His Little Ballerina- B. Barnes

Chapter 20: Veronica (2014)

Oh Memories! Where'd you go?!?

~Memories, Panic! at the Disco

Soldat.

It slipped out...

That metal arm... I know I've seen something similar to that before.

"Why did you say that?" questioned James, becoming more pale the longer I stared at him. I was completely clueless as to why he was so jumpy. All I said was-

Before I knew it, he was pointing a gun at me. "You're one of them... aren't you!" James began to raise his voice. He kept aiming the gun at me, turning off the safety with the hand that wasn't metallic.

The only thing I could do was raise my hands, showing I wouldn't be drawing a weapon of my own. "James, calm down... I have no idea what you're talking about..."

"Oh really? Because that sounds like something they would say."

"James put the gun down!" Now it was my turn to raise my voice. I've about had it today. Scott, Jessica, the mysterious attacker... and now this!??! Nope. I'm done. That's it. Last straw.

He still didn't do as I had demanded. His hand never shook, nor did he take his eyes off me. Pure fear stained his expression, turning him into something hostile. If he didn't back down soon... I had to find some other way out of this.

The two of us stood there for what seemed like an eternity. It was just him and I, two complete strangers to each other in a standoff, one with a weapon and one without. One who would make it out alive, and one who would not.

Considering the current odds, we all know who was going to be lying on the floor with a bullet through her skull.

I could hear the subtle click of a gun being turned off safety... only problem was that James' gun was already-

Oh shit.

And here comes the third player... the girl I would love to beat up right about now just for beign a nosy bitch...

Jessica Drew walked into view, her gun aimed right at the ceiling. "Alright you two, that's enough."

James lowered his gun, but kept his eyes on me, examining everything I did from lowering my hands to taking my scarf off. Seizing the opportunity, I ran towards him, kicking him in the side and snatching his weapon right out of his hands and firing a warning shot right by Jessica's head.

"Get out. Now."

She smirked, her black hair moving with her head in a swift motion. "Not happening, sweetie," she retorted, dropping her gun, "if anything, you need me."

An unamused laugh seemed to be the noise I made before speaking again. "Now why would that be, Miss Drew?"

"You've got Typhoid Mary on your tail, and if you value your life, you'll follow me." She slid off her jacket and dared to take a seat on an old box full of rusted bolts.

Poor James, all he could do was stare at our interactions and try and figure out what was going on. Maybe I should have explained when she walked right in...

Yeah, my bad.

Jessica crossed her legs and cocked her head in the way that used to aggravate me when I was part of her "investigation" a year or so ago... the year S.H.I.E.L.D. got all my information from Austria and got access to my files when I was... not doing the best of things...

I wanted so badly to let myself pull the trigger and get revenge for all she's done to me... but this feeling inside my gut told me otherwise. If she was telling the truth... and someone was outside waiting for us... it'd be stupid to ignore that.

It took much effort, but I finally let the gun drop. It hit the floor with a loud clatter, making me reach for one of my ears. Sometimes this happened... I kind of got used to it.

James just looked more confused than ever. "Who's Typhoid Mary?"

Jessica's signature smirk faded as she took one glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was nearby. When she was sure of it, she began her brief explanation. "A psychotic killer who's hell bent on trading your heads for the bounty placed on you."

Well then... ain't that nice. Nothing screams "HAPPY FRIDAY" like a psychopath and a bounty all in the same day. "You're joking, aren't you?"

Jessica Drew shook her head no, trying very hard to be soft with all of this, and failing because that's not the kind of person she is. "I'm sorry... but if you want to get out of this alive, you're going to need to go to the one place she can't."

There was yet another loud noise as James stood up and knocked over a crate of nails in the process, which proceeded to give me a large headache. Pain rattled my skull, causing me to stumble into a wall.

The wound on my leg didn't help either, making me want to scream in frustration at all the pain. James decided to rush over and make sure I was okay while Jessica "I Could Care Less" Drew felt no obligation to even look over at me.

I kept telling James that I was okay, and he was calling me out on my bullshit, insisting I sit down. "Come on, don't hurt yourself and just sit down."

"Get a room you two," barked the she-devil, getting up and crossing her arms.

As I sat down on the floor and outstretched my leg, I made the conscious decision to ask an important question that I had completely forgotten about until this very moment. "So... why did you freak out when I said Soldat..."

The tension between him and I had lessened, but not to the point where he wouldn't hesitate before speaking. "I'm not big on details... but I uh... some people who did me wrong used to call me that... "

"Oh."

An eye roll from the third member of our party made me reach for the gun on the floor. Jessica stepped on it. "Uh uh sweetie. So long as we're working together, no killing each other... you too Mother Russia." Her insult seemed to hit James hard.

He clenched his fist. "What?" was my reaction.

"Forget about it."

It took me a few moments to figure it out... but when I finally studied him long enough... I got it. Mother Russia... the metal arm... it all made sense.

I had an impromptu coffee date with The Winter Soldier.