IV: The Girl Who Ran: Red Eve

VIII: Clue

Bucky stared out of the little slit in the living room curtains. A couple little kids were playing with small cars near where he sat on the faded dark green couch. Bucky glanced around the room, trying to imagine a slightly younger Sunny walking through the house, maybe falling asleep on the loveseat in front of the fireplace.

He surveyed the pictures crowding the walls. Most of them were of the Virtue kids, but a couple of them had Sunny in them. One of her on an rusty swing set with a black boy and a blonde woman. Another of her and the blonde holding a baby wrapped in a navy blue blanket. Bucky's eyes skittered over the pictures by the door, then immediately came back. One frame held a picture of a fat baby holding a stuffed horse. Underneath the picture the frame was engraved, Jesus Mark Virtue: 01-02-01 -  08-21-01. Another picture hung beneath it. It was the blonde, smiling at the camera carelessly. Lucia Juanita Virtue: 06-12-91 - 05-30-13.

Bucky frowned and continued on through the room, ignoring the dusty decor. The hallway to the bedrooms displayed the children's artwork, paintings of what must have been flowers and tissue paper glued to canvases. The mantle was crowded with little figurines and clay bowls of trinkets. Bucky hauled himself up to look closer, the kids skittering out of his way.

Bucky surveyed the mantle, ignoring all the glittering sports medals and the small picture frames. He reached for a little wooden box engraved with wings. It was small, barely larger than his palm. He undid the little latch and popped it open. A cross-shaped medal glittered on a white cushion. The plaque inserted into the top read, "In honor of her extraordinary service to the United States of America against terrorism, fear, and war, we present the highest order of civilian award, the Barnes Cross, to Curse on August 2nd, 2016. Our gratitude will forever belong to Curse for her selflessness and heroism."

Bucky's mouth went dry. Something tugged on his sleeve. Bucky turned his head slowly. A blonde boy stared back. It took a moment for Bucky to remember his name. James, that was it.

James cocked his head, "What's wrong?"

Bucky frowned, opening his mouth to speak. He finally formed words about thirty seconds later, "How did you guys get this?"

James looked at the box in his hand and shrugged, "It's Tia Ana's. We were supposed to give it to her when she came to visit. It's a Barnes Cross. Super important or something. Anza thinks they probably named it after you." He waved his hands around, "Ya know, 'cause they thought you were dead and stuff."

"Huh," Bucky said. Sunny was Curse. As if this week could get any better.

James sighed, "I know you guys think this is all pretty messed up, but please just be easy on Tia Ana when she wakes up. She just keeps things secret so people don't feel bad or get confused. She's only as human as you and me. She makes mistakes, ya know. I don't want you guys to hurt her." He looked up at Bucky, his arms crossed, "Okay?"

Bucky nodded, "Okay." He didn't think he could hurt her even if he tried.

"Ya wanna come play Clue? I'm so bored," James asked, yawning.

"I don't know how to play," Bucky answered. He didn't even know what James was talking about. He wished Sunny would just wake up already.

"I'll show you. I think you'll like it," James smiled and headed toward the kitchen.

Bucky followed him quietly.

"Can you feel hot and cold through your arm?" James asked.

Bucky sat down on one side of the kitchen table while James dug through a cabinet full of brightly colored boxes. He considered the question, "Not really. If somethings really hot I can feel it, but otherwise, no."

"But you can feel pressure?" James asked, yanking a black box out and setting it on the tiles.

"Yeah, why?" Bucky countered, sliding glasses and coasters out of the way.

James did a one-sided shrug, "I just think it's interesting. I've never met anyone with a prosthetic before." He grabbed the box and plopped it on the table. "I'm the mechanic guy, Anza is the history buff, Maria is the artist, Oriana does medicine, and Robyn's the arsonist. Tia Ana finds people and swordfights. What do you do?"

Bucky frowned, "I don't know."

James tapped his chin with his finger as he set up the game, which seemed to be some of murder mystery, "Tia Ana told us that you can play the piano, you were a sniper, and you like reading. Are all of those true?"

Bucky nodded. Technically, though, he was still a sniper. He was surprised Sunny could remember all those things when he could barely.

"Well, then, I suppose you're gonna be our prince-turned-assassin. I can't think of anything better," James said. "At least until we find something that you like the most."

Bucky nodded again, not bothering to ask.

James sighed, "I can't wait until we can go outside. But, for now, I will teach you the ways of Clue."