"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers." I hear Dad say over the intercom as I limp my way to the stairs and up them.
After that whole elevator scene, I'm not gonna use it. Plus they most likely didn't fix it after Dad cut the wires. "You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth." Dad continues with his speech as I make my way up the stairs.
I hear footsteps and somebody runs into me, knocking me on my butt. I aim my repulsors ready to shoot, but look up to see it's Sam.
"Sam!" I say, happy to see him.
"(Y/n)? I was just about to come and get you." Sam helps me to my feet. "What happened?"
"Found my own way out like you guys did," I say as he helps me up the stairs. "But to sum it up I sang my way out, hot-wired a car, and drove past traffic to get here."
"SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader." Dad continues over the intercom.
"You sang your way out?" Sam asks.
"Long story."
"Come on." He guides me up the stairs.
We burst through a door. Dad was talking into a microphone and Maria Hill is beside him on a computer. Where's Natasha though? Dad pauses to look at me for any sign of injury. He already knows my leg is broken but he still stares at the cast on it. Probably because it should've already been healed by now but the collar prevented me from healing fast.
"The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not." Dad finishes his speech.
"Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" Sam speaks up and I laugh.
Dad comes over to me and engulfs me into a hug. "Did they hurt you?" He asks as we pull away.
"Rumlow did but he got what he deserved," I say with a smile. Dad nods.
"Sam lets go," Dad says to him.
"Where are you guys going?" I ask.
"To stop the launch."
"I want to help."
"(Y/n) you can barely walk, how do you expect to help?"
"I wasn't asking. And I escaped from HYDRA with only one leg."
"No. Please just stay here. You can help Maria." Dad engulfs me into another hug. "I can't afford to lose you."
I sigh. "Fine, you win," I say as we pull away.
He kisses my forehead. "I'll be back." He turns to Sam. "Let's go."
They run out of the room. Sam playfully punches my arm and runs after Dad before I could even hit him back. I go over to Maria and sit down next to where she is. She hands me an earpiece which I put in my ear.
"So I clearly missed a lot," I say as I stare at the computer screens with her.
"Yeah, so did I." She says, indicating to my broken knee.
We watch on the monitor as the Helicarriers are being initiated.
"They're initiating launch," Maria warns them.
"Hey, Cap, how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" I hear Sam ask in my earpiece.
"If they're shooting at you, they're bad," Dad says, making me laugh.
A few seconds later I hear shooting coming from their side.
"Hey, Cap, I found those bad guys you were talking about," Sam says.
"You okay?"
"I'm not dead yet."
I look at the monitor that's showing a live feed of places around the Triskelion. I change the feed to show me the feed to Pierce's office where the World Security Council is. There's no sound to it, but I watch it anyway. Pierce aims a gun at one of the council members' heads, but then the councilwoman kicks him out the way and punches Pierce in the face while also taking out the two HYDRA agents that were in there. She aims the gun at Pierce and then removes her disguise to reveal her true identity. It's Natasha!
"She is such a badass," I say as I stare amazed at what I just saw.
Maria smirks. "Yes she is."
I switch the live feedback to whatever it was on before.
"Falcon, status?" Maria asks Sam.
"Engaging." He responds.
"Eight minutes, Cap."
"Working on it," Dad says.
My leg starts to bounce in anticipation so I stand up. I can't stay still for so long because well I'm always used to moving or should I say running.
"Alpha locked," Dad says after a few minutes. That's one down.
"Falcon, where are you now?" Maria asks.
"I had to take a detour!" He yells as I hear him being shot at. I even hear missiles being launched at him and exploding. "I'm in. Bravo locked."
I clap my hands as I see the second Helicarrier go green on the monitor.
"Two down, one to go!" I say.
I watch the monitors for a while before pacing around the room. I wanted to help take down those Helicarriers, but they get to have all the fun. I love kicking some HYDRA booty.
"(Y/n), you okay?" Maria asks as she sees me pacing the room.
"Yeah, I just can't sit still for too long. I'm so used to running that's all." I reply.
She nods as she looks back at the monitors.
"Charlie Carrier's forty-five degrees off the port bow." She says to them.
I look at the monitors and see two HYDRA agents breaking in. I turn and ready my repulsor. Once they come in I shoot them and they go down before they even had a chance to rethink their decision. Maria looks at me and gives an approving nod.
"Six minutes." She says to them again.
I walk over to the monitors and sit down. I make sure there aren't any more agents on their way to our room. Come on guys you got this.
A few minutes go by before we hear anything.
"I'm grounded, the suit's down. Sorry, Cap." I hear Sam say.
I wonder what happened up there.
"Don't worry, I got it," Dad replies.
That's when I notice Rumlow heading for the Council on one of the monitors.
"Sam, Rumlow's headed for the Council," I say in the earpiece.
"I'm on it," Sam answers me.
"Good eye," Maria says to me.
I look over at her and smile. She gives me a fist pump.
We intently watch the monitor as the timer goes down.
"One minute," Maria says as we continue to watch the timer go down.
What's taking him so long?
"Thirty seconds, Cap."
"Come on Dad," I mutter.
"Stand by. Charlie..." He starts but I hear a gunshot.
"Dad?" I question.
I watch as the Helicarriers start targeting over millions of people. I then look at the timer, three, two, one.
"Charlie locked," Dad says. I sigh in relief as the targets go away.
"Okay, Cap, get out of there," Maria says as she sets the Helicarriers to target each other.
"Fire now," Dad says.
"What?" I question.
"But Steve..." Maria starts.
"Do it! Do it now!" Dad yells.
Maria presses the button, making the Helicarriers fire at one another.
"Dad, what are you doing?" I ask worriedly.
"Doing what has to be done. I love you (Y/n)." He says as tears come to my eyes.
"Dad, don't do this to me. Remember your promise to me? You promised you would never leave me." I say as tears fall down my face, staining my cheeks.
"I'm sorry." Is all he says before everything goes silent.
I look at the monitor, seeing the Helicarriers going up into pieces and falling into a river. I start limping my way out of the room.
"(Y/n), where are you going?" Maria asks.
I look at her but don't answer as I limp out of the room. I make my way down the flights of stairs and to the entrance of the Triskelion. If the Helicarriers are dropping in the river, maybe he'll be there.
I go outside and hop into the HYDRA car I hot wired earlier. I step on the gas as I make my way to the river. Once I do I hop out and hurriedly limp my way to the edge of the river. I look around and see Bucky carrying Dad out of the water and setting him on the shore.
I make my way over there and sit down next to him. He coughs up some water which makes me sigh in relief. I look up to see Bucky staring at me.
"Thank you," I say to him, giving him a sad smile.
He nods before turning to walk away. He must remember. I knew Dad would get him to, he just had to find the right words.
"Guys, I found him. He's unconscious but alive. We're at the shore by the river." I say into my earpiece.
"On our way," Sam says to me.
I sit there with him. Cradling his head in my lap and running my fingers through his wet hair until help arrived.
So there's one more chapter before winter soldier is officially over! Stay tuned!
—ASE715