Lost and Found
She had laid unmoving for hours and continued staring at the moldy celling long after the tears had subsided. It took everything in her pick herself off of the floor. No one had noticed she was in there; she wasn’t even sure anyone was home.
The cuts on her knuckles had dried shut with only a few beads of blood trickling through the cracks in the scabs. Iris leaned against the wall, staring at the door which was shut but unlocked. She had no idea where Alex had gone. He might be dead for all she knew.
The remains of the mirror were scattered around the bathroom. Iris stared at the door a little longer before taking in a deep breath, filling her lungs with acidic smelling air. She reached out her non-bloodied hand to the knob but before she touched the cold metal, it began to turn.
Iris backed away from the door, almost falling back into the vomit filled tub. The handle stopped turning but the door didn’t open.
“Alex?” Iris croaked through her dry mouth. Her weakened state would make it impossible to fight off anyone.
The door stayed shut.
“Alex, this isn’t funny.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
The door creaked open and it wasn’t Alex standing in the doorway. It was the same brown haired man who had grabbed her arm stood in the open door way. His hand gripped onto the door handle as he bore his icy eyes into her wide, jade ones.
Iris wanted to scream. Hell, she wanted to cry. The man took a large step into the small, tile room.
“Step back, or I’ll scream.” She whimpered, holding bloodied hand out. He took another step towards her. The stranger didn’t say a thing, all he did was stare. He took one more step forwards. Iris took one step backwards and slipped.
Before she could fall into the foul tub, the stranger was beneath her, stopping her fall with his arms. Iris now leaned in his arms, bridal style.
“Let go of me!” Iris attempted to yell but her throat burned. “Put me down!”
She struggled against his hard arms, pushing against his chest, but it was no use. He just gripped her harder. Iris felt faint coming due to her lack of energy.
“Stop, its no use.” The stranger proclaimed. Iris was shocked by the softness of his voice. It was commanding but had hints of kindness. But that still didn’t stop her. She continued to pound against him as he brought her out of the bathroom.
Iris looked down at a few passed out bodies on the floor. They were breathing, but only barely. She spotted a red mess of hair on the other side of the room. Alex’s passed out body lay on the floor, facing the wall away from Iris in the man’s arms.
“Alex!” Iris shouted through her cracked lips. It only came out as a loud whisper. “Alex, help!” He didn’t move from his spot on the dirty carpet. His back was rising and falling. At least he’s alive… For a second Iris stopped struggling but when she remembered her position she jerked to attention.
“Stop moving and I’ll put you down.” The stranger stated. Iris stilled, breathing heavily. He placed her down on the couch. She sat up quickly, looking around for the nearest exit. The door looked unlocked and a slight breeze was coming out the open window on the far right. If she remembered, they were only on the second floor. If she jumped, nothing too bad would happen.
“Don’t even think about running.” He mentioned, as though her could read her thoughts. “And we are on the sixth floor, so don’t even try the window unless you want me to drag your broken body to the hospital.”
So much for the window. Iris thought. I guess the door will have to do.
She turned her attention to the stranger who had now sat down on the wooden coffee table in front of the couch. He continued to stare directly into her eyes without blinking.
“You realize that staring is creepy as fuck, right?” Iris croaked out, scooting closer to the edge of the couch.
“How did you get into the Avenger’s compound?” He asked, still unblinking.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“You were there last night. You spray painted the roof.”
“If I’m correct this is a free country and I don’t need to say anything.”
“How did you get into the Avenger’s compound?” He repeated with more force than the first time. She heard a whirring sound coming from the stranger, like moving gears. She looked down at his arm. It was made of metal. Iris inhaled sharply with realization. The Winter Soldier. How did I not notice before? She had seen him all over the news recently. The assassin, a Russian experiment. I’m in some deep shit.
“You’re the Winter Soldier.” Iris whispered under her breath. The super-soldier’s metal fist clenched.
“This is the last time I’m asking you, how did you get into the Avenger’s compound?”
In a split second Iris darted to her feet. Her head throbbed and her vision spun, but there was no time to think about that. Before Bucky could react, she had thrown open the door to the hallway. Iris sprinted towards the stairs but before she made it to the closed metal door leading to her freedom, a heavy punch collided into her stomach. She fell on her back to the ground. Her vision blurred as she stared up into the flickering light bulbs in the hallway. All the surrounding doors which lead to other apartments stayed closed. Please, someone open the door. Iris begged in her mind. Her vision was going foggy. Oh God, anyone, help.
She saw the ragged, brunette hair of the Winter Soldier and an unknown blonde head lean over her.
“God damn it Steve.” She heard the soldier say before everything went dark.
---
Bucky’s POV
Bucky had watched the traffic cameras outside of the Avenger’s compound as the cameras in the compound had somehow been tampered with. How this mystery girl had done it, he had no idea. He watched her run out the forest, scale the huge metal fence without a problem, cutting through the barbed wire and running to a large black motorbike on the side of the empty road.
He watched her drive into the city, dodging larger cars and trucks effortlessly. It was hard to keep up with all the different cameras. At about one in the morning she made it to a seedy part of town. There weren’t many cameras there so it was harder to follow her movements.
