A Heart Break In Time

If You Do This, And This Doesn't Work, You're Not Coming Back.

"All right, everyone in their places? Everyone's got maps? Comms in?" I asked everyone as they all yelled yes or check. "Okay, let's go team!" I yelled and everyone separated. Sam headed for the roof and Kai immediately followed, air blowing around the ground caused Bucky, Steve, and Rhodey to look confused. Eva and Angel of course would have known already. Bucky and Angel both ran towards the woods. Makes sense. Angel would have the mind reading advantage over anyone else there, even the cover of the trees couldn't help. Meanwhile, Bucky had the most experience staying quiet and hidden. Rhodey went towards the track, and I watched as both Steve and Bruce were gaining on him, not even Tony's technology could match a super soldier's speed. I lost sight of them as I entered the woods.

I double tapped my comms. "Just got into the woods, expect silence from me. Good luck team." I whispered, then double tapped again.

"Good luck, Talia." Kai responded through grunts, Sam must be making it hard. Kai would be severely out matched in an air fight. I'd make my way to him as soon as I was done here.

"You got this, Talia!" Bruce shouted in excitement. Games where he could embrace his strength without the guilt of hurting anyone he had really grown to love. Training was definitely for him.

I looked around my surroundings. I had gone a few feet in the woods and was picturing the map in my head. The ground had broken branches and ripped leaves. That would be Angel, Bucky would know better. I looked for the ground spots that had no cover, that's the way Bucky would take. I followed it. Using extra care to be quiet, knowing his super soldier hearing would rat me out, I sang a song on repeat in my head in case Angel could hear.

Following the path I made on my map, I realized I was close to the flag but hadn't seen anyone. Just then, I saw movement to my right. I ducked to the ground as Bucky jumped out, trying to grab me but missed. "Hey, doll." He smiled.

"Hi, Buck. How you doing today?" I smiled back as I backed away from him. I stopped singing in my head, if Angel could hear me, she'd want to come. And distracting Bucky would only give me an advantage.

Bucky took a step towards me, still in a fighting stance. "I'm great, but ya know I can't let you have this flag, right?"

"I never expect anyone to let me do anything." I smiled back. Just then I saw Angel creeping from behind Bucky and I laughed. "Good luck." Bucky looked confused and I started to turn and run, my last sight of them being Angel jumping on Bucky's back. I double tapped my comms again. "I'm approaching the flag. Give me an update."

"I got my flag! I'm waiting at the home spot." Bruce spoke and he was practically screaming with pride. Oh, I can't wait to see Steve's face...

"Kai, how you doing?" I asked. No response. "Kai?"

I heard feedback. "I'm- shit. I'm here. I'm working on it. Fighting against Sam and Eva now. Could really use some help." Kai grunted out.

I was still running and saw the purple flag. I grabbed it and stuffed it in my sports bra. "I got the flag, I'm dropping it to you, Bruce then I'm headed to you, Kai. Hang in there! Bruce, what's our time?"

"Seven minutes." Bruce answered. Shit. I double tapped the comms then ran out faster, singing in my head to drown my thoughts as I scanned every bit of the forest I could see to avoid seeing Bucky and Angel.

I finally got out and saw Bruce in the home spot. He threw his arms up when he saw me. And then he started waving them as he face dropped. Realizing what he meant I quickly jumped to the ground just in time for Angel to jump over me and land in front of me. I smiled at her. "I'm not gonna be that easy, love."

"I just beat a super soldier, if you didn't know. You'll be a piece of cake." Angel smiled as she lunged towards me. I could feel the urge in my body to just sit down, give up. But I knew that was her in my brain. I jumped and slid along the ground, taking her legs out from under her. I quickly stood back up and ran the last bit to Bruce, grabbing the flag out as I went.

I handed it to him and he grabbed it, before pulling me up into his arms. "Talia! You did it."

"Yes, we both did. Now I gotta go help Kai." Bruce put me down and I ran to the stairs on the side of the building, quickly climbing up. I reached the roof and saw Eva holding on to both Kai's and Sam's legs as they wrestled in the air. Eva was obviously trying to climb up them as Kai was struggling just to stay up while fighting. I double tapped my comms. "Kai, I'm here. Bring 'em over. I'll take Sammy." Double tap again. I saw a glimpse of a smile on his face as Kai suddenly started to drop, grabbing Sam and taking him along. I got myself ready and when they were low enough, I jumped. I grabbed Red Wing and held on as I saw Kai make his way to the ground with Eva. Perfect.

Sam landed on the ground and I jumped off, he turned to me. "Worried your boyfriend was gonna get hurt?"

"You should be thinking about what I had to do to your girlfriend to get here, Wilson." I smiled. Sam's eyes looked off the roof to the ground and I used the opportunity to jump at him, throwing my legs at him and using all of my weight to push off him, throwing him off the roof and pushing myself backwards towards the flag. I curled up and rolled along the ground, feeling the concrete scrape at any exposed skin. Getting up, I reached out and grabbed the flag. I double tapped my comms again. "Kai, Kai I got it." I looked over and could see Sam starting to fly back up. "Kai, I could use a lift." I backed up along the roof.

"What do you mean?" I heard Kai pant.

"I'm jumping. I need you to catch me." Double tap. Once I was as far back along the roof I could go, I placed the flag in my bra as I took off running. I reached the opposite end of the roof and jumped. I felt the air hit me in the face as I felt like flying for a brief moment until I was reminded that I was actually falling. And I didn't see Kai.

I got closer and closer to the ground and I felt myself start to panic when suddenly I felt arms around my waist, pulling me close and then we spun in the air. I grabbed those arms and held on for dear life, closing my eyes until I felt the ground at my feet. When I opened them, Kai had pulled away from me and we were at the home spot.

"Kai! Kai we won! Bruce! We did it!" I jumped up and down, going to wrap both my arms around them.