The Red Star

Chapter 52

Jay walked out into the maze of hedges and seated herself quietly on the bench facing the field. Her hair was damp from her shower and she was comfortable in her Captain America sweats and Doctor Who tank top.  She Sipped her coffee slowly and grinned, musing about how late in the afternoon that she was drinking it .
She closed her eyes and set her head back and sighed. She heard a rustle near her and she shot her head up to see a tall dark figure , dressed in leather and emerald green. She slowly lifted her eyes to his face and one seeing who he was, she froze. There was a moment of silence then she reacted in a strange way by throwing the hot coffee into his face and tackling him to the ground.
In the mean time, Bucky was walking through the hall with Charles and Steve speaking on the matters of the ball . Charles stopped suddenly and held his arm out in front of Bucky .
"Wait." He said .
"What's wrong ?" Bucky asked.
Charles chuckled and looked at him saying,
"Your girlfriend."
It was right at that moment when Jay threw The leather clad man through the wall and into the hallway. She stumbled into the building and Charles sighed , asking ,
"Why must you put holes in my home ?"
Jay shrugged and said,
"I'm letting in a nice breeze ."
"Jay what's going on ?!" Bucky said, brushing the dust off of his shirt .
Jay turned quickly an grabbed the man by his emerald cape and lifted him saying,
"This is why!"
Everyone froze and Steve lunged forward with only Bucky's quick reflexes to hold him back .
"You know that's Doom right !? " Steve practically shouted.
"I know who he is Steve." Bucky replied
"We all need to calm down ." Charles interrupted.
"Calm down?!" Steve shouted again. "Do you know what he did to her ?!"
"You think I don't ?" Charles added in an angry tone.
"Steve!" They all looked down the hall to see Crys looking frantic with her hair and makeup done but still in her sweats and a tank top .
"Okay , if anyone calls dibs on beating the shit out of him first it's me." Jay cut in.
"Hey," Bucky said, "We need to be smart about this."
"Exactly." Charles said.
"Yes, " Bucky continued, "We all know that Steve gets first dibs ."
"James!?" Charles said confused and angry all at the same time.
"Bucky!" Jay said angrily.
"I agree with Steve Jay." Bucky replied.
"Um can I say something?" Doom said as he practically kneeled on the floor next to Jay as she held tightly into his collar .
"No!" They all replied in unison .
He frowned then added,
"Then you'd be happy to hear that I am not Doom."
They all paused, and looked down at him with a wondering gaze.
"How are you not Doom?" Jay asked .
"Well for one thing , I haven't put up a fight ." Doom replied.
They all remained silent and looked at one another confused. Charles narrowed his eyes at the man and frowned .
" I cannot even read his mind. " he said.
"Neither can I ." Jay added, glancing at Crys.
Doom rolled his eyes and said,
"That is because cyborgs don't have human brains."
"Cyborg?" Steve said aloud .
"You're one of Doom's clones ?" Crys added .
"Yes." Doom said , " I am his prototype. The very first."
"And why are you here?" Bucky asked.
"Because I have.....what do you call it? ...... A conscience ."
Bucky looked at Jay first, confused , and worried . She saw something then that she didn't realize before. The confusion in his eyes mirrored a flash of pain in his soul. Her heart aches as she became suddenly tempted to look into his mind to see the root of this pain. But there was something else, even if she wanted to , there was something there that would stop her. Whether it was something in her or in him, she didn't know. And that frightened her.