.
"I see him enough, and it's not like he's going anywhere now," Bucky offers in his characteristic monotone, prompting only a huffed breath of response from Eva before she lapses into silence once more.
The seconds stretch into a silent standoff, each refusing to yield to the other's gaze. Eva's features betray a hint of frustration, her eyes darting between Bucky's inscrutable expression and the doorway, perhaps hoping for a distraction. Bucky, however, remains unmoved, his demeanor stoic as he continues to regard Eva with an intensity that borders on unsettling.
Finally, unable to bear the weight of the unspoken tension any longer, Eva breaks the silence once more. "What are you staring at?" she challenges, her voice tinged with a hint of irritation.
Bucky's lips twitch almost imperceptibly, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "Just wondering what's going on in that head of yours," he replies cryptically, his tone betraying nothing.
Eva scoffs softly, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite herself. "Trust me, you don't want to know," she retorts, a note of resignation underlying her words.
The sound of approaching footsteps breaks the tension between Eva and Bucky and averts their gazes, their standoff momentarily interrupted by the arrival of others. But beneath the surface, the undercurrent of tension remains, unresolved and simmering beneath the façade of calm.
Sam strides into the cabin, accompanied by Steve, while Wanda and Scott trail closely behind. Eva's eyes instinctively seek out Steve's, and they share a brief, discreet smile—an unspoken acknowledgment amidst the tension. Despite the exchange, Eva's irritation remains palpable, etched into the lines of her expression.
"I've got a gift for you, courtesy of Stark," Sam announces, setting a metal briefcase down on the coffee table with a decisive thud. With practiced ease, he flips open the locks, spinning the case around to face Eva.
Eva arches a skeptical brow, her gaze darting between the faces in the room before she uncrosses her legs, leaning forward to inspect the contents of the case. Her initial curiosity swiftly gives way to disappointment as she catches sight of what lies within—an identical device to the one already adorning her neck. Internally, she groans, accompanied by another exasperated eye roll, before sinking back into her seat with an audible huff. Fixing Sam with a pointed frown, she challenges, "And what's to say that one isn't going to glitch out like this one?"
Sam shrugs in response to her question, extending the new device toward her. "If this one malfunctions, I'm sure Stark will have plenty of backups for you," he offers, his tone tinged with reassurance.
Evangeline hesitates, eyeing the device warily instead of accepting it. Steve seizes the opportunity to intervene, reaching out to take the device from Sam's outstretched hand, offering him a pat on the shoulder in gratitude.
"We need to remove the original device from Eva, meaning-"
As Wanda begins to explain the process of removing Eva's current device, Eva cuts her off with a smirk playing on her lips. "Meaning there will be a small window of time where my powers will be intact."
The statement hangs in the air, drawing incredulous looks from the others. Eva's gaze flits between Bucky and Steve, their expressions unimpressed, eliciting another eye roll from the adept manipulator.
"I was going to mention that there's also a small window for Ultron to infiltrate your mind, Eva," Wanda interjects, her tone carrying a note of caution as she finishes her thought, her gaze unwaveringly fixed on Evangeline, her expression unperturbed.
Bucky clicks his tongue disapprovingly at Eva's reaction before rising from his seat and striding purposefully toward Eva. Without warning, he seizes her by the top of her arm, forcibly pulling her upright and out of her seat. Eva's protests ring out in the room, but Bucky remains resolute, swiftly reaching behind her neck to unlatch the device, causing it to clatter to the floor.
The sudden and unexpected action prompts protests from the team, who admonish Bucky for the lack of warning. However, Eva finds herself too engrossed in the return of her powers to fully process their concerns. Her eyes lock onto Barnes, her features contorted into a scowl as she futilely attempts to wrench her arm free from his unwavering grip.
"Don't even try it," Bucky warns, his grip unyielding as Eva glares at him with dangerous intent. The tension between them is clear for all to see, each of them aware of the volatile situation unfolding. Eva's expression betrays her internal conflict, torn between the urge to retaliate with her mind control. Bucky leans in closer, his voice low and menacing as he issues a challenge.
"Don't even try it, with or without your powers, Eva," he emphasizes, his tone brooking no argument, a testament to his understanding of her capabilities and intentions.
"Bucky..." Steve's voice cuts through the charged atmosphere, his presence at their side unnoticed until now, the new device still clutched in his hands.
Bucky's gaze sharpens on Rogers, his impatience evident as he demands, "Steve, what are you waiting for?" He maintains his firm hold on Eva, his resolve unshaken as he awaits Steve's next move.
Steve hesitates, his attention focused on Eva as she continues to glare defiantly at them both, her efforts to free herself from Bucky's grip proving futile. With a determined exhale, Steve finally unlatches the new device, and only then does Bucky release Eva's arm, allowing Steve to take his place.
A heavy silence hangs in the air, tension thickening with each passing moment as everyone watches with bated breath. Steve hurriedly moves to place the new device around Eva's neck, his movements swift and determined. The only sign of Eva's compliance is the subtle gesture of her sweeping her hair to one side, allowing Steve access.
As the device clicks into place, Eva feels the familiar sensation of her powers waning once again, prompting a heavy sigh to escape her lips. Steve steps back, granting her space, his expression reflective of the gravity of the situation. Eva's gaze sweeps across the room, her eyes narrowing slightly as they settle on Bucky. However, when her gaze meets Steve's, her expression softens, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.
With a slow, resolute nod to herself, Eva turns away, her footsteps echoing on the wooden floorboards as she retreats into her bedroom on the ground floor. The door slams shut behind her with a resounding thud, the sound reverberating through the silent cabin, leaving the others to linger in the weighty aftermath of her departure.
The abrupt departure of Evangeline leaves the rest of the team in a state of uneasy silence. Steve exchanges a sombre glance with Bucky, the weight of their collective concerns evident in their expressions.
Wanda shifts uneasily, her gaze flickering between the closed door and her teammates and Sam clears his throat, breaking the heavy silence that envelops the room.
"Well, that went smoothly," he remarks dryly, attempting to inject a note of levity into the tense atmosphere, though his words ring hollow against the backdrop of uncertainty.
Bucky offers a tight-lipped nod in agreement, his features etched with a mixture of frustration and concern. With a heavy sigh, Steve steps forward, his resolve unwavering despite the setback.
"We'll give her some space," he decides, his voice carrying a note of determination. "But we need to stay vigilant. We can't afford to let our guard down, not with Ultron still out there."
The team nods in silent agreement. Though uncertainty looms on the horizon, they stand resolute, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.