The Red Star

Chapter 21

Jay stood up, brushing grass from her dress saying,

"Stay here." She paused and added in a 'Terminator' voice, "I'll be back."

Bucky laughed and watched the late night volleyball game.  In the mean time Jay was having serious issues getting to the kitchen door. She tripped and stumbled forward but was caught by a pair of strong arms. She looked up as she was stood up to see a tall, muscular young man. He smiled brightly at her, his white teeth flashing. His ice blue eyes looked her over and his dirty blonde hair was gelled back.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said, sounding confused.

"You look like you need help." He said as she slumped when she stood.

"Who are you again?" Jay asked, scratching her head.

"Alex Pierce." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And I know who you are." He chuckled, "you're Jay and you are pretty drunk."

"I guess." Jay said with a droan in her voice.

"Well, where do you need to go?" Alex asked, slipping his arm around her.

"I don't remember." Jay frowned. "Do you know?"

"Yeah." He replied "you were going out front. You forgot your keys in the car."

"Oh." Jay slurred, "then take me to my car Mr. Pierce ."

Alex laughed and led her silently through the kitchen. They mad it into the hall and as Jay slurred drunk ramblings, Alex turned his head to look behind them then forward.

"So what's your power?" Jay asked as they got to the front door.

"I can project pain into others bodies and can even paralise normal humans."

"Cool." Jay said as they walked out into the night air.

Jay saw a black car running in front of them and she had a strange fuzzy feeling in her head that made her groan.

"What's happening?"  She moaned as Alex shoved her into the side of the car.

"You are going to meet someone very important ."

"Who?"

"Doctor Doom."

Something in Jay just clicked and her eyes were wide. She stumbled forward to run, but he grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against the car. She vainly struggled with him until finally she got up enough wit to try and scream.

However, her mouth was covered not by a hand but my Alex's mouth. He was rough and he definitely succeeded in keeping her quiet and distracted as he unlocked the car door. When he pulled away she took in a breath but was punched in the face and shoved into the car before she could scream. He slammed the door as she held her face in pain and confusion. She stopped and closed her eyes. In a drunken frenzy, her mind threw itself about through everyone, catching bits and pieces of feelings and conversations. Then she found him. The misery lost in a happy bliss.

"Bucky!" She shouted .

It took no more than this whisper in his mind to realize something was wrong. He stood and shook off his happy and seemingly forgetfull feeling and then stumbled forward. Catching himself, he ran to to kitchen door, almost into Charles.

"Jay--"

"I know." Charles said and the two hurried forward, dragging along Steve, Crystal and Johnny.

Alex was having trouble getting down the road as Jay kept fighting with him. She grabbed the steering wheel and tried to turn it but Alex grabbed her by the hair and slammed her forehead into it. He grabbed her and threw her back into the seat saying,

"I forgot to mention the immense strength i have. Not only in body but mind. Your little trick don't work on me." He started off again and added, " but I can still hurt mutants with my powers. I taget theirs and turn their power into pain. Doom taught me that. You see, after S.H.I.E.L.D. killed my dad in his mission to spread Hydra's new order, I was found by a Mutant named Magneto. He helped me with my powers and it was about a year ago that we came upon Doctor Doom." He paused and looked at her, laughing, " you're more pathetic than I imagined."

He looked forward shaking his head to view only a glint of metal and then his stomach flipped as the car did also.