Recruiting Eva (Compound Series Part2) 18+

Chapter 5

"Good morning, Ms Sloane," a female voice suddenly sounded in her room. "It's 7 A.M. The weather is 72 degrees. The sky is cloudy."

Eva sat up so fast that her head spun. Looking around, trying to blink away the sleep, she found her room empty.

"Who- who is this?" she rasped.

"My name is Friday," the voice said. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Where are you?" Eva asked, still trying to shake off the sleep.

"I'm everywhere, Ms Sloane," Friday said.

"Am I having...?" Eva asked. "Is this a nightmare?"

"No brain activities indicate that you are dreaming, Ms Sloane," Friday said. "Should I do a deep scan of your brain?"

"No," Eva said, in what sounded more like a question.

Eva didn't move, just darted her eyes around the room. Was this a prank?

"Mister Rogers is requiring your presence in his office," Friday said.

Eva sprung out of bed and hurried to Steve's office, earning herself curious looks from Melissa and Nico, who were eating breakfast. Eva kept on looking around, searching for Friday, feeling slightly paranoid.

"You summoned me, Rogers," she said, once she found the right office.

He did a double-take as he saw her. She still wore her pyjamas and her hair, which she had put into a bun, stuck out in all directions.

"I have a mission for you," he said carefully.

"Oh?" Eva didn't expect to be sent on a mission before her first training.

"We got information on a potential HYDRA base. I need you to check it," he continued. "You up for that?"

"Sure," she said, shrugging.

"A car will be ready in an hour," Friday's voice sounded again.

"You heard that right?" she asked, looking around.

"Thank you, Friday," Steve said. "That's our digital assistant created by Stark. You will get used to it."

"Let's hope she doesn't lose her shit like V.I.K.I.," Eva said.

Steve frowned, trying to understand the reference.

"It's a movie. Pretty good. I'll message you the title later," Eva said, shaking her head.

Her destination was near Pittsburgh, a nearly six-hour drive by car. She was glad that Steve remembered her fear of airplanes. Flying wasn't her problem. On the other hand, being trapped in a tin box and sitting on gallons of kerosene for hours was.

Eva's face was a frozen mask of horror when she realized James would accompany her on the mission. No amount of persuasion could convince him to stay at the compound. They had barely talked during the car drive. The few times he spoke, she liked it a bit too much.

She had noticed the change in him. But she also saw something else that she couldn't quite pin her finger on. It was the expression in his eyes when he looked at her, to inquire as to what exactly it was that itched under her skin. She desperately wanted to know but knew better than to ask.

When they arrived at their destination, she couldn't leave the car fast enough. His presence was just too much in such a small space over such a long period of time.

It was early evening when they neared the building that potentially belonged to HYDRA. The outside didn't seem suspicious. But when they tried to scan the building, their scanner didn't come through the installed security measurements.

The only option was to go inside, get all the information they needed, and get out before someone discovered them. Easy.

As soon as they entered the building, they hijacked the camera system and played a loop. It wasn't the best idea, but it would buy them some time.

Sneaking through the dark corridors of the building, Eva felt the urge to make conversation. Perhaps it was the mission or doing something illegal, such as sneaking into a building at night or simply his presence, but the adrenaline she felt caused her mind to wander in directions she didn't particularly enjoy.

"Look, I'm just saying," Eva said in a hushed voice, her gaze darting around her surroundings, "We shouldn't be sent out to missions together."

She cast a glance to the side. Nothing on his face indicated that he had heard her. He just stared ahead.

"It just complicates things," she said further, but he still didn't react. "Hey, are you even liste..."

His hand, wrapped around her upper arm, jerked her back into the corridor they came from and pushed her against the wall. Her protest was muffled by his hand over her mouth. Eyes locked with hers. Her heart skipped a beat.

Bucky motioned that someone was coming. The closeness of his body, pressed against hers, made it impossible for her to concentrate on what he was hearing with his enhanced senses.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on her surroundings. Identifying three nearing footsteps and hushed voices. She relaxed as the noises grew distant. She opened her eyes again, Eva was sucked in by the intensity of his gaze. He was still so unbearably close that she was convinced he could feel her heart hammering against her chest.

Eva's gaze fell on his lip. Memories of their first kiss flooded her mind, reminding her of the tenderness as his lips brushed over hers. He had nearly seemed afraid to touch her, only to replace the sweetness of their first contact with pure desire and lust for her.

"If nothing can happen between us, stop looking at me like this, Eva," he rasped. "I have limits."