In Your Eyes // Steve Rogers

8

In my days at S.H.I.E.L.D, I was never the one to deal with prisoners. Never before had I seen the inside of a transport van. While in there, as a prisoner, I inspected the van curiously, looking for a way out that a criminal had never thought of. Because it was a S.H.I.E.L.D issued van, I obviously wasn't very successful in my findings.

The four of us were separated into pairs, chained by feet and hands to the benches. Two guards dressed in riot gear sat facing the four fugitives.

Natasha pushed her head against the wall of the van. She closed her eyes, forehead scrunched minutely. The bullet in her shoulder was starting to display discomfort, despite her preference.

Sam kept an eye on her. His knee was nervously bouncing, indicating he was in a mental debate about mentioning something about her condition to the guards.

"It was him," mumbled Steve, "He looked right at me like he didn't even know me."

"That was, like, seventy years ago," said Sam.

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"Zola captured Bucky's whole unit in '43. He experimented on him. Whatever he did helped him survive the fall. They must have found him and..."

"None of that's your fault, Steve," muttered Natasha.

Steve's face didn't change. "Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky..."

I touched my knee to his. His head moved an inch, a thankful nod in my direction. I didn't blame him. Processing such information sent into a silence that was difficult to wade out of.

"We need a Doctor," said Sam, at last, "If we don't put pressure on this wound--"

I heard a flicker of electricity; Sam was threatened with the taser. I didn't have to look to know. I did look when fighting reached my ears. One of the guards had flipped the taser, stabbed it into the other guard, then swiftly kicked him in the head. 

"Gah," panted Maria Hill, tearing the helmet from her head, "That thing was squeezing my brain," she admitted. She looked at Steve, myself, Natasha, then stopped when her eyes landed on Sam. "Who's this guy?"

"Sam Wilson," he introduced, "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," said Maria. She released Sam first, then came for me. 

"You know I can't get us out without..." I fell silent when she set a picture of a dam in my freed hands.

"Get us there," she said, "We'll be safe there."

I twisted my fingers. After she finished freeing the others, Maria confirmed it was the correct place. I stretched the portal. One by one, we hopped through. Maria led. Steve and Natasha helped Natasha to walk. I brought up the end, on the look out for potential threats. 

A keypad granted us entrance into the dam. From there, we followed Maria into an expansive dimly lit hall. From the end, a man emerged. He ran to help.

"GSW, she's lost at least a pint," yelled Maria.

"Maybe two," corrected Sam. 

The man reached us. "Let me take her."

"No," declined Maria, "She'll want to see him first."

Our collective suspicion changed into mild annoyance when we found who Maria was referring to. Surrounded by hospital machines, Nick Fury opened his eyes halfway, enough to see us. "It's about damn time."

Natasha took a seat next to him, allowing the Doctor to stitch her wound. Maria, Sam, Steve, and I lingered around the hospital bed, waiting on an explanation.