Buzzkill: The Reckoning

Chapter 30

Suspended in the helpless, grasp-less air, falling towards the ocean below, Ruth reached around her belt with her left hand, her back being shoved by the wind, and still holding on strong to Bucky with her right, fired a grappling hook for the edge of the carrier. Time slowed at an unbearable rate. Ruth watched the hook extend, stretch out into the air, praying it hit enough of the edge to hold on.

There was a moment as the hook hovered only inches away where Ruth's breath hitched. It's not going to make it.

The hook landed, jolting the rope that held Ruth and Bucky, catching them from falling any further into the unforgiving sky.

Ruth exclaimed in pain as her left shoulder tore out of its socket, her body rigid with the stress of the weight she held. She looked down at Bucky who still dangled unconscious in her right hand. Ruth's hand cramped, straining with an intense, shooting pain, her tendons stretching as Bucky's weight pulled her down. But she wasn't going to let go for anything.

"Come on, Bucky, you have to wake up. Please, you have to wake up," She talked to him steadily, the pain breaking her voice. She knew he'd only be able to hear her well through the comms, the failing engines still thundering around them. "Anyone available?" Ruth shouted over the comms, "Bucky and I are over the edge of the carrier, literally hanging on by a thread."

Steve grunted as he took out two more soldiers, "I'm a little busy over here, just hang on."

"I'm trying!" Ruth snapped back.

"I'm correcting the tilt now, be careful," Tony announced.

The carrier shifted, correcting the slope, lifting Ruth and Bucky upwards. Ruth exclaimed in pain, the movement destroying the feeling in her shoulder, sending ripples of needles down her spine.

"I can do it, I can go help," Peter Parker urged to Tony back inside.

Tony hesitated for only a moment. "Go."

Peter sprinted for the deck of the carrier, his suit adjusting to his body as he talked to Ruth over the comms, "I'm on my way, Ruth. Where are you guys?"

"Peter?" Ruth questioned. "We're over the side on the northwest edge," She grunted, ache pulling at her lungs. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'll explain in a minute," Peter shouted hurriedly. "Could you be a little more specific? This is a big carrier!"

Ruth's frustration grew with the excruciating pain that rippled through the muscles of her back. "I don't know! I can't see much from over the edge." She tried to look around her. "I think I'm to the right of the northwest propellor. My right."

Peter made his way to the northwest side and ran along with outer rim, scanning the edges. "I see you," he shouted over the comms. "Just hold on!"

"I can't feel my arms I don't think I could just let go," Ruth shouted back with gritted teeth.

Peter's face showed up over the edge, his deep red mask hiding his expressions.

Ruth let out a short laugh, "I knew you were the spider kid thing."

"Spiderman," Peter corrected.

"Whatever," Ruth said. "Grab Bucky."

Peter shot his web towards Bucky, grabbing ahold of his back and pulling him up safely onto the carrier's platform.

The relief of the weight on the hand Ruth used to hold Bucky only brought increasingly excruciating pain. She reached her right arm up to grab onto Peter's hand, but her weakened reach only made it so far. Making up for the gap, Peter attached a web to Ruth's hand, pulling it up to meet his before pulling her safely onto the deck.

Ruth fell to the ground, her shoulder throbbing, sending daggers throughout her body. She couldn't even think about moving her left arm. She sat up carefully, using her other arm to sit up, the muscles in her hands cramped and sore. She moved beside Bucky, his breath steady, still unmoving.

Ruth laid her hand on his chest and shook him gently, "Bucky, James, you have to wake up."

"What happened to him?" Peter asked Ruth, his suit still concealing his identity.

The word. The word to shutdown Bucky's brain. Sputnik. Ruth still remembered it by heart. It never left her mind. "I'll explain when we get inside," She replied.

"Just took out the last jet. Everyone meet back inside when your area is clear," Steve called out over the comms.

Ruth winced as she stood to her feet. She looked to Peter, "Do you know how to put a shoulder back in its socket?" She held her arm close to her body, trying to stop it from moving.

A whoosh of nausea suddenly struck Peter's stomach, "No no no no. Nope. You need a doctor," he protested.

Ruth sighed. "Then you're going to have to bring Bucky in. I can't carry him," She said to Peter, motioning towards the entrance back inside.

Peter stood, looking from Ruth to Bucky, debating how he was going to do this. He attached a web to Bucky's back and began to drag him across the pavement.

Ruth turned and stopped him, "Don't drag him like that. When he wakes up and finds out you gave him road rash on his ass he will not be happy," she scolded.

Peter shrugged, "Well what am I supposed to do?"

"You're strong. Pick him up."

Peter stared down at Bucky, wondering how he was going to balance this guy, especially with that metal arm that was probably a good portion of his own body weight. Peter "strategically" lifted Bucky over his shoulders and walked unsteadily with Ruth back to the building. As soon as the three of them walked in, SHIELD agents rushed over to help.

Ruth felt a dread that sunk deep in her chest.

No one took her. Not one Hydra agent even tried to take her back with them. Was that the plan? How did they know Bucky's word?

Ruth watched as they wheeled Bucky away from her, the horrible feeling of death following her becoming reality. Kal didn't try to kill her.

She tried to kill Bucky.