Everly || Steve Rogers

61. Vanishing Act

Everly's heart raced as the trio hurried through the halls of the impossibly large compound. She turned a corner and nearly bumped into Steve as he skidded to a halt. Her gaze fell to the concrete floor where a guard laid motionless before them. A lump formed in her throat as they stepped into the next room, the ground littered with bodies. It had to have been the Winter Soldier, as the cell before them was now empty. Steve moved to kneel beside one of the guards when a soft cough filled the otherwise silent room. 

"Help me." The voice pleaded. Everly stepped further into the room to find that the source of the hoarse voice was the man who had been talking with Bucky just before the power outage. "Help." Her hands curled into fists, her face contorting in anger as Steve strode over to the stranger.

"Get up." He demanded, latching onto the front of the man's shirt and dragging him to his feet. Steve slammed the stranger up against the wall. The man's helpless act quickly dissipated and he let out a deep breath. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"To see an empire fall." The man grumbled, an eerie grin etched into his face. 

Everly flinched, ducking when a whirring filled her ears. A metal fist plowed through the concrete wall beside her, nearly taking her head off. Her eyes grew wide and she shoved him away out of reflex. Sam came up behind him and tried to throw a punch, though it was easily blocked. The Winter Soldier grabbed Sam beneath his chin and flung him across the room where he collided with the glass holding cell before falling to the floor. Everly froze, peering pleadingly into the soldier's cold, expressionless eyes as he started toward her. Bucky had once again disappeared behind that veil of darkness. She kicked a foot out, though he shoved it by, slamming her against the wall.

Steve lunged forward and they each traded a few punches before the Winter Soldier drove a foot into his chest, sending him tumbling backward into the next room. Everly scraped herself from the ground as quick as possible, her chest heaving as she struggled to regain her wind. She stood up straight, her eyes instantly locking onto the stranger who stared back with an unreadable expression. 

She stepped toward him and he stepped back, his hands diving into his pockets. A frown fell over her face as she moved toward him once more, just as he plucked a phone from his pocket. In a matter of seconds, a soft melody drifted through the air, mixing with the beeping of the building's alarm. She froze as her head began to throb. She cringed, but continued toward him regardless. Despite how much her mind screamed in protest, her feet began to move slower with each step though her heart only pounded faster in her chest. She finally came to a stop a few feet from him and a grin spread across his thin lips. 

Everly cocked her head aside, her face contorting in anger as she threw an arm out in front of her, wrapping her fingers tightly around the man's throat. His eyes grew wide in surprise as he was slammed against the concrete wall. 

"I don't do that anymore." She growled, tossing him to the ground when his face turned a deep shade of purple. She'd come so close to choking the life straight out of him, but that wouldn't give them any of the answers they were looking for. This man had gone through so much just to exchange a few words with Bucky. The only question was, why. The stranger sat relatively motionless on the ground before her, the rise and fall of his chest being the only proof he was still alive.

A loud bang sounded in the next room over and she turned the corner to see the Winter Soldier  running off. A large hole was torn through the thick metal doors of the elevator. She hurried over and peered down the elevator shaft to see Steve dragging himself off the ground. He groaned as he managed to stand, staring up into the air. He met his friends worried eyes as he slipped the jacket from his shoulders and started climbing the cables.