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forever-more-never-again · 5 years

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A Sister’s Love (A Request)

Requested: @gaytrashgoblin

Word count:1793

Pairings: Sibling!Fem!Reader x Sibling!Natasha

Warnings: Mentions of injury

Requested: OMG your requests are open, how lucky am i!!! can you do one where natasha has a biological sister the team doesn't know about (around wanda's age maybe)? so on a mission natasha gets hurt and everyone is super confused when this average girl shows up fussing over natasha and just nat being soft and affectionate with R and the team just being confused

Masterlist

“Thanks for coming in!” You waved to the couple leaving with smiles on their faces after picking out their wedding cake.

Once they left your store, you dropped your smile and heaved a sigh. It had been a long day. During the summer, it was as if everyone and their brother were getting married and wanted the perfect wedding cake.

It was fun, but it was stressful. On top of that, you pulled out your phone and checked, you haven't received your daily check in message from your sister, and that worried you.

Walking to the door of your store, you flipped the sign to closed and turned off the lights. Luckily, you had managed to snag a store that had an upstairs loft, so you didn’t need to leave the store to go home.

Once upstairs, you dropped onto your couch and opened up your messages.

5:46PM - Hey Nat, Haven’t heard from you today. Everything okay?

You tried not to let your fear seep into your message. Having an older sister that was part of the Avengers was not something you had ever imagined happening.

Back before the Avengers, you still worried about your sister, but that worry was more directed to when she returned to the Red Room after a mission and cried into your shoulder about her latest kill.

As far as you knew, you and Natasha had been the only Biological sisters in the Red Room. They used you against each other, threatening one sister so that the other would do what she was told.

Natasha tried to protect you. Taking your beatins, accepting the harder missions. But she could only do so much.

You still took the initiation. You Still had enhancements done to your body. You still had blood on your hands.

But that all changed years ago when you and your sister escaped and ran across the world to Colorado. Where Natasha Met Hawkeye and he brought you into Shield.

While Natasha accepted Director Fury’s offer, you declined. You just wanted a simple life after the hell that was your childhood.

So you bought a small shop in East Brooklyn and opened up a Wedding Cake Bakery.

To make sure that each other was safe and hadn’t been captured and killed, you and Natasha had check ins everyday. With code words if there was danger.

And Natasha had missed the check in for today.

“Okay, Calm down [Y/n]. Maybe the mission took longer. Or she is in a place out of range for service. It’s okay. Let’s just call the tower. Yeah. That’s what I’ll do.” Talking to yourself to calm your nerves, you dug through a drawer filled with clutter until you stumbled upon a burner phone.

Natasha had given it to you for emergencies. Only one number was plugged in. A Direct line to FRIDAY, who was the AI in the Avenger Tower. A way to to get an immediate response.

It was for emergencies only because only a select few knew about you. Director Fury, Natasha (of Course), Hawkeye And Tony Stark. The rest of the Avengers had no idea that Natasha had a sister. It was for your safety and part of the agreement when Natasha joined Shield.

The phone didn’t even ring before there was an electronic femine voice, “Hello. Access Code?”

In a whisper, the fear of what could have happened to your sister, rising back up, you whispered your code words, “Victor - India - Papa - Echo - Romeo.”

A click and then, “Access granted. Hello [Y/n] Alianova. Contacting tower.”

Your leg bounced up and down as you waited. Luckily you didn’t have to wait long before a gruff tired voice sounded in your ear.

“What is it FRIDAY? We just got back from a mission. [Y/n]? What’s going on? Are you secure?” His tone went from tired to frantic in a second.

“Hey Tony. Nat hasn’t checked in. You said you just finished a mission? Is she okay? Is she safe? Is she back at the tower? What happened?”

“Kid, kid, Slow down. Spider is fine. She just got injured and hasn’t had a chance to get in contact with you yet.”

You shot up and grabbed your keys off the table by your door, almost running down the stairs to your store, “I’m coming to the tower. I need to see her.”

You heard a weary sigh from the other end of the phone, “Alright. I’ll let security know to expect you. Do you want me to tell the others?”

Swerving out of your driveway, you weren’t really worried about the rest of the team, “I don’t care. I’m only coming to check on my sister.” And with that, you hung up.

Your knuckles were white, as you gripped the steering wheel.

This was a new type of torture. Different from the Red Room and Russia. Not knowing what was wrong with Natasha. But knowing that she was injured.

You had argued for months about her joining Shield. You had wanted her to come with you, live a normal life.

Eventually you understood where she was standing, she wanted to try to make up for all the lives she had taken while in the program.

The tower shone like a beacon, lighting up the night sky.

Parking on the sidewalk, you walked into the lobby. And suddenly became extremely aware that your hair was a mess, and you still wore your flour covered apron.

“Miss Aliavona?” An armed Shield agent met you halfway across the lobby.

You nodded, not trusting your voice as worry tightened its grip on your heart.

“Right this way.” He led you to a secure elevator hidden in a sideroom, Reaching in he pressed a nondescript button and offered you a small smile as the door began closing, “This will take you to the medical wing. Just take the first right and you’ll find them.”

And then you were alone in the elevator as it took you up.

Racing down the halls, you took the first right and slammed the door open, “Natasha Aliavona! You are going to give me gray hairs!” You screamed as you saw her sitting up on a medical bed, arm and leg in casts.

Natasha jumped as she looked towards you, pausing mid sentence with her discussion with the doctor. Who wisely left the room when he saw you.

“[Y/n]?”

You growled, slapping her uninjured shoulder, “Don’t ‘[Y/n]’ me! Do you know how worried I was when you didn’t check in? And then to hear you got injured!? The younger sister is not supposed to worry about the older sister’s safety!”

Natasha gave a small smile, Wincing under your glare, “Sorry? I was going to send you a message as soon as the doctor had finished his examination. I swear!”

Sighing, you softened your glare and looked over your sister. She had dried blood still in her hair and her suit was cut carefully around her casts.

“Is it as bad as it looks?” You ghosted your hands over her casts.

She kept her green eyes on you as she spoke softly, “No. It’s just a broken wrist and a splintered femur. I’ll heal in a few days.”

Another sigh left you.