Eventually he managed to track her to a shabby apartment building. He watched her enter the main hallway. He could no longer follow her.
There was a knock on the door. A second later Steve entered in the door.
“What’s up Bucky?” He asked looking down at the now blank screen. “Why’d you call me over?”
“I need help with a girl.” Bucky responded. Steve looked confused. Bucky realized how his request sounded and quickly corrected himself.
“A girl broke into the Avengers compound last night and got away. We need to find her.” Bucky added.
“You got your ass kicked by a girl.” Steve let out a light laugh. Bucky looked back at the dark screen. “Sorry man, I’ll help you with your girl. Where is she?”
Bucky pulled the video back onto the screen. The dingy apartment building came back into view.
“Wow, that’s pretty bad. Are you sure she’s there?” Steve asked. Bucky nodded. “Okay then, lets get your girl.”
---
After Bucky had entered the apartment the smell of sick, cheap alcohol and mold filled his nose. He gagged a little before continuing further into the living room. There is no way she’d be here. A few people were passed out around the room, either on the floor or on some piece of furniture.
He turned each body around to see if he recognized the pale face of the girl that had beat him on top of the roof the previous night. No one looked familiar. Bucky was about to leave until he heard some movement from a closed door on the other side of the room.
He moved silently towards the door, his metal arm whirring by his side. He stood in front of the door, not knowing what he’d see on the other side of the door. After a few seconds of contemplation, Bucky reached out to the door handle with his flesh hand and turned.
He heard shuffling on the other side of the door.
“Alex?” Bucky’s heart jumped a bit as he heard the terrified voice, muffled through the door. He could leave, if it were her he knew he didn’t want to get her involved with all of this. He didn’t know why but he wanted to protect this mysterious girl.
“Alex, this isn’t funny.” Her voice was trembling now. Bucky took in a short breath and pushed open the door slowly. He was hit by a sharp, acidic scent but what was worse was the state of the girl.
Her eyes were wide and horrified. They were surrounded by black bags which sunk back into her gaunt face. Her skin was paler than he last remembered it. A large bruise lay underneath her eye. Another set of bruises encircled her neck. Her hands were clenched by her sides. Both wrists were also covered in bruises. One fist was covered in blood.
He looked around and saw the shattered pieces of mirror all over the bathroom floor. She breathed quickly, making herself as small as possible like a cornered animal.
Bucky took a step towards the cowering girl.
“Step back or I’ll scream!” She held out her hand and whimpered. He took another step towards her. And then another. She stepped back but he saw what was coming.
Before she could fall back into the bathtub he reached his arms forward, clutching her waist and legs. Even through her thick hoodie he could feel her hipbones protruding through her skin. Her ribs were bumpy and very noticeable. She didn’t weigh a thing.
“Let go of me!” The girl shouted. She might have been thin and weak but she put up a pretty good fight. All he could do was clutch her tighter. “Put me down!”
After a few seconds her fighting began to subside.
“Stop, its no use.” Bucky wanted her to stop struggling. It hurt him to see something so innocent acting like a crazed animal. But it only made her fight harder.
He carried her out into the moldy living room. She turned her head around frantically. Her eyes stopped at a red haired boy, no older than 20, lying on the floor.
“Alex!” She shouted, struggling harder. “Alex, help!”
So that was the Alex she was talking about in the bathroom. Bucky couldn’t help but think. Is that her boyfriend? His inner 40s self was begging to be let out. This isn’t the time Bucky.
“Stop moving and I’ll put you down.” He said a little to roughly. She stopped moving instantly but he could tell the fight wasn’t over yet. She was smart and the second he placed her on the couch her eyes were already darting around the room looking for an exit.
“Don’t even think about running.” Bucky added. He knew she wasn’t going to listen.
She turned her head back towards him, her deepest emerald eyes boring into his. He didn’t blink.
“You realize that staring is creepy as fuck, right?” The mystery girl mentioned. Bucky was a little taken aback. He was still not used to the amount of swearing in the 21st century.
“How did you get into the Avenger’s compound?” Bucky asked without moving his eyes.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“You were there last night. You spray painted the roof.”
“If I’m correct this is a free country and I don’t need to say anything.”
“How did you get into the Avenger’s compound?” He felt his metal arm tightening, she was witty and he didn’t know if he liked it or not.
“You’re the Winter Soldier.” She whispered under her breath. Bucky inhaled deeply. She knew.
“This is the last time I’m asking you, how did you get into the Avenger’s compound?” Bucky was trying his best to stay calm.
But she didn’t answer, before he realized it, she had stood up and was half way to the door before he could get onto his own two feet. He knew Steve was just outside but the thought of loosing her terrified him. Why are you acting so weird Bucky, you don’t even know who she is.
He heard a loud oomph from outside the door. He rushed to see what, or who had caused the noise. He saw the girls pale body lying on the ground. Her chest was rising and falling quickly under her black clothing. Her eyes were wide, looking around at the neighboring doors.
Bucky dashed towards her body. Steve was standing above her, his eyes met with Bucky’s before they both looked back down at the terrified girl.
“God damn it Steve.” Bucky exclaimed before her wide eyes fluttered shut.