THE FADING FALLEN ● Bucky Barnes X OC ● 18+ ● ENGLISH [COMPLETE]

Chapter 3

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Before Matthew's plane would land in a few days, she used the time to explore the Washington, D. C., area.

But even though her research led one destination to Triskelion, she was faced with the question of exactly where Hydra was.

Looking up at SHIELD headquarters and the facade of the opulent building, the shape was more reminiscent of an oversized tin can. But what did Emilia know about art and architecture.

Her interest was in the natural sciences and botany, so it was no surprise that she studied biology at Harvard University. And she met the requirements for it with ease - not only mentally, but especially physically.

Her studies taught her to understand herself and her growing abilities. It also allowed her to test the limits while trying to comprehend how she could master the elements.

It was simple physics.

Fire could be started by a small spark. A snap of the fingers or the slightest electrical charge could ignite the flame.

Air surrounded her. It was never perfectly still, so a gentle breeze could already be pulling her upward.

Water was also not only found in lakes and rivers. If the humidity was high enough, she could fill a bathtub out of nowhere. However, it reached its limits in larger mends.

And the earth. Connected to nature and wildlife, a simple touch was enough to understand and communicate.

Only with one thing she didn't have the faintest clue how it worked.

These uncontrolled visions... no, rather vague premonitions without a precise context. A kind of instinct for things that happened in the near future. Emilia believed that it was a kind of side effect of the coma. Because these intuitions always occurred exactly after four weeks.

But now she didn't have the time to think about it again. After all, her glimpses into the future appeared quite rarely and shouldn't be a further obstacle.

Especially not with everything that was ahead of her.

Emilia continued to stand in front of the large concrete can like a lost child or a stray tourist on a city tour, wondering why.

What did Hydra have to do with SHIELD?

'Maybe it was just old records in SHIELD's archives after all.'

She thought a little longer. Speaking out loud didn't get her anywhere, though.

"But why were the last records about 'Hydra' and the 'Winter Soldier Program' updated only a few days ago?"

The fact that SHIELD could be gathering information, however, reinforced her belief and previous knowledge that Hydra still must be operating. That alone was worth the trip.

Because somehow she would get to those test subjects.

Especially to Hydra's best weapon, which had been sent on killing missions for decades.

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Back in New York, Emilia picked up her brother at the airport.

It was directly like before, when they saw each other again for the first time after such a long while. Even though both of them had changed - not only on the outside, but also as individuals - the bond was still just as strong as before.

Matthew had always been athletic, and in high school, as a quarterback, his reputation as a ladies' man was gone early. His blond hair was starting to look almost whitish from his many stints in the hot regions of the world.