The Other Stark

Chapter 1

Tory Stark, Tony Stark's sister, was in her lab, at a penthouse in Moscow, improving her nanobots, turning them into different types of weapons, meanwhile listening to AC\DC. The afternoon was cloudy, and she was about to stop her work to go to her daily run, just to be interrupted by F.R.I.D.A.Y.

"Ms. Stark, your brother is calling again," a female voice said. Tory looked up, coming off her trance.

"He wanted to know if you're really going back on Tuesday."

"Again? He already knows my answer, I told him I'll go back," she answered, getting up from her chair and heading out of the lab, walking up to her bedroom.

"Just put him on hold next time."

She put her sneakers on, putting a sweatshirt on the top of her shirt, getting ready to go out.

"You can tell Daren to put my suitcases on the car before Tony calls again and asks someone to kidnap me," Tory said before entering the elevator with her headphones on.

...

Tory ran 5 miles before stopping in front of a chinese place, sensing the smell. She headed in, ordering what she wanted and waiting, looking through the glass wall the small restaurant had. Seen people come and go in the street, she noticed a man looking both sides, buying something, nervously waiting to get his change.

With her trained eyes, the woman noticed the guy tapping his foot on the floor in a tic. She looked around, searching for anyone acting out of the ordinary for that man to be that nervous. He looked like someone was about to attack him.

"Your order Miss Stark," someone said behind her. Tory didn't even look at the man, she just put the money on the counter and headed out, still eyeing the guy, who now was walking away, trying to blend over the people that walked through him.

Victoria started following the man, curious to know what was about him that caught her attention.

She walked behind him, always staying some feet away, so he wouldn't notice her till they were in a less crowded place. Never taking her eyes from the dark red hoodie and the black baseball cap, she kept walking, noticing the way he walked. It was smooth, no one seemed to notice him, always keeping his head down.

When he turned right in a corner, she sped her pace, entering the same street, noticing it was a one-way alley. Suddenly there's a knife on her throat and one hand on the back of her neck, holding her steady. Tory doesn't move.

"What do you want?" a harsh voice asked her in a threatening tone.

"Who sent you?"

She tried to look up, hoping to get a glimpse of his face, but he was hiding in the shadows.

"No one sent me, just got curious. You've got a nervous tic." Tory answered, carefree.

"You're running from someone and trying not to be found, so in public you get nervous."

She kept talking, making the man a little confuse and uncomfortable. Not many people paid attention to him, no one never noticed him.

"Who sent you?" he asked again, tightening his grip on her neck, not believing her previous words.

"Okay, that's enough," Tory said, rolling her eyes. Before the man could react, she stomped on his feet, kicking his knee, making him lose balance, in one move she pinned him on the floor. When the dark long hair fell from his face and Tory sensed the metal in her hands, her eyes went wide, realizing who he was.

"You're...Bucky" she stuttered really low, looking at him confused, not sure if he heard her. Everyone thought he was back with HYDRA after everything that happened. It had been two years since the Winter Soldier last appeared. She let go of his arm, making him get up quickly and point the knife at her.

"I won't hurt you."

He looked at her, still not sure if he should believe what she said. It had been a while since someone who called him by his nickname had found him.

"Everyone thought you were back at HYDRA" Tory said, now more relaxed. Steve had told her about him, about both of them back in the 40s and she had read the files on him. He looked at her, not saying anything. Bucky had a lost look on his face, she couldn't be scared of that, even though he had all that past as the Winter Soldier.

"Hum... Wanna join me for dinner?" she asked pointing at the bag with the little boxes of chinese food, now on the floor. She walked over, taking them. He looked at it, not knowing what to answer. He didn't like to be near people, not after everything that happened, but something about that woman made him think twice about going and she certainly knew how to defend herself.

"I bet you'd like some company after two years."

After some minutes, Tory looking at him going through his dilemma, Buck nodded, making her smile softly.

"Let's go then."

...

They got in front of the building Stark was in. Buck looked up at the fancy construction, asking himself who that stranger must be. They entered the lobby, walking quickly to the elevator. The concierge looked up.

"Good night Miss," he said when she walked by him. He looked at the man behind her, still looking at his feet, trying to hide his metal hand.

She called the elevator, waving goodbye to the man that had just greeted her, now looking at Buck with judgemental eyes.