There was one thing I could do. One thing, and that was move. I hauled myself to me feet, my hair tangled and my body aching from the sobs that had torn through me so viciously. I sat with my back pressed against the bed, looking at the walls covered in pictures of victims. No, I admonished myself, Not victims people. People with families.
"I gotta, I gotta find her." I whispered to myself. I used the bed to pull myself up to a half standing half kneeling position. I wanted to throw up, scream, cry more, I couldn't decide. So instead I sat down on the bed.
"Stand up, get up, Vstan'te." I hissed to myself. I could hear it in my head, the handlers, HYDRA, scream it at me while I fought concussions. If I didn't get up they would beat me, tase me, anything to force me to obey.
"Vstat', soldat." I hissed again. This time it worked. I hauled myself to my feet, stumbled out of the room, and down the hallway. I ran into the wall at a fast lumbering pace, causing my left shoulder to leave a sizable hole in the drywall.
"Keep moving, keep moving, find her phone." I whispered to myself. She'd left it here before we left, I remembered seeing it on a table, or counter, was it on the windowsill? Look around Buck look around. Get a grip and look for the phone.
After looking in every possible place I found her phone shoved under her pillow in her room. I looked at it in confusion, how did she turn it on again? I finally found the power button and pressed it, revealing her lock screen of She and Loki both doing cheesy poses with their cheeks pressed together. (y/n) had a lock of Loki's dark hair between her top lip and the bottom of her nose, while Loki had a lock of (y/n)'s hair under his nose. They both had their lips puckered dramatically with peace signs next to their faces. Cute. I swiped the screen to reveal a password lock.
"chert poberi." I hissed under my breath. There was still a phone icon in the bottom right corner and I tapped it to see where it would take me. It brought up a list labeled emergency contacts and I saw a few familiar names. Tony, Natasha, Steve. Steve, He'd know what to do. I tapped his name and heard the phone ringing. A groggy Steve picked up the phone.
"Yello?" Steve asked. I let out a relieved breath at hearing the familiar voice. There was a shuffling on the other line.
"(y/n)? Are you ok?" He asked. I remembered why I'd called him.
"It's not, this isn't (y/n)." I said while running a hand through my hair and leaning back on the bed.
"Who is it then?" He asked suspiciously. I took a shaky breath. How could I explain what had happened?
"Not important. What is impor-" Steve cut me off.
"It is important. Who are you and why do you have (y/n)'s phone?" He snapped. I cringed, if I told him he might be more focused on me than (y/n), but if I didn't would he trust me enough to look for her?
"My name is James, I'm her roommate. We went out somewhere and when we were coming back we were jumped, the punk knocked me out and took her. She left her phone here and I figured I'd call someone." I explained.
"Oh God, why didn't you call the authorities?" Steve snapped. I flinched. Because the cops aren't going to be able to deal with someone who knocked out a 260 pound super soldier assassin with a metal arm and advanced martial arts training. I thought. But that would definitely give me away.
"Listen, I'm a big guy, about 6 foot, I'm like 260 and this guy knocked me out in one hit. I've also had some run ins with authorities in the past, I'm not sure they'd trust my tip." I said trying to remain calm.
"Alright James listen I'm gonna head over there, if they did anything to the apartment please, don't touch anything. Go down to the garage and wait by her car will ya?" Steve asked. I agreed before hanging up the phone and walking back into the room that was 'mine'.
I avoided the pictures and pulled a large black hoodie out of the drawer and put on the black pants I'd showed up with. I ran a hand over my chin to feel the stubble had grown back just a bit. Side effects of the super soldier serum I guess. I pulled the braids out of my hair and shook it out, letting it fall back into it's regular place before flipping the hood up and grabbing my finger-less gloves in hopes of hiding my metal hand. I grabbed my switchblade for a bit of extra added comfort and walked to the front room, slipping on my black steel toed combat boots.
I walked out the door, glanced at the elevator, grimaced and made a B-line for the stairs. I heard a door open and close and quick steps catching up to me before someone placed their hand on my left shoulder. I quickly spun around, grabbing their wrist with my left hand and shoving their arm down before tossing my switchblade up with my right hand, catching it with my left and pinning my right arm across their chest using my left hand to press the blade against their throat.