And then you jumped as voices filled the room.

“What do you mean an unauthorized visitor made it to the medical wing?”

“I thought FRIDAY was supposed to alert us to all trespassers?”

“You’re acting very calm about this whole thing Stark.”

Your eyes widened as you caught sight of the Avengers for the first time in person.

And they all froze when they saw you.

Natasha broke the tension with a laugh, “Guys. This is [Y/n]. My little sister.”

The blonde who you recognized as Captain America squinted at Natasha and then you, “There’s no record of a sibling in your files Romanoff.”

You smiled when Clint walked out of the crowd and came forward to hug you, causing some more whispers and gasps from the others.

You answered Steve’s unasked question, “That was part of the agreement we made with Shield when Clint found us. I wanted Anonymity. I wanted to escape the past. While Natasha here,” You glared playfully at your sister who tried to act bashful, “Wanted to embrace it. So I was never mentioned. As far as the world is aware, I am an only child known as [Y/n] Aliavona. No relation to the Black Widow Avenger Natasha Romanoff.”

Another, well known, voice spoke up, with thinly veiled humor, “And the Russian Spy known as Viper was killed in an undisclosed location during a redacted mission.”

You smiled as Tony walked up and took Clint’s place as he hugged you.

“Another part of the agreement.”

A red head with bright brown eyes stepped forward, her accent Distinctly Sovakian, “I have seen you in Brooklyn Before. You are the baker.”

Looking at your apron in embarrassment, you nodded, “Yeah. I run one of the only Wedding Cake Bakeries in town.”

Clint laughed and bumped your shoulder, “Don’t be so modest! Your cakes are amazing. Laura loved ours.”

A giggle slipped from you. “I remember that one. Simple, yet elegant with pink roses and gold trimmed edges.”

More wide eyes and whispers.

“Okay you bunch. Can I have some quiet time with my sister?” Natasha whined.

You smiled at her before turning to wink conspiracy with the Avengers, “Yeah. There are...Words...I need to have with my careless sister.”

That seemed to erase all previous tension as all the Avengers laughed at Natasha’s misfortune and quickly left the room.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, you laced your hand with your sister’s uninjured one.

“It seems my time in the background has ended.”

Natasha squeezed your hand, “I know you don’t want to join Shield or the Avengers. But maybe our lives can be more involved with the others?”

You imagined spending weekends at the tower, laughing with your sister and her friends, and nights spent in your loft drinking wine and watching cheesy rom coms with Natasha after missions.

And you realized, you didn’t have to run and hide from your past anymore. You wanted to be like Natasha and take control of your life.

Smiling, you watched your sister’s face light up as you whispered, “I’d like that.”

Laughing Natasha pulled you down into a one armed hug, “Black Widow and Viper together again.”

You winced but still smiled as you hugged tighter, “How about Natasha and [Y/n] Romanoff instead.”

You could almost feel your sister’s smile soften as her hand ran through your hair, “That’s almost better. I love you, [Y/n].”

Closing your eyes, you smiled, “I love you too sister.”

FOREVER Taglist:

@sxph-t @mialeelavellan @rainydaysrnevergrey @platonic-plots @sociallyawkwardcircus-freak-hi @queenbbarnes @mythixmagic @chas-z @thefridgeismybestie @strangersstranger @princess-evans-addict @rororo06 @timelordhunterandmysterysolver

Natasha Taglist:

@ludwigvonbaethoven @hanjiscience-slut @kitten-q-p @morbid-gaymer @honeybadgerwhodoesntcare @sunnyandtwisty @zoeyknight @kurlyafro @thewomanofwonder @5aftermidnight @myfemininelesboworld @gaytrashgoblin @marvelb00kwolf @multifandom-imagines-things

Avengers Taglist:

@jadepc @marvel-is-a-mood

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valkyrie-echo · 6 years

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Project Echo, Part 1: Chapter 4 (Astana)

Part 1 Summary: A long-buried Hydra disaster, a monster in the shadows, a missing child. Eight months after the events of “The Winter Soldier”, Bucky turns himself in to the Avengers on one condition: They must help him find a girl snatched off the streets by Hydra seven years ago. In their quest, the Avengers accidentally unleash a horrifying creature of darkness and shadow, intent on making their quarry its prey.

[Edited 4/30/19]

Chapter 4: Astana

Getting the blueprints for a Hydra facility turned out to be a hell of a lot easier than finding the slip of information that had led them there.

Agent Ivanou came through within hours and an encrypted data-burst included not only base schematics, but also a personnel list and guard rotation schedule- confirmation it was still very much active. At least as of that morning.

Within five hours Steve was back on the Bus with Sam, Agent May's team, and about a dozen support agents. While Steve and Sam made for the records room the others would take control of the facility and wipe out Hydra with extreme prejudice.

Hydra Facility Astana turned out to be a top-level research arm. Mechanical, scientific, chemical- if it could be experimented with or on it passed through Astana at some point.

The best and brightest of Hydra all conveniently gathered for destruction.

Natasha's assessment of Tony wasn't promising, and frankly Steve fought alone for so long it didn't seem appropriate to bring them into this fight now. He and Sam were going to Astana with only the two of them- and neither were bullet proof like Thor or apparently immortal like the Hulk. An Iron Man suit would have provided some added level of comfort, but Steve wasn't about to trust Stark to help them on anything- not just after he found out the guy they were hunting killed his parents.

Sam spent the flight socializing while Steve and Tripp swapped more stories of Gabe Jones while Sam wandered, happy to have a variety of people to chat with for once.

Simmons and Skye were keeping busy in the corner discussing someone named "Ward" in hushed tones. Sam ambled over to the girls and joined in their conversation, "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear, you're looking for someone too? We might be able to help, we do kind of owe you."

Skye was always open to any and all help on the Ward front, "A member of our team. He turned out to be a Hydra agent- you know what that's like."

"Actually I'm not SHIELD- not really."

Both women were surprised at that, "Weren't you one of Captain Rogers' support crew members?" Simmons asked.

He shook his head, "I met him jogging. We ran the same route. Well, I run, he sort of flies past me… Fury made me an Agent at some point after I became an Avenger, but I'm really not sure what that means."

