Our Finest Hour (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 17: You Don't

With another sound of an arrow, suddenly caught off guard from the change in which direction it came from, Strange lit up in a shock paralysis, falling suddenly to the floor. His body tensed as he lay on the ground paralyzed from anything except his slight shaking, a peculiar arrow sticking out of his shoulder. Steve and Bucky started to look around the dark rafters and gangways when Cara's chilling voice came again from somewhere in the darkness, barely audible over the other Rumlow's cries of pain, but loud enough for Steve and Bucky to hear.

"Did you forget to bring me? Or were you too scared to?" Cara said.

"Cara, honey, you don't need to do this." Steve said in a cautionary tone.

"Oh, yes, yes I do." She replied coldly.

Another arrow suddenly lodged into the same wound as one of the other arrows in Rumlow's leg as he cried out in pain.

"AHHRGH! You fucking bitch!" He yelled reaching to yank one of the arrows out.

Suddenly but slowly Cara emerged from the darkness, walking toward them. She had caught both of them off guard as they had been sure her shots came from the rafters above them somewhere. Turning their attention to Cara, they watched her approach Rumlow, her hand clutching one of her knives, twirling it behind her back as she walked. Bucky's jaw clenched as he looked at Steve to follow his lead. When Steve stood breathing heavily, watching Cara in a stunned manner, unsure of what to do next, not wanting to fight with her but not sure he could let her carry on either. Seeing his dilemma, Bucky stepped forward toward her into her path towards the other Rumlow.

"Doll, please we need him to- AGH- WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" Bucky said just as an arrow lodged into his metal arm, disabling it, shocking him and causing him to fall to his knees.

In one smooth motion Cara put her foot on Bucky's chest, pushing him backwards, riding him to the floor and throwing her knife into the other Rumlow's reaching arm as he tried to crawl away. Her eyes glistened briefly at the scream he let out as he stopped crawling, his other hand immediately grasping the knife trying to free himself. She turned her attention to Bucky as Steve looked to the rafters again calling out in frustration.

"Come on Clint! You know this isn't the way!" Steve called.

"He has to die or our reality will cease to exist. Isn't that right Steve? That's what Strange said in the hallway at the tower." Cara answered him, not looking away from Bucky.

Steve turned to her concerned, briefly looking at Strange still writhing on the floor. She didn't even look at him as she briefly grinned at Bucky who was staring back at her intensely.

"He took our son Buck. Do you think this pathetic excuse for Hydra garbage should get off so easily to have a quick death after a few questions? He brought the Winter Soldier here. He helped take our son. He helped kill Sam." Cara continued.

Bucky's breathing started to slow, his jaw clenching as he listened to her. Steve closed his eyes, hanging his head in defeat as he put his hands on his hips. He knew she had this hold over Bucky, his desire for her could sway his allegiance to her in ways that were both impressive and alarming. Now he'd have no choice but to stop her from torturing the other Rumlow, no matter what he had done.

"So why don't you help me Buck? Don't you want to help me make him pay?" Cara finished gently caressing his jawline.

When Bucky nodded she got up, removing the arrow as she did. His arm came back to life as he repositioned it before getting up. Smiling Cara continued toward Rumlow who had removed the knife from his hand continuing his bloody crawl toward what he hoped was an exit. When Steve went to intercept her, Bucky began walking toward him, rage clearly displayed on his face. With the first punch, Steve knew Bucky wasn't pulling his punches, he was enraged and he could no longer count on him to talk Cara down. He needed to get to Strange if he had any hope of stopping them from torturing Rumlow.