Bloody Hands and Broken Minds Book 1

Part Two - Chapter 28

"I've been tracking Evelyn for weeks now. She goes through city to city, leaving bloody scenes for the police and I can't fucking pin point her location until it's too late!" Tony says in frustration as he runs a hand through his hair while leaning back in his chair.

"You need to get out of this lab, it's a cave of depression." Natasha replies as she pokes at a project on Tony's work desk.

"It's getting worse," Tony lowers his voice, "The longer it takes to find her the more I'm not sure what will be left of her when we do."

"Do you know where she's headed next?" Natasha asks as she walks towards Tony, pulling herself up to sit on the edge of the table while Tony stares at the screen of his computer.

"If she follows pattern, she'll be here for the next target." Tony answers as he points to a map.

"Tennessee?" Natasha raises a brow.

"Every time I'm close to closing in on her, she pulls some shit and skips town." Tony sighs.

"She's playing with you." Bucky speaks up, pushing himself off the wall and coming forward.

"What the hell Barnes! How long have you been there?" Tony exclaims.

"It's in her note she left us." Bucky says as he ignores Tony's question.

"What are you talking about?"

"In the note she makes a reference to a cat chasing a mouse. She knows what she's doing, she knows that you're trying to track her and she's making a game out of it. This is all just fun and games to her." Bucky explains.

"How do you know so much about what she's thinking?"

"Because that's what Hydra would do...That's what I would do." Bucky replies quietly.

"So, are we going on a field trip?"

"I'll go." Bucky says.

"Not alone you aren't." Natasha protests.

"I know her the best out of us, no offense, I know how to handle her."

"You're forgetting that she's completely different from the Evelyn we know. This person that Hydra created, she's ruthless. She said it in the note herself, she doesn't care, she doesn't feel, she doesn't love, and she has nothing to lose." Natasha says as she crosses her arms.

"You don't think I know that!" Bucky exclaims, "I know better than anyone that she's not herself right now, but there's no way in hell I'm gonna give up on her. If the roles were reversed, Eve wouldn't rest until she got me back and you know that."

"She isn't a soldier, Bucky, not really. The machine they used on you was older. The one they used on her was a newer version, a more permanent solution. There's no way to tell what she's capable of now." Natasha tries to reason with him.

"I'm prepared." Bucky replies as he turns away and heads for the lab doors.

"Are you prepared to hurt her?" Natasha calls after the soldier, his body freezing in place. "Because she won't hesitate to try and kill you. Are you prepared for that?"

Bucky stays rooted to the floor for no more than a few seconds before he brushes off her words and walks out the door.

______

"I'm coming with you." Sam declares as he joins the soldier on his way to the jet.

"No." Bucky says flatly.

"You can't say no, I'm coming whether you like it or not."

"Sam, Evelyn is a completely different person right now, she's not a soldier, she's an assassin. I don't think you can win in a fight against her with your stupid wings."