"So then, how did you go from jogging buddies to partners stopping Hydra's big Doomsday plan?" Simmons was incredulous.

Sam shrugged, "He turned up on my back porch with Natasha- Agent Romanov- looking for a place to lay low. Fury was dead, SHIELD agents were trying to kill them, and I offered them a place to regroup."

Skye waited for more, the story couldn't be finished just like that, "And-?"

"And I showed Steve and Romanov what I worked on back when I was a soldier. Project Falcon. We took it from there and two days later the Triskellion raid happened."

"Wait," Simmons said, "he finds out SHIELD is infested by Hydra and Captain America, Leader of the Avengers, doesn't go to his team for help, but a man he met jogging?!"

"And if you think that's scary he only learned my name like a day before."

"Now that's trust," Skye laughed, "and you've been running ever since?"

"Pretty much, yeah. We've done a couple of stints in Avengers Tower for repairs to my wings, but otherwise we've been hunting. We can't get help from the Avengers just yet- it's kind of a tricky situation."

Simmons understood immediately, "You needed pictures of the chair to prove Barnes isn’t a threat... do you think it was enough?”

Sam's mood took an abruptly somber shift, "Honestly? No idea. I barely know the others… Bucky’s admission into Avengers Tower isn't even the biggest question on our list- it's if Steve and I will have to go underground entirely…"

This was the first time Sam voiced his fears aloud- that finding Bucky was only part of the battle. Steve acted like it was an endgame, the grand finale. Of course they'd all skip off into the goddamn sunset and even Stark would welcome Bucky in without any worries. 'Project: Echo' would be forgotten and Steve's world would be a bit less lonely with his old friend and brother in it.

He told Simmons and Skye nothing about Bucky being the one to kill Howard and Maria Stark. Even if the Winter Soldier had nothing to do with their deaths, it was still too much to expect the Avengers to swallow.

I wish I had Steve’s faith that this would all work out, Sam looked down at his hands.

He teased Steve about his eternal pessimism, but what Cap saw as a finale to a horror story he saw only as the beginning to something else. Tony was a good guy, but stubborn. He wasn't the forgive-and-forget type, and how many more families had Bucky torn apart for Hydra? How many people were out for his blood? What about Bucky himself?

The psychological fallout was terrifying on its own. What if they never caught up with him though? Sure, he stole a file, but it might have been insignificant in whatever his grand scheme was- collect reports on all his missions to try and jog his broken mind.

It didn't mean he was hunting for 'Project: Echo' specifically. It might be nothing to him at all.

Steve was a pessimist with an optimistic outlook, Sam was the optimist with the pessimistic outlook. When the hell had that happened? Somewhere in the 8 months of frenzied searches and half-planned raids they'd switched places.

"What's up, Mopey?"

The pitch and volume of Sam's scream would have been funnier to Skye if she hadn't done basically the same thing when Natasha Romanov, Black Widow of the Avengers, suddenly plopped down on the couch next to Sam.

Steve laughed so hard at the commotion he fell out of his own chair as several SHIELD agents hastily drew, then just as quickly holstered, their weapons.

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Sam sounded angrier than he intended. He was red-faced and embarrased as hell.

"I'm bored, you need backup, ipso-facto I'm here."

"When did you get here?!" Sam was positive he would have noticed Natasha and her bright red hair getting on the plane with the SHIELD agents- especially since it seemed to have doubled in length since he last saw her. Her tactical suit was unique to say the least- between the two he was either blind or she'd mastered invisibility.

Steve wandered over as his giggles subsided and shook Natasha's hand. He'd seen as much as Sam- nothing out of place one second and the next Natasha was just there.

"How's it going Steve?"

"That depends. How's Stark taking the news?"

Natasha winked at Sam, "He's upset, and we had to override JARVIS' systems a couple of times, but once he took a good, long look at that picture of the Chair from Alaska he changed his tune. You know Stark- he could probably build one of his own by now, and he sure as hell knows what it was used for. Still, keep his exposure to Bucky on a strictly supervised basis for the first few weeks. He won't try anything, but you don't want to push Tony's buttons."

"Natasha, I think you miss-understood what I said over comms. We've got a lead on some old case file, we still don't know where the hell Bucky is."

A trickster's glint lit her eyes, "I put a few of my contacts in Kazakhstan on high alert for anything unusual- no specifics, naturally. An hour ago one of my favorite little Baursaki street vendors called to report a man wandering through Astana towards the hills. Not unusual on its own, but apparently this particular man was covered in dried blood and his left arm was throwing sparks. I left as soon they hung up."

"Bucky's actually in Kazakhstan?” Steve's excitement couldn't be masked.

"We've been in the air for six hours,” Sam muttered to himself.

Natasha was smiling herself as she nodded. Steve’s honest, open joy was contagious.

Eight hard months of searching were taking one hell of a toll- on both Avengers- but Steve in particular showed it. Now they finally had more than hope, they had proof. She was glad she'd delivered the message in person rather than over comms, if only to see Steve’s reaction- and the overwhelming confusion coming from Sam.

"We can bring him in and end this. Today."

Hope after so long without any overwhelmed Steve, "I can't even- it's hard to imagine this ending." He hugged Natasha, his face plastered with a dopey grin.

"Six hours…"

"Well, do you think he'll be, like, waiting?" Skye was excited, "Maybe he brought everyone here intentionally. Take out some top-level Hydra scumbag and break the bastards once and for all, then he goes home with the Avengers!"

Simmons was more apprehensive, "He's experienced major traumas for an extended period of time,. If he's learning who he was he may be unstable. Throwing him in the Bus' holding cells won't help, and we're not equipped to contain someone with his abilities back at the base. I mean, Fitz would probably love to get a look at that arm, but-"

"We won't be coming back in the jet," Natasha said, "and I'm willing to bet Tony will be curious enough that he calls dibs on the arm. We'll figure it out at the party."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Steve's concern was immediate, "party? Nat, we don't know what condition he's going to be in or how responsive. A party is absolutely out of the question-"

"Dinner party, a small one," she promised, "Avengers and Bucky only. No one's even bringing a date- not even Pepper is coming. It's a welcoming reception for Thor, actually…"

"Thor's back?"

"Steve- six hours."

