Viper

Chapter 8: Meeting the Crew

"Adelaide," he gasps out clutching tightly to the —now glowing— dog tags.

"James!" I whisper yell, "What is it? What's wrong, babe?"

"I just had to see you—Just once—one last—time."

"James Buchanan Barnes, don't you dare die on me. It's not your time yet. Where are you hurt?"

He moves his hand slightly, and I can see a bullet lodged just above his right hip. I form a pair of tweezers and have them pluck it out. He would have screamed except for the fact I had quickly put a cloth in his mouth for him to bite on. I prick my finger and place my hand over the wound allowing some of my blood to transfer to him. I then begin to heal him using my powers. He gasps, and I take the cloth out of his mouth.

"I—wow! Adelaide, you're amazing."

"Jamie, are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah—umm—"

"Where's the rest of your company?"

"I think they're headed toward Azzano."

"They just left you here?" I suddenly hear someone whistle. I quickly pull a sword out of the air and hold it in front of me, but Bucky grabs my wrist.

"Doll, it's okay," he says before letting out his own whistle.

I make myself invisible, and Bucky lets go of my wrist before I can turn him as well.

"Barnes?"

"Morita, you came back for me?"

"He's not the only one," Dugan's booming voice comes from behind the bushes. "We couldn't leave our fearless leader, now could we?

"Who were you talking to?" Falsworth asks.

Bucky looks at me, but to the guys it appears as though he is looking at a tree. I grab his hand and become visible again. The guys stare in shock before giving a big hurrah.

"Dr. Barnes, it's a pleasure to meet you," Dum Dum asserts. "Sarge here has been talking about you nonstop."

"Oh, really?"

"Just for that, you can drop and give me twenty."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"James, you are terrible. What all have you told them?"

"Just everything before I left."

"So they don't know about—"

"Anything. No power, daughter, nothing. I didn't know—"

"If I wanted? Yeah, we can—"

"Do you want—"

"Yeah, sure."

"What's going on here?" Dernier questions.

"Call it married-couple intuition," I say. "Do you gentlemen want me to show you what I can do? Aside from healing your absolutely gorgeous Sergeant—"

"So that's why he looks 100%!" Jones shouts.

"Yes, and Dugan, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"That's a bit of a nasty cut you have there. Do you mind?"

"Not at all, ma'am. Please."

"It might hurt a bit at first." I place my hand on his shoulder where the cut s, and my power quickly takes over to heal it. Dugan steps back in shock.

"How?"

"I was injected with a serum. I invented it myself, actually."

"Wow!" Morita exclaims. "What else can you do?"

"Would you like me to tell you?"

"Whatever you're comfortable with, Doll."

"Okay, well I can teleport which is how I'm here, obviously I can heal people, I can fly, I have a kind of yellow energy that I control, I can control the elements—well, I believe I can, but I've never actually tried to— I am a telepath, an empath, and a telekinetic, and there are a few other things that are more difficult to explain. Now, would you like me to show you?"

"Yeah!" they all chorus.

"Alright. I'll go in the order that I said." I teleport behind Dugan and reappear beside Bucky. I then lift off the ground and do a loop in the air just above them. I pull my energy into my palms and create two little balls which I blast toward a tree stump. I move my hands over their firepit and light the sticks inside it. I then make a little bubble of water and suspend it in the air above Dugan's head. I turn it into snow before letting it fall on us. I find a little sprout by my feet and make it grow a few inches. I then look at Bucky to see if I can do the air trick I have in mind. He nods so I pull the air away from him causing him to gasp. I quickly send him pure oxygen, and he is fine. I pause for a bit before having all the guys sit in a circle around the fire. I can hear their thoughts, but I act as though I have to actively be in their minds to hear them. One by one, I go around the circle and quietly tell them their thoughts and what they are feeling. All of them feel afraid of the war and what is to come, and they all feel awe of what I can do. I then pull a dagger from the air and turn myself invisible. They all stand up in shock and fear until I reappear sitting on Bucky's lap completely unarmed. We decide to set up camp for the night, and Bucky and I are left alone in our tent.

"Doll, how long were you planning to be with us?"

"As long as possible. It's best if everyone back home thinks I'm dead for now."

"Why is that?"

"Because Dr. Erskine was killed, and I'm the only one who can reproduce the serum. So if I'm dead, nobody can. Sure, Howard will try, but—"

"It will take him awhile."

"Exactly. Besides just think of this like a very adventurous honeymoon."

"Okay, Doll. You— Well, I would say I don't want you here because I don't think you could handle yourself, but that clearly won't be a problem."

"Yup, how long will it take to get to Azzano?"

"I don't actually know, but we will rendezvous with the rest of the guys tomorrow. Let me guess, you sat there and figured out how long it will take us."

"Well, it didn't take me that long. It could be anywhere from a couple of weeks to two months depending on the pace we go, and we have yet to cross the English Channel, but you'll see that happening tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Jamie, go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."