"Great. Come on, guys, get me eyes on Barnes. Go," Everett Ross commanded through his comm.
"FRIDAY, get me the source of that outage," Tony said, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Panic surged in my chest as I spotted Steve and Sam bolting for the door. Natasha, Tony, and I exchanged quick glances before sprinting downstairs, adrenaline fueling our movements.
"Please tell me you brought a suit," Natasha called out.
"Sure did. It's a lovely Tom Ford, three-piece, two-button. I'm an active-duty non-combatant," Tony quipped, his trademark sarcasm shining through.
"Follow me," Sharon shouted, leading the way as she dashed past us.
Bucky was already on the ground floor, taking out guards with swift, calculated movements. Tony took cover behind a pillar, his tech glasses flickering as he strategized. I watched from my position, every instinct screaming to jump in.
Natasha's voice crackled over the radio. "We're in position."
With a swift motion, Tony activated his Iron Man glove and zapped Bucky with a stun-burst just as he was about to shoot a guard. The fight escalated in a flurry of fists and chaos. Bucky ducked Tony's blast and retaliated, trading blows with a speed that was both impressive and terrifying. Sharon charged at Bucky, but he flipped her effortlessly over his shoulder. Natasha followed with a fierce kick, but Bucky was relentless, countering her moves with brute strength.
Then it was my turn to jump in. I focused my energy, summoning fire around my fists as I charged at Bucky. He caught me off guard, grabbing my throat with his metal arm and lifting me off the ground. I struggled against his grip before managing to throw him into a nearby wall.
Just then, Natasha leaped onto Bucky's back, wrapping her legs around his neck, but he slammed her onto a table with a fierce thud. My heart raced as T'Challa entered the fray, delivering lightning-fast kicks. But Bucky was quick, landing a punch that sent T'Challa tumbling, yet he quickly recovered and pursued Bucky up the stairs.
As the chaos continued, I struggled to regain my senses, pushing through the pain and fatigue. I took a deep breath, allowing the air around me to lift me up to the helipad at the top floor. I needed to anticipate Bucky's escape; a helicopter would be his best bet.
Arriving at the helipad, my heart sank as I was right. I spotted Bucky inside a crashed helicopter, grabbing Steve by the neck with his metal arm, while they fell down into the river. My instincts kicked in, and before I could think, I leaped off the edge and made my way down to the riverbank, using air to stabilize me.
Standing at the edge, I could feel the current rushing beneath me, pulsing with life. I focused, bending the water with my powers to pull both of them to the surface.I pulled them to the riverbank, my heart pounding as I laid them down gently on the soft ground.
Bucky was still unconscious, but Steve was slowly regaining his senses, sputtering as he coughed up water. I knelt beside them, relief washing over me that they were both alive, but I could feel the tension in the air between Steve and me, remnants of our earlier argument hanging heavy.
"Alice," Steve gasped, still catching his breath. His eyes locked onto mine, searching for something—understanding, perhaps. "I—"
"Don't," I interrupted sharply, holding up a hand. I didn't want to hear his words right now. "Just... leave. Before I change my mind."
He shook his head, his brow furrowing. "I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean for things to get out of hand—"
"You're sorry?" I cut him off again, frustration spilling over. "You think that changes anything? Look where we are, look what you're about to do." His expression softened, and I could see the weight of his concern for both Bucky and me.
"Get out of here while you still can," I said, my voice low but firm, the urgency rising in my chest. "If you don't, I won't be able to stop myself from doing what needs to be done."
He took a step closer, still unwilling to back down. But I took a step back, which he seemed to notice as he stopped in his tracks. "Alice, I can't just walk away," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You know that. We need to figure this out together."
"Together?" I echoed, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. "Is that what you call dragging me deeper into this chaos? You have no idea what you're asking of me."
He opened his mouth to respond, but I held up a hand again, feeling a wave of desperation wash over me. "If you stay, I swear I will turn Barnes in. I'll do it, Steve. I can't let you put us all at risk."
The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. He hesitated, clearly torn, but the stubborn resolve in his eyes didn't waver. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Steve nodded, his gaze shifting to Bucky's unconscious form. As he turned away, I felt a pang of regret, but I buried it deep down, focusing on what I was now going to say to the rest of the team and to Ross. I just let two wanted men escape, and this wasn't going to be easy.
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Choices || CAPTAIN AMERICA (Book 4)
FanfictionBOOK 4 Steve gave her that familiar look, the one that said he understood but had already made his choice. His gaze flickered back to me, searching my face for any sign of hesitation, of the Alice he'd known before all of this. I stayed silent, the...