Natasha continued to ignore the dazed and confused Sam, "Odin appointed him the official Ambassador to Midgard. He's almost done unpacking- he sent for something to help with Bucky."

"OK, even so, we may have to keep Bucky locked up, Nat. A party isn't-"

"Nope, no arguing," Natasha held up a hand. "Everyone wants to help- and they will have to in different ways. Clint and I are well-versed in deprogramming, you and Thor can grab him if he starts a rampage, Sam has experience with PTSD, Tony gets the arm, and Banner wants to run tests to see what exactly Hydra has been doing to him. Barnes needs to meet everyone and the sooner the better."

"He can meet everyone without a party," Steve protested, "You know how crazy the others get Natasha. Tony will try to drink Thor under the table, Banner will probably be the one mixing drinks, and Clint will be forcing everyone to sing karaoke. It's a horrible environment for someone who's been tortured, traumatized, and spent eight months on the run. It will overwhelm him. Trust me- I was there the first time I got him back from Zola- he didn’t want anything to do with anyone."

"I bet you another $100 you're worrying over nothing. Tony and Thor swore to save the competition for another night and I had JARVIS disable the karaoke system. It'll be dinner and dessert, that's all. No games, no roughhousing. I made them swear on their pinkies."

"You mean pinky-swear?"

"No, if they fall out of line I’m breaking their pinkies.”

Sam was finally fed up with the entire conversation (not to mention being ignored), "Am I the only one who heard her say she decided to come an hour ago?!"

Steve was confused by his abrupt outburst, "Sam, we know, we're here too."

"What's wrong with that?" Skye wasn't following either.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that we've been in the air for six hours? How did you get here?"

Steve turned back to stare at Natasha along with the equally amazed Skye and Simmons, "Wait- he's right! How are you here?!"

"Irrelevant-"Natasha waved him off. "Now, where's Agent May hiding? We've got some catching up to do…"

They’d find out eventually, and frankly she liked scaring the boys, it kept them in their place.

---

Nestled in the rolling hills outside of the Kazakh capital of Astana was a simple storm drain- nothing much to look at on a normal day.

Except today there were people running for their lives from it.

Guards lined the drain with their rifles pointed inwards, covering fleeing scientists. They barely even turned when the cloaked jet's turbines were within hearing range. Whatever Bucky was doing here, he'd already made his presence felt.

With the exception of Agent May, SHIELD's best and most lethal were gathered in the cargo hold readying for a fight.

Steve, Sam, Natasha, Tripp, and Skye were separated from the others. Unlike the main force they were now the hunting party. Any plans to clear the base were gone the moment Natasha received confirmation of Bucky's presence in Kazakhstan. Now the parameters were different: Strike team goes in, the rest hold until the first level is cleared, and then they stick to their floor while the others aim lower in the building until they find Bucky.

Once he and the Avengers were out of the way the rest would be free to take the base. Bucky might not be able to differentiate SHIELD from Hydra, so the new game plan was their best bet to protect their SHIELD allies.

"This is a Hydra containment and experimentation facility," Steve had to shout as the landing gear lowered and they began a slow descent to the ground, "if you take prisoners, make sure they are secure! We’ve got blueprints of the facility, but we still don't know where the Winter Soldier may be. Keep your guard up until we confirm contact!"

"We'll be making the initial entry into the facility," Sam was all business now, "We aim to soften this place up as much as possible for you, but our priority is recovery of the Winter Soldier. As soon as we have him, we’re out. Apologies in advance if that means we leave mid-sweep."

"Agents Brett and Wong will guard Simmons should we need medical assistance," Steve pointed out two agents he'd met in-flight. "No one waste her time by getting shot or stabbed- our goal is minimal casualties!"

"The Winter Soldier is not to be approached by anyone except for Captain Rogers or myself," Natasha announced. "If he comes at you drop all weapons and get out of his way- fast. It doesn't matter if he's in a cell with his back to you and you have a hand on the door controls- DO. NOT. ENGAGE."

"You'll know him by his left arm- made entirely of metal and probably damaged. If you see him contact us via radio beginning with 'Steve Rogers' or 'Captain Rogers'. DO NOT just say 'I found him'. If he even thinks you're Hydra he will shoot to kill,” Steve said.

Natasha wrapped up the briefing as the jet landed and May activated the defense systems, "We will be taking the Winter Soldier into custody by alternative means, so this is goodbye from us. We will check in later to make sure everyone makes it out."

The infiltration team stepped forward. A barrage of gunfire from the turrets eliminated the horde of scientists and security personnel running towards the distant jet in their haste to escape the base. Few Hydra facilities were as large or as active as Astana’s. All the technology Hydra had at their command and Bucky had them literally running for the hills.

"Skye, Trip, and Sam- use the stunners only as a last resort," Steve reminded them for the hundredth time. “They haven’t been tested on a super-soldier before. You might just piss him off."

"Get ready," Natasha called out. The ramp was moving, "Time to go to work kids."

The hills outside of Astana were all dead grass and soft inclines- great if you're worried about your enemies trying to sneak up on you, shit if you're the enemy. The team was totally exposed as they sprinted the half mile back towards the storm drain.

Bodies littered the field but more Hydra agents poured from within. Any who knelt in surrender would be taken into custody- but the Bus only had so much room. Whatever had the scientists spooked was sending them running without thought or reason- so the jet's defense systems eliminated them.

Agent Ivanou had sent word with the blueprints to remain on high alert- these people did things that would make Mengele shudder. It made Steve less than sympathetic to their plight.

Scientists, maintenance, doctors, cooks, launderers, service personnel- Steve was fine with leaving those to Agent May and SHIELD. The feisty-looking ones Natasha hamstringed before the Bus' bullets reached them- they at least deserved questioning before they died. Natasha kept her blades coated in a slow-acting neurotoxin. SHIELD would get 48 hours to get their intel before the prisoners died.

No one would ever accuse her of having a flashy hero name- she was the Black Widow.

The first wave of guards fell under the SHIELD suppression fire, but as Steve, Sam, Natasha, Skye, and Tripp closed the gap more guards appeared to hold the door. Natasha opened fire on a line of them to the left as Steve threw his shield to the right.

