Spectre | Bucky Barnes

Part 7

I left early in the morning, before everyone woke. I wasn't really set on going anywhere. I just needed time to think before I executed my plan.

I went for a stroll into the secluded woods, nothing out of the ordinary, I had done this many times before, I must have walked about 3 miles out from the boundary. I knew it was stupid.

The air was so clear and fresh here. The strong smell of sweet pine was oddly tingling my senses. I kept twitching my over sensitive nose, as I listened to the birds in the trees, calling and singing to one another in the distance. I laid out on the dewy grass, covered in beautiful white avalanche lilies, the early morning sunlight twinkled through the trees and over my body.

Suddenly the birds stopped, and I knew I wasn't safe.

It was all so sudden and they went so fast. I was pinned to the ground by a strong force, they sniffed my body, taking in every scent, I felt their hideous breath on me. It made me feel sick. They had control, and I couldn't free my limbs to run.

⋆

"Steve!" Bucky shouted. "Anna is nowhere to be seen." He had become worried, searching all over the compound for Anna, but she had left no trace.

"FRIDAY?" Tony asked.

"Ms. Perry-Weather is not within the confines of the compound. She left the perimeter at... 4:38am this morning, Sir."

Tony was fuming, FRIDAY should have alerted someone that Anna had left. He paced the room, pulling up all the CCTV footage from the area.

Wanda sat playing chess with Vision, by the window when Bucky came charging in. Everyone needed to get ready right away. They were going to find her. The team had little to no leads and Tony had lost sight of Bennett.

Where was she now? Bucky thought. Maybe she had pulled away, realised some emotion for Bennett. She had left me for him. No, he wasn't going to accept that.

Within a few hours they were headed onto a jet. There were a number of places Tony had deduced that Anna could have been taken to. He was adamant Bennett had come back for her, kidnapped her for Ruskin. They were wrong.

★

I had to leave. I could see she was safe. 'He' did not like me being around her. I did not blame him. I knew what I had to do. I would find Ruskin myself, and end him. If it was the last thing I did. I would keep her safe.

I decided to head east then work my way round the farthest reaches of the forest. I had seen those reports on the news and there were only a handful of places Ruskin could be. If he was indeed after her his base needed to be hidden, but close. About three hours after my search had begun, I came across a run down building, it was almost falling apart. The brick crumbled and it didn't look occupied. This fit the exact kind of place Ruskin would be hiding out in. I urgently sped towards the ruins.

I moved as fast as I could, moving aside rubble to find a way in. I soon came across a sealed doorway. I used all my strength to pull the door open. I followed a long concrete corridor, it was damp and smelt, really bad. The walls were gagged, there was barely any light, everything coming at me in varying shades of black. I moved slowly and quietly as I crept into a room, the door suddenly came into view, the number 3 emblazoned across the front in peeling paint.

I could hear her screams coming through the solid brick wall of this room. He had her.