Heroes Assemble!

Working For The Bad Guys

Tony manipulated the console, zeroing in on the coordinates on the piece of paper that had been slipped into Nat's pocket.

"Where are we headed?" Bruce asked from the pilot's seat of the quinjet.

"Looks like an old, abandoned water station," Tony remarked.

"What else is there?" Steve asked from where he was still standing over the unconscious Winter Soldier, seemingly studying his face.

Tony perused the satellite image while tapping away, searching for any archived plans of the water station.

"Nothing," Tony replied with a shrug.

"Perfect place for one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret bases," Nat stated.

"You think there'll be allies there waiting for us?" Sam asked.

Nat shrugged. "Won't know 'til we get there."

"Any who are there who are not allies will find themselves in a world of pain," Thor stated, twirling his hammer in emphasis.

"Especially if Sparrowhawk there stops holding back," Tony said, pointing an accusatory finger at Mage. "And don't deny it, Mister Magic Man. We've seen what you can do now."

"What was that spell anyway?" Steve asked.

"Terrae motus pulsus," Mage replied. "The earthquake shock spell. And you're right, I have been holding back somewhat. Some of the spells I know are a little too dangerous to use, especially in a city."

"Too dangerous?" Bruce asked, looking back with raised eyebrows.

"Yes," Mage nodded. "A little more power in that spell today and it might have eroded some of the foundations of the nearby buildings, not to mention injuring the civilians in the area. For the most part, the spells I already use are powerful enough without using the extras that I have in my arsenal."

"Nice to know that you've got something extra in the tank if we ever need it," Tony stated.

"What's our ETA to the coordinates?" Steve asked.

"Fifteen, twenty minutes maybe," Bruce replied. "I'm taking us out and around in an arc and trying to stay under the radar so that S.H.I.E.L.D. or whoever it is can't track us."

"Good," Steve nodded. "Hopefully then we can finally get some answers to what's going on."

ooo00ooo

"Jarvis?" Tony asked.

"Infrared scans are inconclusive," the AI replied.

"So, if there's anyone here, they're below ground," Steve stated.

"What about him?" Sam asked, nodding at the unconscious, bound man on the bench.

"Bucky," Steve put in.

"Right. Bucky. What are we going to do with him once we land?" Sam asked, even as Bruce was in the process of doing exactly that.

"Ordinarily, those spells would have a normal person out to it for another two to three hours," Mage stated.

"Bucky's not 'normal'," Steve stated. "Back in forty-two, Bucky was captured by Zola and experimented on. Whatever happened to him, it made him so that he hardly seems to have aged a day since then."

"Even with an enhanced metabolism, he should still be unconscious for at least another hour. But just in case," Mage said before snapping his wand into his hand and transfiguring the ropes wrapped around the Soldier into heavy chains.