Natasha ran ahead as Steve caught his shield and opened fire on the ceiling. It had the desired effect- the crowd hesitated long enough for the troop to get in through the narrow door without being trampled.

Inside the Hydra facility it was chaos. Half the scientists were running for the doors, half for security checkpoints, and the guards were divided between covering people as they fled and stopping them from leaving.

The Winter Soldier was a force of nature- but to inspire this much chaos? These people looked like they were afraid of something more than one man.

"Stay alert, Bucky might not be the only thing in here," at least in the crush of bodies the guards didn't care that a few Avengers had wandered in- at least not until the group began to open fire on them. Steve targeted anyone in his path- scientists and guard alike. He tried to keep fatalities high and casualties low, but as far as he was concerned Hydra were no than the Nazis they’d served.

For 70 years they thrived while he slept, now he was making his presence known. They should have killed him before the ice finished melting.

"Keep up the pace," Natasha was the only one who didn't break stride as they began to fight.

She made herself the lead in their group and crippled anyone within reach. There were times when showing mercy to your enemies was the right path. This wasn't one of those. SHIELD didn't have the resources it would need to hold them and it wasn't worth risking leaving some Zola-wannabe on the loose.

At the first fork, some hundred yards into the base, Steve pinned a guard against the wall and dealt a fatal blow to the man's neck with his shield. Natasha spared a glance at Sam. He understood her question and nodded.

Sam couldn't figure out how she got on the damned jet, but he knew why she came- to see if Steve was as uncharacteristically brutal as reported. If something didn’t change there would be bigger problems down the road. Steve was running himself beyond even his endurance and it showed in the violence with which he executed his enemies.

"Sam, go left with Skye and Tripp, we'll head this way. If you find the security room great, but don’t spend too long looking."

"The security room is our best chance," Natasha objected.

"Do you don't see what's going on here?!" Steve snapped, "We're not the only ones attacking! Finding the security room may be a waste of time and we don't-"

"I get it," Sam cut Steve off and peeled away. He knew enough about strategy and timing to make his own calls, and Steve was a big enough boy to get over it when his plans were scrapped. "See you on the other side! Don't die!"

---

An hour and a half later Steve was alone somewhere in the second level living quarters.

Natasha had long since split off and no one was on comms. Their infiltration became a mindless cycle of opening doors, clearing the rooms (if the inhabitants tried to fight), locking the rooms from the outside, and moving on.

SHIELD controlled the first level, and resistance was lighter by the second as the infiltration team progressed.

The last report Steve received was from Sam when he finally reached a security room. Bucky had already gone through and smashed the monitors, then disemboweled a security guard. At least, Steve hoped it was Bucky. The man wasn't able to say- half his tongue had been pulled out.

He had no chance of being saved, so Sam pulled out his gun and gave the man a quick death. He'd been silent ever since.

Something was definitely in the base besides the infiltrators and their quarry. Steve had a feeling something was creeping behind him, just out of sight. He was constantly on-edge, and the deep gashes in the walls weren't helping.

The first time Steve noticed the creature was in a bedroom full of scientists who'd surrendered flat-out: four long scratches that began on the ceiling and continued down through the wall. When he demanded answers from a cowering lab tech the man swore they’d been there for years.

More and more Steve was finding signs of a creature moving through the halls. Those first marks were old but he had a feeling some of them were new. Fresh chips of stone on the floors was merely the first clue- dripping silver goo was the other. That was why Steve had SHIELD move in early.

Simmons was busy collecting as many samples as possible.

Steve braced himself and opened the last door in the hallway. Any worries about a mysterious beast were cast aside at the first sign of what was on the other side. A half-dozen armed guards arrayed around the door in a half-circle. Steve found weapon storage.

Immediately he folded himself behind the shield and waited until the deafening pings of bullets stopped. The ricochet took out two (judging by the screams) and the moment the men stopped firing he was up and diving into the group.

Two had indeed been injured, but they still threw blades to give their buddies time to reload. As Steve ducked a throwing knife he brought up his shield to break the elbow of an armed soldier. The problem with his abilities and fighting while tired was that he tended to misjudge his super-strength. Between spinning away to dodge the knife and his sharp uppercut with the shield he ended up severing the limb entirely.

‘Oh well, he was Hydra after all.’ Steve grabbed the screaming man's head and snapped his neck.

The fighting was cathartic and helped Cap release his frustration. He threw the shield at two men directly across from him in the cramped room. They couldn't move out of the way quickly enough and in such close quarters the shield was lethal. It took off one man's head and severed the throat of the other.

Steve didn't waste time watching them die. He grabbed the last standing man and used him as a shield to absorb three blades from one of the injured guards.

"S-steve Rogers? Captain Rogers? D-do you r-read?"

"Give me a second!" Steve ignored Tripp and fired on the soldier, then snapped the final guard's neck.

"A-alright. You're busy. I’ll w-wait."

Tripp's voice was thin and reedy, he was hurt. He was also following Natasha’s protocol on how to speak around Bucky.

Steve's stomach dropped while his heart swelled. Good news and bad. The grandson of one of his closest friends in his old life was injured, but by the sounds of it he'd found another long lost ally. He yanked his shield out of the crates it was embedded in and began to run back through the halls to the first junction the team split up, "Tripp, give me directions to your location!"

His sigh of relief was cut off abruptly by a wheeze and a hiss of pain, "S-Steve, my location is as f-follows: right, right, l-left, right left, left, d-down three levels, left, right, then the third right. F-follow the b-blood from there for a right a-and two lefts."

"Is he with you?" Natasha rocketed out of the hallway ahead of Steve. She was nowhere near as bloody as he was, but he had no doubt she took out more agents.

"Y-yes," Tripp was having trouble breathing.

Steve kicked up his speed as much as he could. He wasn't worried about whatever creature prowled the base (though he saw scientists in a side hallway freshly mauled), he was worried about Bucky hurting Tripp- a Howling Commando legacy- before he could talk him down.

"Almost there!" Natasha was keeping ahead of Steve but when Sam and Skye appeared from opposite halls near the stairs she fell back to run with them. Down on Level 4 the halls were longer and more grid-like. Steve led them through the first left, then skid to a stop.

