Animalia // Barnes

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Dawn of Heroes pt. II

~BARNES~

Sharon shoves her key into the locked door to her apartment, the silvery key matching the hinges. Opening the door, she steps back into the hallway, behind the door. "JARVIS, scan the apartment for heat signatures again." Tong asks in a slightly weary tone.

"Already done sir. No other heat signatures are present."

Sharon walks in, her blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. I follow, with Steve trailing behind me and Tony bringing up the rear. Sharon raises her gun and walks through one of the corridors, a cautious expression still on her face. Her apartment is messy, the telltale signs of intruders evident. The kitchen cupboards are open, while much of the furniture has been moved.

Within seconds, she returns with a small laptop, her gun in her belt and her left hand furiously typing away. A small curse leaves her lips, followed by the sound of the laptop hitting her kitchen counter.

"Stark, you may want to take a look at this."

Tony walks over, his suit peeling away from his hands. I refuse to relax my stance, remembering Mel's powers clearly enough to know she can lower her heat signature. "Lee must have hacked the computer." Tony says, tapping and typing away. "I don't think Mel has the training to do this, nor the extensive knowledge that would be needed."

"What did they get access to?" Steve asks, walking over to look at the computer. "I'm getting to that. Lee hacked into SHIELD's encrypted files, which isn't an easy task unless you're part of the network or a genius, so we're in trouble. I can trace what files were opened, but that's about it."

Steve nods, turning away from the computer and shaking his head. "I seriously don't understand those things."

After a few moments of standing around and waiting, Tony clicks his fingers. "Boom. I'm in." He taps a few buttons, standing back. "Okay, well, they didn't look at much. There's a file here about Sharon's next assignment, another about all known HYDRA facilities and-" he paused, taking a deep breath. "the private file Natasha sent Sharon with Nick Fury's location."

The room falls dead silent, everyone looking around he from solemnly.

"Mel's going to finish the job, isn't she?" Sharon asks.

Tony nods. "That was her mission. Lee hates him, so I'm sure she wouldn't be complaining."

I shake my head, propping my sniper up against the couch. "No, Mel wouldn't do that. That'd be the last thing she'd do. She left HYDRA for a reason, and I would bet they slipped up and she realised what she was doing. When this happened to me, the last thing I wanted to do was attack SHIELD and draw attention to myself. Look at it logically. "

Steve nods. "It makes sense. My guess is that she'll go after Vandenberg. She has access to her whereabouts and would have a lot of rage towards that woman."

"And why would Lee go with her?" Sharon asks, her brows furrowed.

"Lee has nowhere else to go. She'll follow Mel judging by what we know about her already. We need to see where the HYDRA base is and get there as quickly as possible." Tony says, his suit fully reassembling itself. I pick my sniper back up, getting ready to leave.

"Good idea." Steve says. "Sharon, where are we headed?"

"Baden-Württemberg, Germany."

***

~MEL~

My feet hit the soft German soil, the crisp night air pinching my skin. Lee slips out of my grip, just before I collapse onto my knees. My body weighs a ton, every fibre of my being turning to lead as I relax my muscles. "Shit. Are you okay?" Lee asks, crouching down to my level. I nod, leaning back onto the grass. My breathing comes out in pants and fatigue pulls at my mind, lulling me into darkness.

Lee pulls at my shoulders, helping me shuffle towards a tree. My wings disappear as I rest against the trunk, it's rough surface poking me through my shirt. "I'm going to go get some firewood, okay? Just try to stay awake." Lee says, walking into the foggier part of the forest. I struggle to keep my eyes open, my battered body begging for rest.

My eyes drift closed, encasing me in darkness.

I slide my slim form between the icy vents, my muscles flexing with the strain and I contemplate turning myself into an ant. A small clang echoes throughout the tunnel, followed by a groan. "Shit." Scott moans. I snicker, trying to suppress a laugh. "Oh shut up Animalia."

"Quit complaining Bug-Boy."

***

I sit on the damp concrete of a New York alleyway, a drain dripping water into my head. A collection of quarters and pennies sit in my hand, the little metal prices my only ticket to a meal. My body feels weak and cold, like I haven't had a meal in years. I reach the last penny and curse, putting them all in a pile and counting again. The darkness of a nearby trashcan perfectly obscures my body, keeping me from plain view. Something small hits my neck, startling me.

I jump to my feet, scattering the coins as I wildly swipe at my neck. "Jesus Christ." I breathe, closing my eyes. "Stupid bugs." Sliding down the wall, my stomach growls loudly, the hunger pains becoming more intense. I glance at the coins once more, hoping that somehow more will magically appear. "Hello." I hear. I jump again, squealing. "What the hell was that?" I squeak, thinking it's probably some voice in my head. A moment passes before I hear the voice again. "Uh, Ant-Man?"

Something snaps within me, and I feel my eyes go blank for a couple of seconds.

***

I soar through the air as a small ant, my tiny wings buzzing as I fly. "Left." Scott says, pointing to a building. I twitch my antennae happily, a strange sense of glee flowing through me. A woman with dark hair stands outside, an impatient look on her face.

I sit bolt upright, the flashing images of the man lingering in my brain. My eyes widen and I push myself further into the tree trunk, away from the fire in front of me. My eyes dart around the illuminated forest surrounding me, stopping when I notice Lee's sleeping form. I try to slow my rapid breathing, closing my eyes. Sweat drips down my forehead, while my body remains cold as ice in the German winter night.

I knew Scott Lang, the Ant Man.

I was his friend.

And killed him.

I bite my lip, the realisation of being responsible for his murder crashing down on me, stripping my lungs of oxygen. The guilt for not feeling remorse is worse, making me wish that I hadn't remembered. The memories are mine, but they don't feel like mine, all the while I feel guilty over my desensitised approach to his murder. He had a girlfriend, a daughter and friends who all loved him, and I choked the life out of him until he was as pale as the concrete beneath his corpse.

I take a deep, shaky breath, running my hands through my hair. I open my eyes, watching the fire in front of me, obviously lit by Lee to keep us warm. What did I do to deserve this? Being brainwashed to kill my friends, fight for the enemy, betray those who thought they could trust me? I don't want this life. This isn't living. This is surviving. And if this is my life, I don't want it. I refuse to live this way.

Anger bubbles within me, directed towards the woman that started it all. The smart blonde on a power trip to gain control over the world, and I was just a piece in her game. I was the Queen, the most powerful piece on the board. She lost me, and now there'll be hell to pay. I start to stand, padding over to Lee.

I shake her shoulder gently, hoping for her to wake up. Surely enough, she opens her eyes, travelling their piercing green colour. "Are you okay?" Lee asks. I shake my head.

"We need to leave. Now."