Scouting Out the Truth | MARVEL (DISCONTINUED)

6 | Encounter and Betrayal

"Rhea?! You were with them this whole time???" Tony asked, dumbfounded. The two teams met at an airport where team cap was hoping to find the jet they needed. But it looked like team Ironman didn't want them to leave.

"I agree with their cause. Bucky is innocent; and you won't be able to change my mind." Rhea sneered. Tony rolled his eyes. "I was hoping I didn't have to arrest a child, but it looks like I do." Tony tried to throw a power-dampening cuff at her ankle, but she dodged it. "Nice try, Coca Cola. But you should really try to think of a better plan next time." Rhea smirked. Tony fumed.

Suddenly, both teams charged. Rhea turned invisible, and wrestled with Nat on the ground. She pulled a dagger and held it close to Nat's throat. But Nat suddenly poked her stomach, which made her loosen her grip. Nat smirked and grabbed the dagger, holding it to Rhea's neck while on top of her.

Nat quickly attached a power dampening cuff to Rhea's ankle. Rhea could feel her power draining, and hissed in annoyance. "You're too young for this, Rey." "What about that Spider-kid? He's as old as me." Rhea huffed back angrily. "Rhea, you're just a scout. You aren't even trained for this." Nat tried to reason. "Bullcrap. You were the one who taught me like I was an assassin. There's a reason I was able to pin you to the ground with a knife to your throat." Rhea hissed angrily.

Nat pulled her up so Rhea's back was into her chest, arm wrapped around her. She still held the dagger close to her throat as she yelled for the fighting to stop. Immediately, everyone froze and turned to Nat. "Don't you dare." Steve hissed as he walked forward. But Nat stopped him. "If you move, I slit her throat." Nat hissed. This took Rhea by surprise, and she yelped quietly and gulped.

"Steve, you gotta come with us." Tony reasoned. Steve whipped his head back to him. "And let you take Bucky? How many times do I have to tell you, he was framed! He's completely innocent. Whatever missions he did or didn't do, HYDRA controlled him for seventy years." Steve replied. "I know. But the whole world is looking for him. Not to mention the UN constantly on our tails, trying to get us to sign the Sokovia Accords." Tony explained.

While everyone was distracted, Rhea took her chance to break out of Nat's grip. As she tried to step forward, she felt a searing pain on her ankle and fell forward. She looked back to find her achilles, slashed and bleeding. She tried to stand, but her legs buckled.

She managed to stand, but yelped in pain when a dart came into contact with her leg. She looked down to see it was a tranquilizer dart. She quickly pulled it out, but could already feel her eyelids drooping. Bucky saw it all happen, and walked towards where Rhea was crumpled on the ground. He knelt down and held her upper body, propping her up against his chest. He moved her so he could also hold her bleeding achilles to hold off some of the blood.

"Stay with me, Rey." Bucky whispered. Rhea's eyelids were drooping, but she was fighting to stay awake. "What the hell!" Steve yelled at Nat. Nat dropped the dagger. "Steve, we didn't just come for Barnes. We also came for her." Nat explained. "So you label her as a criminal?" Steve asked. Nat shook her head. "We thought you guys were holding her hostage, but when we found out she was willingly with you guys, she became one of our targets. You know how it is." Nat continued. Steve shook his head.

Rhea felt her eyelids droop. She desperately tried to keep them open, fighting with all her strength. Bucky looked down at her, smiling sadly. "I'm sorry, Rey." Bucky stuck a tranquilizer dart in her neck. She gasped, then fell limp. "Buck, why did you do that?" Steve yelled, dumfounded. Bucky stood up and looked at him after picking Rhea up in his arms. "She's too young. I don't want her involved. If I trust Nat and Tony to take care of her, they should trust us too." Bucky proposed. Steve nodded slightly.

"Well, hand her over, Barnes." Tony became impatient. Bucky sighed before carefully transitioning her so she was in Rhodey's arms. Rhodey nodded to him before holding Rhea tight. Barnes then stood back, next to Steve. He looked sadly at Rhea in Rhodey's arms. He hated what he did, but he didn't want her to become a wanted criminal; like he saw himself as.

"Listen, Barnes. I understand this situation we are in. I will agree to let you stay with us at the tower with the team, , but on one condition." Tony began. "What's that?" Bucky looked up, hopeful. "We can't have a two-sided approach anymore. Only one-sided. Teams work together, not tear each other apart." Tony finished. Bucky smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." The two became one.

Rhea woke to find herself lying on a bed. She jolted up, and scanned her surroundings. She looked down to see a power-dampening cuff on her ankle. She was beginning to feel alarmed, but her alertness turned into anger when she realized she was back at the tower. She remembered when Bucky stuck the dart in her neck. She still found it hard to forgive him.

She whipped her head to the door as it opened, before turning her body away and holding her hands in her lap as her feet were dangling off the side of the bed. It was Bucky. She didn't want to face him; not right now. "Rey..." Bucky began. "Don't...call...me...that..." Rhea hissed, unable to disguise her anger. Bucky sighed and sat next to her on the bed, but she didn't even look at him.

"Rhea, I'm sorry for what I did. I only wanted to protect you. But the good thing is the team is back together." Bucky tried to reason, but stopped rambling when Rhea looked up at him with tears running down her cheeks. Bucky frowned and gently wiped the tears away, holding her head so she could look at him.

"I'm glad. But that's not why I'm angry." Rhea muttered, half to herself. Bucky became really worried, and moved one hand from her face to her hand. "What? What is it?" He pressed. Rhea looked down. "You betrayed my trust. When someone betrays my trust, it is near-impossible to get it back." Rhea suddenly sounded like an older, wiser veteran that went through so much. But instead she was this small, sixteen year-old girl who worked as a scout for the Avengers.

Bucky stood up and walked to the other side of the room. Rhea's eyes followed him warily. He paced for a while, then stopped, looking down at her. She flinched, which upset Bucky. He shook his head and quickly walked out of the room. Steve was waiting outside the door, and quickly followed Bucky down the hallway. Rhea didn't react, she just stared straight ahead of her at the blank, white wall; lost in thought.