The hallway was all but destroyed.

Silver liquid oozed from the ceiling and floors where the concrete was ground to uneven rubble. Pieces of bodies were strewn everywhere. The largest solid piece Steve could see was the size of a fist, and intestine hung from ripped-out lights.

Even Natasha was stunned.

"Holy shit," Sam wasn't sure what else to say. There were no shoeprints in the silver bog- this all happened after Tripp and Bucky came through.

"Stay here and cover our escape route," Steve tried to make his voice more confident than he felt. He was eyeing the ajar door on the right side of the hall, "Tell SHIELD we’ll be needing Simmons- Skye, you're in charge of escorting her down. Also- I know we didn't bring any heavy ammunition but Skye, if you know a way to bury this place I suggest you get ready. The safest option may be to blow this place to hell. Sam- if Tripp can't walk out of there on his own I'll send for you. Natasha- does our way out have anything to do with JARVIS?"

"Yes."

"Good. Tell him to get our ride ready and if you see or hear anything unusual call me immediately, alright?"

"Got it, go."

He was apprehensive about letting his boots touch the slime, but there was no clear path to the door. Steve stepped on it gingerly. It was slippery, but he didn't see smoke or smell burning rubber. As quickly as he was able to he made it to the door and edged through.

Most lights were out in the next hallway, and it wasn't comforting to find out the silver veins glowed the in dark. Hair rose on the back of his neck but Steve didn't turn to check the shadows, it would only make him more anxious. He continued forward- even though he could feel breath on the back of his neck (or at least imagined he could).

Just through the third door on the right Steve saw a splash of blood on the wall and the body of a guard. The guard's neck was broken but his gun hadn't been kicked out of his hand. A puddle of blood indicated someone- probably Tripp- had been shot before falling to the ground.

No silver liquid oozed from these walls, and the sensation of being followed was gone.

Steve focused on what was in front of him and the problems Bucky might pose to Tripp's rescue rather than a possible Hydra animal loose in the halls. Judging by the long streaks of blood, Bucky had dragged his friend down the hallway. According to the metal plaque outside the door they were in "Research Lab 6".

There was a meeting room to one side and several filing cabinets- but it looked like nothing had been used in a long time. Dust covered everything and the guard who shot Tripp wasn't significantly armed. Steve was willing to bet he was a simple security officer to babysit the hallways. The air was close in the lab, stale.

In an active Hydra facility why would there be an abandoned room?

He followed the blood down a side hall on the right and saw a dim light ahead. A headache was just blooming behind Steve’s eyes, and he had a feeling the further he went the worse it would get. There was a scratch of an old speaker in the distance and a distortion to the normal ambient noise- like a television left on without any picture on the screen.

Steve used a clean knife to peek around the corner. When he detected no movement he inched into the first room. A row of computer monitors on his right were inactive, but labels above them read 'Heartrate', 'Blood Pressure', 'Blood Oxygen', 'Brainwaves', and 'Alerts'. Medical monitoring?

On the left was a shorter row of monitors, a few panels of switches, and a very large one-way mirror.

The cell Steve looked in on painted a very clear picture of what happened inside so many years ago.

Chains hung from the ceiling in the back right corner and were fitted with rusty metal cuffs. Were set all around the room with four under a large, clear table- which Bucky had pinned Tripp against. The walls and ceiling were fitted with lights, but a row of them seemed to have been torn out at the very back and through them Steve could just barely see a large, dark room.

Bucky watched the door with a level of fanatic determination that made Steve hesitate. He was bloody, disheveled, and barely able to stand on his own two feet. His hair- matted with grease and blood- hung lank over his eyes.

He looked more like a rabid animal than the calm, cool assassin Steve faced 8 months ago.

The metal arm had burned off the left sleeve of his thin coat and occasional sparks still shot from it. The whole unit had bits of wires poking through the metal plates.

Steve secured his shield on his back before entering the cell. Bucky jumped and Tripp groaned- the metal hand was closed around his throat, locking him in place. The man was gray-skinned and pale.

"Bucky, please, let him go. He needs a doctor." Steve slowly removed his shield and set it by the door, then inched to the far corner. He kept his hands out to the side, "I swear I won't leave. That's Tripp Jones- Gabe's grandson. Do you remember Gabe?"

Bucky didn't even look like he could understand what Steve was saying. The stench of dried gore and sweat was overpowering. A spray of sparks near his neck made Tripp cry out and seemed to jar Bucky to life.

"He goes. You stay." His rough mumble was barely intelligible. How long had it been since he'd spoken?

"Can I have someone come get him?"

Again, it took Bucky a long time to respond. When he did it was by drawing an old hunting knife. Steve held his breath as he slid the blade between Tripp's neck and his metal hand, then pried his fingers loose.

As soon as he re-sheathed the blade and pulled the wrecked arm away Tripp began to gasp and cough. There were cuts from the blade on his throat, but nothing too severe.

"Call your person, then come here." He backed into the corner opposite the chains and pulled the blade back out. Bucky set it in his metal hand and used his human one to close the fist and secure the knife. He looked up at Steve expectantly.

"Sam, come get Tripp," Steve walked towards Bucky slowly. As he closed in his old friend grew more agitated. His headache was reaching epic heights- how long had Bucky been exposed to whatever was affecting him?

When Sam ran into the room Bucky lunged at Steve, spun him around, and held the blade to his throat. He kept him firmly locked in place as a human shield as Sam scooped Tripp up off the table and glanced back.

"I'm alright, go." Steve said. Sam nodded and hurried back out. "Thank you Bucky," he let out the breath he'd been holding.

Bucky spun him around so that they were facing one another, but kept the blade to his throat, "You help people?"

He hesitated, “I try my best."

Bucky looked confused, lost, and sad. He walked away from Steve to the far side of the table and stared at the blood left behind. When he looked up his eyes were over-bright, "Then help me find her."

"Find who?"

"Echo," Bucky pulled a folder from the back of his jeans and set it on a dry part of the table. He opened it to reveal a few hundred pages layered in dirt or torn and wrinkled. The fruits of his hunt- and if the top sheet was any indication, everything was redacted to hell.

"Sure, Buck. We’ll figure this out."

