The Grey Raven // Bucky X Oc (Discontinued For Now)

⠂Chapter 26⠐

“Coming in for a landing.”

“You’re clear.”

Before landing I do one more maneuver which is flipping the plane over so I’m upside down for a few seconds before doing an upside down pitch, basically flipping the plane, and rightening myself.

I land and activate the air brake. I get pressed forward before the jet slows. I carefully return it into its hangar and undo my straps as the canopy opens back up.

“I now see why she’s called one of the best pilots in the world,” I hear someone mutter and smile. I remove my helmet and hand it to the same air marshals that had helped me get into the jet.

“How was it?” Dr. Robichaud asks, her tone ecstatic.

“As wonderful as I remember,” I respond, stepping back down onto solid ground.

“Can you teach me how to fly like that?” one of the students calls which is followed by a collection of laughs.

“Yeah. Are you giving lessons?” someone else shouts.

“All right. You have duties to get to,” Westly barks, which causes the students to split, though they all glance back at me a few times.

“So. You gonna tell me why I’m here yet?” I ask Dr. Robichaud, giving her a look.

“I can tell you a little of it, yes,” she responds.

A few minutes later I’ve changed out of the flight suit and back into my clothes. I make my way back to Dr. Robichaud’s lab and enter to find only one other scientist in it.

“The reason I’m having us meet here instead of somewhere maybe a bit more comfortable is that I want to be able to show you some things,” the doctor says, motioning to the hovering screens around her.

I nod and stay silent, waiting for her to continue. “Your files are ready,” the other scientist says, glancing up.

“Thank you, Seth.” Dr. Robichaud merely waves her hand near one of the holographic screens and it shifts around before something gets pulled up.

She motions me over and I hesitantly step up next to her and look at the light blue screen. “That’s the jet I was in, right?” I ask, studying the model.

“Indeed,” Dr. Robichaud responds. “Notice anything?”

I glance at her before focusing more on the screen. “You’re telling me that that jet can go over 20 Mach?” I ask, in complete shock.

“Yes.”

“But no human can last with that much force on them.”

“Correct.”

My eyes narrow slightly as I try to figure out what this doctor is planning. “What’s your plan then? Since I’m assuming you have one… That may include me?”

“I do have one and it does involve you.” She pauses for a moment and brings something else up on the screen. “Super soldier serum,” she says as if that’s supposed to mean something to me.

“Okay? I thought it was all destroyed?”

“We managed to make a modified version. It’s not quite the same as the original since we had to fill some things in with our own chemicals, but it’s still the serum. And it fits better with our intentions for it.”

“Which are?” I prompt, wishing she would just get to the point.

“We want you to take the serum and fly that jet,” she says swiftly, watching me closely.

I frown slightly, covering up the thrill of excitement that goes through me. “Why not use a robot to fly the plane?” I ask.

Dr. Robichaud gives me a thoughtful look. “I appreciate your questions. It shows even more how you’re a good choice for the serum,” she murmurs. 

“We thought of using an AI but we want this jet to be doing missions and operations. We need a human, with a brain, flying that jet, not an AI who has no judgment and will merely follow its programming,” she continues.

“So what will the serum do for me?” I ask after mulling over what she said about the AI.

“While it won’t make you as strong as the original it makes up for that with speed. Also, the reason it can aid you as a pilot in that plane is that you’ll have faster reaction time, you’ll be able to withstand higher Gs, you’ll be able to stand faster acceleration, and you’ll have faster recovery.”

My eyebrows raise slightly in surprise. “You’ve really thought this through,” I comment.

Dr. Robichaud smiles. “My team and I have been preparing for this for nearly two years now,” she tells me.

I glance back at the screen for a moment. “What do I have to do before taking the serum?” I ask.

“How did you know that would be needed?” Dr. Robichaud asks.

I motion at the screen and where it says, Further training needed before serum.

“Oh… Yes… Well…” She pauses. “The Avengers talked amongst themselves and said they’d be open to letting whoever got the serum to possibly join the team and help with missions,” she says slowly.

That means Bucky knows… Shit. “Join the Avengers?” I ask.

“Yes…”

“Do I have time to think about it?” I ask.

“I can give you a day or two but I will have you know, you were the top candidate, by a longshot, for this,” she tells me.

“Thank you,” I say. After that Dr. Robichaud leads me to a suite in one of the other buildings where I can stay.

This is the size of my apartment… Maybe bigger.

“Bucky! Pause and think about this,” I hear from the hall.

“I have thought about it,” I hear Bucky respond, his tone dark. A few rapid knocks sound on the door and I stand frozen. “Astrid. We need to talk.”

Shit shit shit shit shit!

I stare at the door before forcing myself to move and open it. I tense slightly when I see Bucky with a murderous look on his face and Rogers looking a bit helpless behind him.