Red Winter: Aftermath

Chapter Fourteen: The Vault

It was around three in the morning when Bucky woke suddenly, his cell phone ringing loud. Not long after his started singing Wanda's joined in unison. They both untangled themselves from one another and quickly reached for the phones.

"So much for a vacation..." Bucky threw his phone down on the bed and pushed himself up. Wanda stayed there for a moment, she shook herself to wake up and realized that Bucky was pulled on a long sleeve compression shirt, then kicked off his lounge pants to search his closet for his black pants. Wanda almost chuckled as she learned he was a boxer guy, but nevertheless she stood up and left the room to get ready herself. All of them were pretty well trained at getting ready in a hurry. By the time Wanda made it to the locker room Bucky was already strapping armor to his body.

"Any idea of what we could be facing?" Bucky stuffed his pockets with bullets and grabbed a couple guns to clip to his legs. Wanda had on her usual red corset and long jacket, it was only now that Bucky took a glance at how her bottom was hugged by her tight pants. He had to tell himself to focus and not get distracted.

"No idea." She clipped her boots on and turned to face him. It was funny the difference between their gear. Wanda only needed her hands, Bucky needed guns and armor. Sure he was excellent at hand to hand combat, but for a distance he was no threat. After he was ready they ran toward one of the garages where much to their surprise Pepper was already there.

"Damn she's quick." Bucky picked up his pace as he followed Wanda toward the jet. Inside he took a copilot seat beside Pepper and peered back as Wanda strapped herself in. "Any idea..."

"The Vault's been broken into." Pepper spit out, the engine roared. "I was so looking forward to a vacation."

"You and me both." Wanda called out from behind them, Bucky was looking straight ahead, smirking at her words. Then it hit her, "Wait...the high security prison?"

"It's an immense maximum security facility designed to hold superhuman criminals and a specialized wing for extraterrestrial prisoners." Pepper sounded almost robotic.

"Who would be trying to break into that?" Bucky clicked a couple buttons as they rose in the air.

"Guess we'll find out." Pepper sighed, increasing their speed as they headed toward Colorado.

By the time they landed near The Rocky Mountains Sam and Rhodes were there to brief them on the situation so far. Sam looked wide awake while Rhodes looked exhausted. "Security was found dead near the West Wing, we showed up and some woman seemed hurt."

"Woman," Sam spit after Rhodes had finished talking, "She's a mutant. And she tricked us."

"Where is she now?" Pepper's helmet closed around her as she snapped her wrist.

"That's the thing, he held us off for a good time, then disappeared into the woods." Rhodes shook his head.

"Well my readings show East Wing with an alarm going off. Bucky you're with me, Sam and Rhodes keep to the West Wing. Wanda mind the grounds. If she comes out of hiding..." Pepper began to hover off the ground.

"I'll get her." Wanda finished the sentence and nodded.

"Let's get this done so we can go back to sleep." Sam adjusted his shoulders and followed Rhodes toward the East Wing.

Once everyone was in the building Wanda headed toward the sky, she kept her sensed heightened and glared at the tree line for any sight of movement.

Inside Bucky and Pepper kept their eyes pealed, Pepper scanned each hall they turned down and Bucky took the lead. It was quiet, and of course too quiet. They wondered if the missing female was the only thread they were facing. That us until Pepper held up her hand to Bucky and pointed toward a large metal door. On her screen she saw movement behind it, lots of movement. Just as Bucky turned to look at Pepper the door few off and took Bucky down the hall with it. Pepper quickly radioed to Rhodes and Sam before catching sight of a man. The man was large and broad, he wore a helmet and glared back as his cape flowed behind him. Pepper's eyes widened as she peered behind the man where at least a dozen prisoners were standing tall.