"O-o-ok buddy let's just, lets not do anything rash here." Leroy stuttered. I noticed he had a small pocketknife in his hand. I growled and pressed the blade harder against his neck. Leroy grimaced.
"Hands next to your head." I growled lowly. Leroy shakily brought up his hands and kept them fisted. I switched the switchblade to my right hand, reaching for the pocket knife with my left. Leroy slashed my open palm with the knife, creating a shrieking sound as the blade hit my metal hand. Leroy's eyes bugged out as I grabbed the pocket knife and pressed mine harder against his bobbing adams apple.
"You really are a dumbass." I said with a breathy chuckle, crushing the knife in my fist. I dropped the pieces before pulling my knife away fro Leroy's throat, shoving him down the hall and kicking his ass, literally, causing him to stumble forward.
"Next time pick on someone your own size, maybe you'll have a chance at beating them." I called, putting my knife back in my pocket and walking down the stairs, My boots clicking on the cement.
*****
"Damn Russians." I growled, running my flesh hand over the emblem carved into the door of the Impala. The HYDRA emblem, the same one they had carved into my back, the same one I never wanted to see but was burned into my memory, now marked her precious car. I heard the revving of a motorcycle and turned my head slightly to see Steve riding up on a vintage motorcycle.
"You're James?" He asked. I nodded my head, not really a nod, more a slight inclination of my chin. Steve looked wary and I realized I looked like someone who would jump an innocent girl. Black hoodie with the hood up, black pants, heavy duty boots, long hair, stubble, wide chest, everything Ahlyeksyey hadn't looked like.
"Yeah. You?" I asked, pretending I had no idea who he was. I stood up from the car and Steve's eyes bugged out at the HYDRA symbol on the car.
"Steve. I'm one of (y/n)'s friends." Steve said, holding out his hand. I shook it before backing away from the car. Steve bent down to examine the symbol.
"Mean anything to you?" I asked. Steve shuddered as he stood straight, resting a hand on the roof of the car.
"Yeah, something. Can I check out the apartment?" Steve asked. I nodded and walked towards the stairs. Steve gestured towards the elevator, confused, before following me up the stairs.
"So, how'd you meet (y/n)?" Steve asked.
"Needed a place to stay, knocked on her door, she let me stay." I said. It was close enough to the truth. Steve looked skeptical.
"Why'd you knock on her door?" He asked. Why did I do anything anymore? Her door was the one I chose to pick the lock on, how was I supposed to know she was a SHIELD scout.
"Why not her neighbor?" He continued.
"That asshole? No way. Leroy's a dick." I snapped. Steve looked taken aback and paused a bit. I rounded the railing and started up the fourth flight of stairs.
"Why do you say that?" He asked. I sighed deeply.
"Listen I met her in the lobby the night one of her friends dropped her off, he was waiting in the elevator, kept trying to come on to her after she made it obvious she didn't want it. He wouldn't back off till I stepped in." I explained. I started taking the stairs two at a time.
"Wow, I had no idea. He seems so nice whenever I see him and (y/n)'s never said anything about him." Steve explained. "Anyway, how long have you known her?"
"A few days." I said flatly. We finally got to the top floor and I walked down the hall to (y/n)'s door. I turned the knob and pushed the door open, kicking my boots off before stepping onto the carpet. I waited for Steve to do the same before I opened the fridge, pulling out an apple and looking it over. I scanned the fridge and noticed a bag shoved into the back behind the milk. I pulled it out to see a dozen or so plums.
"Yes!" I whispered before putting the apple back and grabbing a plum, biting into it. Steve walked down the hall and pushed open the door to (y/n)'s room.
"Nothing in there Steve, I checked." I said. Steve nodded, tight lipped before pushing open the door to my room and seeing the chaos. He froze when he saw the pictures, Howard and Maria, Kennedy, the one of (y/n) laying on the floor by the bed. He bent down to pick it up and turned around to see me standing in the doorway twirling my switchblade.
"Who are you really James?" He asked. I chuckled, catching the blade and pulling off my gloves, stuffing them in the hoodie pocket and flipping the hood down. Steve looked shocked.
"Heya Stevie. Long time no see."