I Can't Help It - Steve Rogers

Chapter 26

Rachel sits beside Steve in the back of the Shield vehicle with Sam and Nat sitting opposite them. The bruises have started forming on Rachel's neck, where Bucky wrapped his hand around her throat. "It was him. He looked right at me like he didn't even know me" Steve states with his gaze trained on the floor. "How is that even possible? It was like 70 years ago" Sam questions in disbelief. "Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in 43. Zola experimented on him, whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him and..." Steve explains before Rachel cuts him off before he finishes his sentence. "None of that's your fault Steve" she states with confidence and comfort, her voice still rough and raspy. He looks over at her, taking note of the bruises on her neck.

Nat takes a deep breath in an attempt to stay calm, even with a bullet wound. "We need to get a doctor here. If we don't put pressure on that wound, she's gonna bleed out here in the truck" Sam states to the guards sitting beside him. However, one of them raises their taser as a threat and Sam jumps slightly while the other three look over at the guard. Suddenly, the same guard tases the other before kicking him in the face. The now, unconscious guard collapses at their feet and everyone looks up at the remaining guard as he removes his helmet. "Ah, that thing was squeezing my brain" Maria Hill states as she removes it and pushes her hair from her face. She takes one looks at Sam before looking at Steve, asking "Who's this guy?".

Rachel slides the van door open once Maria comes to a complete stop and hops out. Steve hops out behind her before turning to help Nat out while she holds pressure on her wound with the medical supplies that Maria supplied. He keeps an arm around Nat as they walk into the warehouse. He glances over at Rachel as she walks beside him. "Are you ok?" he asks when she meets his gaze. "I'm ok Steve. Don't worry about me" she assures him with a smile but notices his gaze shift to her neck. "I'm ok" she repeats as she places a hand on his arm in reassurance.

"GSW, she's lost at least a pint" Maria informs the doctor running towards them. "Maybe two" Sam adds. "Let me take her" the doctor states. "She'll wanna see him first" Maria argues and everyone besides Sam looks at her in confusion. The group reach a curtain and Maria pulls it back to reveal none other than Nick Fury lying in a hospital bed, alive. "About damn time" he states as he looks at the group.

"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver and one hell of a headache" Fury lists while Nat's being treated by the doctor and everyone listens intently. "Don't forget your collapsed lung" the doctor adds. "Let's not forget that" Fury replies in sarcasm. "Otherwise, I'm good" he adds with a grin.

"They cut you open, your heart stopped" Nat argues in disbelief. "Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress, didn't work so great for him but we found a use for it" Fury clarifies while the doctor finishes up with Nat's shoulder before gesturing for Rachel to sit down so he can examine her neck. "No, I'm fine" she argues with the raise of a hand. "Rach, sit down" Steve orders, as if it's her most obvious option. She sits with a sigh and the doctor examines her neck. "Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?" Steve questions, turning the conversation back to Fury. "Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful" Maria answers. "Can't kill you if you're already dead" Nick states, clearly he hasn't lost his sense of humour. "Besides, I didn't know who to trust" he adds, guess he hasn't lost his trust issues either.

Everyone gathers around a desk to fill everyone in and to make a plan to take down Hydra. "This man declined a Nobel Peace Prize. He said peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility. See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues" Fury states as he stares at a photo of Alexander Pierce. "We have to stop the launch" Nat states, glancing around at everyone. "I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore" Fury responds and opens a briefcase to reveal three chips. "What's that?" Sam questions. "Once the helicarriers reach 3000 feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites, becoming fully weaponised" Maria explains, showing the system on a laptop. "We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own" Fury states their objective. "One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational, a whole lot of people are gonna die" Maria elaborates before Fury starts suggesting ways to salvage the carriers and Shield.

"We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers Nick. We're taking down Shield" Steve interrupts, clearly frustrated. "Shield had nothing to do with this!" Fury argues defensively. "You gave me this mission, this is how it ends. Shield's been compromised, you said so yourself. Hydra grew right under your nose and nobody noticed" Steve states, starting to take authority. "Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed" Fury states, matter-of-factly. "And how many payed the price before you did?" Steve pushes. Fury looks away ashamed before replying. "Look, I didn't know about Barnes" he states. "Even if you had, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalised that too? Shield, Hydra, it all goes" Steve responds authoritatively, making Rachel smile at him proudly.

"He's right" Maria says from beside Fury, giving him an encouraging nod. Fury glances around the group, Nat leaning back, showing her lack of argument, Rachel standing still with her arms crossed over her chest and Sam shrugging his shoulders. "Don't look at me, I do what he does, just slower" he states. "Well, looks like you're giving the orders now Captain" Fury states, leaning back, surrendering his authority.