𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗

Chapter 34: HYDRA Suspicions

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I was pissed.
Everyone is in the new conference room at the Avengers Tower. We all got settled in and made ourselves at home. Tony thought it would be funny to put a football-themed man cave on the fifth floor, even though no one really has the time to sit down and watch a full game on TV. In fact, I don't think anyone was really that big of a football fan. But you know, it's Tony. He's going to do whatever he feels like doing.
After getting situated in our rooms Steve ordered an emergency meeting through the earpiece coms. Fury was on the phone for the first time in months. He's been in Egypt for a little over half a year now. I hadn't even known he left; when I was imprisoned I figured he just never came out of his room. When Steve made the announcement, I began heading for the door of James' and I's room. But before I could even reach the handle, James gripped my arm to keep me from going any further.
"James? What's wrong?" His face was slightly crazed, eyes wide and full of anxiety. He looked scared almost. His hold on me wasn't painful, just a frantic squeeze. Then he moves to embrace me lovingly. He knows I love hugs, especially from him, because his large stature makes me feel safe and protected.
"Baby, don't worry about the meeting. I'll take care of it." I talk into his ear.
"But aren't we all supposed to go?"
"I'll fill you in later," he assured me as he kissed the top of my head. "I promise." I opened my mouth to retaliate but he was out the door before I could respond. What the hell? With a frustrated sigh, I close the now open door to the hallway and continue unpacking my stuff. When I leaned down to fold some clothes on my bed, my single braid fell over my shoulder. It was a little shorter than the time before it was cut, but I liked it this way. It wasn't as big of a hassle to deal with and it still served the purpose I wanted it to.

As I finish up folding my clothes and begin placing them in drawers my mind is stuck on James. Why was he so urgent to keep me here? Was he hiding something? I shake my head and clear my thoughts. No; I trust him. He does what he does for a reason. If this is better for me then I take his word for it. He's my boyfriend, he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Besides, he promised. We never break out promises to each other.

<<<<<<>>>>>>

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

Everyone was crowded in the conference room around the long rectangular table. In the center of it was a cell phone on speakerphone; Fury was on the other side of the line.

"Agent Hill and I are close on their tails," Fury said. He was referring to their progress on HYDRA's whereabouts. "We should have all the information we need about them in no longer than three months." The mission was taking longer than expected, so the time frame ended up moving from six months to nine.

"Copy that, Director," Steve replied humbly. There was a slight pause. Clint and I caught each other's gaze with confusion. Everyone else was doing it too. Did the phone line cut off?

"What's our status with Castens?" Fury suddenly asked. Now all eyes were on me. I could feel it. Steve raised an eyebrow at me, a secret message hiding in his facial expression. It's almost as if he was asking out loud, 'should I tell him?'. Giving him a quick glance, I lean down towards the phone and answer.

"Angela has transferred and is now an Avenger."

"Is she now?" Fury asked sarcastically. His voice was scratchy and dry. "And when did that happen?"

"About two months after you departed with Agent Hill, sir." Another small pause.

"I see. Well, congratulations on doing a fine job with your mission, Sargent Barnes." I release a breath I didn't know I was holding but reply strongly.

"Thank you, Director." There were more conversations held and before we knew it an hour had passed by like nothing. More words were exchanged about the mission in Egypt and ideas were passed around from person to person about what HYDRA's next move might be if there even was a next move. My thoughts were elsewhere, though. Everyone's voices gradually started to fade away as my mind captured itself into an alternate universe. A universe that was mainly revolved around Angela. I felt terrible about what I'd done earlier. She looked terrified when I'd grabbed her so suddenly and I'd never seen her look at me that way before. I didn't like it, not one bit. But I didn't want her coming to this meeting specifically because it was about HYDRA. If she knew that HYDRA was still up and running and that we had eyes on them, she might do something worth regretting in the future. The vengeance she wants for her lost family members is strong; she'd do anything to avenge them in any way. The fact that she cares so deeply for them moves me, makes me love her more. But I'm afraid for her, for us, and about the outcome of this situation if she was aware of what was going on right now. I was protecting her from the bad just like any boyfriend was supposed to do, just like any friend was supposed to do, and I cared for her too much to let anything depict what could happen. I'd tell her sooner or later, I promised her I would. I just wasn't' going to tell her right now.