Winter & Summer: A Marvel Story in an Alternate Universe!

Chapter 9

Song: "I Get a Kick Out of You" - Frank Sinatra

In different circumstances, this would have been the perfect day to wear a pretty dress, spread a blanket out on the banks of San Francisco Bay and have a nice little picnic. Summer, perched atop a building in the middle of the city, could see ant-sized folks doing just that off in the distance. But alas, she was working. Taking in the breezy weather and saturated blue skies from the rooftop of a dinky old building would have to do.

The cool California wind gently brushed through her long, ponytailed hair as she keenly kept watch over the streets. She took a moment to soak it all in - she as an Avenger now. The Summer Solider. No longer a killer, but a fighter for justice. A defender of the defenseless. A symbol of safety. A beacon of hope. Dare she think it - a superhero.

Summer smiled at these thoughts, rather pleased with herself.

By now, S.H.I.E.L.D. was wrapping up its years-long HYDRA crackdown under Sam's leadership. The operation was deemed, give or take, a 95% success; and any remaining threats were not enough to keep Summer and Bucky from finally being back on the field again. Naturally, Sam couldn't resist pairing "Winter" with "Summer," so now they were partners, and consequently had their fair share of "where are spring and fall?" jokes they had to deflect.

But it felt good, especially for Summer, to be donning the goldenrod-colored uniform Shuri had made for her, while situated high above San Francisco, her streamlined metal legs poised and powerful. Summer stood in something like a side lunge, with one leg bent and the other stretched out long, and one hand in front, holding her balance.

"Why are you posed like that?" remarked Bucky, who radioed her from an alleyway a few blocks down, where he sat hunched over his motorcycle. A glowing green dot on a tiny computer screen between the handlebars blinked rhythmically as it moved along a digitized map. Bucky squinted as he looked up, spotting Summer at the corner of the rooftop.

"This is the stance I learned from Peter," Summer replied, keeping still in her position.

"Who in their right mind would ever want to copy anything that Peter does?"

"What exactly do you and Sam have against Peter?" She's asked this question before. "I never understood why you guys hate him so much."

"Because he's a bratty little bug, that's why."

"Okay. Bug - yes, I understand that. But bratty? Peter is like, the friendliest person you'll ever meet."

"Eyes on the road, please," Bucky sternly reminded her.

Summer sighed and she diverted her attention back to the street. She was looking for an armored vehicle that supposedly was headed her way.

"What's the tracker saying?" she asked Bucky.

"Ten minutes."

Sure enough, like clockwork, a black armored truck came cruising Summer's direction.

"All right, I got 'em," Summer said, stepping backwards in preparation to jump atop the car's roof. "Better start heading over here." Nodding, Bucky took his eyes off the tracker as he revved up his bike. And Summer, starting to sprint, counted, "Dropping in three...two..."

Then, suddenly, as her toe reached the edge of the building, she abruptly stopped, arms flailing as she pushed herself backward and regained her balance.

On his comm, Bucky could hear her let out a shrill, rapsy "whoaaa!"

"What happened?" Bucky asked.

"The car's not coming here, Bucky," Summer mildly panicked as she watched the vehicle take a sudden detour and increase speed. They must have seen her, or at least sensed someone was after them. "They turned right. Looks like they're headed east."