White | B. BARNES

Chapter 33

📍 Siberia, Russia / Raft Prison | June 2016

As Steve flies the Quinjet towards the mountains, Bucky sat behind him, "What's gonna happen to them?"

Steve sighed and shook his head, "Whatever it is... I'll deal with it."

"God, Saf," Bucky breathed out heavily.

"That's her name?" Steve queried.

"It's a nickname."

"So, what's her real name?" Steve asked.

"Not mine to tell." Bucky thought deep, looking back at what happened at the airport, especially leaving the woman he loved to be imprisoned again, "I don't know if I'm worth all this, Steve."

Steve glanced around at Bucky, "And, what does she think?"

"I am," he replied, referring to Sapphire.

Steve nodded, "And, so do I. What you did all those years... it wasn't you. You didn't have a choice."

Bucky pursed his lips, "I know, and that's what she said. But I did it."

"You love her?" Steve asked.

"More than anything," Bucky answered with certainty.

"Then, you have to make sure you get back to her, or else, she's gonna have my head for it," Steve reminded him.

In the Raft Prison Control, Tony looks at a surveillance screen. It shows Wanda, sitting hunched and bedraggled in a cramped prison cell. While Sapphire was standing, strapped all around over her body the same way they did with Wanda. But Sapphire had a blindfold on and non-metallic bulky capsules on her hands.

Tony walked into a chamber surrounded by large, barred windows. Beyond the windows are several prison cells. Tony took in his surroundings.

Clint started to clap slowly, "The Futurist, gentlemen! The Futurist is here! He sees all! He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not."

"Give me a break, Barton. I had no idea they'll put you here. Come on," he replied.

Clint spitted, "Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us somewhere, Tony."

"Yeah, but not some super-max floating ocean pokey. You know, this place is for maniacs. This is a place for..."

"Criminals?" Clint said while standing up, "Criminals, Tony. Think that's the word you're looking for." He eyed Tony through the bars. "Right? That didn't use to mean me. Or Sam, or Wanda. But here we are."

Tony reminded, "Because you broke the law."

"Yeah," Clint replied, turning his back on him while sitting down.

"I didn't make you," Tony said.

"La, la, la, la, la..." Clint recited, not wanting to hear Tony's lecture.

"You read it, you broke it," Tony continued.

"La, la, la, la la..."

Tony gave up. "Alright, you're all grown up, you got a wife and kids. I don't understand. Why didn't you think about them before you chose the wrong side?" He asked before walking away.

"You gotta watch your back with this guy," Clint slammed the glass. "There's a chance he's gonna break it."

"Hank Pym always said, you never can trust a Stark," Scott muttered, leaning on the glass, as Tony walked by asking him, "Who are you?"

"Come on, man," Scott sighed.

"How's Rhodes?" Sam asked with his back facing Tony.

"They're flying him to Columbia Medical tomorrow. So... fingers cross."