Haven [Marvel | Bucky Barnes]

Chapter 20

It was James.

She was definitely feeling that elation now...but just as quickly as it bloomed it withered and faded.

All breath was crushed from her chest as, in one deft move, he dodged the first swing of one of the security officers before he was a blur of motion, limbs darting out with precise, focused moves that dropped one agent after another with solid, meaty thuds. A baton clanged as it met his metal hand and in a blink James had twisted it away from its wielder's crumpling form to slam into the guard's companion.

She had never seen him in action before. Not in person, at least. Unable to look away, she slowly rose from her crouch by the stairs, unconsciously shifting so she could see properly. Twice, people trying to flee the cafeteria knocked into her, pushing her closer to the separated lunch bar until she was nearly leaning against the glass enclosing it. Sure, she'd seen video footage and could practically visualize the Freeway Fight move for move considering how many times she'd seen it.

But this was something else.

This was violent and visceral and very, very real. It was awful. But part of her couldn't deny that it was captivating to watch. He was graceful and powerful as he moved fluidly across the floor, each strike measured and devastating. None of the agents could land a proper hit but the sounds of fists—both metal and skin and bone—connecting with flesh and grunts of pain echoed through the space.

In seconds two more agents—one a blonde woman who was obviously more than just simple security, judging by the fight she put up—were flung from his path, toppling into the strewn chairs or crashing across tables.

And then there was a gun in his hand. Iris' hands flew to clamp over her mouth in terror as James swung the weapon around, coolly aiming at the blonde agent he'd just sent flying over the tabletops to land with a harsh smack on the stone-clad wall.

But then a flash of light reverberated through the air, crashing into James, causing him to stagger back as his face twisted in pain. Flinching herself as the remnants of the shockwave made it to where she stood, Iris' eyes flew toward the source of the pulse. Had she not been frozen in fear she might have been star-struck.

Another pulse flashed through the cafeteria right as James turned to face Tony Stark, his face cold and focused as the billionaire was locked in his sights. The second pulse had James dropping into a crouch, absorbing most of the force from the device on Stark's hand across his back before twisting around and surging up to meet the normally armoured hero.

Only, Stark wasn't armoured this time.

Iris' heart was in her throat as the two men grappled for the gun, hands and fists lashing out against one another before a muted bang echoed through room. Flinching instinctively away as the gun discharged, Iris' arms flew up to shield her head, a shriek jolting free from her as she ducked behind one of the tables. She slammed into the glass wall of the cafeteria as she did so, but she barely noticed the pain flaring through her shoulder. The terror twisting in her gut wound tighter, pressing up against her lungs as her eyes snapped up again, more afraid of losing sight of James than of seeing what happened.

Somehow Stark had blocked the barrel of the gun with his glove-like device as he grabbed hold of it. Iris felt just as shocked as Stark looked as the billionaire glanced back up at James before his face hardened with concentration again. With a jerking twist the two men both yanked on the weapon. Iris only caught the barest glimpse of the disassembled gun grip in James' hand and the pleased smirk on Stark's face before Stark backhanded James hard, whipping his head around nearly in Iris' direction.

With cold snarl James flung his elbow around to connect with Stark's jaw, sending his glasses flying. As Stark's hands flew up in a delayed instinct to protect his face, James' arm was already coiled and lashing forward. Driving into Stark's torso, the force of the hit launched the billionaire back to crash into the tables behind him, crumpling out of sight. A breath of mingled relief and worry gasped up through Iris' chest.