"Yeah, ‘we’. And if you think for a second you can put me back in that chair-" he took a step around the table.

"I would never do that. I'm not Hydra, I'm your friend. You and me, until the end of the line- do you remember that?"

This time Bucky took a long, hard look around the room, as if waiting for some kind of trap- or perhaps seeing phantoms of whatever past he had in this place. He looked down and pried back his metal fingers until the knife fell, "I don't."

Bucky took a step back, allowing Steve to retrieve the papers, "We'll find Echo, I promise," he tucked the pages into his suit. Bucky was somehow more agitated when they were out of sight, "Before we find her we need to go somewhere safe, ok? I'll still help you find Echo, but from a secure base. Somewhere Hydra can't go. Deal?" Again, he wasn't even sure his words were getting through.

"Where?"

Steve considered his phrasing, "Do you remember my friends from the Triskellion?"

Bucky stepped back, then rubbed his head as if it could help him remember, "The man who was here. The assassin-woman?"

"Yes! Very good,” he felt a sliver of hope bloom in his chest, “those are just two of them. I have more friends, an entire team. You'll be safe with them, they're good people. We fight against Hydra."

"People like me?"

"People like Pierce. Every member of my team is more than capable of finding Echo. I swear Bucky, we will find her and you will be part of that."

"If I go with you then you have ten days to find her. If you don't, I leave on my own."

It was a risky deal to make, considering Steve already knew she was dead, but ten days was enough time to lock Bucky down and start trying to heal him. Once he remembered she was gone they could figure out how to drive out the Winter Soldier and bring Bucky back, "Deal. I'll take you to my friends. They'll come with us to our base. We can start looking tonight, okay?"

Bucky looked around the room one last time. He waited for Steve to retrieve his shield, then followed him reluctantly to the door. Just before they stepped out of the control room Steve could have sworn he saw movement through the split in the wall.

Something silver shining in the black.

A shiver went up his spine.

SHIELD knew they were leaving with Bucky. Steve just hoped they could bury whatever was loose in the bowels of Hydra Facility Astana.

Chapter 5: Safe

#my writing #marvel #avengers

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keywestlou · 3 years

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VACCINE SHOTS AT COLLEGE UNFAIRLY PERFORMED

Sometimes you just can’t win for losing.

Getting my first vaccine shot continues to avoid me. I qualify. Unquestionably. I am 85 years old.

A month ago, shots were being given at the Gato Building.

Someone told me to call for an appointment. I was not aware Gato even had the vaccine. I recall no advertising to inform the public.

I called 4 days in a row. Four times a day. A recorded message said leave your name and number and we will get back to you.

The fourth day was a saturday. I even called on the saturday. A new recorded message to the effect we are out of vaccine, do not call this number any longer, call the Health Department. A message will be on the Health Department’s website. A number to call would be provided.

I immediately went to the webs site. Even though a saturday, the vaccine was at the top of the list of everyone to get done.

Took me a bit of time to find the message. My recollection is it was in a small yellow colored rectangular box. The message in effect was don’t call us, we are out of vaccine.

The next set of vaccines I became aware of were to be given at Publix. One in Big Pine, the other Key West. My recollection is that each store had 100 vaccine doses available.

I live in Key West so I considered the Key West Publix store.

Then the thought occurred there would be a mob waiting in line to get one of the 100 shots. Waiting line would be 1-2 hours. No way could I handle standing in line that long. I would have to use both of my canes to hold myself up.

Ergo,I never went to Publix.

Approximately 10 days ago, I learned through the media or some person that the College of the Keys would be providing shots via their nursing program. Instructions were to bring up on the web site, a Florida government address, pick my county, and enter the information requested.

It was simple. I did it all.

I am still waiting. The College gave its first shots yesterday. Four hundred.

The message on the web site was that those either 75 or 65 and older would be taken first as well as first responders who had not yet received their shots.

Contact to me was to be made by e-mail. Sunday has come and gone. No one contacted me.

Today’s media advised 400 shots were given. The system was that someone would telephone and arrange an appointment for you. Those to be scheduled first were people who called in or came to the Health Department looking to get a shot. Those people who had made such a call or stopped in between the end of December and middle of January.

Those who would receive the shots were health care workers who have direct patient contact and persons 65 years or older.

No one called me. I suspect the web site information was not being used. I thought my 85 had some value in these circumstances. Though I did not provide the Health Department with the completed web form till about some time late in January. There was no delay on my part. It happened to be the the State came up with the new distribution idea that involved the web site only very recently.

What pisses me off frankly is those who had walked into the Health Department or made a call would first be taken. I did not know I had to visit the Health Department. I recall no notice regarding the same. Nor anyone calling me. I have been quarantined 339 days.

I know not what to do except complain publicly. Maybe someone will hear my message. Otherwise, I hopefully figure I should be taken the next 2 or 3 times vaccine is available again.

The State of Florida and Monroe County are totally screwed up as to distribution. Distribution has not been fair either. Early on, Ocean Reef near Key Largo got 8,000 doses. An example of the affluent coming first.

I am experimenting. Not sure where to put the Greece blogs. I have tried it up front, in the middle and at the end. I would enjoy some suggestions.

Today a middle one.

DAY 13…..Greece the First Time

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Key West Lou

Breakfast is simple.

Whatever time I roll out of bed, I throw on a tee shirt and pair of shorts. Then up fifty tortuous steps. There is a small bakery a few feet away. All goods baked fresh a few hours earlier in the dead of night.

A little old lady runs the place. Works it. Dressed all in black. A widow, I assume. White hair.

I try to engage her in conversation. She ignores me.

Each morning, I purchase three different baked goods and a cup of coffee. All kinds of baked goods for sale. I generally get some crispy thing covering fruit, one with spinach and finally a small loaf of olive oil bread. I pick at the three for breakfast while sitting on my little terrace outside my cave. Overlooking the volcano, sea and boats. What I do not finish, which is most of it, I leave wrapped in the refrigerator. During the day, I pick at the remnants.

Being on a small island half way around the world can make you feel cut off from the rest of the world. Especially when the computer is down. I use a computer at an internet store. Yesterday morning, every attempt came up labeled disconnected from the internet. I returned at 5 in the afternoon to do the blog yesterday.

