CopyCat | Bucky Barnes

23

"All I have, all I need, is the air I would kill to breathe."

               - Breathe Again, Sara Bareilles

I personally don't like dealing with my problems. I find that if you ignore something long enough, it'll most likely go away. Unfortunately, that doesn't apply here.

I'd neglected to cut my hair for nearly seventy-five years. I might've looked like Rapunzel right about now if it wasn't for the cryogenic state Hydra left me in.

I eyed my hair in the bathroom mirror, it was just above my waist. I gripped the scissors firmly and began slowly cutting of little bits at a time. It actually wasn't too hard after the first few snips, it was to say exceptionally easy.

I kept my slow pace until the tips of my hair were hovering nicely over my shoulders. After feeling satisfied with my work, I pull up my hood and cover my eyes with sunglasses.

I grabbed my bag from the motel room bed and slipped out the front door. St. Petersburg is a lot nicer than it use to be. I was here briefly for a mission back in the sixties, the streets were a lot dirtier too.

I climbed up a rusty fire escape and sat myself down on the edge of what looked to be about a 6 story high building.

It was so strange to see the world change in bits and fragments. The one constant was the pace, people slowly picked up the pace. Everything had to be faster, newer, more stunning. For decades people have been obsessed with improving the world, looking for ways to both make it better and further the destruction done.

I would give just about anything to be like them, to be human. I could've had a normal life. I could've fallen in love, had a family, not be hated by the world.

I pull out the mind wave amplifier Jemma gave to me and turn it over in my hand. I wonder how much farther I can stretch my radar... Maybe a couple of miles. That would at least help my look faster.

It looks almost like a bluetooth, but it has only one button and small frequency dial. I set it snuggly in my ear and press the button.

An ear-piercing buzz comes through my ear and I squeal, ripping it out. Damn, that hurt a lot. I feel something warm dripping down my neck and I put my hand to my ear and pull it away. Dark blood covers my fingers and I cringe.

There's a small amount of ringing going around in my head but I can already feel my body healing itself.

This time, I turn the dial all the way down and use my other non-bloody ear. I press the on button and half expect my other ear drum to burst.

It's loud, but this time I can actually place the squeals. To anyone else using, it would just sound like static, but I can hear what each brain wave means.

I look down below me, people flood the streets, shoulder to shoulder. I focus on one particular woman buying a rug. There are a lot more minds than I'm normally use to so singling one out can be hard.

God, no. This one looks like it was dragged through satan's ass.

I roll my eyes at the woman's thoughts and retract my mind from hers. The thoughts go back to buzzing and I furrow my brows. This buzzing is awfully loud for just a couple of miles worth of people.

Maybe I can hear everyone in Russia. I close my eyes and focus on extending my radar. I push further, for what feels like hours before randomly putting myself in someone's head.

I see through their eyes and look around. It definitely doesn't look like Russia. I focus harder and catch a glimpse of a rather familiar building. That's the Sydney Opera House in Australia....

This amplifier must be connected to satellite or something, I can hear everyone....

Could I find someone just by thinking about them? I push more and fill my head with thoughts of Steve. I try to picture his face in my head the best I can, his crystal blue eyes, and spiked blonde hair.

My mind finally locks on something and I start seeing through someone else's eyes. My face bursts into a smile, Wanda...

Okay, let's try this again.

She nods and uses her powers to thrust him into the air. It doesn't exactly pan out how I think it was supposed to and she merely lifts him a few feet in the air before he trips and falls flat on his face.

I start laughing and my focus brakes, retracting me from Steve's head. Jemma is an absolute genius.

This is amazing... I focus on another face, one with long dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. After a moment I latch onto another mind and I feel tears starting to build up in my eyes.

Plums... I guess it can't hurt to try them. Maybe they'll help me remember.

Bucky....