Captain's Hart

Chapter 21 Truth

"It was him." Steve said numbly as they rode in the armored car. "He looked right at me and he didn't even know me."

His hands were cuffed in heavy metal restraints specially designed for him that kept his arms constricted before his chest.

Sam asked from where he sat opposite Steve: "How's that even possible? It was like seventy years ago."

Nat was looking worriedly at Arianna sitting beside Steve, deathly pale and holding her side tightly, but her gaze flickered to Steve as he replied slowly: "Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43, Zola experimented on 'em. Whatever he did, it helped Bucky survive the fall."

He slowly lifted his eyes again, staring blankly into space as he said in a tone of self-loathing: "They must have found him."

"None of that's your fault, Steve." Nat said flatly, but Steve wasn't even listening as he muttered: "Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky."

Arianna hadn't said anything, and Sam glanced at her, trying to hint at her to help comfort the Cap. It was then that he noticed how white her face was, even her lips had lost their color. He glanced down to see where she was holding tightly, and he saw the blood seeping through her fingers.

"We need to get a doctor here." Sam said sharply as he looked at their captors. He ordered as Nat looked at Arianna once again, worriedly: "We don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here in the truck."

Steve looked over at Sam in surprise and confusion, tensing as one of the agents drew their taser. Sam also flinched a little, glaring at the agent. They all blinked as the agent suddenly whacked the taser into his comrade, knocking him out.

Arianna lifted her head to look at the now unconscious agent on the ground, and then looked over as the attacking agent removed her helmet to reveal none other than Maria Hill.

"That thing was squeezing my brain." She complained and then looked at Arianna.

"Right, we need to get you out." She muttered and then glanced back at Sam. She asked Steve as they all stared at her dumbfounded: "Who's this guy?"

"Not important right now, Arianna needs help, immediately." Nat interrupted tightly as Steve noticed, for the first time, how ashen the agent was.

His stomach twisted guiltily as he realized he'd been so caught up with Bucky, he hadn't even noticed her wound. She saw his face though, and shook her head firmly at him as Maria began to burn a hole in the floor of the vehicle.

"You were worried about your friend." She said quietly, and the others glanced at her and then Steve.

He ignored them as he replied just as quietly: "Doesn't excuse the fact that I didn't even notice one of my teammates was injured."

She shrugged slightly and Maria interrupted: "We need to go." She indicated the hole and nodded at Arianna. "Steve, you take her and the rest of you follow me."

She dropped through, rolling on the ground and avoiding the car tires as drove on. Sam followed, taking Nat as he noticed her bleeding shoulder, while Steve gripped Arianna.

"Sorry." He muttered in her ear before he dropped them through the hole. He was careful to avoid jostling her too much as they rolled to a stop, but even then she was gritting her teeth against the pain. He carried her quickly as they slipped off the road and she didn't fight it, knowing she would slow them down if she insisted on walking. Steve carried her bridal style as they ducked through the undergrowth, following Maria until they reached another van.

Maria opened the door and ushered them all in, checking their surroundings to make sure they weren't noticed or being followed before she slid in after them and they drove off.