THE CHAIN, B. Barnes daughter

19. Lucky Seven

I LOVE THIS FIC TOO MUCH

This is shorter, 1900 words BUT SAM IS SO AWW :(

THEY WERE ALL CRAMMED in the back of a van, HYDRA agents looming nearby. Seven sat squished beside Steve, her wrists encased in cold, unforgiving handcuffs. She'd been crying, her face streaked with tears, but the agents paid her no mind. As far as they were concerned, Seven was just another prisoner—if they even recognized her at all, which they didn't. They believed Seven to be long dead, another casualty in their brutal history.

The tension in the van was thick. Natasha was slumped against the side, her wound bleeding steadily. Steve stared straight ahead, a storm of emotions flickering across his face. He was still reeling from seeing Bucky alive, transformed into something monstrous.

Sam, seated on the across from Seven, glanced at her with a mix of concern and empathy. He was the only one who seemed to grasp how terrified she was, the only one in a position to offer her some comfort.

"Sev—can I call you Sev? Seven feels wrong," Sam asked softly.

Seven sniffled and nodded, her eyes red from crying. "Okay, Sev. You're safe now, alright? Just try to stay calm," Sam said, his voice soothing.

She sniffled again, struggling to find words. "But my papa just left me. He's never done that, ever..."

Sam had no idea what to say. He glanced at Steve and Natasha, hoping for some guidance, but they were preoccupied with their own thoughts. "I know, kid. But you're safe now. We'll figure this out. Just breathe, okay?"

Seven nodded, though she still looked unconvinced. She sniffled again, tears still streaming down her face.

Steve finally spoke, his voice tinged with disbelief. "It was him. He looked right at me like he didn't even know me."

Sam looked at Steve, his brow furrowed. "How is that even possible? It was like seventy years ago."

Steve's gaze dropped to the floor of the van. "...Zola," he muttered. "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..."

"None of that's your fault, Steve," Natasha interjected, wincing in pain.

Steve shook his head, still looking unconvinced. "Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."

Seven nodded in agreement, her voice small but resolute. "He's always been there for me too..."

Seven's gaze shifted to Natasha's shoulder. The wound looked bad, but not as terrible as some of the injuries she'd seen her papa inflict. "My papa shot you pretty bad. You should get that checked out," she said to Natasha.

Natasha winced but nodded. "Agreed," Sam said. He turned to the two HYDRA agents supervising them. "If we don't put pressure on that wound, she's gonna bleed out right here in the truck."

One of the agents pulled out an electric prod. Seven flinched at the sight, memories of painful training sessions flooding back. The agent held the prod out for a moment before jabbing it into the other agent's abdomen. She then swiftly dispatched him with a series of precise kicks and punches, knocking him unconscious.

The remaining agent removed her mask, revealing a woman underneath. She wiped sweat from her forehead, grimacing. "Ah... that thing was squeezing my brain."

Everyone in the van stared at her, stunned by the sudden turn of events. "Who are these two?" she asked, nodding toward Seven and Sam.