Bucky's Anchor

Chapter 24 - The Airport Standoff

The plan was simple—or at least, Steve made it sound that way. We needed to get to the Quinjet at the airport. It was our ticket to Siberia, where we hoped to find the evidence that would clear Bucky's name and expose Zemo's plot. But nothing about this was truly simple. We were going against some of the most powerful people in the world—our friends.

I stood in the back of the van, my hand gripping the edge of the door as we sped toward the airport. Bucky sat beside me, his eyes fixed straight ahead. He hadn't said much since we left the safe house, but I could feel the tension radiating off him in waves.

"You okay?" I asked quietly, keeping my voice low to avoid drawing the others' attention.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "I'll be fine," he replied shortly, then seemed to soften as he caught my worried gaze. "Just... thinking about what comes next."

I nodded, understanding. We all knew what might happen if we were caught. But none of us wanted to voice it. There was no need to say aloud that this could end very badly, very quickly.

Steve glanced back at us from the front seat. "We're almost there," he said. His voice was calm, but I could see the strain in his eyes. He was holding the weight of this entire operation on his shoulders.

"Do you think they'll try to stop us?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

Steve's jaw tightened. "Yes," he said simply. "But we have to be ready."

Sam, who was driving, nodded. "We're not turning back now," he added. "No matter what."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "Alright then. Let's do this."

We pulled up near the airport, hidden behind a row of shipping containers. The Quinjet was stationed on the far side of the tarmac, just out of reach. It seemed so close, yet I knew there were invisible barriers between us and our escape.

We exited the van quickly, moving as one. My heart pounded as we crossed the open space, every nerve on high alert. We moved cautiously, scanning the area for any signs of trouble. For a moment, I thought maybe we'd get lucky and make it to the jet without a confrontation.

But luck had never been on our side.

"Stop right there!" a voice called out. I recognized it immediately—Tony.

I froze, my heart sinking. We turned to see Tony, fully suited up, walking toward us with Natasha, Rhodey, Vision, and a young man in a red and blue suit—Spider-Man. Tony's face was hidden behind his helmet, but I could feel his eyes on us, on Steve, on Bucky.

"So you really think you can just walk away?" Tony continued, his voice amplified by the suit. "Just board that jet and fly off into the sunset?"

Steve stepped forward, his expression grim. "We're not your enemies, Tony. We need to get to Siberia. You have to trust us."

Tony let out a bitter laugh. "Trust? You lost that privilege when you went rogue. You broke the law, Steve. All of you did."

Natasha moved forward, her gaze fixed on me. "Emily, you know this isn't the way," she said softly. "We can still fix this. Just come back with us."

I felt a lump in my throat. Natasha and I had been through so much together. I wanted to believe her, to believe that things could be fixed if we just turned around. But I knew better. This wasn't just about right or wrong anymore; it was about control and freedom.

"We can't go back," I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "If we do, we'll lose everything we're fighting for."

Tony took a step closer. "You're not fighting for freedom. You're fighting against order. Against safety. Don't you see that?"