Love & Bullets (bucky barnes x oc)

29: Blood for Vengeance

Alexandra Knight

Photos. Dozens of them. All here in my hands.  I spread them out across the floor. I never thought I'd have to see these again, the grainy depictions of pure brute and bloodshed. The moment the bullet is lodged inside his head, I can finish this.

These remnants are all the proof I need.

I had always questioned Ivan's sincerity. His false sense of kindness. I knew men were swayed by the trivial things: innocence, charm, power. Perhaps that's why he chose us to be his right-hand soldiers.

To think that I could be cared for, without anything in return, was my mistake.

The mistake I should have never made.

I gather the pile of photos and hold them against my chest. I have enough proof now. It is time.

My shoes echo through the limestone halls, heart pounding. The anxiety is gone, and what has replaced it is numbness. Pain giving way to stupefaction.

"Are you ready?"

"I have to be."

James leads the way out of the building, and before I step into the passenger's side of his car, I turn around to get a final glimpse of everything, my life. This is it.

"James?" I call out his name, still staring at the towering building in front of me.

"Yes?"

I turn to face him, "Thank you. For coming with me."

He doesn't say a single word, but the way his lips curve into a slight smile is enough of a response for me. As I plop down onto the soft leather seats, one thing remains on my mind: Vengeance.

〄

Twelve hours.

The long flight to Russia gave you more than enough time to finalize your plan. Everything is set in place, and the only thing left to do now is find Alina and Anya.

The Astrakhan streets look eerily similar to the years prior. Not a single difference. Poor, run-down buildings and houses with rags shielding the doors litter the streets. Pedestrians in ripped garments. Children with no parents. Nothing has changed.

Ever since the jet landed, James has taken the role of being your own personal bodyguard, shielding you from the outer terrors of the world, not allowing a single hair to be touched by anyone.

"Where's the route?" he asks, practically towering above you in an effort to steer you away from others.

"Just follow along. Don't say anything, don't look too hard at anyone."

One foot in front of the other, you maneuver through the poorly-lit pavements for what feels like an hour. Just as your legs begin to cramp up, you shift your gaze to a desolate cottage-sized shack in the distance.

The hideout.

Back when you worked for Ivan, you and the other women created a safe house. A hideout nestled in the middle of nowhere in case a mission goes awry. It was your top priority to ensure that nobody knew about the hideout, not even Ivan. The only ones that knew were you, Alina, Anya, and Ekaterina. And here you are, standing right in front of it a year later.

"They're here."  You point to the shack as you speak.

"Let me go in first."

You hold your hand out in front of him, halting him in his tracks. "Hell no. You stay here. If they see you, they're going to run."