How do you heal?

Chapter 34: What Will You Do To Save Her

Annie had decided to spend a few days in Ohio. With most of the compound residents heading to Vienna and London she thought it would be a good time to see her parents and get some face time with Alex to talk about her newly decided on move. After she had picked up her luggage, heading out the doors to meet Alex, she was rummaging through her purse to find her phone and not paying attention when she ran into an old man in a black suit with thinning white hair. "Oh my gosh sir, I am so sorry!" She exclaimed as she bent to pick up the papers she had knocked from his hands. She stood handing him his things as she rambled. "Are you okay? Honestly I am truly sorry, I was trying to find my phone but this bag is just so big. It's stupid but I wasn't paying attention."

The older man smiled at her as he took his papers from her, placing his hand on her arm firmly. "Oh no dear, I am fine. Accidents happen. Thank you for gathering my papers, these old bones aren't what they used to be."

She nodded at him, his accent was weirdly familiar but she couldn't quite place it and the way he looked at her, almost as if he was looking at prey, made her uneasy. "Well, apologies again sir, have a nice day." She said, pulling her arm from his grip and starting to walk away. She didn't look back but she could feel his gaze following her out the door.

"HONEY CAKES!" Alex yelled from beside the car and Annie broke into a jog to get to her.

As they embraced Annie said, "Lex, have I got exciting news for you!"

Alex stepped back and opened her trunk for Annie to toss her suitcase in. "What do you say we stop and get lunch and coffee and you can tell me all about it?" Replied Alex as she slammed the trunk.

From the doors of the airport Oeznik watched as the red head and the tall woman got into their vehicle and drove away. He checked his phone, ensuring the tracker was working.

Bucky and Sam had sat on either side of Steve as Peggy's niece gave a eulogy. After the service they headed back to the hotel, leaving Steve at the church as he had requested. "I just need a little time alone." About 30 minutes after they got to the hotel and changed out of their suits Sam had gone to grab something to snack on while Bucky laid on his bed scrolling through house listings. His phone chimed with a text message from an unknown number.

If you want her to live, leave now. Tell no one. There is a car in front of your hotel with instructions. You will find cash and an address in it. Get there in 36 hours or she dies. Call her and she dies.

Attached to the message were several photos of Annie sitting at what looked to be a restaurant with Alex. Fuck.

Annie and Alex sat on the restaurant's patio, enjoying the summer weather as Annie told Alex about her plans to move. "So this is like for sure happening? You and man meat are coming to Ohio and buying a house together? Wait, does that mean you are selling your house? Are you kicking me out?" Alex asked in quick succession.

Annie laughed. "Can you PLEASE stop calling him man meat? It's honestly unsettling and yes, we are buying a house. No, I'm not selling mine as long as you want to stay there. My place has been paid off for years thanks to Charlie's obsessive budgeting and with Tony paying me a stupid salary, and having basically no living expenses for the last year I don't need the money."

"Are you sure you guys want to buy and not just move into your already perfectly fine house? I mean if you give me some time to look I can find a new place." Alex asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yes, we talked about it last night and Bucky wants a place with a little more land, he thinks he's going to be a farmer or something and my old job is willing to take me back so we are looking closer to there. Plus I think it would be weird to bring my new boyfriend into the house I shared with my husband. Hard pass." Annie said, shaking her head. As she did so something behind Alex's shoulder caught her eye, an older man in a suit with thinning white hair, hurriedly glancing down at a newspaper. She froze, "Lex, we need to go."

Sam, Steve and Sharon stood in the hotel room watching the news of the attack in Vienna.

"When's the last time you saw him?" Steve asked Sam.

"I don't know man maybe three or four hours ago? When we got back here, I went to get food and when I got back he was gone. I thought he went for a walk or just stepped out to call Annie."

Steve pulled at his hair as he paced the room. "This doesn't make any sense, why would he do this? Have you tried calling him?"

"Yes, I tried calling him but he left his phone in the room. I agree it doesn't make sense Cap but you can't deny that looks like Bucky." Sam replied pointing at the screen.

"I'm calling Annie, maybe she has heard from him or knows something." Steve said as he continued to pace, pulling out his phone.

Sam shook his head. "I've been trying her, she's not answering."

Frustrated, Steve rubbed at his forehead for a moment before looking back up at Sam. "Get a hold of the twins, see if they can find Annie and make sure she's okay. Sharon, can you get us on your flight to Vienna?"

Sharon crossed her arms. "Let's get to work."