static | BUCKY BARNES

2

The first thing she registers is the smell. The sharp, putrid aroma of rust, blood, and human waste overwhelms her senses. As soon as she takes in a sharp breath through her nose, she sputters into a coughing fit. The air gets caught in her throat and she gags.

She pulls weakly at the restraints bolted against the metal chair she seems to be strapped to that are wearing against her wrists, ankles, and sore neck. It's like her mind is trapped under a thick fog; there are no intelligent thoughts running through her head and she doesn't have full control over her limbs. Her head lulls to the side.

She struggles against the metal, her panic rising. She's so caught up in the panic and the overwhelming foul smell overstimulating her senses that she isn't even aware of what's going on in the large, dimly lit room.

Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Captain America are all present and fighting, clad in their suits. Iron Man's hand fires a shot at a scientist that's lunging for a syringe on a metal table. Hawkeye covers his back and shoots armed HYDRA agents flooding into the room alongside Captain America.

The patriotic super soldier thrusts his fists into faces and stomachs as he launches his spangled shield at the enemy.

The heroes haven't even noticed the girl. They entered the room for an infamous HYDRA scientist, and once they were forced to eliminate him, they were swarmed.

Clint perks at the sound of soft whimpers and turns. His brow furrows at the sight of the girl strapped to the chair in the corner.

"Who's the girl?!" Hawkeye shouts over the sound of Iron Man's repulsers and the screams and grunts of the falling agents. The archer is kicked in the stomach and groans, but gains the upper hand with a punch. He launches an arrow into his component's heart.

Captain America spares his teammate a confused glance. "What girl—Oh." His eyes zero-in on the only female in the room. Steve scolds himself for not noticing her presence sooner, considering she's strapped to a metal chair with a contraption hanging over her head. He does a double-take when his eyes glide over her metallic limbs.

Finally, the crowd of agents storming into the large room thin. Steve takes this opportunity to mount his shield on his back and approach the girl. Clint covers him as Steve turns his back to the fight.

The girl's in a black tank top and black shorts. A blanket of sweat glistens off her face as she struggles to get free from the metal clamps holding her neck, wrists, and ankles in place. Steve stands unmoving in front of her, unsure of what to do. There's a cyborg writhing in front of him—what is he supposed to do?

He snaps out of it and springs into action at the sight of blood dripping down her neck when the metal rubs too much against her skin. His fingers find the metal and he yanks with all his strength. His eyes squeeze shut and his teeth grind as he pulls.

The girl's fearful hazel eyes dart to the man casting a shadow on her face. His face isn't far from hers as he struggles with the clamp around her neck. She's pulled from the oblivious panic she was trapped in and scans the room behind the man with the top half of his face covered with a mask. She witnesses the Avengers fighting off the last of the adroit HYDRA agents with wide eyes.

Steve lets out a grunt as he rips the metal clamp from his hinges attached to the chair behind the girl's head. The metal clangs against the ground. Her raw neck stings at the cool air.

She attempts to move her head so she can watch Steve free her wrists and ankles next, but  pain shoots up her spine and neck into her head. Her head lolls to her shoulder as she winces. She attempts to clench her fists, but her body feels like putty.