the strongest avenger (2)

eighty two

We all turn to the man that had rounded the corner, the one with his hand pulling out a pistol. His gaze runs over us, and his eyes grow wide, his skin turning pale.

I look over at Steve and let out a string of curses as I realize the enchantment dropped due to my fear from the wolf thing and my distraction with Bucky.

The man's hand goes to grab his walkie talkie, but I react quickly.

"Stop!" I blurt out, my hand raising and freezing his body.

I start to stride towards him, the boys on my heels.

"I lost the enchantment...sorry boys." As I near the man, I snatch the device from his hand and crush it between my fingers, letting the debris fall to the floor.

I reign in my power and watch as he jerks back from us, his wild gaze moving from each of us and then watching as it settles on James behind me.

"T-the Win—Winter S—"

"Don't talk to him. Definitely don't look at him. Look at me." I interrupt, moving so his line of sight hits me instead of the man behind me. "Are there any other people down here?"

"N-no."

"Don't lie to me—" I pause to look down at his name tag. "James. Oh look at that, we all have the same name, except you Spangles, sorry."

The man gulps and from the perspiration on his brow and the way his breathing hitches, I know he's lying.

"I'll t-tell you if you let me live."

Holding in a laugh and a smirk, I nod. "Sure."

"There are others in the conference
room—"

"You have a conference room in the dungeon?"

"It's for the people that work this shift. Not everyone wants to hang out here with the mutts."

"How many people?" Steve asks.

The man hesitates, and then his mouth opens wide. "HELP—"

I reach out and grab the side of his head, smashing it into the wall next to us. Mr James slumps to the ground in a heap, blood trickling from the side of his head.

Collectively, we turn to the sound of footsteps and I internally groan at the men seeping out from the conference room. Each of them stop, and take in our appearances, their faces paling slightly as they look at each of us.

"Hey Jamesie?"

"Yes, Snow?"

"You still have your gun right?"

"Yes, Snow."

"I would get it out right about now."

Bucky shifts and slides his large gun from where it previously rested against his back, underneath the black uniform.

The men across from us, grab their pistols and take them out, aiming them at us.

"As if guns are gonna stop us." I mutter under my breath.

"Release the mutts!" Someone calls and I feel the blood drain from my face.

"That was the worst thing that could've happened."

"You just had to say it." Steve says.

As the sound of metal scraping against metal fills the area, I take the pistol from my belt and swiftly shoot two of the men, Bucky doing the same next to me.

"Steve take the gun!" I throw it to him and make a shield of white energy to protect us.

A low growl comes from behind us and I turn, gulping as I take in the mutts.