Echoes of Blue

Chapter Eight

The Quinjet hangar was buzzing with quiet anticipation. Steve, Bucky, Natasha, and Lia stood by the sleek jet, making their final checks before the mission. Wanda had joined them, standing near Natasha and Lia, offering a warm goodbye to her friends. "Be careful out there, okay?" Wanda said, her voice soft with concern as she hugged Natasha and Lia tightly. "Don't worry Wands, we'll be back before you know it," Natasha reassured her with a confident smirk. Lia smiled, though nerves twisted in her stomach. This was her first mission, and while she was confident in her abilities, the weight of where they were headed—a Hydra base—gnawed at her. She hugged Wanda, who gave her an encouraging squeeze. "You got this," Wanda whispered in her ear, and Lia nodded, feeling a bit better.

On the other side of the hangar, Tony was saying his goodbyes to the guys, offering his usual blend of dry humor and technical advice. "Don't do anything too reckless," Tony said, looking pointedly at Steve and Bucky. "And remember, the files are the priority. Don't go blowing the place up unless it's absolutely necessary." Bucky smirked. "No promises." Tony rolled his eyes but clapped both Steve and Bucky on the shoulders before turning to leave. "Good luck, boys."

As Tony walked away, Steve glanced over at Bucky, noting the way he kept sneaking looks at Lia. Steve raised an eyebrow. "So, how's it going with Lia?" Bucky gave a small, shy smile but didn't try to hide it. "We had a nice time. I, uh, asked her out. A proper date." Steve grinned and gave him a light punch on the arm. "Good for you, man." Bucky's smile faltered for a moment, his eyes turning serious as he looked at the jet and then back at Lia, who was chatting with Natasha and double-checking her gear. Steve noticed the shift in his expression. "You nervous about the mission?" Steve asked quietly. Bucky shook his head. "I'm more focused on making sure Lia's safe. First mission and all... Just want to make sure she comes back in one piece." Steve nodded, understanding completely. "We've got her back. You're not alone in this."

Before they could continue, Natasha and Lia walked up, ready to board the jet. "You boys ready?" Natasha asked with her usual confidence. Bucky and Steve exchanged a glance before nodding, their focus shifting to the mission ahead. "Let's do this," Steve said, leading the way onto the Quinjet. The ride to the Hydra base was smooth, but the tension was palpable. They went over the plan again as they neared the location—retrieving files on the newly advanced super soldier serum. Simple enough, but they all knew better than to expect an easy mission.

As the Quinjet touched down, the team moved with precision. Steve, Natasha, Bucky, and Lia exited the jet, and after a brief exchange of nods, they headed toward the base. The Hydra base loomed ahead, cold and foreboding. The entrance was quiet—too quiet. Lia felt a shiver run down her spine, but she pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the mission. They moved in swiftly, taking down Hydra agents with ease. Lia's powers glowed blue as she dispatched enemies with precision, her combat training kicking in seamlessly alongside her powers. She felt exhilarated, the rush of battle sharpening her focus. Every movement was fluid, every blast of energy hitting its mark. Bucky fought alongside her, glancing over every now and then, impressed by how well she handled herself. But they didn't have time to dwell on it—there was still the mission to complete.

The team split up. Steve and Natasha moved toward the control room to locate the files, while Bucky and Lia headed to another section of the base where the main server room was supposed to be. It was eerily empty. As they approached the door to the server room, Bucky frowned, his instincts screaming that something wasn't right. "Stay close," he murmured to Lia as they stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind them. Lia whipped around, her eyes wide. "What—" "Welcome home you two," a voice echoed from the shadows, and a man in a lab coat stepped forward, his expression cold and calculating. Bucky and Lia shared a confused look. Home? What was this guy talking about? "Who the fuck are you?" Bucky growled, already on edge. The doctor smiled, a chilling expression that sent a wave of unease through Lia. "Ah, how quickly they forget. But I suppose that's the point, isn't it? To wipe the slate clean, over and over again." Lia's stomach twisted. "What are you talking about?" The doctor's eyes gleamed with malicious delight. "He remembers most of it. But you, my dear, were also once one of us. A prized possession, a powerful weapon. You belonged to us. To Hydra."

Lia's breath caught in her throat. Hydra? No, that couldn't be right. She didn't remember anything about being with Hydra, granted she didn't remember much about her past. Bucky's fists clenched as he took a step forward. "You're lying." The doctor tilted his head, his smile widening. "Oh no, Sergeant Barnes. I assure you, everything I'm saying is the truth. She was one of us. One of Hydra's most valuable assets, like you. It's a shame you don't remember her, you were quite fond of her." Lia shook her head, backing up slightly, her mind racing. This didn't make sense. How could she not remember any of this?

Before either of them could react, the doctor pulled a gun from his coat, aiming it directly at Lia. "It's a shame, really," he said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "You were meant for so much more." The shot rang out before Lia could fully process what was happening. She gasped in pain as the bullet struck her side, blood immediately staining her suit. "Lia!" Bucky's voice was filled with panic as he pulled out his gun and fired, hitting the doctor square in the chest. The man crumpled to the ground, dead.

Bucky rushed to Lia's side, his heart pounding. "Lia, stay with me," he urged, pressing his hand against the wound to slow the bleeding. Through the comms, Natasha's voice crackled. "We've got the file, where are you guys?." Bucky shouted into the comms, his voice frantic. "Lia's been shot! We need to get out of here, now!" Steve and Natasha quickly made their way back to them, and within minutes, the team was rushing back to the Quinjet, Lia held tightly in Bucky's arms. His face was etched with fear and worry as they boarded the jet.

As the Quinjet took off, Bucky sat with Lia in his arms, trying to stop the bleeding. His voice was shaky, filled with desperation. "Stay with me, Lia. Please. You're gonna be okay, I promise." Natasha and Steve worked quickly to assess the wound, doing what they could to keep Lia stable. "Buck," Natasha said firmly, trying to calm him. "She's tough. She'll pull through." But Bucky couldn't stop the panic that gripped him. He had just found her, just started to realize how much she meant to him. He couldn't lose her now. "Please," he whispered, his voice breaking as he held Lia's hand. "Stay with me."