ignis | b. barnes

| 12 |

"YOU know, Fritz, one of these days, I'm gonna have a stick of my own." Brendon chuckled at Dum Dum's remark. As he was pushed into the cell, his eyes scanned around looking for Bucky. Another day lost. Brendon thought. He sat down in the corner of the cell and tried to rest another migraine that resulted in him falling asleep.

"What are you supposed to be?" Gabe asked suddenly causing Brendon to wake up. He noticed all the men in his cell were standing up and another man standing on the cell.

"I'm. . . Captain America." A familiar voice answered.

"I-I beg your pardon?" Another prisoner asked. They watched as the man jumped down and opened the door. Brendon pushed passed the newly released prisoners when the man asked: "Brendon?"

He looked up and saw a familiar face. Except, it looked different. Dare he even say. . . More attractive. "Steve? That you?"

Steve stood tall in what seemed like an American flag themed suit and a brown coat. He wore a helmet that was dark blue and the shield he held was dented with bullets, but still matched his suit.

"Where's Bucky?"

"There's an isolation ward in the factory, but no one's ever come back from it except him." A soldier said pointing to Brendon.

"Alright. The tree line is northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast and give 'em hell. I'll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else I find." Steve explained. Brendon looked at Steve incredulously. Steve tapped Brendon's arm and started to run.

"Wait! You know what you're doin'?" Gabe asked.

"Yeah. I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over two hundred times." Steve answered. Brendon stared at Steve blankly. Steve shrugged unsure of what to say. Brendon just grabbed Steve's arm and started leading him away.

"So, how do you know where he is?" Steve asked.

"I was there too. First one, till they finished with me and sent me back. Steve, he might not be alive, I was the only one to return." Brendon explained. It may not have seemed like it hurt him to say that but on the inside his heart broke.

"We have to look," Steve said nodding his head.

Brendon skid to a stop seeing Zola staring at the two, his heart rate excelled and his mind was racing with possibility's of what to do. Zola suddenly turned And sprinted away. Steve started following while Brendon was still frozen in shock.

Steve stopped in front of a open door way and looked in. "Donnie, he's in here!" Steve called.

Brendon jumped back to reality and let out a sigh of relief. He jogged past Steve into the room where Bucky was mumbling words.

"Bucky!" Steve called from behind Brendon. "Bucky, it's me Steve."

Brendon started unlatching the harnesses that were keeping Bucky to the chair. "Donnie's here too." He whispered softly as he helped Bucky off the chair.

"Steve?" Bucky asked looking up at Steve.

"It's me," Steve replied as the corners of his lips lifted into a small smile. "Now come on."

"Steve."

"We thought you were dead." Brendon told Bucky helping him walk.

"I thought you were smaller." Bucky replied. Brendon let out a low chuckle.

"Come on." Brendon urged.

"What happened to you?" Bucky asked Steve.

"I joined the Army."

"Bullshit you did more than just join the army." Brendon remarked.

"Did it hurt?" Bucky asked ignoring Brendon.

"A little."

"Is it permanent?" Both Brendon and Bucky asked as they made their way through the hallway.

"So far."

The three soldiers made their way through the factory trying to get out before it exploded. They turned multiple times but each turn was wrong or the fire building below was to close for them to move on.

Bucky regained his strength to move quickly but still fumbled over every few steps. Brendon kept an arm close to Bucky just in case.

Eventually Steve directed them up stairs, they moved quickly as the factory was quickly blowing up.   Brendon froze a few steps away from the cat walk. Zola was staring right back at them, another man was standing tall next to him. Brendon only recognized him as someone who visited Zola a few times.

"Captain America! How exciting! I'm a great fan of your films." A man across the way called. "So Dr. Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but still impressive."

Steve slowly walks across until meeting with the man and punching him. "You've got no idea."

"Haven't I?" He asks before throwing a punch at Steve. Steve lifted his shield up, blocking the punch. As they fight, Zola pulls a leaver and the catwalk they are standing on retracts to either side seperating them.

"No matter what lies Erskine told you, you see I was his greatest success!" The man shouts before pulling off a layer of skin.

"Oh hell no." Brendon mumbled reaching out for Steve to pull him off the catwalk.

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked leaning on the bar fence for support.

"You are deluded, Captain. You pretend to be a simple soldier, but in reality you are just afraid to admit that we have left humanity behind. Unlike you, I embrace it proudly. Without fear!" The man and Zola slowly start walking away.

"Then how come you're running?" Steve shouts back watching as the two escape the fiery building.

"Come on, let's go. Up." Steve said leading Brendon and Bucky away. They run up another set of stairs and come across a gantry. The trio quickly realizes it's their only way out.

"Let's go. One at a time." Steve tells them pulling Bucky over to go first. He looks back questioningly before slowly walking across. As he got halfway across the gantry slipped. It was still in place but made Bucky anxious. He took the opportunity to run the rest of the way only jumping to reach the other side. The gantry broke underneath him as he pulled himself safely up.

"Gotta be a rope or something!" Bucky called looking over the burning factory.

"Just go!" Brendon yelled.

"Get out of here!" Steve shouted.

"No! Not without you two!" Bucky countered. Both Brendon and Steve knew his stubbornness would keep him with them. With an annoyed sigh Steve grabbed the metal bar and bent it inward making a wide open space for the two to jump across.

"You first." Steve offered, but Brendon nodded his head.

"No, you. If you get across then there's two people to help me, I'm not gonna get across." Brendon countered. Steve nodded and took a few steps back before running and successfully jumping across.

"Now you Donnie!" Bucky called nervously. Brendon nodded and took a few steps back just as Steve did. He jumped up and down a few times, loosening his muscles before running and taking a jump. Halfway across his jump was cut short.

All Brendon remembered was fire engulfing him and Bucky screaming for him.