After multiple run-ins with death and many shocking self-discoveries in the course of a few months, all America Evans wants to do is hide away in Washington with Steve until she finds out who she really is. But life as an Avenger doesn't allow for a...
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AMERICA'S POV
"It's cold," I mutter as we march off of the Quinjet into a mini blizzard. Snowy winds whip my hair around and rattles the door to our entrance.
"He can't have been here more than a few hours," Steve thinks out loud.
Bucky shrugs. "Long enough to wake them up."
Our footsteps echo down dark hallways as we ride down a caged elevator. No one speaks a word. I swallow as I glance around, looking for anything I recognize. It's all familiar, but nothing jumps out at me.
A loud thud startles us all. I grip my dagger and duck behind Steve's shield as Bucky raises his gun.
"You ready?" Steve whispers.
"Yeah," Bucky and I whisper back in unison. Not again.
The metal set of double doors screeches as someone forces them open, someone I didn't expect to see.
Tony.
He walks toward us casually, retracting the helmet as he does. "You seem a little defensive," he comments.
Steve doesn't let the shield down, but he does approach Tony. "It's been a long day."
"At ease, Soldier. I'm not currently after you," Tony calls out to Bucky. "And you. Put the knife down, it's not getting through the suit anyway."
"Then what are you doing here?" Steve asks sharply.
"Could be your story's not so crazy. Maybe." What? He believes us? "Ross has no idea I'm here. I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I gotta arrest myself."
"Sounds like a lot of paperwork," I sneer, not ready to forgive him for all he's done to us. To me.
"Mer," Steve rebukes before addressing Tony again. "It's good to see you."
"You too, Cap. Hey, Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here. You can drop it." I nod to Bucky, and he lowers the gun.
The four of us walk together now as quietly as we can, glancing down hallways and starting at any moving shadows.
"I got heat signatures," Tony mumbles.
"How many?" Steve asks.
"Uh, one."
We enter a large chamber cloaked in darkness. I grip the knife tightly as dim lights come up. On the outside of the wall are capsules. My stomach turns as I realize that the hazy yellow mist hides people. The soldiers. We were too late. I put my fingers to the glass, turning to Steve in shock.
"If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep. Did you really think I wanted more of you?" A vaguely familiar voice says over speakers.
"What?" Bucky mutters under his breath, holding the gun up again.