I took the free time the disconnected internet gave me to walk. Oia is Greek Orthodox. Tons of Greek Orthodox Churches and shrines. People all over the place praying and bowing.

I visited one of the Greek Orthodox Churches yesterday. It sets in the middle of the marble walkway behind my cave accommodation. About a mile down the way. In front is a huge plaza. Then an imposing white church.

I had never been in a Greek Orthodox Church before.

Dark when you first enter. The sun and eyes. I sat till I could see clearly. Beautiful! The only word to describe what I saw. Riches, also. Chandeliers of gold and silver. Wall plaques and figurines of gold and silver. Be clear. Not brass. Not a thin covering. For real gold and silver. A shining brilliance! The Greeks do not cheat their God as they honor Him.

Most visitors were Greeks coming to pay homage rather than curious visitors. Some locals, some foreigners.

They all burn candles. Or what I assume are candles. They look like bloated incense sticks. Light at the top. When lite, were placed with others in a stand. Then the supplicant would bow, cross his or her self several times and then bow again. I hope I have the sequence correct.

I have found over the years in my infrequent visits to religious places unknown to me, that there is a peace and tranquility in spending some time in them. I felt it yesterday. I recalled a similar feeling thirty some odd years ago at a Muslim museum in New York City. I sat in a small room with several Buddhas. I did not want to leave.

You will recall last year my blood pressure problem. Took a whole year to get it under control. My ankles were constantly swollen with fluid. I was popping water pills daily.

My ankles were big yesterday. First time in a couple of months. I carry water pills and potassium pills with me to use if necessary. My heart doctor said lay flat for three hours after taking the pills to get the best effect. I did. I lay for three hours in the cool of my cave on the bed. I would have done it outside down the steps by the pool on a chaise lounge. However, I needed to be near an appropriate facility when the need to expel fluid arose. Ergo, the bed with the bathroom nearby.

Everything is hills in Santorini. Even walkways and roads. Up and down. Everything is steps also. Too many. For example, fifty steps down from street level to my cave. To the pool, an additional fifty steps. What goes down, must come up. The reverse has generally been true. Ho ho! These steps are not normal. No codes here. They are different widths and different heights. I find the fifty steps from my cave to the road a killer. I have to stop and sit a few minutes at the top before proceeding.

Walking is impossible to avoid. The parking lot for my rented car is 1/2 mile down the road. An example of being compelled to walk every where.

Why am I boring you with this onerous walking situation? Because it is causing my belly to go down. For real. More than half way. I can’t believe it! I have no scale to see if I have actually lost weight. Whatever, my stomach is dramatically down and my face decidedly thinner. My heart, whether stronger or weaker, I do not know.

Come walk with me in Santorini!

Ate at the Katina again last night. The restaurant sitting on a concrete shelf beneath a towering lava created mountain. The daughter of the owner greeted me. I was remembered. So did 4 or 5 waiters.

I sat precisely at the edge of the concrete abutment. Another inch and I would have been swimming with the fishes.

I knew exactly what I wanted. Did not need a menu. I started with hot grape leaves stuffed with rice covered with oil. Everything is covered with oil in Greece. Understandable, there are olive trees all over the place. Red snapper for my entree. The fish was grilled and delivered to me splayed with the spinal bone removed. Boiled potatoes and cooked greens. Both buried in oil. For dessert, baklava. A rich crispy cake covered with honey. A double espresso. With the meal, I enjoyed three gins and one ouzo.

When the bill arrived, I was comped certain items as occurred with my previous visit. The waiter told me the 3 gins, 1 ouzo, the grape leaf appetizer, the espresso, and the baklava…..were on the house! This entire glorious meal cost me all of 24 euros. $34 American money.

Burbing is in vogue and socially acceptable in Greece. At the end of my meal, I inadvertently let out a big one. The waiter looked me, beamed and said…..good! A Greek couple sitting at the table next to me did likewise.

Another beach day in the making. Today it is Kamari Beach. I have inquired and been assured no hills to climb. Park the car and walk directly onto a flat sandy beach.

Kamari is supposed to be a tourist place. Many restaurants and bars. I may stay for dinner.

I have also been assured there will be topless and totally naked woman. We shall see. No, I shall see.

Enjoy your day!

The weekend was a pleasant one. Very little Trump. Some significant sports.

Super Bowl! In Tampa last night. Yes, I did screw up yesterday by placing it in New Orleans. Don’t ask me why. I can only attribute it to old age.

Tampa walloped Kansas City 31-9. Kansas City should never have been on the field with Tampa.

The game not a great one. Good, however.

Tom Brady is eternal. He threw the ball like he was a young man instead of 42. Such precision!

Golf big this weekend,also. The Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Bruce Koepka won. He came out of the pack yesterday on hole 17. He chipped in from well off the green on a par 5 for a 3. He won by 2 strokes.

Jordan Spieth has been a disaster after starting up several year ago as perhaps the next Tiger Woods. He was back in the game the first 3 days of the tournament-67, 67 and 61.

I watched saturday when he shot the 61. Very long putts were dropping. His fairway game was better than it has been.

Saturday evening found him in first place with another player. Both were 2 strokes or more ahead of the rest of the pack.

The putts did not drop for Spieth sunday. Not off by much. An inch or two. However enough not to go in the hole.

Spieth finished 2 strokes behind Koepka. He shot a 71. Ten strokes higher than saturday.

Half time entertainment at Super Bowl was not to my liking. The star The Weekend. Probably because not my kind of music.

I do not follow music as I did when I was younger. I had never heard of The Weekend till yesterday.

I turned the TV on after the first kick-off. Ergo, I was not aware that the poet Amanda Gorman appeared in a prepared video with a new poem immediately before the game.

The poem she read was newly written by her especially for her Super Bowl appearance.

Amanda God willing is going to be America’s joy for the next 50 years. Yesterday, she was the first “bard” to perform at the U.S.’s most watched sporting event.

Tonight my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time.

The ranting and raving should be less. I have little to jump on Trump with. In any event, the show will be interesting. Please join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

VACCINE SHOTS AT COLLEGE UNFAIRLY PERFORMED was originally published on Key West Lou

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