Sane // A Winter Soldier Story

chapter nine // terror

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"I think there's a flaw in my code- these voices won't leave me alone." -Gasoline by Halsey

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《Athena》

Athena had never been so completely shocked in her life.

As she pulled up to the facility, her heart was already racing with anticipation, and the pace only hastened when she caught sight of bright blue lights indicating the presence of police cars. Immediately, she panicked- had James escaped? Had he hurt somebody?

But as she turned the corner, her eyes widened as she caught sight of the last thing she'd been expecting to see- a massive group of protestors.

A huge group of people was milling about the front entrance to the facility, arguing and chanting and organizing themselves. Police were barring them from the front door. Some of the protestors held signs reading things like "Protect Our Children: Euthanize the Criminal" or "Winter Is Coming For Me and I'm Terrified," while others said things like "Victim Not Villain" or "I Stand With My Captain." Athena's heart rate skyrocketed even higher, if that was possible.

She clearly hadn't been the only one who saw the news report yesterday, and the last thing she needed was for the public to get involved with Bucky's recovery. He was already irritable, unstable, and upset- if he found out there was a group of random people who knew nothing about him chanting outside about how they wanted him dead, he would want to go kill them. Or worse, he'd agree with them. Athena subconsciously wondered if Mr. Caraway's text had been referring to this crowd, or if there was something wrong with Bucky inside.

Athena was forced to park farther from the doors than she usually does. Once she got her car into a spot, she flew out with her work bag and phone on her hand, making a beeline for the door. On the way inside she realized that she was still wearing workout clothes, but the workout clothes turned out to be a good thing- she was able to slip right past the protestors, completely undetected.

Once inside she hurried to Ward 3. Even from a distance, she could see a large group of people gathered around the door to Bucky's cell. Perhaps Mr. Caraway had been referencing Bucky when he texted her.

She shoved her way through the crowd around the cell. Not even bothering to look up at what was occurring inside of the cell, she threw herself into the airlock and slammed her finger down on the pad. Her heart was going a million miles an hour and her body was full of adrenaline. Whatever was going on with Bucky, she knew that she was the only person that could help him. No one else cared much for his well being, and the weight of his fate had come to rest on her shoulders- he needed her right now. Meaning she had to get there. Faster.

Finally, the last door to the airlock opened, and she was met with an astonishing sight.

She'd been expecting a gruesome, possibly bloody scene, in which Bucky had been pushed too far and had done something he wanted to take back. However, she was met with a completely different scenario.

James was, surprisingly enough, asleep on the bed in the middle of the room; but something was wrong. He was screaming and convulsing. His screams pierced the air, sounding so loud and so shrill and so pained that Athena couldn't help but wince. He was thrashing around in the bed, punching and kicking the air around him as if trying to fight something only he could see. Between screams, all she could hear were quiet whimpers, and he'd go still for a moment before the screaming and thrashing started over. It was a terrifying sight to see.

Guards were forming a large ring around the bed. Beside her and the entrance to the airlock, a man in a white lab coat and a man dressed in psychologist attire were both sitting on the floor, gasping and clutching their throats. Another man knelt beside them- that man was Mr. Caraway.