Chapter 47: Healing the mind

Chapter 47: Healing the mind

"Fuck!" I shouted, holding the base of the arrow, blood leaking around my hand. "How the hell did I forget about those fucking arrows?"

Bullets sparked through the doorway, peppering the far wall. Eventually they stopped and a voice came out from the vault.

"Steve Rogers. I didn't expect to see you so soon." It said almost casually. "I don't suppose I could convince you this is a Shield operation could I?"

As the man continued to talk I stood up straight, my hand resting on Steve's shoulder.

"Yank it out."

"What?" He said, eyes wide, darting down to the arrow. "But-"

"I'm wearing my healing amulet." I said, a hissing whisper as my muscles convulsed around the arrow. "I need you to-"

He suddenly gripped the arrow and yanked, pulling it from my body with a spray of blood. I nearly passed out from the pain, my vision wavering and constricting to a dot before my amulet pulsed and my body started healing. Nausea layered over the pain as my internals shifted into their proper positions. I slowly stood up, giving Steve a nod and a shrug to Peggy, who was looking at me with wide eyes.

"I think it's time for us to negotiate. Your friend Bucky here-"

In one fluid motion I leaned into the door frame of the bank fault and flicked a card. It flew a few feet into the room, angling to the side before suddenly being replaced by the massive steel vault door. It tumbled through the room, all but smearing the archer who had shot me, continuing into the room and slamming into a wall with a screech. Even as the dust settled Steve and I both stepped into the room, guns drawn, his shield raised almost instinctively, bullets pinging off of it, though several also bounced off his lower armor. Peggy stayed by the door, firing her lever action cannon.

It was a bloodbath.

Bucky, who was still sitting on the foreboding looking contraption, sat there for a few seconds as Steve, Peggy and I destroyed the Hydra agents, our bullets punching through their body armor easily.

"Attack them!" The same voice cried out, clearly strained and in a considerable amount of pain, clearly talking to the brainwashed amputee.

Bucky immediately stepped up and settled into a fighting stance, his battered and broken metallic arm hanging limp by his side. His eyes locked on to both of us, before looking down to a shotgun, laying on the floor where its previous owner had dropped it. He took a single step forward before I burst into movement.

"BOOST!" I shouted, feeling the energy pour through my body.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

I dashed across the twelve steps between us at blinding speed with explosive acceleration. Knowing I wouldn't be able to stop in time I held out my hand and slapped the unfortunate soldier across the face, his long black hair splaying out as his head turned. Before he could even react he collapsed backwards, my own sleep inducing ring leaving a noticeable indent on his cheek.

Unable to stop in such a short distance with so much speed I slammed into the back wall of the vault, denting the safety deposit boxes with my armor. I ignored the splatter of blood left from my stomach wound, or the searing pain sprinting like that had caused. Instead I pushed myself upright against the wall, turning just in time to watch Steve dispatch the last Hydra soldier.

The room was quiet for a second, both of us catching our breath before Steve rushed to Bucky's side, checking his vitals.

"His pulse seems okay." He said, looking up at me and nodding. "We-"

"You bastards." The same strained voice said between coughs, causing Steve and I both to spin around, our guns raised.

There, pinned against the wall, was the gray haired man. He was in obvious pain, which made sense because a significant portion of his legs and lower torso were hidden, and probably flattened by the corner of the massive steel vault door. He was pale, though that was probably from blood loss, and struggled to hold himself up.

"How How did you find us?" He asked. "Who broke? How?"

"I made something. Or rather several somethings." I explained with a shrug. "There is no place on Earth that Hydra can hide any more."

"Damn you." He said, his voice getting softer. "The world needs us."

"No. No it doesn't" Steve said, standing up straight, looking the gray haired man in the eye. "The world never needed Hydra. It didn't during the war and it doesn't now. The world doesn't need to be led with an iron fist, it needs to be guided with patience."

"Yeah, if he wakes up as the Winter Soldier you'll be able to pin him down pretty easily." I explained, pulling off my knockout buzzer and handing it to my partner. "Use that to put him out for another eight hours. And keep an eye on my Amulet."

Ema nodded and I traveled away, appearing back in my apartment. I let out a long sigh before rushing through a quick shower and heading out into New York City. I bought a dozen fresh bagels and some cream cheese from a nearby shop before finding an alleyway to travel back to the quarry. All of this took just over an hour, between riding my bike through the city and waiting in line for the bagels. When I got back everyone was under the large tent, with Steve and Peggy standing beside the now awake Bucky Barnes.

The haggard looking man was sitting on the edge of the makeshift bed, hands on his knees as he looked at the ground. Steve had his hand on his shoulder while Peggy rubbed his back. Ema, who had been watching off to the side, was the only one who noticed me, quickly heading out of the tent to give the three some privacy.

"He woke up a few minutes ago." She explained. "Screaming at the top of his lungs. As far as Steve can tell the brainwashing is gone, but he remembers everything."

"Damn" I said simply, shaking my head. "I honestly don't know what would have been worse, this or not remembering at all."

For about forty five minutes Ema and I sat outside, with me sitting on a rock and Ema making a lazy perimeter of the quarry, keeping an eye out, more out of habit than anything. I passed the time by making a few lists on my phone, preparing for a few crucial builds. Just as I was finishing one list someone cleared their throat in front of me. Bucky had walked out of the tent and was staring at me.

"Hey." He said, his voice a little rough, probably from disuse. "Steve said I've got you to thank for the quick rescue."

"I just make the stuff Mr. Barnes, getting you out was a three way effort." I said with a shrug, stepping forward to offer my hand. "It's good to meet you."

Bucky reached out and shook my hand, gripping it a bit tightly, loosening quickly however. He looked a bit lost when I released his hand, standing in the rising sun, looking around.

"How much did they fill you in?"

"The basics mostly." He said simply. "I remember almost all of it, not much to fill in."

I nodded, trying my best to seem sympathetic. After a moment I flicked out a card, pushing the tablet that tracked Bucky's location. I held it out to him.

"This is how we found you." I said simply. "It shows your location at all times. It's a bit invasive for me now that we have you back so"

Bucky reached out and took the tablet, studying it for a moment before handing it back.

"I want you to keep it." He said. "I feel better, more clear. My memories of before are back but I would feel better if someone could track me down."

"Sure thing Mr. Barnes." I said with a nod, re-carding the tablet.

"Bucky, please." He said with a small smile on his face. "You gave me back my life with a necklace. You can call me Bucky."

As if remembering something, Bucky dug into his pocket and pulled out my amulet, passing it back to me. I of course immediately put it back on, tucking it under my shirt.

"Thanks."

"How's your stomach?" He asked, looking down slightly.

"Completely healed." I said with a shrug. "The healing amulets come in handy. I'm honestly not sure even a head shot would have put me down at this point, at least as long as it didn't kill me instantly. Not that I'm jumping to test it out."

"Good." He said, his voice sounding like a cross between a warning and a confession. "If you hadn't disabled my arm I would have been holding that bow, And I wouldn't have been aiming for your stomach."

"Well then, I'm glad disabling your arm had the intended effect." I said with a small smile, standing up off of the rock and dusting myself off. With a flick of my wrist I summoned two cards, pushing the contents of both, one in each hand.

"Alright. You hungry Bucky?" I asked, holding out the two bags.

"... Are those bagels?"